The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1934-01-04

a FERMENTATION PORTRAIT
miniature ivory done at New Orle.n.
In 1915 by Jean Francois Vallee, Frenchman
under tho spell of the NapoIeonic tradition.
Learning OF the opportunities there were for q
young attorney beyond the mountains The turned
toward Tennessee with the comfortable assur-
hnce OF the post OF attorney general and goodly
Tees. He early Joined up with the Blount
faction In politics, associated with gentlemen
who acquired lands far and near revealed a
hair-trigger sense Of honor which resulted In an
appalling number Of challenges and duels, and
gathered to himself the good things OF the region
In the form OF political offices and military lead
ershlp. He had period in both the house and
senate OF the United States He became major
general In the state militia. without undue
struggle or hardship he acquired both place and
power" Thus one reviewer of MARQUIS James,
biography.
II Jackson had arstocratic Ieanings In his
youth, they became all the more apparent In hIs
manhood Within few years after he had come
to Tennessee he was wealthy man with even
greater riches In sight At one time or another
he owned outright or In partnership more than
100000 acres OF land. AT different times he
owned dlstillery. tavern and licensed ordI-
nary, boat yard, a race course, 4 large trading
establishment with three stores In Tennessee
and agents In New Orleans and Philadelphia and
he was a stakeholder In the Nashville bank.
the first In Tennessee
He lived In 4 fine house on a model planta-
ton called Hunters Hill and that as well as his
later homes, the two sHermitages" were very
much gentleman's country seat" But Jack
son was not rs good 4 business man as he was
4 1ne gentleman All of his enterprises except
tho race track and the bank lost money Soon
he became 80 involved In debt that he had to
sell Hunters Hill to pay out and he moved into
a blockhouse which became the first "Hermitage-
Then 1t was discovered that he had sold set
tiers large tract Of land to which he did not
possess clear title. and that threatened to take
the last dollar he owned. A crafty lawyer told
him how ne could find a legal loophole through
which he could evade responsibility Jackson's
reply was typical OF the man. He declared that
he would protect the settlers titles If 1t made
him pauper. Fortunately for him he was able
to protect them without lmpoverishing himself
1t was such traits of character as these which
helped make him a "border captain" Whatever
faults he may have had there was never any
question of his personal integrity. Particularly
was this true OF him Judge during his early
career In Tennessee. OF this James writes: "His
record Is clean Barring little nnesse la In
dian matters which was customary, no hint of
irregularity renders the dim beginnings OF his
career of color with those of few of our
other western immortals On the bench Jackson
WAS recttude embodied. His law library was pre-
sentable and his Acquaintance with it ample for
the time and place No written decision BY him
Is known, that practice being Inaugurated by
Jacksons successor John Overton. But tradi-
tion preserves the essence OF his frequent charge
to Juries- DO what Is RIGHT between these par
ties That Is what the law always MEANS"
Just as be was leader In civil life 30 he be-
came an outstanding military leader, conscious
OF the fact that the leader must sacrifice him
self for his people" So when the War Of 1912
broke out there was every good reason why An
drew Jackson should have remained At the
Hermitage enjoying the honors that already
had come to him and the companIonshlp Of his