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THE WASHINGTON!,AN
AUGUSTA, JUNE 28, 1815.
EDITORIAL COMMITTEE. -
Rev. W. T. Bravtlv, i Dr. D. Hook,
" W. J. Hard, I Jambs Harpkh, Esq,
'* C. S. Don, IA. W. Noel, Esq.
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The Weather
Continues excessively warm. The
thermometer ranges from 9G to 98 de
grees. We hear complaints of the
drought from several quarters.
Fruit.
Judging from the show at the market,
we are induced to believe that this will
prove an abundant fruit season. The
quality seems fair for the time, and we are
sure it is so, considering the forwardness
oflhe season. Watermelons are already
very plenty and cheap. ,
Health of the City.
So far as we have any means of as
certaining, the health of the city contin
ues good. A few deaths have taken
place, mostly among children.
Democratic nomination for Governor—
A convention of tho party assembled at
Milledgeville on Monday, the 16th inst.,
and nominated Matthew Ilall McAlister,
Esq., of Savannah, as their candidate
for Governor. The Whig party have
not yet made thoir nomination. The
eanvass will likely be a warm one, and
partizans on both sides will have their
hands full.
It is altogether probable that Governor
Crawford, the present incumbent, will
receive the nomination of his party.
Public Meeting.
According to a call officially made by
his Honor, M. M. Dve, Mayor of the
city of Augusta, a large and respectable
number of the citizens assembled at the
City Hall on the 24th inst., to make
suitable arrangements for honoring the
memory of the late Gen. Andrew Jack
son.
On motion of Jas. Gardner, jun., his
Hon. M. M. Dve, was called to the
Chair, and W. Milo Oux, Esq., request
ed to act as Secretary.
E. B. Glascock, Esq., moved that a
Committe of five be appointed by the
Chair, to draft resolutions expressive of
the sense of the Meeting: Whereupon,
the Chair appointed the following as said
Committee, viz:—E. B. Glascock, A.
W. Noel, James Gardner, jun., John C.
Snead and M. A Stovall.
The Committee having retired, re
turned in a short time, and reported thro’
Mr. Noel, tho following Preamble and
Resolutions lor the adoption of the Meet
ing, which were received, and unani
mously carried.
Whereas, the intelligence of the
death of the late and illustrious Gen.
Andrew Jackson, Ex-President of the
United States is confirmed, and feeling
impressed with a sense of our duty to the
memory of one of such exalted charac
ter and distinguished public services, we,
as citizens of Augusta and Richmond
county, deem it but just, proper and ev
ery way becoming us, as such, to offer a
merited and suitable tribute of respect to
the memory of so distinguished a citizen
and patriot. Therefore—
Resolved fst. That the distinguished
public services, and eminent virtues of
the late Gen. Andrew Jackson, are wor
thy of all those exalted honors which
alone are due to, and becoming the illus
trious dead.
Resolved 2d. That as a tribute of res
pect suitable to such on occasion, a pub
lic discourse be made on the life, char
acter and services of the illustrious man,
for whose death the nation now mo.aas.
Resolved 3d. That a federal salute be
fired on the morning, at sunrise, of the
day the eulogy is delivered, and half hour
guns through Ihe day, to conclude with a
National salute at sundown.
Resolved 4th, That a Committee of
thirteen be appointed by the Chairman,
to carry the above resolutions into effect,
and make all such arrangements as are
necessary for the occasion ; also, to act
with other Committees, if necessary, for
the purposes above.
The following gentlemen were appoint
ed by the Chair, a Committee under the
4th resolution:
E. B. Glascock, Gen. V. Walker,
John Bones, John P. King,
Samuel C. Wilson, John Milledge,
M. A. Stovall, Wm. P. Beall,
John 11. Mann, • A. Sibley,
C. J. Jenkins, I. P. Garvin,
H. H. Cumming.
On motion of John 11. Mann, Esq., it
was ordered that the proceedings of the
Meeting be published in the city papers.
