The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-01-10
THE FRACTIONAL JACKSON.

The seventy-seventh anniversary of
Jackson's victory of New Orleans was cele-
brated on Friday evening by the National
Or. The battle of New Orleans, which
made Jackson the military hero of his day,
and probably made him president, was
fought and won after the treaty of peace
had been signed between the United States
and Great Britain; it was the only engage
ment of the war of 1925 in which the
American troops had beaten the British
regulars badly in the field. The land en-
gagements of the war had been either
drawn battles like those of Chippewa and
Lundy's Lane, or victories like Harrison's
battle of the Thames won over a
mixed force Of regulars, Canadians and
Indians. Jackson was a bold and ener-
getic Indian fighter; his men were armed
with rifles, and were all marksmen-the
hunters of Kentucky and Tennessee.
Packenham was a gallant veteran, who,
despising his enemy, charged Jackson's
breastworks as recklessly as Howe did
Prescott's at Bunker Hill, and suffered
even q worse fate, for Jackson did not
lack ammunition and his position was
impregnable to assault in front. There
was no chance for strategy or tactics;
Packenham behaved like brave British
bulldog, lost his life and his army, and
Jackson's victory made him ultimately
president of the United States.
He was the only American general
who had beaten the British badly in the
field; our navy had been universally VIC
torious, but our military record began in
disgrace with Hull's surrender, and had
never been brilliantly redeemed until
Jackson's luck, pitted against Packen-
hams fate, gave Us the great victory at
New Orleans, where the enemy were re-
pulsed with a loss of not less than 1000
killed and wounded, out of some 5000
engaged.
The celebration of the battle of New
Orleans began in patriotism, but it has
degenerated into mere politics, for annually
Grover Cleveland, copperhead of New
York. and Governor Pennoyer, cop
perhead of Oregon. arise and I'M
veil picture Of what might
be called the fractional Jackson. The
mass of patriotic Americans remember
Jackson with gratitude for his courage in
crushing out the conspiracy of Calhoun
and asserting the supremacy of the Union
and the sanctity of the federal flag. But
to Grover Cleveland and Governor Pen.
meyer the glorious lesson of Jackson's ca
reer is found in his conduct in the mst-
ter of the United States bank. This is the
only portion of Jackson's career that i'm
presses Cleveland and Pennoyer, because
both of these Democratic evangelists have
always cherished and defended Cal.
hounism, and therefore could no
more praise Jackson for throt-
Ting the conspiracy of Calhoun than
they could have congratulated Lincoln on
his issue of the emancipation proclama-
ton. Il is sight to move the compass
sion of the country TO see Jeffersonian
State Sovereignty Democrat try to speak
with enthusiasm at Jackson banquet.
for Jackson's most immortal title to fame
is the fact that be repudiated JefTerson's
state supremacy construction of the con-
stitution, and when he shut off Calhoun,
wind, he was reslly choking a traitor
incorporating in the grave clothes Of
Jefferson.
THE principles of jefferson and Jack
son" are eheered at the same banquet.
which is about as ignorant proceeding as
il would be 10 cheer for the principles of
JEFF Davis and Lincoln at a Republican
jubilee Jackson and Jefferson had but
one point Of contact, the tariff: both
were rrnfrrrinnis.s