USA > Indiana > Delaware County > A portrait and biographical record of Delaware county, Ind. : containing biographical sketches of many prominent and representative citizens, together with biographies and portraits of all of the presidents of the United States, and biographies of the governors of Indiana > Part 3
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On the 18th of June, 1812, President Madi- son gave his approval to an act of congress de- claring war against Great Britain. Notwith- standing .the bitter hostility of the federal party to the war, the country in general ap- proved; and Mr. Madison, on the 4th of March, 1813, was re-elected by a large majority, and entered upon his second term of office. The contest commenced in earnest by the appear- ance of a British fleet early in February, 1813, in Chesapeake bay, declaring nearly the whole coast of the United States under blockade. The emmperor of Russia offered his services as mediator. America accepted; England re- fused. A British force of five thousand men landed on the banks of the Patuxet river, near its entrance into Chesapeake bay, and marched rapidly, by way of Bladensburg, upon Wash- ington.
The straggling little city of Washington was thrown into consternation. The cannon of the brief conflict at Bladensburg echoed through the streets of the metropolis. The whole population fled from the city. The president, leaving Mrs. Madison in the White House, with her carriage drawn up at the door to await his speedy return, hurried to meet the officers in a council of war. Hc met our troops utterly routed, and he could not go back without danger of being captured. But few hours elapsed ere the presidential mansion, the capitol, and all the public buildings in Washington were in flames.
The war closed after two years of fighting, and on February 13, 1815, the treaty of peace was signed at Ghent.
On the 4th of March, 1817, his second term of office expired, and he resigned the presidential chair to his friend, James Monroe. He retired to his beautiful home at Montpelier and there passed the remainder of his days. On June 28, 1836, then at the age of eighty- five years, he fell asleep in death. Mrs. Madi- son died July 12, 1849.
J AMES MONROE, the fifth president of the United States, was born in West- moreland county, Va., April 28, 1758. He joined the colonial army when every- thing looked hopeless and gloomy. The num- ber of deserters increased from day to day. The invading armies came pouring in; and the tories not only favored the cause of the mother country, but disheartened the new recruits, who were sufficiently terrified at the prospect of contending with an enemy whom they had been taught to deem invincible. To such brave spirits as James Monroe, who went right on- ward undismayed through difficulty and danger, the United States owe their political eman- cipation. The young cadet joined the ranks " and espoused the cause of his injured country, with a firm determination to live or die with her strife for liberty. Firmly, yet sadly, he shared in the melancholy retreat from Harlaem Heights and White Plains, and accompanied the dispirited army as it fled before its foes through New Jersey. In four months after the Declaration of Independence, the patriots had been beaten in seven battles. At the bat- tle of Trenton he led the vanguard, and, in the act of charging upon the enemy he received a wound in the left shoulder. As a reward for his bravery, Mr. Monroe was promoted a cap- tain of infantry; and, having recovered from his wound, he rejoined the army. He, how- ever, receded from the line of promotion by
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becoming an officer on the staff of Lord Ster- ling. During the campaigns of 1777 and 1778, in the actions of Brandywine, Germantown and Monmouth, he continued aid-de-camp; but becoming desirous to regain his position in the army, he exerted himself to collect a regi- ment for the Virginia line. This scheme failed owing to the exhausted condition of the state. Upon this failure he entered the office of Mr. Jefferson, at that period governor, and pursued with considerable ardor the study of common law. He did not, however, entirely lay aside the knapsack for the green bag; but on the in- vasions of the enemy, served as a volunteer during the two years of his legal pursuits.
In 1782, he was elected from King George county a member of the legislature of Virginia, and by that body he was elevated to a seat in the executive council. He was thus honored with the confidence of his fellow citizens at twenty-three years of age; and at this early period displayed some of that ability and apti- tude for legislation, which were afterward employed with unremitting energy for the pub- lic good, he was in the succeeding year chosen a member of the congress of the United States. -
Deeply as Mr. Monroe felt the imperfec- tions of the old confederacy, he was opposed to the new constitution, thinking, with many others of the republican party, that it gave too much power to the central government, and not enough to the individual states. In 1789, he became a member of the United States sen- ate, which office he held for four years. Every month the line of distinction between the two great parties which divided the nation, the federal and the republican, was growing more distinct. The two prominent ideas which now separated them were, that the republican party was in sympathy with France, and also in favor of such a strict construction of the con- stitution as to give the central government as little power, and the state governments as
much power, as the constitution would war- rant. The federalists sympathized with Eng- land, and were in favor of a liberal construc- tion of the constitution, which would give as much power to the central government as that document could possibly authorize.
