The evening light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1881-1883, 1882-08-02
POLITICS OF FIFTY YEARS AGO.

No leader ever had such absolute dominion
over the American people as Andrew Jack
son. Any ordinary great man, confronting
the mighty influence of the United States
bank, which had under its control every dollar
of banking capital in the country, and threat
ened, as he was almost nightly, by the most
tremendous mass meetings that had ever been
convened in the United States, with organized
military societies everywhere. and midnight
marches that kept the country in constant
commotion and the timid in perpetual alarm
any other man than he would have looked to
preparing the national forces to support the
government IN the event Of a bank rising. No
such thought ever entered his head or, if sue-
pested, received the slightest attention. He
trusted solely to the simple, unarmed support
of public opinion. He never doubted for
moment the perfect integrity and pure patriot
ism of the common people of all parties, and
merely regarded his frantic foes as one would
children under temporary delusion, 1t was
of this perfect trust that the great popular en-
thusiasm that came to his support in the be-
ginning, and attended him to the close, was
b.rn. 1t actually seemed that he meyer did an
unwise thing, nor the wings any but foolish
ones. Van Buren, was simply "his man." In
no sense statesman, but the mere politician
always, without popularity outside Of the state
of New York, and but little within it, he yet
had the cunning, in which indeed he excelled,
to win the confidence of the simple minded
president. Toward the close of his first term
the General wanted Van Buren,, for some
cause, as minister at St. James. He sent his
nomination to the senate and the foolish SEN
ate rejected him. Now General Jackson :
slightest whisper was law. Within four weeks
Van Buren, was nominated on the tickle. with
him for vice president, within four months ne
presided over that body that would not permit
him to 60 to England. And in four years he
was inaugurated eighth president of the United
States-all the work of the fool sh whig sen
ate.
When Mr. Van Buren, became President he
announced simply that he intended to ''follo~
in the footsteps of his illustrious predecessor
Up to that time the U. S. Bank bills had con,
tinued to be taken in payment of duties at the
custom houses AS soon as inaugurated in
March, 1887, he issued his famous "specie
circular" Copies of it were posted in all the
custom houses of the country, among the res
in that of New York city. Samuel Swarthou
was then collector OF that port. He was Z
favorite of Gen. Jackson and on the strength
of his Influence with the great lion he though
he might safely kick the jackal and with il
punty play the part Of fool to the Wall stree
money ing. SO side by side with the CrcuIa
o',he Admins ra'ion he posted his own, a.
Collector, coolly announcing that Unitec
States Bank notes would be taken in paymen
If duties as usual. But Mr.. Swarlhout wa
invited to call on "little Mauy" at the capitol
and to lose no time in doing SO. Ga his re
,urn he ate his leeks in silence which was th
b :, that could have been done with his folly
lis quite needless to say that duties wer
af erward paid only in specie.