The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1844-12-06
Gen. JnciIson.

! Gen. Jncisson.
From speech of Gansevoort Melville,
recently made at Newark, N. j., we
copy the following passage in relation 10
the Great Man of the Hermitage:
III was source of peculiar pleasure to
me, when, in anticipation of my late jour
ney to the West, reflected on the pros
pecl of once more looking upon Andrew
Jackson. After the great mass conven-
ton at Nashville, | had the honor Of re-
oeiving from him an invitation to spend
some days at the Hermitage, and need
hardly say that the impression made by
that visit can never be eradcated. II any
thing had been wanting TO relume the
fires of democratic impulses in my breast
the glance of that old mans eye, the pres
sure of that old maR's hand, the patriotism
instinct in every line and lineament of that
old mans countenance, would have done
it all. He has numbered seven and sev-
enty years. His life has been one scene
Of struggle. On the details Of that great
life | need not linger. He is now very
leeble-a ieebleness not arising from a
want Of strength in his limbs, but because
a large portion Of his lungs is so disorgan-
lied that the slightest exerton produces
a hurriedness and difficulty painful to
himself and agonizng to those around
him. But he rises from his chair and
walks without assistance. lie walks in
his garden almost daily, and every Sab
bath is found in the house Of prayer. He
opens and reads his leters--he examines |
with great interest the newspapers from
the principal points of the Union; he
takes great and constant and all-per-
vading interest in this election. Letters
bearing his name, have, as you are aware,
been extensively published and common
ted on of late, having reference chiefly to
the remuneration of Texas. The wing
press have been disposed TO call their au-
thenticity into question. They were each
and all either written by his own hand or
dictated by him and written under his
own eye by Major Donaldson, who was
his private Secretary during the eight
years that he was President of the U. S.
TO them all he has affixed his signature
with his own hand. With the SHOWS of
seventy-seven winters on his brow, and
the thoughts and struggles of thousand
ordinary lives having left their traces on
his form, daily awaiting his summons TO
the grave, his memory, not only of events
long since TRANSFERRED, but of those Of the
most recent date, is as tenacious and rea-
dy-his judgment as clear--his will as
Strengths affections as warm--hs pat
riolsm as ardent as they ever were.
When Andrew Jackson dies, he will not
drivil his path to the grave as a slobber-
ing doiard, as the wing press falsely call
him but when HE dies-whcn the great
soul within shall have utterly consumed
It's outer tenement of clay-why, then, a
MAN will die And our children, and
children, will 90 up to tina, cor
ner of the little garden at the Hermitage,
where his wife now lies-and by whose
side he will sleep in dea,h-and that will
ever be to us and our descendants, next
o Mount Vernon, the holiesl and most
sacred spot on American soil. cloud
'heers-contnued applause | might
lwell long on this fruitful ,heme-bu,
inc forbids. will only advert to Gen. {
Iackson's conduct when his physicians {
,ndeavored to dissuade him from prcsi-
ling at the great Nashville Convention
hey justly feared that the great rush and
shouting of the people as they pressed to
ook at him, would he dangerous To him {
n his present feeble state. He heard this
opinion expressed, and after pause, he :
flied up his voice and said, and his words
ell upon my ears like those of patriarch
IF old, Il am very old /; cannot stay here {
much longer; can do little or no good
~ remaining, so if can do any good by
presiding at that Convention of the De-
nocracy, carry me there Place me in
he chair and will die in my seat!' !
Great manifestations Of feeling amongst {
he audience.)
TASTE for ycu,lioy II