The Washington herald., 1907-05-20
The Battle Still Rages.

This newspaper innocently stirred up a
controversy about a month ago by the
simple assertion that Andrew Jackson
was born in South Carolina. Nearly every
State Of the Union south Of Mason and
Dixon's line has been lashed into fury by
the journalistic COntroversialists. who. in
white heat are keeping up the row. Our
Cousin Of Nottingham. Of the Norfolk
Landmark. is really the guilty man. It
was ne who first doubted the correctness
OF our plain assertion. We then felt
called upon 10 draw the record on our
Cousin Of Nottingham. From the mighty
Jackson's nullihcation proclamation We
quoted him as addressing the South Caro-
lima schlsmatics as "fellow-citizens Of my
native state" Having done this. We con-
sidered our duty AT an end. We had no
idea that there breathed a man who
would dare doubt "Old Hickory's" word.
II he were in the flesh. he would make
worse than mollycoddles OF every
mothers son Of them who should so far
forget their manners as to question his
statement about the place Of his birth, or
anything else. For our part-well. We
should take 10 the tail timber with amaz-
ing precipitousucss should the tempter
urge us on 10 so mad a course.
Naturally. the storm is raging with
greatest fury in the Carolinas There the
thunders Of acrimony sound loudest
North Carolina has marked as sacred a
spot upon its soil where the Tarheels
claim Jackson was born. South Carolina
/ denounces this as an act little short OF
grand larceny. To the Palmetto State
belongs the immortal glory Of Jackson's
nativity. in spite Of the reasonable asser-
tion Of our fine old bourbon friend. the
Charleston News and Courier that 1t
might have been better If Jackson had
never been born anywhere" We rebuked
this unholv utterance a fortnight ago, ana
do not feel it incumbent upon us 10 add
further reproof, In spite Of the reitera-
tion Of the ungrateful sentiment az
Charleston. But for Jackson, there is no
telling what would be the condition Of
South Carolina, Of Charleston. OF of the
News and Courier in this day Of our
Lord With equal force and justice We
can apply this assertion TO Texas In ger
cral. and the Houston Post in particular
which has taken the North Carolina side
OF the controversy without reason or eX-
cuse. except that the Houston Pest IS the
greatest butter-in between the two
oceans. Alabama, Georgia, Florida, Mis-
sissippi. Louisiana. Arkansas. Kentucky,
Tennessee. and Missouri have become
embroiled in the muss, and editorial pages
in those States blaze almost every day
with elimination and recrimination over
Jackson dead.
Calmly we are viewing the battle. Our
herO's fame is secure. Il belongs 70 the
ages. His right 10 claim South Carolina
as the State Of his birth has not been
successfully assailed. Had he claimed any
other State. it would have suited US just
as well. We care not where he was born
The fact that he was born at all is the
only feature Of the case that interests US.
We are inclined 10 rejoice, however, that
insCrutable fate so arranged affairs that
he was born in South Carolina. We like
TO think Of him as a South Carolinian,
and we beg OF the News and Courier 10
compose its feelings.