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AN ACCOUNT
i. g
…’ OF
A 2' = *
CoLºg RocKETT(s) Tour
TO THE
NORTH AND DOWN EAST,
IN THE YEAR of our Lord on E THousAND EIGHT Hundred
AND THIRTY-FOUR.
*
HIS
OBJECT Bring TO EXAMINE THE GRAND MANUFACTURING ESTA
BLISHMENTS OF THE COUNTRY ; AND ALSo To FIND OUT
THE CONDITION OF ITS LITERATURE AND MoRALs,
THE EXTENT OF its commiRRCE, AND tº
THE PRACTICAL, OPERATION
OF
• THE EXPERIM. ENT.” s
“When thou dost read a book, do not turn the leaves only, but gather
the ſruit.”
WRITTEN BY HIMSELF.
NEW YORK :
WM. H. GRAHAM, TRIBUNF BUILDINGS,
1848.
ENTERED according to the act of Congress, in the year 1835, by
- D. L. Carey and A. Hart,
in rhe Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of
Pennsylvania.
INTRODUCTION.
SoMEBody told me once of a member
of Congress, I think from Philadelphia,
who said he found an old scrap of paper,
wrote by some old fellow that killed him-
self, or was hung, or died of starvation, or
some such nonsense, and spun an Indian
path story out of it. º
Now, I don't like dead men's stories; not
even old Jefferson's, that raised the bristles.
of so many in North Carolina and else-
where, who thought the old man was a good
friend, until they found what he thought
on paper. - 2.
Some persons tickle up their fancies to
the scribbling point, and then their pen .
goes like a fidler's elbow. I like rale life,
that makes a book jump out of the press
3
4 . INTRODUCTION.
like a new dollar from a mint-hopper.
Some likes to use up the big I's, and write
all about themselves; and I reckon it isn’t
easy to quit that, particularly when one is
uncommon hard pushed to come out a
second time.
Now, this is just my case. If every one
has not read my book, every one ought,
which comes to the same thing.
Stepping into a tavern a short time ago,
I met a friend, who said to me, “Crockett,
my dear fellow, we are all as dull in this
empty barn of a city, as a grog-shop with-
out liquor; and unless you come out with
another book, I do not know how we are
to get along.”
“Much obliged to you, major; but may
bé, if I do, you'll laugh at me, and not at
my book.”
“Trust me, colonel, you are mistaken:
we are all looking to you for musick. Al-
low me to introduce to you my friend,
Terrance O’Neal.”
INTRODUCTION. 5
“Sir, I am happy to have the honor of
an introduction to your friend.”
“By my sowl the honor's done to me.
I’m sinsare in declarin that; for minny's
the day I’ve long'd to hiv a wag of your
bone. How are ye, my darling boy, mem-
ber of Congress, speech-maker, book-mak-
er, an all? Talkin o' books, the divil a
book hiv I read, at all, at all, clane thro’,
since I quat the owld records in the middle
of the Axes of the Aposels, barrin the life
of your own dear self; an a purty book it
is; wrote wid all the sperret of a man of
honor, with all the sincerity of a man of
truth, and in regard of the powers that be,
widout even a touch of the blarney. Give
us something more that's new, by the
powers, even if you write your own book
over again.” -
“Why sartin, Mr. O'Neal, your compli-
ments are mighty plenty; and if I could
shell out ideas as easy as you do words, I
could soon write another book.”
{ A 2
6 INTRODUCTION.
“Idays! is that what you want? Well,
how odd it is that things are so strangely
managed in the makin of us up. My idays
run through me like an hourglass that
niver wants turnin; an if I only know’d
how to scrawl the alphabet, I’d soon dress
my idays in Sunday clothes: botheration
to owld Jim Kelly, that chated me out of
my printice suit, and night school into the
bargain.” e *
“Colonel, excuse me for not sooner in
troducing my other friend, Monsieur Bo
mafice.”
“How are you, mounsheer?”
“Ah! monsieur Colonal, je suis very
appy for de satisfaction of to say I am tres
humble servant.”
“Well, mounsheer, where did you come
up with that name of yours ?”
“Sare, me—Bonafice?—from my fader,
Jacques Bonafice de la Vendee.”
“Well, I don’t like it. It sounds so
much like everything here in Washington,
INTRODUCTION. 7
office, office; nothing goes down here but
office.” . -
“Ah, sare, pardon. It is not d'offeece pour
moi—no sare. Guesta have tell to me he
have offeece de cuisine inde maison national .
—but is too mush condam to congé—an
not de good l'argent pour service. More-
over dandis, Guesta is chef cuisinier—mais
but dey not give him d’honeur for sit as
member of de cuisine—aha—kitchin cabi-
net. He is confine to de ragouts for de
bellie, and not have de grand satisfaction
for compound de grand buget; and so
soon he make reclamation for dis—vite—
de snap of de fingar, in de language of de
grand Shakeyspeer— -
‘ Otello’ occupation, allez vous en.”
Pardon, sare, I hear from my fren you will
to write one leetly book. C'est bon la—
write him—a votre service—can I do
something, notting for you?”
“Yes, mounsheer; you can buy and trans
8 INTRODUCTION.
late it into your parley-vous, and then they
will know me in France; and”— -
“Colonel, excuse me; but here is a third
friend just stepped in. We’ll hear what
he thinks, and if he agrees, there's three to
one, and you’ll have to write. This is
Frederick Hummelshine, but we generally
call him Old Fritz.” -
* “Fitz, did you say? He don't look like
he was kin to little Fitz, that I beat for
Congress.” •' -
“No, no—Fritz; that's the short of Fre-
derick.” *
“Well, how d'ye do, any how? For
Fitz has got to be a good friend of mine.”
“So, so, mitlin. I’m as haaty as a puck,
put I can't jump jist so high.”
“Well, Fritz, don't you think the colo-
uel ought to write a book?”
“Apout wat?” -
“Why he has been travelling through
the cities, and among them there Yankees,
and saw a heap of things.”
INTRODUCTION. 9
.e.”
“Was he out on te Niagarey reever, unt
ente fals?”
“No, I didn't get that far. But I seen a
heap.”
“Dem is all for no use. It is notting
like te fals, see onct. Tis Ponyfeece un me
we'll meet dare; un I was so shtantin mit
my pipe like, un could not feel myself a
tinkin; un tis Ponyfeece will cum up, un
he sais to me, Pong, pong. Well, I tought
he was a fool; ten I schmoke akin, un den
he'll come up, un dakes me pyte arm, un
Sais, say Pong la. Well, I dakes mine
pipe out of my mout, un said to dat leedle
fellur, “ko way mit you; un if I couldn't say
more as Pong, by te life, I'd say notding at
all.’ Oh, it's a cruel scarey blace dat; un
if you could hav said someding apout dat, it
woult have peen so nice. Put every one
can't too every ding; so I expect you hat
petter write, un let all de peoples hear what
vou dit see.” -
“I told you so, colonel. Three to-one,
10 INTHODUCTION.
or as they say in Latin, ‘Tria junctum in
unum;’so wenusthave the book.”
“Well, I’lſ tell you what, gentlemen.
Now it is a pretty middling hard thing, this
here writing of a book. A fellow sits down,
as he supposes, with a bushel of nuts to
crack, and before he goes far into the bas-
ket he finds the rest a'n't hulled; but keep-
ing in full view my old saying, I’ll &
“Go AHEAD.”
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
How many excuses there are in these modern
days for great men to travel !
Some do it to gain popularity and power, others
to retain what they have ; some travel on the pub-
lic purse ; others, like men, on their own.
Some go abroad to serve the republic; others
go to serve themselves.
Some ingloriously stay in their own part of
the country; others extend their views abroad, de-
sirous to know and feel the multiplied blessings
which are to be found in every part of this happy
land.
This last object had great influence on my mind.
I had braved the lonely forests of the West; I had
shouldered the warrior's rifle in the far South; but
the North and East I had never seen. I seemed
to like members of Congress who came from these
parts, and wished to know what kind of constitu-
11
| 2 C() L. CROCKET"I’S TOUR.
ents they had. These considerations, in addition.
to my physician's advice to travel a little for
my health, induced me to leave Washington on
the 25th day of April, 1834, and steer for the
North. - .
At this time the House of Representatives was
engaged on the appropriation bills, and I knew
they would consume some two or three weeks ;
and as I had determined and declared that I would
not vote upon an appropriation bill, until I knew
where the money was ; and as it had been settled
by the House that Andrew Jackson was the Gov-
ernment, and held the nation's money, I concluded
that the same law which authorized him to seize
the public treasure, and remove it from where the
law of the land had placed it, would, by the same
kind of forced construction, authorize him to dis-
tribute it at his will. It was of little consequence,
therefore, for me to remain while those bills were
under discussion.
Accordingly, I set out, and during my jour-
ney I was so agreeably disappointed in almost
every, thing I saw, that I thought my friends
would be gratified in having a description of the
same. . -
I arrived the same evening at Barnum’s Hotel
in Baltimore, Uncle Davy, as he is often called,
COL. CRO CRE'I"T’S TOUR. - 13
was right glad to see me, perhaps because We Were
namesakes'; or may be he always likes to see folks
patronize his house. He has a pleasant face, any
how, and his acts don’t belie it. No one need look
for better quarters: if they do, it will be because
they don’t know when they are satisfied.
Baltimore used to be called Mob-town ; but they
have got a heap better now, and are more orderly
than some of their neighbours. Jackson’s expe-
timent has worked wonders. His insolent an-
swers to their respectable committees, and their
nearness to Washington, which enables them to see
the manoeuvering of the big and little captains,
has opened their eyes, and made clever fellows of
them. I love them, for they are like myself. I
worshiped the molten image a good while, but
when he begun to cut his antics, I cut loose.
Stand your-ground, my honest fellows. Your
monuments mean something. Look at them in-
scriptions and memorials of your brothers who
fell at North Point. It was not in man-worship
they lost their lives. No, it was to defend our
country when in danger. We are again in danger
—not of bullets and cannon, but bribery and cor-
ruption. He who deserts their ranks, and with-
stands the reward, is twice a Hero. Look at the
immortal Washington on that lofty pillar; that
14 COL, CROCKET"I’S TOUR.
comes home good to me, and when I saw it, I could
not for my life help thinking of Moses, when he
hoisted up the golden serpent to cure the Israelites
of the poison and venom driven into them by the
reptiles that crawled among them. Look on him,
and imitate again and again his powerful virtues.
Shortly after I arrived, I was called upon, and
asked to eat supper with a number of gentlemen. I
went, and passed the evening pleasantly with my
friend Wilkes and others. -
Early next morning I started for Philadelphia,
a place where I had never been. I sort of felt
lonesome as I went down to the steamboat. The
idea of going among a new people, where there
are tens of thousands who would pass me by,
without knowing or caring who I was, who are all
taken up with their own pleasures, or their own
business, made me feel small : and indeed if any
one-who reads this book has a grand idea of his
own importance, let him go to a big city, and he
will find he is not higher valued than a coon
skin. -
The steamboat was the Carroll-of-Carrollton, a
fine craft, with the rum old commodore Chaytor
for head man. A good fellow he is—all sorts of
a man—bowing and scraping to the ladies; nod
ding to the gentlemen ; cursing the crew; and his
*
COL. CROCKET"T’S TOUR. 15
right eye broad cast upon the “opposition line,”
all at the same time. “Let go!” said the old one,
and off we walked in prime style. *
We immediately came past Fort McHenry, just-
ly celebrated for its gallant defence under Armi-
stead, Stewart, Nicholson, Newcomb, and others,
during the last war ; and shortly after we passed
North Point, where the British landed to make,
what they never dared, an attack on Baltimore.
Our passage down the Chesapeake bay was very
pleasant; and in a very short run we came to the
place where we were to get on board of the rail-
road cars.
This was a clean new sight to me; about a
dozen big stages hung on to one machine, and to
start up hill. After a good deal of fuss we all
got seated, and moved slowly off; the engine
wheezing as if she had the tizzick. By-and-by
she began to take short breaths, and away we went
with a blue streak after us. The whole distance
, is seventeen miles, and it was run in fifty-five
minutes. - -
While I was whizzing along, I burst out laugh-
ing. One of the passengers asked me what it
was at. “Why,” says I, “it’s no wonder the
fellow's horses run off.” A Carolina waggoner
had just crossed the rail-road, from Charleston to
16 COL, CROCKETT’S TOUR.
Augusta, when the engine hove in sight, with the
cars attached. It was growing dark, and the
sparks were flying in all directions. His horses
ran off, broke his waggon, and smashed his com
bustibles into items. He run to a house for help,
and when they asked him what scared his horses,
he said he did not jist know, but it must be hell
in harness. w. ~
At Delaware City I again embarked on board of
a splendid steamboat, which ran to Philadelphia.
When dinner was ready, I sat down with the
rest of the passengers; among them was the Rev-
erend O. B. Brown, of the Post Office Department,
who sat near me. During dinner the parson called
for a bottle of wine, and called on me for a toast.
Not knowing whether he intended to compliment
me, or abash me among so many strangers, or have
some fun at my expense, I concluded to go ahead,
and give him and his likes a blizzard. So our glasses
being filled, the word went round, “a toast from Co-
lonel Crockett.” I gave it as follows: “Here's wish-
ing the bones of tyrant kings may answer in hell,
in place of gridirons, to roast the souls of Tories
on.” At this the parson appeared as if he was
stump’t. I said, “Never heed ; it was meant for
where it belonged.” . He did not repeat his invi-
tation, and I eat my dinner quietly.
COL. CROCKETT's TOUR. 17
. After dinner I went up on the deck, and saw
the captain hoisting three flags. Says I, “What
does that mean P” He replied, that he was under
promise to the citizens of Philadelphia, if I was
on board, to hoist his flags, as a friend of mine
had said he expected I would be along soon.
We went on till we came in sight of the city;
and as we advanced towards the wharf, I saw the
whole face of the earth covered with people, all
anxiously looking on towards the boat. The cap.
tain and myself were standing on the bow-deck;
he pointed his finger at me, and the people slung
their hats, and huzzaed for Colonel Crockett. It
struck me with astonishment to hear a strange peo-
ple huzzaing for me, and made me feel sort of
queer. It took me so uncommon unexpected, as
I had no idea of attracting attention. But I had
to meet it, and so I stepped on to the wharf, where
the folks came crowding round, saying “Give me
the hand of an honest man.” I did not know
what all this meant; but some gentlemen took hold
of me, and pressing through the crowd, put me
up into an elegant barouche, drawn by four fine
horses; they then told me to bow to the people:
I did so, and with much difficulty we moved off.
The streets were crowded to a great distance, and
the windows full of people, looking out, I supposed,
, B 2
18 vol. LRocKETT's Tour.
to see the wild man. I thought I had rather be
in the wilderness with my gun and dogs, than to
be attracting all that fuss. I had never seen the
like before, and did not know exactly what to say
or do. After some time we reached the United
States Hotel in Chesnut street. I suppose they
took me there because it was opposite to the rob-
bed bank, and which the robbers called a “mon-
ster,” so that the varmints might be near one
another. -
The crowd had followed me, filling up the
street, and pressing into the house to shake hands.
- I was conducted up stairs, and walked out on a
platform, drew off my hat, and bowed round to
the people. . They cried from all quarters, “A
speech, a speech, Colonel Crockett.”
After the noise had quit, so I could be heard, I
said to them the following words.
“GENTLEMEN OF PHILADELPHIA,
“My visit to your city is rather accidental. I
had no expectation of attracting any uncommon
attention. I am travelling for my health, without
the least wish of exciting the people in such times
of high political feeling. I do not wish to encou-
rage it. I am unable at this time to find language
suitable to return my gratitude to the citizens of
Philadelphia. However, I am almost induced to
GOL, CRoCKETT's TOUR. 19
believe it flattery—perhaps a burlesque. This is
new to me, yet I see nothing but friendship in
your faces; and if your curiosity is to hear the
backwoodsman, I will assure you I am illy prepared
to address this most enlightened people. How-
ever, gentlemen, if this is a curiosity to you, if
you will meet me to-morrow, at one o’clock, I
will endeavour to address you in my plain man-
ner.” So I made my obeisance to them, and retired
into the house.
After night, when I could walk out unknown, I
went up street or down, I don’t know which, but
took good care not to turn any corners, for fear I
might get lost. I soon found-that the streets were
laid off square. This I thought was queer enough
for a Quaker city, for they don’t generally come
up square to nothing: even their coats have a kind
of slope, at least so they have cut Mister Penn’s
coat in the capitol. This may be wrong, too, for
I was told that when the man who made him first
knocked off “the kivers” of the house where he
worked at him, he had cut out Mister Penn with a
regular built continental cocked hat on ; and it was
so much laughed at, to see such a hat on a Quaker,
that as soon as Congress rose, he cut off his head,
and worked on a new one, with a rale sloped broad
brim. Which is the honest George Fox hat, I
20 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
leave for Philadelphia lawyers and parsons to
decide.
When F went to my room, and got to bed, I
could not sleep, thinking over all that passed, and
- my promise also to speak next day : but at last I
composed myself with the reflection that I had
got through many a scrape before, as those who
have read my other book well know, and they
ought not to read this till they go through t'other,
—so I thought I’d trust again to good luck.
Next morning I had the honor of being called
on by some old friends whom I knew at Washing-
ton—Judge Baldwin, Judge Hemphill, John Sar-
geant, and others, and I took it right kind in them
to do so. \
Early after breakfast I was taken to the Water-
works, where I saw several of the gentlemen mana-
gers. This is a grand sight, and no wonder the Phi-
ladelphians ask every one that comes, “have you
seen the Water-works P” Just think of a few
wheels throwing up more water than two hundred
thousand people can use : yes, and waste, too ; for
such scrubbing of steps, and even the very pave-
ments under your feet, I never saw. Indeed, I
looked close, to see if the housemaids had not
web-feet, they walked so well in water; and as
for a fire, it has no chance at all : they just screw
Col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 21
on a long hollow leather with a brass nose on it,
dash up stairs, and seem to draw on Noah’s flood.
The next place I visited was the Mint. Here I
saw them coining gold and silver in abundance,
and they were the rale “e pluribus unum ;” not
this electioneering trash, that they sent out to cheat
the poor people, telling them they would all be
paid in gold and silver, when the poor deceived
creatures had nothing coming to them. A chip
with a spit on the back of it, is as good currency
as an eagle, provided you can’t get the image of
the bird. It's all nonsense. Andrew Jackson,
both cabinets and Congress to boot, can’t enact
poor men into rich. Hard knocks, and plenty of . ,
them, can only build up a fellow's self. Look at i
my other book, and see how much of the curse of
Adam's fall I bore, and tell me if I haven’t a right ſ
to speak on this poor man subject. . -
I asked if the workmen never stole any of the
coin. They said not: they got used to it. well, *
I thought that was what my parson would call | ‘A’
heterodox doctrine; that the longer a man was in
temptation, the more he would not sin. But I let }
it pass, for I had heard that they had got “new
lights” in this city, and of course, new and genuine
doctrines—so that the Bible-doxy stood no chance.
I could not help, barring the doctrine, giving these
22 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
honest men great credit; especially when I recol-
lected an old sanctimoniouslyfied fellow, who made
his negroes whistle while they were picking cher.
ries, for fear they should eat some. . . .
From the Mint I was taken to the Asylum for
insane persons, went though different apartments,
saw men and women, some quite distracted, others
not so bad. This was a very unpleasant sight.
I am not able, nor do I wish I was able, to de-
scribe it. I felt monstrous solemn, and could
not help thanking God I was not one of them;
and I felt grateful in their stead to that city for
caring for those who could not take care of them-
selves, and feeding them that heeded not the hand
and heart that provided for them.
On returning to the hotel, the hour had nearly
arrived when I was to visit the Exchange. I asked
Colonel Dorrance, the landlord, to go with me. He
is a very clever man, and made me feel quite at
home in his house. Whoever goes there once,
will go back again. So he agreed, and off we
started.
I had made set speeches in Congress, and es-
pecially on my Tennessee land bill, when all
my colleagues were against me; now I believe
they will all go for it, whether from the force of
the arguments or the force of home opinions, I
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 23
leave them to decide. I had made stump speeches
at home, in the face of all the little office yelpers
who were opposed to me; but, indeed, when I got
within sight of the Exchange, and saw the streets.
crowded, I most wished to take back my promise;
but I was brought up by hearing a youngster say,
as I passed by, “Go ahead, Davy Crockett.” I
said to myself, “I have faced the enemy ; these are
friends. I have fronted the savage red man of
the forest; these are civilized. I’ll keep cool, and
let them have it.” {} * -
I was conducted to the house of a Mr. Neil ;
where I met several gentlemen, and took some
refreshment, not passing by a little Dutch courage.
Of the latter there was plenty; and I observed the
man of the house, when he asked me to drink, he
didn’t stand by to see what I took, but turned
away, and told me to help myself. That's what I
call genteel.
Arrived at the Exchange, I crowded through,
went up to the second floor, and walked out on
the porch, drew off my hat, and made my bow:
speaking was out of the question, the huzzas for
Crockett were so loud and so long. -
The time had come when my promise must be
Xept. There must have been more than five thou-
sand people, and they were still gathering from
24 Col. CRoCKETT's TOUR.
all parts. I was now loudly called for from all quar-
ters to begin. I could not help again thinking what
a poor type I was to stand up before such an en-
lightened people; but screwing up my fortitude, I
commenced as follows.
“GENTLEMEN AND FELLow cITIZENs of
PHILADELPHIA,- -
“I have no doubt I will owe you an apology
before I am done, for this attempt. I make it in
obedience to your call, and not from self-will.
“Having been cut out of my speech in Con-
gress, by the ‘previous question,” (which means
leaving the question under debate, and jirking a
fellow up to vote on he don’t know what, or leave
to say why or wherefore, pro nor con, but keep
your eye on the fugleman,) on the great subject that
In OW agitates the nation, I have come to the conclu-
sion,-wise or foolish it is not for me to say, my
crows, of course, being as white as my neighbours,
I have come to the conclusion that I owe the coun-
try a speech, and no matter where I make it; and
as it is very probable I may not be ‘ called to or-
der’ here, I will try and give you my views upon
the situation of our country; and, in doing so, I
hope the citizens of Philadelphia will appreciate
my want of education to enable me to address you
*
sº
- COL. CROCKET''I''S TOUR. .' (f J *
in the language which is becomin g a representative
of this great nation. "You shall have it in my own
plain way ; and of one thing I assure you—you
will be at no loss to understand me, if I under-
stand myself: for of all the despisable creatures
on the face of this here God’s globe, I despise
most your non-committal skulking politician, whe-
ther he be high, or low, or middle way. He
a’n’t worth the powder that would kill him, and
he ought to be stoned to death, like a mischevious
stray. ,
“In the first place, then, gentlemen, I will call
your attention back to a period only nine months
ago. We saw our country blessed with the best
currency, the best circulating medium in the world;
our commerce flourishing, and our manufactories
all prosperously engaged ; the labouring commu-
nity receiving the rewards of their toil, from the -
humblest to the highest ; and the products of the
earth bearing back a. generous reward to the man
who watered her dust with the sweat of his brow.
View the present time; make the comparison ; and
you will see our circulating medium destroyed, our
commerce blasted, and our whole manufacturing
interest paralyzed; and for what? Just to gratify.
the ambition of one superannuated old man; that
he might wreak his vengeance upon the United
- - - C -
*
26 col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
wº
States Bank; and for what? Just because it re-
fused to lend its aid-in upholding his corrupt
party. - -
The truth is, I may have misunderstood this
government, as I am from far back in the woods;
but agreeable to my understanding, it was to re-
deem us from the government of one man, that so
many of our brave patriots perished, before the
British arms during our revolutionary war. They
sacrificed their lives and fortunes in obtaining a
constitution and government of laws. We did
gain them, and have lived the most happy people
under the sun for fifty years; but, alas! in 1834,
we again see one man seize the sword in one hand,
and the purse in the other, and saying, “I am the
government—my will shall be the law of the
land.” . -
“Sirs, what has he not done? Has he not seized
upon the treasury of the nation, setting Congress
and the people at defiance, and removed it from
where the law had placed it, with violence and
precipitancy, and yet with impunity? And what
is worse, to see a set of hirelings sustaining him
in his lawless act, is disheartening to every lover
of his country.
“Let us go back, and review his pledges while
hé was seeking the office he now holds, and com-
CoL. CROCKETT's TOUR. 27
pare them with his course since he has been in
power, and see how they tally as to cofisistency.
“You have seen or heard of his famous letter to
Mr. Munroe in 1823, when he said to him to de-
stroy the monster party, and be the president of
the people. . From this the American people had
a right to expect Andrew Jackson to destroy party
and party feelings, as he had recommended ; but
what did we see when he came into power P His
course was widely different. It blasted and cursed
the country, and dried up the hopes of every libe-
ral man. He drew his office sword, and the first
inquiry was, who has had the audacity to vote
against the “greatest and best.’ The man that
has done so must go down; he is not fit for office,
his services are no longer wanted. The next was,
who has huzzaed loudest, not longest—for he was
even ungrateful to his old friends—for Andrew
Jackson ; that man is qualified to fill any station
in the government; and we saw worthy men, who
had grown grey in honorable service of their
country, hurled from office to make way for one
of these yelpers. *
66 Gentlemen, what kind of republicanism do
'ou call this? I had always thought that the true
epublicanism was, for every man in this boasted
land of liberty to vote for whom he pleased, and
28 CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
-
no man had a right to censure his motives. There
is not the shadow of republicanism in sentiments
or conduct different from this."
“Have you a government of laws, or have you
the government of one man?—a unit—a solitary
“responsibility;” one who consults, but takes no
advice; who calls his secretaries together for a
sham, to make them think big of themselves, and
the moment their backs are turned, are supplanted
with the interested advice of one who, like Judas,
stays behind to betray; or, haying hid his dirty
basket behind the curtains, only pulls out, when
the others have gone, what offal he has scavengered
during the day, sprinkled with the chloride of
flattery and falsehood. Be him secretary, auditor,
district attorney, or who he may, afraid of the
light and of investigation, he lurks and prowls at
night, in secret and alone, solely to save himself
or hangers on, or to glut his vengeance on some,
one within whose atmosphere of patriotism and
integrity he cannot breathe.
“Go down to Washington, gentlemen, not to
seek office, but to be a calm observer of passing
scenes, if you want to find out what Jacksonism is.
“Let there be any question to be decided, which
the old fellow has set his heart on, and sworn by
the Eternal how it should go, and you will see all
Col. CRoCKETr's Tour. . 29
&
the small-fry as busy as pismires, and the big bugs
drumming up the drones, and cursing them by
their god, Andrew, if they don’t do so and so.
And then let this supposed measure be carried,
and what a farce it is to see them pitch off to the
white house, and praise themselves, not for the
good they have done, but for maneuvering to bring
about his high and mighty will!
“Many other like scenes might be witnessed,
all going to convince you of the humbling truth,
that if we have a government, Andrew Jackson
is it. .
“When Caesar undertook to overthrow the Ro-
man republic, he demanded the keys from the secre-
tary; and he refused, and said that no person had
a right to demand that except the Roman senate.
Then Caesar shook his finger at the secretary, and
said, “Caesar could as easy take your life, as he
could will it.” The secretary knew that if Caesar
was to take a sword, and sever his head from his
body, the Roman people were so wrapped up in
Caesar, that they believed he could not err–just
like the American people is wrapped up in An-
drew Jackson. They believe he cannot err.
“Just view his course when he ordered William
J. Duane to remove the deposites. He answered
his conscience did not approve of it, nor did his
- C 2
30 COL, eROCKETT's TouR.
duty require it. In a few hours he got his walking
ticket that his services were no longer wanted,
and he was compelled to be off; with the frowns
of a tyrant at his back, with all the litter of ve-
nomous pups barking at his heels. But he saw
ahead of him the smiles and approving faces of
honest men; and I warrant you he sleeps sounder
than him who came in after him.
“Then Jackson took his Taney, and said, ‘I take
the responsibility.” Ah, gentlemen, that word
“responsibility” has but little terror on his mind,
when he can uproof our best institutions, and hurl
the best men in our country from office, at his will,
for daring to do their duty, and exercise their
liberty. Yet the people have said it is right—
Jackson done it. *
“Our forefathers' toils and struggles are all for-
gotten, and we have returned to the good old days
of ’76—to the government of one man.
“Upon this great question, gentlemen, I stand
alone from my state in Congress; and I rejoice
that I had fortitude to serve my country, in-
stead of worshipping an idol. I would rather
be politically damned than hypocritically immor.
talized. . .
“I have told my colleagues that the time and
the questions would come when I would not stand
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 31
alone in opposition to Andrew Jackson. More
than one of them has had reason to feel his venom 5
and, if we live, we will see them at him, open
mouthed, like my bear-dogs ; for there a’n’t a bit
of love between them. -
“I was one of the first men that fired a gun
under Andrew Jackson. I helped to throw around
him that blaze of glory, that is blasting and blight
ing every thing it comes in contact with. I know
I have equal rights with him, and so has every
man that is not a slave; and when he is violating
the constitution and the laws, I will oppose him,
let the consequences to me be what they may.
“Thank God, I have constituents who think I
am honest in my opposition to the present pro-
ceedings. They know how to think for them-
selves, and scorn the dictation of any man, be him
of high or low degree. I am willing to trust
them ; and we will see whether I will not count
my hundreds of majorities, where others, who feel
as I do, but do not come out, will only boast of
their tens. - - *
“Gentlemen, the question is decided that the
law of the land is Andrew Jackson's will, and ,
when we are beaten, I suppose we must surrender; ,
but I still cling to one hope. It is said, and truly,
that all power is in the people; and if so, the time
A
32 col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
is shortly coming when they must and will show
their power, by sustaining the laws and the con-
stitution. The stars and stripes must never give
way to the shreds and patches of party.
“Gentlemen, I hope you will excuse my plain
manner of speaking. I must close. I thank you
for your patience and polite attention.”
Three times three cheers closed the concern,
and I came down to the door, where it appeared as
if all the world had a desire to shake hands with
me. I stood on the door-step, and, as major Jack
Downing said, shook hands as hard as I could
spring for near an hour. After this I returned to
the hotel, and remained until night, when I was
asked to visit the theatre in Walnut street. The
landlord, Dorrance, and others were to go with me,
to see Jim Crow. While we were talking about
it, one of them said he could go all over the world
“ Tu crow.juicy.” Some laughed very hearty,
and others did not. I was among the latter, for I
considered it a dry joke, although there was some-
thing juicy in it. Some of them said it was
Latin; and that proved to me the reason why I did
*not laugh—I was tired of the “old Roman.”
But these Philadelphians are eternally cutting up
jokes on words; so I puts a conundrum to them;
CoI, CROCKETT's Tour. 33
and says I, “Can you tell me why the sacking
of Jerusalem was like a cider mill?” Well, they
all were stumpt, and gave it up. “Because it made
the Jews fly.” Seeing them so much pleased with .
this, says I, “Why is a cow like a razor-grinder?”
No one could answer. “Well,” says I, “I thought
you could find that out, for I don’t know.myself.”
We started for the theatre, and found a véry full
house, and Jim a playing for the dear life. Jim
makes as good a nigger as if he was clean black,
except the bandy-legs.
Everybody seemed pleased, particularly when I
. Haughed; they appeared to act as if I knew ex-
actly when to laugh, and then they all followed.
What a pity it is that these theatres, are not so.
contrived that everybody could go; but the fact
is, backwoodsman as I am, I have heard some
things in them that was a leetle too tough for good
women and modest men ; and that’s a great pity,
because there are thousands of scenes of real life
that might be exhibited, both for amusement and
edification, without offending. Folks pretend to
say that high people don’t mind these things.
Well, it may be that they are better acquainted
with vice than we plain folks; but I am yet to live
and see a woman polished out of the natural feel-
º
34 CO1, CROCKETT's TOUR.
ings, or two high not to do things that a'n't quite
reputable in those of low degree. •.
