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Show S90 LIFE OF GEN. JACKSON. CHnA P. would have but little cause to applaud the prudence , ~energy, or good sense of a general, who should suffer 1815. distress and want in his camp, mutiny in his army, and ruin to his country, when he possessed the means of preventing tl1em, but omitted their exercise, tiecause the constitution forbade him to act. Highly as we may appreciate the man, who, when clothed with authority, avoids infringing this sacred shield of our liberty, yet, to hesitate, when surrounded by peril and danger, would deservedly attach to him the censures of the patriotic and tl1e good. Whenever individual rights are trampled on, and personal liberty disregarded and violated, merited reproach will pursue him whose only justification is, that he possessed the power: but, when founded on necessity,-demanded by the exigency of the moment, and obviously resorted to, for tl1e protection and safety of the country, it will be excused, app~oved, nay even commended : nor will the act be punished, unless some victim to it should chance to sit in judgment. Militi:~. are discharged. The war being now ended, it was indispensable to hasten the necessary arrangements, to relieve from the toils of the field, those brave men, who had so long been struggling in their country's defence. The ne-cessary measures to effect this were adopted. The Tennessee, Kentucky, and Mississippi troops had taken their departure. ·General Gaines being invested with the command, in a few days, general Jackson left New Orleans for Nashville. The good wishes and friendship of the people followed him : there were some who rejoiced; they were those, however, who, in moments of peril, had stood aloof from danger, or sought UFE OF GEN. JACKSON. 391 to increase it. They had no unpleasant sensations, at CHAP. being relieved from the presence of one who, they XI. believed, was well acquaii}ted with the abandoned~ 1815. course they had pursued : but the great body of the citizens, mindful of his vigilance, and the weighty privations he had encountered for their safety and protec-tion, fondly cherished a recollection of what he had done. Previously to breaking up his camp, he addressed his army, and declared the high sense he entertained of those valiant men, who, with him, had toiled in the field, and who, by perseverance and fide-lity, had obtained safety for their country, and honour for thems~lves. * On his return, the respect of all was manifested in his behalf :-all evinced ·a partiality for the man whose ,signal achievements had raised his country to a high find dignified standing, and whose unremitting exertions had closed the war with a lustre that enlightened even the blots of its commencement. He carried with him a consciousness of having discharged his duty ; and although, from necessity, he had been compelled to the exercise of rigid severity, which he would gladly have avoided, yet now, \\'hen feeling was lulled, ru1tl danger past, he beheld nothing to excite regret, or convince him he was wrong. If, however, he could before have doubted, this general manifestation of public regard was sufficient to quiet his apprehensions. The citizens of the United .States were yet too virtti.ous, merely because of his victories, to bestow st~ch unqualified approbation, could they have believed that) • See note G. |