Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1880-05-29
WHOLE NO. 1922.

Z Sltlon IN tneLr gilt. Our peODl
Q have always thus remembered an
: thus rewarded the heroes of th
, wars in which we have been on
+ gagged without an exception. Muc
2 eloquence and defamation haV
: been expended i'm the effort to i'm
! press the public mind with the dan
ger OF elevating successful Iniiitar.
} ehieftains to the presidency, bu
: Washington, Jackson, Harrison
: Taylor, Grant, stand as monument
. OF the admiration and gratitude q
the American people for the meI
who have shed glory and renowI
upon our arms. 1t would extenC
these remarks far beyond the iimit,
of propriety and yOur patience e
attempt reference In detail to al
the notable acts in the life of An
drew Jackson, crowded as il IN Will
distinguished services 10 the esteem
and admiration of his countrymen,
After his Seminole campaign and
the differences with Spain had been
satisfactorily settled, his country
no longer needing his services in
the field, he resigned his commits
sion in the army. Soon the Byes OF
the people began to turn Toward
him as prospective candidate for
the presidency, and the legislature
of Tennessee formally nominated
him for that exalted position. AS
is well known, he was defeated in
in this contest, but it was because
the will of majoriy of the Ameri-
can people was defeated in the re-
suit reached by the election In the
house of representatives.
That result by which another
wore the hOnOrs which a majority
of his countrymen had intended
for him only postponed the inevi-
table hour. At the end of MIR. Adj
ans administration Jackson was
again a candidate for president.
Perhaps no presidential election in
our history has been nn disgraced
by q greater amount OF personal
sonal defamation than that with
which Gen. Jackson was assailed.
There was no weapon which SLAM
der disdained to forge or calUlmny
to use. Every act of his life was
scanned with microscopic scare to
discover something that could be
set down to his discredit. The rep
utatiOn of the mother who bore him
and the good name of the wife OF
his bosom were assailed with cruel
and merciless mendaclty. Could
any one acquainted with the genius
of the American people doubt what
their decision would be in tire case
of such a man so aSsailed ? Did his
tradacers imagine that they could
deTnolish the colossal temples Of his
fame with such weapons as these,
or drive him from the hearts OF his
countrymen, where the glorious
achievements of his life had in
trenched him? All the Exchanges were
rungupon the dangerous experiment
of elevating a military ehieftain TO
the high Office of president of the
United States. He was denounced
as tyrant and a despot, whose ele-
walton to power would result In the
destruction of the liberties OF his
country. He was represented as "A
coarse and ignorant man, unac-
quainted with public affairs and an
fitted in every respect to be the
chief magistrate of this country.
There was no calamity that could
befall country that was not pre-
dicted as. certain TO overtalIe this
unhappy land if its infatuated and
citizens should in AN evil
hour commit the supreme folly of
him president. But the
people remembered that there was
4 time when the dark clouds of war
hung low and threatening over
their devoted land, and they re-
called the fact that Andrew Jack
son was not aE enemy to his coun-
try then, nor could they be made
TO believe that he had become so
since. He was elected by an over
majority. The people
had rendered their verdict, aIid An
drew Jackson wore the crown of
their emphatic and spontaneous en-
lorsement. They crowded TO his
in such enthusiastic
as to leave no one room
10 doubt the firm hold he had upon
he masses of his countrymen. This
military chieftain, of whose admin
so many dire and gloomy
had been made, was now
lbout to be tried upon q new and
Inaceust0me,l field He had never
Deen found wanting In any position
which he had hitherto occupied,
Dut now would he WELD the desti-
lies and conduct the vast and COM
llicated affairs of a great country as
/ civil magistrate ? The fierceness
IF the conflict through which he
lad passed, warned him that the
hip of state, while under his con-
,roi, was not destined to sail upon
/ tranquil sea, or to meet only favor
ng winds. But he knew well that
ne owed his elevation to the un-
bought suffrages of a free people.
EIe always said that the people
would never desert those who were
rue to them. III there ever was n
nan with whom patriotism was an
lbsOrbing passion, Andrew jackson
vas that man. He never saw the
lay or the hour, after The cepQe to
years of discretion, that he would
lot have willingly laid down his
ife upon the altar of his country IN
Ter welfare had called for the sacri-
ice. Her enemies were his enc
nies her honor was his honor, and
Ter cause was his cause, ,er -s,..
Her greatness and renOwn was
he ruling aspiration or Ills heart
md the chief Inspiration of his life.
There was not an un-American hair
n his head or an un-American drop
# blood in his veins. Such man
night make mistakes or commit
errors, but could never be false to
What he believed to be the best in
crest of his country. With this
aith in the people and this love Of
ountry burning I'm his heart, he
rrasped the helm Of state with a
irm and unfaltering hand. What
le encountered and what he
chieved belongs to history. AS
lis administration advanced it
rev in favor with the people. At
he end Of the first term so firmly
rounded was his popularity that
le was reelected by a largely i'm
reased majority. Out OF 2S8 cleo
oral votes, lie received 219. He
lad fought the battle of the people
md they were fighting his. lie
lad stood by them and they were
by him. No administra-
ion i'm our history has encountered
more formidable opposition than
hat which confronted the adj
Of President jack
on. The great triumvirate OF Clay,
Webster and Calhoun had hurled
heir triple power against ii, bat Il
TODD the shock unmOved, for it
vas embedded in the confidence OF
ne people, and presided over by a