History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 36

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1013

USA > Tennessee > Davidson County > History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 36

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vertise you, but if I did he could not help it, that he was strictly persuing your instructions, of which I have no doubt, as I believe him to be a man of truth. I then had a right to expose you. I thought I would that evening, post you as a coward; but to leave you no subterfuge I de- termined to wait until the 8th day of your choice. On the 7th inst. Capt. A. White waited on Capt. Sparks, your friend, to be informed of your determination, and did em- phatically state to you through Capt. Sparks, that we had waited your own time and expected you had instructed him to state that on the morning of the 8th that you would be ready to meet me in the vicinity of Knoxville, or be ready to set out to the Indian boundry line, there to satisfy my demand.

"The answer was: No arrangement made; still not ready. Capt. Sparks was again told to state to you, unless you did meet me on the 8th inst. you would be posted as a coward and poltroon. On the 8th an answer was returned to my friend, Capt. Andrew White, that you could not see me until the committee business was over.

" The delays I thought were intended as a mere subter- fuge for your cowardice. You will recollect that you on the 1st inst. in the public streets of Knoxville appeared to pant for the combat. You Ransacked the Vocabulary of Vulgarity for insulting and blackguard expressions; you without provocation made the attack, and in an ungen- tlemanly manner took the sacred name of a Lady in your polluted lips, and dared me publicly to challenge you, and now, since you gave the insult, you have cowardly evaded an interview. On that day you appeared at Court. You ought, at least before you make a premeditated attack, to be ready to repair the injury of the call of the injured. I have waited your time. I have named the Indian boundry line, to prevent you from having any subterfuge, to which you agreed,-and all in vain. Cowardice is now your only chance of safety ; to that you have resorted; and as you will not give that redress in the field that the injury you have done requires, and as your old age protects you from that chas- tisement you merit, the justice I owe myself and country urges me to unmask you to the world in your true colors.

" In the Gazzett of Monday next I have spoken for a place in that paper for the following Advertisement, and have named publicly that you are the greatest coward I ever had anything to do with. The Advertisement as fol- lows :

"' To all who shall see these presents, greeting : Know ye that I, Andrew Jackson, do Pronounce, Publish, and De- clare to the world, that his Excellency John Sevier, Esq., Captain-General and Commander-in-Chief of the Land and Naval forces of the State of Tennessee, is a base Coward and Poltroon. He will basely insult, but has not courage to repair the wound.

' ANDREW JACKSON.'

" You may prevent the insertion of the above by meeting me in one or two hours after the receipt of this note; my friend who will hand you this, is authorized so to declure, on a written note being signed by you and delivered to him, stating time as above, and place, and on no other terms. I shall set out for home on the result about the middle of the

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day. I hope it will not be stated, that I ran away for fear of you, and your friends. Adieu.

" ANDREW JACKSON.

" Gov. JOHN SEVIER."

[The following memorandum is indorsed on the back of the original draft of this letter in Gen. Jackson's hand. writing :]

" Capt. Sparks, on friday evening, the 7th inst., thro' my friend Capt. White, requested to have an interview, to which I agreed. In the course of the conversation he named to me if an accommodation could take place ? I answered that I expected it could not,-that Governor Se- vier, as a man of courage, could not make such concessions as would be acceptable to me. Capt. Sparks then said the inquiry was unauthorized, but if it was to go any further he would wash his hands of it. I then told him to state to Governor Sevier his intentions, and also if Governor Sevier did not meet me on the 8th I would publish him as a cow- ard and a poltroon. Answer on the 8th that he would not meet me until his business was over with the commit- tee, as stated within. Capt. Sparks left Knoxville on the 8th of October, the day that had been named by him as the time for meeting."

VI.

" KNOXVILLE, Octr. - 1803.

"SIR,-Yours of this day by Capt. A. White I have reced. As to answering your long detail of paper gascon- ading, I shall not give myself the trouble. You need not be uneasy about an interview, for you shall be favored with a hearty concurrance, but I shall not neglect the public bus- iness I am bound to attend to, nor my own private business now before the House, that you and several other poltroons are aiming at to my prejudice.

