The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-12-26
Andrew Jackson, the Embodiment
OF Personal Politics.
ARTICLE TX.

Andrew Jackson, the Embodiment
OF Personal Politics.
The most picturesque character that
ever sat in the presidential chair. and one
who made an impression upon our politi-
cal institutions and national life deeper
than made by almost any other man who
| ever occupied that exalted station, was
he whose name stands at the head of this
article. About no man in our history
has there been such wide divergence OF
opinion. His enemies hated him with an
intensity of hatred that knew no relent-
ing, and feared him with a depth of ter
ror as profound as their own souls. Ills
friends loved him with a devotion that
faltered at no folly on his part and that
believed no aSpersionS against him, hefy-
ever strong the evidence. At the men
ton of his name his detractors glanced
over their shoulders. Whenever he took
snuff his admirers sneezed. His passions
were volcanoes that never slumbered.
His will was steel that never bent nor
broke. Opposition was to him a personal
insult, which he never forgot. He had
courage that exulted in danger. He would
face attempted assassination and not
blanch. He would look into the eye of
death without a culver of an eyelaSh.
He was a good fighter and never seemed
quite SO much at peace With himself as
when he was in a squabble with some
body else. He was man of integrity,
whom no temptation could swerve from
the performance of duty. He was pa
triotic man, who loved his country and
compelled obedience to Ats laws. He was
a man terribly in earnest, man who
acted according to conviction and acted
with all his might He was a man as
courtly in his conduct toward women as
the most gallant knight of the days of
chivalry. He was man of graceful
manners, of commanding stature, of Dig
nifled and distinguished bearing. He was
a man, moreover, of Tremendous energy.
1t is easy to see that Andrew Jackson
was always thought of as strong man.
No wonder that he was called ''Old Hick
ory.''
Of the Common People.
Jackson belonged by birth as well as
by sympathies to the common peorAS Ills
parents were poor whites living on the
border between North and South Caro-
lima. In 1867 he came into the world, so
that he was nine years old when the
Declaration of Independence was written.
At the age of thirteen we find him TAX
ing part in the battle of Hanging Rock,
and he was engaged in fighting some sort
of battle nearly all the rest of his life.
Going to Nashville, Tenn, he studied law
anu SOOn DIS TIE IlOSl lHnucillldl man
in that community. When only twenty
nine years old he was elected member of
congress and year later became United
States senator. Then he was made judge
of the supreme court Of his state. Indian
fighter, participant in frontier disputes,
principal in duels-these were some of his
employments until he had reached the
age of forty-eight years, when in day
he leaped into prominence and became
national hero.
In the war Of 1912 Jackson was commits
stoned major general, and led about the
only thoroughly successful fighting of the
land forces of America in that war. IN
the winter of 1915 the British were OPP
Grating along the Gulf of Mexico and
finally determined to capture New Or
leans. Jackson went to the defense of
the city. The enemys troops were COM
posed of the veterans of the Engush
army in America, hardened soldiers who
had marched under Wellington and
faced Napoleon on many bloody field.
They were commanded by Packe-ham,
a man of experience, courage and Skill
Jackson gathered a motley force of state
militia, privateers who had been operat- |
ing in the gulf, negroes and some Ken.
lucky rihemen, and when he heard that
the enemy were approaching went out to
meet them. Thus he checked the advance
while he pushed on with tireless energy
the preparations for the defense. He
chose his position with great skill, along
an old canal about four miles from The
city, where he threw up formidable mud
breastworks Packenham with 1000
veterans, on Jan. s. 1915, advanced to tie
attack. Jackson, with less than half thGt
number Of his miscellaneous recruits
waited to receive him. But though his
little force did not make much of o
showing on dress parade, they knew how
to shoot. The British tired to take the
works by storm. Again and again they
0charge, only to be greeted with a hail
of bullets that swept them down by hun
areds and drove them back in confusion.
But it is of no use. The British are |
forced to retire, having lost their gen
eral and 1000 men. The American loss |
was seven killed and six wounded
Fruits of the victory.
When this victory became known jack
son became at once the most famous and
the most popular man in the country. |
His name was upon every tongue, and
his exploit was the topic of common con-
yersation. From that day Andrew jack
son was a national character. He did |
not receive the nomination for President |
until several years later. Political debts |
had to be paid to others before he could |
have his chance. In 1926, however, he |
received the nomination. But nominal |
ton and an election are different things. |
Jackson received more electoral votes than
either of his competitors, but not a ma
jority, and in accordance with the pro-
visions of the constitution the election |
was carried to the house of representa- |
tives John Quincy Adams and Henry |
Clay were the other candidates. Clay |
did not like Jackson, so he turned his
votes over to Adams, who became presf- |
dent. Clay was chosen secretary of state, |
and Jackson declared he had been cheat I
ed out of the election as the result Of |
a corrupt bargain between his two OPP |
ponents. Angry and disappointed, he re-
turned to his Tennessee farm. In spite
of his defeat, he was more popular
than ever. He had not seemed to care
much for-the presidency before, but now
he determined to win 1t, so as to crush
his opponents whom he at once regarded !
as his enemies. The next campaign, there
fore, was conducted by him as personal
contest for revenge. He would be ''vindi-
Gated So began that angry and bitter
conflict between politicians which never
ended until it was interrupted by the
more tremendous conflict Of the Civil
war.
Jackson indicated.
In the next election Jackson received
17S electoral votes to SO for Adams, while
his popular majority was nearly 10000
He was "vindicated.
One of the acts Tor which Jackson's
administration stands out from all it's
predecessors was his course regarding the
civil service. Up to that time it had not
been generally the custom to remove
public servants from Office for purely
partisan reasons. John Adams had shown
lack of official courtesy and had done all |
he could to perpetuate his party in con-