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Show 14 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHAP. education, on the liberal scale which his mother had I. designed. Unfortunately, however, he, like too many ~young men, sacrificing future prospects to present gratification, expended it with rather too profuse a hand. Coming, at length, to foresee that he should be finally obliged to rely on his_ own exert~ons, for support and success in life, he agam betook htmself to his studies, with increased industry. He re-commenced under Mr. M'Culloch, in what was then called the New Acquisition, near Hill's iron wor~s. He~e he revised the languages, devoting a portion of hts time to a desultory course of studies. . His education being now completed, so far as hts wasted patrimony, and the opportunities the~ afforded in that section of the country, would permtt ; at the age of eighteen, he turned his attention to acquiring a profession, and preparing himself to ~nter on the busy scenes of life. The pulpit, for whtch he had been designed by his mother, was now aband~ned for t~e bar; and, in the winter of 1784, he reparred to Saltsbury, in North Carolina, and commenced the studx of law, under Spruce M'Cay, Esq. (afterwards one of the judges of that state,) and continued ~t under c~lonel John Stokes. Having remained at Sahsbury unhl the winter of 1786, he obtained a license from the judges to practice, and continued in the state until the spring o£ 1788. The observations he was enabled, during this time, to make satisfied him that this state presented few induceme~ ts to a young attorney ; and recollecting that he stood a solitary individual in life, without relations to aid !lim in the onset, when innumerable difficulties LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. te arise and retard success, he determined to seek a new CHAP. country, But for this, he might have again returned I. to his native state ; but the death of every relation he~ had, ' had wiped away all those recollections and circumstances which warp the mind to the place of its. natlvtty. The western parts of the state of Tennessee were, about this time, often spoken of, as presenting flattering prospects to adventurers. He immediately determined to accompany judge M'Nairy thither, who was appointed and going out to hold the first supreme court that had ever sat in the state. Having reached the Holston, they ascertained it would be impossible to arrive at the time appointed for the session of the court ; and therefore determined to remain in that country until fall. They re-commenced their journey in October, and, passing through the wilderness, reach-ed Nashville in the same month. It had not been Jackson's intention, certainly, to make Tem1essee the place of his future residence; his visit was merely experimental, and his stay remained to be determined, by the advantages that might be disclosed; but find-ing, soon after his arrival, that a considerable opening was offered for the success of a young attorney, he detennined to remain. His industry and attention soon brought him forward, and introduced him to a profita-ble practice. Shortly afterwards, he was appointed at-torney general for the district, in which capacity he continued to act for several years. Indian depredations being then frequent on the Cumberland, every man became a soldier. Unassisted by the government, the settlers were forced to rely for security on their own bravery and exertions. Although |
