The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1881-01-27
A Model Host and General Jack
son at the Hermitage.


age, was model host. The only
recorded instance OF apparent in
civilitv to q guest Is that mentioned
by Peter Cartwright, the famous
pioneer Methodist preacher, in his
autobiography. He was dining with
the general. In the company there
was, as he relates, q young lawyer
from Nashville, of skeptical turn
in religious matters, who sought to
engage him in theological disputa-
ton. The preacher, although a
noted controversialist, had sufficient
breeding to avoid the proffered
discussion. The scene came TO an
abrupt and startling end. Rever-
eni Cartwright thus tells it:
l saw General Jackson's eye
strike fire as he sat by and heard
the thrusts made at the Christian
religion. At length the young law
yer asked me this question:
"Mr. Cartwright, do you believe
there is any such place as hell, OIL
a place of torments~
answered promptly, yes. do.
To which he responded: "Well
thank God 1 have too much good
sense to believe any such thing!
1 was bordering in my own minc
whether l would answer him or not
when General jackson for the frs
time broke into the conversation
and directing his words TO thu
young msn, said with great earnest
ness:
"Wen, sir, thank God that Their
is such a place of torment as hell!
"Why. General Jackson, what d.
you want with such place of tor
menJ as help"
To which the general replied a
quick as lightning:
ITO put such damned rascals a
you in, who oppose and villify thu
Christian religion"
l tell you this was poser. Th
young lawyer was struck dumb an
was presently found missing.
1t Is well known that Genera
jackson Joined the Presbyteria
church near the close of his Lie
He had promised his wife, who wa
very devout member of that sect
to do this as soon as he was fire
from politics, and when imprope
motives could not be imputed t
him for the act. To crafty he
pious wishes he had, at his own e1
pense, built q small brick chapel o
the Hermitage plantation, which b
regularly attended when at hom
At the time Of his death he was,
believe, the "ruling elder" of th
congregation, an office which h
was accustomed to declare he va
ued higher than the presidency.
There is an old story that whe
the fact OF his death was commun
Gated to Mr.. Clay, his great rival
politics, the question loosely aroi
as to the probabilities Of his fin
, salvation. Mr.. Clay listened for
moment and remarked: "Oh, We
all hell couldn't prevent it," Ho
. Thomas L. Jones relates an ane
= dote Of similar nature. In lett
d of the late Gov. Call, Of Florid
who was once. as 1 have mentione
on the military staff of Gener
Jackson, and was present at b
obsequies, 1 find this; shortly ait
. the funeral, one of the old neg
women at the Hermitage was Wis
ing Nashville, and met with an
quaintance, a negro women also
who probably belonged to a WI
family and had imbibeG its poll
/, cal prejndices. do you think 20
old masters gone to heaven W
asked of her doubtingly. go
to heavenr' answered the 9th
with an air OF sauctifed disdal
"why, of course he has," and sc
ed, ''if he wanted to go dar,
like to know who's gwine to st
himp
She evidently believed that eV
: so doughty a saint as Peter COZ
- not resist the imperious will OF
dead MASTER w. J. Terriil.