The spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1840-1844, 1841-04-30

was so besieged that the Marshal Of the District
was called upon to relieve him. The Marshal wen,
through The throng, which continued to crowd the
apartments of the Presidents House, public and
private, for several days after the Inauguration, and
expostulaed with them; but all his efforts 10 in
dnce the office claimants to leave, by urging the
great press of public affairs on the President was
in vain. Before attempting compulsory measures,
this efficient public officer suggested TO the Presi-
dent the experiment of appealing to their feelings,
in short address. lie did so but they still per-
sisted in pressing their demands upon him, although
as he said, in no condition to attend to them at the
moment. They came forward with their papers
until his pockets were filed his hat filled, and his
arms filled. The Marshal was loaded in the same
way, and still the crowd was reluctant to retire.
From the day of his Inauguration until the day
of his death, the to his house were throng-
ed the house itself was crowded as were the public
offices, Demands the made peremptory were made
for the expulsion of the ncumbents in office, and
the granting of situations. BY day and by nigh,
that old man was bcsct: when he walked out-in
his offce-at meal times-so that, to use an ex-
preston OF his own TO gentleman, " Sir, have
hardly lime to eat" Once or twice, it is said, he
went to one of the public offices, and requested
messenger to show him to private room, TO retire
from the multitude Of office seekers who pressed
upon him.
Several respectable citizens and several minis
tiers of The Gospel who happened to be in the city,
called at the Presidents House, for the purpose of
paying their respects. They found it part of the
private portion Of it oo-crowded with so many
PERSONS that they at first declined proceeding; but
when pressed by friend to 60 up and see the Pre-
sident, he Uhe Presidency frankly told them Cen
tlemen, there never vas poor devil harassed as
am on earth; you must excuse me; good molning;
must go;" and off he did 90, before they had
time to say show are you - much less ''good
bye;" and before they reached the front door, he
was considerable distance on his way TO the
Treasury Department. A gentlemen at the door,
seeing the condition ofthc President, and the crowd
in the house, significantly remarked, "WeIl, | will
agree to die, if it is not time TO pull the latch string
into the door of this log cabin"
At another time, two respectable gentlemen of
this city called and found the President in the pas
sage leading to the saloon. lie asked them in to
the fire, and with frankness that surprised them
said "Gentlemen, have been almost run down.
| cannot stand it; this turning out of worthy men
never will consent TO. Only just now, beautiful,
young looking woman called on me, and said, MY
husband is turned out of employment, and We are
actually here in this expensive city having nothing
to eat Ny dear sirs," continued the President,
'' it almost kills me; can hardly stand it: the I'M
worthy will no, 60 out, and the worthy shall not
be turned out" Now, this is n fact tina. can be
upon good authority,
The immediate cause which worked up his fe-
verish excitement into paroxysm, was n chill
produced by being caught in a light rain, being so
closely beset as to be detained on his way home
after walk But when i'll, letter after letter came,
bearing from this one and the other applications for
office. Some of them were left in the hands of
friends in this city, and never delivered. Day by !
day. during President llarrisons illness, men were
turned out Of office. Some who had been expelled
before his illness, appealed to him; he assured
them that he knew nothing Of it, though it was af-
irmed that he did it, And, but brief space be-
fore his death, several were dismissed from their
cmployments.
Thus excited by continued applications, many Of
them of a conflicting character, and the notifying
that although he had denounced proscrip
ton, he was forced by those around him TO do what
he never intended when doing, his mind was con-
linualy running on the distress inflicted on the
many helpless families within hail ofhis own dwell
ling; and yet prescription was still pressed upon
MN! WIN that has saw man laboring in
the last stage of inflammation affecting all his vitas
the state In which the President dled-does not
know that when subSultuS fendinum comes on,
and the muttering delirium as was the case with
the President often interrupted by broken express
sions-whllst the patient is plnching and pulling the
bedclolhes-the mind is ever aud anon recurring
to and dwelling on whatever was pressing on it and
producing anxiety during health. This was the
case with President Harrison. Hundreds Of indi- |
viduals had been here from the first of March de-
handing the places of others, whose prescription
they insisted on. Their letters, their personal APP
pcations were forced on the President, and their
claims were pressed by the Cabinet: AT last, the
President is told that if his political friends not
rewarded, his forces will be disbanded. and at the
called session of Congress he will find himself in
the minority The work of excision is pressed on.
The Presiden is i'll absent from his family without
the kind attentions of the wife of his bosom, most
of his children and grandchildren are distant lie
beheld the friends who had accompanied him to
Washington around him, but without the power 10
resist the torrent and relieve his feelings lie hears
only of his cabinet, to know that they are paying
off their political friends, by deprivng whole iami-
lies of the means of subsistence. The Preachers
of the Gospel, the members Of Christian Churches,
the meek quiet citizens, who came here 10 get Of
fees, and who staid here until they 90, them
some of them Just on the eve of the Presidents
lea;h-had received their pay; but where are those
lovely women and children who have no bread
In this state, aboring under derium, the last ef-
forts of his distracted mind were turned towards
The victims of the cruel policy Of his cabinet, and
expressions constantly escaped him dcpreciating |
he cruelties which he had endcavored in vain to
lnest.
1t was in this way President Harrison died, and
will say he was not prosecuted to death
A LOCKER ON.