Their fiddling was pretty good, considering.
every fellow played his own piece; and I would
have known more about-it, if they had played a
tune, but it was all twee-wee-tadlum-tadlum-tum-
tum, tadle-leedle-tadle-leedle-lee. “The twenty-se-
cond of February,” or the “Cuckoo's Nest,” would
have been a treat. , - \, *-
I do not think, however, from all I saw, that the
people enjoyed themselves better than we do at a
country frolic, where we dance till daylight, and
pay off the score by giving one in our turn. It
would do you good to see our boys and girls .
| dancing. None of your stradling, mincing, Sady-
J | ing; but a regular sifter, cut-the-buckle, chicken-
º flutter set-to. It is good wholesome exercise; and
when one of our boys puts his arm round his
partner, it's a good hug, and no harm in it.
Next morning I was waited on by some gentle-
men, who presented me with a seal for my watch-
chain, which cost forty dollars. I told them I
always accepted a present, as a testimony of friend-
ship. The engraving on the stone represents the
great match race, two horses in full speed, and
over them the words “Go ahead.” It is the
4.
e CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 35
finest seal I ever saw ; and when I returned to
Washington, the members almost used it up, mak
ing copies to send all over the country. -
I was hardly done making my bow to these
gentlemen, before Mr. James M. Sanderson inform-
ed me that the young whigs of Philadelphia had
desire to present me with a fine rifle, and had
chosen him to have her made agreeably to my
wishes. I told him that was an article that I knew
somewhat about, and gave him the size, weight, &c.
You can’t imagine how I was crowded to get
through every thing. Colonel Pulaski called to
take me in his carriage to the Naval Hospital,
where they stow away the old sailors on dry land,
and a splendid building it is; all made of marble.
I did not like the situation; but I suppose it was
the best they could get, with so much ground to it.
From there we went to the Navy Yard, and
examined the largest ship ever made in the United
States. She was what they call “in the stocks,”
and I then thought we would never have any use
for her. In this I may be mistaken. . If Congress
takes Andrew Jackson at his word, and lets him
loose, God help the poor parley vous : he'd grin
them to death while we were getting that big ship
and all the little ones to rights. -
I then surveyed the artillery, and the balance
36. COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
of the shipping, not forgetting to pay my respects
to the officers of the yard, and then returned home
with the colonel, where I was kindly treated, both -
in eating and drinking; and so ended another day.
Next morning the land admiral, Colonel Ree-
side, asked me to call on him, and take a ride. I
did so ; and he carried me out to the rail-road and
Schuylkill bridge. I found that the rail-road was
finished near a hundred miles into the interior of
the state, and is only one out of many; yet they
make no fuss about it. I suppose it is because:
there is no speculating in the stocks; no regency
*banks, to hoist them up with one lie, and then sell
out; and then turn, round and knock them down
with another, and all to buy in again. Never
mind; God can’t prosper the people that do so.
What is got over the devil’s back, is sure to be
spent under his bellie. r
We drove in past the Girard school—that old
man that give so many millions to Philadelphia,
and cut out his kin with a crumb. Well, thinks I,
blood is thicker than water, and the remembrance
of friends better than a big name. I’d have made
them all rich, and give away the balance. But,
maybe, French people don’t think like me. -
This being my last night in Philadelphia, Dor-
rance gave me what they call a “pick knick” sup-
coil. CRoCKETT's Tour. 37
per; which means as much as me and all my com-f ve'
pany could eat and drink, and nothing to pay. t
I forgot to say that I had spent part of the even-
ing before this with Colonel Saint. --
Next morning, Wednesday the 29th, I was in-
vited by Captain Jenkins, of the steamboat New
Philadelphia, to go on with him to New York. I
accepted his offer, and started. I saw nothing very
particular along the Delaware river, except the
place where all the hard stone-coal comes to, from
the interior of Pennsylvania; where, I am told,
they have mountains of it. After some time, we
got upon a rail-road, where they say we run twen-
ty-five miles to the hour. I can only judge of
the speed by putting my head out to spit, which IV.
did, and overtook it so quick, that it hit me smack
in the face. We soon arrived at Amboy, and
took the water again; and soon came in sight of
the great city of New York, and a bulger of a wº
place it is. The number of the ships beat me all
hollow, and looked for all the world like a big
clearing in the West, with the dead trees all
standing. - *
When we swung round to the wharf, it was
covered with people, who inquired if I was on
board; and when the captain told them I was,
they slung their hats, and gave three cheers,
D
38. Col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
. Immediately a committee came on board, repre-
senting the young whigs, and informed me they
were appointed to wait upon me, and invite me to
the American Hotel. I accepted their offer, and
went with them to the hotel, where I was friendly
Teceived; conducted to a large parlour, where I
was introduced to a great many gentlemen.
I was invited to visit the new and elegant fire
engine, and took some refreshment with the ma-
nagers, and returned in time to visit the Park
theatre, and see Miss Fanny Kemble play in grand
| style. The house was better filled, and the fixings
looked nicer, than the one in Philadelphia; but
any of them is good enough, if they have such
pretty play-actors as Miss Kemble. In fact, she is
like a handsome piece of changeable silk; first one
colour, then another, but always the clean thing:
I returned home, as I am told all great folks do,
after the lady actor was done; and, sitting with my
friends, the cry of “fire, fire,” struck my ear. I
bounced from my chair, and ran for myºhat. “ Sit
down, colonel,” said one of the gentlemen, “it’s
not near us.”—“A’n’t you going to help to put it
out?”—“No,” said he, laughing, “we have fire
companies here, and we leave it to them.” Well,
to me this seemed queer enough, for at home I
would have jumped on the first horse at hand, and
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. .39
rode full flight bare-backed, to help put out a e
fire. - - -
I forgot that I was in a city where you may live,
as they tell me, years, and 'not know who lives
next door to you : still, I felt curious to see how
they managed ; and Colonel Jackson went with
me. As it was late, the engines were only assem-
bling when we got there ; but when they began to
spirt, they put out a four-story house that was all
in a blaze, in less than no time. I asked the
colonel where they got so much water from. He
said it was raised by the Manhattan Bank, out of
a charter got by Aaron Burr. I could not help
thinking it was well the Regency did not get hold
of such a monopoly, and put it down : but I re-
collected that same Burr was said to be kin, or sort
a kin, of the “Magician;” or, at all events, brung
him up, and showed him all the tricks of the cards:
and then I recollected in the Taney report, that
this was a pet bank, and its cashier brother to a
mighty cleyer member of Congress: so I just con-
cluded in my own mind, that they kept up this
water to squirt on people’s houses, and the people
let them manage the money as they pleased.
Next morning I was invited by Colonel Mapes
to walk down to some of the newspaper offices. I
*
o
40 col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
gº
proposed to go to the Courier and Enquirer and
Star offices: we did so. I like Webb, for he
comes out plump with what he has to say. Mr.
Noah has another way of using a fellow up: he
holds him uneasy; laughs at him, and makes other
folks do so; teazes him. ; roasts him, until he don’t
know what ails him, nor what hurt him, but he
can’t help limping.
We went into Pearl street; and I could not help
wondering if they had as many boxes and bags
and things inside of the houses as they had out.
Elegant place for a lame man to walk, for every
one is like him—first up, then down ; then one
side, then another, like a pet in a squirrel box.
Shortly we came to the Exchange—the place
where the merchants assemble every day at one
o’clock, to hear all they can, and tell as little as
possible ; and where two lines from a knowing
correspondent, prudently used, may make a for-
tune. º *
I had not been long here before I was surround-
ed, and called on for a speech. I made many apolo-
gies, but none seem’d to hit right ; and was so hard
pressed, that I had no corner to get into ; so, taking
my stand upon the steps above them, I spoke as
wº
follows, to wit:
COL. CROCKETT's Tour. 4f
“GENTLEMEN,
“My object was not to attract attention ; I
am travelling to see your country and improve
my health, and had no wish to speak in this
great city. New York is the London of America,
the Big Prairie of the north, the Mississippi
of commerce; and I assure you my opportunities
have not been such as should permit me to address
such an enlightened audience of people as I sup-
pose myself surrounded with. However, I find it
would be hard to get off; and as my motto is,
“Go ahead,” I will therefore give you my views
upon the great question that has shook this once
happy government to its centre.
“I see you all in a state of excitement; and what
* is the cause of it? We have had a government
for fifty odd years, administered by a Washington,
an elder Adams, a Jefferson, a Madison, a Monroe,
a younger Adams, and a hero of two wars; and
I venture to say, that never was there a time when
this country was in such excitement as at present.
There must be something wrong in the political
affairs of the nation : yes, gentlemen, and you are
beginning to feel it here. ::"
“I am truly sorry that my abilities are not such
as enable me to explain this matter to my own
satisfaction. One thing I will say, that our govern-
| D 2
| * :
**,
\
42 Col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
ment, that is, Andrew Jackson, has begun a change .
that has brought alarm upon our best men.
“It has been common to petition our legislative
councils for relief; and some respect was paid to
the voice of the people thus constitutionally ex-
pressed. But is this the case now 2 Have not the
citizens of your country memorialized Congress
for relief—and to what effect? None. Your peti-
tiqns are unheard, or at least not attended to.
Your petitions have been conveyed away to a
committee-room, never again to be heard from.
Even your bearers of petitions are forbid, as such,
to enter the palace, or appear before his majesty’s
presence. Has this been usual 2 . No, sirs; it is
entirely new, and ought to be alarming to every
lover of our republican government.
“We are completely under the government of'."
, one man. He wields both sword and purse; and
yet a majority of the House of Representatives
say Amen. - - M-
“I thank God for giving me fortitude enough to
stand firm, and support the constitution and the
laws. I stand alone from my state; but I glory
in what they consider my sin and shame. I have
been the true and honest supporter of Andrew
Jackson. I have fought under him, and was proud
that my statesman was the choice of the American
n • *. *s
*
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 43
people to wield the distinies of this nation. I sup-
ported him because I liked his professed princi.
ples, not because his name was Andrew Jackson,
Name is nothing but an empty sound. I have sup
ported principles, and will stick to them: and when
the best interests of my country is threatened, I -
will sound the alarm, be it in New York or else-
where. This I consider to be the duty of a public *
servant; and this is what stimulates me to speak
in your presence. I know I speak the truth; and
you know it too. Is it come to this, that our happy
country is to be destroyed, to gratify the ambition
of one man? Has it come to this, that our legisla-
tive body shall be a nuisance, and the people cry
Amen?
“Sirs, Andrew Jackson says that he will veto
‘any law that passes Congress, and does not pass by.
two-thirds, and does not meet his notions. This is
virtually saying, “My will shall be the law of the
land; I care not what my predecessors have said
or done; I care not what the supreme court has’
decided, if I don’t think so too.” w
“It is not to be expected that we can get two-
thirds of Congress to hardly any bill; and there-
fore, this power, thus construed by hiſm, is almost
unlimited. -
“Gentlemen, I have said more than I intended,
44 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
."
and must close, thanking you for your polite at-
tention to me, a stranger among you.” -
I returned to the hotel, where I found a great
many gentlemen waiting to see the wild mań from
the far West. After spending some time with them,
I was taken to Peale’s museum. I shall met attempt
to describe the curiosities here; it is above my
bend. I could not help, however, thinking what
pleasure or curiosity folks could take in sticking
up whole rows of little bugs, and such like var-
mints. I saw a boy there that had been born with-
out any hands or arms; and he took a pair of scis-
sors in his toes, and cut his name in full, and gave
it to me. This I called a miracle.
From thence I went to the City Hall, and was
introduced to the mayor of the city and several of
the aldermen. The mayor is a plain, common-
sense-looking man. I was told he had been a tan-
ner: that pleased me; for I thought both him and
me had clum up a long way from where we start-
ed: and it is truly said, “Honour and fame from
no condition rise.” It’s the grit of a fellow that
makes the man.
- Q?
On my return, I received an invitation from
Colonel Draper to dine with him, informing me
also, that the rale Major Jack Downing was ex.
*
3.
coL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 45
pected to be there. When the hour arrived, I
started to walk there, as it was but a short distance.
On my way I saw a white man, who was in a great
rage, cursing a white man-servant. I stopped, and
said to him, “Hellow, mister! if you was to talk
that way to a white man in my country, he’d give
you first-rate hell.” He looked at me, and said
nothing, but walked off. Sure enough, when I got
to Colonel Draper’s, I was introduced to the ma-
jor. We sat down to a splendid dinner, and amused
ourselves with some good jokes. But as this was
a private party, I don’t think it gentlemanly to tell
what was said at this time, and especially as this
was not the only communication I had with the
major. One observation, however, was made by
him, and I gave him an answer which could not
offend anybody. “Colonel,” says he, “what d'ye
sort o’ think about gineral matters and things in
purticlur?”. Knowing him to be a yankee, I tried
to answer him in his own way. So, says I, “Ma-
jor, the Ginneral’s matters are all wrong; but some
purticklar things are very well: such, for instance,
as the honour I have in dining with you at Colonel
Draper's.”—“Good!” says the major, “and we’ll
talk about them there matters some other time.”—
“Agreed,” says I, “major, always at your sarvice.” &
I found a large company waiting for me when I
$2
46 Col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
got back to the hotel, and an invitation to sup with
the young Whigs. Well, now, thinks I, they had
better keep some of these things to eat for some-
body else, for I’m sure I’m as full as a young cub.
But right or wrong, I must go in. There I met
the honourable Augustine S. Clayton, of Georgia,
and was right glad to see him, for I knew I could
get him to take some of the speaking off of me.
He speaks prime, and is always ready, and never
goes off half-cock. & -
Gulian C. Verplanck was also there—an honest
man, that was badly treated ; but I hope still he
will be honoured as he deserves. ..
Upwards of one hundred sat down to supper.
They were going to toast me, but I told some of
them near me to toast Judge Clayton first ; that
there should be more rejoicing over one that was
lost and found again, than over ninety-and-nine
such as me, that had never strayed away. They
did so : and he made a speech that fairly made the
tumblers hop. He rowed the Tories up and over
Salt river. S
Then they toasted me as “the undeviating sup-
porter of the constitution and laws.” I made a
short speech, and concluded with the story of “the
Red Cow,” which was, that as long as General
Jackson went strait, I followed him ; but when
,” © .
coL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 47
he began to go this way, and that way, and
every way, I wouldn’t go after him ; like the
boy whose master ordered him to plough across
the field to the red cow. Well, he began to plough.
and she began to walk; and he ploughed all fore-
noon after her. So when the master came, he
swore at him for going so crooked. “Why, sir,”
said the boy, “you told me to plough to the red
cow, and I kept after her, but she always kept
moving.” - -
Next morning, being the first day of May, I
went to some of the newspaper offices, read the
news, and returned to take a ride with Colonel S.
D. Jackson, in an elegant barouche. We drove up
the city, and took a view of the improvements and
beautiful houses in the new part. By the time we
returned down Broadway, it seemed to me that
the city was flying before some awful calamity.
“Why,” said I, “colonel, what under heaven is
the matter? Everybody appears to be pitching
out their furniture, and packing it off.” He laugh-
ed, and said this was the general “mooving day.”
Such a sight nobody ever saw, unless it was in this
same city. It seemed a kind of frolic, as if they
were changing houses just for fun. Every street
was crowded with carts, drays, and people. So the
world goes. It would take a good deal to get me
%
48 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
out of my log house; but here, I understand, many
persons “moove” every year.
Having alighted, and taken some refreshment, I
asked Colonel Webb to go with me to the “Five-
points,” a noted place near the centre of the city.
This is the place where Van Buren’s warriors came
from during the election, when the wild Irish,
with their clubs and bludgeons, knocked down
every one they could find that would not huzza for
Jackson. However, I had a great curiosity to see
them; and on we went, the major and me, and in
the midst of that great city we came to a place
where five streets all come together ; and from this
it takes the name of the “Five-points.” The
buildings are little, old, frame houses, and looked
like some little country village. The houses all had
cellars; and as that day was fashionable to moove,
they were mooving too. The streets looked like
a clearang, in my part of the world, as they were
emptying and burning the straw out of their beds.
It appeared as if the cellars was jam full of people;
and such fidling and dancing nobody ever saw be-
fore in this world. I thought they were the true
“heaven-borns.” Black and white, white and
black, all hug-em-snug together, happy as lords
and ladies, sitting sometimes round in a ring, with
a jug of liquor between them: and I do think I
COL. CROCKET"I'S TOUR. 49
saw more drunk folks, men and women, that day,
than I ever saw before. This is part of what is
called by the Regency the “glorious sixth ward”—
the regular Van Buren ground-floor. I thought I
would rather risque myself in an Indian fight than
venture among these creatures after night. I said
to the colonel, “God deliver me from such consti-
tuents, or from a party supported by such. In my
country, when you meet an Irishman, you find a
first-rate gentleman; but these are worse than
savages; they are too mean to swab hell's kitchen.”
. He took me to the place where the election was
held. It appeared to me that all the place round
was made ground, and that there was more room
in the houses under-ground than above: and I sup-
pose there must have been a flood of rain during
the election, which forced those rats out of their
holes. There is more people stowed away together
here than any place I ever saw. I heard a story,
and it is asserted to be true, that about here, some
years ago, a committee visited all the houses, to
see how they were coming on. One house, that
• was four stories high, and four rooms on a floor,
had sixteen families in it, and four in the garret,
which was divided into four parts by a streak of
charcoal. An old lady, that was spinning up there,
was asked how they made out. She said, pretty
§º. E *-
50 |-COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
*
i
well; and that they would be quiet enough if it
was not for the old woman in the opposite corner,
and she took boarders, and they often made a noise.
I believe it is true. What a miserable place a city
s is for poor people: they are half starved, poorly
clothed, and perished for fire. I sometimes won-
der they don’t clear out to a new country, where
every skin hangs by its own tail: but I suppose
they think an hour’s indulgence in vice is sweet
enough for the bitter of the rest.
Coming home, I took notice that the rear of the
City Hall was of brown stone, while the front and
sides were of white marble. I asked the colonel
why that was so. He said the Poor-house stood
behind when they built the Hall. That is like
many a great man: if he gets a fine breast to his
jackett, he’ll make the back of fustian—and like
thousands of great people, who think that any thing
will do for poor folks to look at, or eat, or wear.
Another thing seemed queer to me, and that was a
bell hanging outside of the steeple of the Hall. It
was so big they could not get it in, and rather than
lose the money, they hung it outside; never re--
flecting that even a backwoodsman must laugh at
such a Dutch blunder.
On the same walk I was introduced to the ho-
nourable Albert Gallatin. He had an old straw
4.
Col. CRoCKSTT's Tour 51
fiat in his hand, and, like everybody else, was
“mooving,” and said he was sorry not to have
more time to be acquainted with me. He pointed
to the house he was leaving, and said it and seve-
ral others were to be torn down to build a big
tavern. It was a very fine house, fit for any man
to live in ; but in a few hours I saw men on top
of it, and before the next evening, the daylight was
through it. This tavern is to be near the park,
and is building by John Jacob Astor. It is to cost
Seven hundred thousand dollars, and covers a whole
square. Mr. Astor, I am told, begun business in
New York as a dealer in furs, and is now worth
millions. Lord help the beavers and otters! they
must have most got used to getting skinned by
this time. And what a meeting of friends and kin
there must have been in his warehouse. “Farewell,”
said the otter to the beaver, “I never expect to see
you again, my dear old friend.” “Never mind, my
dear fellow,” said the beaver, “don’t be too much
distressed, we’ll soon meet at the hatter’s shop.”
This day a new flag was to be hoisted, down on
Battery, and I was invited to attend. The artil-
lery, under command of General Morton, paraded;
and he invited many of his friends to be present: .
among the rest, the mayor, Gideon Lee, was there,
and addressed the people. Among other things,
/ - -
52 . - COL. CROCKET"I'S TU UR.
he told them that that flag-staff was placed where
the old one stood when the British evacuated New
York; that they left the flag flying, and greased
the pole, so that it could not be clim up; but at
last a sailor got up and tore it down, and hoisted
the American flag in its place; and when he came
down, the people filled his hat with money. -
General Morton is a revolutioner, and an officer
in the society of old soldiers called the “Cincin.
nati Society,” and wears its badge on his breast.
He gave an entertainment to his friends on this
occasion; for you must know that nobody thinks
any thing well done in this place, without eating
and drinking over it.
This Battery a’n’t a place, as its name looks like,
for keeping and shooting off cannon. It might
have been so, long ago; but it is a beautiful mea-
dow of a place, all measured off, with nice walks
of gravel between the grass plats, full of big shade-
trees, and filled with people and a great many chil-
dren, that come there to get the fresh air that comes
off the water of the bay. This is a beautiful place;
and you can see Long Island, and Staten Island,
and many others from it. Here is likewise Castle
Garden, and the bridge that Van Buren wanted to
drownd the president off of, when him and Major
Jack most fell in. The fact is, the plan was well
oil. CRoCKETT's Tour. 53
enough, but General Jackson did not know of it.
It was concluded, you see, that the president should
make all his big secretaries and Colonel Reeside
go before, and him come after; and then slam
should go the bridge, with the old fellow on it.
But he went foremost, and when it fell, they didn’t i
catch any but Governor Cass, secretary of war;
and he only lost his hat and wig, which they say
the porpusses carried off and give to the sea-sar-
pent, so that he might be on their side in the next
oyster war. - -
After all this, I went that same day to see my
young friend Walden, and enjoyed myself with
some friends till evening. w *
When I got back to the hotel, I found the bill
for the Bowery theatre; and it stated I was to be
there. Now I knew I had never given the ma-
nagers any authority to use my name, and I deter-
mined not to go. After some time, I was sent for,
and refused; and then the head manager came him-
self. I told him I did not come for a show; I did
not come for the citizens of New York to look at,
I come to look at them. However, my friends
said it would be a great disappointment, and might
harm the managers; and so I went, and was friendly
received. I remained a short time, and returned.
So ended the first day of May, 1834; and I should
E 2
54 COL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
like to see anybody who saw more sights in once
waking up. In fact, when I got to bed and begun
to think them over, I found it would take me to
daylight; so I just broke off, and went to sleep.
Next morning, Colonel Mapes told me he was
requested to invite me over to Jersey City, to see
some shooting with a rifle. In the mean time, I
had been very kindly invited by Captain Comstock
to go that day, at half-past three o’clock, with him
to Boston. I concluded to go, as I might never
have another opportunity, and it took only eighteen
hours to go there. -
I went with the colonel to see little Thawburn's
seed store: and a great place it is, for he has got
all kind of things there; and for fear his bird-seed
should not be fresh, he keeps a few hundred birds
to eat it up in short order: and to prove that his
flower-seed is prime, he keeps thousands of little
pots growing, and mostly gits five times as much
for the proof as he does for the seed. He is a little,
old, weezened-up man, talks broad Scotch, and is
as active as a tarrier dog.
I now started to Jersey City, where I found a
great many gentlemen shooting rifles, at the dis-
tance of one hundred yards, with a rest. One gen-
tleman gave me his gun, and asked me to shoot.
I raised up, off-hand, and cut within about two
coL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 55
inches of the centre. I told him my distance was
forty yards, off-hand. He loaded his gun, and we
walked down to within forty yards, when I fired,
and was deep in the paper. I shot a second time,
and did the same. Colonel Mapes then put up a
quarter of a dollar in the middle of a black spot,
and asked me to shoot at it. I told him he had
better mark the size of it, and put his money in
his pocket. He said, “Fire away.” I did so, and
made slight-of-hand work with his quarter.
It was now time to return, and prepare for my
trip to Boston. - -
At three o’clock I left the hotel, and went over
to where the steamboat lay. When I went on
board, the captain showed me into a splendid state-
room, which I was to occupy for the voyage. So,
when I had made my toilet (as great folks say),
that is, combed my hair and taken a glass of bran-
dy and water, I went on deck. There I saw almost
as many people as were when I landed; and they
kept gathering until the whole ground was cover-
ed; and when we started, they cheered me for .
some time; and all I could do was to stand and
bow to them. This brought me into new trouble;
for the passengers found I was on board, and came
round me, so that I missed seeing the city until we
got past it.
56 col. CROCKETT's TOUR.
Soon, horſever, we came to the place cº, led
Hell’s Gate; so called, I suppose, because the wa-
ter boils, and foams, and bounces about as if it was
in a pot. I don’t think, however, that this is a
good name for it, because we are told in the good
book that hell’s gate is a mighty slick place, and
easy to get into. Here I first saw a large square-
sailed British merchant-ship, under full sail. She
was coming in through this channel; and I was
glad to see that, for when we were voting for an
appropriation for a fort to defend this place, I heard
it said that no foreign ship ever attempted coming
in that way. But these are the kind of arguments
used most generally by those who oppose internal
improvements, harbours, &c. &c.: they fancy .
things, and speak them for truth. t
We went on very pleasantly till night; and the
captain told me, if I would rise at daylight, we
would be out of sight of land. So I went to bed,
and rose as soon as I could see. I walked out on
deck, and sure enough, there was no land to be
seen. We were coming near Point Juda, a place
where, the captain informed me, people on board
was very often sea-sick. So I set myself down for
a case; but was disappointed: it was quite calm,
and a clear fine morning; and when the sun rose,
it come up like a ball of fire out of the water, and
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 57
tooked, for all the world, as if it had been made
for the first time. We went round Point Juda,
and kept in sight of land on our left hand. There
was very little timber to be seen; the whole coun-
try appeared to be laid off in fields, divided by
stone fences. These were a great curiosity to me;
and I could not help thinking that their cattle
must be well schooled here; for one of my cows
would pitch over a dozen such fences, without
flirting her tail. .
We went by the great fort at the Naraganset
bay, and landed at Newport for a short time.
From thence we took our way again to Provi-
dence. There I met a large number of the citi-
zens. They cheered me on my arrival, and wanted
me to stay and partake of a dinner with theni: I’
declined, and took my seat in the fast stage. The .
driver was ordered to go ahead; and sure enough,
he did. It was forty miles to Boston, and we run
it down in four hours. º
What mighty hard Tand it is on this road, and
seems as if the whole face of the earth had been
covered over with stones, as thick as Kentuck land
titles: but they have got them strung up into
fences, as many as they can, by picking ef them
off; but they won’t stay picked; for every time
they plow, a new crop comes up. -
5S COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
It was somewhere away along here that the pil-
grims landed at Plymouth, and begun to people
this part of the world: and a hard time they must
have had of it in this barren country: and it seems
odd that they should come all the way across the
sea, and not look out for good land. However, I
suppose it was all right, or God would have given
them better pilots. If they had had fine land,
they would not have ventured so much on the
ocean, and would have had less necessity to work
hard, and bring up their children to industry, and
give them such cute teaching as makes them know
how to make ducks and drakes of us out yonder,
when they come among us.
w
You would be as much struck as I was with the
handsome houses and nice farms; but when I
came to find all out, I didn’t wonder so much.
This was Captain A., and that B.’s house; and they
made money on sea, and spent it on land; that’s
the truth; for Adam himself could not have made
it out of the land. So I found out that most of
them owned a little plantation on shore, and the
run of the sea to work on besides.
One of the passengers, who came from beyond
Boston, while we were talking over these things
asked me if I knew Captain Silsbee. I told him
no. “I guess you do,” says he, “he’s our senator
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 59
in Congress; but to home, we old folks call him
captain.” I told him, certainly, I did, but never
knew him by that title. “Well, we know that
none on 'em boxed a compass longer nor better.
and he made a power of money; and during the
last war planked up more gold and silver to lend
the government than Benton ever counted.”
But I must quit philosophy, and tell you where
I stopped in Boston—and that was just where any
one that has plenty of cash, and plenty of good-
will for pleasure, would like—in a clean street,
with a tavern on one side, and the theatre on the
the other, and both called Tremont. Mr. Boyden
did not know me, nor me him : but when I told
my name, where they put it on the bar-book, he
treated me like an old friend, and continued to do
so all the time I was there. He gave me a good
room and nice bed; and did not, like many land-
lords, let a stranger take care of himself, but at-
tended to me the kindest in the world. I had
seen a great many fine taverns; but take this out
and out, and Tremont-house is a smart chance
ahead. It is lately built, and has every new ar-
rangement; and for a house with a couple of hun-
dred people about it, is the quietest I ever was in.
His head man of the gap, in the bar, has eyes all
round him; and Will Scarlet, as he is called by a
60 col. CRockFTT's Tour.
friend of mine, has the sound of every bell in the
house by heart. * -
When I arrived, I knew no one, but in a short
time I made many acquaintances, and, indeed, was
very kindly treated by every person I met. There
is a great deal of friendly feeling with the eastern
people; and folks need not go out of Boston to
find rale hospitality.
Next morning I was invited by Mr. Harding to
visit his gallery of paintings, where he had a great
many specimens of the fine arts; and finally he
asked me to sit for him until he could get my
likeness, which I did, during my stay, and he has
it now, hung up among the rest of the fine arts.
From there I went to Fanuell Hall, where Gene-
ral Davis showed me all the accoutrements of war
for several companies of infantry and riflemen,
that was deposited in it. These are in snug rooms
on each side of the second story; and in the mid-
dle is the parade-room, where, summer and winter,
the companies meet to drill. This is doing things
in true style, that is all for use, and no show
about it. So, instead of hearing a great fuss with
volunteers, and drilling, and all that, wheeling and -
marching, handle catridge, eyes right—you see a
squad of fine soldiers coming out of this same
place, and squared up as if they were the rale breed.
coſ. CRoCKETT's Tour. 6]
General Davis informed me this was the house
that was called the “cradle of liberty.” I reckon
old king George thought they were thundering
fine children that was rocked in it, and a good
many of them ; and that no wonder his red-coats
were licked, when the children came out with
soldier clothes on, and muskets in their hands.
God grant that the liberty-tree bough on which
this cradle rocks may never break. .
From here I went to the market, which is a
small circumstance ahead of any thing I ever saw,
and just where it should be. Now, in Philadel-
phia, it looks like a long feeding-trough, stuck up
in the middle of the city. And how d'ye think
it was done? Why, they put a man of head
in, as mayor, who laid all his plans, counted the
cost, cyphered out the profits, and so forth, and
then made one pitch right “ahead;” and before
the ninnies and scarey folks had half done telling
their long stories about the dreadful expense,
mayor Quincey’s hammers were keeping time on
the big granite stones, and the beautiful pillars
were rising up as if he had just ordered them.
In this market-house every thing looks like so
many different shops or stores, and you are quite
in-doors, instead of sellers and buyers both being
exposed to wet, heat, and cold. The market ap-
F
62 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
peared to be abundantly supplied, but, as I thought,
rather dear. -
After returning home, I was invited over to
toxborough, where they make the Indian-rubber
clothing, shoes, &c. This is done by dissolving
the rubber, and putting it on silk or other cloth,
which entirely turns the rain, and still is pliable,
and not heavy. The proprietor made me a pre
sent of a hunting coat, which I have tried; and
would risk my powder under it for forty days and
nights. It was a great curiosity to see the young
ladies cutting out the clothes, and sticking them
together without sewing them. “I went also through
the shoe factory, where they make shoes in the
same way, without stitching them. I could not
help thinking of the Philadelphia girls—thought
they ought to have them, to keep their feet dry.
We often wonder how things are made so cheap
among the yankees. Come here, and you will see
women doing men’s work, and happy and cheerful
as the day is long : and why not? Is it not much
better for themselves and families, instead of sit-
ting up all day busy about nothing? It a'n’t hard
work, neither, and looked as queer to me as it
would to one of my countrywomen to see a man
milking the cows, as they do here.
After I had seen all that was to be seen here, 1
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 63
was taken to Colonel Perkins’ carpet factory.
There I saw the widest web I ever saw, and they
were glossing and stamping it in handsome style.
I was quite friendly received by the colonel. He
is said to be a very rich man; is quite old, but
firm and healthy in his appearance; and uses his
riches in the best possible way—by keeping a
great many people busy. And he is not one of
those foolish people, neither, that strive all their
days to see” how rich they can die: for he gives
with his hands open. I saw one house in Boston
which he gave to keep the blind in, and was told
it was worth fifty thousand dollars. What a com-
fort the old gentleman must have when he looks
at his great possessions, and is calculating, not how
much he can hoard up, but how much he can give
away. God never made such men to be envied,
or I could begrudge him a few of his blessings
from the poor and the destitute.
At the invitation of the owners of the Indian-
rubber factory, I met a number of the citizens of
Roxborough, and passed a short time with them
very pleasantly.
When I returned to Tremont, I received an in-
vitation from the young Whigs, to sup with them
at eight o’clock. I accepted their invitation, and
then went over to the Navy Yard, at Charlestown.
