Martinsburg Gazette And Public Advertiser

GENERAL JACKSON'S ACCOUNTS.

In his letter to Samuel Swartwout of the 23d February, 1825, General Jackson thus expresses himself: 'The war over, and peace restored, I retired to my farm, to private life, but for the call I received to the Senate of the Union, I should have contentedly remained. -I have never sought office nor power, nor have I been willing to hold any post longer than I could be useful to my country, not myself, and I trust I never shall.'

If the reader will contrast the above assertions of General Jackson, with the facts presented in the following article he will at once see the propriety of that rule which prevents an individual from testifying in his own behalf. This is not the only instance in which the General has been proved to have misstated the fact in relation to himself. That he has also done in relation to others, we instance his charges made against Mr. Clay, to Beverly.

[From the Harrisburg Intelligencer.]

By an act of Congress of the 3d March, 1815, a considerable reduction of the army was effected: two Major Generals, viz. Gen. Brown and Gen. Jackson were retained. After this arrangement, Gen. Jackson returned to his plantation, to enjoy the plain farmer's life, of which we have heard so much, with an annual income of seven thousand dollars, arising from the salary and perquisites of the office he held. This agreeable situation he was permitted to enjoy until the spring of 1821, when a further reduction of the army took place. He was then appointed governor of Florida, over which he reigned about seven months. Now, to enable our readers to form a correct estimate of the patriotic disinterestedness, and economical simplicity of life of this plain farmer of Tennessee, we subjoin his account for the year 1820, as it stands on the books of the second and third auditors of the Treasury of the United States, viz:

From Jan. 1, 1820, to December 30, 1820.

Pay, (as Maj. Gen.) $2,400 00
Subsistence, 1,091 00
Extra rations, (wines we presume,) 1,049 00
Forage, 572 00
Servants.
Pay, 240 00
Subsistence, 292 30
Clothing, 140 16
Rent of quarters (the Hermitage) 400 00
Fuel, 224 00
Transportation of baggage, 165 40
Holding treaty with the Choctaw Indians; travelling expenses for self and suite, 425 93
Bill at Doke's, 156 77
Pay as commissioner from the 14th Sept. to the 21st Oct. 37 days, at 8 dollars per day, 296 00
Expenses for Gen. Jackson and suite on their return, 251 50
Pay as commissioner on return, from the 21st Oct, to the 10th Nov. 33 days, at 8 dollars per day, 264 00
$10,567 52

For his seven months services as governor of Florida, he charged seven thousand dollars. One item in the account, is a charge of one thousand and forty-nine dollars for wines, &c. for the use of his family during the period. -- From these accounts, it will be seen that the General, while at home attending to his farm, charged his full pay of two hundred dollars per month as major general, as if in actual service! Two thousand one hundred and ninety-six dollars per year, or upwards of forty-two dollars per week, for boarding him self at his own table-$662 96, for feeding, clothing and wages of his negroes employed on his farm- 400 dollars rent for his own house and $224 for burning his own wood. In addition to these enormous charges for holding a commission of major general, he charges $1,390 00, for less than two months services as Indian agent, all included in the same year, for which he charged full allowance as major general. Here, then, we have a sample of the style of living of this 'plain Tennessee farmer.' We wonder how many farmers can be found in Pennsylvania, that would use 1,949 dollars worth of wines in their families in seven months. Truly, the General can wield the bottle as well as the sword!