Evening star., 1937-10-02

" HE biographies of two famous
Americans have come from the
presses in the past month.
4 Each is number in a series
Mr. Marquis James Andrew Jackson
Portrait Of President" is the second
work which he has written on the
life of Old Hickory, the first having
been The Border Captain" Mr..
Mayo's Henry Clay" is announced as
the first of a trllogy which is to deal
with the career of the man whose
chief claim TO fame seems to be the
impression in school childrens minds
that he said he would rather be right
than be President
Neither work covers the full span
Of its subjects life. Andrew jack
son" begins in 1922. when the hero Of
New Orleans first began 10 be talked
of for the presidency, and runs to
Jackson's death in l845 The Clay
biography begins with Its subjects
birth and ends with the declaration
OF war against Great Britain in 1912.
Both are eminently readable works,
bearing evidence of tremendous re-
search The jackson biography is
more popularly written than the other.
however. as its author has concerned
himself more with his subject as a
personality than has Mir. Mayo who, in
his own words. has tried Ito portray in
objective manner the influence upon
Clay of his environment. and the in
fluence of Clay upon that environ
ment" His book, from these efforts,
becomes a history of the time through
which Clay moved told in relation 10
Clay's movements. The Jackson book.
on the other hand. is the history Of
mans personal life during the years IN
which he happened to be President
and thereafter.
DUT however different the treat
ment used in the two works, re-
view of them together is relevant, for
jackson and Clay figured much in one
another's lives. Mr.. James book, in
deed, is virtually the story of a long
duel between the two men. a duel
opposing candidates for the presidency
and only ended with Jackson's with
drawal from public life. Mr.. James
Is none too gentle with Clay in his
account of this opposition. He credits
the Kentuckian with having sold his
support to John Quincy Adams in
the 1924 campaign in return for ap-
pointment to the Secretaryship OF
State: he holds Clay and Adams Jointly
responsible for the slanderous attack
on Mrs. Jackson which figured in the
campaign of 1923 and, which, he says.
hastened her death. and he attributes
to ,Jackson's hatred of his younger
rival that determination to re-enter
public life which definitely brought
him out of his retirement and made
him a candidate the second time
After the defeat Of 1924, says Mr.,
James. Jackson returned home, ap-
preaching the Hermitage not as
permanent refuge from the cares Of
the world, but as Winter quarters,
wherein to rest. recruit and then sally
forth to smash Henry Clay" Nor. in
his opinion, did Old Hickory ever
depart from this hatred. After ne
left Office himself. he supported Claws
enemies until he was sure that the
engaging Kentuckians hopes for tne
presidency were finished. In his
younger days he had used his duelling
pistols in dealing with those who
slandered him. In his maturity he
used other weapons, but was none
the less deadly and vindictive.
In the Clay biography Jackson nat
urally does not figure so largely, as
the book ends, as has been said, in
1912. some years before the paths OF
the two men crossed. Notwithstand-
ing. Mr.. Mayo's work loses nothing in
being read in relation to Mr.. James
For the Clay who is the villain Of the
James book is started on career OF
splendid idealism and purity IN the
Mayo work. His youth Is painted as
having been spent in the very birth
chamber of the free American spirit
the Western frontler-and he is
interpreted as the outgrowth OF and
spokesman for that spirit. man who
championed the rights OF men and
placed humanities above ambition
or. rather. as one who found in the
espousal of the rights Of men the
harmonious fulfllment Of his am
hition. Such a figure, contrssted with
the crafty politician Of Mr.. James
estimation. makes for ironical reflec-
ton on the part Of the reader who,
without needing to cast doubt on the
sincerity or scholarship of either
author. may still conclude that history
writes itself and that historians at
mos are only its assistants.
THE most reWardng feature Of the
Clay book. 10 the reviewers mind.
and nj political life in Washington in
the early days Of our Nation Today
We speak conventionallv Of the part
played by the French revolution in our
development this life Of Henry Clay
resurrects the violent partiSanship
VIII NE4t u flfF FitiltA lFNtli NdS
hailed in our own West and turns il
into an amazing pageant The virtual
Galhcization Of our crude frontier
society where a generation Of 1edgling
enthusiasts for freedom wore rcvolu-
tionary colors. used the revolutionary
calendar. called one another Citizen. "
toasted the Goddess of Reason and
cursed Great Britain and the Federal
lists Is reproduced IN this work IN the
most convincing manner possible
that is. by reference 10 the press.
poetry and pamphlets of the time A
similar technique is used throughout
the whole book in giving life n the
wave Of Burr enthusiasm IN portray
Ing the reaction OF the country To
JeffersOn's peace measures and in
picturing the popular feeling previous
10 the War Of 1912 The result. as
has been said, Is the portral, Of time
rather than Of man. but it is stir
ring portrait and done with great live
Illness.
Tho fa,cf45ro n facl-o,s tI,n cc,,