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Show One Hundred Years Ago 'Old Old ' Hickory'Revisited HickoryRevisited Hickory ' Revisited the Scene of His Triumph TriumphOver TriumphOver TriumphOver Over the 'Red Red ' Coats ' at New Orleans , By ELMO ELl\'IO ELl 'IO IO \ ' SCOTT WATSONReleased WATSONReleased WATSON WATSONReleased ( Released b by , Western Newspaper Union ) TT TT"HEN /"HEN "HEN HEN / " members of theDemocratic the theA WHEN \A/ A \ J ADemocratic / / Democratic party allover allover all ' over the United Uruted States Statesgather Statesgather Statesgather gather together at their an- an annual an annual - nual gatherJackson Jackson Jackson day dinners dmners thlS this thlSyear thisyear thisyear year , they may well point pomt to toa toa toa a celebration celebrauon cclebrahon which whlch took tookplace tookplace tookplace place just 100 lOO years ago as asthe asthe asthe the precedent for their mak mak- makmg making making - ing mg the anniversary anmversary of a great greatAmerican greatAmerican greatAmerican American military mlhtary vIctory vIctorythe victorythe victorythe the occasion for a pohtlcal political pohtlcalrally politicalrally politicalrally rally For January 8 , , 1840 1840marked , , marked the climax chma'C chmaC clima'c climac ' ' of a 10 10day 10day 10day day celebration of the 25th 25thanmversary 25thanniversary 25thanniversary anmversary anniversary of the Battle Battleof Battleof Battleof of New Orleans and the hon hon- honor honor honor - or guest there was the hero heroof heroof heroof of that battle-E2I battle E2I battle-Ex Ex battle - Ex . Presldent President PresldentAndrew PresidentAndrew PresidentAndrew Andrew Jackson JacksonIt It came about in m this th15 manner mannerDurmg mannerDuring mannerDuring Durmg During his h15 second administration aclImmstratlon aclImmstratlon'Old administrationOld 'Old Old ' Old Hickory ' had decided that thatMartm thatMartin thatMartin Martm Martin Van Buren his h15 vice presl presi presldent president president dent should be his h15 successor m in mthe inthe mthe the White House and despite a arevolt arevolt arevolt revolt within withm the party forced forcedthe forcedthe forcedthe the nomination nommabon of the New York Yorker Yorker Yorker er and aided in m his hlS election elechon But ButVan ButVan ; Van Buren s term as PresIdent Presidentwas Presidentwas was not a happy one for either eitherhun eitherhun eitherhim 1 hun or for his friend fnend and counsel counselor or , the ex PresidentWithm PresidentWithin President PresidentWithin Within Withm a year after he took of office offlee office fice flee the speculative craze whIch winch whIchhad winchhad whichhad had swept the country brought broughtthe broughtthe broughtthe the inevitable mevltable resu1t-the resu1t the result-the result result - the pamc panic pamcof panicof panicof of 1837 1831 Jackson s financial poll pollCleS pollties pollciss CleS ties were blamed ( and wrongly wronglyso so the later historians hlstonans assure us usfor ) ) for the disaster d15aster but since smce heI he \I I w \ . wasno as asno asno no longer in m the White House the theanger theanger theanger anger of men y " who ho had seen theIr theIrfortunes theirfortunes theirfortunes fortunes go crashing crashmg down m in mrUIns inruins inruins rUIns was turned against agamst hIshand hishand his hishand hand p eked cked successor Martm Martin MartmVan MartinVan MartinVan Van BurenBy BurenBy Buren BurenBy By 1839 business busmess conditions had hadlmproved hadimproved hadimproved lmproved improved somewhat but not notenough notenough notenough enough to reassure Van Buren Burenthat Burenthat Burenthat that he could again agam defeat WII Wil WIIl1am Wilham Wilham l1am ham Henry Harrison HarrlSon the WhIg WhIgcandIdate Whigcandidate Whigcandidate candIdate and serve a second secondterm secondterm secondterm secondtermhen term \\hen hen bxhen \ \ hen congress convened convenedit convenedlt lt it quickly passed an mdependent