" An interview within the State you know I have denied. Any where outside, you have nothing further to do but name the place and I will the time. I have some regard for the laws of the State over which I have the honor to preside, although you, a Judge, appear to have none. It is to be hoped that if by any strange and unexpected event you should ever be metamorphosed into an upright and virtuous Judge, you will feel the propriety of being Governed and Guided by the laws of the State you are sacredly bound to obey and regard. As to answering all your jargon of pre- tended bravery, I assure you it is perfectly beneath my character, having never heard of any you ever exhibited.

" Yours, &c., &c., JNO. SEVIER. " Honl. JUDGE JACKSON."

VII.

" KNOXVILLE, Monday Morning.

"SIR,-Some part of the boundry lines between this State and the State of Virginia is within forty-five miles of this place.

" I have heard after all your gasconading conduct that you are preparing to leave town within a day or two; you have not named a place out of the limits of this State where you and myself can have a personal interview, notwithstand-

ing you have been informed that you might name the place and I would the time. Such conduct is characteristic with yourself. This is the last I shall write you on the subject. " Yours, &c., &c., JOHN SEVIER.

" P. S .- My friend Capt. Sparks being absent at this moment I have requested Mr. Mclin to hand you this note. "Hon. A. JACKSON."

VIII.

"KNOXVILLE, MONDAY, 12 O'CLOCK, Octr 10, 1803.

" SIR,-Your note by Mr. William Machlin is this moment handed me, and I hasten to reply, that you have been well informed what part of the Indian boundry line, I would go with you to relieve you from your fears. South west point was named and that I would accommodate your fears by going there. You have been informed, invited, and requested to meet me there, within the vicinity of this place or any place that could be named that would be convenient. You have refused and evaded a meeting through mere cow- ardice ; you may yet retreive your character, by secing me in this neighborhood or at South west point. If in this neighborhood, this evening or early to-morrow morning. If at South west point, to-morrow evening, or on Wednes- day next, any time before 12 o'clock of that day. If you incline to this meting, I will expect to be notified by you.

" I well know your friend Capt. Sparks is absent, he told me and my friend, Capt. A White, on Friday evening, that for certain reasons he washed his hands of it, and was re- quested if he did, to state to you, and to state further that agreeable to your appointment on the 8th we would expect to hear from you, or I would post you, as you have hereto- fore been advised.

" Capt. Sparks stated to my friend that he had stated to you all that he had promised, and gave for answer, as I ad- vised you yesterday. You certainly are not so friendless, that you can get no friend. This will not do so well for a come off. The advertisement is in the press. I leave Knoxville to-morrow after Breakfast ; will obay a call from you between this and that time, in the vicinity of this place and I assure you that I will be happy to see you in a situa- tion, that I can obtain that redress that I have been trying to compel you to afford me for nine days past, and which you pledged your honor to my friend to give, and which you have forfeighted.

" ANDREW JACKSON.

" Govr. JNO. SEVIER."

[Memorandum by General Jackson, indorsed :]

" This letter was handed to Mr. William Machlin, to hand to the Governor, in the presence of Capt. A. White, which Mr. Machlin promised to deliver."]

IX. " KNOXVILLE, Oct. 10th, 1803, in the Evening. "SIR,-I am again perplexed with your scurrilous and poltroon language. You now pretend you want an in- terview in this neighborhood this evening, or to-morrow morning, and all this great readiness, after you had been so

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repeatedly informed that I would not attempt a thing of the kind within the state of Tennessee. I have constantly informed you I would cheerfully wait on you in any other. quarter, and that you had nothing to do but name the place and you should be accommodated. I am now constrained to tell you that your conduct during the whole of your pre- tended bravery, shows you to be a pitiful poltroon and cow- ard, for your propositions are such as you and every other person of common understanding do well know is out of my power to accede to, especially you a Judge !! There- fore the whole tenor of your pretended readiness is intended for making nothing more than a cowardly evasion. Now, Sir, if you wish the interview accept the proposal I made you and let us prepare for the campaign.

" I have a friend to attend me. I shall not receive an- other letter from you, as I deem you a coward.

" Hon. A. JACKSON."

" JOHN SEVIER.

" KNOXVILLE, MR. RAWLINGS, Octr. 11th, 1803, 7.30 P.M. "SIR,-I am just informed by a confidential friend that you have been stating this evening that you have been always and are now ready to meet me at any point on the Virginia line. This, Sir, was not the language you made use of to my friend Capt. Andrew White, when he waited upon you last evening in consequence of your note that squinted at that object, and stated that you had a friend to attend you, and requested me to prepare for the campaign.