64 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
I saw many fine ships, and among them was the
splendid old Constitution. She was lying in dry
dock, and had been new timbered in grand style.
The likeness of Andrew Jackson was placed on
her for a figure-head. I was asked if it was a good
likeness. I said I had never seen him misrepre-
sented; but that they had fixed him just where he
had fixed himself, that was—before the Constitu-
tion. . - ... -
"We then went up to the old battle-ground on
Bunker's hill, where they are erecting a monument
to those who fell in that daybreak battle of our
rising glory. I felt as if I wanted to call them up,
and ask them to tell me how to help to protect the
liberty they bought for us with their blood; but as
I could not do so, I resolved, on that holy ground,
as I had done elsewhere, to go for my country,
always and everywhere. -
When I came back from Bunker’s hill, I received
about half a dozen invitations from distinguished
citizens of Boston, to dine or sup with them; so
that it was impossible to attend to all of them, un-
less I had the digestion of a cassawary. I must
here state that the citizens generally of Boston are
uncommon kind and civil ; and if they understand
the art of making money, they know how to spend
it. I was entertained like a prince, and could have
*-
Col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 65
lived there, I suspect, on the same terms for much
longer. They appear to me to live generally in
New England more snugly, and have more kind
feelings to one another, and live in more peace and
harmony, than any people I ever was among. And
another good thing—they don’t forget one another
when they are among strangers: old New England
binds them hard together ; and this gives them, as
it ought to do, strength, and confidence, and influ-
ence: and with us in the South, yankee cunning
is assuming the true name—yankee knowledge of
business, and perseverance in whatever they under-
take. * -
During the afternoon, many gentlemen came to
see me, and we spent our time pleasantly until the
time came for me to attend upon the young Whigs.
A coach and four fine horses was sent for me. This
I considered as too much honour; but as I take all
things as they come, and every thing for the best,
I stepped into it, and off they whirled with the
backwoods hunter. Which way they drove, I did
not know, nor did I care. I knew they would
not eat supper till I got there; and that they would
not serve me as-Lafayette was served at a certain.
place where he was expected to land and dine.
The steamboat went wrong, and he did not arrive;
so they eat their dinners, and took out the frolic.
F 2
66 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. .
About sundown the boat came up: the orator of the
- day was called for; he was as blind as a pup; but
the moment the old genéral touched the ground,
he put at him with abundance of welcomes and
compliments about his heroism, until he got up
into the pathetics; when he said, “Glorious Lafay-
ette, the blood you have shed, and the treasures
you expended in defence of the liberties of this
country, call for our gratitude. I want words to
convey my ideas; in fact (striking his hand on his
belly instead of his heart), I’m too full to proceed.”
The old gentleman seized his hand, gave it a hearty
shake, and so the oration ended.
We came to the appointed place, where I was
taken in, and introduced to about one hundred
young gentlemen, true chips of the old block,
ready to be rocked in the old cradle, whether for
fight or frolic, war or electioneering. They gave
Ine a hearty welcome, and made me feel all as one
of themselves. So down we sat to an elegant sup-
per, with the best of wines, and the Champaigne
foaming up as if you were supping fog out of
speaking-trumpets. . . .
After the cloth was removed, and several toasts
drunk, they toasted me very warmly. I rose, and
addressed them as follows:
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 67
“GENTLEMEN,
“By the entire friendship of the citizens of Bos-
ton, as well as the particular friendship with which
you have received me this evening, I have been
brought to reflect on times that have gone by, and
review a prejudice that has grown up with me, as
well as thousands of my western and southern
friends. We have always been taught to look
upon the people of New England as a selfish, cun-
ning set of feñows, that was fed on fox ears and
thistle tops; that, cut their wisdom-teeth as soon h
as they were born; that made money by their
wits, and held on to it by natur; that called cheat-
ery mother-wit; that hung on to political power
because they had numbers; that raised up manu-
factures to keep down the South and West; and, in
fact, had so much of the devil in all their machine-
ry, that they would neither lead nor drive, unless
the load was going into their own cribs. But I
assure you, gentlemen, I begin to think different
of you, and I think I see a good many good rea
sons for so doing -
“I don’t mean that because I eat your bread and
drink your liquor, that I feel so. No; that don’t
make me see clearer than I did. It is your habits,
and manners, and customs; your industry; your
proud, independent spirits; your hanging on to the
y
68 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
eternal principles of right and wrong; your libe-
rality in prosperity, and your patience when you
are ground down by legislation, which, instead of
crushing you, whets your inyention to strike a
path without a blaize on a tree to guide you; and
above all, your never-dying, deathless grip to our
glorious constitution. These are the things that
make me think that you are a mighty good peo-
ple.— --
(Here I had to stop a while.)
“Gentlemen, I believe I have spoke the truth,
*
and not flattery; I a’n’t used to oily words; I am
used to speak what I think, of men, and to men:
I am, perhaps, more of a come-by-chance than any
of you ever saw ; I have made my way to the
place I now fill, without wealth, and against edu-
cation; I was raised from obscurity, and placed in
the high councils of the nation, by the kindness
and liberality of the good people of my district—
a people whom I will never be unfaithful to, here
or elsewhere; I love them, and they have honoured
me; and according as God has given me judgment,
I’ll use it for them, come of me what may.
“These people once passed sentence upon me
of a two years’ stay-at-home, for exercising that
which I contend belongs to every freeman in this
nation: that was, for differing in opinion with the
COL, CROCKETT’S TOUR. 69
chief magistrate of this nation. I was well ac-
quainted with him. He was but a man; and, if I
was not before, my constituents had made a man
of me. I had marched and counter-marched with
him : I had stood by him in the wars, and fought
under his flag at the polls: I helped to heap the
measure of glory that has crushed and smashed
every thing that has come in contact with it: I
helped to give him the name of “Hero,” which,
like the lightning from heaven, has scorched and
blasted every thing that stood in its way—a name
which, like the prairie fire, you have to burn
against, or you are gone—a name which ought
to be the first in war, and the last in peace—a
name, which, like “Jack-o'-the-lantern, blinds
your eyes while yeu follow it through mud and
mire.
“Gentlemen, I never opposed Andrew Jackson
for the sake of popularity. I knew it was a hard
row to hoe; but I stood up to the rack, consider-
ing it a duty I owed to the country that governed
me. I had reviewed the course of other presi-
dents, and came to the conclusion that he did not
of right possess any more power than those that
had gone before him. When he transcended that
power, I put down my foot. I knew his popu-
larity; that he had come into place with the largest
70 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
majority of any one that had gone before him, who
had opposition: but still, I did not consider this as
giving him the right to do as he pleased, and con-
strue our constitution to meet his own views.
º “We had lived the happiest people under the
sun for fifty years, governed by the constitution
and laws, on well-established constructions: and
when I saw the government administered on new
principles, I objected, and was politically sacri-
ficed: I persisted in my sins, having a clear con-
science, that before God and my country, I had
done my duty.
“My constituents began to look at both sides;
and finally, at the end of two years, approving of
my course, they sent me back to Congress—a cir-
cumstance which was truly gratifying to me.
“Gentlemen, I opposed Andrew Jackson in his
famous Indian bill, where five hundred thousand
dollars were voted for expenses, no part of which
has yet been accounted for, as I have seen. I
thought it extravagant as well as impolitic. I
thought the rights reserved to the Indians were
about to be frittered away; and events prove that
I thought correct.
- “I had considered a treaty as the sovereign law
of the land; but now saw it considered as a matter
of expedience, or not, as it pleased the powers that
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 71
be. Georgia bid defiance to the treaty-making
power, and set at nought the Intercourse Act of
1802; she trampled it under foot; she nullified it
and for this she received the smiles and approbation
of Andrew Jackson. And this was what induced
South Carolina to nullify the tariff. She had a
right to expect that the president was favourable
to the principle: but he took up the rod of correc-
tion, and shook it over South Carolina, and said at
the same time to Georgia, ‘You may nullify, but
South Carolina shall not.”
“This was like his consistency in many other
matters. When he was a senator in Congress, he
was a friend to internal improvements, and voted
for them. Every thing then that could cement
the states together, by giving them access the one
to the other, was right. When he got into power,
some of his friends had hard work to dodge, and
follow, and shout. I called off my dogs, and quit
the hunt. Yes, gentlemen, Pennsylvania, and Ohio,
and Tennessee, and other states, voted for him, as
a supporter of internal improvements.
“Was he not a tariff man 2 Who dare deny it!
When did we first hear of his opposition ? Cer-
tainly not in his expression that he was in favour
of a judicious tariff. That was supposed to be a
clincher, even in New England, until after power
72 COL. CROCKETT's TOUR.
lifted him above the opposition bf the supporters
of a tariff. -
“He was for putting down the monster ‘Party,’
and being the president of the people. Well, in
one sense this he tried to do: he put down every
one he could who was opposed to him, either by
reward or punishment; and could all have come
into his notions, and bowed the knee to his image,
I suppose it might have done very well, so far as
ne was concerned. Whether it would have been a
fair reading of his famous letter to Mr. Munroe,
is rather questionable.
“He was to Teform the government. Now if
“eformation consists in turning out and putting
in, he did it with a vengeance.
“He was, last of all, to retrench the eaſpendi-
tures. Well, in time, I have no doubt, this must
be done; but it will not consist in the abolishing
useless expenditures of former administrations.
No, gentlemen; the spoils belonged to the victor;
and it would never do to lessen the teats when the
'itter was doubled. The treasury trough had to
2e extended, and the pap thickened : kin were to
le provided for; and if all things keep on as they
re, his own 'extravagances will have to be re-
trenched, or you will get your tariff up again as
sigh as you please.
COL. CROCKFT"T’S TOUR. 73
“I recollect a boy once, who was told to turn
the pigs out of the corn-field. Well, he made a
great noise, hallowing and calling the dogs—and
came back. By-and-by his master said, “Jim, you
rascal! you didn’t turn out the pigs.”—“Sir,’ said
he, ‘I called the dogs, and set them a-barking.”
“So it was with that big Retrenchment Report,
in 1828. Major Hamilton got Chilton’s place as
chairman—and called the dogs. Ingham worked
honestly, like a beaver; Wickliff was as keen as a
cut worm ; all of them worked hard; and they did
really, I suppose, convince themselves that they
had found out a great deal of iniquity; or, what
was more desirable, convinced the people that An-
drew Jackson and his boys were the only fellows
to mend shoes for nothing, and find their own can
dles. Everett and Sargeant, who made the mino-
rity report, were scouted at. What has come of
all this Nothing—worse than nothing. Jackson
used these very men like dogs: they knew too
much, and must be got rid of, or they would stop
his profligacy too. They were greased and swal-
lowed; and he gave them up to the torments of an
anti-Jackson conscience. -
“Yes, gentlemen, as long as you think with him,
very well; but if pot—clear out; make way for
some fellow who has saved his wind; and because
(;
- 74 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
*A
he has just begun to huzzah, has more wind to
spare. General Jackson has turned out more men,
for opinion’s sake, than, all other presidents put
together, five times over: and the broom sweeps
so low, that it reaches the humblest officer who
happens to have a mean neighbour to retail any
little story which he may pick up. -
“I voted for Andrew J ackson because I believed
he possessed certain principles, and not because his
name was Andrew Jackson, or the Hero, or Old
Hickory. And when he left those principles
which induced me to support him, I considered
myself justified in opposing him. This thing of
man-worship I am a stranger to ; I don’t like it;
it taints every action of life; it is like a skunk
getting into a house—long after he has cleared out,
t you smell him in every room and closet, from the
cellar to the garret. º
“I know nothing, by experience, of party dis-
cipline. I would rather be a raccoon dog, and be-
long to a negro in the forest, than to belong to any
party, farther than to do justice to all, and to pro-
mote the interests of my country. The time will
and must come, when honesty will receive its re-
ward, and when the people of this nation will be
brought to a sense of their duty, and will pause,
and reflect how much it cost us to redeem ourselves
COL. CROCKET"I’S TOUR. 75
from the government of one man. It cost the lives
and fortunes of thousands of the best patriots that
ever lived. Yes, gentlgmen, hundreds of them fell
in sight of your own city.
“I this day walked over the great battle-ground
of Bunker’s hill, and thought whether it was pos-
sible that it was moistened with the sacred blood
of our heroes in vain, and that we should forget
what they fought for.
“I hope to see our once hºppy country restored
to its former peace and happiness, and once more
redeemed from tyranny and despotism, which, I
fear, we are on the very brink of. We see the
whole country in commotion : and for what?
Because, gentlemen, the true friends of liberty
see the laws and constitution blotted out from the
heads and hearts of the people’s leaders: and
their requests for relief are treated with scorn and
contempt. They meet the same ſate that they did
before king George and his parliament. It has
been decided by a majority of Congress, that An-
drew Jackson shall be the Government, and that
his will shall be the law of the land. He takes the
responsibility, and vetos any bill that does not meet
his approbation. He takes the responsibility, and
seizes the treasury, and removes it from where
76 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
the laws had placed it; and now, holding purse
and sword, has bid defiance to Congress and to the
nation. . . - *
“Gentlemen, if it is for opposing those high-
handed measures that you compliment me, I say
I have done so, and will do so, now and for ever.
I will be no man’s man, and no party’s man, other
than to be the people’s faithful representative: and
I am delighted to see the noble spirit of liberty
retained so boldly here, where the first spark was
Kindled; and I hope to see it shine and spread over
our whole country.
“Gentlemen, I have detained you much longer
than I intended: allow me to conclude by thanking
you for your attention and kindness to the stran-
ger. from the far West.”
Early next morning I got up, and my health
being much improved, I felt just like I was in
peace with myself and all the world. After break-
, fast I took a long walk through the city, and passed
through the Mall. This is a beautiful green, of
something like forty acres, I should judge, and .
looks refreshing in the midst of a city. From the
top of the state-house I had a fine view of the city,
and was quite amused to see the representation of ,
*
, COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 77
a large codfish hung up in the House of Assembly,
or General Court, as they call it—to remind them,
either that they depended a good deal on it for
food, or made money by the fisheries. This is
quite natural to me, for at home I have on one end
of my house the antlers of a noble buck, and the
heavy paws of a bear.
I did not like the statue of General Washington
in the state-house. They have a Roman gown on
him, and he was an American; this an’t right.
They did the thing better at Richmond, in Vir-
ginia, where they have him in the old blée and
buff. He belonged to this country—heart, soul,
and body: and I don’t want any other to have any
part of him—not even his clothes.
I return the officers in the state-house my thanks
for their civility. I can’t remember all their
names, and therefore I won’t name any of them.
When I returned to Tremont house, a gentle-
man invited me to walk with him to the old state-
house. When we reached that, I saw a great
crowd. General Davis conducted me into the
house, and we went up-stairs, where there was a
platform. I drew off my hat, and bowed to the
people; they immediately cheered me, and called
for a speech. I spoke as follows:
G 2
78 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
“GENTLEMEN OF BosTon,
“I had not the least idea of addressing you in
any thing like a public speech, and I simply mean
to return my gratitude for the kind reception I
have received in Boston; and not only in New
England, but through the United States, where I
have travelled. - -
“Gentlemen, this much I expected to do—to
‘see, rather than to be seen : that was my object;
and I come to your country for a different purpose,
gentlemen, than to set myself up to address the
people: I am electioneering for nobody in the
world, gentlemen. I come to your country to get
a knowledge of things, which I could get in no
other way but by seeing with my own eyes, and
hearing with my own ears—information I can’t
get, and nobody else, from book knowledge. I
come, fellow citizens, to get a knowledge of the
manufacturing interest of New England. I was
over-persuaded to come by a gentleman who had
been to Lowell and seen the manufactories of your
state—by General Thomas, of Louisiana. He per-
suaded me to come and see. -
“When I was first chose to Congress, I was op-
posed to the protecting system. They told me it
would help the rich, and hurt the poor; and that
we in the West was to be taxed by it for the bene-
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 79
fit of New England. I supposed it was so; but
when I come to hear it argued in the Congress of
the nation, I begun to have a different opinion of
it. I saw I was opposing the best interest of the
country; especially for the industrious poor man.
I told my people who sent me to Congress, that I
should oppose it no longer : that without it, we
should be obliged to pay a tax to the British go-
vernment, and support them, instead of our own
labour. And I am satisfied of it the more since I
have visited New England. Only let the southern
gentlemen come here and examine the manufacto-
ries, and see how it is, and it would make more
peace than all the legislation in Congress can do.
It would give different ideas to them who have
been deluded, and spoke in strong terms of dis-
solving the Union. I never thought much of that,
gentlemen; but the time has come when one man
has seized the sword of the nation in one hand,
and the purse of the country in the other, and bids
defiance to the senate and the constitution.
“A crisis has come that extends through our
universe—throughout the North American conti-
nent. I never feared, gentlemen, that South Caro-
lina would break the Union: but what do we now
see ? Six months ago this hull country was the
most prosperous in the world. Look around every
where; and business was active, industry thriving,
80 COL. CROCKET"I"S 'I'OUR.
and the highest manufacturer and the lowest farmer
received his profits. And now how is it? All
this prosperity—the whole destroyed. And what
for 2 Just to gratify the ambition of one super-
annuated old man. I have known this old man
for a long time. I was the first man that fired a
gun in his service; and I helped him to gain all
his glory. He was an honest man then, and a
brave soldier ; and I liked him, though I always
had doubts of his judgment. But I was taught to
be prejudiced against the last administration; and
I thought he would call around him an able cabi-
net, and make a good president for the country.
But we no sooner got him in, than the first course
he took was to give walking papers to every man
in office who had dared to oppose the greatest and
best. But whoever took off his hat and huzzaed
for Andrew Jackson, he was fit for any office in
the country. Well, gentlemen, he tuk the hull
government after he got into power; and I couldn’t
stand it any longer. I found I was wrong, and I
faced right about: and when they told me I should
bé politically buried if I left Jackson, I told them
I had rather be politically buried than hypocriti-
cally immortalized—and so we parted.
“But, gentlemen, I am no man’s partizan; I
dóñ’t mean to wear no man’s collar; for I would
as lief belong to a nigger, and be a raccoon dog,
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 81
as the partizan of any man. The old man’s
vanity has led him on; and he has been grati.
fied by thinking he has killed the United States
Bank. But he wan't satisfied with that: he
then levelled his gun, and fired at the Senate—
one of the most intelligent and patriotic bodies
of men, fellow citizens, there ever was in this
country or any other. I said, when he cocked
his gun and begun his war upon the senate, he
would find he had fired into the wrong flock. The
senate, gentlemen, will stand by the constitution,
and will save the liberties of the country.
Gentlemen of Boston, as I partly said before, I
come here as a private citizen, to see you, and not
to show myself. I had no idea of attracting atten-
tion; but I feel it my duty to thank you, with my
gratitude to you, and with gratitude to all who
have given a plain man like me so kind reception.
I come from a great way off; but I shall never re-
pent having been persuaded to come here and get a
knowledge of your ways, which I can carry home
with me. We only want to do away prejudice,
and give the people information. I have done my
best: I have sent fourteen thousand documents to
Tennessee; and my colleagues complain that it
will raise a dust there; and I tell them, that is just
what I want. I hope, gentlemen, you will excuse
82 - COL, C#GC:{:}'i"T’S TO UR.
my plain, unvarnished ways, which may seen
strange to you here. I never had but six months’
schooling in all my life; and I confess, I consider
myself but a poor tyke to be here addressing the
most intelligent people in the world: but I think
it the duty of every representative of the people,
when he is called upon, to give his opinions; and
I have tried to give you a little touch of mine.”
Here now comes a poser. I was invited to dine
out; but if I can mind the gentleman’s name I
wish I may be shot. He lived near Tremont; and
I hope, if he has curiosity enough to read this here
book, that he will write me a letter, so that in my
second edition I may give his name, as large as
life : and I beg him to recollect that it an’t every
one that signs a letter that makes himself known.
Let him write it plain—none of your hiryglificks .
—or I won’t put him in. }r -
Well, so it was ; we had a mighty good dinner
to eat, plenty of good wine to drink, and many
very clever gentlemen to talk to ; which, you
know, all put together, is a dose that’s not hard to
take. And then, again, I was not called on for
toasts, nor roasted for a speech, but just had to do
“my part of the talking, like any other Christian.
Some would say that they were mortified that
COL. CRoCKETT's TOUR. 83
they forgot this gentleman’s name. I a’n’t ; I’m
sorry—but the truth is, I saw so many folks, and
so many new things, that it’s no wonder I should
not mind every thing. He was a clever fellow,
and I know he will forgive me.
When I went home, there I met a young man
that was stone blind. “Well,” says you, “that’s
no new thing.” Stop, if you please : that puts me
in mind of an old parson and a scolding woman
that belonged to his church. She told him, in one
of her tantrums, that she could preach as well as
he could, and he might select the text. “ Well,”
said the old man, “I’ll give you one, and you can
study over it—“It is better to dwell on the house-
top,than in a wide house with a brawlingwoman.’”
—“You good-for-nothing, impudent, ad—what
shall I say? do you go for to call me a brawling
woman P’’—“Dear mistress,” said the good old
man, “you’ll have to study a while longer, for you
come to the application of the text before you dis-
cuss the doctrine.” . . .
Now it was not that I met a blind boy in Tre-
mont house that was any curiosity: but it was his
errand. He inquired of the bar-keeper for me, as
I was standing by him, and said he was sent by the
teacher of the blind, to invite me to visit the insti-
tution, and that he would show me the way!!
$4 coi. CROCKETT's Tour.
I was told by the gentlemen present, that he
could go all over Boston. A gentleman accompa-
nied me, and we went on till we came to a fine
house, where the institution was kept. We went,
and were introduced to the teacher. He asked
me if I wished to hear some of them read. I said
I did : and he ordered a little girl, perhaps ten or
twelve years old, to get her book, asked her to
find a certain chapter in the Old Testament, and
read it. She took up the book, and felt with her
fingers until she found it. He then told her to
read : and she did so, with a clear, distinct voice.
This was truly astonishing: but on examining
their books, I found that the letters were stamped
on the under side of the paper, so as to raise them
above the surface of the upper side; and such was
the keenness of their touch, that by passing the end
of the finger over the word, it served them for
sight, and they pronounced the word. There was
a little boy learning to cipher in the same way.
The teacher put several questions to him aloud ;
and, putting his fingers together and working with
them for a short time, he answered all the ques-
tions correctly. - * & V.
That kind of education astonished me more than
any thing I ever saw. There were a great many
of them. Some were learning to play on the piano-
UUL, C ROCKET'T'S TOUR. 85
forte; and many of them were busy making pretty
little baskets, such as are carried about by ladies.
They asked me if I would like to hear them
sing: and telling them it would please me very
much, a number of them came up, and some had
Inusical instruments : one had a large thing which
I never saw before, nor did I ask the name: one
had a clarionet, and one had a flute. They played
and sung together beautifully: and, indeed, I never
saw happier people in my life. I remained some
time with them, going over the establishment.
This is the house that I mentioned before was
given by Colonel Perkins to the blind. There is
not such a grand house owned by any person in
Washington. What a satisfaction it must be to
this old gentleman, and others who have helped
these unfortunates, to see them surrounded with
so many comforts.
When I returned, there were some gentlemen
that invited me to go to Cambridge, where the big
college or university is; where they keep ready-
made titles or nicknames to give people. I would
not go, for I did not know but they might stick
an LL.D. on me before they let me go; and I had
no idea of changing “Member of the House of
Representatives of the United States,” for what
stands for “lazy loggins dunce,” which I am
86 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
sure my constituents would have translated my
new title to be, knowing that I had never taken
any degree, and did not own to any, except a small
degree of good sense not to pass for what I was
not—I would not go it. There had been one doc-
tor made from Tennessee already, and I had no
wish to put on the cap and bells. I recollected the -
story of a would-be-great man who put on his
sign, after his name, in large capitals, D. Q. M. G.,
which stood for Deputy Quarter Master General;
but which one of his neighbours, to the great diver-
sion of all the rest, and to his mortification, trans.
lated into “damn’d quick made gentleman.” No.
indeed, not me—any thing you please but Granny
Crockett; I leave that for others; I’ll throw that
in to make chuck full the “measure of their coun-
try’s glory.’ 5 - -
I told them I did not go to this branding-school;
did not want to be tarred with the same stick;
one digniterry was enough from Tennessee; that
as far as my learning went, I would stand over it,
and spell a strive or two with any of them, from
a-b-ab to crucifia, which was where I left off at
school. * .
This day I dined out again; but I’m most tired
talking of dinners, especially after I have eaten
them. I went to the theatre that night. The act
*
COL. CRoCKETT's Touk. 87
ing was pretty considerable, considering that one
actress, who, it was very plain, was either a mar-
ried woman, or “had ought to be,” as they say
there, was playing the character of a young lady;
and one fellow tried to sing that was not half up to
a Mississippi boat-horn. -
We got a little dry or so, and wanted a horn,
but this was a temperance house, and there was
nothing to treat a friend to that was worth shaking
a stick at: so, says I, “when there was a famine
in the land of Canaan, there was plenty of corn in
Egypt: let us go over to the Tremont; Boyden
keeps stuff that runs friends together, and makes
them forget which is which.” Over we went, and
soon forgot all about the theatre.
I had promised next morning to go to Lowell
with Mr. Lawrence, Mr. Harding, and others; but
when I woke up, it was pouring down rain, so that
kept me in the house all day. º
I was not idle, for I had a heap of talk with the
folks in the house. One gentleman asked me to
come and see him ; but he gave me so many direc-
tions about getting to where he lived, that I asked
him to write it down, and told him if ever he came
to my part of the country, I hoped he would call
and see me. “Well,” said he, “how” will I find
where you live P”—“Why, sir, run down the
SS UOL. CROCKETI's Tot, R.
Mississippi till you come to the Obion river, run
a small streak up that, jump ashore anywhere, and
inquire for me.” wº
Says I to one of them, “Do you believe in the
sea-sarpint P”—“If I don’t, there’s no snakes. I
believe it to be as much true as there is lie in our
deacon when he says his red face a’n’t made by
drinking ‘New England.’”—“Do you consider
him dangerous, or is he peaceable P’’—“Well, now,
to keep to the truth, I never saw him; but Capting
Hodijah Folger said as how he considered the crit-
ter as a sort o’ so, and a sort o” not.”—“Had he a
long tail 2’”—“Tail, did you say? You’d a-died
to hear Didge tell about that thar verming. Didge
said he was like skying a copper—head or tail—
but you had to guess which. Ses Didge to me,
“Don’t you mind,” ses he, “that are angel what
stood with one leg on the sea, and tºother on the
dry land?”—“I guess I do.”—“Well,” ses he to me,
‘that are sarpint’s skin was long enough to a-queued
his hair.’” -
I was asked to sup with a Mr. Richards, whom
I had seen at Washington. He had a house full of
ladies and gentlemen, acollected to see me: so I
was on my manners, and I hope they were all as
much gratified as I was. We had a fine supper,
plenty of conversation, and some fun. I don’t
2^
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 89
think the northern ladies talk as much publicly as
they do in the south and west. In private conver-
sation they are ready enough. -
When I got back, I saw my old cock again.
“Well,” says I, “what do you think of nullifica-
tion up here 2°–4 Why, they say, some of them,
that it was got and bred by the tariff Squire
Williams, my neighbour, said he didn’t think so :
it was a kind of come-by-chance, that was too
wicked to know its own kin; and he thought it
was a very ugly thing. ‘Well,” says I to him,
“squire, setting a case as how the congress of
Jackson-men should pass a law taxing of all the
looms and spindles, and letting cottons and wool-
lens come in from foreign parts, free of duty—
what should we do *—‘Why, ask 'em to repeal
it.”—“Suppose they would not do it; and when
we were growing poorer and poorer, the tax-
gatherer should come to sell you out, stock and
fluke.”—“Why, I’d dispute his authority despe-
rately; and if that would not do, I’d fight him, by
the blue blaizes.”—“And so would I: but a'n’t that
nullifying, or something mighty like it?”—“Why,’
ses he, “the toe that’s tramped on feels most; and
a man that don't swear, had better try a stumpy
field with a young yoke of cattle.”—“Well,” ses I,
- H 2 **
90 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
‘them there people down there fought desperate
in the old war. . They whipped Captain Cornwal-
lis, and scared Sir Harry Clinton out and out; and
I reckon then no more nor now they don’t like
nobody to wrong them out of their rights.” But
I’m glad it’s all over ; and I’ll tell you what I
think; you don’t work hard enough in the south,
and take good care of your grounds, and cattle, and
so on; at least, I hearn Josiah Norton say so, when
he come home from down to south, where he had
been pedling a spell. Sises to me, ses he, “Please
goodness! but that’s a poor country down yander;
it makes the tears come into the kildear’s eyes
when they fly over the old fields. Dod drot me,
if you can even get a drink of cider!! They a'n't
got no apples but little runts of things, about as
big as your thumb, and so sour, that when a pig
sticks his tooth into 'em, he lays back his jaw, and
hollers, you might hear him a mile : but it’s “eat,
pig, or die’—for it’s all he’s got. And then again,
they’re great for huntin of foxes; and if you were
to see their hounds! lean, lank, labber sided pups,
that are so poor they have to prop up agin a post-
and-rail fence, 'fore they can raise a bark at my
tin-cart. It’s the poorest place was ever made.’”
—So, said I, “Stranger, you had better come down
º
COL. CROCKET"i"S TOUR. 91 /
and judge for yourself, both as to principles and
habits: you would be as much pleased, I am sure,
as I have been in coming north.”
Next morning I rose early, and started for Low-
ell in a fine carriage, with three gentlemen who
had agreed to accompany me. I had heard so
much of this place that I longed to see it; not be-
cause I had heard of the “mile of gals;” no, I left
that for the gallantry of the president, who is ad-
mitted, on that score, to be abler than myself: but
I wanted to see the power of machinery, wielded
by the keenest calculations of human skill; I
wanted to see how it was that these northerners
could buy our cotton, and carry it home, manufac-
ture it, bring it back, and sell it for half nothing;
and, in the mean time, be well to live, and make
money besides. gº
We stopped at the large stone house at the head
of the falls of the Merrimac river, and having
taken a little refreshment, went down among the
factories. The dinner bells were finging, and the
folks pouring out of the houses like bees out of a
gum. I looked at them as they passed, all well v
dressed, lively, and genteel in their appearance; *
indeed, the girls looked as if they were coming
from a quilting frolic. We took a turn round, and
92 CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
after dining on a fine salmon, again returned, and
entered the factories.
The out-door appearance was fully sustained by
the whole of the persons employed in the different
rooms. I went in among the young girls, and
talked with many of them. Not one expressed
herself as tired of her employment, or oppressed
with work: all talked well, and looked healthy.
Some of them were very handsome; and I could
not help observing that they kept the prettiest
inside, and put the homely ones on the outside
TOWS. -
I could not help reflecting on the difference of
condition between these females, thus employed,
and those of other populous countries, where the
female character is degraded to abject slavery.
Here were thousands, useful to others, and enjoy-
ing all the blessings of freedom, with the prospect
before them of future comfort and respectability:
and however Ye, who only hear of them, may call
their houses workshops and prisons, I assure my
neighbours there is every enjoyment of life real-
‘ized by these persons, and there can be but few
who are not happy. It cannot be otherwise: re-
spectability depends upon being neighbour-like:
here everybody works, and therefore no one is de
#
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 93
^ +.
graded by it; on the contrary, those who don’t
work are not estimated.
There are more than five thousand females em
ployed in Lowell; and when you come to see the
amount of labour performed by them, in superin-
tending the different machinery, you will be as-
tonished. -
Twelve years ago, the place where Lowell now
rises in all its pride was a sheep-pasture. It took
its name from Francis C. Lowell, the projector of
its manufactories, and was incorporated in 1826—
then a mere village. The fall, obtained by a canal
from the Merrimac river, is thirty-two feet, afford-
ing two levels for mills, of thirteen and seventeen
feet; and the whole water of the river can be used.
There are about fourteen thousand inhabitants.
It contains nine meeting-houses ; appropriates
seven thousand five hundred dollars for free
schools ; provides instruction for twelve hundred
scholars, daily; and about three thousand annually
partake of its benefits. It communicates with
Boston by the Middlesex canal (the first ever
made in the United States); and in a short time
the rail-road to Boston will be completed, afford-
ing every facility of intercourse to the seaboard.