independent mdependenttreasury independenttreasury mdependenttreasury treasury b II 11 taking takmg the fiscal at of atfaIrs offairs affairs faIrs out of the hands of the banks banksand banksand banksand and completing the work whIch whIch.Jackson whichJackson whichJackson .Jackson Jackson . had commenced back m in in1829 1829 By now the country had hadbegun hadbegun hadbegun begun to realize that Old HICk HICkory Hickory Hickory ory s financial policies were weresound weresound weresound sound and his popularity populaflty whIch whIchhad whichhad whichhad had waned during durmg the panic pamc years yearsof yearsof yearsof of 1837-38 1837 38 - - began to revive and andgIVe andgive andgive gIVe renewed confidence to Van VanBuren VanBuren VanBuren Buren and his colleagues in m the theDemocratic theDemocratic theDemocratic Democratic admmlstratlonCome administrationCome administration admmlstratlon administrationCome Come to the Aid AJd of the Party ' ' I Down m in New Orleans the Lou Louisianuans Louisianians , ISla isianuans mans began beg-an beg an - planning plallI1mg a for formal formal formal mal observance of the twenty twentyfifth twentyfifth twentyfifth fifth anniversary anmversary of the Battle of ofNew ofNew ofNew New Orleans and President Van VanBuren VanBuren VanBuren Buren believing behevmg that the pres presence presence presence ence of General Jackson at that thatcelebration thatcelebration thatcelebration celebration would aid the cause causeof causeof causeof of Democracy wrote to him ask askmg asking askmg mg ing him hlID hen to go Much as Jackson Jacksonwould Jacksonwould Jacksonwould would enjoy revisiting revlsltmg the scene sceneof sceneof sceneof of his triumph tnumph there were sev soy several soyeral several eral reasons however whIch whIchmIght whichmight whichmight mIght prevent his going gomg He was wasa wasa wasa a tired tued old man now Old HIck HIckory Hickory Hickory ory they still called him but age agehad agehad agehad had weakened the tough fiber fiberv.hlch fibervthieh fiberwhich v.hlch vhlch vthieh . that name suggested Such Sucha a ourney Journey Tourney ] and the excitement of ofthe ofthe ofthe the celebration would drain dram hIm hImof himof himof of much of the strength be he still stillhad stillhad stillhad had leftThen leftThen left leftThen Then there was another reason reasonThe reasonThe reasonThe The General had lost Inst one of hIS hISbest hisbest hisbest best friends fnends one upon whom he hehad hehad hehad had hadcome come to depend greatly That Thatwas Thatwas Thatwas was Ralph E r : W Earle the wan wandermg wandurng wandermg dermg durng portrait painter pamter who had come to the Hermitage 17 years before yearsbefore onlyhome and found there the only home he had ever known Earle EarledIed Earledied Earledied dIed m ill in September 1838 and the thegray thegray thegray gray head of the general bowed a aI1ttle alittle alittle I1ttle little lower after that date He Hewas Hewas Hewas was my constant companion comparuon when whenI I traveled Had I al.1sh a \ . wish \l.1sh l.1sh to travel travelI I have now no one to go wIth wIthme withme withme me he said mourruullyBut mournfullyBut mournfully mourruully mournfullyBut But the most important reason reasonwhy reasonwhy reasonwhy why such a trip tnp was doubtful IS ISsuggested issuggested issuggested suggested in m a letter herote he \ wrote \\rote rote to toa toa toa a friend fnend at about this th15 tIme- tIme tImeAgam timeAgain time - - Again Agam I am out of fun funds funccis s and I Icannot Icannot Icannot cannot bear to borrow or travel travelas travelas travelas as a pauper When Andrew AndrewJackson AndrewJackson AndrewJackson Jackson went to Washington Washmgton to tobecome tobecome I Ibecome become President he carried carned $5 5 $5I $5000 5000 $ I 000 w \ with Ith him hlID hun When at the end endof endof endof of eight years he returned to toh1s tohis tohis h1s his home in m Tennessee there was wasonly wasonly wasonly only $90 90 $ left