Home of the Brave (12 page)

After staring after Van
Winkler with his mouth hanging open, Thomas overcame his
stupefaction and turned toward his wife. She was sitting on the
floor with a blank expression on her face. “Are you
okay?”

“Yes.” She giggled then
wiped a tear from her cheek. “I’m fine.”

“Had you any
idea?”

“It had occurred to me. I
was reasonably sure my mother lied about Alexander
Hamilton.”

“You should go after
him.”

She got up. “Yes.” She
laughed. “What do I call him?”

March 3, 1829

Alexandria,
Virginia

Yank took Marina’s hand and
helped her down the gangplank to the dock.

“General Van Buskirk?” a
liveried footman asked.

“Yes.”

“Your carriage is just over
here.” He pointed, then signaled the porters who were wheeling the
Van Buskirk’s trunks down the stern gangway.

“This is a beautiful place,”
Marina said. “They should have put the District of Columbia here
instead of on the other bank.”

“I think the land on the
other side was quite a bit cheaper,” Yank replied.

She pointed across the
Potomac toward the Capital. “Look at all the people over there
already.”

“Coffee said that they’re
anticipating as many as twenty thousand for the inaugural ceremony
tomorrow.” He helped her into the carriage and climbed up after
her.

“Is he here?”

“Who?”

“John Coffee?”

“Yes. He and his wife are
both here. It was Coffee that suggested we stay on this side of the
river rather than in Washington.”

“I suppose that means all
the Tennessee ruffians will be staying at the same hotel as we
will.”

“Yes. I think we ruffians
have the entire place rented. Speaking of Tennessee ruffians, do
you remember me writing to you about Private Davy
Crockett?”

“Yes. And I remember meeting
Lieutenant Colonel Crockett and his wife, Elizabeth in 1818 as
well.”

“Oh that’s right. I forgot
about that. Well, what I was going to say is that he’s Congressman
Crockett now.”

“Yes I know, John. I read
the papers too.” Marina peered from the carriage window. “How far
is it to the hotel?”

“Not far, but it isn’t
exactly a hotel; it’s Gadsby’s Tavern,” Yank said. “Gadsby’s is
where George Washington hosted all the important events. They rent
out the rooms upstairs to travelers.”

“A tavern? Oh no. Don’t let
me get drunk.”

“How am I supposed to stop
you?”

“Never mind, I just won’t
drink.”

“You always say
that.”

“This time I mean
it.”

Yank looked out through the
side window for a moment. “What do you make of Anna staying at Paul
Van Winkler’s on Long Island after Thomas and Jane
leave?”

“I’m almost positive that
she’s pregnant. Paul must be letting her hide there until after the
baby is born.”

Yank looked at Marina for a
moment then looked out the window again. “I promise to keep you
from getting drunk if you promise to keep me from killing Senator
James Carver.”

“Senator Carver is an
Anti-Jacksonian so I seriously doubt that we’ll see him at any of
the inaugural festivities.”

Yank nodded. “We’ll have to
hope so.”

“But remember that
Washington is a very small town and if you and Annabelle saw Anna
kiss Carver on a public street, I’m quite certain that the affair
is well known. It may even be known that she’s carrying his
child.”

“Your point being that
someone may say something snide and I’m not to cut them down with
my dull but shiny dress sword.”

“Just note their names and
we’ll deal with them later, after we’ve destroyed Senator Carver’s
career.”

Yank chuckled. “You’re
beginning to sound like my grandmother.”

“She used to say that there
was no point in having power if you didn’t wield it
occasionally.”

“I thought she said that
about women exposing their cleavage.”

“That was Dolley
Madison.”

“At what point do we
confront Anna?” he asked.

“We don’t. We wait for her
to tell us.”

“Thomas must
know.”

“Yes, he must.”

“I would have thought he’d
be more loyal that that.”

“More loyal to us than to
his sister, you mean?”

“Stop it, Marina. You’ve had
more time to think about this than I have. I think you’ll agree
that I’m taking it rather well.”

She kissed him. “You’re a
tower of strength.”

March 4, 1829

Washington, District of
Columbia

The inauguration was held on
the East Portico of the Capitol Building and open to the public. In
all previous administrations, it had been held indoors by
invitation only. By 10:00 AM, the entire park in front of the
Capitol was packed with people and the overworked Capitol Police
enlisted the help of the Virginia Militia to manage the crowds. The
Militia borrowed a ship’s hawser and cargo nets from the Navy and
used them to block the stairs at the East Portico while the police
pushed the crowds back.

Because of the people
jamming the streets, Yank and Marina had been forced to abandon
their carriage some distance from the Capitol Building, and walk
the rest of the way. When they at last reached the Capitol and were
able to find someone to whom they could present their invitations,
they were quickly whisked to a basement door on the west side and
ushered through the rotunda to take their position on the steps
with perhaps a hundred dignitaries and special guests.

The sound of shouts, cheers,
whistles and applause from the energized multitude on the lawn was
nearly deafening. “Nobody will hear a word of his speech,” Marina
shouted nervously into Yank’s ear.

He nodded rather than trying
to reply, then nodded again as John Coffee caught his eye and
saluted with two fingers.

Several very long minutes
passed and then suddenly, as the doors from the Rotunda were opened
wide by two soldiers in dress blues, the sound of the crowd
doubled. Marina cringed, moved closer to Yank and took his
hand.

The Justices of the Supreme
Court came first, then Andrew Jackson, tall and dignified, appeared
between the columns of the portico and proceeded to the podium
where he bowed formally to the assembled audience.

