The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1876-06-02
OLD HICKORY.

Old HICkOkf.
"reminiscences of Persons and Events
During the Two Terms of Gen. Jaclsson's s
Presidency.
No man of this country or of any other
ever possessed in greater degree the
confidence of the people, or excelled in
personal popularity with the masses,
than Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee.
Politicians were not always satisfied with
him, not even those who had largely par
ticipated in the success of the party that
twice elected him to the Presidential Of
fee; but the people were ever with him,
triotism, stood by him in every act in his
administration of public affairs, when
political leaders of the party were alarmed
if not disaffected at times by the bold,
aggressive movements of the brave and
intrepid soldier. It is related of Penn
sylvania farmer, who having sold, in
Philadelphia, wagon load of products
from his farm some twenty miles back in
the country, was offered in payment the
notes of the United States bank, then at
premium of one per cent. over the
State bank circulation, when to the sur
prise of the purchaser he declined to
take them in payment, simply saying that
Gen. Jackson had said the bank was bad
and corrupt, and therefore he did not
care to have anything to do with it.
A true and staunch friend, he never
was known to abandon any one in whom
he had placed confidence, or for whom
he had any friendly feeling, although the
whole world might go against his views
and opinions. He was ever the defend
er of the weak against the strong, and
no man ever surpassed the old hero in
his chivalric appreciation of woman, or
in his disposition to protect and defend
her at all times against any species of
aggression or persecution. This noble
disposition had been increased in him
in consequence of the base and bastard
ly attack that was made on his domestic
life during the canvass for his first Pres
idential term, and even upon the be-
loved partner of his joys and sorrows,
whose life, it is believed, was shortened
by such attacks and prosecutions.
This trait ;r his character for gall
liant defense of woman was brought
fully into action on the memoir
able embodiment in Washing
ton society in 1881, in which the mem
bers of his Cabinet and their families
were principally and Immediately inter
ested. Reference is here made to the
unpleasant condition of affairs immedi-
ately preceding the dissolution of the
Cabinet in that year. The rupture that
had taken place between Gen. Jackson
and Mr.. Calhoun, to which more partic-
ular allusion will be made further on, was
soon followed by an event naturally to
follow as a consequence-thato of break
ing up the Presidents Cabinet. Sew
eral members classed as the political
friends of Mr.. Calhoun could not be ex-
pected to remain as ministers to Gen.
jackson while adhering to that gentle
man. This dissolution of the Cabinet,
however, was hastened and more imme-
diately brought about by the embroil-
ment in high society referred to above.
The main difficulty and source of these
troubles in society, as the General be-
ieved, arose from wanton and unpro-
voked persecution on the part of the Cal
hounites, of the family of his friend and
favored minister, Gen. Eaton, then Sec
retary of War, aimed as an indirect at
tack on himself, and similar in feet to
the dastardly war made on his own do
mestic peace during his first candidacy
for the Presidential Office.
Mr.. Samuel d. Ingham, the Secretary
of the Treasury, visited tho President at
the suggestion of Col. r. M. Johnson,
of Kentucky, the reputed slayer of Te-
cumseh, to see If some harmonious COM
promise could not be made whereby he
and others could remain in position
for although friends and admirers of Mr..
Calhoun, and therefore necessarily and
to some extent disaffected toward Gen.
Jackson, yet they seeEned desirous, to
use a modern phrase-to stick but the
President was far from being conciliated,
and as Mr.. Ingham reported back to Col.
johnson, he had become very violent,
and, as he remarked under considerable
excitement, that he would never again
undertake such mission, for the Presi-
dent was not only violent, but seemed TO
roar at him like maddened lion. Col.
johnson said he would 90 to him and
see If the lion would roar at him DOS.
sibly the old hero had roared enough for
that occasion, for he received the Col
onel. for whom he had high regard,
with that impressive dignity that was
never surpassed by any official in receiv.
ing those who approached him, especial
lv under such extraordinary circum
.tancea aa then existed, Col. johnson