The war of 1812 had developed one or two men only of high military genius, and the furor for military men had not then become a mania.  Abilities for civil government were considered essential in him who was to be elevated to the Presidency.  Indeed, it was not so much a warrior’s fame which had controlled in the election of the previous Presidents, as their high intellectual reputations.  Washington had rendered such services to the country, both as a military man and a civilian, that his name was the nation.  He had been everywhere designated as the father of his country, and such was the public devotion, that he had only to ask it, and a despot’s crown would have adorned his brow.  John Adams, Jefferson, and Madison had no military record; but in the capacity of civilians had rendered essential service to the cause of the Revolution.  Their Administrations had been successful, and the public mind attributed this success to their abilities as statesmen, and desired to find as their successors, men of like minds, and similar attainments.  Crawford, Calhoun, Clay, John Quincy Adams, and Lowndes, had all of them given evidences of eminent statesmanship, and the public mind among these was divided.  At the time of the death of Lowndes, this mind was rapidly concentrating upon him, as more eminently uniting the desired qualifications than any other.

It was about this very time that General Jackson’s name began to attract the public as a prominent candidate.  Mr. Calhoun was ready to retire from the contest, and it is very probable his friends would have united in the support of Lowndes, but he being out of the way, they united upon Jackson.  When Jackson was first spoken of as a candidate, most men of intelligence viewed it as a mere joke, but very soon the admiration for his military fame was apparent in the delight manifested by the masses, when he was brought prominently forward.  That thirst for military glory, and the equally ardent thirst to do homage to the successful military man, was discovered to be as innate and all-pervading with the American people, as with any other of the most warlike nations.  Had the name of Jackson been brought before the people six months earlier than it was, he would, most assuredly, have been triumphantly elected by the popular vote.  It would be fruitless to speculate upon what might have been the consequences to the country had he been then chosen.  Besides, such is foreign to my purpose.  I mean merely to record memories of men and things which have come under my eye and to my knowledge, for the last fifty years, and which I may suppose will be interesting to the general reader, and particularly to the young, who are just now coming into position as men and women, and who will constitute the controlling element in society and in the Government.  To those of my own age, it may serve to awaken reminiscences of a by-gone age, and enable them to contrast the men and things of now and then.