Washington was then president. England had . espoused the cause of the Bourbons against the principles of the French revolu- tion. All Europe was drawn into the conflict. We were feeble and far away. Washington issued a proclamation of neutrality between these contending powers. France had helped us in the struggle for our liberties. All the despotisms of Europe were combined. to pre- vent the French from escaping from a tyranny a thousand-fold worse than that which we had endured. Col. Monroe, more magnanimous than prudent, was anxious that, at whatever hazard, we should help our old allies in their extremity. It was the impulse of a generous and noble nature. He violently opposed the president's proclamation as ungrateful and wanting in magnanimity.
Washington, who could appreciate such a character, developed his calm, serene, almost divine greatness, by appointing that very James Monroe, who was denouncing the policy of the government, as the minister of that government to the republic of France. Mr. Monroe was welcomed by the national conven- tion in France with the most enthusiastic demonstrations.
Shortly after his return to this country, Mr. Monroe was elected governor of Virginia, and held the office for three years. He was again sent to France to co-operate with Chancellor Livingston in obtaining the vast territory then known as the province of Louisiana, which France had but shortly before obtained from Spain. Their united efforts were suc- cessful. For the comparatively small sum of fifteen millions of dollars, the entire territory
J. Q. ADAMS.
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of Orleans and district of Louisiana were added to the United States. This was prob- ably the largest transfer of real estate which was ever made in all the history of the world.
From France Mr. Monroe went to England to obtain from that country some recognition of our rights as neutrals, and to remonstrate against those odious impressments of our sea- men. But England was unrelenting. He again returned to England on the same mis- sion, but could receive no redress. He re- turned to his home and was again chosen gov- ernor of Virginia. This he soon resigned to accept the position of secretary of state under Madison. While in this office war with Eng- land was declared, the secretary of war re- signed, and during those trying times the du- ties of the war department were also put upon him. He was truly the armor-bearer of Presi- dent Madison, and the most efficient business man in his cabinet. Upon the return of peace he resigned the department of war, but con- tinued in the office of secretary of state until the expiration of Mr. Madison's administra- tion. At the election held the previous au- tumn Mr. Monroe had been chosen president with but little opposition, and upon March 4, 1817, was inaugurated. Four years later he was elected for a second term.
Among the important measures of his presi- dency were the cession of Florida to the United States; the Missouri compromise, and the "Monroe doctrine.", This famous "Monroe doctrine," was enunciated by him in 1823. At that time the United States had recognized the independence of the South American states, and did not wish to have European powers longer attempt to subdue portions of the American continent. The doctrine is as follows: "That we should consider any at- tempt on the part of European powers to ex- tend their system to any portion of this hemi- sphere as dangerous to our peace and safety,"
and "that we could not view any interposi- tion for the purpose of oppressing or controll- ing American governments or provinces in any other light than as a manifestation by Euro- pean powers of an unfriendly disposition to- ward the United State." This doctrine imme- diately affected the course of foreign govern- ments, and has become the approved senti- ment of the United States.
At the end of his second term Mr. Monroe retired to his home in Virginia, where he lived until 1830, when he went to New York to live with his son-in-law. In that city he died on the 4th of July, 1831.
J OHN QUINCY ADAMS, the sixth president of the United States, was born in Qunicy, Mass., on the 11th of July, 1767. His mother, a woman of exalted worth, watched over his childhood during the almost constant absence of his father.
When but eleven years old he took a tear- ful adieu of his mother, to sail with his father for Europe, through a fleet of hostile British cruisers. The bright, animated boy spent a year and a half in Paris, where his father was associated with Franklin and Lee as minister plenipotentiary. His intelligence attracted the notice of these distinguished men, and he re- ceived from them flattering marks of attention.
