The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-06-28

whether in the battlefield, as President
the Republic of Texas, Governor Of Texa
or Senator in Congress, the one questio
ever present to his mind was, SAM doin
as Gen. Jackson would have me do, or {
he would do in my place?' In a very dill
ferent vein, once heard John Bell say
while commenting on the ty1annical m
overbearing disposition of the Genera
that even his Secretaries came crouchin
into his presence with their hats under thei
arms, ready to kneel like pigs before n
old boar; but MIR. Bell was then in bite
opposition to, and in disfavor with tn
Generals administration, and there ma
have bsen something of metaphor in hi
remarks. The fact, however, of his ascend
ancy over the minds of all who came ii
contact with him is indisputable and i
furnishes unmistakeable evidence of tht
high estimate placed upon his integrity, hi
love of justice, and his lofty scorn of ever.
thing unbecoming a gentleman and a
patriot. While politicians and place hunt
ers bowed iu humble obsequiousness at his
shrine, the people regarded him as the faith
full custodian of their rights and interests,
ready to confront and throttle any abuse
the moment it presented itself.
Of his other personal traits, only few
need be mentioned. He was a hard-money
man, and set his face firmly against all
forms of credit. Bank bills were not
money, and the issuance of them to take
its place was an arrogant assumption not to
be endured. Debt was bondage incom
patible with freedom of thought and action,
and he would owe no man. He was tenn
perate in his habits and abstemious in diet.
If he INDUCED in single glass of wine, it
was more in conformity to custom than for
the qualification of his taste. The defer
ence which he displayed in the presence of
ladies reminded one of the days of chivalry
He was an inveterate smoker, and his pipe
was seldom out of his reach. As is the
case with m ost smokers, the first Whit pro-
voked desire to talk, and at the end of
the first sentence his fire was gone. There
was then running contest between talking
and pipe lighting, until the subject and
the tobacco were exhau sted. There was a
popularity in the pronunciation of some
W ords, which would be more noticeable
now than it was in his day, because less
frequently heard. 1t was what was call ed
in the Western countly the North Carolina
Irish brogue, and chiefly consisted in giv-
ing to the letter the sound of u the
change was not uniform, but seemed to be
confined to certain words, or syllables in
word, whilst others of the same structure
were pronounced in the usual manner.
Thus, the words, "persevere," ''persecu>
tion,' he would pronounce "parsevere,
persecution sounding the a, not broadly
rs in par, but slenderly, as in pare. In
Hermitage" however, word often used
by him as being the name of his residence,
.he sound of was broadly heard, as in
larm or hard. Such pronunciation impart-
ID an air of quaintness even to his most
weighty and solemn utterances. Lastly:
he was scrupulously neat in his person;
lis dress was always faultless in fit,
nd of the finest and most costly |
Material, and everything about his house
nd his farm gave evidence of systematic |
nd orderly management.
I have more than once intimated that the |
ieneral was very deficient in that sort of
eneral information which is gathered up |
n course of promiscuous reading, and
Iithout which a gentleman is liable to fall
lto ridiculous errors. A conversation to
'hich l listened, ard which l will give
erbatim as it occurred, will better illustrate
~ meaning than would any amount of
The occasion was large din
er party given in honor of the General
,ortly after his return from Washington
| 1887. Before going into the dining
,om he had been introduced to a Mr..
teller, an Episcopalian clergyman of some
and who, as the next most hon
ed guest was placed beside him at the
bic. Just here it is proper to observe
at the General was remarkably oblivious
names, and, that unless associated with
me high position or notable achievement,
ey did not dwell in his memory a minnie.
, much being promised, and the parties
ing seated, the General, by way of open |
G conversation, turned to his neighbor
ID said:
"what did 1 understand your name to
2"
"Weller, sir, Weller, was the reply.
"Weller, Weller, l should take that
me to be French said the General.
NO" said Mr.. Weller. Though 1 am
nerican born, my ancestry is German
"Ah!" said the General. "Then you are G
of of Mr.. Van Buren,"
No." said Mr.. Weller, understand Mr.. /,
IN Buren, to be Of Dutch descent"
'Do you not put Van before your
mel" asked the General.
'sNo,n said Mr.. Weller. ''Those of us I
10 assert a claim to gentility sometimes
Elk Won to their names, but my family 4
yer did"
For a moment the General countenance v
re the perploxed appearance of one who Q
5 listened to a distinction without being I
lie to perceive difference, but he pursued i
conversation no further. Il
As late as the winter of 1914, had never {
m General Jackson except in public, and
der circumstances in which he might DO C