Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1835-11-09
AXIsiT TO MIR. MADISON.
Ertrart Of a litter.

pprhans cannot hciter lIll part oil fiiis >iet',
than By sisiAgsyoa soinc account OF the venerable
ex.preslout and hs place of residence. Monipe-
o.,l;er. the name of his seal, and the same, he
informed me- on which his father lived and died,
!. about two n.ilrs from the road leading from,
CharlotieSvillrto Orange courthouse, and ina south
westerly direction rom the latter place. lou APP
proach the house ny road leading for mile or
more. through woodlands, 10 gate, which opens
into n field, ihe eAtent oil which YOU hardly see, as
the boundaries not all visible, containing, pro-
hablv, ono two hundred acres Of land Before
YOU stand, tic house ON tho opposite side oi tho
field. more than hall mile distant could have
wished TO sec 81 great and good a man, cuitlvanc
a better soil for beng accustomed 10 contemplate
tho fertile fields NJ oho, the land had to me the
appearance Of banenncss--olm' 81 Of sicriity. !
believe however L j. sgood rs the soil generally
il. in that ncighborhooa.
We passed through the field TO the house, and
hitchrd our horses TO the stpl,, and sent in
spec,ivo names and places Of residence We were
shown into Nh, drawing room, which might without
great impronriety be called little gallery OF PAIN
tinss. Hire was portrait of all the presidents,
excepting general Jackson, and all executed rs
understood, bY the same artlSt, Stuart, think.
| was not a little amused al what appeared 10 br
genuine malcsfy in the treat man. Washington,
the two Adams. jefferson and Monroe, were all
hanging together. IN a corner oiihe room. look
I'd about, il win. for Mr.. Madison; but ] after
wards found il IN nook behind the door, and Mis-.
NJ. bv It's side. There several other produc-
tons Of the prnt: some Of which were Of the
Flemish school, and presume for do not profess
10 be wise "a these things. OF much value.
Blu, if You have never seen Mr.. Madison. Won
are getting impatient. We were informed that
Mr.. NJ. wished 10 IN his sitting room.--Pre-
ceded by Mrs. Madison, we entered small fctl-
red parlor. where We found the sage rclninp upon
sofa. He rose ON our approach, so far as to III
erect, took u hy the hand in mos, kind and a1a-
bic manner, and expressed the qualification ne felt
at seeing TX. Mr.. Madison mus have ever been
considerably under the common sizc torlit is quite
short, and have understood WAS always rather thin.
He is VERY lirbt did not understand thai he
was afflicted v I'll any particular disease, though
he is very feeble. He informed me- that he had
been out Of hrs house for Soma years. nor ont of
his yard fer several more. lie believe, is suffer-
ing simply the decay OF Years, and from his cheer
fitness ard apparent oontentmrnt, notnithstan-
ding his dehit, L should say he found the happy
old are Of tie philosophers. aud if he had lived IL
the day> oi lule the great moraSi could not have
found maze nerlee, model. from which 10 draw
his beautiful preeepts, 81 familiar 10 the >chola,
can give no better idea Of the person of Mr.
Madison, than by say mr. that The common cngra-
wings OF him are very good, excepting that now hc
Is much Thinner ihan he was when the likrnc.srs
were taken. You see but little OF the long flowing
white hair, which hose give him, il being princi-
pav conceded By black cap.---lIe recncl up
on his sofa all the time we were with him, c,ccp-
ting that occasionally he would change his posi-
ton, by sitting short TIME III large armed rock
Ing c'iatr, absefA ny rs le would himself that
lac found some relief III the machine.
have ever tell IS much, perhaps more, interest
IN MIR. Madison. than in any OF the great mrn of
my day, AM tins Nsii has rather increased than
diminished my respect. Though so feeble N bo
DIV. there was no want OF searnc>s and yiror of
mind. say without hesitation that he Is one of
the hest ennversers have ever listened to- III,
is about e9hiN live Years of age, and though So far
advanced, b. seems 10 keep pace with the h>ior,
vi the daS, aud coayetses with Great freedom and
readiness an all subjects, and particular, on gene
raj politics and agriculture He descended in
no instance to the party chickering's OF the day !;
and from what could discover, ! should udp,.
that J. avoided inerr sting himself m them. He i,
quito unehi lis words are selected with great ar-
curacN and ptoprlety, and his language generally
is perfect that think II would receive bu, little
Improvement il revised Tor the press At certain
periods OF his conversation, for lac talked nearly
all the time, he WAS nuly eloquent. NJ, friend
from Mississippi. declared that lac Was the best tai
htl ne hdH ever ltdil.
Here Is great aud SHINING light, which, b, it,
hrl9uurSe, has Illuminated the world fui half cen
nry. bal " perceive that the flame begins Ia
fade and iicker in the socket, and that soon il
Wi, hu seen 10 more. Here We have seen and
oonvcfsrd With one and pethaps, for the last time
who acted 4 prominent part IN the American Re.
'oIutUn, and who afterwards, ~ Chci Magistrate
conducted the nation thio' one Of the most event
iul periods otis history. But time has So, the
bounds 10 the career of usefulness and honor
Tic arm once strong, Is palscd with aye; tn,
eye, once SO brilliant, Is dim With wears: and ,h,
tongue. once >o eloquent, will soon tal,cr and h.
huShed in silence forever.
llhas heen the unanimous opinion, 60 FAR As
have luard uexpresscd, that Mrs Madison has ,nr
passed all Others hllng the place Of prc, idrn,
lady. | have no doubt this reputation !, well de
served Sbe must have been lady of very fin,
personal appearance, of commanding mich and fl
cure, and ui dignitied Yet alahlr manners SIN
mall this. nov. Though She has long since pas
sed the meridian OF lie, her countonancc bardl,
indicates H. | AN sale III the declarations | think
that hNc never seen person of her years. :,
fresh and youthful in Appearance
Montpelier Is Just such house as a retired Pro
sldent oil this ereatrepahlie should occupy. Lh,
all the plainncsS and simplicity of the mos, r,;,
rePubiicaaism, not unmlnecd with taste. Tbrr,
MAS nothing that could possibly be STYLED o,,cn,
tious: and was induced to belief that ar,
thing capable OF such q construction was s,udiou.
ly avoided. have mentioned tho collection ,
paintings. We were also shown into room file
with the bnsis Of eminent individuals, mostly ,
plaster but one or two in beautiful white marbl,
and alabaSipr.--In tho collectian b,,x, Of IL