Mr. John Adams had scarcely returned to .this country, in 1779, ere he was again sent abroad. Again John Quincy accompanied his father. At Paris he applied himself with great diligence, for six months, to study; then accom- panied his father to Holland, where he entered first a school in Amsterdam, then the univer- sity at Leyden. About a year from this time, in 1781, when the manly boy was but fourteen years of age, he was selected by Mr. Dana,
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our minister to the Russian court, as his pri- vate secretary.
In this school of incessant labor and of ennobling culture he spent fourteen months, and then returned to Holland through Sweden, Denmark, Hamburg and Bremen. This long journey he took alone, in the winter, when in his sixteenth year. Again he resumed his studies, under a private tutor, at Hague. Thence, in the spring of 1782, he accompanied his father to Paris, traveling leisurely, and examining architectural remains, galleries of paintings and all renowned works of art. At Paris he again became associated with the most illustrious men of all lands in the con- templations of the loftiest temporal themes which can engross the human mind. After a short visit to England he returned to Paris, and consecrated all his energies to study until May, 1785, when he returned to America.
After leaving Harvard college at the age of twenty, he studied law for three years. In June, 1794, being then but twenty-seven years of age, he was appointed, by Washington, res- ident minister at the Netherlands. Sailing from Boston in July, he reached London in October, where he was immediately admitted to the deliberations of Messrs. Jay and Pinck- ney, assisting them in negotiating a commer- cial treaty with Great Britain. After thus spending a fortnight in London, he proceeded to the Hague.
In July, 1797, he left the Hague to go to Portugal as minister plenipotentiary. On his way to Portugal, upon arriving in London, he met with despatches directing him to the court of Berlin, but requesting him to remain in London until he should receive his instruc- tions. While waiting he was married to an American lady to whom he had been previ- ously engaged-Miss Louisa Cathe. ine John- son, daughter of Mr. Joshua Johnson, Ameri- can consul in London.
He reached Berlin with his wife in Novem- ber, 1797; where he remained until July, 1799, when having fulfilled all the purposes of his mission, he solicited his recall. Soon after his return, in 1802, he was chosen to the sen- ate of Massachusetts from Boston, and then was elected senator of the United States for six years, from the 4th of March, 1804. His reputation, his ability and his experience, placed him immediately among the most prom- inent and influential members of that body. Especially did he sustain the government in its measures of resistance to the encroachments of England, destroying our commerce and in- sulting our flag.
In 1809, Madison succeeded Jefferson in the presidential chair, and he immediately nominated John Quincy Adams minister to St. Petersburg. Resigning his professorship in Harvard college, he embarked at Boston, in August, 1809. While in Russia, Mr. Adams was an intense student. He devoted his at- tention to the language and history of Russia; to the Chinese trade; to the European system of weights, measures, and coins; to the climate and astronomical observations; while he kept up a familiar acquaintance with the Greek and Latin classics. All through life the Bible constituted an important part of his studies. It was his rule to read five chapters every day.
On the 4th of March, 1817, Mr. Monroe took the presidential chair, and immediately appointed Mr. Adams secretary of state. Taking leave of his friends in public and pri- vate life in Europe, he sailed in June, 1819, for the United States. `On the 18th of August, he again crossed the threshold of his home in Quincy. During the eight years of Mr. Mon- roe's administration, Mr. Adams continued secretary of state.
Some time before the close of Mr. Mon- roe's second term of office, new candidates
ANDREW JACKSON.
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began to be presented for the presidency. The friends of Mr. Adams brought forward his name. It was an exciting campaign. Party spirit was never more bitter. Two hundred and sixty electoral votes were cast. Andrew Jackson received ninety-nine; John Quincy Adams, eighty-four; William H. Craw- ford, forty-one; Henry Clay, thirty-seven. As there was no choice by the people, the question went to the house of representatives. Mr. Clay gave the vote of Kentucky to MI. Adams, and he was elected.
Mr. Adams was, to a very remarkable de- gree, abstemious and temperate in his habits; always rising early, and taking much exercise. When at his home in Quincy, he has been known to walk, before breakfast, seven miles to Boston. In Washington, it was said that he was the first man up in the city, lighting his own fire and applying himself to work in his library often long before dawn.