This place has grown by, and must depend on,
its manufactures. Its location renders it impor-
94 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. . S
tant, not only to the owners, but to the nation.
Its consumptior not only employs the thousands
of its own population, but many thousands far
away from them. It is calculated not only to give
individual happiness and prosperity, but to add to
our national wealth and independence ; and in-
stead of depending on foreign countries, to have
our own material worked up in our own country.
Some of the girls attended three looms; and
they make from one dollar seventy-five cents to
three dollars per week, after paying their board.
These looms weave fifty-five yards per day; sr.
that one person makes one hundred and sixty-five
yards per day. Every thing moves on like clock
work, in all the variety of employments; and the
whole manufacture appears to be of the very best.
The owner of one of the mills, Mr. Lawrence
presented me with a suit of broadcloth, made out
of wool bought from Mark Cockral, of Mississippi,
who sold them about four thousand pounds; and it
was as good cloth as the best I ever bought for best
imported. - \
The calico made here is beautiful, and of every.
"...riety of figure and colour. To attempt to give
• ſºscription of the manner in which it is stamped
and coloured is far beyond my abilities. One
thing I must state, that after the web is wove, and
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 95
~
º
before they go further, it is actually passed over
a red-hot cylinder, to scorch off the furze. The
number of different operations is truly astonishing;
and if one of my countrywomen had the whole of
the persons in her train that helped to make her
gown, she would be like a captain on a field-muster:
and yet, when you come to look at the cost, it
would take a trunk full of them to find these same
people in living for one day.
I never witnessed such a combination of indus.
try, and perhaps never will again. I saw the whole
process, from the time they put in the raw mate-
rial, until it came out completely finished. In fact,
it almost came up to the old story of a fellow walk-
ing into a patent machine with a bundle of wool
under his arm, and coming out at the other end
with a new coat on. -
Nothing can be more agreeable than the atten-
tion that is paid by every one connected with these
establishments. Nothing appears to be kept se-
cret; every process is shown, and with great
cheerfulness. I regret that more of our southern
and western men do not go there, as it would help
much to do away with their prejudices against
these manufactories. At my particular request,
the annexed statement was made out, which, I have
no doubt, will astonish many who real . is book
96
COL.
4.
CROCKETT’S TOIJR.

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Yards dyed and printed do.............. 150,000 || 70,000 | None. None. I None. None. None. 6,000
| Machine- |- . g º & Sheetin
- Prints and |Prints and Sheetings. Carpet, Sheetings eting: -
ry. — Cars * * * * * . e * * * * .* lá:Shirtings! Broad-
g - ... sheetings, Drillings, and Shirt. Rugs, and | Drillings, and Shirt-ſº wº
Kinds of Goods made . . . . . . . . © -º-º-º: s = e s a *. Engines No. 22 tº so, is tº ings, No. Negro. No. 1...” ings, No. No. 14 to cloths and
or Rail- 40 40 14 cloth 14 30; 37 to 41 Cassimeres
:* * roads. & e º & " linch. wide, .
Tons Anthracite Coal expended per annum. 4,095 2,000 300 180 294 329 240 11,239
Cords of Wood per annum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1,400 1,500 100 500 70 60 120 1,000 || 4,750
- *- Olive,3000 Olive,
Gallons of Oil {& * * * * * * * * * g g º º 6,80° 6,000 3,500 Sperm, 3,840 3,692 6,217 | * | CO,549
* - 4,500 *.
Diameter of Water-wheels........ & e º 'º º s 30 13 13 13 13 13 17 ,----
Length of do. for each Mill... 24 42 42 60 || 42 42 60
- incorporated.............'.......... .... 1822 || 1S25 | 1828 1S28 1830 | 1830 1830 | 1830
Commenced operations. . . . . . . . . . . # tº º ſº e < IS23 1825 1828 1828 1832 | 1832 | 1833–4 || 1833
p - * e 3- $ & * 2– Wakefield
Hot Air Hot Air Hot Air Hot Air Hot Air Hot Air
How warmed. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . } Furnace. Furnace. Furnace. Furnace. Furnace. Furnace. Steam. 3.: -
225,000
* Making 39,170,040 yards per year, 12S,496 per day, 10,702 per hour, 178 per minute, and nearly 3 per second. Thus
making nearly three yards in every second throughout the year. -
t 670 bales of cotton per week makes nearly 35,000 bales per year.
Taking the population of the United States at 11,800,000, it would appear that there are made in the town of Lowell
only, during the year, 3} yards for every person in the United States.
70,000, they can make cotton goods enough in Lowell in two days to cover every one in the city.
Or, taking the population of Boston at
98 COL. CROCKE'ſ"I’S TOUR.
- RE M A R K S.
Yards of Cloth made per annum. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 39,170,040
Pounds of Cotton consumed. . . . . . . . . . gº & tº e s is a tº e º e & 12,256,406
Assuming half to be Upland, and half New Orleans -
and Alabama, the consumption in bales, is....... 34,800
A pound of Cotton averaging. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 *; yds.
100 pounds Cotton will produce 89 pounds Cloth.
Average wages of Females, clear of board. . . . . $1.90 per week.
* : * of Males, clear of board. . . . . . . .80 per day.
Medium produce of a loom on No. 14, yarn, 38 to 49 yds. per day
“ “ No. 30, 25 to 30 <&
Average per Spindle. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . li's yd. per day.
Persons employed by the Companies are paid at
the close of each month. '.
The average amount of wages paid per month, $89,000
A very considerable portion of the wages is de-
posited in the Savings Bank.
Consumption of Starch per annum........ tº e º is 310,000 lbs
& & of Flour for do. in Mills, Print-
works, and Bleachery, per annum... . . . . . . . . . 3,800 bbls.
Consumption of Charcoal, per annum. . . . . . . . . 500,000 bushels.
As regards the health of persons employed, great numbers have
been interrogated ; and the result shows that six of the females
out of ten enjoy better health than before being employed in the
mills. Of males, one-half derive the same advantage.
As regards their moral condition and character, they are not
inferior to any portion of the community.
To the before-named principal establishments may be added the
extensive Powder Mills of O. M. Whipple, Esq., the Lowell
Bleachery, Flanneſ Mills, Card and Whip Factory, Planing Ma.
chine, Reed Machine, Grist and Saw Mills; together employing
about 300 hands, and a capital of $300,000. Also, in the im.
mediates vicinity, Glass-works, and a Furnace, supplying every
description of casting. - , ºr
On the 1st of June next, the Middlesex Company will manu-
facture 500 yards of sattinet per day, in addition to the above
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 99
and the consumption of wool will then be 2000 pounds per day
in their establishment. The Locks and Canals Machine Shop, in-
cluded among the 22 mills, can furnish machinery complete for
a mill of 5000 spindles in four months: and lumber and mate-
rials are always at command, with which to build or rebuild a mill
in that time, if required. •º -
I met the young gentlemen of Lowell, by their
particular request, at Supper. About one hundred
sat down. Every thing was in grand order, and
went off well. They toasted me, and I enlight-
ened them by a speech as good as I could make:
and, indeed, I considered them a good sett of fel-
lows, and as well worth speaking to as any ones I
had met with. The old saying, “them that don’t
work should not eat,” don’t apply to them, for
they are the rale workles, and know how to act
genteel, too; for, I assure you, I was not more
kindly, and hospitably, and liberally treated any
where than just by these same people.
After supper I went to my lodgings for the
night. Next morning I took another range round
the town, and returned to Boston.
Part of this evening I spent at Lieutenant-go-
vernor Armstrong’s, where I met a number of
ladies and gentlemen. Part of it went off very
pleasantly with my worthy landlord in his private
rooms; and I do him the justice to say, that while
he supplies his visiters with every thing that
| 00 CoL. CROCKETT's TOUR,
nice, he has also picked out for himself as pretty
a little bird as ever fluttered, and is in good keep-
ing with every thing about the establishment.
Having been invited to the theatre, I went over
and sat a short time to be looked at I was very
genteel and quiet, and so I suppose I disappointed
some of them, who expected to see a half horse
half alligator sort of a fellow.
This was my last night in Boston; and I am
sure, if I never see the place again, I never can
forget the kind and friendly manner in which I
was treated by them. It appeared to me that every
body was anxious to serve me, and make my time
agreeable. And as a proof that comes home—when
I called for my bill next morning, I was told there
was no charge to be paid by me, and that he was
very much delighted that I had made his house my
home. I forgot to mention that they treated me
so in Lowell; but it is true. This was, to me, at
all events, proof enough of yankee liberality; and
more than they generally get credit for. In fact,
from the time I entered New England, I was treat-
ed with the greatest friendship; and, I hope, never
shall forget it: and I wish all who read this book,
and who never were there, would take a trip among
them. If they don’t learn how to make money,
they will know how to use it: and if they don’t
coL. CRoCKITT's Tour. 10]
learn industry, they will see how comfortable every
body can be that turns their hands to some em-
ployment. -
May 9th.-The stage called for me at seven
o'clock, and I took my departure from Boston, and
went to Providence in Rhode Island. Here I was
invited to dine at two of the hotels, but declined
both. In fact, I was tired out, and wanted a day
or two to get rested; and my face being turned
towards Washington and my business, I thought I
had better go ahead. - -
We had, from Providence, what they call a
pretty considerable of a run, and landed safely in
New York, that city of eternal din and confusion.
I spent that evening with some ladies and gen-
tlemen, and rode out with , in his
carriage, faster than I ever was driven by horse-
power, for twenty-five miles.
Next morning I took my leave of the city of
New York, and arrived safe in Philadelphia.
Having promised Mr. Hoy of Camden to call
and see him on my return, and having fixed the
time, I went over, accompanied by several gentle-
men, to the Jersey shore, where there were ... great
many people waiting to receive me. They gave
me the hand of friendship, and appeared pleased
that I had come over to see them. We proceeded
- I 2 -
102 COIL. ÜROCKETT’S TO Uſt.
to Mr. Hoy’s, and then I took a walk around
through Camden. On returning to Mr. Hoy’s, I
took some refreshment, and was called on for a
toast, but begged off, as I expected to be called on
for one at dinner.
Some time after this, we were asked in to din-
ner, and I heard some one say he had lost his
pocket-book. And in a few minutes a second cry
was raised, that another man had lost his pocket-
book. I then felt for mine; but I felt in vain—
It was gone, with one hundred and sixty-eight dol-
lars in it. I told them there was another gentle-
man that had his deposits removed, and it must
be a Jackson man who did it, as it was all on their
own plan. But as I was among my friends, I
knew I was not just a broke man, and therefore I
shut pan on the subject, and fell to eating my din-
ner. We had every thing that was good to eat,
and abundance of fine wine, so we soon forgot the
ills of life. After the table was cleared and some
toasts drunk, they toasted me in a very handsome
manner, complimenting me highly for the course
I had taken as a public servant. I returned my
gratitude in a speech of about half an hour; but
which, as is said in certain advertisements, would
he too tedious to insert.
COL-CRoCRETT's Tour. 103.
After spending a pleasant afternoon, I returned
to Philadelphia in the horse-boat; the very one, I
suppose, that the fellow told of, when crossing
over. He said they had put in a couple of colts,
and being very wild, they pitched ahead, ran off
with the boat down the river, and never stopped
till they came up jam against the breakwater.
Next morning I was invited to go on to Balti-
more in the People’s Line of steamboats. I ac-
cepted the proposal, and started in the Ohio steam-
boat. What is a little remarkable is this, that the
Rail-road Line had always heretofore beat the
People’s Line until that day, when we passed them,
and came into port some time before them. Whe-
ther this was because they had me on board, or
not, I do not pretend to say. Some said, if I could
tow a steamboat up the Mississippi, it was no
wonder that I could help one along on the Chesa-
peak bay.
Many of my friends met me on the wharf at
Baltimore, and escorted me to Barnum’s, where
there was a great crowd of people. They called
on me for a speech. I made a great many
apologies, but none seemed to fit the right
place, and I was compelled once more to play the
W
Orator.
104 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR,
“GENTLEMEN of BALTIMoRE,
“You have called on me for a speech: I am truly
sorry that my opportunities through life have been
such, that it is embarrassing for me to attempt to
speak to such an enlightened community, especially
in such times as the present.
“I am of opinion that it would take an old and
experienced politician to keep pace with the go-
vernment. It has undergone so many changes
recently, that a man hardly knows one day what
fix the government will be in the next. I am from
the far West, and have made but little pretensions
of understanding the movements of the wheels of
government; but one thing I know, agreeable to
the decisions of Congress, we have but little need
of a Congress at all. We may as well dismiss our-
selves, and go home; shut up ‘shop, bar out the
Schoolmaster, and save the expense of a Congress.
We have decided, by a considerable majority, that
Andrew Jackson shall have all power. He is the
supreme power; he is legislative, executive, and
judicial: he boldly asserts that any law that passes
Congress, which does not meet his approbation,
and has not two-thirds of Congress to support it,
he will put his veto on it. -
“If one man is to rule, I see no use of us big
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 105
men meeting at Washington. We had better save
the people’s money, and stay at home.
“We have had presidents before Andrew Jack-
son; and we have had some of the very men that
framed the constitution of our country; and strange
to tell, the people have come to the conclusion that
*one of these worthies, not even those that helped
to make the sacred article, understood its meaning.
When Andrew Jackson came in, he was the man
that was authorized to construe it as he understood
it; to mould it, and fashion it, and make it a dodger
or a johnny-cake, and bake one side or both ; and
yet, the people cry, “Amen—it is right—Jackson
says so.” And the truth is, many people seem to
think that no man ever was competent to adminis-
ter the government but Andrew Jackson. He can
make any change he pleases—they pitch up their
caps, and cry, “All is right; hurrah for Jackson!’
“Now, gentlemen, my opinion is, that the old
man, if left to himself, would have done right: and
I will give you one fact, as I have heard it. When
General Jackson arrived in Washington, as presi-
dent elect, he mentioned to some of his friends
that on such a day he was going to pay his respects
to President Adams. Well, this was right, because
he was paying respect to the office, if he had none
for the man. But they had in Washington a dirty
f
106 COL,CROCKETT's TOUR.
pack of what was called a “Central Committee’—
vindictive, intermeddling fellows, who, when they
heard of it, swore he should not do so :, and they
persuaded him not to do that which he felt him-
self bound in honour, as a man, to do. Neither
he nor his friends will pretend to deny this.
“This makes me say that he got round him e
sett of advisers who cared nothing for the honour
and dignity of the government, but had their own
low, interested views to accomplish, and cared not
how they accomplished them : and what is true,
some of them, after using him for their own pur-
poses, think less of him now than I do. But God
is great, and in the long run, will give a fellow
rope enough to hang himself; and if we don’t see
some of them so high that they can’t touch ground,
my name an’t Crockett. I hope to see the peo-
ple’s eyes with the dust blown out of them once
more, before the peace and happiness of this coun-
try is eternally destroyed. *
“I tell you, gentlemen, there are some things
at Washington that want probing to the bottom:
and the office-holding gentry may whip up their
Globe to sputter, and fume, and blackguard, as
much as he can ; but they will meet with their
match in an indignant people, when they come to
find out their deviltry,
CUL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 107
“It’s no use to blink matters. The skunk has
been abroad, and he must have a blunt nose that
can’t wind him.
“We are a great nation, and have lived for more
than fifty years the most happy people under the
sun ; but, I fear, without a change in men and
measures, our happy days will soon end. 3.
“I do contend that our president has done an
act that no king nor tyrant would have dared to
have done; and still we see him surrounded by a
sett of worshippers, ready to sustain him in every
thing he does. I thank my God that I have had
fortitude enough to stand up and support my coun-
try, instead of becoming the flatterer, and wor-
shipper, and lick-spittle of any man or sett of men.
If this arbitrary and lawless course should involve
our country in war and bloodshed, I have cleared
my skirts in doing all I could to prevent it. I may
be beaten, and struck from the rolls of public ser-
vants: be it so; I will rejoice in my fate; for I
would rather retire into private life with clean
hands and a good conscience, than live and breathe
in an atmosphere of sycophants and time-servers.
“Look at the dreary, gloomy prospect of your
commercial concerns. I have been as far as Bos-
ton, and have seen the distresses brought on by the
president’s experiment. It ought to make every
108 Cul. Cítock ET't's TOUR.
sober-minded man reflect, and ask himself what
we are to look for next.
“We see our commerce crippled, our manufac-
turing interests deeply injured, and our currency
destroyed. Yes, gentlemen, they may impose on
the people with Jackson money, and all that stuff;
but the time must come when we will all ſeel the
inconvenience of interfering and intermeddling
with what they know nothing about. They have
stopped our currency, and they can no more mend
it than the boy could mend his father’s watch after
he has broken it. It runs faster, and whizes louder
for a little while, but the end of a short chain brings
it up. I am no prophet, but, in my opinion, we
shall soon have to give boot on our money, when
we travel from one state to another. Taney money
won’t do; it an’t the grit. When Jackson took the
responsibility, he did it at the instigation of a hun-
dred little fly-blown rag shops, that wanted it di-
vided among them. And now, when he has scat-
tered it among them, they are all fighting for them-
selves. But a day of payment is coming; and let
me warn all honest men who have become person-
ally responsible for government deposits, that they
don’t deal with a common creditor, but one that by
law has all power, and, by construction, can exer-
cise it as it pleases: and if the money an’t forth-
CºI. CRGCIXET'T'S TOUR. 109
coming, out comes a Randolph writ for any sum
they please, and whap goes your property and
liberty. And what is all this for 2 Why, the
Bank has offended Andrew Jackson, by daring to
defend herself against him and his'n, who first
made war on the Bank.
“Is it possible that the blood and treasure of
our forefathers can have been shed in vain P Can
it be, that they resisted the crook of king George’s
finger, and that we, like pups, will crouch under
king Andrew’s whip 2 I hope not; and that the
redeeming spirit of the people will show, that,
although the harlot has been among them, their
locks are still unshorn; and, feeling their own
power, will exercise it like freemen. I know, if
left to themselves, they will do right; and if they
shall find, as I hope they shortly will, that they
have been misled, that they will come back to the
true construction of the laws and constitution of
our country. Interested politicians have kept hid
from them the truth; but it cannot continue long
so; and the day is fast approaching when truth
and justice will prevail over intrigue and party
discipline. - -
“The present time presents a new scene to us
in our political history; but I cannot think that
party is to triumph over principle. The people
- K
| 10 COL. CROCKETTPS TOUR.
are not ready to surrender up their old and happy
mode of government, to gratify the mainions that
surround the president. No, gentlemen; merit
will ere long receive its reward, in defiance of
these brawling politicians—these robbers of public
men and public morals. " .
“Have we not seen, long enough, the best of
our men compelled to surrender their stations to
those that huzzaed loudest for Andrew Jackson 2
Qualification is nothing; honesty and integrity are
nothing; faithful services are nothing. ‘Did he go
for the greatest and best ?’—that’s the question.
* If so, put the golden chain about his neck, and
give him the fatted calf to feast upon. Reward
him for his allegiance and faithful services to the
country in supporting me.’ And all this, gentle-
wnen, is done under the name of democracy.
“If this is what you call democracy, or the re-
publican principle, I am a stranger to it, and hope
I ever may be. My notion was, that republicanism
let every man in this nation vote for who he
pleased, and permitted no man to censure another’s
motive in so doing. I have taken a small chance
in the last war, in defence of our rights, and have
no idea of surrendering them to enemies at home.
I broke off from Jacksonism whenever I found I
could not be a freeman. I could not stand the lash
COI, CROCKETT'S TOUR. 1 || ||
of the whippers-in. “Go with the party, go with
the party,’ was the everlasting argument. I got
disgusted, and knew that the less you handle rotten
eggs, the better chance you have of coming off with
clean hands: so I cut loose. I got scorched for it
at first, but my noble constituents found out I was
fighting for their good, and they sent me back to
Congress, after having proscribed me, at the cry
of the party, for two years. They told me to go
back, and stick to my own notions, let who would
say no ; and I’ll do so, fearlessly, desiring all to
redound to my country’s good.
“Gentlemen, I have no doubt but that I owe
you many apologies for my plain manner of ad-
dressing you; but I will make none, for I expect
your great anxiety to hear me was matter of curi-
osity, and I hope you are gratified. I thank you
for your polite attention, and wish you all happi-
ness and prosperity.”
As usual, when there is some speaking going on,
there is a good deal of eating and drinking; so I
eat and drank generously, and retired.
Several friends called on me, and requested me
to visit Major James P. Heath, member of Con-
gress from Baltimore. I did so, and staid a short
time at his house, and then returned to uncle Davie’s
*
112 col. CrockBTT's Tour.
Next morning I took the stage for Washington
When I arrived at the capitol, I found nothing
new, more than they had just got through the ap-
propriation bill, and was taking the vote to post-
pone Mr. Boone's resolution, setting the day of
adjournment. I went in while the clerk was call-
ing the ayes and noes, and when he came to my
name, and I answered, every one was astonished
to find me at my post. “Did not I tell you,” said
I, “that I would not vote on the appropriation bill,
but when you came to any thing else, I was “Char-
lie on the spot?’” I walked about the house, saw
my friends, and sat out the Congress. When the
House adjourned, for good and all, I started for
home, by the way of Philadelphia.
Did you, my good reader, ever witness a break-
ing up of Congress 2 If not, you had better come
and see for yourself. The first thing that is done
is, to be sure that Sunday shall be one of the last
days. That is because we get paid for Sunday;
and then, as they generally fix, at the end of long
sessions, on Monday to break up, a good many can
start on Saturday evening or Sunday morning, with
two days’ extra pay in hand, as they never calcu.
late on much to be done on the last day of the ses.
sion, except to send messages to the senate and
president that they are ready to adjourn, &c. &c
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 1.13
We generally lounge or squabble the greater part of
the session, and crowd into a few days of the last
of the term three or four times the business done
during as many preceding months. You may
therefore guess at the deliberations of Congress,
when you can’t hear, for the soul of you, what’s
going on, nor no one knows what it is, but three
or four, and when it’s no use to try to know. Woe
betide a bill that is opposed It is laid aside for
further time, and that never comes. . This is con-
sidered, however, by some of the great men as good
legislation ; to reject every claim, as if the Ameri-
can people was a herd of scoundrels, and every
petitioner a cheat, and therefore they are doing the
country service to reject every thing. Most of
these worthies are content to vote no, and will not
trouble themselves to investigate. I don’t know
what they are made of, for to me nothing is more
delightful than to vote for a claim which I think is
justly due, and make them feel as if the govern-
ment cared for them and their concerns, and would
pay what was justly due. What do you think
would a petitioner care about going to fight for his
country who had been dinging at the doors of
Congress, ever since the last war, for some claim
or other justly due him, but driven from post to
pillar, because he does not come within the spirit
K 2
114 COL. CROCKETTS TOUR.
or letter of some general law, or because if you pay
him, you must others like him. This an’t the way
with private people; they must pay, or be called
unjust, and be sued into the bargain.
But indeed, from my observation, I should think
that Congress is a bad place to decide claims any
how; and I have seen enough to believe some other
way might be got up to examine them better than
by two hundred and forty jurors. -
Let Congress be the body to watch over the
great concerns of the nation, and we could get our
long sessions cut down to short ones, and honest
claims be sooner decided, and better than hanging
on like Amy Dardin for fifty years; and then after
the seed, breed, and generation was most run-out,
get pay for a horse pressed during the revolution;
and indeed this case of Amy Dardin shows much
of the course of proceeding: first it was barred by
the statutes of limitation; well, what do you know
of these statutes ? Why, it’s a convenient way to
pay debts. It’s the national honour and honesty
coming out under an insolvent debtor’s act, but not
half so clean ; for the honest debtor only takes ad-
vantage of acts or laws passed by others; in this
case the party passes his own act; but they have
got pretty shamed of that thing. Well, sometimes
Amy was told it was an unlawful act of the United
COL. CROCKET"T’S TOUR. 115
States’ officer, and you must see him. This was a
wild goose chase to hunt on. The officer was
away from the north, and the horse was taken in
Virginia; so it rested for years. At long and last,
Congress, all at once, like honest folks, said, that
no matter how long ago, or whether the officer did
right or not, the United States got the valuable
services of the horse, and still owed for them; and
they paid the money like a whitehead; and even
the boys in the streets were hurrawing for Con-
gress that had paid for old Amy’s horse. The
clairhants owe much to their worthy and talented
friend Claiborne.
This is a long string, but it’s all true.
Well, just before they adjourn, each house sends
a message to the other to inform them, that “hav-
ing finished all the legislative business before them,
they are ready to adjourn.” Now this compliment
would be all genteel enough, but there’s too much
lie in it for me. If they would say that the hour
of adjourning is about to arrive, and they are off,
and send their compliments to their wives and
children, and wish them a good journey, and so on;
I could carry such a message- myself; but what’s
the fact? We have left nearly four hundred bills
of our house unacted on, and which must lie over
until next session. This is finishing indeed! but
116 XOL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. C
the worst of it is, that next session being a short
one, and the third of March must come, you’ll see
how many of them will be hung up to dry in their
own skin. Mind my words: nothing can save
them, unless Major Downing should quit sodgerin
and secretaryin for General Jackson, and help us
to. Vote.
After these two truth-telling messagés are sent,
some great, or would-be great man, gets up, and
moves that a message be sent to the President, in-
forming him, that unless he has some further com-
munication to them, both houses are ready to ad-
journ. This is a second reading of a resolution
that is in substance not true; but back comes an
answer saying he has nothing more. This is, or is
not true, as the case may be ; for lately our Presi-
dent has kept some bills back, which he said after-
wards he had not time to send back with his rea-
sons for not signing them. This is what I call
strangling a bill ; and if part of this coming and
going was not a farce, why not say, stop till to-
morrow, and I’ll tell you why I can’t sign the bill.
All this I suppose is true legislation, but is cer-
tainly slanting off considerable from man’s truth.
It’s right odd to look round and see the differ-
ence of faces on this occasion. Some quit, think-
ing they have established a name in the nation, and
COL. CROCKETT's TOUR. 117
look satisfied; some quit, right glad to get home,
and know they are coming back; some are rest-
less and fidgetty, with a journal under their arm to
take home, to prove how punctual they were, and
be ready to meet their antagonist for re-election;
and perhaps also nicely folded in their pocket a
copy of his predecessor’s pay and mileage, to show
he has not charged too much, or perhaps to prove
that a few miles too much have been charged by
his predecessor, or some such small-beer concern;
others are soberly and sadly calculating how they
can travel down from their heights of political dig-
nity to the level of their constituents, and are cast-
ing a “longing, lingering look behind,” at the
green spot of elevation which they are never, never
again to ascend. Few have got more honour than
they expected ; many have got less : few have
risen higher than was anticipated; many, very
many, have found that the regions are far too ele-
vated for them to reach with their home-made glo-
ry: some retire with the proud consciousness of
having done their duty fearlessly; others fretting
under the rash of the whippers-in, and supplicating
place and privilege, because they have borne the
scourge in silence: some determined to go their
own road ; others, like the spaniel, snuffing the
brecze, to catch the scent of his master’s footstep.
118 COL. CROCKET"I'S TOUR.
What a pretty album it would make, if you
could get each one to write a sentence or two about
this subject; but you could not get this done.
Most folks don’t like to write nothing, for you
can’t get over it, unless you would plead madness.
In these days, that would not be hard to prove on
many a man; but I don’t think that they will stay
so. I suspect many of them will take new doctor
stuff before this time next year, and come to their
senses. I think them post office committees will
do a power of good if they can stir up the old con-
tracts and extras, and get hold of the parson’s pub-
lic, private, office-made, home-made, modifying,
magnifying, wine-drinking, carriage-making me-
morandum book; but he’s rather slick for that.
Answers from that quarter would be like the stut-
tering boy’s fox:—“Did you see a fox run past
here, my boy P”—“Si-si-sir P”—“Did you see the
fox?”—“Was it a lil-lil re-ed thing?”—“Yes, did
you see it?”—“Co-uld it ru-n very fast?”—“Yes,
like the devil; which way did it go 2°–" St-t-t-op;
had it a long t-t-t-ail?”—“Yes, yes, yes; which
way, heh P’’—“Why, to t-t-t-ell you the truth, I
didn’t se-se-see nin-nin-nothin of it !!” - .
I sort to seem to think, however, that it won’t
be hard to catch a stage load of rats in and out of
office, and that they’ll look blue somewhere else
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 119
than in the “Blue Book;” and my notion is, that
the “old committee of claims” won’t let them slip
the halter. I’ll bet six koons to a bear-skin they
are run down and earth’d before the middle of next
frost ; but still I don’t think both committees will
find where the spent money is, no more than where
the public treasury is. -
What a pretty kittle of fish we shall have to fry
some of these days a-looking after uncle Sam’s for-
tune; it’s lent out to a parcel of prodigal rag-ba-
bies, authorized by law to support their daddies
and mammies, and down to the forty-second cousins:
and when the old gentleman wants a few dollars,
they’ll laugh at him, and say, “Go and hunt them;
we can give you notes and houses, and lots and nig-
gers and mortgages, but ‘the Bentons’ are all
gone ; the ‘eagle’s flight is out of sight ;’ don’t
bother us; we helped you to put down the United
States’ Bank; and if we have spent your money,
‘do you think we can work and lie too for nothing?
Ask the Globe, and Amos, and the man that the
schoolmaster in the treasury keeps to cypher for
him.” -
There was one thing I wanted to get an insight
into most monstrously, but I had not the rale ad-
ministration “specks,” and that was, what has be-
come of the five hundred thousand dollars voted
120 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
some time ago for removing Indians; that would \
carry a heap; but there’s not many gone, and the
money has give out: and the fact is, that the old
fellow has driv off so many secretaries, that the
whole shool of them put together can't hunt up
the receipts, and so they say nothing about it.
Another thing I tried hard, and that was, my
land bill for my constituents; but I could not reach
it. My people don’t like me to log-roll in their
business, and vote away pre-emption rights to fel-
lows in other states, that never kindle a fire on
their lands: but I’ll never give up till I get them
their just rights, whether in or out of Congress.
I’m agin any man, from General Jackson as far
down as Colonel Polk, that’s agin my people; and
I think they’ll all come over yet, and then they’ll
be for making me governor, which is a little more
than I want to be yet a while.
I must tell you about what you know something
of before this: the senate could not pass Mr. Ste-
venson through for England. The reason was
what I wanted to state: he was a-going through
right slick, till he came to his coat pocketts, and
they were so full of papers wrote by Ritchie, and
“the Major,” and himself, that he stuck fast, and
so he hung by the flaps.
It’s right hard to mind ºvery thing that passes,
COL. CROCKET"T’S TOUR. 12A.
and that people would like to hear; and if, in
writing this book, I had some one to talk to, and
ask questions, I could make it as long as a session
of a new Congress; and sometimes I would like to
get a sight of some papers; but they serve me like
the Bank served the last committee; they think
I’m prying into things I have no right to, and slam
goes the kivers, and away goes all hopes of a long
story.
. I think the last thing I wrote about my own move
ments was, that I was going off to Philadelphia.
Well, I started and got to Baltimore, where, on
inquiry, I found all things working well; and they
told me that I might depend on it that Van Buren
Jacksonism was boiled down so thick it would not
spread, and they would not get it to stick on an-
other man. “Good!” says I; “go ahead! smoke
him out of the town: any fellow who would write
such instructions to our foreign ministers, abusing
men better than himself, and making foreign na-
tions calculate on our political divisions, deserves
to be handled without mittens. You may forgive
him, but I never will; and I hope, before he dies,
he’ll get a taste of long division, without any re-
mainder. There’s something coming that you’ll
hear of by-and-by; white oak’s as tough as hick
L
122 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
ory, any day, and is the same colour inside and out;
and that's more than the other is.
