Life of Andrew Jackson
Item #84126
COBBETT, William. Life of Andrew Jackson, President of the United States of America. London: [Mills, Jowett, and Mills], 1834. 1st ed. 142pp. Frontis. Contemporary three-quarter leather and marbled paper, red morocco spine label. Some staining to bottom edge of front board, former owner inscriptions, some pencil marginalia, else clean throughout. Very good. Cobbett (1763-1835) was an English-born radical conservative pamphleteer in Philadelphia, and later member of Parliament back in England. This was one of his last publications, a supportive biography of Andrew Jackson, then serving as president of the United States, written for British audiences on the grounds that Jackson's parents were Irish and thus Jackson was an Irishman. Cobbett was particularly interested in Jackson's actions towards Edward Packenham, the general of the British at the Battle of New Orleans, and the final portion of the book is dedicated to an analysis of Packenham (who died during the Battle) and particularly his involvement in the "beauty and booty" watchword controversy, news of which had only reached in Great Britain in 1833 and was the cause of much public outcry. The frontispiece is curious: it shows a shows a portrait of Jackson surrounded by a scene from the Battle of New Orleans during the War of 1812, and below, two men hanging: one identified as Jewish and the other as a Native American. Jackson's presidency is often critiqued nowadays for his treatment of Native Americans and their removal on the Trail of Tears, but his attitude towards Jews is not as well known. He enjoyed political support from some Southern Jews in part due to a shared interest in maintaining slavery. Cobbett does not seem to mention Jews in this pamphlet, though he gives some attention to Jackson's role in the Creek War of 1813-14 and his poor treatment of various Native American groups.
Price: $750.00