On the 4th of March, 1829, Mr. Adams retired from the presidency, and was succeeded by Andrew Jackson. John C. Calhoun was elected vice president. The slavery question now began to assume protentous magnitude. Mr. Adams returned to Quincy and to his studies, which he pursued with unabated zeal. But he was not long permitted to remain in retirement. In November, 1830, he was elected representative to congress. For sev- enteen years, until his death, he occupied the post as representative, ever ready to do brave battle for freedom, and winning the title of "the old man eloquent." Upon taking his seat in the house, he announced that he should hold himself bound to no party. He was usually the first in his place in the morning, and the last to leave his seat in the evening. Not a measure could be brought forward and escape his scrutiny. The battle which Mr. Adams fought, almost singly, against the proslavery party in the government, was sub-
lime in its moral daring and heroism. For persisting in presenting petitions for the aboli- tion of slavery, he was threatened with indict- ment by the grand jury, with expulsion from the house, and also with assassination, but no threats could intimidate him, and his final triumph was complete.
On the 21st of February, 1848, he rose on the floor of congress, with a paper in his hand, to address the speaker. Suddenly he fell, again stricken by paralysis, and was caught in the arms of those around him. For a time he was senseless, as he was conveyed to the sofa in the rotunda. With reviving conscious- ness, he opened his eyes, looked calmly around and said, "This is the end of earth;" then after a moment's pause he added, "I am con- tent." These were the last words of the sixth president.
A NDREW JACKSON, the seventh president of the United States, was born in Waxhaw settlement, N. C., March 15, 1767, a few days after his father's death. His parents were from Ireland, and took up their abode in Waxhaw settle- ment, where they lived in deepest poverty.
Andrew, or Andy, as he was universally called, grew up a very rough, rude, turbulent boy. His features were coarse, his form un- gainly; and there was but very little in his character, made visible, which was attractive.
When only thirteen years old he joined the volunteers of Carolina against the British in- vasion. In 1781, he and his brother Robert were captured and imprisoned for a time at Camden. A British officer ordered him to brush his mud-spattered boots. "I am a prisoner of war, not your servant," was the reply of the dauntless boy. The brute drew his sword, and aimed a desperate blow at the head of the helpless young prisoner. Andrew
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raised his hand, and thus received two fearful gashes-one on the hand and the other npon the head. The officer then turned to his brother Robert with the same demand He also refused, and received a blow from the keen-edged saber, which quite disabled him, and which probably soon after caused his death. They suffered much other ill-treat- ment, and were finally stricken with the small- pox. Their mother was successful in obtain- ing their exchange, and took her sick boys home. After a long illness Andrew recovered, and the death of his mother soon left him en- tirely friendless.
Andrew supported himself in various ways, such as working at the saddler's trade, teaching school and clerking in a general store, until 1784, when he entered a law office at Salis- bury, N. C. In 1788, he was appointed solicit- or for the western district of North Carolina, of which Tennessee was then a part. This in- volved many long and tedious journeys amid dangers of every kind, but Andrew Jackson never knew fear.
In 1791, Jackson was married to a woman who supposed herself divorced from her former husband. Great was the surprise of both parties, two years later, to find that the con- ditions of the divorce had just been definitely settled by the first husband. The marriage ceremony was performed a second time, but the occurrence was often used by his enemies to bring Mr. Jackson into disfavor. During these years he worked hard at his profession, and frequently had one or more duels on hand, one of which, when he killed Dickinson, was especially disgraceful.
In January, 1796, the territory of Tennes- see then containing nearly 80,000 inhabitants, the people met in convention at Knoxville to frame a constitution. Five were sent from each of the eleven counties. Andrew Jackson was one of the delegates. The new state was en-
titled to but one member in the national house of representatives. Andrew Jackson was chosen that member. Mounting his horse he rode to Philadelphia, where congress then held its sessions-a distance of about 800 miles.
Jackson was an earnest advocate of the democratic party. Jefferson was his idol. He admired Bonaparte, loved France and hated England. As Jackson took his seat, Gen. Washington, whose second term of office was then expiring, delivered his last speech to congress. A committee drew up a compli- mentary address in reply. Andrew Jackson did not approve of the address, and was one of the twelve who voted against it. He was not willing to say that Gen. Washington's administration had been "wise, firm and patriotic."