“Colonel,” says one of my friends, “we saw
your speech that you made in Boston; and you
may depend it had great power here among us.”—
“Never mind,” says I, “I’m going to write out
my tower, and you will see all : I’ll put in every
word I said, if I can mind it; and when I can’t, I’ll
do like members in the House—speak half a
column, and write two—or get it done. I wish I
could visit every place, and see the folks, and make
them think a little. Here you have had a Van
Buren convention; that’s enough; I wish I could.
hold the next one in Pennsylvania somewhere; it
would cure them. -But I think old George Wolf
knows a thing or two; and if he don’t, I can tell
him that they don’t like him a bit better than they
do senator McKean; and they’ll ride rough-shod
over him, and leave him to pay the toll-gate into
the bargain. They fooled him about the Bank, and
they’ll next pull the chair from under him, while
they have him blindfolded.” *
In this kind of conversation the evening passed
off quite pleasant with my friend Wilkes and
others. Early next morning I started for Phila
delphia, in the People’s Line, Captain Turner, and
COL. CROCKETT's Tour. 123
had a fine time of it. I arrived in Philadelphia,
and put up at the United States, where I felt a
kind of being at home. -
. Next morning I was informed that the rifle gun
which was to be presented to me by the young
men of Philadelphia, was finished, and would be
delivered that evening; and that a committee had
been appointed to wait on me and conduct me to
where I was to receive it. So, accordingly, in the
evening the committee came, and I walked with
them to a room nearly forment the old state-house:
it was crowded full, and there was a table in the
centre, with" the - gun, a tomahawk, and butcher-
knife, both of fine razor metal, with all the accou-
trements necessary to the gun—the most beautiful
I ever saw, or anybody else; and I am now happy
to add, as good as they are handsome. My friend,
John M. Sanderson, Esq., who had the whole
management of getting her made, was present, and
delivered the gun into my hands. Upon receiving
her, I addressed the company as follows: º
“GENTLEMEN,
“I receive this rifle from the young men of
Philadelphia as a testimony of friendship, which I
hope never to live to forget. This is a favourite
124 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
article with me, and would have been my choice
above all presents that could have been selected.
I love a good gun, for it makes a man feel inde-
pendent, and prepared either for war or peace.
“This rifle does honour to the gentleman that
made it. I must say, long as I have been accus-
tomed to handle a gun, I have never seen anything
that would come near a comparison to her in **
beauty. I cannot think that ever such a rifle was
made, either in this or any other country; and
how, gentlemen, to express my gratitude to you
for your splendid present, I am at a loss. This,
much, however, I will say, that myself and my
sons will not forget you while we use this token
of your kindness for our amusement. If it should
become necessary to use her in defence of the
liberty of our country, in my time, I will do as I
have done before; and if the struggle should come
when I am buried in the dust, I will leave her in
the hands of sons who will honour your present, in
company with your sons, in standing for our coun-
try’s rights.
“Accept my sincere thanks, therefore, gentle-
men, for your valuable present—one which I will
keep as a testimony of your friendship, so long as
I am in existence.” .
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 125
I then received the gun and accoutrements, and
returned to the hotel, where I made an agreement
with Mr. Sanderson and Colonel Pulaski, to go
with them the next day to the Jersey shore, at
Camden, and try my gun. .
Next morning we went out. I had been long
out of practice, so that I could not give her a fair
trial. I shot tolerable well, and was satisfied that
* when we became better acquainted, the fault would
be mine if the varmints did not suffer.
I was invited next day to go up and spend the
* day at the Fish House on the Schuylkill, where
the fathers of our country, in ancient days, used
to assemble and spend the day in taking their re-
creation and refreshments. It has been a noted
place ever since, and is as beautiful as you can
imagine. It is called the twenty-fifth state. They
have regular officers, and keep up the old customs
with a great deal of formality. We amused our-
selves shooting, and catching perch. We had a
nice refreshment, and abundance of the best to
drink. Every gentleman took a hand in cooking;
and the day was truly spent in harmony and peace.
The next morning was the fourth of J uly, and I
aad received an invitation, while at Washington, to
take dinner in the first district, at the Hermitage,
with the Whigs, and had accepted the invitation.
L 2
126 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. ,
At an early hour I was invited to the Musical
Fund Hall, where an oration was to be delivered;
and went with the honourable Messrs. Webster,
Poindexter, Mangum, Ewing, and Robbins, sena-
tors, and Mr. Denny, of the House of Representa-
tives. We were conducted up to a galery in the
first story of an immense building, crowded below
to overflowing with ladies and gentlemen. .
After the address of the orator, the audience was
also addressed by all the senators, and I was then
called on. “A speech from Colonel Crockett,”
was the cry all over the house. I was truly em-
barrassed to succeed so many great men, and where
I saw so many ladies; but I found no excuse would
do, and spoke as follows: º
à - -
“LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, -
“I feel my inability to address you, after the
whole political history of our country has been
discussed by the ablest men in the nation. It ap-
pears to me that it is not good sense iſ me to at-
tempt it. : -
“I presume it is your curiosity to hear the plain,
uneducated backwoodsman in his home style. I
will accommodate you for a very short time, al.
though I have not the least idea that I can add any
thing to what has been so ably said by those who
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 127
have already spoken. I did not calculate to be call
ed on, but I do believe our country requires every
one to do his duty honestly, however homely.
“You find your country undergoing a change
of principles, and in fact, it is greatly to be feared,
for the worse. You, gentlemen, have felt the
effects of the experiment that is making by our
chief magistrate. . He, I suppose, wishes to distin-
guish himself from all other presidents, by esta-
blishing something new; or, by breaking us all up,
teach us the ‘old way of paying new debts.”
“Will the people of this country submit to this?
is the question to be tried. Seven years ago, when
I came into Congress, Pennsylvania principles
were all, as I thought, right. . Her members sup-
ported internal improvements by the general go-
vernment, and were all in favour of the United
States' Bank. What has produced the change is
more than I can say, unless some of them think it
to be their bounden duty to fall into the ranks of
the New York troops, under the discipline of the
Albany Regency. -
“The fact is, General Jackson holds but few of
the principles he pretended to when he was before
the people for the office he now fills: and perhaps
a majority of your Congress-men think it right to
follow him. It may be right, but I, for one, can.
128 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR,
not agree with him in his change. And sure I am,
that if then a member from the state of Pennsyl,
vania had supported such principles and measures
as are now popular in this state, the man that would
have done it would have been laid away among
the unfinished business, as I was when I refused
my support to his new-fangled principles. I have
been whipped, and cleared, and restored to my
station again, with the frowns of all the men-wor-
shippers in the district upon me; but I care no-
thing about them: I belong to no party, nor never
will, more than to do justice to my country. I love
my country, and have fought hard for the liberty
to act and think for myself, and also to give the
people the privilege to vote against me, if they
do not like my course. I would as leave be a rac.
coon dog as to be yelping along after a party, right
or wrong. This is what I call a volunteer slave
that will do it. I hope to see this abominable party
faction put an end to ; if it is not, it will be as in
all governments we have ever read of—they have
been overthrown by party zeal.
“If we have a government of laws, and a con-
sitution, let us respect it; and if we are to become
a despotism, let the people know it, and let them
not be gulled by false and delusive representa-
tions. *
ſ *::.
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 129.
“I consider we are returning to the Óld days
of King George the Third as fast as possible; we
then had the government of one man, and agree-
able to my understanding, we have arrived nearly
to the same point again, in these glorious days of
retrenchment and reform. *
“I could say a great deal more, but I am, by
promise, to meet the citizens in the first district
this day, and perhaps may be called on to address
them ; so I must close by returning my thanks for
your polite attention.” -
I then returned to the hotel, where I was waited
on in a short time by a committee, with a splendid
carriage, and was conveyed to the Hermitage,
where I met a large concourse of people; and when
it was made known that I had arrived, I was re-
ceived with loud and repeated cheers, and peals of
cannon. I was conveyed to a large and cool
shade, and introduced to a vast number of citizens,
who all appeared glad to see me. I partook of cool .
drinks of various kinds, and amused myself among
the people until near the dinner hour. We were
then asked to walk out and take our seat on the
stand, where the Declaration of Independence was
read, and a most appropriate address was delivered
by the orator of the day . . .
130 COL. CRoCKETT's TOUR.
I was then called upon by the crowd for a
speech; but dinner was ready, and we agreed to
postpone further speaking until after dinner.
The dinner, in elegance and variety, did honour
to the person who prepared it. After the cloth
was removed, and the regular toasts given, I was
complimented with a toast. -
I rose and requested the company to do me the
favour to repair to the stand, and I would endea-
vour to address them from it, as the crowd was so
great, it would be impossible for me to make them
hear at the table ; and if I had to speak, I desired
to gratify all. When we got out, I found a great
many ladies surrounding the stand. I made my
way to it among the crowd, who were loudly call-
ing out for my speech, and addressed them as fol-
lows:
“FLI.Low CITIZENs of Philadelphia,
“I am at a loss for language suitably to express
my thanks for the sentiments contained in the
toast which you just drunk. They demand a re-
ply from me, and I sincerely regret my inability
adequately to discharge my duty. The times,
however, call for every one to speak out, and give
his opinions of the true state of the country. Cir-
cumstances alters cases. I would have once thought
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 131
it degrading to a gentleman to go into another”
district and make a political speech; but on the
celebration of this day, in such times as these, it
becomes every public man to let his sentiments be
known; to speak to the people, at the people, and
for the people, and not for ourselves, and therefore
I’ll “go ahead.” & •
“You, gentlemen, have just heard read that glo-
rious article, the Declaration of Independence.
What caused that declaration to be made 2 It was
from such times and circumstances as the present.
In 1776, King George brought oppression upon the
American colonies to such an extent, that they
could no longer bear it. The citizens of this coun-
try laid their petitions at the foot of his majesty’s
throne, and they were treated with silent con-
tempt. He went on with his oppressions until . .
loyalty was exhausted, and the best patriots that
ever lived assembled in yonder state-house, where
they pledged to one another, and to the world,
their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honour
that we should be free. Free from what? Why,
free from despotism and from British tyranny, anc,
free from the government of one man. Well,
sirs, what was the consequence 2 War ensued; and
thousands of our noble ancestors fell before the
British arms, fighting their death to obtain a go-
132 coL. CROCKETT's TOUR.
vernment of constitution and laws. The horrors
of war did not make them stop till they obtained
their object. We - gained it, and have lived more
than fifty years the happiest people under the sun.
Look back only a few months since, and you saw
this country blessed with the best circulating Iſle-
dium in the world; you saw our commercial men
busily engaged in carrying our produce to the ends
of the earth; the seas were spotted with our ships,
all making a reasonable profit; your manufactories
were engaged, busily employing every one that
wanted to work, and they also were once more
about to flourish and extend their benefits to the
whole country. Where now is your circulating
medium? It is stamped with the curse of executive
folly. Your ships are calling home to be chained
. . and rot at your wharves, and your manufactories
are paralyzed, and many of them breaking up. And
what is all this for? Just to gratify the ambition
of one man, that he may reek his vengeance upon
the United States Bank, because it refused to lend
its aid in upholding his corrupt party.
“I consider, gentlemen, that in 1834, the same
page has opened in our political history that did in
1776. We have seen petitions, signed by hun-
dreds of thousands, laid before your Congress,
praying for relief, and warning them of the danger
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 133
What has become of them? They were conveyed
away to a committee selected by our hireling
sneaker, with his written promise in his pocket to
pay him for his servility. He came there for the
purpose of raising committees, all in favour of the
views of the “greatest and best,’ and he filled ex-
pectation. He has got his reward according to his
works. He stuck by the pocket-flaps.
“You are never again to hear from your peti-
tions; and still this is what they call the days of
democracy. Good God deliver me from such de-
mocracy. Sirs, I consider that Andrew J ackson
has gone further than ever King George did ; he
has even closed the door of the palace against the
bearers of your petitions, and refused them en-
trance into his majesty’s presence And what is
more degrading than all, is to see a perfect hire-
ling, a slave to party, supporting kingly principles
in sight of the house where that glorious article
was penned. This looks to me entirely out of the
question. Have the citizens of this patriotic city,
yea, the place where the first sentence of that paper
was heard—have they forgotten the blood and
treasure that our forefathers sacrificed to redeem
them from the government of one man?
“I cannot, and will not, believe it possible, that
the people of the first district of the great state of
M
134 COL. CROCKET"T’S TOUR.
Pennsylvania can be imposed on any longer by a
slave to party, upholding and supporting the most
tyrannical measures. Yes, gentlemen, one who
will sell himself, and bow down to Andrew Jack-
son for the sake of an office, and of whom I heard
it said in the house, when thirty votes were given
him for a certain office, ‘that reminds me of the
thirty pieces of silver.” Will you permit your-
selves longer to be imposed upon? Gentlemen,
you may think I am meddling with the election
of your representative, and this is true; and if you
knew that gentleman as well as I do, you would
never blame me. However, as to that, I take the
responsibility; for I am determined to do my duty
to my country, let the consequences be as they
may.
“I do believe the country is ignorant of its true
situation. Andrew Jackson has this day every
dollar of the treasury under his controul, and with
a sett of minions or slaves around him to sustain
him in an open violation of the laws and constitu-
tion of the country. What is to enlighten the peo-
ple 2 Hireling presses all over the country, bought
up by post-offices and post-office contracts, and
extras, and other fat offices, are ready to hand out
to the people such stuff as is favourable to their
party only, and reject the truth.
COL. CROCKETT's Tour. 135
“Look back to the days when Andrew J ackson
was aspiring to the place which he now fills, and
you saw the whole continent convulsed with the
hue and cry that Adams and Clay was indulging
in a system of extravagance that would speedily
bankrupt the nation. They were hurled from
office without ceremony, and the reformers and
retrenchment gentry rode into their seats; and
the dust they had kicked up was so great, the peo-
ple's eyes were blinded. But, gentlemen, that dust
has blown off; and what is our situation compared
with the administration of Adams and Clay ? Dar-
ing that time the expenditures ranged from ten to
thirteen millions of dollars; and what is it now,
under these reforming and retrenchment gentle-
men It is from eighteen to twenty millions.
Will you take this for retrenchment P You may,
I will not ; nor can i be made to believe that the
people will think so, when they come to under-
stand it. N o, gentlemen, it is like what the devil
said when he was shearing the hog : ‘ great cry,
and little wool.”
“I was one that was deceived, among many
others, and was made to believe that Messrs. Adams'
and Clay was two of the greatest scoundrels on the
face of the earth. I joined the band, and raised
the war-whoop against them; and finally we suc-
136 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
ceeded in putting them down—thus supposing we
were serving the Lord and General Jackson. But
I found, by personal acquaintance of those gentle-
men, that they had been grossly misrepresented,
and saw it was a political speculation—a fuss,
kicked up just to promote a certain sett of men’s
own interest.
“I came into Congress in 1827, as honestly the
friend of Andrew Jackson as any man in the world;
but when I found that his whole object was to serve
party and reek his vengeance upon those who had
veted against him, my bristles begun to get up: I
inquired of myself if this was the true republican
principle. When I saw honourable members creep-
ing round the house with papers to recommend
some man to office, and that his qualifications were
overlooked, and his Jacksonism wrote in capitals;
when I saw them also, like jackalls in the night,
prowling after those poor fellows in office who
dared to think that we were wrong, and they were
right, and who done their duty to their country
faithfully, I said to myself, ‘God never made man
upright to act so : I can’t go it: there’s no princi-
ple in this thing.” I stopped, and looked, and in-
quired the straight road; I found I was off the path,
turned round, went home, and took a fresh trace.
“I had to pay for all this dearly. Every press
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 137
denounced me as bought over. No matter: my
bear-hunting knees were too stiff to bend to power.
They hit me uncommon hard at home; but I bore
it, and fought shy till I got them out of wind, and
then Brought them to a parley.
“You all know they turned me out of Congress
and often, when in the woods, with two compa-
nions that will never give a fellow up in the try-
ingest times—a just God and a clear conscience—
I laid down my gun, called in the pups, and thought
over every thing. One evening, late, while I was
sitting so, my oldest of the pack put his paw on my
knee, and seemed whining for me to go. ‘Well,’
said I to him, ‘honest old Tiger, you never cried
on a false trail, neither will your master. You
always hold, like death; when you take, you grip;
so will I. You never forsook your master, though
I have used you hard sometimes: so, by the help of
God, I will not forsake my old constituents; and if
… I can only succeed in making them know one half
of what I have seen of men and things at Washing-
ton, they’ll go right.” I sprung to my feet, begun
a new campaign, and here I am again, representing
the same honest boys who go for keep when the
country’s stakes are up. I had hard work; but I
stood up to the rack, fodder or no fodder. I told
them I was fighting for my own liberty to vote as
..” M 2
138 coL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
I pleased, and fighting for them, also, to do as they
pleased. I only asked them to support principles,
not men; and so they did, and will do it again.
“I have the consolation to believe I did my
duty before God and my country, which I consi-
der a rich reward—better than gold or silver can
procure.
“I am now about to close, and from the manner
in which I have said all, you will be satisfied that
an apology was due from me. Nothing could have
prompted me to speak as I have done but a pure
sense of public duty. Every man ought to sound
the alarm, and wake up the people to see their
danger. *
“This day is a day on which every patriot
ought to rejoice, and ought never to be forgotten.
Yet I fear that the spirit of patriotism which on
this day first kindled in the bosoms of our illustri-
ous fathers, is fast extinguishing by the party that
rules the destinies of this nation. God grant it mayº
revive. z
“Gentlemen, I have detained you too long:
allow me now to give you the following senti-
ment: “May the Whigs in the first district grow
in strength, and increase in numbers, and teach
their representative to know the difference be-
tween Whigism and J acksonism.’ 25
*:
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 139
I then thanked the people for their attention,
and we repaired to the table, filled our glasses, and
drank my toast. . .
By this time Mr. Webster, Mr. Robbins, and
Mr. Denny arrived, and were severally toasted,
and each made a speech. The whole of the day
was delightfully spent; every body seemed pleas-
ed, and I enjoyed myself much.
Shortly after this the committee returned wit,
me, and we went to the Chesnut-street theatre.
Here I met a great concourse of people, all in a
fine fourth of July condition. Immediately upon
its being announced that I had arrived, I was called
on from all quarters for a speech. I rose, and made
an apology that I was so hoarse, speaking so much,
that...I could hardly be heard. However, no excuse
would be taken ; so I was conveyed to the centre
of the crowd, and made them a short address, pretty
much like what I have before said. They gave me
two or three thunders like you hear on the stage,
and then went on with the show.
I soon left them and returned to the hotel, and
really was worn out with the scenes of the day
and making three off-hand speeches; and I have
often thought since that nothing could have induced
me to have done so, if it had not been in Philadel-
phia, and on the fourth of July. I was stimulated
•
140 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
by being in sight of the old state-house and Inde
pendence square, where the fathers of our country
met, as it was, with halters on their necks, and
subscribed their names to that glorious declaration
of independence. 3
Next morning I was introduced to the great
powder-maker, Mr. Dupont, who said to me, that
he had been examining my fine gun, and that he
wished to make me a present of half a dozen can-
nisters of his best sportsman’s powder. I thanked
him, and he went off, and in a short time returned *
with one dozen, nicely boxed up and directed to
me. I then made my arrangements to start the
next morning.
While walking about that evening with a friend,
we called in at a China importer’s store. I was
:ntroduced to him; and after looking at his splen-
did collection for some time, he told me he had a
wish to present me with a large pitcher. I thought
the gentleman was joking, at first; but he assured
me, that if I would accept it, he would pack it up
in a box so that it could not break, and I could
carry it home safely. I thanked him sincerely for-
his friendship. It was sent to me, and I carried it
home and gave it to my wife, telling her that, when
. I was away, that pitcher should remind her that
folks get thirsty, and the same spirit which
*.
coL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 141
1% ompted the gentleman to give, should make us
use it. I am sorry I have forgot his name.
Early next morning I set out for Pittsburg, by
the fast line, and had a very pleasant trip over the
mountains. I attracted much attention as I passed
through Pennsylvania, where it was known who I
was. About the middle of the state I met with an
old man in a tavern, and asked him who was his
representative in Congress. “Why,” says he,
“Dunlap.” I told him that could not be, there
was but one of that name in, and he was from Ten-
nessee. “Well,” says he, “it must be Crawford.”
No, I told him, there was no Crawford in the
House. “Well, hang it then, it must be George
Chambers.”—“Ah, now you’re right; I know him
well, he’s a good fellow—walks the planks strait.
I hope you will re-elect him.”—“Well, I expect
we will ; I know nothing against him, only he
isn’t on our side.”—“What side are you on ?”—
“Well, I’m for Jackson.”—“Why,” said I, “I
thought that was no side at all; he’s on top.” The
old man looked at me right hard. Says I, “Mis-
ter, what makes you for Jackson P’”—“Why,”
says he, “he licked the British at New Orleans,
and paid off the national debt.”—“Mister,” says.
I, “who was the officers and soldiers that fought
142 Col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
at New Orleans besides General Jackson P’’ He
said he did not know. “Well,” says I, “they
ought to have a part of the glory, any how—now
tell me whose money pays off the national debt º’’
—“Why, I suppose, old Jackson’s, as they keep
so much talk about it.”—“Well, now, my good
old friend, suppose part of it was yours, and part
mine, and part every body’s else ; and suppose he
would have been broke of his office if he had not
paid out what a law of Congress, made twenty years
ago, provided for paying, what is the glory of the
whole of this P’’ He looked kind of stump’t. I
bid him good bye, and that he ought to read both
sides. -
I arrived in Pittsburg in the night, and early
in the morning went down to the wharf to inquire
for a steamboat. I soon found Captain Stone, who
commanded the Hunter. He said he had been
waiting a day, for thinking that I would like to go
with him. That was true, and I found him all
sorts of a clever man. We were to start at ten
o'clock. I returned to the tavern where I had put
up, and a great many gentlemen called to see me,
and among others, Mr. Grant, brother-in-law of
Governor Carroll, of Tennessee. He invited me
to walk through the city, and to visit his house,
col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 148
which I did, and he introduced me to a great many
of the citizens. I returned, and prepared for a
start. º
My acquaintance in this place was very limited,
I had been there before, but my name had not made
such a noise then as now. *
The marks of industry and enterprise are very
visible in Pittsburg. It is a perfect workshop,
and is increasing every year in extent, beauty, and
population. The aqueduct, and other splendid
works terminating the great canal from Philadel-
phia, speaks highly for Pennsylvania foresight and
perseverance. What signifies the debt incurred by
her; but it is no debt in my mind. It is a noble,
imperishing, and increasing investment for posteri-
ty; and they will, to remotest ages, bless the men
who have sustained so much abuse by the pack out
of office, and will consider them as the greatest
benefactors of their state, and of the nation. I say
of the nation; for this canal is a new artery in the
body politic, through which the life-blood of its
future prosperity and union will flow for ever. Its
present facilities have brought a part of the state
of Ohio, in point of cost of transportation, within
two days’ drive with a waggon of the city of Phi-
ladelphia, and it will be lower still. Is not this
national in its operation ? Who can doubt it?
144 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
I had heard it said, particularly in New York,
that this same canal never could get along, because
their great western canal would carry all the pro-
duce and merchandize; and I took some pains to
hear a little about it, and am fully persuaded such
is not the fact, and never can be. I was informed
that the trade on this Pennsylvania canal was four
or five times what it was when the first year ended,
and in a few years would be a profit to the state 5
and to me it seems clear, that no one south of Pitts-
burg, in Ohio, and elsewhere, are going to send
their merchandize away round by the New York
canal, and run the risks of the lake, when they can
put them snug into a boat at Philadelphia, and land
them safe, without risk, in Pittsburg. I wish I
could agree with the Pennsylvanians as well in
other respects as I do on internal improvements.
What will she not do for her inhabitants in a few
years, when her twenty odd millions, ińvested in
all her vast and various improvements, shall yield
but a moderate profit ! Her roads will all be paved;
her rivers and creeks made navigable ; her schools
be free for high and low, and her inhabitants free
from taxation : " ' , Reader, these events are sure
to come. And here let me address a word to my
own state. Go on with what little you have be-
gun, and never rest until you have opened every
COI, CROCKE'i"T’S TOUR. 145
facility through every part of our state. Though
we are divided into east and west, we are all Ten-
nessee. Give “a long pull, and a strong pull, and
a pull altogether,” and every difficulty will vanish.
Give our inhabitants a chance among the rest of
the states, and you’ll not hear so much of Alaba-
ma, or Arkansas, or Texas.
Well, I’ve got a long slipe off from my steam-
boat, the Hunter, and I had better look up the cap-
tain. So off I starts, trunk, gun-case, old lady’s
- pitcher, and all. “How's the water, Captain
Stone?”—“Why, colonel, the river is pretty con-
siderable for a run, but the water is cool as Pres-
byterian charity, and the old Monongahela is a
leetle of the remains of what Abigail, the wife of
old Nab-all, carried as a present to David. Clear
off the coal-dust out of your wizzand, and give us
a yarn about your tower.”—“ Why, captain, may
I be shot if you mightn’t run with this same craft
of yourn down, through, and out of Symmes’s
lower hole, and back again, afore I could get
through half what I’ve seen: I’ve been clean away
amongst the Yankees, where they call your name
Stunſ.”—“Me, Stunn well, it’s hard that as,
slick a fellow as me should go by such nick-
names. Livin gingers! what d'ye suppose, colo-
nel, they call me in Orlanes?”—“I dare say, some
N
146 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
hard name.” —“only think of the parly vous;
some call me Mr. Peer, and some, by jingo, call
me Mr. Peter; and you can’t beat it out of them.
Only think of Sam Gun, the fireman; he took a
spree with some of them Charlies in Orlanes, and
they begun to call him Mounsheer Fusil. Well,
Sam bore it a good while; but at last he told Joe
Head, the engineer, that the first fellow that mis-
called his father’s name should have a tip of his
daddle. ‘Good,” says Joe; says he, ‘Sam, ony
take care of their caniffs, as how they call them
long knives.” Well, it wasn’t long before Sam
peeled the bark off of a parly’s knowledge-box, and
so Joe and him had it with a cabin full of them.
So Sam he got off to the boat, but the Calaboos
men got Joe ; so Joe he sends for me, and when
they cum for me, they passed the word that Mr
Tate had sent for me. Well, off I goes to the po-
lice, and they axed me if I would go bail for Moun-
sheer Tate. “No,” says I; “don’t know him.’—
‘Yes, but you do, captain,” said some one inside;
and when I went in, who should it be but Joe
Head transmogrified into Mounsheer Tate
Well, we got the matter explained, and they all
laughed and drunk friends. Well, colonel, here’s
to you; I’m sure you didn’t get any thing better
any where; and afore we quit, just tell me, did
COL, CROCKETT'S TOUR. 147
you see the sea-sarpint P”—“No, indeed, I did
not, although I spoke for him not to be out of the
way.”—“Well, colonel, I wonder at them Yankee
fellows, they are monstrous cute; but I suspect
they don’t know much about snaking. I think
with me in the Hunter here, you with your rifle,
and one of these 'long shore Spaniards with his
lasso, we’d give him a little of the hurricane tip’t
with thunder.”—“If we didn’t catch him,” says
I, “we could scare him out of his skin, and that’s
all they want at the museum.”
So we passed our time till we arrived opposite
Wheeling. I walked up into the town, and was
soon surrounded by many of the citizens, and in a
short time was waited on by a committee, and in-
vited to partake of a dinner that day at three o’clock.
This kind invitation I was obliged to decline; least
I should lose my passage. So they treated me
handsomely ; and asked the captain, before he
started, to run a short distance up the river, and as
he came past they would give him a salute. He
did so. I got on the hurricane deck, took off my
hat, and returned their salute. They continued to
cheer until we got out of hearing. All went on
well, and we arrived at the mouth of Guyandotte,
where we took on board Messrs. Hardin, Tomp-
kins, and Beatty, three of the members of Congress
148 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
from Kentucky. We went on pleasantly until we
arrived at Cincinnati. Our boat was fine, and the
captain a clever fellow. It was night when we
arrived ; so early next morning I called to see my
two friends Messrs. Smiths and families, spent a
short time with them, and returned to the boat.
By this time it was ascertained I was on board,
and a committee waited on me and invited me to
partake of a cold cut at three o’clock that day, and
make them a speech. I agreed to do so.
As I have all along vouched for myself of all
my sayings and doings, it may be as well to get a
little help; so now I will let an extract from the
Cincinnati Intelligencer speak for me.
“Cincinnati, Monday, July 14.
“On Saturday last there was a very great ex-
citement in our city, in consequence of its being
known that Colonel Crockett had reached Cincin-
nati on his way home. Our citizens were gene-
rally anxious to see him. An invitation was im-
mediately addressed to the colonel, by as many of *
the Central Committee of the young Whigs as
could be got together on the spur of the moment,
inviting him to partake of a collation at the Com-
mercial Exchange at two o'clock; which invita.
tion was accepted.
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 149
***
“After the collation Colonel Crocket was toasted,
on which he stepped out on the balcony in front
of the Exchange, and addressed the people as-
sembled below. The colonel was received with
great eclat. His good-natured honest face, his
frank manner, and his shrewd remarks, pleased
all. -
“By the kindness of E. P. Cranch, Esq., who is
an admirable stenographer, we are enabled to pre-
sent the colonel’s speech to our readers, which we
will do to-morrow.
“We had the honour of a visit from the colonel
in the morning, and were delighted with his frank
and independent manner, his good-natured smile,
and his witty observations. He said he would
like to meet ‘the gifted” before the people, and tell
about his doings: some one by, laughingly ob-
served, that he might get into a yellow jackets’
nest. ‘That’s what I want,” said the colonel ;
‘such yellow jackets have no sting.” *
“In the evening the colonel attended the theatre,
and was there received with great applause on his
entrance, by a large audience. If the colonel’s
constituents are as glad to see him as his fellow-
countrymen generally, he will continue to “go
ahead.” ”
N 2
150 COL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
Speech of the Hon. David Crockett.
“GENTLEMEN: *
“Friends and fellow-citizens of the city of Cin-
cinnati. By the request of many of the citizens
I will address a few words to you upon politics in
general, and of the times and things of this govern-
ment.
“ Fellow-citizens: In the first place I cannot ex-
press my feelings of gratitude for your kind recep-
tion. Again, gentlemen, I must apologize for the
manner in which I speak. I am a plain, unedu-
cated backwoodsman, and find some embarrassment
in making an appropriate address to so intelligent
an audience as that in Cincinnati. But, gentlemen,
time and circumstances bring things to pass, and
make it necessary for me to do things which would
be degrading to me at other times and under
other circumstances.
“Time has been when I would have considered
it degrading to go into another man’s district, and
address his constituents upon politics. But I con-
sider the time has come when every public servant
is indebted to his country to speak out and sound
the alarm, and let the country know the situation
it is in. We had our George the Third. He had
his reign, and what was it? He brought distress
on this country and this colony. He saw our fa-
COL. CROCKETT's TOUR. 151
thers take up the sword and pledge their lives
their fortunes, and their sacred honour, that they
would be rid of the government of one man. They
had laid their petitions before him ; they had
humbled themselves at the foot of the throne.
And what respect did they get 2 None ; they
and their petitions were treated with contempt.
They declared war ; they swore they would be
free ; and they were free. They and their chil-
dren for fifty-eight years have been free. But in
1834 what do we see ? We see ourselves arrived
at a crisis when one man can hold the sword in
this hand and the purse in that, and bid defiance
to Congress and to the nation. That man is An-
drew, the first king of this country. A king we
wouldn’t think so hard of across the Atlantic. But
to have a king in our own country, putting up his
will against the whole country, and declaring, that
unless two-thirds of Congress will vote for a mea-
sure, he will veto it, is worse than George the
Third or any other king of England would dare to
do. My friends, it would cost him not only his
cap, but his head with it! -
“But, with Andrew the First, it is my will, my
secretaries, my Congress, my government, my
PEoPLE. This is the “great Roman patriot.’ This
as the “hero of two wars.” This is the “greatest
152 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
and best” of mankind—the great ‘Tennessee far-
mer.” Where is the retrenchment and reform he
promised ? Has he done it 2 Gentlemen, I my-
self was one of the first to fire a gun under An-
drew Jackson. I helped to give him all his glory.
But I liked him well once: but when a man gets
too big for his breeches, I say Good bye. Gen-
tlemen, this old superannuated government (he
calls himself the government) sanctions the mean-
est action of his hirelings. There was his speaker,
with his pay in his pocket, who packed his com-
mittees. Gentlemen, he was looking across the
Atlantic. They wanted to pass a vote of thanks
for his services, and your humble servant wanted
to know what the country had to thank him for.