of itAs it lt itAs As All Expensive Lxpenslve Lspensive Son SonThen SonThen SonThen Then came the panic pamc years and andOld andOld andOld Old Hickory was hard put to toIt toit toit It to 1.0 10 . remain remam solvent His H15 dIm dImcull1es dimculties duncullies cull1es culties yere v ere increased mcreased by the un unbusmessh unbusinesslu unbusmessli busmessh businesslu . JK .e e . practices practlcei : of hIs hIsadopted hisadopted hisadopted adopted so I t i Andrew Jackson Jr JrHe JrHe JrHe He prevailed prevaned upon his Ius foster fa father father father ther to allow him to buy a a1100 1 100 acre plantation m in Mississ Mussuss p ppl ppi ppi pl pi for which WhlCh he agreed to pay $23 23 pay$23 pay23 $ 700 in four yearly Insta1\ Insta1 install Insta1ments installmeets installmerits \ ments meets On his lus way home from frommakmg frommaking frommaking makmg making this thus deal young Jack Jack60n Jackson Jackson 60n son stopped at Nashville and un s r # } rc + I1I1v ; f fANDREW ANDREW MDRIW : JACKSON IN 18 1840This 1840 1840This O This Tlus portrait was pamted painted by Jacques J Amans during durmg ' Old Hick Hickory Hickory Hickory ory s ' visit to New 1Ioew Aew Orleans to join Jom in m the 25U 25th anniversary anmversary celebration celebrationof of his victory over the British there on January 8 1815 The orlgmal original orlgmalhangs originalhangs originalhangs hangs m in the Brown University Umverslty library , Providence R I ( From rrom an 11 it 11lustratIon itlustratuon illustration lustratIon lustratuon in m \ Marquis 1\Iarquls 1 Iarquls James ' Andrew Jackson Portrait of a Pres Presf Presfdent President ! dent published publlsbed by the Bobbs BIerrill Merrill Company , by whose courtesy lt it ltIS itis itis IS reproduced here ) known hnown to his father bought an aneapcnsive anexpensive ' eJ\.pcn eJ.pcn eJ .pcn pcn eapcnsive \ . ! > lve piano plana also on the m in mstallment installment installment stallment planNor planNor plan planNor Nor was this his only ex1ra\a ex1ra a ex1raagance extra extra\agance extra agance : ; \ a agance gance for while wlnle Jackson was wasmakmg wasmaking wasmaking makmg making plans for the journey Tourney to toNew toNew toNew New Orleans he received a let letter letter letter ter from his old friend fnend Maj WIl WIlham Wilham William ham B Lewis asking askmg that a anote anote anote note for $550 550 $ signed by young youngJackson youngJackson youngJackson Jackson and already two years yearsoverdue yearsoverdue yearsoverdue overdue be paid This money moneyhad moneyhad moneyhad had been used to buy a carnage carriage carnageand carriageand carriageand and Andrew An.drew : . Jr had assured lus his lusfather hisfather hisfather father that the money had al already already already ready been repaid repaidI I have exerted all my means meansto meansto meansto to clear my son from his foolish foolishas as well as useless debts They Theyare Theyare Theyare are all e\hausted e hausted e\.hausted e.hausted .hausted exhausted \ ' . I can do no nomore nomore nomore more the General wrote to Lew LewIS Lewis IS By this time he had about aboutgIven aboutgiven aboutgiven gIven up his plans for going gomg to to1ew toAew toNew 1\ew 1 ew Aew \ Orleans Then came a acrushmg acrushing acrushing crushmg crushing blowIt blow blowIt It was the financial collapse of ofAlbert ofAlbert ofAlbert Albert Ward a son of one of ofJackson ofJackson ofJackson Jackson sold s old friends fnends and one of ofthe ofthe ofthe the richest men in m Middle Ten Tennessee Tennessee Tennessee nessee When his creditors be 44cfb0 , vJm vJ ' - ' -m m - 'c c 'cH 'cy 'cs ' H y s 7 7X X ' < < c . 