M. M. DYE, Ch’m.
W. Milo Olin, Sec’y.
Historical Society of New- York--Tributc
of respect to the Memory ot the late
Gea. Jackson.
The monthly meeting of this society
took place at their rooms, on the 19th
inst., attended by an unusual number of
its members and visiters. Hon. Luther
Bradisii, the President, presided, and
called the society to order. On his right,
sat the Hon. Daniel Webster, and on
his left, the Hon. B. F. Butler. After
the minutes of the last meeting had been
read by the Secretary and confirmed,
and other matters gone through with,
Prosper M. Wiietmore, Esq., rose and
introduced the following preamble and
resolutions for the adoption of the meet
ing, prefacing them with a few appropri
ate and well-timed remarks. The pre
amble and resolutions are as follows :
The society has learned with profound
regret the dealh of Andrew Jackson,
an illustrious citizen, whose long public
services endeared him to tho American
people, and whose life and conduct will
be inseparably connected, in history, with
the era to which lie belonged.
Therefore, it is Resolved, That in
common with our fellow citiczns through
out the Union, we lament the decease of
a gallant and distinguished soldier.whose
victories have shed lustre on the Repub
lic, an independent, sagacious, and faith
ful magistrate, whose steady aim was to
advance the honor of his country.
Resolved, That he who has gone down
to his grave full of honors and full of
years, has left behind him a character,
whose attributes of patriotism, resolution,
fearlessness of responsibility, marked him
as one of the few great men who leave
an impress upon the age in which they
lived. “Heaven gave him length ot
days, and he filled them with deeds of
greatness.” His reputation is now the
property of his country, and should be
the care of her future biographers and
historians.
Resolved, That the members of this
Society, of which the deceased was an
honorary associate, will wear the custo
mary badge of mourning, and unite with
the municipal authorities and citizens in
paying a public tribute of respect to his
memory.
After the reading of the resolutions
had closed, the Hon. B. F. Butler, also
made an appropriate and neat address,
on rising so second the resolutions by
appointment of the Executive committee.
The remarks of this gentleman being
concluded, the Hon. Daniel Webster rose
in support of the resolutions, a copy of
whose speech we give our readers, which
is the principal object we have in view,
in introducing this subject to the atten
tion of our readers. Mr. WebsJcr said—
Nothing could be more natoral or
proper than that this Society should take
a respectful notice of the decease of so
distinguished a member ofits body. Ac
customed occasionally to meet the So
ciety, and to enjoy the communications
that are made to it, and proceed from it,
illustrative of the history of the country
and its government, I have pleasure in
being present at this time also, and on
this occasion, on which an clement so
mournful mingles itself. Gen. Andrew
Jackson has been from an early period
conspicuous in the service and in the
councils of the country, though not with
out long intervals, so far as respects his
connection with the general government.
It is fifty years.! think, since he was a
member of the Congress of the United
States, and at tho instant, Sir, I do noi
know whether there be living an associ
ate of Gen. Jackson in the House of
Representatives of the United States, at
that day, with the exception of the dis
tinguished and venerable gentleman, who
is now President of this Society. I re
collect only of the Congress of ’96. at
this moment now living, but one—Mr.
Gallatin—though I may he mistaken.
General Jackson, Mr. President, while
he lived, and his memory and character,
now that he has deceased, are presented
to his country and the world in different
views and relations. He was a soldier—
a general officer—and acted no unim
portant part in that capacity. He was
raised by repeated elections to the high
est station in the civil government of his
country, and acted a part certainly not
obscure nor unimportant in that charac
ter and capacity. In regard to his mili
tary services, I participate in the gener
al sentiment of the whole country, and
I believe of the world. That he was a
soldier of dauntless courage—great dar
ing and perseverance—an officer of skill
and arrangement and foresight, are truths
universally admitted. During the peri
od in which he administered the general
government of the country, it was my for
tune during the whole period of it to be
a member of the Congress of the United
States, and, as is well known, it was my
misfortune not to be able to concur with
many of the most important measures of
his administration. Entertaining him
self his own views, and with a power of
impressing his own views to a remarka
ble degree upon the convictions and ap
probation of others, he pursued such a
course as he thought expedient in the
circumstances in which he was placed.
