The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-03-19
From the Philadelphia Lcdgor

from the phllaUclnlllo lcuESf'
Once upon time there lived in this
country "a mai who rendered the SER
vice of a boy soldier during the reVo-
luton. who taught school In his teens,
who became a lawyer while very
young who sat IN both houses OF con-
,ss, who raSScd six years on the
bench, who conducted a large mercan-
tile business, who managed an eNten-
sive plantation. who was active in the
militia of his state. who held a major
generalship in the regular army, who
again became United States senator.
and who was eight years in the white
house. The man of whom all this can
be said was born after his fathers
death, lost his mother in his boyhood,
and owed nothing to inherited wealth
or family influence. pcdants call him
ignorant Before the war New Eng
land schoolmasters carped at the
giant who defeated Adams, and the
Southern fire-eaters sneercd at the
warrior who tramuled on Calhoun,
Since the w0r new heroes have filled
the foreground and the shade of Jack
son has not been invoked by rising
politicians. If Englishmen sCOur the
famous white horse, ii is equally fit
tins that Americans should rub off the
moss and the mildew and show the
grandeur of the rugged frame. Com
mon sense will show that no one could
have passed through such experiences
~ fell tn Jacksons lot and remained
an ignorant man.
TWO TYPES.
Every day we meet two great types
of intellect, the Greek and the modern
Ia. 10. I
over books. compares authorities and
makes notes for standard editions. The
Greek type of intellect led the Athen-
inns to absorb knowledge from debat-
RS, from tragedians, from historians
who recited their productions. We owe
encyclopedias and digeSts to the mod
crn intellect. The Greek mind shows
it"clf in the man who, after winning
renown in the oxford boat and the
debates of his college. starts for In
Ga to find business in governing a
province and pleasure in hunting a
tiger. Andrew Jackson was one of the
mighty Greeks. He read few books
though share Of his youth was given
to Blackstone and hours of his age to
tnc study of the Bible He enjoyed
hStening while good speeches were
read lie watched men, he saw their
weaknesses, he imbibed their strength,
he made of himself Il consummate pol
'tiCian without opening Macchiavelli
and q master of warfare without en-
terng West Point. Outside of the
bible, several commentaries, a few
legal text books and sundry public
documents. it is hard to prove that
he ever read a1y book except the
Vicar of Wakefield" but to have en-
joyed the Vicar" indicates that he
possessed at least some degree of lit
erary taste.
A MISCHIENOTS CHILD.
An aged negress told Parton that An
drew Jackson was the most mischiev-
Ous child she ever saw. He was rest
less and combative, with no father to
restrain him. The Revolutionary war
deprived him of his mother and his two
brothers. As a captive he was hrutaly
treated, ana the smallpox left him
weak and sickly for years. Neverthe-
less the school of war taught a bright
pupil valuable lessons. Jackson saw
what invasion means ana how it must
be met. He saw undsciplned Ameri-
cans charge a British force. obtain a
partial victory and then sink into a
drunken rcvcl. which ended i'm their
overthrow. From his prison he reheld
the raw soldiers Of his country driven
I'm hopeless rOut before the regulars of
Great Britain. In his prison house
and On his sick bed he pOndered on
wars terrible lesson that no patriotic
ardOr can supply the nlace of Giscip-
line. At later day when fools said
that military SubOrdinaton was inCOn-
sistent with republicans simplicity,
and demagOgues used their commits
Elons to beg votes from their regiments,
Jackson compelled order and obedience.
CoEsiderato. even affectionatc to the
deserving soldiers, he was a terror to
eVil-doerS The story of his boyish
hardships, agony and lulielness is one
of the most pathetic in our history.
When poverty cramped his youth, and
weakness interfercd with labor and
study, his memory would turn To
brother Hugh, who died in the ranks
TO Brother Robert, who fell Il victim
to British cruelty. and to the mother
who sacrificed her life as nurse On
board the prison ships. Whenever the
next war might come he was prepared
Tor it. No trial could h. heavier than
what he had ALREADY borne.
YOUTHFUL FoLIIEs.
1t does not appear that Jackson had
more than the average of youthful fol-
y, and he certainly received very little
assistance. There was no strong af-
fection between him and his nearest
of kin. Jackson was headStrOng, and
his relatives We're Puritanical. They
probably deemed him too fond of play
and he may have thought exercise
needtul for his health. HeSYas not a
. model by any means, but neither was
he an idler. When his strength per-
mitted he worked in a saddlers shop
He made acquaintance with plenty OF
money and paucity of brains and these
youths led him into dissipations which
. offended bis kinsfolk and lightened his
purse Racing, cock fighting and
drinking did not improve his health
or raise his reputation. The mother
who had hoped to see her boy an or
nament Of the Presbyterian ministry
would not have been proud of Andrew
at the age of II. After months of recll-
lessness, he lost all his money and bet