The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1874-09-09
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IFrom the St. LouIs nepubliean.l

lneft - Hot 10 De iOunu Ill the pages % HIS
tory or Of romance an instance Of more chiv-
alrous affection and cons tant, self-sacrihuing
devotion than was ilustra ted in Andrew Jack
sons uniform conduct to ward Rachel Donel-
son. He married her under peculiar circum-
stances. Her first husband was, from all &C
ed caprice, with whom it was utterly impossi-
BILE for anybody, however well disposed, to live
in peace. After one or two separations and
reunions they finally parted permanently, and
it was soon after this event that Jackson
then a poor unknown lawyer In the backwoods
village of Nashville--asked her to share his
rather unpromising fortunes. A divorce was
procured through what was thought to be the
proper channel and they were united. The
first months of their welded life were spent
in Natchez, and not until their return to Ten
nessee was it known that the court which
granted the divorce had no authority to exc
cute such an instrument-which we believe
as the law then stood, could only issue from
the Legislature of Virginia But be this as
it may, the legal forms were at last fully COM
Piled with, and to put an end, as it was hop
ed, to all possible misconstruction, the marri-
age ceremony was again performed. Had
jackson remained an obscure man, the matter
never would have been revived, but as soon as
he took the first steps in the career which was
to land him in the presidential chair, jealousy
Embossed the hands of calumny, and enemies
who could find no nobler plan of attack struck
at him through the bosom of his wife. This
was a sin which he never could and never
would forgive; and whoever had breathed
word against the fair fame of that idolzed
object might feel assured of having made an
eternal and memorable foe of one who came
fairly up to the Johnsonian standard of ga
good hater."
| The duel with Dickinson had its real origin
here, Dickinson was a promising young man,
belonging to highly respectable family in
Nashville, and the Junior of Jackson by sew
eral years. Attached to different and hos
tile faction, he imagined rivalry where none
really existed, and, being in the habit Of drink
ing too freely, occasionally made remarks
which would not bear repetition. OF course
they were repeated, and to the one of all 9TH
ers most deeply interested. When the first
offence of this sort transpired, jackson went
to Dickinson's father-in-law, told what he had
heard, and begged him to guard, if possible,
against similar occurrence in the future
The warning was of no avail, for when the
wine was again in the ascendant, Dickinson
threw out the same slurs, and this time they
cost him his hearts blood The duel ostensi-
bly, originated in u horse-race, which, by the
way, was never run but the animus of it, Sc
far as Jackson was concerned lay in the fact
that Dickinson had spoken i'll of Mrs. Jack.
son. 1t is unnecessary to repeat all the de-
tails Of the meeting, which was one of the
most terrible on record. Dickinson was a
dead shot could hit half-dollar at ten pac-
es, kill birds on the wing, and perform other
miraculous feats with the pistol. lie was as
brave and cool as he was skillful, and never
entertained doubt as to the result of the
combat. The arrangement was that when
the word was given they could fire as soon as
they pleased. jackson, knowing Dickinson S
superior quickness with his weapon, resolved
not to attempt to get the first fire, but to take
the chances for second. The instant the
signal was shouted, Dickinson fired. The
dust flew from the breast of the loose-6tting
black frock coat which jackson wore, but he
stood there like pillar of adamant, appar-
emily unframed. Dickinson started back with
horror and amazement, exclaiming, " My
God have missed him?" His stern and
unrelenting antagonist took deliberate aim
and pulled the trigger. The pistol did not re-
Il e., 4 q .,,lx, l,.1F
cooked A second time he took aim, and, as
the sharp crack rang out among the silent
woods where the deadly scene was laid, Dick.
inson tottered and fell into the arms of his
friend. He died, the same night. jackson
was able to mount his horse and ride home
next day,--barely able, for the bullet which
seemed to miss him, had really passed through
the fleshy part of his breast and cut the
breast-bone. His shoes were full OF blood
when he walked from the fatal field, but he
concealed the fact, as he said, "because he
did not want Dickinson to have the satisfac-
ton of knowing that he had hit him at all. y
In answer to the question how he could after
receiving such shock, retain his steadiness
of nerve, he replied: 81 believe l should
have killed him had he shot me through the
biain.' The wound never healed properly
was the occasion of frequent hcmorrhages in
later years, and ultimately caused his death.
There is no evidence going to show that Jack
son ever repented of this duel. Long after
ward---indeed, only few weeks before he
died-a friend visiting his sick chamber hap
pened to pick up an old pistol lying on the
mantel. The keen-eycd invalid saw the move
ment, and remarked quietly "Tbat is the
pistol with which killed Mr.. Dickinson. -
In spite Of his conversion and consistent fell
lowship with the church, there was deal of
the "Old Adam y remaining in cold Hick-
DRY " to the last.
Those who saw Mrs. Jackson in her youth
say that at that period she was plump and
quite pretty brunette. But in middle age the
plumpness increased until all signs of waist
had disappeared, and the dark complexion be-
came still darker until it was almost the tint
of venerable mahogany. In plain words, she
was a short, fat and remarkably common
looking old woman--ungraceful, OF course,
and not at all yersed in the ways OF polite So