Wilmington daily gazette., 1874-05-20
President Jackson's Wife.
Old Hickory as Lover and a Husband.
From the St. Louis Republican

rous affection and constant sclf-sac criGcing de-
votion than was illustrated in Andrew Jackson's
uniform conduct towards Rachel Dennison, He
married her under very peculiar circumstances.
Her first husband was, from all accounts a mau |
Of violent temper aud unbounded caprice, with |
whom 1t was utterly impossible for anybody, |
however well disposed, 10 live in peace After one
or two separations and reunions, they finally |
parted permanently, and it was soon after this |
event that JacksOn--thsn poor and unknown
lawyer Ia the backwoods village OF Nashville
asked her 10 share his rather unpromising for
tunes divorce wss procured Though what
was thought 10 be tue proper channel, and they
were united. The first months OF their welded
life were spent in Natchez, and not until their
return to Iennessee was It known that the court
which granted the divorce had no authority to
execute such AN instIument-which,w 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 fully complied with, aud 10
put ali end as was hoped-to all misconstruction,
the marriage ceremony was again performed
Had Jackson remained an obscure man the mat
ter never would have been revived, but soon
as he took the first steps in the career which was
to land him in the Presidential chair, jealousy
| unloosed the hands of caiumny, and enemies,
who could lind no noble plan OF attack, struck at
him through the bosom uf his vile. This was
| SIN which he never could and never would Tor
give; and whoyever had breathed word against
the lair fame OF that idolized object might feel
| assured ot having made eternal and inc Xorablc
| Toe OF one who came fairly up to the Johnsonlan
| standard of "good hater.'' Tho duel with Dick-
nson alluded To in the above extract, had Its real
| origin here Dickinson was promising young
| man, belonging to a highly respectable family in
| Nashville, and the junior OF jackson by several
years. Attached TO ia different and hostile faction
L he imagined q rivalry where none really existed
and being in the habit Of drinking too freely, oc
| Icasionally made remarks which would not bear
repetition. OF course they were repeated, and
TO the one OF all others most deeply interested.
| When the first otfense OF this sort transpircd,
Jackson went to Dckinson's father-in-law, told
him what he had heard, and beggSd him to guard,
IL possible, against u similar occurrence in the
future. The warning was OF no avail, Tor 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 ostenaibly orlgi-
uated III a horse race, which, by the way, " Is
never run but the animus OF II, so lar as Jack
son was concerned, lay in the flct that Dickinson
had spoken i'll ui Mis- Jackson.
1t is unnecessary 10 repeat all the details of III,
meeting, which was ineeed, as the Post SAYS, "on,
OF the most terrible on record" Dickinson wa
| a dead shot, could hit half dollar at ten PAGES
kill birds on tue wing, and perform other miracu
lous ieats with pistol. lie was as brave an,
cool as he WAS skiiliul, and never entertained
doubt rs to the combat Tho arrang cement wa
that as soon rs the word was giycn they coul,
hre rs soon as they pleased. jackson, known,
Dick kinson's superior quickness with lns weapon
Il
| take the chances for second, The instant th
| signal was shouted Dickinson Tired. The dus
| Hue from the breast OF the loose-itting blacl
frock coat which Jackson wore, but he stood thcr
! like pillar OF adamant apparently unharmed.-
Dickinson started back in horr or and amaZemtnI
-, exelaiming, My God! have missed him Z" Hi
stern and unrelenting antagonist took dehberat
aim and pulled the trigger. The pistol did no
: respond. lie looked and found it was only hat
q cooked. A second time he took aim, aud AS tn
Il harm ~ ran nut tho nod
K where the deadly scene was laid, Dickinson tot
tered and fell into the arms OF his friend. Ill
died the same night. jackson was able to mouI
i his horse and ride home next day barely ab
, tor the bullet. which seemed to miss him, In
q really passed through the hcshy part OF his hrca
| and cut the breast bone. His shoes were full
| blood when he walked from the fatal field, bI
he concealed the fact. as he said, 'hecausc Il
!, did not want Dickinson 10 have the sati- acIo
| Of know ing that he had hit him al all" In answ,
to the question how he could after receiving sue
shock, retain his steadiness OF nerve he Ieplir,
4 III believe should have KILLED him had he shot IL
/, through the BRAN" The wound never hoalt
properly it was the occasion OF frequent hemo
rhages in late years and ultimately caused h
death. There IS no evidence going TO show th!
Jackson ever repented Tor this duel. Long afte
wards-indeed only few days before he died
l friend visiting his sick chamber happened
pick up an old pistol lying upon the mantel. IT
keen-eyed invalid saw Tho movement and r
killed Mr.. Dickinson In spite Of his conyt
sion and consistent fellowship with tho churc
there was q deal of the "Old Adam" remaining
l"Old Hickory to the last
Those who saw Mrs. Jackson in her youth IS
that at that period she was plump and qui
pretty brunette. But in middle age the plum
ness increased, until all the signs OF \ waist In
a, disappeared, aud ihe DARK complexion becon
III Istill darker, until il became almost the tint
venerable mahogany. In plain words, she "
a short, tat and remarkably common looking o
woman-ungraceful OF course, and not ut
versed In tho way of polite society. Her HI
band on the contrary, though spare and augul
\ in figure, and quite as destitute Of culture rs
wife coniessedy one of the most elega
tx gentlemen of his day.
" His public life particularly after the battle
New Orleans, brought him into close commuI
Ication with the gay world, and his manners CO
tributed as much Al his fame 10 make him {
centre OF every circle in which he mingled.
ii neither the sweet smiles nor the sweeter wor
of the beauties who crowded around him ev
made him for an instant forget less pro
II false TO the mistress of his soul. Even his mi
estimate friends could not discover by any wo
or act On his part that he was conscious OF
Iwife's phy sical disadvantage and lack of what
called good breeding. To him she WAS not
nor ugly, not Ignorant or awkward-but aiwa
young, always handsome, always the embodim'
4. lof brightness aud grace, No knight that e'
laid lance in rest was Aore devoted TO the 1
lady whose colors he wore, than was Jackson
NJ 1.-The ancisnt dame who bore his name She
III the only human being who gould stem the q
rent oil his fearful passion. A word from
lips. q glance from her eye and the iron mi
blazing with wrath and apparently as untsma
as the lion of the juugles, became as tame q
a. har fran ha ha