ANDREW JACKSON 487 on slaves, of completing three frigates, against buying peace of the Algerines, against a large appropriation for furnishing the president's house, and against the removal of the restric- tion confining the expenditure of public money to the specific objects for which each sum was appropriated. His course was highly approved by his constituents ; and he was made a mem- ber of the senate, in which he took his seat Nov. 22, 1797. Nothing is known of his sena- torial career. So far as appears, he never made a remark or cast a vote as a senator. In April, 1798, he returned to Tennessee on leave, and resigned his seat. He was elected a justice of the supreme court of Tennessee by the legis- lature, at a salary of $600 a year, and held courts in various parts of the state. None of his decisions remain. While he was on the bench he was involved in a quarrel with Gov. Sevier, which came to a crisis in 1801, when Jackson was elected a major general of militia over Sevier. Jackson suspected Sevier of hav- ing been engaged in certain land frauds. An informal duel at Knoxville, in 1804, was pre- vented at the last moment by the interference of friends. In 1798 he had sold lands to a Philadelphian, and on the basis of the notes he received bought goods for the Tennessee market; but the failure of the Philadelphian threw him into difficulties, and in order to clear them off he resigned his judgeship, July 24, 1804, sold a large amount of property, and relieved himself from debt. He removed to what subsequently became known as the " Her- mitage," with his slaves, and dwelt in a log house. He extended his business, being chief of the trading firm of Jackson, Coffee, and Hatchings, and raised cotton, corn, wheat, horses, cows, and mules. He had a cotton gin, then a rarity. The firm traded to New Or- leans, and built boats for other traders ; but it lost much money, and came to an end. Jack- son was an exact and judicious business man, and succeeded in all undertakings managed by himself. His commercial failure grew out of the proceedings 'of the firm during his absence. In the opening days of 1806 commenced a quarrel which led to a duel between Gen. Jack- son and Charles Dickinson, and to the latter's death. Mr. Dickinson had previously used disparaging words of Mrs. Jackson, which he had explained away; but he repeated them, whereupon Jackson remonstrated with his fathsr-in-law, Mr. Ervin, saying: "I wish no quarrel with him ; he is used by my enemies in Nashville, who are urging him on to pick a quarrel with me. Advise him to stop in time." Becoming involved in a quarrel with a Mr. Swann relative to the terms of a horse race, Jackson found the name of Dickinson offensive- ly introduced into the letters written by Swann, which drew from him certain characteristic comments, and these were carried to their sub- ject, as was the intention of their writer. Dickinson, on Jan. 10, just before starting for New Orleans in a flat-boat, wrote to Jackson, charging him with equivocations, falsehood, and cowardice. During his absence the con- troversy between Jackson and Swann was con- tinued, and led to a tavern fight, begun by the former. Dickinson returned to Nashville on May 20, and on the 21st he published a severe attack on Jackson, provoked in part by the language of the latter in the Swann quarrel. Jackson challenged him, and the parties met on the banks of the Red river, in Logan co., Ky., early in the morning of May 80. The place is a long day's journey from Nashville, and the duellists had to leave their homes early on the 29th. Dickinson was accompanied by a number of his associates, as he was very popu- lar, and stood high in the society of Nashville. His second was Dr. Catlet, and Jackson's was Gen. Overton. The distance was eight paces, and Overton won the right to give the word. Dickinson fired at the word, breaking a rib, and raking the breast bone ; but Jackson gave no sign of being hit, and his antagonist, who had made sure of killing him, exclaimed: "Good God! have I missed him?" Jackson then fired, and Dickinson fell mortally wound- ed. He died that night, not even knowing that his ball had hit Jackson, with whom it was a point of pride not to let him know that his aim had been effectual. His reason for concealing his wound, as he once said to a friend, was, li that as Dickinson considered himself the best shot in the world, and was certain of killing him at the first fire, he did not want him to have the gratification even of knowing that he had touched him." But, ac- cording to Mr. Parton, his "wound proved to be more severe and troublesome than was at first anticipated. It was nearly a month be- fore ho could move about without inconve- nience, and when the wound healed, it healed falsely ; that is, some of the viscera were slight- ly displaced, and so remained." This duel made Jackson unpopular in Tennessee, until his military exploits had withdrawn public at- tention from it. In 1806, when Aaron Burr made his first visit to the west, he twice be- came the guest of Jackson. The western peo- ple were anxious for a war with Spain, and Burr was popular with them, because he was believed to represent and support their opin- ions. Jackson was of the war party. After Burr's return to the east he and Jackson cor- responded, the latter even making out the lists of officers for two regiments which the former suggested might be raised in Tennessee. Burr arrived at the Hermitage in September, 1806, and was warmly received ; and at the instance of his host a public ball was given in his honor at Nashville, though rumors adverse to him and his doings were then current. Jackson, in military costume, led Burr into the room, and introduced him. In November Burr sent an order to Jackson for boats and provisions, which was fulfilled. A week later (Nov. 10) Jackson received intelligence that led him to doubt Burr's integrity; he directed that no
