The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-01-02

life before / was old enough to vote,
and | learned more of it the first
winter have been taught much
more.
when | lood back to that time
now, it does not seem so long ago,
and yet there were only about halt
the number of states in the Union
that there are now. The germs OF
the disease that finally eliminated
in rebellion were but just being
planted then, in the first discussions
upon the Missouri question.
THE first session of Congress |
ever witnessed was dealing with the
tariff and was also Matching some
great questions which afterwards
came back to pleague their authors.
MIR Calhoun in those days favored
protection, and / soon became his
warm admirer. During the session
of Congress of 1920 | wrote letter
to friends in Pennsylvania urging his
election to the presidency. | after
ward went to Harrisburg and bought
the paper upon which | had served
as an apprentice and advocated his
claims. The national contest of 1924
witnessed some great changes in po-
litical factors.
THE BIRTH OF THE NATIONAL REPUB-
LICANs.
"The wonderful impetus given to
emigration after the conflict of 1912
had created new states and terrific
ries like magic. Protection to Amer
lean industries and a demand
for internal improvements be-
came the watchword. Democrat
ic opposition to the new demands OF
the country created a new party,
called the National Republicans.
Adams and Clay were its leaders. In
the contest of 1924 | stood by Mr..
Calhoun for the presidential romi-
nation, and reluctantly supported
General Jackson after he had been
declared the candidate. Pennsylva-
MIA had cast her vote for him, al
though favoring Mr.. Calhoun. be-
cause George NJ. Dallas had with
drawn his name without authority.
General Jackson met with a great
deal of opposition during the cam
paign, because he had been an old
Federplist. The election of 1924
was thrown into the House of Repre-
sentatives and Mr.. Adams was ches-
en- through combination with Clay's
friends, although he had the lowest
number OF votes before the people OF
the three candidates"
II had been made State printer
during these exciting events, and |
took an active part against the coali-
tion between Adams and Clay.
After the organization of the Adams
Cabinet, and Mr.. Clay was made Sec
retary of state, my acquaintance
with him began. | was interested
in public improvements and was a
large contractor on some of them,
therefore saw him quite frequently.
Mr.. Calhoun, who was my favorite,
was the author of the scheme of pub
lie improvement by the general gov
ernment. The Democratic party,
however, divided into factions upon
that question, and Mr.. Calhoun later
abandoned bis position, not only
upon the tariff, but upon this ques-
tion also.
II was deeply interested in the
tariff controversy of 1923, the result
of which has heen so bitterly assail-
ed. In the memorable presidential
campaign of that year the Democra-
cy, leaving all other questions behind,
united upon General Jackson as a
candidate to rebuke what was known
as "the odious bargain" between
Adams and Clay, and the National
Republicans were wiped out of ex-
istance by the overwhelming defaat
of Mr.. Adams.
PRESIDENT JACKsoN's POPULARITY.
an 1929 / had been engaged in
suppressing a mob. about twenty
miles above Harrisburg, and was
appointed adjutant general of the
state soon afterward. This brought
me into more prominent political re-
lations with public men and | paid
a great deal of attention to politics.
Mr.. Calhoun had been made vice
president, and the Democratic party,
which had been torn and divided
over the question of the tariff and
internal improvements, and defeated
by the National Republicans upon
that issue, was given new life by the
popularity of Andrew Jackson, al
though it finally split into factions,
perhaps not so much through his
leadership as on account of its as
saults upon the tariff as soon as it
got into power. Mr.. Calhoun quar-
relied with General Jackson during
his first term, and there was general
discord over the attitude of the South
and its demands upon the Admins
tration.
"In this chaos | got tired and de-
cided to quit politics and devote my
self to making a fortune. | took the
contract to build the Lake Ponchar-
train Canal from the lake into New
Orleans, and sending 300 men by
sea from Philadelphia, | took a
steamboat from Pittsburg, and, with
my engineer and tools, floated down
the rivers to the Crescent City. A
Journey there by water than and
now are widely different things. 1t
took weeks for US to reach our desti-
nation, for none of the great steam
crafts that now ply the Mississippi
were then dreamed of. | paid close
to my business, but when
| had my contract about half finish
ed, Major Eaton, who was General
Jackson's secretary of war, requested
my presence in Washington, and l !
returned North.
General Jackson had been elected |
to the presidency with the avowal
that he would emily serve one term,
but there was such a contest going |
on as his first term was drawing to a
close that he wished to run again,
and such was the general desire.
How to get rid of the declaration for