The response from his
adoring masses was an extraordinary roar that could have drowned
the sound of an avalanche. Marina trembled and Yank squeezed her
hand to reassure her, but he didn’t look at her. Then a few seconds
later, he furtively wiped a tear from his cheek with his free
hand.

Moments later, as if by
magic, the entire throng fell absolutely silent as Chief Justice
John Marshall appeared on Jackson’s right holding a
Bible.

“
Fellow-Citizens
,” Jackson began in a
voice that hardly carried to Yank and Marina.

“
About to undertake the
arduous duties that I have been appointed to perform by the choice
of a free people, I avail myself of this customary and solemn
occasion to express the gratitude which their confidence inspires
and to acknowledge the accountability which my situation enjoins.
While the magnitude of their interests convinces me that no thanks
can be adequate to the honor they have conferred, it admonishes me
that the best return I can make is the zealous dedication of my
humble abilities to their service and their good.

As the instrument of the
Federal Constitution, it will devolve on me for a stated period to
execute the laws of the United States, to superintend their foreign
and their confederate relations, to manage their revenue, to
command their forces, and, by communications to the Legislature, to
watch over and to promote their interests generally. And the
principles of action by which I shall endeavor to accomplish this
circle of duties it is now proper for me briefly to
explain.

In administering the laws
of Congress, I shall keep steadily in view the limitations as well
as the extent of the Executive power trusting thereby to discharge
the functions of my office without transcending its authority. With
foreign nations, it will be my study to preserve peace and to
cultivate friendship on fair and honorable terms, and in the
adjustment of any differences that may exist or arise to exhibit
the forbearance becoming a powerful nation rather than the
sensibility belonging to a gallant people.

In such measures as I may
be called on to pursue in regard to the rights of the separate
States I hope to be animated by a proper respect for those
sovereign members of our Union, taking care not to confound the
powers they have reserved to themselves with those they have
granted to the Confederacy.

The management of the
public revenue--that searching operation in all governments--is
among the most delicate and important trusts in ours and it will,
of course, demand no inconsiderable share of my official
solicitude. Under every aspect in which it can be considered it
would appear that advantage must result from the observance of a
strict and faithful economy. This I shall aim at the more anxiously
both because it will facilitate the extinguishment of the national
debt, the unnecessary duration of which is incompatible with real
independence, and because it will counteract that tendency to
public and private profligacy which a profuse expenditure of money
by the Government is but too apt to engender. Powerful auxiliaries
to the attainment of this desirable end are to be found in the
regulations provided by the wisdom of Congress for the specific
appropriation of public money and the prompt accountability of
public officers.

With regard to a proper
selection of the subjects of impost with a view to revenue, it
would seem to me that the spirit of equity, caution and compromise
in which the Constitution was formed requires that the great
interests of agriculture, commerce, and manufactures should be
equally favored, and that perhaps the only exception to this rule
should consist in the peculiar encouragement of any products of
either of them that may be found essential to our national
independence.

Internal improvement and
the diffusion of knowledge, so far as they can be promoted by the
constitutional acts of the Federal Government, are of high
importance.

Considering standing
armies as dangerous to free governments in time of peace, I shall
not seek to enlarge our present establishment, nor disregard that
salutary lesson of political experience which teaches that the
military should be held subordinate to the civil power. The gradual
increase of our Navy, whose flag has displayed in distant climes
our skill in navigation and our fame in arms; the preservation of
our forts, arsenals, and dockyards, and the introduction of
progressive improvements in the discipline and science of both
branches of our military service are so plainly prescribed by
prudence that I should be excused for omitting their mention sooner
than for enlarging on their importance. But the bulwark of our
defense is the national militia, which in the present state of our
intelligence and population must render us invincible. As long as
our Government is administered for the good of the people, and is
regulated by their will; as long as it secures to us the rights of
person and of property, liberty of conscience and of the press, it
will be worth defending; and so long as it is worth defending a
patriotic militia will cover it with an impenetrable aegis. Partial
injuries and occasional mortifications we may be subjected to, but
a million of armed freemen, possessed of the means of war, can
never be conquered by a foreign foe. To any just system, therefore,
calculated to strengthen this natural safeguard of the country I
shall cheerfully lend all the aid in my power.

It will be my sincere and
constant desire to observe toward the Indian tribes within our
limits a just and liberal policy, and to give that humane and
considerate attention to their rights and their wants which is
consistent with the habits of our Government and the feelings of
our people.

The recent demonstration
of public sentiment inscribes on the list of Executive duties, in
characters too legible to be overlooked, the task of reform, which
will require particularly the correction of those abuses that have
brought the patronage of the Federal Government into conflict with
the freedom of elections, and the counteraction of those causes
which have disturbed the rightful course of appointment and have
placed or continued power in unfaithful or incompetent
hands.

In the performance of a
task thus generally delineated I shall endeavor to select men whose
diligence and talents will insure in their respective stations able
and faithful cooperation, depending for the advancement of the
public service more on the integrity and zeal of the public
officers than on their numbers.

A diffidence perhaps too
just, in my own qualifications will teach me to look with reverence
to the examples of public virtue left by my illustrious
predecessors, and with veneration to the lights that flow from the
mind that founded and the mind that reformed our system. The same
diffidence induces me to hope for instruction and aid from the
coordinate branches of the Government, and for the indulgence and
support of my fellow-citizens generally. And a firm reliance on the
goodness of that Power whose providence mercifully protected our
national infancy, and has since upheld our liberties in various
vicissitudes, encourages me to offer up my ardent supplications
that He will continue to make our beloved country the object of His
divine care and gracious benediction.”