Year: 1874




of history orof romance an instance


of more chivalrous affection and con-
slant, sacrificing devotion than


was illustrated in Andrew Jaekson's
uniform conduct towards Rachel Dem


nison. He married. under peculiar
circumstances. Her first husband was,


from all accounts, q man of violent
temper and unbounded caprice, with


whom it was utterly impossible for
anybody, however well disposed, to


live in peace. After one or two sep
arations and reunions, they finally
parted, permanently, and it was soon
after this event that Jackson-then a
poor and unknown lawyer in the back
woods village of NashVille-asked her
to share his unpromising fortunes. A
divorce was procured through what
was thought to be a proper channel.
and they were united. The first months
of their welded life were spent in
Natchez, and not until their return to
Tennessee was it known that the court
which granted the divorce had no au


thority to execute such an instrument
which, we believe, as the law then
stood, could only issue from the legis-
lature of Virginia. But be this as it
may, the legal forms were at last fully
complied with, and to put an end-as
it was hOped-to all possible miscon-
struction, the marriage ceremony was
again performed. Had Jackson re-
manned an obscure man the matter
would never have been revived. But
as soon as he took the first steps in the
career which was to land him in the
Presidential chair, jealousy unloosed
the hands of calumny, and enemies
who could find no noble plan of attack
struck at him through the bosom of.
his wife. This was a sin which he
never could and never would forgive,
and whoever had breathed a word
against the fair fame of thai idolized
object might feel assured of having
made an eternal and ineXorable foe of
one who came fairly up to the John
sonian standard of good hater.p
The duel with Dickinson had its real
origin here. Dickinson was a prom
isingg young man, belonging to a high
ly respectable family in Nashville, and
the Junior of jackson by several years,
Attached to a different and hostile fac
tion, he imagined rivalry where none
really. existed, and, being in the habit
of drinking too freely, occasionally,
made remarks which would not bear
repetition. OF course they were re-
peated, and to the one of all others
deeply interested. When the first Of
fnese of this kind transpired, Jackson
went to Dickinson's father-in-law, told
him what he had heard, and begged
him to guard, if possible, against a
similar occurrence IN the future. The
warning WAS of no avail, for when the
wine was again in the ascendant,
Dickinson threwout the same siurs, and
this time they cost him his hearts
blood. The duel ostensibly originated
in a horse race, which, by the way,
was never run; but the animus of it,
50 far as jackson was concerned, lay
in the fact that Dickinson had spoken
ill of Mrs. jackson. 1t is unnecessary
to repeat all the details of the meeting
which was, indeed, as the PoST says,


lone of the most terrible on record u
Dickinson was dead shot, could hit a
half dollar at ten PAGES, kill birds on
the wing, and perform other miracu-
fous feats with pistol. He was as
brave and cool as he was skillful, and
never entertained a doubt as to the
result of the combat. The arrange
ment was that after the word was CIV
en- they should fire as soon as they
pleased. Jackson, knowing Dickin-
sons superior quickness with his
weapon, resolved not to attempt to get
the first fire, but to take the chances
for a second. The instant the signal
was shouted Dickinson fired. The
dust few from the breast of the loose
fitting black frock coat which Jackson
wore, but he stood there, tike a pillar
Of adamant, apparently unharmed.-
Dickinson started hack in horror and
exclaiming: MY God
have I missed him ?'' His stern and
unrelenting antagonist took deliberate
aim and pulled the trigger. The pistol
did not respond. He looked and found
it was only at half-cock. A second
time he took aim, and as the sharp
crack rang out among the silent woods
where the deadly scene was laid, Dick
inson tottered and fell into the arms
of his friend. He died the same night.
Jackson was able to mount his horse
and ride home the next day-barely
able, for the bullet which seemed to
miss him, had really passed through
the f1eshy part of his breast and cut
the breast-bOne. His shoes were full
of blood when he walked from the fatal
field, but he concealed the fact, as he
said, because he did not want Dickin-
son to have the satisfaction of knowing
that he had hit him at all. !" In an
swer to the question how he could, af-
ter receiving such shock, retain his
Steadiness of nerve, he replied = /
believe / should have killed him had
he shot me through the brain.p The
wound never healed properly; was the
occasion of frequent hemOrrhages in
later years, and ultimately caused his
death. There is no evidence going to
show that Jackson ever repented of
this duel. Long fterwards-indeed,
only few weeks before he died-a
friend visiting his sick chamber, hap
pened to pick UP an old pistol lying on
the maptel. The keen-eyed invalid
saw the movement and remarked quiz
t. frS4, I, h ls,o1,
/ killed Mr.. Dickinson In spite of
conversion and consistent fellowship
with the church, there was deal of
the 'told Adamn remaining in Is Old
Hickory to the last.


Those who saw Mrs. Jackson in her
youth say that at that period she was
plump and quite pretty brunette. But
in middle age the plumpness increased,
until all the signs of waist had disap-
peared, and the dark complexion be-
came still darker. until It became all
most the tint of that of venerable ma
hogany. In plain words, she was a
short, fat and remarkably common
looking. old woInan-ungracesul of
course, and not at all versed in the
ways of polite societv. Her husband,
on the contrary, though spare and an
gular in figure, and quite as destitute
of culture as his wife, was con fessedly
one of the most elegant gentlemen of
his day. His public life, particularly
after the battle of New Orleans, bought
him into close communication with
the gay world, and his manners con-
tributed as much as his fame to make
the centre of every circle in which he
mingled. But neither the sweet smil- !
es nor the sweeter words of the beau |
ties who crowded around him ever
made him for an instant forget-much
Iessprove false to the mistress of his
soul. Even his most intimate friends
could not discover by any word or act
ON his part that he was conscious of
his wife's physical disadvantages and
lack of what is called good breed :
ing.-To him she was neither old nor
ugly, nor ignorant nor awkward-butl |
aIwaysyoung,a always ndsome, always
the embodiment of brightness aud
grace. No knight that ever laid lance
in rest was more devoted to the fair la
dy whose colors he wore, than was
Jackson to the ancient dame who bore
b;r par,ae She VVaS the only hnnlaO