They wanted me to glorify him; but they had too
honest a cynic among them, to take glory for
granted. The plenipotentiary elect was looking
across the Atlantic: he couldn’t see his own coun-
try. He wanted to please the ‘kitchen cabinet,’
and the “greatest and best.” Yes, here were two
humble citizens of Kentucky, waiting a whole ces.
sion for justice on a contested election. He—this
great foreign minister speaker—cast round, and
packed a committee; ay, gentlemen, picked his
men—one anti-administration man out of nine—to
try justice between Letcher and Moore. I know
COL, CRGCKETT’S TOUR. 153
not the politics of this one, I believe he was an
anti-mason: but the House sustained this one anti-
administration man against all eight of the com-
mittee. -
“Again, gentlemen: I am no lawyer—I have
once been the part of a court—but I recollect that
when a man once acts as a juror, he is incompetent
to try the same case a second time. But here, the
speaker took Frank Thomas, of Maryland, and an
anti-bank whole-hog Jacksonman, and made him
chairman. This is the way these hirelings, gentle-
men, have been going on. I have watched them:
I saw your famous representative—or misrepre-
sentative, whichever you choose to call him—rise
In the House, and show some instructions which
you had sent him. He declared, ‘these are not
my constituents; they did not vote for me.’”
[Here an individual, behind the speaker, inter-
rupted him, and told him to direct his remarks
that way, if he pleased, in a rough tone.]
“Never seem to fret, my friend; I shall direct
my conversation where I please, so I’ll go ahead.
“Yes, fellow citizens, he disclaimed his consti-
tuents, who could not make up their minds to vote
for him. Now, gentlemen, for my part, I consider
myself the people’s servant. If a man votes against
me, he has a right to do it. Are we only to repre-
154 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
sent those who vote for us, when every man has a
right to vote as he pleases 2 A man, my friends,
who can thus throw away his constituents, is no
patriot. I maintain, a man does not forfeit his
right to be represented because he did not vote for
his representative. Let a man vote against me,
and I am as much his representative as if he had
voted for me; this is my doctrine: and no man
has a right to get up in the House and throw con-
tempt upon any part of his constituents. I said to
myself, I didn’t know what sort of constituents he
had, who would vote for him after this. I should
expect, if I ever did a similar act by my constitu-
ents, to be laid upon the table along with the un-
finished business. *
“Now, gentlemen, I don’t want to meddle in
any man’s district; I am talking to my country;
I am speaking to the whole world; I feel an inte-
rest in all my countrymen. I love my country; I
have fought for her liberties, and will do it again.
I consider this country more in danger of a civil
war than it was twelve months before the revolu-
tion. We have fought and bled, and our fathers
died, to save it from the dominion of a king.
“Fellow citizens, when one man assumes all the
responsibility, have we not a kingly government?
None but the hireling and the slave will deny it.
COL. CROCKETT's TOUR. 155
“Gentlemen, you have heard a great hue and
cry against Messrs. Clay and Adams for extrava-
gance—they were wasting the public treasure;
they were squandering the people’s money. Well,
gentlemen, what do you think of retrenchments -
now 2 What do you think of the ‘old Roman,” the
‘old Tennessee farmer? What has he done? Mr.
Adams spent from ten to thirteen millions. But
Captain Jackson spent from eighteen to twenty-two
millions per annum! What think you of old Ro-
man retrenchment 2 It is as true as the Lord’s
gospel. He has actually increased your expenses
for you to eighteen or twenty-two millions!
“But the people are ignorant; they will still
huzza for Jackson, they have been used to it so
long. If you go into the country, and tell the peo-
ple of these things—abuses, extravagance, usurpa-
tions, and all, and prove every word you say—
‘Oh,' say they, ‘Jackson has been in office a long
time, he must be doing what’s right.”
“But I will put the documents into every hole
and corner of the country. I will show the people
how Andrew Jackson is surrounded by a set of
the most cursed scoundrels that ever moved ; and
the old man suffers himself to be a perfect tool ir
their hands, to deceive and ruin the country, and
to destroy its peace and harmony. But I fox one
156. COL. CROCKE?"}"S TOUR.
Iove my country. I’ll speak my mind; I’ll pro
claim the truth, and the people shall know what
I’ve seen and heard. Now, gentlemen, you have
heard a great noise about the post-office; and you
have heard that the bank is the worst of all mon-
sters, which employs all power in electioneering.
A gentleman from Alabama, Mr. Clay, made a
great speech, and said it was a question between
liberty and slavery; a question between the bank
and the country. Now if he had only rubbed out
bank and put in executive, his speech would have
been first-rate. It is the executive, gentlemen,
that is throwing all its mighty power into the
elections. -
“But the post-office I wish to give you a little
hint of. When your friend and fellow townsman
left it, there were $230,000 surplus funds belong-
ing to it. The “greatest and best’ has expended
that surplus, and got the department bankrupt
$800,000 in five years. Will you take this re-
trenchment 2 I won’t take it, and I don’t believe
the country is going to. --
“Fellow-citizens, this is what ‘the greatest and
best” has done for you.
“Talk about the bank’s electioneering; see what
the post-office electioneering has cost you. Why,
ºn my district we never used to ask for more than
CQL, CROCKETT’S TOUR. 157
a little horse mail: a pocket handkerchief would
have carried all we wanted. But when Davy
Crockett was beat, and a Jackson man came in, we
had a four-horse stage, stretching all over the coun-
try. ‘Oh, what a fine president is Jackson P said
they.—‘Oh,’ says I, ‘you poor devils, you will
have to pay for it.” Well, so after a while they
have a coach from Reynoldsburgh to Paris, from
Paris to Dresden, and thence straight to Mills
Point. But they left out Troy, and the people of
Obion county began to talk about leaving out Fitz.
Mr. Barry immediately ordered his contractors to
run anywhere to get Fitz in : so he run the coach
fifteen miles out of the way to Troy, till the elec-
tion was over, and then withdrew every stage from
the district, except one running straight through.
Troy had not even a horse mail, though a county
town; and they had to write to me at Washington,
and I had to jog the postmaster-general’s elbow
and make him give them a mail. -
“Fellow-citizens, I would willingly speak more;
my pride is to speak to the people—but my indis-
position prevents my going on. I hope, therefore,
you will excuse me in concluding sooner than I
could wish.
“May the Whigs increase in numbers and grow
in strength, and send one to represent them tha
- O -
158 COL. (;ROCKETT'S TOUR.
can serve his country, instead of being the tool of
a party.”
I remained over night, and took the packet boat
next morning for Louisville, where I arrived the
day after. My friends had provided for me at the
Louisville hotel, the finest public house I have
been in west of the mountains. I was asked to
make a speech to the people next day, which I
agreed to, as I had no hope of getting offin a boat
for a few days. It was published that I was to speak
on the next day evening ; so I was sent for in the
morning to visit Jeffersonville Springs, in Indiana,
across the river. I went, and found a number of
ladies and gentlemen ; and after being introduced
to the company, I was asked to make a speech, to
which I had but little objection, as I wished to dis-
cuss the question of the president vetoing the Wa-
bash appropriation, and yet signing the Van-Bu-
ren, New-York, Hudson-river bill. This I did, and
the people appeared well pleased. I partook of
some of the good things of this life with them, ex-
horting all Jackson Van Buren men to turn from
*e evil of their ways, and took myself off for the
other side of the river.
In the evening I attended at the court-house,
and met the largest concourse of people that ever
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 159
has been assembled in Louisville since it has been
settled. This I was told by a gentleman who had
resided there for upwards of twenty years. The
people all appeared to be excited with curiosity, or
something else. I had no idea of attracting so
much attention; but there I was in the thick of
them. I discovered there were a great many
ladies amongst the audience, and among them the
celebrated Mrs. Drake. A stand had been erected
for me in the court-house yard, on which I stood,
and addressed the crowd as follows:
FELLow CITIZENs of Louisville,
“By my misfortune in not getting a boat as I
expected, I am detained among you for a short
time. I have been requested by many citizens
to address you on the political history of our coun-
try. This I would most assuredly have refused in
common times; but from recent occurrences which
have taken place at head-quarters, I conceive it
due from every public servant to present to the
people the real and true situation of our once hap-
py country. This I have come to the conclusion
is the duty of every public servant, no matter
where his lot may be cast; and all that I am sorry
for is, that the citizens of Louisville had not a
160 col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
more capable organ to perform that duty than your
humble servant. -
<< But apologies are needless in such times as
this. Upon this occasion I am compelled to go
back to the former pledges of our present chief
magistrate. And, fellow citizens, what do me and
all mean by pledges 2 Is it any more or less than
a solemn contract made between a candidate for
any office and the people who elect him, that his
sentiments are so and so, and that he will support
such and such principles. The people do their
part of the contract, trusting to the integrity of the
candidate to perform his. Well, suppose he turns
right round, and acts opposite to what he promis-
ed. Has he not acted a fraud upon the people?
Is it not political hypocrisy and moral dishonesty?
“Suppose a clergyman was to come here and
preach in a vacant congregation, with his eye on
the situation, and would preach up your own doc-
trines of foreordination and the Trinity, and so on,
and tell you these were his own doctrines, and you
would elect him ; and no sooner was he warm in
his place than he would preach the doctrines of
Unitarianism, or any other different from what you
all thought, and what he professed ; would you
not drive him out of his place, with disgrace
stamped on his forehead? I am sure you would.
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. - 16.1
“Well, that point being settled, what was An-
drew Jackson’s pretended principles when he was
before the American people, aspiring to the office
he now fills? I cannot say the one he now ho-
nours; and I regret that my duty to my country
compels me to make the remark. But I know
no party further than I conceive they are support-
ing the best interests of the country.
“ Now, gentlemen, we will review his course.
He was then the firm friend and supporter of in-
ternal improvements by the general government;
and you had the evidence of it by his vote on the
canal round the falls of this place, besides many
other votes of his upon objects of a similar nature.
“He was then in favour of the tariff; and most
of all, he was to reform the government, and re-
trench its expenditures || -
“Yes, gentlemen, the whole continent of Ame-
rica was convulsed with the hue and cry which
was raised against Adams's extravagant adminis-
tration, his corrupt administration, his party prin-
ciples administration, his Panama assumption of
power. He and Clay were indulging in the most
wanton waste of the people’s money, by giving a
few thousand dollars to publishers of the laws ;
and that they would shortly ruin the government,
was echoed from one end of this continent to the
O 2 -
162 * . COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
other ; and in fact I was made to believe, and I am
sure many of you also, that Adams and Clay were
two of the greatest scoundrels in the world. I
joined in the shout, and huzzaed for Jackson. I
thought we were to get rid, perhaps, of two of the
worst men on earth. -
“We succeeded. The people honestly—th
leaders triumphantly; how else, they must an-
swer hereafter. When we hurled them from their
seats, we were to see the country prosper, and the
country united like a band of brothers. This is
what we had a right to expect, for we have but
one interest in common as a great nation.
“When thus our expectations were raised for
peace, and harmony, and public interest, what did
we see? The first inquiry by Andrew Jackson
was, who has dared to vote against me 2 and the
man that had done this was compelled to take to
his heels. He received his walking ticket. His
services were no longer required.
“We saw men that had grown gray in the ser-
vices of their country, hurled from their station, to
make way for lickspittles and yelpers.
“The second inquiry was, who has huzzaed .
longest and loudest for the chief? he is qualified
to fill any office under the government.
“Still we hear this practice and principle called
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 163
democracy the true republican principle. If this
is republicanism, I confess I never knew the mean-
ing of it. I had always thought, and yet think,
that the true principle of republicanism is for every
free man in this nation to vote for whom he
pleases, and no man has a right to censure his mo-
tives. If this kind of Jacksonism is what they
call democracy and republicanism, God deliver me
from it as soon as possible.
“Here we see a sett of office-seekers and office-
holders ready to huzzah for any and every thing
that Jackson recommends, and what they lack in
quality is made up in quantity; and what they
lack in influence is made up in money: witness
the testimony of Mr. Noah, in New York, and
others, who prove that the office-holders had to
shell out a part of their salary to support Jackson-
ism and Jackson candidates.
“In old times, that is, in the prodigal times of
Adams and Clay, there was forty-four clerks in
the post-office department, and now there is, I am
informed, ninety-sia: ; and at the last session,
there was a modest demand made on Congress for
Jorty thousand dollars to pay for extra clerks.
“Now that I have commenced upon that de-
partment—but stop, I beg pardon. It was called,
in good old times, the general post-office; but when
164 CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
Jackson wanted to make Major Barry a member
of the cabinet, he created it into a department;
and as the cabinet was composed of the heads of
department, why the major walked in, took his
seat for the first time, and so has continued. Now,
as the general post-office has to settle its accounts
finally, or ought to, in the treasury, I don’t see why
little Hayward, commissioner of the general land-
office, an’t one of the cabinet too. I’m sure, if de-
votion is any recommendation, Elijah has the pass-
port. - a
“Now let us go back a little. When Mr.
McLean began in that office, it was one hundred
and eighty thousand dollars drawback on the go-
.vernment, and an appropriation had to be made to
meet it. In the course of his management, he had
made it defray its own expenses, and left two hun-
dred and eighty-six thousand dollars of surplus,
ready for Mr. Barry to take hold of; and now Mr.
Barry has had it the same length of time under
the glorious days of retrenchment and reform, and
what is its present situation? He has exhausted
the surplus that Mr. McLean had actually made
by his prudence and management, and has actually
got the department into such a state, that it is
about half a million worse than nothing. This is
CoL. CRoCKETT's TOUR. 165
the report to Congress, and I have not heard it
contradicted. -
“What else could have been expected. Ask the
citizens of Washington, and members of Congress,
and they will tell you that the general post-office
..is called the general hospital, the poor-house, the
lazaretto, where “black spirits and white, blue spi-
rits and gray’ are provided for without regard to
qualification; and these creatures are actually put
over the heads of the honest old fellows who have
worked day by day for twenty years; and if they
could only get along without them, they’d be turn-
ed out with a horse-cake and a boiled egg for their
last dinner. g
“Still the department is flourishing. for the
president sends it forth to the world, under his
own signature, in his messages for the last three
years, that the post-office department was in a most
flourishing condition, and out of its own resources
was extending facilities to the whole country;
when at the same time, Mr. Postmaster-General
was borrowing money in hundreds of thousands of
dollars, secretly, out of your pet banks—for what?
just to gull the people, by paying off contract-
ors, to keep them from exposing the true situa-
tion of their concerns, while they were huzzaw-
ing Jackson in a second time, and they effected
166 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR
their object. The true state of that whole concern
has yet to be known to the American people; and
if it ever does, my word for it, it will be worse
than you think for. Extra pay may bring extra
services to accommodate the public, and this would
be well enough; but it also produces extra servi-,
lity, extra impudence, extra electioneering, extra
provision for friends, extra votes, extra trumped-up
charges, extra printing offices, and extra loans for
extra kindnesses:
Tickle me, Davy, tickle me true,
And in my turn, I'll tickle you too.”
But what is most eactra of all, it changes two-horse
stages into four-horse post-coaches; and when ‘the
parson’ is called out to see them, he says, “Oh no,
it’s Sunday; it’s all right.”
“Well, it may be all right; but I know a thing
or two about these ‘mail facilities,’ as they are now
called. Before General Jackson's last election, you
could see the four-horse post-coaches flying in
every direction in my district; and they would
send one of them to carry a mail that would not
fill a pocket-handkerchief. The people cried out,
‘see what a man Jackson is for accommodating the
country; look how he is improving the mails '
They never stopped to inquire who had to pay for
coL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 167
all this nonsense; and they didn’t see the con-
tractor sitting with his segar and bottle of wine,
laughing, and singing,
Though Dominie Felix got the meat,
'Twas I that lopp'd the gravy;
With my two-horse, four-horse, four-horse, two-horse,
Break the parson's poney,’ &c. &c.
“A circumstance took place in my district which
I will mention. When in Congress, some time
since, I tried to get a stage-route from Reynolds-
burg to Paris, and Dresden, and Troy; then to
Mills' Point, on the Mississippi; but I could not
succeed; the public convenience did not demand it.
“As soon as Mr. Fitzgerald, my successor, one
of the true stripe, went on, it was thought highly im-
portant to have the route established that I wanted.
Well, in fixing the route, they left out Troy, in Obi-
on county; and the people there began to complain
of Mr. Fitzgerald, that he had neglected them, and
in all probability they might neglect him at the
next election. This pleased me very well; but
the first thing I knew, about four weeks before the
election, here came orders from head-quarters to
the contractor to run by Troy; by all means do
every thing in his power to promote Mr. Fitzge-
rald's election. I then told the people their accom-
168 COL. CROCKETT's TOUR.
modation would last no longer than the election
was over; which turned out to be true. The route
from Dresden, by Troy, to Mills' Point, is fifteen
miles further than the one that the stage went be-
fore the new arrangement: but, to the surprise of
the Troy people, just so soon as the election was
over, they were left without even a horse-mail,
stage, or any thing else, until I came on to Con-
gress and got them a mail. And yet we hear those
democrats talk of the monster—the Bank of the
United States—meddling in the elections of the
people. This is only one item among thousands
that I have no doubt they have been guilty of
“I will now dismiss this subject, and turn your
attention to one of a more recent date—a subject
that has almost shaken the confidence of the nation
—I mean the removing of the public deposites.
“If a common citizen were to violate the laws
of his country, the voice of the community would
be raised against him; every body would cry out,
“punish him.’ Well, now, if the chief magistrate
of this country violates the laws, is he not more
culpable than a common citizen : I say he is, and
ought to be more severely punished; because he
knows better, and there is no excuse for him.
Now let us reason this case. In 1811, the charter
of the old Bank of the United States run out, and
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. I-69
Congress refused to recharter it, and we were com-
pelled, for several years, to deposit the revenue of
the country in the identical kind of banks that
General Jackson tells us he is now depositing
the revenue in ; when it is well known that the
local banks were more solvent than they are now.
In about five years—say till in 1816—by making
these local banks places of deposit, this govern-
ment lost one million five hundred thousand dol-
lars to the country. -
“In 1816, Congress found that it was impossible
for this great nation to get on without a national
currency; and they then chartered the present
Bank of the United States, for twenty years. SAs
part of her charter, this bank gave the United
States one million five hundred thousand dollars,
for the use of the public deposites during her char-
ter. Now you may call this what you please, or
by any name you choose: it was a hire, or a pur-
chase; I care not which. The bank had a right to
the use of the deposites until the last day of her
charter. The House of Representatives had de-
clared, on solemn vote, that the deposites were safe;
and this bank had actually paid out upwards of
four hundred and sixty millions of dollars, without
one cent of loss or expense to the government;
yet three years nearly, before its charter expires,
T
170 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
we see Andrew Jackson say to that honest man,
William J. Duane, the secretary of the treasury,
* remove the deposites / He said neither his con-
science nor his duty required it. He was struck
from the roll, as many an honest man before him
had been, for refusing to shape his conscience by
the president’s, and to bow to the orders of the
‘greatest and the best.” And this is democracy!!
“He got his walking orders, and Taney was
taken into his place. Why? Because he had
agreed to do what Duane had refused. Well, the
deposites are removed. General Jackson says,
‘Come, do what you promised; issue the order; I
take the responsibility.’ Who removed the depo-
sites? The law says the secretary of the treasury
may; but did he No ; I say Jackson removed
them : and in this, I contend, he violated the laws
of the country; and I always believed he ought to
have been punished in some way or other. As ſo
his constitutional scruples, he had none, or his
friends have told what was not true, which I do
not believe; for it was not a very long time before
that he said, if the new charter had been submitted
to him, he could have made certain alterations in
It that would have reconciled him!—reconciled
him to a breach of the constitution! Yet this is
true. But Major Downing spoke the truth when
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 171
he said it was a ‘tarnel fight 'twixt the old ginne-
ral and Nick Biddle.” And I believe now that if
a good well-trained Van Buren man had been at
the head of it, the bank would have had no trou-
ble, not even from the Buffalo branch agent and
chancellor of Wall-street. Cam is a pretty cute
North Carolinaer. He took the thousand for his
agency, for fear the bank might bribe some honest
man with it. Blair acted, I suppose, on the same
principle of diminishing her ability of corruption,
when he paid her his debt of Some fifteen or twenty
thousand with two or three hundred.
“Well, well, Jackson did it, and he is an honour-
able man: so are they all honourable men. He
now holds the purse and the sword; he has every
dollar in the treasury at his control; and what is
this but actual despotism 2
“One word, as I pass, to the honest man who
may be connected with these pet banks. “Do you
sleep sound, when you know that your name is on
the paper, binding you and yours to repay the
money deposited in the bank where you are a di-
rector, and have but one voice in twelve to prevent
its being loaned out to Tom, Dick, or Harry?
Remember, that a day of reckoning is coming;
and a treasury warrant isn’t as nice reading as an
nvitation to drink wine that another man pays for.
*sº
- 172 COL, CROCKETT'S TOUR.
Wake up; mind your wife and children; get your
name off, if you can.”
“Caesar said, ‘Give me money, and I can buy
men; give me men, and I can make power; I’ll
take the responsibility.” I have said before, and
now repeat it, there is no use in voting appropria-
tions, until there is some law to know where the
money is. The money of the people has been re-
moved from where the law placed it; and the same
power that did this will bear him out in distribut-
ing it at his will. He has taken the responsibility;
and I, for one, say, Go ahead. The people will
come to their senses when they feel the effects
which it must produce. -
“The truth is, the president is surrounded by a
set of the greatest scrubs on earth; just using him
to promote their own interest. The little magi-
cian looks as innocent as a lamb, and I do believe
he is the wire-worker, the very mover and organ
of all those high-handed and lawless measures; he
is worming his way to the presidency, and like a
real Gopher, works more under than above ground.
“When I was first elected I knew nothing about
this party discipline; but I must confess I have
seen so much of that, I am sorry to say I do doubt
the honesty of many men that are called good at
home, that have given themselves up to serve a
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 173
party. I am no man’s man. I bark at no inan's
bid. I will never come and go, and fetch and
carry, at the whistle of the great man in the white
house, no matter who he is. And if this petty, un-
patriotic scuffling for men, and forgetting princi-
ples, goes on, it will be the overthrow of this once
happy nation, and the blood and toil of our ances-
tors will have been expended in vain. -
“I will go for the man for the next presidenc
who I think has his country’s interest at heart, and
who in reality, and not in words, is determined to
preside over this people as if we were brothers, and
who, instead of fomenting hatred, and jealousy, and
strife, by infusing into them his own low, vulgar,
and partisan feelings, will set them a high and holy
example of devotion to the harmony and interests
of all. God grant such a candidate may present
himself
“Gentlemen, I have detained you longer than I
expected ; but “out of the fulness of the heart the
mouth speaketh.’ I thank you for your attention,
and wish you all health, happiness, and honour, in
ſearlessly doing your duty to your country.”
I then returned to the hotel, and in a short time
a committee of the young men waited on me,
and invited me to a dinner on Thursday, as a
P 2
*
**:
174 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
testimony in favour of my political course. I
gave a conditional acceptance, and no boat arriv-
ing, I attended, and partook with them of a splen-
did dinner. I was toasted, and made a speech,
complimenting the young men for their zeal in the
cause of their country. If I had the powers of
General Lafayette, I would have written out all
my speeches ; but I have not, and therefore omit
this one. All passed off pleasantly, and next day
I took the steamboat Scotland, commanded by
Captain Buckner, a gentleman, every inch of him.
After a fine run, we arrived at Mills’ Point, on the
22d day of July. Here I once more touched the
soil of Tennessee, and found my son William wait-
ing to carry me home, which was distant thirty-
five miles. .
When I landed, and took out my fine gun, the
folks gathered round me, to see the great curiosity.
A large fellow stepped up, and asked me why all
the members did not get such guns given them.
I told him I got that gun for being honest, in Sup-
porting my country, instead of bowing down and
worshipping an idol. He looked at me and said,
that was very strong. “No stronger than true, my
friend,” said I.
In a short time I set out for my own home ; yes,
my own home, my own soil, my own humble
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. - 175
dwelling, my own family, my own hearts, my
ocean of love and affection, which neither circum-
stance nor time can dry up. Here, like the wea-
ried bird, let me settle down for a while, and shut
out the world. ****
In the course of a few days, I determined to try
my new gun upon the living subject. I started for
a hunt, and shortly came across a fine buck. He
fell at the distance of one hundred and thirty steps
Not a bad shot, you will say. I say, not a bad gun
either. After a little practice with her, she came
up to the eye prime, and I determined to try her
at the first shooting match for beef. -
As this is a novelty to most of my readers, I will
endeavour to give a description of this western
amusement. ... ?
In the latter part of summer our cattle get
very fat, as the range is remarkably fine; and some
one, desirous of raising money on one of his cat-
tle, advertises that on a particular day, and at a
given place, a first-rate beef will be shot for.
When the day comes, every marksman in the
neighbourhood will meet at the appointed place,
with his gun. After the company has assembled,
a subscription paper is handed round, with the
following heading
176 COL. CRO(XKET"I’S TOUR.
º “A. B. offers a beef worth twenty dollars, to be
shot for, at twenty-five cents a shot.” Then the
names are put down by each person, thus:
D. C. puts in four shots, . $1 00
E. F. “ eight “ . . 2 00
G. H. “ two ºf . . O 50
And thus it goes round, until the price is made
up. - •eº
Two persons are then selected, who have not
entered for shots, to act as judges of the match.
Every shooter gets a board, and makes a cross in
the centre of his target. The shot that drives the
centre, or comes nearest to it, gets the hide and
tallow, which is considered the first choice. "The
next nearest gets his choice of the hind quarters;
the third gets the other hind quarter; the fourth
takes choice of the fore quarters; the fifth the re-
maining quarter; and the sixth gets the lead in the
tree against which we shoot. - -
The judges stand near the tree, and when a man
fires they cry out, “who shot?” and the shooter
gives in his name; and so on, till all have shot.
The judges then take all the boards, and go off by
themselves, and, decide what quarter seach man
has won. Sometimes one will get nearly all.
CoL. CROCKETT's Tour, 177
This is one of our homely amusements—enjoyed
as much by us, and perhaps more, than most of
your refined entertainments. Here each man takes
a part, if he pleases, and no one is excluded, unless
his improper conduct renders him unfit as an as-
sociate.
My few weeks of remaining at home passed
quickly round, and I found myself once more on
the move towards the city of Washington.
Having promised my friend Chilton to spend a
day or two with him on my way, I arrived at
Elizabethtown, Kentucky, about the middle of
November, 1834. By the kindness and partiality
of the citizens, a public dinner was given to me,
the whole proceedings concerning which are here
inserted at large, as follows:—
DINNER TO THE HON. DAVID CROCKETT.
The Hon. David Crockett arrived in this place
on Saturday last, and much anxiety was evinced
by many of our good citizens to behold this west-
ern wonder. Many conjectures were afloat rela-
tive to his personal appearance : some supposed
that he would not appear as very man, but in all &
probability would assume the form of some comical
or hideous monster. It is needless to say that such
were disappointed in their expectations. He
178 COf... CROCKETT’S TOUR.
seemed to us to resemble very much the appear
ance of other great men—shrewd, intelligent, and
graceful; with a commanding, lofty aspect, and a
dignificq, manly countenance. On Wednesday last
he was invited to attend a public dinner, given by
the citizens of this place at the hotel of H. G.
Wintersmith, Esq.; where many gentlemen from
the country were in attendance. After the cloth
was removed, the company being called to order,
Major James Crutcher was appointed president,
and Dr. Harvey Slaughter vice-president. The
whole proceedings were conducted with the utmost
order and regularity, and went off in the most
pleasing and friendly manner.
S CORRESPONDENCE,
Elizabethtown, Ky. Wov. 18th.
HoN. D. CRoCKETT :
Sir, A respectable portion of the citizens of
our-village are desirous of giving you public testi-
mony of their high regard. They have had a
meeting, and appointed the undersigned a com-
mittee to solicit your attendance at a public dinner
to be given at Mr. H. G. Wintersmith’s hotel, on
to-morrow, the 19th inst. We earnestly hope, sir,
it will suit your convenience to accept the proffered
hospitality, -- -
Col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 179
2
With sincere wishes for your public and private
prosperity, we have the honour to be,
Your obedient servants,
- H. MULHolland,
W. Conw Ay,
B. J. A. YoUNg,
GEo. P. BRowN,
- - WM. ConwAY.
Hon. D. Crockett, Present.
Elizabethtown, Nov. 18th.
GENTLEMEN:—I have this moment had the
honour to receive your polite note of to-day, in-
viting me, in behalf of many of the citizens of
Elizabethtown, to partake of a public dinner kindly
proposed to be given me on to-morrow, at the hotel
of H. G. Wintersmith, Esq.
A due sense of the honour and kindness done
me, constrains me to accept your invitation. This
I do, not as a matter of mere form, but with deep
sensibility and unfeigned gratitude for the flatter-
ing token of respect which so unexpected an atten-
tion confers. This honour is the more highly es-
teemed, because it is bestowed by part of a people
proverbial over the civilized world for their valour
and love of liberty. The name of Kentucky will
be gratefully remembered, as long as deeds of chi-
valry are respected, and shall have a place in the
page of history. a
80 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
º *
Gentlemen: The best return I can make for
your generous hospitality to me, is to tender you
my warmest thanks, and to assure you that this
mark of your respect and regard shall be long
cherished in my memory and affections.
Be pleased, gentlemen, to accept for yourselves
and for those you represent, my best wishes for
your health and prosperity; and believe me, grate-
fully and respectfully, your ob’t serv't.
. DAv1D CRoCKETT.
Messrs. H. Mulholland, W. Conway, B. J. A. Young, Geo. P
Brown, and Wm. Conway, Esqrs.
Elizabethtown, Nov. 18th.
HoN. Tho. CHILTON,
Sir, A number of your fellow citizens of Eli-
zabethtown expect the pleasure, on to-morrow, at
H G. Wintersmith’s hotel, of dining with the Hon.
David Crockett. Your presence, sir, on the occa-
sion, would be gratifying to the committee, indi-
vidually, and pleasing to those they represent.
We have the honour to be, most respectfully,
your fellow citizens,
H. MULHoLLAND,
W. ConwAy,
B. J. A. YoUNG,
GEo. P. BRowN,
WM. ConwAy.
{}
COL. CROCKETT’S TO UR. 181
º, * My Residence, Nov. 18.
Gentlemen,_I have this moment received your
very polite note of invitation to dine with many
of my valued friends on to-morrow, at Mr. Win.
tersmith’s hotel, in Elizabethtown. *
As I shall be at that time on my way to Wash
ington city, and shall have an opportunity afforded
me of taking my leave of you, I can accept your
kind invitation without detriment; which I ac-
cordingly do. e
Please agcept assurances of any personal fiend-
ship, and best wishes for yourselves, as a com-
mittee on the part of my fellow citizens; and do
me the favour to communicate to those whom
you represent, that I duly appreciate the ho-
nour and kindness which their politeness have
conferred.
I am, truly, yours,
THo. CHILTON.
Messrs. H. Mulholland, W. Conway, B. J. M. Young, Geo. P.
Brown, and Wm. Conway, Esqrs.
TOASTS.
The Federal Constitution—A great monument
of wisdom and patriotism.
The Union of the States—A bond indispensa-
ble and sacred to American liberty.
Q -
182 COL, CROCKETT’S TOUR.
{}
Nullification—A political heresy; an enemy to
our blood-bought Union.
Proscription—The vengeance of petty tyrants;
the scourge of independence; the bane of free-
dom. - *
Our Guests—The Hon. David Caockett–
The honest, independent representative from Ten-
nessee: we would say unto him, “Well done,
thou good and faithful servant: go ahead.”
Here Mr. Crockett rose, and addressed the meet-
ing as follows: º
“GENTLEMEN,
“I promised my friend, your representative, long
ago, that I would visit this place; but it has been
inconvenient for me to come until the present
time: and I can assure the citizens of Elizabeth-
town that I had no expectation of attracting any
attention; and I must say, that I am at a loss for
language to express my gratitude for your kind
and hospitable attention.
