Year: 1876

AOnA q very 1cdIlui pIcOiCdlurhl, anu III
his compromise measures at that time,
allayed and fully quieted the storm that
seemed ready to burst over the Govern
ment and the country.


General Jaekson's firmness of charac-
ter, his determination to submit to no
wrong to the Government at home or
abroad, made him feared and respected
everywhere. Witness the action of
France in Settling up long delayed ar
rears of debt to the United States, when
the old soldier and statesman had it ipti-
mated to the French Government
through our minister at Versailles that
the time had come for settlement, and
that no further delay could be tolerated
with proper regard to our national
honor.


1t may not be amiss to say here that
it would be of Importance to the people
of the United States to look well to the
character of such man, and to reflect
upon the incalculable advantage of hav-
ing at all times, if possible, just such
man at the head of public affairs to in
sure and guarantee the due observance
of their rights and laws both at home
and abroad; and in this connection it
may be safely stated, and without fear
of any possible question, that hal Gen
eral Jackson been in the Presidential
chair when the political leaders of the
South, leaving their seats in both houses
of Congress, went forth to inaugurate
civil war, that they would not have
reached their homes for such a purpose,
nor indeed would they have dared to
venture on so dire an errand if he had
been President and commander-in-chief
of the army and navy.


With the people of the District of
Columbia, where he lived as President
for eight years, he was greatly respected
and beloved. They soon learned TO
know his inhexible justice and his fixed
rule of action with regard to all trans
actions between the officers and EN-
ployees of the Government and the peo-
pie of the District. He would not allow
any long continued indebtedness on the
part of officials who were receiving their
monthly pay from the Government, and
who on account of being in the receipt
Of such Government pay had received
credit for any kind of supplies or accom-
modations. Knowing this, he was very
frequently appealed to by creditors
against their delinquent customers, and
they never failed to secure a liquidation
| of the indebtedness, or so secured as to
guarantee a speedy payment. One of
these applications to the General, and
| which created much amusement at the
time, was that of lady who kept a
boarding house and with whom a young
man from Tennessee, a clerk in one of
! the Departments, and of family for
whom the President had warm regard
and friendship, had boarded for several
months without paying his board bill
and with little apparent likelihood that
he intended paying it very soon, and for
which she was greatly in want. The
| General listened to her complaint very
| patiently, and with his usual kindness
and courtesy to the fair sex, and when
she had told him her story, he advised
her to get the gentleman's note for what
he owed her. At this the poor lady's
heart sank, and she said, General,
what good will his note DO me? He will
care as little about paying note as the
open account have handed him so fire.
quently'- but her heart grew something
lighter when the President told her to
get the note and bring it to him-for she
saw that there might be something in it.
She went home and very readily got the
required note, as the gentleman said he
was very willing to give it, and would
include the interest, as she should not
lose the interest as long as he owed her
hereafter Smiling at the liberality of
her debtor, she returned to the Presi-
dent and Submitted to him the docu-
ment, wondering what would be the
next move towards getting her money.
To Ler extreme surprise the President
took up pen from his offiee-table and
wrote on the back of the note his own
great name-Andrew Jackson. Almost
overcome by grateful surprise she arose
to take her leave, when the President
said TO her: Madam, you will please
take the note to the cashier Of the Bank
of the Metropolis with my request that
he will discount il at once, and that he
will please to give timely notice of ma
turity TO the maker of the note. Timely
notice was given, and it is needless to
add that the note was paid promptly
when it became due, without taking
advantage even of the three days grace.


Great injustice has been done to the
character and fame of General Jackson
in the estimate made of him, mostly by
his political opponents, especially in
charging him with tyranny in the exer-
else of an almost ferocious will IN his
great public career. Nothing was ever
more unfounded.


Colonel Thomas ii. Benton, who of
all men of their times knew him best
from many years acquaintance, and
who, from having been in deadly feud
with him at an early period of their lives
in Tennessee, became, after he attained
to the Presidential Office, his warnest
and most devoted friend, writes in the
following interesting manner of him in
his Thirty Years View" published after
General Jaekson's death:


''His temper was placable, as well as
irrascib!e, and his reconciliations were
cordial and sincere. of that my own
case was a signal instance. After a
deadly feud l became his confidential
adviser, was offered the highest marks
of his favor, and received from his dying
bed a message of friendship, dictated
when life was departing. and when he
would have 10 pause for breath. There
was deep vein of piety in him, unaffect-
edIy showing itself in his reverence for
divine worship, respect for ministers of
the gospel, their hospitable reception in
his house. and constant encouragement
of all the pious tendencies of Mrs. Jack
son. And when they both afterward


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