Duty

Andrew Jackson has an exaggerated sense of duty that frequently leads him into conflicts with foes and can be used by friends to manipulate him into going against his own self-interest and inclinations. When, in 1817, Jackson clashes with Gen. Winfield Scott, head of the Northern forces, they avoid fighting a duel only because the Seminole War demands attention, and Jackson does not resign his commission only because Pres. James Monroe appeals to his sense of duty towards his country. By the early 1820s, Jackson's brief experiences in politics have soured him and peaceful times suggest that the role of commander-in-chief will play a minor part in the presidency; leaving the Hermitage for four or eight years would undo the considerable work he has put in to undo the neglect occasioned by his military campaigns, and neither his personal nor his medical family history suggests he will live much...