“ Gentlemen, for your complimentary senti-
ment, I feel bound, by a sense of duty, to make
a few remarks; and in doing so, I have no doubt
but I shall owe you an apology; for I shall be
compelled to address you in homespun language—
3 ºr
COL, CROCKETT'S TOUR. 183
*
in my own plain manner: for I have never had
the opportunity of an education, which enables
men to use the refined language that is common
for gentlemen to use, filling a high station, such as
I have been chosen to fill, by a portion of the peo-
ple of Tennessee. In making my remarks, I will
be reluctantly obliged to say some harsh things
about the acts of a man I once supported. I was
one of General Jackson’s first soldiers; I helped
him to get his glory; and I was as sincere in my
support of him as any man in America. I had
heard the hue and cry against Messrs. Adams and
Clay; they were called the prodigals: it was sung
from one end of the continent to the other, that
the prodigals were indulging in a wasteful system
that would soon bankrupt the nation. I believed
this was all true, and I joined in the cry to put
them down. We accomplished the object; we
hurled them from power. I then hoped to see
peace, and expected to see my country flourish. I
recollected the famous letter of 1823, from Andrew
Jackson to Mr. Monroe. That letter contained
good advice. Mr. Monroe was told to destroy
the monster party—to be the president of the peo-
ple. From that letter, we had a right to expect
under Jackson’s reign we would have an end of
party strife. But I regret to say, instead of his
184 Col. CRoCKETT's TOUR.
acting up to his own wholesome advice, as soon as
he took his seat as president, the first inquiry
was, ‘who has had the audacity to vote against
Andrew Jackson P’. The man that had dared to do
this, had to take to his heels; he got his walking
ticket; he had to give up his place for some
huzza-partizan of Andrew Jackson.
“The next question was, who had huzzaed most
and loudest for the “greatest and best?” The man
that had, was qualiſted to fill any office in the
government. Then we saw men who had grown
gray in the service of their country, and who un-
derstood their duty, turned out of office to make
room for the worshippers of Andrew Jackson.
“You know, gentlemen, we were promised re-
form; the expenditures of the government were
to be retrenched. These things were promised;
these things the people expected to see done. Un-
der the prodigals' reign, the expenditures of the
government were from ten to thirteen millions;
under the reign of the retrenchment-gentlemen, we
see, from their own reports, they are from eighteen
to twenty-two millions ! Is this to be taken for
retrenchment? It may suit some people, but it
does not suit me. .
“Gentlemen, I am now against Jackson. I
wanted to remain with him, but I found I could
COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR. 185
not stand the pull. I am no man-worshipper. I
saw he wanted every body to follow him, right or
wrong. And when I saw I could not be honest
and be his friend, I set up shop for myself.
“Now, gentlemen, I shall have to go back to the
old days of 1776, to the reign of King George the
Third, for a comparison with King Andrew the
First. He brought oppression after oppression
upon the American colonies, till his burthens be-,
came intolerable. The people laid their petitions
in heaps at the feet of his majesty. They were
treated with silent contempt. And at length the
tea tax was laid, and our fathers met in the old
state-house in Philadelphia, and there subscribed
to the glorious Declaration of Independence. They
pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred
honour, that they would be free. Free from what?
Free from British tyranny, and free from despot-
ism, and free from the government of one man. It
was not the amount claimed that they despised. It
was the condition, the principle on which it was
to be paid. What ensued 2 War; a bloody war!
and some of the best patriots that ever lived pe-
rished in the conflict. Their fortunes, their lives
were sacrificed to obtain a government of laws.
They gained it; and they and their children have
Q 2
186 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
lived under it for fifty-eight years, the happiest
people under the sun. ** . -
“Now, in 1834, we see the same page open in
our political history, which in ’76 was written in
letters of blood:—one man holding the sword of
the nation in one hand, and seizing in the other
the purse of the people, bidding defiance to Con-
gress, to the laws, and to the nation. Andrew
Jackson has said, that if Congress dared to pass any
bill that did not meet his approbation, he would
veto it. Is this not setting Congress at defiance?
Is this not saying, “my will shall be the law of the
land?” Such grievances as these our fathers fought
to get rid of. What would any of you say, if a
common citizen were to violate the laws of his
country? You would all say, ‘punish him ; punish
him;’ and I contend, that in a free country, in a
republican government, no man should be above
the laws; no man should be permitted to trample
upon the laws of his country, and go without
punishment. And I hold it to be sound doctrine,
that if the chief magistrate violate the laws, he is
more culpable than a common man, and should be
more severely punished, because he knows the
laws, and tramples them under foot wilfully.
“You all know, that in 1811, the old bank char
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 187
ter expired, and that Congress refused to re-charter
it. We were compelled to deposit the revenue in
local banks; the identical same kind of banks that
they say Jackson is keeping the money in. They
were more solvent then than they are now ; and
the government then lost by these swindling traps
one million and five hundred thousand dollars in
four years! In 1816, the government found it im-
possible to get on without a national bank. Then
they established the present bank. The bank paid
for the use of the deposites one million and five
hundred thousand dollars. You may call it hire,
or buy, which you please. This was a solemn
contract between the government and the bank;
and Jackson broke it. The bank agreed to pay
off the debts of the government, free of charge;
and she has paid off for the government four hun-
dred and sixty millions of money, without a cent
lost to the country. And after all these benefits,
Jackson is trying to destroy it. He ordered Mr.
Duane, the honest man of Pennsylvania, to break
the law, and remove the deposites. Duane said
both his conscience and his duty forbid it. Then
he had to take to his heels; he got his walking
ticket ! -
“Jackson then appointed Taney his tool; and
said, ‘I take the responsibility.” Now, gentlemen,
1858 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
whe removed the deposites? Was it the master,
or was it the tool? I say Jackson violated the law,
and ought to be punished. *
“When Caesar demanded the keys of the trea-
sury of Rome, the secretary said, “no man had a
right to demand them but the Roman senate.’
Caesar shook his finger at him, and said, ‘It is as
easy for Caesar to take your life as to will it.”
Caesar then trampled on the laws, and seized the
money; and the Roman people, just like our Jack-
son man-worshippers, said it was all right.
“Now, I ask any Jackson man where the pub-
lic money of this country is? Old Amos himself
could hardly tell, except as to that part he has in
his pocket! Is it in the local banks? They could
lick it up in a minute.
“The reason I compare Andrew Jackson with
King George is, that there were two hundred
thousand petitioners, who sent their memorials to
Congress, praying for a restoration of the depo-
sites. And where were these memorials sent? To
a packed committee, made by a party speaker,
with his pay in his pocket! But he lost his pay;
and I aint sorry. He appointed a majority in
every committee in favour of Jackson. • In the
committee of ways and means, there were six
Jackson, and three anti’s. And I contend he vio
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 189
sº
- lated the common law. I am no lawyer, but I
have been a piece of a court; and in my country,
when one man acts as a juror in any case, he is
never competent to act again in the same case. But
there was Mr. Thomas, appointed one of the com-
mittee to investigate the bank, at the last Congress.
He had the Jackson stripe; and the speaker ap-
pointed him chairman this year to examine the
same bank. And you had a contested election from
your state—Mr. Letcher, and one Moore; both
expected justice; and the speaker could only find
one anti to put in their committee, and even he was
only anti-mason. But he stood up to the rack, and
the house sustained him ; and one day, the man
that killed Tecumseh got up, and said he wanted
leave to suspend the rule, and pass a unanimous vote
of thanks to the speaker. I said, “no ; read your
resolution; I think there is in it something about
faithful and impartial. Now, as to the faithful—
he has been as faithful as a dog—to his party!—
but that impartial I go against.” But they watch-
ed their chance, and passed it; I was in the post-
office; I come in, and asked to record my vote;
they objected. I told them I considered myself
swindled out of my vote. But, gentlemen, what
is worse than all, is to see Andrew Jackson leave
his high station, and come to Tennessee, to get that
190 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
state to go for Van Buren. It is true little Pan .
was smuggled into the vice-presidency, in the seat * 3
of Jackson's breeches, by the general-ticket system
in every state. The people would have General
Jackson on the head of the ticket, and they did
not care what come after: this is the way he got
Tennessee. -
“When Jackson came to Nashville this fall, I
told some people that his intention was to elec-
tioneer for Van Buren—I had suspicions of it.
Sure enough, when I was in Nashville a short time
back, I called at Colonel Foster's law office ; his
father, the Rev. R. C. Foster, was there. Old Mr.
Foster, the colonel’s father, in conversation about
Van Buren, remarked, that he had not taken a
glass of wine for many years until the other day,
when he was at a dinner table with the president,
and he said to him, ‘Mr. Foster, I have a bottle
of good Van Buren wine; will you take a glass
with me 2°–Mr. Foster said he took a glass with
the general. Now havn't I cause for suspicion?
“This is what I call electioneering on a low
scale. Now to see him try to smuggle that poli-
tical Judas in as his successor is cruel!
“As I came to your town I stopped at Salt river,
where I met with Captain Robert Carey, of Cincin-
nati. He told me that he was acquainted with Van
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 191
Buren ever since he was a boy; and that he was a
little, lying, tell-tale boy. He said he also was in
London when Van Buren was our minister there;
and heard Van Buren say to an English lord, at
the table of a Mr. Childs, the owner of a distin-
guished house in London, ‘That it would be but
a few years until America would be a crow-head
that the northern and southern states were about
to §lit, and he wished how soon.” . . . .
“The little thing thinks he will be wafted in
as Jackson’s successor, and get the crown on his
bald pate. This I do believe is his intention.
Gentlemen, let me propose a toast.
“Martin Pan Buren.—A political Judas—
may he sink to the level of his merits.”
“Henry Clay.—The mighty champion of civil
liberty—the friend of his country, the foe of her
enemies. Posterity will mark his patriotism, and
weep over his persecutions.”
“The Hon. Thomas Chilton.—A zealous, ta-
lented, and vigilant representative of the people.”
Mr. Chilton then rose and addressed the meet-
ing in his usual eloquent and impressive manner.
“The Fair Sea.—There would be no doing
without them.”
“Our Landlord.—We tender him our grateful
thanks for his munificent and sumptuous fare.”
192 COI, CROCKETT's TOUR.
From Elizabethtown I hastened on to Washing-
ton; not that there was any thing particular to be
done at the opening of the session, but because I
determined that nothing should be wanting, on my
part, on the subject of the bill reported by me con-
cerning certain settlers in Tennessee.
Out came the president’s message, with a mo-
dest request to authorize him, at his discretion, to
make war upon France. I have thought this flat-
ter over a good deal ; and if we could get at the
secrets of the cabinet, I’d give my head for a soap
gourd, that Andrew Jackson never made the pro-
position for letters of marque and reprisal. It
an’t in his way. He went jam up for war; but
the cabinet got him down to half heat, and then he
signed the message; and I do sincerely think he has
repented it ever since; for as some of his head men
in Congress have said, if he had recommended war
right out, he’d have got as much out of the fuss kick-
ed up, as he asked for in his message. But I am glad
that the senate resolution has passed, and in such
a way as to stop the mouths of those who think it
God’s service to slander and abuse that patriotic
body; and I hope our house will take things coolly
also. I know there is difficulty in the foreign af-
fairs committee. Some won’t vote to give the pre-
sident the power asked for ; some won’t vote
CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 193
against him ; and others look on, with the balance
of power between their teeth. Long may they
stick so, unless they all come round to the right
side. .
Give the president power to make war? Where
did anybody in his senses get this from ? It
isn’t in the constitution, or I never read it right.
It’s very true, a plain man like myself can’t see as
many powers in it as one that has glorification specs
on. It is very plainly, however, laid down that
Congress shall have power to declare war, and no
one else. It is admitted, that sending out ships to
plunder your neighbour or adversary, is as much
as mere words in making war. I don’t like it. It
isn’t the clean thing. Give me the bold declaration
of war, instead of hitting a fellow when he’s off his
guard. Give him time to take off the dudds, and
then lick him if you can. I believe I never got
the worst of a fight but once, and then the fellow
put at me when I was muffled up in my big coat
and leggins. -
If I understand this marque business, it amounts
to this : We say, and I believe truly, that France,
by her treaty with Mr. Rives, promised to pay us
five millions of dollars. The king admits the jus-
tice of our claim ; but, in France, as here, there is
a squabble between the ins and the outs : the outs
R
19.4 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
make a great fuss about being cheated, and think it
will be popular with the people to refuse to give
the king the money to pay this debt. Well, now
they are but politicians in to-day, and out again
to-morrow ; and who knows or believes that they
speak the sober sentiments of good' old France,
that did a heap for us in the old war for indepen.
dence? I don’t, for one. Let us wait a little.
War is no such trifle ; and national honour was
never much disgraced by a full exercise of patience
and forbearance. Well, General Jackson wants
Congress to say, that whenever he gets tired wait-
ing on these Frenchmen, and he thinks they won’t
pay, that he may commission as many ships as he
pleases, to go out on the high sea, and seize as
many French ships, and property of individuals,
who perhaps never heard of this difficulty, as will
pay our five million claim. What is this but war
in its worst shape? Robbery, dignified by the
title of reprisals. Honest men’s property sacri-
ficed, to get at the national honour of France 1
If Congress alone can declare war, how could
they say to General Jackson that they will hand
over their responsibility and discretion to him 2
Why, mark my words for it, if they do, the old
man will be down at the navy-yard and arsenal,
a boring out the touch-holes himself. Ground
coL. CRockFTT's Tour. 196
alum salt would not keep him three weeks without
a fight. He has given so much of his old land
glory to Van Buren, that he wants a little by water
for himself, and others of his hangers on.
It’s diverting to see what a warrior strut some
of the little captains have in Congress; looking
first at one shoulder, then at another, and thinking
how much bigger they would look with a pair of
epaulettes on. Some talking about rations and
pay; some slily calculating contracts, and so on.
Fighting France “Come over,” said a fellow in
December, “swim over the mill-dam, you rascal ;
come over here, and if I don’t give you the biggest
lickin you ever had.” No more chance for a fight
in one case than the other; and happy thing it is.
My course would be this. If France is deter-
mined to put off this plain question—I mean her
aspiring politicians—close your ports against her
ships; exclude her silk and finery ; her brandies
and wines; pass a non-intercourse and non-impor-
tation act; and my word for it, the people will
teach them a lesson at home, how to pay their just
debts.
Why this course was not advised, I know not,
unless it is supposed that certain objects of political
stock-jobbing could be better attained by fat con-
tracts, and the people be blinded to their own in-
196 CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour. ©
terest by the storm of war; or unless the hero has
been flattered up to condescend to break his word
a second time, and run for a third term.
Before I am done writing, you will hear, or else
I will tell you, something that will be a damper,
from the head man of the gap to the tattered scul-
lion of the kitchen cabinet. -
Blair may shut his mouth, if he can, and Amos
may set to cyphering ; but it won’t do. They'll
be as far wrong as they were in counting noses last
year, when the Indiana man carried the resolution .
for two or three weeks in his pocket, to declare
the election of Gales and Seaton void.
But, after all, it seems to me that this here war
that is so much talked of, is not rightly called; and
I like most monstrously to call children by right
names. If it was called the “Rives and Jackson
war with the French ministers,” it would be what
I think true. How did all this thing come about?
Who can tell us all about it 2 Mr. Forsyth could,
but he is a mighty prudent man, and I don't want t
him to; but I’ll tell what I think. When Genéral
Jackson came into the presidency, he was desirous
of proving that he was, what he had been declared
not to be, acquainted with our national concerns,
both at home and abroad. Well, Mr. Rives, known
to be a talented gentleman, from Virginia, was se-
|
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 197
lected as our minister to France. This old claim
of ours had been boxed about for a quarter of a cen-
tury ; and the commercial part of our country being
generally opposed to General Jackson, a bold stroke
was to be made for their interests in these French
claims. The requisite instructions were made out,
and Mr. Rives took his departure. Well, as soon
as he could with a good face, he put at the French
minister about these old claims. They fought shy;
but the negotiation went on. Mr. Rives pushed
hard for a large amount; the French trying to
beat down; till, at long and last, twenty-five mil-
lions of francs, which makes five millions of dol-
lars, was agreed upon, as the sum to be paid.
“Well, now, sign the treaty,” said Mr. Rives.
“Certainly,” replied Mr. Frenchman; “but, Mr.
Rives, you will be so good as to remember and in-
form your government, that although I sign the
treaty for this sum, there are a great many of the
Chamber of Deputies who are opposed to it; and
it must meet their approbation, or the money can’t
be forthcoming.”—“Certainly,” said Mr. Rives,
“I understand all that; we will run the risk.”
The ink being scarcely dry, off came our minister.
Now for the glory. Not satisfied that the treaty
had been made, they must “cut de grand floreesh”
—sustain the character of General Jackson and
R 2
198 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
little Van as great statesmen, and prove the diplo
..matic skill of Mr. Rives. How was this to be
done? No other way than by calling for the cor-
respondence of Mr. Rives while minister to France.
Mr. Edward Everett could tell about this. I think
he offered the resolution—at whose instance, I don’t
say. Out it came; and, like many other misguided
:concerns, they did not take pains enough in the
department of state to retain or keep back certain
letters of Mr. Rives, in which he kind of boasts
that he had outwitted the French. Well, this sort'
of put up the dander of the French: but no odds.
..Draw for the first instalment, not when due, but
before it; the deputies, or somebody, or nobody,
will pay it. General Jackson is a diplomat that
isn't to be trifled with, Well, they did draw; and
what was the consequence 2 The money was not
paid. Here was an end of all the glory. But Ge-
neral Jackson, true to his former life, never gives
up a wrangle, if he has backers; and now wants
us to expend one hundred millions to back his
diplomacy, and establish Mr. Rives' character for
skill—certainly not for prudence, I say, after all
this. Wait patiently; France is reasonable, cer-
tainly; but let her be satisfied, as her king is, that
too much has not been promised, and my word for
it, she will pay the uttermost farthing. If I should
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 199
be mistaken, legislate her into her senses; and this,
I hope and trust, will be the course of this present
Congress. We will wait, and see how things run.
Since I began to write, the post-office commit-
tees have both reported; and I was right as to the
issue. Both the Senate and the House committees
are dead against the concern. How else could it
be 2 People must believe their senses; and when
every single case which has been investigated has
been found to be rotten to the core, how could they
report favourably * The whole shows that the
annual reports to Congress were not to be depend-
ed on ; that instead of the department flourishing,
as the president has often told Congress, it was
languishing—it was strangling secretly. No one
knew it but the doctors; and they knew that burnt
brandy could not save it; but they were determin-
ed to hold on to the carcass, though the soul was
gone.
Truth will come out. One of the post-office
clerks remarked that from the Senate committee
they had nothing to expect: they were constituted
with the avowed purpose of hunting out defects,
and errors, and corruption, if they could, and there-
fore the department had fair warning. But what
spited them most of all was, that the House com-
mittee—got up expressly for the purpose of sustain-
200 coL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
ing the department, and proving that the report
of the Senate last year was erroneous, and that the
department was sound and , efficient, and Major
Barry competent, and so on, and so on—should
turn right round, and hit them harder than the
others. “Well,” says I, “the next time you in-
vite your friends to a hunt, don’t start them on a
skunk track, or they’re sure to curse you, up hill
and down dale. You told Conner what was not
true, and he believed you; but when he and the
others come to try for themselves, they could not
cipher up the extras a bit better than Ewing and
Southard; nor could the parson work the sum in
their presence, because they would not let him .
force the answer: two and two would not make
five in their presence, however it might work be-
hind the door.” - -
I hope now that extras will cease, and that Billy
Smith and every one of them will get no more
than what they contract for, and that he will
be let off of his contract to change the politics of
Virginia. Let him sell his printing-presses, and
go to work honestly to make a living. One-thing
certain has come out of all this. The department
has got a settlement for once with the big contrac-
tors. Whose fault it was that this was not done
before, I think is not hard to figure out. The de-
COſ,. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 201
partment had the power to force the contractors to
settlement; the contractors could not force them.
But settlement to a dollar did not suit the purposes
of the department. They showed up a big score
due by contractors, and this helped them to prove .
to Congress that the means of the office were great;
whereas if they had given the contractors credit on
their books for the extras, and additionals, and ex-
presses, and so on, they would, as in some instances
it turned out, bring the department in debt. Look
at the facts, that in some of the accounts, where
contractors were reported as owing thousands of
dollars, items of credit fonservices rendered months
and years before had not been entered ' ' ' Give
the contractors their due: if the system required
favouritism, who would turn his back It’s ask-
ing a good deal to say that the servant shall correct
his master. The fact is, the system did require
it; and they began by shoving John M'Lean over-
board. Postmasters were to be kicked out, new
post-offices established, new routes opened, con-
tractors to be encouraged in supporting newspapers
to huzza for J ackson and reform; and, in fact, the
whole shool and boiling of the business of the de-
partment was put at scramblings. How could it
go right? No, indeed; it was like a frolicking
executor or administrator getting hold of a large
202 CoL. CRoCKETT's TOUR.
estate; away he goes, the best fellow in the world
any thing you please to ask: but by-and-by the
settlement comes—his vouchers won’t pass muster
before the court, and what then 2 His bondsmen
suffer. Thank God, my name was struck off the
papers before they began much of this same devil-
try, and I han’t nothing to pay. Them that danced
should pay the piper; but I suppose they will all
say as the young man said of the old quaker when
the robbers stopped the mail-coach. The old gen-
tleman gave up his purse; the young man held
back: a pistol was presented at him: “Oh,” says
he, “don’t shoot; old uncle always pays for me!”
So poor old Uncle Sam, I suppose, will pay for all:
and I am glad that the funding system has paid
off our national debt, so that a few hundreds of
thousands won't hurt us much now. General Jack-
son can pay off the post-office debt as he said he
would the old debt, by borrowing; and then we’ll
burn all the books and old extra contracts, and begin
dee novo, as the Latin scholars say in Congress.
But what is to come out of all this? What will
General Jackson do about all this? He loves Major
Barry, as he calls him; and all know that the
major is a mighty clever fellow, and it was wrong
to put him where he had too many hooks to mind
at once, and more particular where the underlings
COI, CROCKETT’S TOUR. 203
fixed the bait. General Jackson has and always
had a powerful disposition to stick to them he
liked and who liked him, (every body knows this
but Ingham, and Branch, and a few others;) and
if a little dirt did happen to be on their clothes, he
stuck to them till it dries; and then there is only a
small blur left, as if it was intended. Like the
young Englishmen that rides up to the capitol, and
spatters their boots a little, to let you see how
nicely they are blacked.
God forgive me, I don’t just blame the parson
for all that took place, and I don’t think it fair that
he alone should bear the blame. It looks a sort of
run against the church, a kind of sectarian Unita-
rianism, that don’t read pretty. I did hear say
there was to be a kind of quarter day, and that
some new hands was to be brought to their assis-
tants; but I reckon they only bought a new broom
to sweep up the memorandums. Yet I thought,
a few days ago, that I saw a member, when he was
franking a bundle, look at it as iſ he could sign
As’t. P. M. Gen’I. mighty pretty. ~
Well, I believe I’ve writ enough about the post-
office, and will quit, else they will think I was on
the committee. -
Some people begin history in the middle, but as
I go my own gait, I’ll leave off there; and I may
204 coi. CRoCKETT's Tour.
just as well, for if all was to be wrote about the
post-office, I had better send out and buy a flock
of geese, for the double purpose of getting a supply
of quills and watching while I wrote; and yet I
suppose they would not cackle at an “old Roman,”
and I might be took up. -
Washington City, January 7, 1835.
HoN. DAVID CRoCKETT.
Dear Sir, We have learned, because you se-
cretly informed us, that you have declined permit-
ting your name to be used as a candidate for the
presidency of the United States, and that you have
addressed a letter to that effect, some time since,
to the committee of the convention of Mississippi,
by whom you were nominated for that high office.
Upon a private understanding between you and
ourselves, and a number of our friends, held in a
kind of caucus, it has been concluděd that we
should come out in a seeming open application for
a copy of your letter, pretending that it is import-
ant that your friends elsewhere, as well as in Mis-
sissippi, may have an early opportunity of turning
their attention to some other suitable person, but
really to give you an occasion to play off upon the
public one of your best efforts for effect, and to
keep up the humbuggery of the bank, gold cur-
rency, and all that sort of thing, so necessary to
blind the people, and keep our party together,
Yours, with great respect, -
- NICHOLAS BANKs, of Pennsylvania.
ANDREw J. BULLION, of Indiana.
THos. B. GoLDw1RE, of New-Hampshire.
MARTIN V. TrAsHMoMEy, of New York.
("OL. CROCKETT's TOUR. 205
Washington City, January 8, 1835.
Gentlemen, I send you a copy of the letter
you wish. It is not my wish to take advantage of
any body. I never said I cared about being presi-
dent now, and so I have writ to all my friends in
private letters, and when I talked about it I always
talked that way. As Mississippi was the first
state (and I expected it would be the last) that
nominated me for the “government,” I writ the
letter, and sent it there to be printed, to show that
I didn’t go off half cocked, and to keep people
from thinking that I had refused before I was
ready. But as I want another man elected in the
north, that I may have a sort of a plea to come in
next time myself from the south-west, and as I
see some people are going to try to hunt for them-
selves, and don’t seem to be after the same game
that I am, but are scouting all about to start other
sport, and seem to be barking up the wrong sap-
lińg, I want to blow ’em off, and put 'em on the
right trail. But as we understand each other, I
shan’t say any more, but just send you the letter,
and am glad you mean to publish it.'
Your friend,
DAVID CRoCKETT.
To the Committee. * *
Washington City, December 1, 1833.
Dear Sir, I suppose the democratic conven-
tion is in earnest in recommending me to be the
president of the United States. There is so much
trickery about that thing now-a-days, and so many
sham nominations, just to make people show their
hands, that I thought I would let you see that I
know a thing or two myself, before I stated how
thankful I am for your pitching on me for the pre-
sidency. But I am ºrg I don’t want the office
t
206 COI,. CRoCKETT's Tour.
just now—I’m after another thing, I’m a very
candid man; and when my mind is fixed upon a
matter, you might as well try to stop gunpowder
half blown up, as stop me. I can’t agree to be pre-
sident. - {-}. . .
The next election for president and vice goes
ahead of all the elections that ever took place in
America, except when Jefferson and the present,
“government” was elected. Them two beat all
creation, because they fought for the “democratic.
principle.” Now I should think the constitution
quite gone, unless the “democracy”—that is, our
side, all the office-holders in the country, and in
Washington city, and at New York, and every
where—carried the election in" 1836. To win
that election we must give item to one another.
We must hang together like a pitéh plaster to a bald
pate. No flying off—no thinking for ourselves.
One man must think for all. We musn’t have but
one candidate, and for that reason I won’t go upon
the list. I’ll be a “voter,” and this is a big cha- .
racter, able to shoulder a steamboat, and carry any
candidate that the caucus at Baltimore may set up
against the people, What’s the people to a caucus?
Nothing but a dead ague to an earthquake.
But, gentlemen, though I can’t take the ap-
pointment myself, I will tell you who can, and you
won’t have to persuade him long neither. He will
play shy at first, owing to his nature; but it ain’t
hard to bring him too. It is Mr. Martin Van Buren.
Perhaps you never heard of him before. He never ,
meddles in anybody’s business. I have known
him a long time, and I can assure you he is all
sorts of a great man. Where any other man has
one good quality he has lots. We didn’t set in the
same chair together more than two years, but fully
half that time he was either in my lap or I in his,
*
w
CO), (; it ()CRETT'S ToUR. - 207
exchanging compliments, so that I know him bet-
ter than a book, and can say, take him up one side
and down tºother, he is the most fitting man, nexí.
to General Jackson, for the president, of any man
that now hurrahs for hard money and the people.
The way he is a democrat, is a caution, all over.
He is dyed in the wool, through and through, and
comes as near to the red britches of Mr. Jefferson
as a new patch upon an old garment can be made.
As to ability, he himself don’t know how much he
knows; and if he don’t, who can
He aint like any other living cretur; he can’t be
attacked; fights just as well behind as before ; sees
as well one way as another. They say his life is
like a clean copy-book; there is not a blot in any
part of it; not a woºd nor letter scratched out, and
every i dotted; and every # crossed from one eend
to tºother. In his matral disposition he is as tame
as the present “government,” and will just suit to
come after it. The way his own state thinks of
him outshines the yellar jackets. They have been
stall-feeding him for twenty-two years, and have
got him as slick as an ingon. His state is the big-
gest in the union; has got two millions of people,
forty-two members in Congress, the longest canals,
the largest ships, more banks, smaller notes, less
cunning, and more honesty than any state in the
union, and has never had a president yet: a great
reason this for giving her one now, though she has
had three vice-presidents out of seven, besides
other high officers, from Alexander Hamilton down.
But ignorant people, with a glib sort of a tongue,
says, what has he done? They ought to ask, what
has he not done? I wouldn’t answer the first ques-
tion so far as the people is concerned; but for his
sake, I will tell you what he has done.. And not
to get ahead of my story, I will go back, to the
...}
208 (;OL. CROCKETTS TOUR.
time he began to be a politician. He set out with
this rule—never to choose sides till he found out
which was which ; and if he happened to make a
mistake, it was adthing to nobody, and things soon
got straight. He never was wrong in any dispute,
if either side was right; that is, he was always
right, unless both sides was wrong. He broke up
a whole legislature in New York, to support Mr.
Madison in the war, and threatened to turn him
out of his government, and put Mr. Clinton in ; but
failing in this, he turned over again, and tried to
break down Mr. Clinton in New York. All the
time he was for the war, he was making the people
believe Mr. Madison was not to be trusted; and
there has been pieces printed from his speeches,
and will be printed over, I suppose, showing how
he abused Mr. Madison’s government. Then he
praised Mr. Clinton, and afterwards turned right
round, and talked tº other way. He was all sorts
of a member in the New York legislature. He was
one of the litter of great men that was got by the
war out of the old United States Bank. He
took sides with his father, and went his death
against his mother. He was the very man for the
times; talk, write, fight, bring in bills, laugh, make
bows; draw state papers, which finally made the
federal party smell the patching that drove them
from the field in April, 1814. This was a rale New
Orleans scrape, and it was a long time before the
people at Washington found out which was the
biggest affair. But Mr. Van Buren always give
up that Orleans was the greatest. Now so much
for the question, what has he done? -
It is true, he voted for the tariff of 1828, “that
bill of abominations,” as it was then called, but he
was obliged to do that; his legislature instructed
him : but some have said that they-instructed him
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 209
by his own request; for his friends have boasted
that he has never seen the day, for the last ten
years, that he couldn’t make a New York legisla-
ture do as he wanted them. But this vote proves
what I said before. He went against the tariff at
home; called the Harrisburg convention, while it
was hatching this very tariff bill of 1828, a trick
and turn over to make a president, and then goes
to Congress and votes for it. Don’t this look like
a man can’t well be wrong that takes both sides 2
It looks a little curious that a man should go against
a measure at home, speak it in public, write agin
it, abuse it as a fraud and a trick, and get elected
under these circumstances, and then get the very
legislature that elects him to tell him to vote against
his own “graphic” speeches, and for a “measure
proceeding more from the closBT than from the
workshop.” This is the way he got the name of
a MAGICIAN : and it looks a good deal like it to a
man up in a tree.
Mr. Van Buren has been more scandalized than
any man in the world, not excepting Mr. Jeffer-
son. Everybody has combined against him. He
has never interfered with anybody at all. If it
hadn’t been for this, he would have been General
Jackson’s favourite, and he would have made him
his successor. But they poured so much poison in
the old man’s ears about his conduct against the
Seminoles, that he never could bear Van Buren
any more: and he, poor man! gave up his secre-
taryship, rather than have any fuss. He has never
complained; and bore it all like a Christian. Now,
some people have said that he was first for Craw-
ford, against Jackson and Jackson’s South Carolina
friends; and then he was for Adams; and finally,
he came in at the eleventh hour for Jackson, got
into-the nest of Jackson’s first and fast friends,
S 2
’210 col, CRoCKETT's Tour.
rooted 'em out, took their place; and they even
go so far as to say that he is the choice of General
Jackson for president. But this an’t so ; if it was,
it would make him look again a little like a magi-
C20,72.
