Especially notable was the presidential campaign of 1840, the year of my birth, "Tippecanoe and Tyler," for the Whig slogan--"Old Hickory" and "the battle of New Orleans," the Democratic rallying cry--Jackson and Clay, the adored party chieftains.
I grew up in the one State, and have passed the rest of my life in the other, cherishing for both a deep affection, and, maybe, over-estimating their hold upon the public interest.

Excepting General Jackson, who was a fighter and not a talker, their public men, with Henry Clay and Felix Grundy in the lead, were "stump orators." He who could not relate and impersonate an anecdote to illustrate and clinch his argument, nor "make the welkin ring" with the clarion tones of his voice, was politically good for nothing.

James K.Polk and James C.Jones led the van of stump orators in Tennessee, Ben Hardin, John J.Crittenden and John C.
Breckenridge in Kentucky.

Tradition still has stories to tell of their exploits and prowess, their wit and eloquence, even their commonplace sayings and doings.

They were marked men who never failed to captivate their audiences.