The Republican. [volume] (Maryville, Tenn.) 187?-187?, 1874-05-02
OLD HICKORY'S WIFE.
Gen. Jaekson's Courtship-HIs Devotion
as a Husband Details OF the Dick
inson Duel.

S"iHb hOAA thO NOh iOih
Post :
"In ouf remarks a day or two age
upon the forthcoming history Of the
United States by Mr.. Bryant, we spoke
OF the material in the way of incident
and picture which the subject would af
ford. Reading the other day of Jack.
sons visit to New York, about the time
of his first Inauguration, and Just after
his wife's death, we we're greatly struck
with the pictorial qualities OF the story.
He rode the length of Broadway on
horseback, with long weeper, at that
time in fashion In Tennessee, tied
around his white hat and hanging the
length Of his back. We have here Just
one of those pictures SO very vivid and
important of which American history
in full. There is a chapter Of history
contained in the photograph. That he
should have ridden on horseback in
stead of in carriage indicates q pecu-
liarity at the time. The long weeper
tied around the white hat-a thing IA
miliar enough in Tennessee, and yet
strange in New York-recalls the fact
that the various parts of the country
were not then so HON geneous as they
are at present. Jackson's truculent
and defiant grief, even had he been con.
scious that his weeper was too long for
the fashion in these parts, would have
vindicated itself anywhere and before
anybody. The weeper recalls the Incl
dents of his wife's early life and his af-
[ ction for her, both of which exerted a
profound influence upon his life. 1t re-
calls the old duel with Dickinson, an
encounter which, seems it to us, is one of
the most terrible on record"
General Jackson's weeper" was not
the idle ensign Of a mimic woe, but the
emblem of a grief all too deep for
words-a grief which, from the moment
of its birth, went with him day and
night, following him down to the grave,
which he gladly entered, because he
believed that through its gloomy por-
tails he would gain admission to the
presence of the woman whom he loved
better than his life. "Heaven would
be no heaven to me" he used to say,
&c if / did not think should meet my
wife there"
There is not to be found in the pages
Of history or of romance an instance of
more chivalrous affection and constant,
Self-sacrifcing devotion than was illus.
trated in Andrew Jackson's uniform
conduct toward Rachael Donelson. He
married her under peculiar circumstan-
eos. Her first husband was, from all ac-
counts, a man of violent temper and
lnbouuded caprice, with whom it was
utterly impossible for anybody, howev-
sr well disposed, to live in peace. AZ
ier one or two reparations and reunions,
hey finally parted permanently, and it
vas soon after this event that jackson
then poor and unknown LAWYER in
5he backwoods village of Nashville
asked her to share his rather unpromis-
ug 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
we're spent in Natchez, and not until
heir return 10 Tennessee was it known
hat the court which granted the divorce
lad no authority to execute such an in
'trument-which we believe, as the law
hen stood, could only issue from the
legislature of Virginia. But be this as
L may, the legal forms were at last full
y complied with, and to put an end
Is it was hoped-to all possible miscon-
the marriage ceremony was
again performed. Had Jackson remain
ID an obscure man, the matter never
Would have been revived, but as soon
as ne 'ook the first steps in the career
whlcA wac 70 land him in the presiden-
tlal chalr, ]ealorsy unloosed the hands
OF calumny, and ,uemies who could
find no nobler plan to attack struck at
him through the bosom e his wife,
This was a sin which he never cUold and
never would forgive; and whoever lod
breathed word against the fair fame
of that idolized object, made an eternal
and inexorable foe OF one who came
fairly up to the Johnsonian standard of
ga good hater." The duel with Dick
inson, alluded to in the above extract,
had its real origin here.
Dickinson was promising young
man, belonging to highly respectable
family in Nashville, and the junior of
Jackson by several years. Attached to
q different and hostile faction, he i'm.
agined rival where none really ex-
listed, AID, being in the habit of drink
ing too freely, occasionally made re-
marks which would not bear repetition.
OF course they we're repeated, and to
the one of all others most deeply in
terested. When the first offense of this
sort trauspired, Jackson went to Dick
inson's father-in-law, told what he had
heard, and begged him to guard, If pos
sible, against a similar occurrence in
the future. The warning was Of no
avail, for when the wine was again in
the ascendant, Dickinson threw ont the
same slurs, and this time they cost him
his hearts blood. The duel ostensibly
originated in q horse-race, which, by
the way, was never run ; but the ami.
mus of it, so far as jackson was con.
cerned, lay in the fact that Dickinson
had spoken i'll of Mrs. Jackson. It is
unnecessary to repeat all the details of
the meeting, which was indeed, as The
Post says, Zone of the most terrible on
record" Dickinson was u dead shot ;
could hit half-dollar at ten PAGES, kill
birds on the wing, and perform other
miraculous feats with the pistol. He
was as brave and cool as he was skillful,
and never entertained a doubt as to the
result of the combat. The arrangement
was that when the word was given they
could fire as soon as they please. Jack
-. =
duickness with his weapon, resolved not
to attempt to get the first fire, but to
take the chances for second. The in.
slant the signal was shouted, Dickinson
fired. The dust few from the breast ol
the loose fitting black frock coat which
Jackson wore, but he stood there like O
pillar of adamant, apparently un,
harmed. Dickinson started back ir
horror and amazement, exclaiming
a. NJ HoJ bova ,,niaoaJ him 0O Hi