Entertaining on many questions of great
importance different opinions, it was of
course my misfortune to differ from him,
and that difference gave me great pain,
because in the whole course of iny pub
lic life it has been far more agreeable to
me to support the measures of the gov
ernment than to be called upon by my
judgment and sense of what was best to
be done to oppose them. I desire to see
the government acting with a unity of
spirit in all things relating to its foreign
relations, especially and generally in all
great measures of its domestic policy, as
far as is consistent with the exercise of
perfect independence amongst its mem
bers. But if it was my misfortune to
differ from General Jackson on many or
most of the great measures of his ad
ministration, there were occasions, and
those not unimportant, in which I felt it
my duty, and according to the highest
sense of that duty, to conform to his
opinions, and support his measures.—
There were junctures in his administra
tion—periods which I thought important
and critical—in which the views that he
felt it to be his duty to adopt correspond
ed entirely with my sentiments in regard
to the protection of the best interests of
the country, and the institutions under
which we live; and it was my humble
endeavor on these occasions to yield to
his opinions and measures the same cor
dial support as if I had never differed
from him before, and expected never to
differ from him again. That General
Jackson was a marked character—a
strong character—that he had a very re
markable influence over other men’s o
pinions—that he had great perseverance
and resolution in civil as well as in mili
tary administration, all admit. Nor do
I think that the candid amongst man
kind will ever doubt that it was his de
sire,—mingled with whatsoever portion
of a disposition to be himself instrumen
tal in that exaltation —to elevate his
country to the highest prosperity and
honor. There is one sentiment, particu
larly, to which I recur, always with a
feeling of approbation and gratitude.—
From an early period of his undertaking
to administer the affairs of the govern
ment, he uttered a sentiment dear to me
—expressive of a truth of which I am
most profoundly convinced—a sentiment
setting forth the necessity, the duty, and
the patriotism of maintaining the union
of these States. (Applause.) Mr. Pres
ident, I am old enough to recollect the
deaths of all the Presidents of the Uni
ted States who have departed this life,
from Washington down. There was no
doubt that the death of an individual,
who has been so much the favorite of
his country, and partaken so largely of
its regard to fill that high office, always
produces—has produced hitherto a strong
impression upon the public mind. That
i_s right. It is right that such should be
the impression upon the whole commu
nity, embracing those who particularly
approve and those who did not particular
ly approve the political course of the
deceased. All these distinguished men
have been the chosen of their country.
They have fulfilled their station and du
ties upon the whole, in the scries that
have gone before us, in a manner repu
table and distinguished. Under their ad
ministration, in the course of fifty or six
ty years, the government, generally
speaking, has prospered, and under the
government the people have prospered.
It becomes, then, all to pay respect when
men thus honored are called to another
world. Mr. President, we may well in
dulge in the hope and belief that it was
the feeling of the distinguished person
who is the subject of these resolutions,
i in the solemn days and hours of closing
| life—that it was his wish that if he had
committed few or more errors in the ad
| ministration of the government, their
influence might cease with him; and
; that whatever of good he had done,
might he perpetuated. Let us cherish
the same sentiment. Let us act upon the
[same feeling; and whatever of true
j honor and glory he acquired, let us all
j hope that it will be his inheritance for
! ever! And whatever of good example,
| or good principle, or good administration,
he has established, let us hope that the
benefit of it may also be perpetual.”
Mr. Webster then resumed his seat
amid general but subdued expressions of
applause.