1 'l l ' SS SS.f . . /.f .f / - / ' " 4 i x xx f * > , x / t s si i , z zy * y t ANDREW ANDRrW : JACKSON JR JRA JRA JRA A portrait of Jackson s adopted adoptedson adoptedson adoptedson son by Ralph E VV W Earle owned ownedby ownedby ownedby by the Ladies Lawes nermitaee Hermitage AssocI AssocIahon Association Associ\ Associ Association \ ation ahon Nashville Nashvllle , Teen Tenn , and re reproduced reproduced reproduced produced in m \ Marquis l\Iarqws l Iarqws James An Andrew Andrew Andrew drew Jackson Portrait of a Pres Presldent President President ldent ident gan securing securmg writs wnts of attachment attachmentagamst attachmentagainst attachmentagainst agamst against those who had gone se secunty security secunty cunty curity for Ward it was learned learnedthat learnedthat learnedthat that Andrew Jackson Jr was one oneof oneof oneof of his principal prmclpal sureties surebes More More- Moreover Moreover Moreover - - over as the panicky pamcky credJtors creditors credJtorsbegan creditorsbegan creditorsbegan began to press their claims oth 0th other 0ther other er debtshlch debts which \\hlch hlch \ young Jackson Jacksonhad Jacksonhad Jacksonhad had contracted unknown to hIs hIsfather hisfather hisfather father came to hghtOld lightOld light hght lightOld Old Hickory tired and ill III as ashe ashe ashe he was rose superbly to the ocea occa oceaslOn occasion occasion slOn sion First he made certa n arr arrangements ar | r rangements 1 gements with the Ward cred credItors creditors creditors ThenI Itors in m order to gain gam time bme Then Thenhe Thenhe he decided definitely defirutely to go to New NewOrleans NewOrleans NewOrleans NewOrleansIf Orleans OrleansIf I If the trip should help the theprospects theprospects theprospects prospects of the Democrats v ell elland elland elland and MarquisJames goo g good o o d writes MarqUIS James in m his : . Andrew An.drew Jackson Jackson- JacksonPortraIt JacksonPortrait JacksonPortrait - Portrait of a President The Thereal Thereal Thereal real object was to relieve rehpve hIs hIsson hisson hisson hissonThe son sonThe sonThe The time was short On De December December December cember 23 the General drove to toNashvIlle toNashville toNashville NashvIlle and drew m in advance advanceon on his h15 cotton After paying paymg two twonotes twonotes twonotes notes for young Andrew and a afew afew afew few other bills bulls only enough re remamed remained remained mamed mained for traveling travelmg expenses to toNew toNew toNew New Orleans So he borrowed $3 3 borrowed$3 borrowed3 $ 000 which was placed to the thecredit thecredit , credIt of his sonOn sonOn son sonOn ChristmasAndrew ChrIstmasAn.drew On the day before ChrIstmas An.drew Andrew : . Jr had not returned from MlSSISSIPPI Mississippi fromMississippi fromMlSSISSIPPI Jackson could delay delayhis delayIDS IDS his departure no longer Scratch ing mg directions to the boy to pay paythe paythe paythe the Lewis note and other debts to tothe tothe tothe the extent e'ttent ettent ' of $3 3 $ 000 Old HIckory HIckorywas Hickorywas Hickorywas was off for Louisiana Lomslana to make makehIs makehis makehis hIs first public appearance m in mnearly innearly innearly nearly three yearsA yearsA years yearsA A Near Tragic JourneyConcerning Journey JourneyConcerning Concerning Concernmg that near trag c cJourney cjourney cjourney Journey and its results James Jamesalso Jamesalso Jamesalso also wntesNew writesNew writes wntes writesNew New Year s day of 1840 was wasspent wasspent wasspent spent aboard an Ohio river nver pack packet packet packet et menaced by drifting drlftmg ice Jce At AtMemphIs AtMemphis AtMemphis MemphIs Jackson obtained obtamed from fromAlbert fromAlbert fromAlbert Albert Ward pledges which he hehoped hehoped hehoped hoped would balance Andrew AndrewJr AndrewJr AndrewJr Jr s obligations to the Ward WardcredItors Wardcreditors Wardcreditors WardcreditorsOn credItors credItorsOn On January 4 the steamer steamerVIcksburg steamerVicksburg steamerVicksburg VIcksburg chartered by the state stateof stateof stateof of Mississippi and loaded wIth wIthnotables withnotables withnotables notables took the General Generalaboard Generalaboard Generalaboard aboard What followed was a amghtmare anightmare anightmare mghtmare nightmare Stricken with a hem hemorrhage hemorrhage hemorrhage orrhage which made |