The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1902-10-08
A Historical Parallel.

4
irreverence toward those sacred organ
izations by defeating his nomination,
and, failing in that, his election at the
polls, we shall probably have about
as interesting a campaign as has been
witnessed for something more than
half century. If the President is as
strenuous and earnest as he is
reputed to be, the contest viii not be
unlike a genuine cowboy affair in the
West. In many respects it will resem-
bic that memorable conflict between
Andrew Jackson and the United States
Bank, and we shall be able to com7
pare the hero of New Orleans with the
hero claimant of San Juan.
Like Jackson, Mr.. Roosevelt "opens
his attack on. the trusts during his
first term. Though the charter Of
/ the United States Bank would not
| expire for six years, in his first mes
sage to Congress jackson fired his
opening shot, we'll aware that time
would be required to rally the people
to his standard and counteract tie ad-
vantage which such an institution
WouId have, in sudden collision, with
all its money and It's menials at hand.
Both the constitutlonality and ex-
pediency of the law creating this
bank, said he, are well questioned
by large portion of our fellow citi-
zens, and it must oe admitted by all
that it has failed in the great end Of
establishing uniform and sound cur
rency.
From that moment the war was
prosecuted with the abitterest rancor
and most relentless vigor. The stock
of the bank fell from I23 to ll6. Its
officers, with Biddle, the president, at
the head, realizing. the desperate char
acter of the conflict, organized, pow
erfuI lobby with headquarters in Wash
ingten City. They summoned all their
resources. They did not hesitate, or
.haggle over the price of votes in Con-
gress. They subsidized newspapers in
every part Of the country. The friends
of the Administration in Congress sue
ceeded IN securing committees Of inves-
tigation, but they could not prevent
the lobby from packing and control-
ing them. a report was made favor
able to the bank, and as result its
stock rose to 80. It looked as If the
conqueror of the British was beaten by
a bank. His foes seemed to over
whelm him. Suborned speakers and
newspapers vilifed him basely and
cruelty. There were secret traitors in
his own ranks who had been corrupt
ed, and his frail figure seemed about
to De crushed by the most powerful
financial institution Of the Western
Hemisphere.
Perhaps nothing in the history Of
that remarkable man illustrates the
unhinching frmness of his character
or the heroic courage of his dauntless
soul than his conduct during that try
ing period of his fe.. Clay, Webster,
and later Calhoun were fighting him
in the Senate, all indamed by the sting
of disappointed ambition and goaded
by the rowel of the bitterest personal
hatred. But never did he finch under
the terrible diatribes which spared
neither his private nor public life. The
old spirit rose within him. The old
fire blazed in an eye in which Tom
Marshall said he could still see twenty
unfought battles. The old fury shook
his frame, emaciated and enfeebled
by disease, but which again displayed
itsssdreadfUl energy. As on former oc-
casions. the fury Of combat, the rage
of battle strengthened his weakened
limbs and added new fame to his
tagging spirit. He was no longer an
Invalid. There was spring In hisstep:
an imperial and martial manner-al-
most the flush Of restored youth in
his cheek. He had always fought the
enemies of his country; he would
fight them still, whether they ap-
peared IN scarlet coats or as the
zminions of monetary and degrading
despotism.
He summoned Blair from Frankfort
to establish the Congressional Globe.
To Amos Kendall he would dictate its
editorials, walking the floor, putting
his. pipe that g1owed like a furnace
and next day his fiery thoughts would
appear bedecked in Kendall's graceful
and brilliant style. He, too, would
have his organs. He would draw the
line between his friends and his foes:
and, during his first term, he made
over 700 removals from Office, not in
GLIDING clerks, though there had been
but sixty removals during the preceo-
Ing IOIty years. 1HSIS was uOI one
foot of middle ground, and no spot
OF refuge for traitors or skulkers.
These he could detect almost at a
glance. 1t would be interesting to SEQ
some of the tricky and cowardly politi-
clans of the present day writhing IN
der the fierce glance Of that piercing
searchlight-Andrew Jackson's eye.
The next session he renewed his rec
ommendation against a recharter of
the bank in stronger terms, but on
test questions he was again beaten in
Congress. The charter was renewed
he vetoed it, ard the bank could not
secure the necessary two-thirds vote.
Biddle proposed compromise, but it
was rejected with disdain. After his
second election he continued the war
He determined to withdraw the Gov
ernment deposits from the bank. But
his Cabinet was divided on the cues
tion. It was difficult to find Secre-
tary Of the Treasury who would execute
his orders. A committee of investiga-
Jion reported that the bank was sound
and the deposits safe. Four out of six