New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-10-04
STURDY HERO WORSHIP
aOLD HICKORY" APoTHEoS1zED.

| GENERAL ANDREW JACkSON. by OHVer Dyer
With Illustrations By III. NJ Eaton limo PIP
S7e. Robert Bonners Sons.
When in the first pages Of this sketch Of the life
OF Andrew Jackson, We End him spoken Of as one
OF tho greatest heroes who ever lived In this world
we know what to expect. 1t Is not study, 1t is
not O criticism: II is frankly and wholly eulogy. IN
| the view of Mr. Dyer, who certainly has all the
courage of his convictions General Jackson wns second
only TO Washington In capacity and performance ana
the concession Of the first place to the Father Of MS
Country is clearly not made without something ike
reluctance, OF possibly mental reservation IL Is
unite impossible TO doubt or not to admire, the sturdy
hero worship Of which the present volume is so strik
ing an example. We may-haS, must--demur To much
of the authors fluent pancgyrc; we may IND 10
difficult or even impossible 10 follow him in his
ndIscrfmnated exaltation Of the Jacksonian virtues
and attributes; but we compelled TO pay tribute
TO the entire good faith Of this curious piece OF
fancy portratufe, and almost TO envy the man "hSe
fortune has been to ud Jealous and wholeearVed
q bographer During his lifetime Andrew 'achSon
enioyed great popularity and suffered great odiun
II he was warmly supported by HIS parieans no was
no less botly denounced by his npponcnts and the
latter unouestionaby had substantial grounds ior te
antoronism Time has softcnei the asporues OF
political warfare and has brOnght INTO stronger rOo
the benchcent aspects Of Jackson's career; Dut ic
clearing away Of the thick mists OF passion ai'
preudlcc has not rendered tho apctheoss OF the SUD
ment OF high colos that such picture as MT Dyefs
can be given even the sembanQe OF lfelikeneSs'
H. however, we yield ourselves passlVely 10 VI'e
charm Of pleasant and nervous style, we small l'h
the acquaintance Of quite new and uniearo-ol Auo"
Jackson and suppoDg the readers object 10 DC enVeF
tainmcnt pure and simple, this method may DC rc'Vm
mended Here then the rough, iiteate, Ignorant DO!
nn,,,e DC q hero in embryo endowed with almost
ornerc Qualities famous for his endurance, DIS cour
arc his sacacity his executive ability even before ne
had ACQUIRED any knowledge of the world. from inc
early DAYS OF his trials and troubles with the EhssA
soldery IN North Carolina, no is posed as phehoh
e,,l personage after fashion which may be ln'er
~stine but assuredly is not historical Tie facts avail
able show that the young Jackson was plucHy youth
a. vee nine out OF ten American boys OF his age ana
,sriod He Ind more ambition than most OF MS con-
teuporarfes and far persistence His Will ioroo
was sbnormaly great and while 1t helped nm ior"al"
and gave him command at critical 1nncturesi IL also
confirmed him In a stubbornness so great tia' ieu
him 10 trample upon constitutional principcs 4"'"0
than not have his own way.
To the average student II seems quite necessary dt
Gencral Jachsons invincbie obsnacy should be fully
reckoned with whenever an attempt IS mace 10 repre-
sent his career Mr.. Dyer, however, has preferea 70
vindcato the nvincibe wisdom Ct his course by chsre
Ing all who differed from him with folly. 1t Is due 70
him To say that he prefers the hypothesis OF error to
that of algnty orniquty in explaining the opposi-
lion TO Jackson and he has general trait OF special
nrsdecton for the least damaging explanations as
r,e. which sweetens bis criticism. But the most
| q ADVANCED historical student, and the one most
strongly reactionary against recorded opinions OF inc
past can hardly (at least With any approach 10 set
onsness) maintain that Andrew Jacsson's civil record
&c ON altfoirs with HIS military or that he did not
davelon the faults which 1t Is natural for military Presl-
dents To take on in pronounced manner. Nor does 10
strengthen criticism when the spirit that guided the
BATTLE of New-Orleans is pGV on the same level Wlth
the spirit that guided the campaign against Nchoias
| Riddle and the National Bank. In the Executive
office the truth IS that Jackson behaved precisely as
though that Office was his personal and private prop
er4v and this view at the bottom OF bis theory OF the
civil service man Of the strongest individuality, a
keen and iInplacabe hater aud correspondngiy fyai
70 his friends 1t plain that he never grpeo inc
true principles OF constitutional government ana uat
the organic law itself for him no ARR OF the Gov
enant but an instrument which might jnsthably be
mt aside or ign red upon OCCASION BY those who had
| the power.
No Doubt this view originated In the essentially
military cast OF his character, for he was born
soldier no less than born lighter and the soideriy
Qualities OF his mind were necessarily lncompanoe
| with ANYTHING like either full comprehension OF or
full sympathy with the civil theory OF constitutional
government. The general result was that his measures
tended to despotisn, and to this extent were dangerous
mischevous, and opposed TO the Democratic spirit and
| principles The American system neither provides
for nor toeratcs any form OF one man power, bcnevo
lent or otherwise and Jackson could not help being
emphatcaly desOpic. Moreover some Of his measures
worked very serious injury to the country, causing
heavy losses In commerce, finance and production, OF
political economy and Of finance he knew next to
| knothng. Having formed opiniOn-usuay upon
strong prejudice rather than intelligent examination
OF the facts-he made II personal matter and forth
with pursued his aim with An in1eXibe obsnacy which
ought not 10 be credited to his memory as virtue or
| N, ~ Ami tiod
that he was minded, ignorant often pervcrse,
always stubborn Whether right wrong and that take
him altogether be very far from being the perfect
| model OF a Chistan hero.
Mr.. Dyer makes an amusing attempt to show that
Jac1on's personal encounters duels street fights and
other evidences OF unregenete state quite
patibe with truly religious nature If not with ortlo-
dox Christianity, and reminds his readers that many
historical personagos for whom Christianity has been
| claimed equally pugnaciou.. The argument
| hats All ii shows Is that the historical persOnages
referred to were really not Christians whatever they
might be called Jackson did not Join a church until
his public had closed and he had retired a. end
/ his days in privacy AS soldier and as politician
he could find leisure for religion and exhibited
tendency that way. There Is nothing remarkable IN
this, but It is scarcely permissible TO hold up such
| character as displaying Christian virtues In a special
! way Moreover, all attempts 10 e2alt men beyond
their obvious deserts have ractonnry tendency. Tho
claim CT Mr. Dyer that Andrew Jackson one OF the
/ greatest heroes who lived wn OF course not be
allowed by sober students OF history. He a very
strong man and patriotic man. according 10 his lights.
But his lights often very dim, end his prendices
and prepossessions not less frequently obscurcd his
/ political vision hopeessly. For what he really was
and did he is entitled to due honor and recollection
but both must be tempered by recognition and Just
estimation Of HIS faults which were neither few nor
veinal.