The Omaha guide., 1939-12-30
One Hundred Years Ago Old Hickory
Revisited the Scene Of His Triumph
Over The Red Coats at New Orleans
By L M SCOTT WATSON

q celebration Wnlcn LOOK
place just 100 years ago as
the precedent for their max
ing the anniversary of a great
American military victory
the occasion for a political
rally. For January 8, 1910,
marked the climax of a 10
day celebration of the 18th
anniversary of the Battle
of New Orleans and the hon.
or guest there was the hero
of that battle-Ex-P President
Andrew jackson.
1t came about in this manners:
During his second administration
"Old Hickory had decided that
Martin Van Buren,, his vice presi-
dent, should be his successor in
the White House and, despite a
revolt within the party, forced
the nomination of the New York
er and aided in his election. But
Van Buren's term as President
was not a happy n for either
him or for his friend and counsel
or, the ex-President.
Within a year after he took Of
fee, the speculative which
had swept the country brought
the inevitable result-the panic
of 1887. Jackson's financial poll
cies were blamed (and wrongly,
so the later historians assure us)
for the disaster but since he was
no longer in the White House the
anger of men who had seen their
fortunes go crashing down in
ruins was turned against his
"hand-picked successor" Martin
Van Buren,.
BY 1889 business conditions had
improved somewhat but not
enough to reassure Van Buren,
that he could again defeat Will
liam Henry Harrison, the Wing
candidate, and serve a second
term. When congress convened,
it quickly passed an Independent
treasury bill, taking the fiscal af-
fairs out of the hands of the banks
and completing the work which
Jackson had commenced back in
1929. By now the country had
begun to realize that "Old Hick-
ory's" financial policies were
sound and his popularity, which
had waned during the panic years
of 1898, began to revive and
give renewed confidence to Van
Buren, and his colleagues in the
Democratic administration.
Come to the Aid of the Party
Down in New Orleans the Lou
isianians began planning a for
NAL observance of the twenty
fifth anniversary of the Battle of
New Orleans and President Van
Buren,, believing that the pres
ence of General Jackson at that
celebration would aid the cause
of Democracy, wrote to him ask
ing him to go. Much as jackson
would enjoy revisiting the scene
of his triumph, there we're sew
eral reasons, however, which
might prevent his going. He was
a tired, old man now. "Old Hick-
ory'' they still called him, but age
had weakened the tough fiber
which that name suggested. Such
a journey and the excitement of
the celebration would drain him
of much of the strength he still
had left.
Then there was another reason
The General had lost one of his
best friends, one upon whom he
had come to depend greatly. That
was Ralph E. w. Earle, the wan
dering portrait painter, who had
come to the Hermitage II years
before and found there the only
home he had ever known. Earle
died in September, 1888, and the
gray head of the general bowed a
little lower after that date. HE
was my constant companion when
l Travelled. Had | a wish to travel
l have now no one to go with
me-" he said mournfully.
But the most important reason
why such a trip was doubtful is
suggested in a letter he wrote to
a friend at about this time
"Again | am out of funds, and |
cannot bear to borrow or travel
as a pauper." When Andrew
Jackson went to Washington to
become President, he carried S.
900 with him. When, at the end
of eight years, he returned to
his home in Tennessee there was
only $50 left of it.
An Expensive Son.
Then came the panic years and
"Old Hickory" was hard put to
it to remain solvent. His diff
culties were increased by the I'M
businesslike practices of his
adopted son, Andrew Jackson Jr.
He prevailed upon his foster ia
Their to allow him to buy a
1,100-acre plantation in MISSISSIPPI
pi for which he agreed to pay
$23, 700 in four yearly Install
ments. On his way home from
making this deal, young Jack
son 1fopped at Nashville and IN