Jackson was elected to the United States senate in 1797, but soon resigned. Soon after he was chosen judge of the supreme court of his state, which position he held for six years.
When the war of 1812 with Great Britain commenced, Madison occupied the presidential chair. Aaron Burr sent word to the president that there was an unknown man in the west, Andrew Jackson, who would do credit to a commission if one were conferred upon him. Just at that time Gen. Jackson offered his services and those of 2,500 volunteers. His offer was accepted, and the troops were assem- bled at Nashville. As the British were hourly expected to make an attack upon New Orleans, where Gen. Wilkinson was in command, he was ordered to descend the river with 1, 500 troops to aid Wilkinson. The expedition reached Natchez; and after a delay of several weeks there, the men were ordered back to their homes. But the energy Gen. Jackson had displayed, and his entire devotion to the comfort of his soldiers, won him golden opinions; and he became the most popular man in the state. It was in this expedition that his
M. VAN BUREN.
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toughness gave him the nickname of "Old Hickory."
Soon after this, while attempting to horse- whip Col. Thomas H. Benton, for a remark that gentleman made about his taking a part as second in a duel, in which a younger brother of Benton's was engaged, he received two severe pistol wounds. While he was lingering upon a bed of suffering news came that the Indians, who had combined under Tecumseh from Florida to the lakes, to exterminate the white settlers, were committing the most awful ravages. Decisive action became neces- sary. Gen. Jackson, with his fractured bone just beginning to heal, his arm in a sling, and unable to mount his horse without assistance, gave his amazing energies to the raising of an army to rendezvous at Fayetteville, Ala.
The Creek Indians had established a strong fort on one of the bends of the Tallapoosa river, near the center of Alabama, about fifty miles below Fort Strother. With an army of 2,000 men, Gen. Jackson traversed the path- less wilderness in a march of eleven days. He reached their fort, called Tohopeka or Horse- shoe, on the 27th of March, 1814. The bend of the river enclosed 100 acres of tangled forest and wild ravine. Across the narrow neck the Indians had constructed a formidable breastwork of logs and brush. Here 900 war- riors, with an ample supply of arms were as- sembled. The fort was stormed. The fight was utterly desperate. Not an Indian would accept of quarter. When bleeding and dying, they would fight those who endeavored to spare their lives. From ten in the morning until dark, the battle raged. The carnage was awful and revolting. Some threw themselves into the river; but the unerring bullet struck their heads as they swam. Nearly every one of the 900 warriors was killed. This closing of the Creek war enabled us to concentrate all our militia upon the British, who were the allies of
the Indians. No man of less resolute will than Gen. Jackson could have conducted this Indian campaign to so successful an issue. Immedi- ately he was appointed major-general.
Late in August, with an army of 2,000 men, on a rushing march, Gen. Jackson went to Mobile. A B.itish fleet came from Pensa- cola, landed a force upon the beach, anchored near the little fort, and from both ship and shore commenced a furious assault. The battle was long and doubtful. At length one of the ships was blown up and the rest retired.
Garrisoning Mobile, Jackson moved his troops to New Orleans, and the battle of New Orleans, which soon ensned, was in reality a very arduous campaign. Here his troops, which numbered about 4,000 men, won a signal victory over the British army of about 9,000. His loss was but thirteen, while the loss of the British was 2,600.
The name of Gen. Jackson soon began to be mentioned in connection with the presi- dency, but, in 1824, he was defeated by Mr. Adams. He was, however, successful in the election of 1828, and was re-elected for a second term in 1832. In 1829, he met with the most terrible affliction of his life in the death of his wife. At the expiration of his two terms of office he retired to the Hermitage, where he died June .8, 1845. The last years of Jackson's life were that of a devoted chris- tian man.
ARTIN VAN BUREN, the eighth president of the United States, was born at Kinderhook, N. Y., Decem- ber 5, 1782. He died at the same place, July 24, 1862, and his body rests in the cemetery at Kinderhook. Above it is a plain granite shaft fifteen feet high, bearing a sim- ple inscription about half way up on the face. The lot is unfenced, unbordered or unbounded
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