San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1883-02-08
,.drew JacksOn---The Man.


POiuo~ The Importance of them to
nattudent OF American politics can
The s he ovorated; for it is generally
scslceisd that, next to Jefferson, Ameri-
nsmocracy owes more to Jackson
Gu 30 any one else; and that as long
lDah H. democratic party exists it must
o ~ viii retain essentially the shape
SUI color he gave it from 1929 to 1887.
anu Idle from the soldier, statesman
pu' noTtician, there is THE MAN; to
alu au, q stronger and deeper interest
s ..s"bes for all who care to study hu.
@' nature in it's rarest developments.
p IS, rs try to look at him in this "dry
h h untinged by partisan Partially
pSnnre;ndice; and in so doing we may
@ i,ppb the secret of his wonderful power
ca nOn his contemporaries, and the hold
W still has upon the vast majority of
his countrymen.
The manhood of Jackson was his
.,nst prominent characteristic. There
aver was o more thoroughly manly
Ian than he, and this ouality--if il
am he called one-made him, naturally
and inevitably, leader of men. 1t
hos beep said, with as much truth as
isIeity. that if he had joined COM
napy of emigrants in early days an en-.
lire stranger and the camp had been
stacked the same night by Indians,
ihe command would at once have been
assigned TO him, with fullest confidence
IN his ability to meet the emergency.
His faults were neither few nor small,
INIT among them there was not one that
lesseued the respect even of his bit
terest enemies. He was unsparingly
denounced, intensely hated and vim
dicitively tonight; but always respected
because of the trmendous force that
was in him. Often desperate, occa-
casionally unscrupulous, he was never
mean. He could and would deal dead
ly blows, but they We're always in the
face; never "below the belt" or behind
the back. The war he waged upon his
opponents was terrible, but he stopped
to no tricks and had hearty contempt
for trickery and tricksters. What he
did, whether good, bad or Indifferent,
was open and above board. His famil-
Jar sayipg, IL take the responsibility"
meant precisely what it said, and re-
yeals the silent feature of his life. He
never lodged, never shriked, and des-
pissed strikers and dodgers. He had
the supremest confidence in himself.
At times it may have been rash and
presumptuous, but, at any rate, it was
bis governing idea, and usually the re-
suit justified it. He had, too, at all
times and under all circumstances,
"the courage of his conviotions;" a
courage that seemed to strengthen
rather than weaken with the rising
clamor of opposition and the growing
ferceness of personal attack. Whether
right or wrong he always believed
himself right. He had no doubts on
the subject, and always acted with a
promptness and energy which indicated
that be did not think others should
have any. Age and reflection did not
soften, much less obliterate, this Pc
culiarity. Not long before his death,
in conversation upon the use of fed
eral patronage during his adpainistra-
ton, he declared that he had removed
no man from Office for political reasons,
but only "for cause" A friend who
visited him in his last illness saw an
old pistol On the mantle and was ex-
aiming it when the dying man re-
marked very quietly: "That is the PTS
tol with which killed Mr.. Dickinson"
He was then seventy eight and mem
Der Of the church; but neither advanc'
ing years, converting grace, nor near
ness to the grave had brought repent
ance or regret. He would have killed
Dickinson then and there under the
same provocation. This confidence and
courage was supplemented by an in
domitable will; a will which nothing
could break or bend, and which neither
the assaults Of foes, the treachery of
friends, sorrow, sickness or suffering
could crush. Literally an iron will it
was; if, indeed, iron is strong enough
to represent it. This it was which car.
ried him through ordeals that would
have pulverized ordinary men-whlch
blotted failure" from his vocabulary
which would be satisfied with nothing
but victory, and victory complete and
overwhelming. Coupled with his con-
tdence and courage it made him ire
slstible, and nobody ever did success
fully resist him from beginning to end
Of his career, except the ladies of Wash
ngton who would not recognize Mrs.
Eaton. Confidence, courage aud will
made him the soul and right arm OF
every enterprise in wnich he was en-
gagged. No odds, however great, daunt-
ed him; and the greater the odds the
higher rose the confidence and courage,
and frmer grew the will. If Fred
Douglas motto, God and one make
majority" had been submitted to him
ne would have amended il to read,
Jackson himself, by the Eternal, is a
majority" With any other opposing
general than JACK son, the flower of the
British orr,,- ,-.,,,ll l,,ua hoI SRn0tv