Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-29
GRAFTON BY THE HON. JOHN f.
HOUSE,

GRAFTON BY THE HON. JOHN +
HOUSE,
Delivered at the dwelling of Jack
sons Statue AT Nashville,
May go, 1850.
The nation honors itself that re
fuses to forget the men whose live
stand as the representatives of it
character and the landmarks of it
history. The soldier who leads it
armies to victory; the Statesman
who gives it wholesome laws anC
directs its policy into prosperous
channels; the scholar that intro
duces its name into the republic o
letters and the circles of science
and the poet whose lofty strain com.
mands the attention of mankind tC
the anthem of its glory, will find in
its people the watchful guardians Oi
their fame as lorg as the land shall
bear men worthy of the sacrifices
and achievements of those who
have led in its grand march to
greatness and renown. In a repub-
lie, many of whose great men rise
from the masses of the people, the
bond of sympathy between those
who lead and those who follow is
not easily broken as long as the
leader is true to his high trust. He
but gives tongue and tone to the
spirit, the genius, the aspirations of
| the people who stand behind him as
| the reserves of his strength and the
Inspiration of his power.
That the illuStriouS man whose
memory we have this day assem-
bled to honor and perpetuate still
lives in the hearts of the people
whom he served solOng and SO well,
let the vast concOurse attest that to-
day crowd to these imposing cere-
mOniais. Thousands of the chill
dren and grandchildren of those
who knew him and honored him in
other and earlier years gaze to-day
with pride and reverence upon his
unveiled statue.
More than a century ago Andrew
jackson first saw the light in an OBJ
scure and humble cabin in the state
of North Carolina. Between then
and now what changes and events
have marked our history, and what
mighty memories crowd upon the
mind for recognition and utterance
as we survey the scene before US!
The history of his career reads
more like the thrilling story of some
bold hero of romance than the
achievements of an actor in the real
battle of life. The days of his boy
hood were passed amid the stormy
scenes and fierce conflicts of the
American revolution. He received
his first lessons in patriotism from
the men who fought to redeem the
pledge of life, fortune and sacred
honor, which was staked upon the
issue of the momentouS struggle.
The clash of arms formed the music
of his childhood, and, while yet
mere boy, he assumed the duties
and faced the dangers of soldier.
This day one hundred and five
years ago his native county of
MechIenberg adopted the first dec
laratiOn of American independence.
1t was the forerunner of that inn
mortal declaration of July 4, 1776,
which, on each recurring anniver-
sary of that memorable event, is
read in the presence of our people
as the canon of our freedom. An
drew jackson was not quite eight
years old when the Mechlenberg
declaration was given to the world.
1t was amid such high and halloWed
surroundings as these that the era
die of his young ambition was
rocked. 1t was from these pure
fonts of patriotism that his youthful
spirit caught its inspiration. 1t was
at this consecrated altar that he was
anointed for the great work that lay
before him in the coming years. In
his long, eventful and wonderful
career he was always true to these
lessons of his youth and the vows
laid upon him in this early baptism
of fire.
After reading law in North Caro-
lima, he determined to turn his face
towards what was then regarded as
the far west. He cast his fortunes
with the little band of heroes who
had gathered upon this Cumberland
bluff and were struggling for exist
ence with the wild savage that
crOuched around their humble
homes and thirsted for their blood.
1t was long way then from North
Carolina to this settlement on the
Cumberland, and it lay through an
almost painless wilderness, where
the stealthy savage lurked to inn
pede the encroaching footsteps of
civilization. tiled through dangers
to a dangerous place. But he was
man born to face, not to fly from
danger. And why should he re-
main longer in North Carolina?
The ties that bound him to her soil
had been rudely severed. Before he
was born, his father was buried.
His two brothers had fallen victims
to the ravages of war, and his noble
mother had lost her life in her un-
selfish devotion to her country and
her kindred. From the British
prison ships at Charleston a cry of
suffering and distress from the i'm
prisoned patriots reached the neigh
borhood where she lived. Among
them were some of her relatives.
She belonged to that noble band of
heroic women -Of the revolution,
whose sacrifices in the cause of our
suffering country should consecrate
in our hearts the liberties which
they so largely aided in securing,
and make the very name of woman
sacred in our sight. Mrs. Jackson
determined at once to go to the re-
lief of the suffering prisoners. She
had Just buried her son Robert, who
died from disease contracted in
British prison, and her little son
Andrew was still feeble from dis
ease contracted at the same time
while prisoner with his brother.
But, in company with two other
noble women-of the neighborhood,
she set out to Succor the prisoners.
1t was one hundred. and sixty miles
to Charleston, but these heroic
women, without an escort, set out
upon their pilgrimage of mercy.
They reached Charleston in safety,
gained admission to the prison
Ships, and administered 10 the wants
and necessities of their distressed
and suffering kindred and friends.
Mrs. jackson never again saw her
only child, whom she left behind
her, and he was never again to
catch the light of a mothers eye, or
enjoy the hallowed boon of a moth
r'ssympathyan and love, ,Shecontract-
ed the eship fever and soon after died
and was buried in an unknown and
unrecorded grave. Such womanWaS
worthy to be the mother of fsucha son.
Andrew Jackson, at the time of his
mothers death, was not fifteen
wears old. FatherleSs, motherleSs,