CHAPTER III 



FROM JACKSON TO FILLMOEE 1832-1851 



MY arrival in this world took place at one of the 

 stormy periods of American political history. It 

 was on the third of the three election days which carried 

 Andrew Jackson a second time into the Presidency. 

 Since that period, the election, with its paralysis of busi- 

 ness, ghastly campaign lying, and monstrous vilification 

 of candidates, has heen concentrated into one day; but at 

 that time all the evil passions of a presidential election 

 were allowed to ferment and gather vitriolic strength 

 during three days. 



I was born into a politically divided family. My grand- 

 father, on my mother's side, whose name I was destined 

 to bear, was an ardent Democrat ; had, as such, represented 

 his district in the State legislature, and other public bod- 

 ies; took his political creed from Thomas Jefferson, and 

 adored Andrew Jackson. My father, on the other hand, 

 was in all his antecedents and his personal convictions, a 

 devoted Whig, taking his creed from Alexander Hamilton, 

 and worshiping Henry Clay. 



This opposition between my father and grandfather did 

 not degenerate into personal bitterness ; but it was very 

 earnest, and, in later years, my mother told me that when 

 Hayne, of South Carolina, made his famous speech, 

 charging the North with ill-treatment of the South, my 

 grandfather sent a copy of it to my father, as unanswer- 

 able; but that, shortly afterward, my father sent to my 

 grandfather the speech of Daniel Webster, in reply, and 



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