The President then put the resolu
tions, when, to the apparent surprise of
the assemblage, a gentleman in the
crowd, near the door, and whose name
we learned was Fessenden, rose and
said—
I don’t see why such a Society as this
should be called on to put forth resolu
tions commendatory of the life and char
acter of General Jackson. [Murmurs of
disapprobation. A voice, “whose that ?”
Hon. Mr. Eokee—“Pooh! it’s only a
Yankee lawyer!”—a laugh.] It is true
he was President of the United States,
and a major-general in the army—but
what has that to do with this Society—
with historical literature. I don’t agree
at all with many of the opinions put forth
in the address of the gentleman who sec
onded the resolutions. I cannot sanc
tion the resolutions themselves. ( A P-|
plause and hisses.) I say, I cannot ap
prove of those resolutions, and I will op
pose them, though I stand alone. For
thirty years I have sincerely and fervent
ly opposed General Jackson, and I can
not consent, now, because he is dead, to
approve of his conduct. General Jack
son certainly never contributed any thing
to the Historical Society, nor to any
other that I know of. He was not a lit
erary man. Why, then, should a liter
ary society be called on to pass such res
olutions? Again, did he exhibit the pure
motives and self-sacrificing devotion of
the first President? No. I don’t believe
he did. Why then pay him this mark of
honor? Truth should come from socie
ties like this. (Applause and hisses.)
On his accession to office, General Jack
son put a political enemy in jail, because
he had been a defaulter under the pre
vious administration ; and he said he
would keep him there till the money was
paid, or he humbled himself before him.
This led me to expect that he would carry
out this stern administration of justice.
But did he do it? No. There was more
defaulting under Jackson than there was
under all the Presidents; but because the
defaulters had voted for him, he let them
escape. Again, he gave the lie? to John
Quincy Adams about his approbation of
the Florida treaty ; and even when his
own letter was produced in evidence, he
still swore it was all a lie. Well may
they call him “the man ol the iron will;”
for he was determined to make it the sole
arbiter of truth and falsehood. (Laugh
ter, applause, hisses and confusion.) —
But lie has gone to a land where neither
his will nor the bequest of his party will
determine what is right and wrong. (Ap
plause, hisses and confusion, in the midst
of which the lion. Mr. Bokee, and the
great body of the members of the Court
of Errors, who had been invited to be
present, rose and left the room.) I hope
he has repented of his sins and gone to a
better state of existence. (Loud hisses.)
We ought to recollect that we are not
first in this business—the Empire Club
have gone before us. I don’t want to
make myself notorious—(shouts of laugh
ter) —but when as a member of this soci
ety I was called on as a literary society—
(a laugh)—to approve of the conduct and
character of General Jackson. I have
only to say that I approve of neither.
(Applause and hisses.)
Mr. Charles King then rose, apparent
ly much excited, and in a very nervous
manner said—Mr. President: I second
the motion—Mr. President, I second the
motion. Sir—l—sir
President—What motion ?
Mr. King—Why, sir, to lay on the
table, sir—
President—l beg your pardon sir, but
I am not aware of such a motion having
been made. (A laugh.)
Mr. King—Why I thought—that is—
I-
Mr. Fessenden—Well, then, I do make
the motion that the resolutions lie on the
table.
Mr. King—Now, sir. I
President—That motion is not debate
able. (A laugh.)
Mr. King—l only wanted to say, sir,
that no such honor has ever been paid by
this society,—sir,—to Jefferson, sir—nor
to Madison, sir,—nor to Adams, sir,—and
sir,—they were all men of letters—sir
which General Jackson was not, sir.
(Great laughter.) That’s all, sir. [Here
Mr. King sat down, apparently much rc
lievcd, and in quite a gratifying state ts
comparative composure.]
Mr. Wetmore then briefly, and in a
very calm and dignified manner, stated
the motives which had influenced the
Committee of the Society in presenting
the resolutions—resolutions.in which he
was confident the deliberate judgment 0 f
every right thinking member of the soci
ety could not possibly detect any offensive"
or improper expression. The President
of the Society could state the unwilling
ness with which he, (Mr. Wetmore) had
undertaken the duty of submitting those
resolutions, but it was a responsibility
which he now gladly assumed.
