Beacon Lights of History, Volume 12

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Beacon Lights of History,
Volume 12

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by John Lord
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Title: Beacon Lights of History, Volume XII
Author: John Lord
Release Date: January 8, 2004 [eBook #10647]
Language: English
Character set encoding: iso-8859-1
***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK BEACON
LIGHTS OF HISTORY, VOLUME XII***
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LORD'S LECTURES
BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY, VOLUME XII
AMERICAN LEADERS.
BY JOHN LORD, LL.D.,
AUTHOR OF "THE OLD ROMAN WORLD," "MODERN
EUROPE," ETC., ETC.

PUBLISHERS' PREFACE.
The remarks made in the preface to the volume on "American
Founders" are applicable also to this volume on "American Leaders."
The lecture on Daniel Webster has been taken from its original position
in "Warriors and Statesmen" (a volume the lectures of which are now
distributed for the new edition in more appropriate groupings), and
finds its natural neighborhood in this volume with the paper on Clay
and Calhoun.
Since the intense era of the Civil War has passed away, and
Northerners and Southerners are becoming more and more able to take
dispassionate views of the controversies of that time, finding honorable
reasons for the differences of opinion and of resultant conduct on both
sides, it has been thought well to include among "American Leaders" a
man who stands before all Americans as the chief embodiment of the
"cause" for which so many gallant soldiers died--Robert E. Lee. His
personal character was so lofty, his military genius so eminent, that
North and South alike looked up to him while living and mourned him
dead. His career is depicted by one who has given it careful study, and
who, himself a wounded veteran officer of the Union army, and
regarding the Southern cause as one well "lost," as to its chief aims of
Secession and protection to Slavery, in the interest of civilization and
of the South itself, yet holds a high appreciation of the noble man who

is its chief representative. The paper on "Robert E. Lee: The Southern
Confederacy," is from the pen of Dr. E. Benjamin Andrews, Chancellor
of the University of Nebraska.
NEW YORK, September, 1902.

CONTENTS.
ANDREW JACKSON.
PERSONAL POLITICS.
Early life of Jackson Studies law Popularity and personal traits Sent to
Congress A judge in Tennessee Major-general of militia Indian fighter
and duellist The Creek war Tecumseh Massacre at Fort Mims Jackson
made major-general of the regular army The Creek war At Pensacola
At Mobile At New Orleans The battle of New Orleans Effect of his
successes The Seminole war Jackson as governor of Florida Senator in
Congress President James Monroe President John Quincy Adams
Election of Jackson as president Jackson's speeches Cabinet The
"Kitchen Cabinet" System of appointments The "Spoils System"
Hostile giants in the Senate Jackson's opposition to tariffs Financial
policy The democracy hostile to a money power War on the United
States Bank Nicholas Biddle Isaac Hill and Secretary Ingham
Opposition to the re-charter of the bank The President's veto Removal
of deposits Jackson's high-handed measures The mania for speculation
"Pet Banks" Commercial distress Nullification Sale of public lands
John C. Calhoun The president's proclamation against the nullifiers
Compromise tariff Morgan and anti-masonry Private life of Jackson
His public career Eventful administration
HENRY CLAY.
COMPROMISE LEGISLATION.
Birth and education Studies law Favorite in society Settles in Lexington,
Ky. Absorbed in politics Marriage; personal appearance Member of

Congress Speaker of the House Advocates war with Great Britain His
speeches Comparison with Webster Peace commissioner at Ghent
Returns to Lexington Re-elected speaker The tariff question The tariff
of 1816 The charter of the United States Bank Beginning of slavery
agitation Beecher in England, on cotton as affecting slavery The
Missouri question Clay as a pacificator Internal improvements Greek
struggle for liberty Tariff of 1824 The "American system" The cotton
lords Clay's aspirations for the presidency His competitors Clay
secretary of state for Adams Jackson's administration Clay as orator His
hatred of Jackson The tariff of 1832 The compromise tariff of 1833
Clay again candidate for the presidency Political disappointments
Bursting of the money bubble Harrison's administration Repeal of the
Sub-Treasury Act Slavery agitation Annexation of Texas under Polk
Clay as pacificator of slavery agitation John C. Calhoun Anti-slavery
leaders Passage of Clay's compromise bill of 1850 Fugitive-slave law
Clay's declining health Death Services Character
DANIEL WEBSTER.
THE AMERICAN UNION.
General character and position of Webster Birth and early life Begins
law-practice;