Montgomery County sentinel., 1889-02-08
Reminiscences-No. Q.

Soon after the Burr treachery, friendship
was re. established between ex-President
Adams and President Jefferson which caus.
ed great rejoicings throughout the young
Republic. Uninterrupted harmony contin-
ed between these great patriots till the 4th
of July, 1896, when they both died within
few hours of each other just half cen
tury after they had together signed the De.
claration of American Independence. L
well remember how this marvellous coinci-
dencc drew out the universal sympathies of
grateful people. Similar emotions
| Of sorrow were revived when only
few years later exPresident Monroe de-
parted this life, also on the ever memorable
4th day of July. 1t seemed as if the day
| on which the courageous patriots had pledg-
ed their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
honors for the maintenance of civil and re-
| ligious liberty was recognized by Divine
| Providence rs one worthy to be regarded
with peculiar gratitude in view OF the far
reaching and glorious consequences that
followed those united pledges.
The term of John Quincy Adams, from
| 1895 to 1S29 was enc OF great national pros
perity, and as a natural consequences one OF
| literary progress, inventive development,
and scientific advancement. But leaving
these for the present, we may also look back
The second Mr.. Adams came into the Pres.
| identia chair after Monroe, on whirlpool
OF intense partisan commOtion. The can
vass between his father and Jefferson, six
| teen years before, was as nothing in com
parison with it. There were five candidates
for the sutfrages of the people. But MIR.
Calhoun, who was one OF them, withdrew,
leaving John @. Adams, Henry Clay, w. Ill.
Crawford, and Gen. Andrew Jackson To
compete for the great office. Jackson re-
ceived a large plurality, but not majority
of all the votes cast, and the election devolv-
ed on the House of Representatives, where,
through the influence of Mr.. Clay, Mr..
Adams was chosen. This result intensified
party zeal, and Gen. Jackson was at once
re- nominated, at the end of Mr.. Adams
| first term, and triumphantly elected.
1t is noteworthy fact that in those vlo-
lent and fiercely contested campaigns, the
candidates themselves remained passive
For a Washington, a Madison, or a jackson
to have taken the stump to advocate his
claims before the people, would not only
have been regarded as in bad taste, but as
dsreputable Candidates for Congress re-
sorted TO these expedients, but no one who
aspired TO the Presidency. Neither dill they
use money with which to purchase votes as
is openly done now
| Jackson's administration was character
lied by several bold and even defiant acts of
| executive prerogatves. He assailed and
| crushed the United States Bank, because he
| regarded it as powerful electioneerng in
| stitution. He issued a threatening procla-
nation against the South Carolina nuIliliers,
| and would have enforced il but for the lime
| ly passage by Congress of Henry Ciay's
compromise bill. He forced the French
| Government to pay Sc, 600 10000 for damages
tn A ha w re rSf
Napoleon, which they had long promised
but never pail AS soon as Jackson urged
| Congress To make reprisals on French ships,
| the money was forthcoming. He also caused
| the liquidation OF the National debt within
the two terms of his Office When these
| measures were accomplished in opposition
| to many enemies, but with the assistance of
| more friends he willingly and joyfuly, as
he himself said, turned over the affairs of
State to his successor, Martin Van Buron.
The belligerent passion OF any given age
may be recognized by the fierce and bloody
wars that take place with its limits. The
| first war which impressed its horrors on my
juvinle susceptibilties was that of 1912,
| and presume that my distress was ntensi-
fed because my father was called into SER
vice by it. |, with many relatives, was
grieved when he lett, but rejeiced extrava-
gantly when he returned safely 10 our home.
Since then this country has had four or
five bloody wars with the Indians, Que with
Mexico, and our late civil war, the most
| terrible of the kind the world has ever
known. Never again do | want to witness
such scenes Of blood, rapine and carnage.
Fifteen or more great national and civil
wars on the continents of Europe and Aaia
are remembered by me. But the overturn-
ing OF hoary headed dynastles the sacking,
of cities, and the rivers of blood that flowed !
did not excite disgust or shock my nerves, ,i
while mighty oceans rolled between me ant'
| the din OF battles. / read of revolutions ~
Spain, France, Portugal, Greece, and Of uA
risings in Paris, with composure and lnt@
est. And my bellicose nature became % >
thuslastic over the brilliant cats of the
great Napoleon Nor did | lose my admira
ton tor his military genius when he was
| finally crushed and shorn of every vestigc
of power. | still remembered him as having
crossed the Alps, that he had contended
| single handed with the veterans Of four
mighty Empires, that he yielded finally only
to force of numbers, and that neither Han
| nibal, Scpio, nor Ce 3ar had ever been his
equal as IL great commander.
JOSEPH WALKER.
R0chgHie, Nh