designated as the father of his country, and such was the public
devotion, that he had only to ask it, and a despot's crown would have
adorned his brow. John Adams, Jefferson, and Madison had no military
record; but in the capacity of civilians had rendered essential service
to the cause of the Revolution. Their Administrations had been
successful, and the public mind attributed this success to their
abilities as statesmen, and desired to find as their successors, men of
like minds, and similar attainments. Crawford, Calhoun, Clay, John
Quincy Adams, and Lowndes, had all of them given evidences of eminent
statesmanship, and the public mind among these was divided. At the time
of the death of Lowndes, this mind was rapidly concentrating upon him,
as more eminently uniting the desired qualifications than any other.

It was about this very time that General Jackson's name began to
attract the public as a prominent candidate. Mr. Calhoun was ready to
retire from the contest, and it is very probable his friends would have
united in the support of Lowndes, but he being out of the way, they
united upon Jackson. When Jackson was first spoken of as a candidate,
most men of intelligence viewed it as a mere joke, but very soon the
admiration for his military fame was apparent in the delight manifested
by the masses, when he was brought prominently forward. That thirst for
military glory, and the equally ardent thirst to do homage to the
successful military man, was discovered to be as innate and
all-pervading with the American people, as with any other of the most
warlike nations. Had the name of Jackson been brought before the people
six months earlier than it was, he would, most assuredly, have been
triumphantly elected by the popular vote. It would be fruitless to
speculate upon what might have been the consequences to the country had
he been then chosen. Besides, such is foreign to my purpose. I mean
merely to record memories of men and things which have come under my
eye and to my knowledge, for the last fifty years, and which I may
suppose will be interesting to the general reader, and particularly to
the young, who are just now coming into position as men and women, and
who will constitute the controlling element in society and in the
Government. To those of my own age, it may serve to awaken
reminiscences of a by-gone age, and enable them to contrast the men and
things of now and then.

CHAPTER XVIII.

FRENCH AND