Mr. John McKeon deeply regretted
that the meeting had assumed a political
character. He hoped that those gentle
men present, who ate not members,
would see the propriety of refrainin'*
from taking part in the vote, as it aopeart
ed to be the wish of some to make the
question a test of the political opinions
of the society.
Mr. Butler reminded the Society that
on the death of Harrison similar resolu
tions were passed unanimously. He
begged that they might be read by the
Secretary.
The resolutions were accordingly
read, and were almost identical in senti
ment and expression with those offered
by Mr. Wetmore.
The resolutions were then put and
carried; Messrs. Fessenden, King, and
another, only voting in the negative.
A committee, consisting of General
Tallmadge, Hon. Theodore Frelinghuy.
sen, and Messrs. Davis and Butler, was
then appointed to co-operate with the
Common Council and other public bodies
in the arrangements for the funeral oh
sequies on Tuesday nexß
Au Extract from the Autobiography of
Johu B* Gough*
[Mr . Gough being at the ti'ne a journeyman
book-binder in Worcester , Muss.]
“ In order to render myself less liable
to temptation, and to avoid the dissipated
society which I was constantly falling in
to at the hotel, where I lived, I left it,
and engaged board at the house of a
gentleman, who happened to be the pres
ident of a temperance society. Here I
attempted to restrain my appetite for
drink, but the struggle was terrible ; so
mighty a power would not be conquered
without contesting every inch of his do
minion ; and 1, trusting to my own
strength, assailed it with hut a feeble
weapon. I leltas if I could not do with
out the draughts which I had been so
long accustomed to, and yet I was a
shamed to display the weakness which
prompted me to indulge in them. To
procure liquor, I was compelled to resort
to every sort of stratagem, and the ser
vices of my inventive faculties were in
constant requisition. Many a time
would I steal out, when no one noticed
me, and proceed, with a bottle in my
pocket, to the farthest extremity of the
town, where I would purchase a supply
of rum, which I would take home with
me. Occasionally I would procure spir
it at the apothecary’s shop, alleging, as
an excuse, that it was required in a case
of sickness ; and the pint I would gener
ally divide into three portions, one of
which I took in the morning, another at
noon, and the remainder I disposed of in
the evening. My habits were not natu
rally of a deceptive character, and I al
ways felt degraded in my own esteem,
whenever I had occasion to resort to the
expedients I have mentioned, —but what
will not a drunkard do, in order to pro
cure the stimulus he so ardently desires?
Have it 1 would, and get it I did ; and I
always seemed to desire it the more
when the difficulty of procuring it was
increased.”
“My wardrobe, as had, indeed, been
nearly always the case with me whilst I
drank to excess, was now exceedingly
shabby, and it was with the greatest dif
ficulty that I could manage to procure
the necessaries of life. My wife be
came very* ill. O ! how miserable I be
came. Some of the females who were
in attendance on my wife, told me to get
two quarts of rum. 1 procured it, and
as it was in the house, and I did not an
ticipate serious consequences, I could
not withstand the strong temptation to
drink. I did drink, and so freely', that
the usual effect was produced. How
much I swallowed, I cannot tell, but the
quantity, judging from the effects it pro
duced, must have been considerable.
“Ten long, weary days of suspense
passed, at the end of which time my wife
and her infant both died. Then came
the terribly oppressive, feeling, that I was
utterly alone in the world ; and it seem
ed, almost, that I was forgotten of God,
as well as abandoned by man. All the
consciousness of my dreadful situation
pressed heavily indeed upon me, and
nc o co ns lljvo mind did l
feel the loss I had experienced. I drank
now, to dispel my gloom, or to drown it
in the maddening cup ; and soon was it
whispered, from one to another, until the
whole town became aware of it, that my