" It was then answered by you that you could not then go, and not before Saturday next, and this too after you had named Mr. Robertson's in the State of Virginia, to which my friend agreed and told you I was ready to set out. Under existing circumstances the above information of your readiness is the only reason operating with me again to trouble you with another note. And now, Sir, that the thing may be well understood, and a final end put to all such ideas, & that you may have it your power if so dis- posed to render me that satisfaction I have been so in vain trying to obtain I have to request that you will imme- diately with your friend set out with me and mine, to Mr. Robertson's near the Cumberland Gap in the State of Vir- ginia, there to render me that satisfaction required of you by my note of the 2d inst. I have directed my friend Capt. A. White to require of you to state in writing under- neath this signature, that you will meet me at the above place and that you will sign the same. From my informa- tion of your expression, I have no doubt (if real) but you will be ready to set out on the morning of the 12th inst., and we can reach the wished-for point the same evening.

" Recollect, sir, I have come to your terms as to the place, and the injured has the right to name the time. I there- fore call upon you to meet me between this and Thursday evening next ; the hour you may name yourself. If this is too short I will extend it to your own time.

" I have just to remark that it is high time the thing should be put an end to, and I do require of you to state a time on this piece of paper, that you will meet me for the purpose before mentioned. The Virginia line has lately been your stand ; to prevent further evasion I have come 19

to that proposition ; I hope you will come to mine with respect to time or forever after hold your peace.

" It has been stated to me that you have avowed this evening that the place was your only objection to your meeting me. You named to my friend last evening that prosecutions were talked of. The surest method to avoid and prevent that is an early and secret interview.

" If you wish to keep a copy of this my friend will give you one and attest the same, with your answer in writing. Time is precious with me; nothing detains me from my family but waiting on you for an accommodation of this business, and I have instructed my friend to have such an answer as will be final. I am sir, &c., &c.

" ANDREW JACKSON.

"GOVERNOR JOHN SEVIER."

[Memorandum by Gen. Jackson, endorsed : ]

" Mr. White, my friend, reported as follows: 'I carried this letter this morning and presented it to him, and after looking at the back of it refused to open it, saying he would not read it. I insisted that he would ; he said he would have nothing to do with the Judge or any of his Notes (or words to that effect). I then told him the Judge was about to start home, and as it had been stated to him yesterday evening by some of his friends, that you said you were always ready and was now ready to see him. I told him that the contents were, that he was about to take his leave of Knoxville and that he would now, or at your own time, see you at your favorite spot ; he utterly refused, &c., &c., &c.'"

With this the correspondence terminated.

Gen. Jackson published his " advertisement" as threat- ened. It was somewhat different from the one he advised the Governor of his intention to publish, but the purport is the same :

"FOR THE PUBLIC.

" Those of the Honorable members of the Legislature and other citizens who were present on the first day of this instant in the Town of Knoxville will recollect the ungen- tlemanly and unprovoked attack made by his Excellency John Sevier, Governor of the State of Tennessee, on me- How he Panted for combat when armed with a cutlass and I with a cain-His Excellency in perfect Health, I just re- covering from a severe illness ! They will also recollect his Gasconading Expressions and his repeated darings for me to invite him to the field of Honor.

"To all whom shall see these presents Greeting-Know ye that I, Andrew Jackson, do pronounce, Publish, and declare to the world, that his Excellency John Sevier, Esq., Governor, Captain-General, and Commander-in-chief of the Land and Naval forces of the State of Tennessee, is a base coward and poltroon-he will basely insult but has not the courage to repair the Wound.

" ANDREW JACKSON."

When we reflect that these mutual charges of cowardice were exchanged between men of unquestionable courage- the Hero of King's Mountain and the Hero of New Or- leans-the absurdity of yielding to ill-regulated passion is made ludicrously manifest. The " advertisement" is as in- credible as would have been the " posting" of Agamemnon

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by Achilles on the walls of Troy. Governor Sevier, by his hasty and intemperate speech, placed himself in a seriously false position, of which his insulted and fiery opponent took prompt advantage. He escaped the predicament rather awkwardly it must be admitted.

