e of Vice-President, naturally attracts much of public attention;
and as a matter to be looked for, and not at all to be regretted, draws
down upon him great abuse and slander from the hireling editors of the
corrupt party opposing him. We will let a neighbor of Major Donelson,
who has had access to his papers, and who has prepared and published in
the _Nashville Banner_ a sketch of his life, answer the question
propounded at the head of this chapter:

"MR. DONELSON is the second son of Samuel Donelson, deceased,
who was the brother of the late Mrs. Jackson. His eldest
brother died in 1817, soon after the Creek War, in which he
participated as a soldier under General Jackson. His death was
announced to Mr. Donelson by General Jackson in the following
terms: 'Whilst we regret his loss, he has left us the endearing
recollection that there was not a stain upon his character. He
has performed his duty here below, and has taken his flight to
realms above, as unspotted as an angel. What a lesson he has
given us! How delightful to dwell upon the idea that he has
walked in the paths of virtue during his whole life, without a
blemish on his character, and that all his friends may recount
his acts with pride and pleasure!' The younger brother is still
living in the paternal mansion, and was a member of the last
Legislature of Tennessee. The mother of these children
afterwards married Mr. James Sanders, of Sumner county,
Tennessee, and is still enjoying good health. She is the only
daughter of Gen. Daniel Smith, who was one of the surveyors of
the line between Virginia and North Carolina, and succeeded
Gen. Jackson in the Senate of the United States.

"General Smith had an important agency in shaping the early
history of Tennessee--having represented a portion of the
people in the North Carolina Legislature, and in the Convention
which ratified the Constitution of the United States. He was
also Secretary of the Territory, and a member of the Convention
of 1796. He was a native of Virginia, and emigrated to
Tennessee soon after he had surveyed the line between that
State and North Carolina, having, while in the execution of
that service, seen the fine lands in Middle Tennessee. He
settled the lands upon which his grandson, Henry Smith, now
resides; and built the mansion, which