He has been accused about the safety fund banks
in New York. Now, people don’t know any thing
about these banks. Mr. Van Buren has always
been in favour of “hard money;” and he always
obstinately refused to let any more than one hun
dred and fifty banks be chartered at one time in New
York; and then he said—and stood to it—they
should’nt issue notes lower than a quarter of a dol-
lar; for if they went for notes under that, it would
drive all the specie out of the country. And then,
again, he provided, that for every sixty-three dol-
lars issued in paper, there should be one dollar in
silver. But, not satisfied with making the notes
secure, by providing the above specie to take 'em
up, he said that if one bank failed, all the others
should make it good. Now, this is the safety fund
system of New York. These banks are all in a
league; and, to keep their privileges, and to keep
ºup one another, and to keep up their party, they
have a joint fund, that is always subject to party
purposes—to pay for votes, for treating, for travel-
ling, for printing; for handbills, and for every thing
that is necessary to carry an election, All this is ma-
naged at Albany, and is called the Albany Regency.
Now, by this system, New York has sound politics,
sound morals, and hard money. How can any-
body blame him for the safety fund banks 2
Then, too, he has gone with all his might against
the United States’ Bank; but is in favour of its
branches, if they will put 'em in New York. Bad
as that bank is, he wrote for one to be put up in
Utica; and his friends denied this, till they proved
&OL. C. ROCKETT'S TOUR. 21 l
it upon him by his letter; and because they hap-
pened to forget about his trying to get this branch.
His enemies want to make out that he rows one
way and looks another: and this is the kind of
proof that is to make a man a double-dealer! a ma
gician! --
They call him non-committal, too, and this is
because he always looks before he leaps. They
say he never gives the measure of his foot. Now
how can this be, when it is shown that he speaks
against the Tariff at home, and votes for it in Con-
gress; goes for internal improvement by the ge-
neral government in New York, but against it out
of it; goes against the Bank at Philadelphia, but
in favour of it at Utica; goes for all the candidates
for president in turn, Jackson last, notwithstanding
which they say he is in higher favour there now
than those that began before him. Went for the
war, but went against Madison; wanted to turn
out Madison and put in Clinton, and then turned
Clinton out from the little office he held in New
York. Goes for gold and hard money, and has
more rag money in his state than all the other
states put together. Call you this non-committal P
As well may you call the fingers of a watch non-
committal, that goes regular round to every figure
on its face.
I have gone through what they say against Mr.
Van Buren, and now I must speak about our stick-
ing together; every thing for Van Buren, nothing
for nobody else—that is, nothing for Judge White;
for, to tell you the truth, the whole of this letter is
just intended to keep the people from opening their
eyes. Some very good. bonest Jacksonmen are
foolish enough to think they ought to have an
opinion of their own, and talk about it quite grave.
The words “magician,’ ‘little magician,’ ‘non-
212 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. "
committal,’ ‘safety fund,’ ‘Albany regency,” “New
York tactics,” and “such like, have been named so
often, they begin to think there is something in it,
and say, where there is so much smoke there must
be fire; or, as we hunters used to say, where there
is so much sign there must be game. Now Mr.
Van and me, and the men that wrote to send 'em
this letter to be published, and a good many of our
folks, have all got together, and we think by
making a great rush upon these free-thinkers, we
can whip ’em back into the party, and make 'em
stand up to their rack, fodder or no fodder. This
letter is all for that purpose. I know, and we all
know, that one-half of it isn’t true, and the other
is trash. My friends said to me, your name sounds
big, and if you come out and make believe that you
don’t want to be president, and talk about demo-
cracy, aristocracy, Jefferson, Madison, Crawford,
persecution, the war, the bank, gold currency, hard
money, but, above all, Jackson and the battle of
New Orleans, and then hurra for union, harmony,
concession, Van Buren, and the great state of New
York; the seceders will tack and run back into the
democratic republican fold, which means the Van
Buren fold.
You must take notice that I am slabb’d off from
the election, and am nothing but a “voter;” and
this gives me the right to dictate to the rest, and
to tell them that I have no concern but to keep the
democratic party united. Shallow-headed men
won’t see into this, and then I can go on to say
you ought to elect Mr. Van Buren, because he is
from the North. If we can keep things straight
till we do this, the next time the president must
come from the Southwest; and then, where do"I
stand? By that time the party will be so well
'drilled that they will take anybody the party says
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 213
.* - ?
they must take ; and, in the mean time, I think I
can cry Bank! Bank! Monster! Corruption! Gold!
Hard-money! Democracy! and all that; so that,
if you will recommend me then, I’ll be your man
If White should be elected now, that will be two
presidents from the Southwest; and then I can’t
possibly get in. But take Van Buren, and by the
time his term is up, J udge White will never be in
ºny way. It is true, Judge White is as good a
Jeffersonian as Martin Van Buren, but no better ;
and besides, he shouldered his musket, and fought
bravely through the last war, (to say more might
look like envy.) But if we elect him, it will be
greedy—look like we wanted all the presidents.
It would break up the democratic party, set all the
states together by the ears, and place the country
in the frightful situation in which it was situated
when Virginia gave us four democratic presidents
—three hand-running. It won’t do. Let the next
president come from the North; and then I go
with all my heart for a Southwest president, the
time after; and that president shall be myself.
Hoping that you will not forget me eight years
hence, and that we can keep the people from think-
ing for themselves against a caucus nomination,
I am, your fellow citizen,
DAVID CRoCKETT.
On the aforegoing I make no remarks. Poste-
rity will do me justice. -
& * w" fººm-ºº-ººs t
Coming into the house one morning, I heard the
clerk reading, “Resolved, that in all elections for
officers, &c. of this house, &c. &c., the same shall
be viva voce.” Where did that come from ? From
2] 4 CoL. CRoCKETT's TOUR.
Illinois; and by whom * Governor Reynolds. I’ll
bet six rounds of powder that Blair wrote the words
down—that’s him. Well, if the Jackson men can
bear that, we will see the cat and nine tails brought
in here before long. Glorious confession for him
Straws show how the wind drives. He’s scared;
can’t trust his men; afraid they won’t stand up to
the rack. Give him rope. Don’t put him to the
trouble of sending all round the country for certi-
ficates to prove that he was elected again.
I tell you, reader, it was a Jackson-Van-Blair
trap; and if they can get it to work, every mother’s
son of them will have to vote with the fear of An-
drew Jackson before his eyes, and woe be to him
that thinks and acts for himself. Farewell presi-
dential favours, farewell presidential dinners,
Globe puffs, and all.
Who doubts that this was the object. Glorious
confession, I repeat; not enough of Van-Burenism
in this house to elect his printer, or at least they
fear it ! ! If the election is not so determined, de-
pend on it Blair is routed. We’ll see how the gan-
der hops before the session is over.
Reader, I told you some time ago, for I’ve been
a good while getting this far, that if you did not
hear before, I would tell you some news. Hugh
Lawson White is a candidate for the presidency,
and can’t be bought off, and they know it. His
steel is too pure for them to think of bending him;
the atmosphere that surrounds him keeps off all
busy bodies. The people have called, and are call-
COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR. 215
ing him out, and he has put himself into their
hands. The Van-Burenites are cut to the quick.
The work is going on too well for their comfort,
and yet they dare not attack him. He has been
considered, and justly praised by them as the no-
blest work of God—an honest man. What are
they to do? Hang off, and try to throw their cause
upon his kind feelings; persuade him that if he
runs, he will cause defeat to the Jackson party, and
an anti will be elected. Thank heaven we are
nearly done with that word Jackson party, and
are about to form an American parly, deep-rooted
in the affections, and honour, and honesty of the
American people.
Every body has heard of Lawrence shooting, or
attempting to shoot at the president. This of it-
self was a horrible affair ; and every man in the
nation must have shuddered when he heard that
the president of the United States escaped, as it
were, by a miracle, from the hands of a madman,
and that the assault should have been made upon
the occasion of his attending a funeral. One would
have thought that in the gratitude which ought to
have been poured forth to God for his preserva-
tion, every thing like personal animosity would
have been quiet, and that no one would have been
implicated without “confirmation, strong as proof
from holy writ.” Poor human nature; the man
will show himself, let “Providence” do as he may
Who said it’s a damn’d Poindexter plot ? Let
those gentlemen who were around him, and who
216 COL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
2.
endeavoured to quiet him, say. The world is
made ap of rumours. Thus the cue was given.
Some of you may have seen the proceedings; some
may not.
Certain dirty dogs, calculating that nothing
would be more acceptable to the president than
affidavits that Governor Poindexter was concerned
in this affair, by hook and by crook made out to
get two, and put them in his possession. He kept
them in his pocket, and showed them to every
body, for a number of days. This circumstance
clearly convinced me that General Jackson did not
believe what these fellows swore, and only used
them for effect against Poindexter. For I ask any
man, the humblest individual in the country, if he
had in his possession two affidavits which he be-
lieved were from credible witnesses, that a cer-
tain person was seen, under suspicious circum-
stances, in company with a man who had made an
attempt on his life, whether he would not lay them
instantly before the first justice he could find, and
have him arrested ; or at all events, that he would
have kept them quiet until he had exhausted every
effort to procure additional proof. But this was
not done. It did not serve the purpose in one re-
spect, and it failed in another. It is believed by
Governor Poindexter and many of his friends, that
they intended to keep the thing snug among the
initiated until after the 3d of March, and then ar-
rest him ; or to send them, before him, to Missis-
sippi, where, it is known, the election for Senator is
still undecided.
COL, CROCKETT’S TOUR. 217
Fortunately for the Governor, there was a leaky
member, and Dutee J. Pearce, of Rhode Island,
thought it too good to keep. Poindexter heard of
it, and with the proud bearing of an innocent man,
he threw himself upon the protection of his fellow
senators, and challenged the high dignitary to the
investigation. What was the result of it? The
whole amounted to this. Coltman, a man who had
fattened on contracts about the president’s house,
&c. &c. hearing of the exclamation as above men-
tioned, procured one man to swear, who is so con-
stantly intoxicated as to be stupified, and another
whose character is so notoriously bad, that no one
but General John P. Van Ness, president of the
pet metropolis bank, and president of the famous,
or rather infamous central committee, would be-
lieve him on oath. The report of the committee
of the senate was unanimous, and the vote of the
senate was also unanimous, that “not a shade of
suspicion rested on Governor Poindexter,” and so
ended this matter.
Just at this time I thought of annexing a letter
which I received from the rale Major Jack, as
follows : -
Letter to Col. David Croekett, at Washington.
Portland, away down east, in the state of Maine, Feb. 6, 1835.
Dear Col. Crockett, I have heard of you a
great deal, lately, and read considerable of your
writings; and I feel pretty considerable well ac-
quainted with you. And I suppose you know a
little something about # wo ; for a little while
218 Col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
ago I had orders from Washington to send you
five copies of my gazette. I have heard of a man
at a tavern calling for two boot-jacks; and I don’t
know but that was natural enough, for a man has
two feet; but how in natur you could contrive to
read five of my papers at once, I couldn’t make
out. But, howsomever, they say you can do most
anything, when you set out; so I spose it’s all right.
Now, I’m thinking we ought to be better ac-
quainted; so I thought I would set down and write
you a few lines, and try to scrape acquaintance a
little. They say our names and our writings have
gone pretty much all over the Gineral’s kingdom,
and folks begin to think considerable of us. And
you being away off there in the western country,
and I here away down east, who knows, if we
should put our heads together, how much we could
do towards keeping the government strait, and
making things go along well ? Somebody must
“go ahead,” and look after these matters, to keep
down nullification, and take care of the Gineral
when he gets into his tantrums, and keep the great
democratic party from splitting in tu ; and if we
a don’t do it, who will? Now, in order to keep
things going on as they had ought to, I want you
to take hold and write your notions about things
in my gazette. I send my gazettes all over the
country, into every state, and every territory that’s
under the Gineral’s government; and some of the
states away off there in your quarter takes a good
many of ’em ; so whatever you send to me to put
into my paper, will be scattered all round the lot.
Col. CRoCKETT's Tour. 219
Besides taking care of the government and poli-
tics, and the like of that, I want you to tell us
“down-easters” all about that great western coun-
try, where you and the Gineral and Mr. Clay
spring from. You know it’s an old saying, that
one half of the world don’t know how tº other half
lives; and I want you to tell us all about the great
prairies and the rivers, and the land, and how you
hunt buffaloes and bears and catamounts ; and
what sort of houses you live in, and how you farm
it, and what you live on, and how you cook it,
and all that ; and how you carry on election-
eering matters, and what is the best way in your
quarter to keep the democratic parties from split-
tin apart. So, you see, I’ve laid out work enough
for you to fill a letter once a week, from now till
Congress meets next fall. But I hope you will take
hold and do it, and I will do as much for you any time.
Is’pose Congress will be about ready to break
up when you get this letter, and you’ll be in a
hurry to start for home ; but I hope you’ll get time
to write a few lines before you leave Washington,
just to let me know how my plan strikes you.
And if you could find a chance at some stopping-
place on the road as you are going home, to send
me a little bit of a letter and tell me how you get
along, I should be monster glad.
“P. S. How does your book go? Mine went
off like a stream of chalk along in the first of it,
till they got off about ten thousand; then the pub-
lishers met with some botheration in their business,
and didn’t print any more. But I’m in hopes
220 col, CRoCKETT's TOUR.
they’ll get a-going again this spring. I can’t get
hold of one of yourn yet; but I must have one, if
I have to send clear to York city for it.
“Please give my love to all the western folks,
and tell 'em if I live to get rich enough I mean to
come and see.’em. * 2. '
“I remain your sincere and loving friend,
* MAJoR JACK DownTNg.”
“Nota Bene. P. S. What do you think of the
French war? and if I send to York for your book,
and would send cousin Bige on for your new gun,
wouldn’ you lend it to me and uncle Josh a spell,
to fight with ? -
Maj’r. J. D. till death.”
Now as this was asking a good deal from a mem-
ber of Congress, I could not but think that the
major knew his own standing pretty well; but
still I did not. So I applied to a friend, if he could
inform me about the major’s family and so on, and
how he come by his title. “Why,” says he, “I
don’t; but there is your friend , who knows
all about them old families, and histories, and all
that.” Well, I asked him. “O, yes,” says he,
he’s come of a old family, and I have no doubt but
his commission has come regular. He’s out of old
Captain Downing, of New-Hampshire, who was
an officer long before the old war.” “How do
you know that?” says I. “Why,” says he, “I’ve
a copy of his commission; and, if you will allow me,
I’ll furnish you with one, and you can send it to
him, as I question much if he has ever seen it him-
CoL. CROCKETT's Tour. 221
self.” Says I, “Major is such a modest man he’ll
be ashamed to publish his pedigree; and as I like
to do people good before they know it, if you give
it to me I’ll put it in my book, and then every
body will see it.” So here it is.
By his Excellency Jonathan Belcher, Esq., Gov’r. and
Command’r. In Chief, in and over His Majesty's Pro-
vince of New Hamp’r. in New England.
To Mr. John Downing, Gentleman, Greeting: I Do, by
these Presents Authorize and Impower you to Enlist a troop
in Col. H. Sherburne's Regm’t out of ye foot Companys of
Militia, in Portsmouth, Greenland, Newington, and Strea-
tham, north in ye said Province, in as near a proportion as
- may be with Conveniency and the warr’t. heretofore granted
to Cap't. Rich'd. Wibird, Esq., for ye like purpose, and
any enlistments made by him in pursuance thereof is hereby
superseded and vacated, and the Persons whom ye shall
Enlist as troopers (not exceeding sixty-five in ye whole num-
ber) shall be discharged from any military service as foot
souldiers from ye time of their enlisting, you immediately
certifying under your hand to the Col. of ye Regiment who
they are and to what Companys they did belong, yt yr re-
spective Captains may be notify'd thereof. And for your
so doing this shall be your warrant. Given under my hand
and seal of Arms, this 1st. day of March, 1733-4.
So you see the major has good blood in him, for
the governor certifies under his hand and seal that
his grandfather was a gentleman, a hundred years
ago; and I have no doubt that the major's com-
mission was willed to him by his grandfather; and
indeed, the only thing that made me doubt about his
gentleman blood was the picture in his book; he
is there placed over the head of his own uncle, as
T 2
222 CoL. CRoCKETT's Tour.
*
if he had begot old Joshua and the deacon, and the
deacon’s darter too; the latter might be true, and
this may be the reason why Van stuck to her at
the frolic; to get the major, who no doubt has a
warm side for his own get, to drop a little saft corn
in the gineral’s plate. Let him alone for sticking .
to a partner, even if it shouldn’t be nothing more
than the gineral’s coat tail. -
As I am now relating the occurrences of the day,
I thought to myself that the best way, and to show
good breeding, was to answer the major right off
the reel. This made me think a little as to how
it was to be done: so I hit on this plan. To write
out the whole, and then hire some chap to put it
into “Down East” language, because I did not
wish to be miscomprehended: there is enough of
this fuss here betwixt Forsyth and the French
minister, deceased. So I thought I would sign the
translation and keep the original. We struck a
pretty keen bargain, but at last agreed that if he
would translate the letter and give me a copy to
keep, I’d give him a copy of my book, and put
his sweetheart’s name on the outside, in gold let-
ters, into the bargain. In the course of a few days
I sent the following letter: .
Letter from Col. David Crockett, of Crocketts, Gibson
county, Tennessee, to Major Jack Downing, away down
there East, at Portland, in the state of Maine. -
March the 4th, in the year of our Lord 1835.
DEAR MAJon Downing, -
Your kind hetter tu me, of the 26th of February
last past, come quite safe, ony a little tore in the
COL. CROCKET"T'S TOUR. 223
male; but it warn’t unlegibul. Afore I begin
much, I must tell you of what I’ve did about you.
I’ve put you in my book, and showed clean up
that you was a natral born soger; and now, no one
on 'em, I’spose, will deny your rights to advise
the gineral. And I give you my word of honour,
that the commission, as published, is ginnewine;
so you may cut it out, and put it in a frame, and
folks’ll think you’re one of the Cinsinayti. You
say you’ve red a pretty considerable of my writins,
and that’s a high compliment tu me; for I like
gentlemen tu read my writins, as then I’m sure tu
be coated right. You’ll see from my second book
that I’m now writin, that I wus a considerable of
a streak down East; but I did not like tu go tu
see you jist yet, for if folks had a seen me and you
at the same time in Portland, they’d a took it for
granted that we wus ordered by the gineral to settle
your boundary line by force of millitary tick-tacks;
so I sacrificed my private wishes for the good and
quiet ov your state, and I want you to tell 'em so.
I think, howsomever, we can know one another
right easy. It don’t take me long to get acquainted
with a man nor a woman neither; and you are too
long a soger to hang back.
Major, I’ll tell you what, the people ov these
United States an’t no slouches neither, about books.
They’re as keen-in a findin out merrit as my pups
are on a bear track. I’m delighted to hear you
say how slick your book run; and as to mine, I
went onct tu see 'em printin, and by the livin jin
T 3
224 COL. CROCKETT’S TOUR.
goes, they were a workin of it off on a cast iron
press, and told me nothin else would’nt stand it,
they had to work so hard and so fast. That’s what
I like: you an mé an’t like some of these old book-
makin codgers that’s so long pow-wowin over a
book, that they go to work and raise their own
sheep, to make the kivers of the books, and barter
their own rags with the paper maker. If my book,
that I’m now writin, that’s my tower, don’t put
things to rights, I’ll take you up, and by dovetailin.
of our notions, we’ll try and keep kongress tu the
mark, and the gineral likewise, which would be
pretty midlin sort o' hardish, unless you can coax
little Van to come tu Maine, and make him guv-
nor, and git him tu rite out some rools for a colony
to settle on the disputed territory. They could
live there to all time, under the non-committal
code, certain. Iph some of the likes ov this an’t
done, nobody can’t keep “the party” from split-
tin not only in tu, but in slivers. You see how
hard me and Benton had to beg oph. Then comes
White, and Van Buren, and Webster, and Harri-
son, and a number of others, two teedious tu men-
tion, that’s playin the very devil with the demo-
crats. Emmons, to-bee-sure, in his history of the
Siamese politicians, says, the last thing he saw of
Van Buren, a big eagle had him, holdin him in his
neb, body and breeches, on top of a high tree!
Wonder why Emmons did’nt say iff he ax’d the
eagle to do so; or whether, like the pictur called .
the a Po Theosis of Gineral Washington, a slappin
coſ, CRoCKETT's Tour. 225
big angel has him under the armpits, and the old
gentleman is a kickin like a man. g
But, major, I tell you what, as you’re a friend
of mine, I do sort to seem to think that the old
gineral thinks as iph he lays down “his govern-
ment,” it’ll all go to smashes; and rather than hurt
us all, he’ll agree to hang on for third heat: but
you needn’t tell nobody, for fear the old man would
get mad angry, and break his pipe, and cuss me
hard ; and he has done so much at this a-ready that
if I hadn’t a bin oath-proof, he’d a blode me up
slick, long ago.
Van don’t like to carry old Richard Mentor on
his shoulders, neither; and yit he’s plaguy feared
that if he’d desart the old soger, some of his cum-
rades would stay behind; so between both on ’em,
old Mentor must be tuck up.
One thing, major, I hope you’ll not forgit when
you write to me; it is this: when you was with
the gineral, and he hadn’t on the glorification
specs, nor wasn’t cussin the sinnat, did he ever
tell you what he sort a thought of little Van, and
whether he did or didn’t predetermine war on the
French, so as ony tu have 'em half kinder licked
by nixt election, so as to git stayin in till he licked
’em cumplete. Answer it flat, like a man.
I’ll now answer one mother question about what’s
the best way of keepin the democratic party in
my quarter from splittin. Hoist the White flag—
if it an’t, may I be shot. Blair is out upon him
aready; but hereabouts, all hands have put him and
226 col. CRoCKETT's TOUR.
Isaag Hill in the same committee of the hole, and
nobody won’t take 'em up to consider 'em. Blair
is so mad about the White-men not agreein tu vote
for him, that he’s goin to handle us; and God
knows that’ll make us black enough. He’s used
up, certin; and if any man can give stronger proof.
that there’s a majority agin Van in the House of
Representatives, I should like tu know it. Long
afore this, I writ that the viva vocy election of
printer wouldn’t pass; and it did not. They
couldn’t whip ’em hard enough tu cum to the
rack; but I had my eye on one that would a liked
right well to a voted for Blair, iph he could have
slipped in his vote: but as I don’t tell no tails out
of school, so I pointed him out to some of his col-
leeges that'll take care of him, I guess. s
But, major, it’s a harder thing to keep members,
in this here place, together, than most o’ people
thinks for. There’s so many things to take them
off of the fair track; so many promises of this and
that and the tother thing, which nobody has to
give, and what every one expects; it minds me of
old Ethan Allen, when a British colonel told him
if he would join the British and quit the rebels, he
would make him a British Colonel. “Sir,” said
the invincible patriot, “you remind me of the offer
of the devil when he took our Saviour up to the
top of a high mountain, and offered him all the
kingdoms of the earth, which were before him,
if he would fall down and worship him, when the
poor son of a bitch of a devil did not own a foot
of land in creations.” s
*
Col. CROCKETT's Tour, 227
You ax me, major, about huntin of Buffaloe, and
other yarmints in my part of the country. I don’t
know exackly what you mean. I’ve heard of an
old lady down east, who said they was agoin to
put a buffaloe on top of their church. Now we
don’t hunt them thare things in our country; but
iph they’ll turn out a cupilo on four legs, we’ll run
him down. Mistakes will happen: so says I,
“Adonijah, kin you write a Dutch story P’’—
“Well,” says he tu me, “Detch is perty considera-
ble hardish; but iph you’ll write, I’ll copy.” It
was only a mistake about words, like the buffaloe
of the old lady. A motion was made to consider
a bill in a certain legislature, to organise the mili-
tia. So an old gentleman got up, and said, “Chin.
tlemen oft dis house, un mistur schpeaker, I’ll not
wote for tis pill, unt I’ll not secund de motion.
When I was a leetle poy, town in Tulpahockin, we
had sich a churgh made off woot, and dare we sing,
un bray, un worship te Lort, cruel nice : well den
dadies unt mamies will git rich, und den dey will
git broud, and so dey will puild a bick stone
churgh, ant so dey git richer un richer still, un
brouder un brouder yet, un den dey’ll git Jake
Wooleslagle, un sent him down tu Philtelphy, un
larn him to blay on one of dem wistlin dings; un
so Jake he’ll cum up un pring one of dem wit im,
den it will pe put up by te hine ent of de churgh;
un when he pegin tu blay un sing—it's nopody
sings mit his mouth—putjist Jake blays; so I don’t
dink dat we worship de Lord so goot now as pe-
T 4 - - -
228 CO},. CROCRETT’S TOUR.
fore; un so I pelieve mit de meleeshe; I dimir te
trum unt fife is anough for dem, mitout organs.”
The t'other parts of your letter tu me I’ll leave
onanswered, exceptin your nota beeny about my
gun; and I’ll say this, that if I can’t use her my-
self, nor none of my sons, there is no man, from
the Muscle Shoals to Passamaquoddy, that I’d
obleege with her sooner nor Major Downing; but
it appears tu me, major, that if the mounsheers do
come over to fight us, the first push they’d make
would be at Tennessee, because no other place
don’t wish to fight 'em ; and I blieve, if the fit was
onct off of him, the old hero would not neither.
Howsumever, iph they do come, we’ll fight em
like pison.”
So no more at this present writin; ony give my
best compliments to your uncle, and don’t forget
for to tell the deakin's darter that Mr. Van Buren-
still brags that he show’d her, as he has done many
others, how tu shuffle.
These from your friend and well-wisher,
DAVID CRoCKETT.
# Iph I send my gun to the French war, I’ll send you the
song we used tu- sing when we fit the Ingins. Beginning
this way, and so forth :
You sogers brave from Tennessee,
I’d have you for to know,
That for to fight the enemee,
O We're going for to go, &c. &c.
COL. CRoCKETT's Tour. 229
What a long letter that is; but when one’s writ-
ing to learned men, you must show off a little; and
now that it’s done, I’ll go back a little to what was
done in and about the breaking up of Congress.
In the first place, I assure you, but very little
business was done during the whole session; not
more than one half the number of bills passed that
are usually acted on ; and, at a venture, without
counting, I should say, we left four hundred bills
unacted on, a great proportion of which was pri-
vate claims; and while I am on this subject, I’ll
give you my opinion about what Congress ought
to do with these private claims; for it’s a sin and
a shame, that honest men can’t get their rights, but
have to spend one half of their money to get the
other. In the first place, you must recollect, that
it’s all a one-sided piece of business altogether.
*When you have a claim on an individual, you can
force him to do you justice; but it is not so with
Congress. With as just a demand in your pocket
as ever was between man and man, you may hang
on for years, and for want of some paper, or want
of time, or absence of a member who may have it in
charge, you are kept out of it, even with the best
intention of Congress to pay it.
Now I would propose a plan that would be sim-
ple, and to my mind, efficacious. Let three com-
missioners be appointed, of high character, and
give them good salaries, so that they could be had,
as in your Supreme court. To them let all these
claims be presented, and let them decide on all
230 COL. CROCKETT'S TOUR.
cases, absolutely, that did not exceed a given sum,
say five or ten thousand dollars; and for all such
claims decided on, let them make an estimate of
appropriation once a year, and let Congress vote
the money as other appropriations are made, and
so once in twelve months there would be power in .
Congress to review, if they thought proper, the
proceedings of these commissioners. On all claims,
over and above the limited sum, let their reports
be made to Congress for their confirmation or re-
jection, and thus a control would be kept in small
and great claims. And if a claim was once rejected
by them, it should never be again re-heard, unless
some pertinent additional evidence was brought
forward. Something of this kind would relieve
Congress from its most oppressive business, and
instead of being, as it now is, a kind of justice’s
court, it would have time to devote all attention to
the great national concerns, and the long sessions
would be broken up. There are many other con-
siderations which might be urged, but this is not
the proper place. These suggestions are thrown
out in hopes that they may meet the eye of some
one who could mature the plan, and test it before
the Congress.
How did it happen, you will say, that so little
business was done last session. I’ll tell you. In
the first place, we have a very bad practice of
breaking up in the early part of the session, after
sitting from two to two hours and a half, instead
of four. In the next place, by the rules of the
COL. CROCſ (ETT’S TOUR. “ 231
house, Friday and Saturday of each week are set
apart for private bills; but for many weeks we
never sit on Saturday, and sometimes not on Fri-
day, so that for many weeks often, nothing is done
with private claims by the house, although the
committees may have piled our tables with bills,
as they often do; and besides this, there is on the
part of some members an open hostility to all
claims, as if all our petitioners were dishonest
scoundrels, and many obstacles are thrown in their
way; and I have heard them say, what I thought
was mighty hard towards the poor fellows whose
claims were under discussion, and the papers had
been printed for months, and on their tables, “I
have not examined this case; I want time to do so;
I move to lay it on the table.” Down it goes, and
there’s an end of it; for a hundred to one that he
never looks at it again. ./ -
Further, by the rules of the house, a certain hour
puts an end to the discussion of resolutions and
original motions. Well, a member gets up, and
on a resolution begins a debate; others take part,
and perhaps when just about to get the question,
the speaker has to say the hour has elapsed, and so
on. Next morning, the report published in the
newspapers inspires some other member or mem-
bers with a desire to enlighten the house, or from
any other motive, either for foreign or domestic
consumption, he fires away, to the great entertain-
ment of himself, and to the great annoyance of the
232 Col. CROCKETT's Tour.
house. These and a thousand similar difficulties
are thrown in the way of private claims.
All these obstructions, however, might have
been surmounted, if it had not been for the French
war question. Now, as it was considered politi-
cally certain that we were not to have war, it was
the finest occasion in the world for folks to look
wise and patriotic, and Indian like, “Velly much
big man me, little Johnny me !”
What put the cap-stone to all action of the
house, was the fortification bill. It was intended
to make what we call “a rush” upon the senate,
and the three millions was tacked on to it for the
purpose of feeding the vanity of Andrew Jackson,
and if it passed, for feeding divers hungry and
needy hangers on ; three millions stuck to an
amendment of the senate, without being asked for
by the president or secretary of war, or anybody
else, that had authority or responsibility. I be-
lieve it was done with intent to kill the bill ; yet
still the senate did their duty. After ten o’clock,
they agreed, on conference, to eight hundred thou-
sand dollars of it, and passed upon it ready for the
president’s signature. . *
Now it is all nonsense for Mr. Cambreleng or
any one else to say, that any business whatever, or
any gentleman whatever, would not have given
way for him to have made his report; and cer-
tainly, as every one knows, five minutes would have
done the whole. Truth is a jewel. Martin Van
col. CRoCKETT's Tour 233
2.
Buren, vice-president of the United States, who,
as matter of economy and private revenge, had,
a few minutes before, given the casting vote against
supplying the new members of the Senate with a
few books to be bought of Gales and Seaton, stopped
Mr. Cambreleng in the House of Representatives,
he (Mr. Van) having vacated his seat in the Senate,
pro tempore, when Mr. C. was on his way to his seat
to make his report. What the conference was no
one knows, but one other individual. Mr. C. took
his seat, and made no effort to make report of the
conference with the Senate committee; and when
called on, gave that for an excuse which never
operated on him before, as can be proven by dozens
of members, for he has sat till sunrise on other oc-
casions; and though not exactly on the last day,
yet by the rules of the House, it was the last day
for business, and twelve o’clock had no terrors for
him. It was boldly chasged home by General
Barringer, of North Carolina, who offered to name
names; but they quailed under his proffer, and did
not demand them.
Yes, my countrymen, I have no doubt but the
whole thing was concerted; and thus your cities
are to be left unprotected, your fortifications go to
decay, your honest contractors to be ruined; and,
mark what I say, tens of thousands of dollars must
be paid in damages to your contractors, for sus-
pending their operations on the public works; and
all because the vengeance of the powers that be
234 Col. CRoCKETT's Tour.
*
were thus to be attempted to be inflicted on the
Senate. - . -
All won’t do; the country will see through it,
and stamp their disapprobation on such under-hand
wire-working schemes.
I have brought up at the close of the twenty-
third Congress. Before we meet again—and, as
John Gilpin said, “may I be there to see”—
strange things will have turned up; many, that
will bring terror and dismay to the evil-disposed;
nothing, to him whose heart is set on the good of
his country, but who, under all circumstances, as-
sumes as his own motto, and cheers every virtuous
heart with his exhortation,
“Go AHEAD.”
THERE is one thing I had clean forgot: I have
promised to write the lºfe of the Magician of the
North–Little Pan; and I’ll do it: and if, when
you read it, you don’t say I’ve used him up, I’m
mistaken—that’s all.
THE END.
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