But to the sequel. Gen. Jackson, almost despairing of "satisfaction" and extremely disgusted, started, with a single friend, for South West Point, entertaining a vague hope that his published denunciations of the Governor as a poltroon might force him to keep his appointment there. After waiting for two days beyond the time fixed, and the Governor not appearing, he decided to return to Knoxville and seek a street-fight, if no other means of redress were afforded him. What now happened I relate upon the au- thority of Maj. Henry Lee, a brother, I believe, of the late Gen. Robert E. Lee, for many years an inmate of the Hermitage, and who began a " Life of Jackson" while there, which remains incomplete. I quote from the MS .:

" The general and his friend (Dr. Vandyke) had not proceeded more than a mile on their way when they met the Governor, escorted by about twenty persons. Jackson had a note prepared reciting his grievances, and demanding redress, which he directed Dr. Vandyke to advance with and deliver. The Governor refused to receive it, and the doctor brought it back. Jackson rode with a brace of pis- tols and had a cane in his hand, and the Governor, who likewise had pistols, wore his sword. Being irritated at his contemptuous treatment, and resenting the injuries for which he was denied the promised satisfaction, he resolved at all hazards to have redress, and advancing to within about a hundred yards of the Governor, with a measured pace, like a knight in the lists he put spurs to his horse, and with cane in place of a lance rapidly charged upon him. 'The Governor, secure in the number of his attendants, did not expect so bold an onset, and dismounting in some con- fusion is reported to have trod upon his sword, and was left unprepared for resistance. His friends now interfered, and by them Jackson was induced to discontinue his attack. A cessation of hostilities being effected, the parties rode on some miles together, and the unpleasant affair termi- nated."

Immediately after these events a communication appeared in a Nashville paper over the signature " A Citizen of Knox County," in which Gen. Jackson's course in the affair was severely arraigned, whilst that of Governor Sevier was as strongly defended. The general suspected the au- thor of the publication to be Mr. William Maclin, then Secretary of State, and the gentleman who was intrusted with the delivery of one of Governor Sevier's communica- tions to him during their hostile correspondence in Knox- ville. The suspicion being strongly upon his mind, he determined to see Maclin about it. With this view, and in company with Maj. Tatum, of the army, who was to witness whatever conversation might ensue, he hunted Maclin up. The following is the major's account of the meeting :

"On Friday last, as well as I can remember," states the major, " Andrew Jackson, Esq., requested me to walk with

him and evidence a conversation he intended to have with William Maclin, Esq., Secretary of State, concerning a publication that had made its appearance in the Nashville Gazette, under the signature of ' A Citizen of Knox County.' A conversation accordingly took place the same day in Mr. Thomas Talbott's back yard, which was carried on with some warmth on both sides. Mr. Maclin acknowledged the delivery of the piece to the printer by request of Gov- ernor Sevier, but denied any knowledge of the author. Judge Jackson insisted that as he had brought the piece to the printer he, Mr. Maclin, should be considered by him as the author, as, if he, Mr. Maclin, did not wish to be so considered, it was improper for him to bring the piece to the printer without being able to name who was the author. In exoneration of himself Mr. Maclin reiterated his assertion of having no knowledge of who the author was. Judge Jackson replied that he was a rascal, or a damned rascal, I do not remember which, to deliver such a paper and pre- tend not to know the author. Mr. Maclin replied that he was no more a rascal than the judge, upon which reply the judge struck Mr. Maclin with a cane which he had in his hand, who upon receiving the stroke wheeled around and went briskly seven or eight yards and made search for a weapon to return the assault, as it appeared to me. Judge Jackson then drew a sword from his cane, which I then supposed, by the judge's not advancing immediately, was only intended as a defensive preparation against any weapon which Mr. Maclin should procure to return the assault with. Mr. Maclin, in his apparent search of a weapon, discovered and took up a brick-bat, which he threw at the judge with such violence as I believe any other person would have done in a similar case. The bat was fended off by the judge's left hand. Mr. Maclin then ran off, and the judge, taking his sword in his left hand and the scab- bard part in his right, ran after him a few yards and then threw the scabbard with violence after Mr. Maclin, which, I believe, hit him. Mr. Maclin then caught up another brick-bat, but whether he threw it or not I cannot recol- lect.

