JACKSON, ANDREW. 1767-1845.


Autograph Endorsement Initialed ("A.J.") twice on the address leaf of an Autograph Letter Signed of ANDREW JACKSON DONELSON to Jackson, 3 pp recto and verso, 4to (conjoining leaves), Hermitage, May 8, 1833, with integral address leaf, light creasing and toning."I EXPECT HE IS AS HUMANE AND KIND TO THEM AS THE NATURE OF SLAVERY WILL ADMIT."Jackson's nephew, whom he and his wife adopted after the death of her sister, worked closely with his uncle throughout his political career. He writes this letter from the Hermitage, sending news of Jackson's plantation and the performance of his overseer (a subject about which Jackson was sensitive). In part: "Your plantation looks very well. Cotton has come up most of it finely. Some of it from the badness of the seed not quite so good, but with a good season may turn out well. Your negroes are healthy and in good spirits; well enough pleased with their overseer. I expect he is as humane and kind to them as the nature of slavery will admit. You never can expect to have your place and negroes attended to as it and they would be were you yourself present, but I believe Mr. Halloch[?] does about as well as any you could get. There will always be complaints." Though no abolitionist, Jackson did consider himself to be a humane slave-owner, and was so outraged when an earlier overseer killed one of his slaves, that he had charges of murder brought against him.Jackson endorses this note twice on the address leaf, indicating that it is to be passed to the Secretary of War so that Mr. Donelson can be reimbursed for fees owed to him by the government.