Beacon Lights of History, Volume 12: American Leaders

Part 1

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; enters Congress His legal career His oratory Congressional services; finance Industrial questions Defender of the Constitution Reply to Hayne of South Carolina Webster's ambition His political relations to the South The antislavery agitation Webster's 7th of March Speech His loyalty to the Constitution and the Union His political errors Greatness and worth of his career His death His defects of character His counterbalancing virtues Permanence of his ideas and his fame

JOHN C. CALHOUN.

THE SLAVERY QUESTION.

Rapid Rise of Calhoun Education; lawyer; member of Congress Early speeches His enlightened mind Secretary of war Condition of the South Calhoun's dislike of Jackson The tariff question Bears heavily on the South Calhoun a defender of Southern interests Nullification The tariff of 1832 Clay's compromise bill Jackson's war on the bank Calhoun in the Senate His detestation of politics as a game Lofty private life Early speeches The original abolitionists Radicalism Northern lecturers Calhoun's foresight Calhoun as logician Southern view of slavery Anti-slavery agitation Slavery in the District of Columbia John Quincy Adams and anti-slavery petitions Southern opposition to them Clay on petitions Violence of the abolitionists Misery of the slaves Admission of Michigan and Arkansas into the Union Triumphs of the South Growth of the abolitionists "Dough-Faces" Texan independence Annexation of Texas The Mexican war The war of ideas Prophetic utterances of Calhoun His obstinacy and arrogance Admission of California into the Union Clay's concessions Calhoun dying Compromise bill Calhoun's career His want of patriotism in later life Nullification doctrines Calhoun contrasted with Clay His character

ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

CIVIL WAR AND PRESERVATION OF THE UNION.

Lincoln's parentage Rail splitter; country merchant In the Black Hawk war Postmaster His aspirations and passion for politics Stump speaker Surveyor Elected to the legislature Lincoln as politician Admitted to the bar Elected member of Congress His marriage Lincoln as lawyer Orator On the slavery question Anti-slavery agitation The compromise of 1850 Stephen A. Douglas Repeal of the Missouri Compromise Charles Sumner Dred Scott decision Lincoln's antagonism to Douglas His commitment to anti-slavery cause Rise of the Republican party Lincoln's debates with Douglas Speaks in New York Lincoln as statesman Nomination for the presidency His election Inauguration Lincoln's cabinet; Jefferson Davis Fort Sumter War Lincoln as president Bull Run Concentration of troops in Washington General McClellan His dilatory measures Gloomy times Retirement of McClellan General Pope McClellan restored, fights the battle of Antietam Inaction and final retirement of McClellan Burnside and the battle of Fredericksburg Lincoln's Emancipation Proclamation General Hooker Lee's raid in Pennsylvania General Meade and the battle of Gettysburg Lincoln overworked Siege of Vicksburg General Grant Battle of Chattanooga Grant made general-in-chief March of Grant on Richmond Military sacrifices Siege of Petersburg Surrender of Lee Results of the war Strained relations between Chase and Lincoln Chase chief-justice Lincoln's second inaugural His profound wisdom His assassination Great services Position in history

ROBERT E. LEE.

THE SOUTHERN CONFEDERACY.

BY E. BENJAMIN ANDREWS, LL.D.

Part 2

Birth, lineage, personal appearance, and early career.

A Virginian, he joins his State and the South in secession.

His seven days' fighting against McClellan; forces the latter to raise the siege of Richmond.

"Stonewall" Jackson and his efficient fighting machine.

Wins at Antietam and Fredericksburg.

Outmanoeuvres Hooker at Chancellorsville.

Successes at Gettysburg and at the second battle of Bull Run.

Grant changes the fortune of war for the North.

Confederate dearth of necessaries and "dear money".

Lee's retreat and capitulation at Appomattox.

His personal characteristics.

Skill shown in his military career.

His manoeuvring tactics and masterful strategy.

High name among the great captains of history.

Gains of his leadership, in spite of "a lost cause".

Latter days, and presidency of Washington College, Lexington, Va.

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS

VOLUME XII

Sherman's March to the Sea After the painting by F.O.C. Darley.

James Monroe After the painting by Gilbert Stuart, City Hall, New York.

Andrew Jackson After a photograph from life.

Henry Clay From a daguerreotype.

Martin Van Buren From a daguerreotype.

Daniel Webster After a drawing from a daguerreotype.

John C. Calhoun From a daguerreotype.

James K. Polk From a daguerreotype.

Abraham Lincoln After an unretouched negative from life, found in 1870.

General George B. McClellan After a photograph from life in the possession of the War Department, Washington, D.C.

Part 3

Ulysses S. Grant After the painting by Chappel.

Assassination of President Lincoln After the drawing by Fr. Roeber.

Robert E. Lee From a photograph.

BEACON LIGHTS OF HISTORY.

ANDREW JACKSON.

1767-1845.

PERSONAL POLITICS.

It is very seldom that a man arises from an obscure and humble position to an exalted pre-eminence, without peculiar fitness for the work on which his fame rests, and which probably no one else could have done so well. He may not be learned, or cultured; he may be even unlettered and rough; he may be stained by vulgar defects and vices which are fatal to all dignity of character; but there must be something about him which calls out the respect and admiration of those with whom he is surrounded, so as to give him a start, and open a way for success in the business or enterprise where his genius lies.

Continue reading Beacon Lights of History, Volume 12: American Leaders free in the Wunder reader →