" At this period Mr. Maclin was on one side of Judge Talbott's kitchen and the judge on the other. Some ex- pressions of heat took place at this time which I cannot recollect, but I remember that Mr. Maclin charged the judge with drawing upon him as a naked man. This charge was as persistently denied by the judge as being with any view of attacking him unarmed. I believe Mr. Maclin thought his charge well grounded, but I, as a by- stander, and fully convinced from the manner in which that circumstance took place, and the conduct of the judge after the sword was drawn, that it was merely in defense, and this opinion I am the more fully convinced of from two circumstances : first, the judge not pursuing Mr. Mac- lin with the drawn sword when he appeared to be, and I feel sure was, in dread of such a weapon ; the other is the judge's changing the sword and taking the sheath or scab- bard part of the cane in his right hand before he even pursued Mr. Maclin.

" Given under my hand this 8th day of November, 1803.

" H. TATUM."

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The spectacle of a judge of the " Superior Court of Law and Equity" crossing his sword with flying " Brick Batts," in a kitchen yard, about an anonymous newspaper article, must have been edifying indeed ! But the judge as un- dauntedly faced. far more dangerous missiles, in a less in- glorious warfare, before a dozen years had elapsed.

Gen. Jackson was as tenacious of the last word as he was at the final blow. Through his friend, W. D. Ander- son, Esq., he replied at length, in the same paper, to the communication made in Governor Sevier's behalf. There is little in it of interest beyond a summary of the facts (with sarcastic comments) which I have already related in detail.

The charge against Governor Sevier of complicity with the North Carolina land-frauds was disproved, or at least so explained that it did not prevent his re-election. He sub- sequently served as a Representative in Congress, and was a member of that body at the time of the battle of New Orleans. On the receipt of the news at Washington he wrote thus to one of his sons :

" The Oricans mail has. arrived with the news of Jack- son's success in repulsing the enemy, which has occasioned much rejoicing in this place; and we have received as many congratulations as though we had been in the action. . . . Our army from Tennessee is more talked of than half the world besides."

A curious commentary upon Gen. Jackson's judicial carcer, and the character of the people with whom he was so prominently identified, is suggested by the fact that although it was known that while holding his court he had challenged the Governor of the State, and that a duel be- tween them was imminent, he found time between the dis- charge of his official duties and the attention necessary to be given to an "affair of honor" to write the annexed re- sponse to an address, numerously signed, from members of the Legislature, remonstrating against his declared inten- tion to resign his seat upon the bench :

" KNOXVILLE, Oct. 7, 1803. "GEN. GEORGE RUTLEDGE AND COL. JOHN TIPTON.

" GENTLEMEN,-The address presented to me of the 5th instant by you, for and on behalf of yourselves and others of your honorable body subscribers to the same, ex- pressive of entire confidence (in me) and approbation of my official acts, is truly pleasing and grateful to me,-and permit me through you to reply, that next to an approving conscience is the approbation of my country,-but partic- ularly gratifying when that entire confidence and approba- tion is expressed by the representatives of a free people, chosen by the free suffrages of their fellow-citizens, and selected for their patriotism, wisdom, and virtues.

" True it was, that long since I had come to a determina- tion to resign my seat in the judiciary and retire to domestic ease, there to regain my health and repair a broken consti- tution. This resolution I thought was unalterable, but being warned by you that from my continuance in office under existing circumstances public good might result, I abandon for the present my resolution and obey the call of so respectable a part of my fellow-citizens, as the dictates of duty to a grateful country.

" Retirement to private life has been for some time to me a very desirable event, and the present period at which I intended to retire anxiously waited for. But you have said my further services as a judge would be useful. When my services are thus called for they belong to my country, and your voice is obeyed. I shall continue to hold the office for the space of two years longer, if health will per- mit me to perform the duties thereof, during which period of time I shall endeavor to merit a continuation of your approbation and confidence and that of our common coun- try, the greatest and highest reward to a virtuous and grateful mind.

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History of Davidson County, Tennessee, with illustrations and biographical sketches of its prominent men and pioneers, Part 36

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1880 Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co. Number of Pages: 1013

Author: Clayton, W. W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1880
Publisher: Philadelphia, J.W. Lewis & Co.
Number of Pages: 1013