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Show iv PREFACE. fore venture upon this assurance, that what is detailed may be taken as correct. As regards the execution of the work, he has not much to offer to the consideration of the reader. It is his first effort, and he is willing to trust it to the world, without preface or apology ;-without supplicating its charity or indulgence in his favour; from no belief that ample room is not afforded, for both to be exercised in his behalf, but from a conviction that they are seldom or ne\•er extended, and that none has a right to ask for them, unless under peculiar circuJllstances. 'Vhether he be com1Jetent to the task, is the duty of' every man to iuquil·e, before he undertakes to become an author; no sooner does he ap]lear before the public in that character, than they have a right to infer, that he has entire confidence in his own qualifications, and may therefore with propriety judge him " according to his works." It was not, however, a belief of this kind, that influenced on the present occasion : peculiar circumstances, and not choice, were the inducement. It is more, therefore, with a view of correctly stating the reasons, why he is jllaced before the public as an authqr, than to supplicate any indulgence for the defects which the work may be found to contain, that any thing is ventured to be said. His greatfst regret, if !lC has any on the subject, is, that the events have not been portrayed by some mastel'ly hand, that they might have been exhibited in a manner, worthy of him who gave them their existence. It is some time, since major Rei<! submitted proposals for publishing to the world, "The Life of General Jackson.'' By those who knew him, it was a circumstance, hailed with pleasure, because they entertained a confidence, that the nat·- PREFACE. v rative would be faithful, and that he was well qualified to bestow every embellishment, necessary to render it interesting. His mind bad been generously endowed by nature, and was richly stored with polite and elegant literature. The means of education bad been liberally spread before him, nor had they been neglected. But before he could effect his object, be died. This event, deeply deplored, produced the necessity of either abandoning what had been already begun, or of prevailing on some person, .to complete it. Through the entreaty of his relations and' fri~ntls, the pt·esent author was led to tho undertaking; not from a conviction that he would be able to present it, in a gi\rb calculated to satisfy public expectation; but from a desire, that the infant children of one, who had rendered important services to his country, might not be so far injured by his death, as to lose the benefit, of what was supposed and hoped, might afford a sufficient fund for the purjJOses of their education. This consideration, sufficiently weighty in itself, was the more cheerfully subscribed to, from a belief, that, perhaps, the greater pal't of the work was already digested, and only needed to be transcribed, and pt·operly prepared for the pl'ess; for as yet the papers were in Virginia. Unforeseen difficulties, however, arose, when, on their arrival at Nashville, it was found, that scarcely one third of it had been prepared;* while the residue remained to be sought for, tlwough an immense quantity of papers, without any arrangemet1t or Ql'der. Many as were the difficulties preset~ted, and troublesome as the research promised to be, yet the ari'Ungement being already announced, it was too late to retract. The brilliant achievements which had marked the course of _general Jackson, and given to himself and his country a • Jo~ nd of Chapter IV. |
