The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-11-15
For the Union.
For the Union.
THE LIFE, THE DEATH, AND THE FAME
OF GENERAL. JACKSON.


that loved him, and generous but afflicted people
have offered TO his memory the holy tribute of tears
His fellow citizens, among whom he lived and died
at his quiet home on the banks Of the Cumberland,
followed him to his last resng-place in silent grief
and laid him in the grave without ostentaiion They
loved him too well to forget his last request-for
while the bright Of Heaven were .swinging wide
their portals on the vision Of The expiring sufferer,
lie felt how fading are all earthly pageants, and he
wished TO descend quietly TO the tomb. II would
have given him pain TO know that the solemnity of
that occasion should have been disturbed by pomp
display, and he asked those who stood around his
bed to give him quiet burial. They felt that the
request was sacred--they wiped the dew Of death
from his brow, and did as he told them. We al
most envy them the holy and the mournful privi-
lege Of treading that chamber "where the good man
met his fate" For if there could be in land, to
the American, spot more sacred than oil Others
excep, the tomb of Washington, il must have been
the chamber where our hero, our President and our
father died.
We hardly know what sentiments can be appro.
pirate, or what language can beft this mournfu oc-
casion in which it becomes our painful duty to no.
tce the departure Of this ilusrioils man.. We need
give skech of his life for his history is known
10 all our readers. We need not extol his virtues
for the porld knows them. We need not speak OF
his patriotism, for no one will shy he did not love
his country. We need not tell Of his martial cour-
age or heroism, while point to so many Of his
bashO-uoiu Wuric uc VOuicu Uut Ills piOOu we
need not record his victories; enemies have done
it before us We need not tell how he died, for he
was q Christian.
What, then, remains for us TO do but to recoIlect
HE counsels--to emulate his example--to cherish
his spirit--to weep over his ashes--and to embalm
his name in that pure shrine of the heart where our
fathers and our country shall live forever. -
We thought we had long been prepared 10 hear
that the patriarch had entered upon his rest; for he
had long been expecting 70 leave US, and we had
felt that, with us, too, as well az with him, ''the
bitterness Of his death was past" We had often
pictured TO ourselves the faded cheek, the feeble
hand, the tremulous voice. and the last scene.
Those of us who had gathered the last intelligence
waited to the shores Of Europe few weeks ago,
which told us that he still lived, and, like star
soon TO fall, burned ..on as brightly as ever, had
waited with painful anxiety as We drew near our
father-land 10 ask the question 'does the old man
yet live!" And when they told us she is yet
alive, we were glad but We were surprised. Yes
we thought we were ready to put on our mourning
badges But when the news at last came that the
hero>of New Orleans was dead. we were struck
dumb by the blow, and we gazed vacantly on the
herald who spread the tidings. Like the children
of Israel, after Moses had gone up the noun
tain, we felt that our leader was taken away, and
we were left alone in the wilderness. We knew
that we still reposed upon strong arns-onc which
he had himself nerved in the heat Of conact--that
we should still be guided by wise counsels taken at
his feet; but we also felt that the hand which had
led us victoriously was laid low--that the voice
which had checrcd us in the dark hour will be heard
no more. We still saw the encampment of our
hammered host stretching across the plain, and over
them were waving the flags of victory. We did
not, could not, distrust the bold and the brave
young leader we had placed over US; but we could
not forget that our old chieftain was gone. The
mantle had indeed fallen upon the shoulders of one
who knew well how TO wear IL but he from whose
venerable form i had fallen, had lon us forever.
Funeral ceremonies have been decreed-mourn-
ing badges have been worn BY the people--sautes
of artillery have been fred-solemn professions
everywhere made. But none of these insignia Of
woe have given any adequate expression of the gem
eraI lamentafion that has filed the heart Of the
nation. No one feels that we have in these public
demonstrations discharged the debt Of gratitude we
owe to his memory: for such debt lie paid
only by the gratitude Of whole generations We
have thus far only sought to show some external!
signal of grief at the loss, admiration for the
virtues, and our gratitude for the services Of our
venerated and lamented chieftain.
The great point, then, TO contemplate, and the one
which the iuiurc only can decide, is: WmAT LAST
ING ExPREssioN SHALL WE MAKE OF THE FEELINGS
HIS DEATH HAS AWAKENED!
Let us emulate his virtues, aud ooio his counsels
These are the rich inheritance he has left us, and
Jet us make that legacy our own We may form
professions, we may pronounce funeral eulogies,
we may raise monuments of colossal bronze; but all
this will be unavailing, unless we catch the spirit Of
patriotism which burned in his heart, and yield
ourselves TO the guidance of his counsels.
The man we lament has lived throughout our
historyhis life has been coeval with our existence
nation. He was trained up for his future des-
tiny under the stern teachings Of stormy times
He was born before the republic, and he stood by
the cradle Of our liberty when Times nobIest off
spring and the lastD was given TO the world. He
heard the echo the first cannon-shot of the reyo-
uVNHt ~ xI,Hr. ~
never sleep again. The scene we have so often
dwelt on with SO deep an interest, where the mother
of General Jackson gathered her three boys around
the altar of home and consecrated Them the SER
vice Of the God Of liberty, is Of the most touch
ing in our history. We sec the brothers kneeling
to receive her blessing; her bind the KNAPP
sack, and put the muslsets in their hands; and We
hear her last charge, like the Grecan mother when
she sent her boy to the -feld-sscome home a
victor, or be borne back on your shield"
How nobly they obeyed the injunction, the issue
may tell. He came back victorious, wounded; but
he had left his two generous brothers dead on the
field. He embraced his mother, and shouldered his
musket again.
Nor will we pass by unnoticed the generous pa
triosm OF the mother, who gave all her children to
her adopted country--two to die in battle, and one
to win its victories and be its President. We read
Of Spartan, and Roman, and Carthaginian mothers;
but we have read Of none in ancient times more
heroic nor could we point to in the worlds his
tory whose better deserves to be embalmeil in
the hearts of Americans. True, she WINS born in
far.of land. She and his father were foreigners"
and so were all ours, if we go back few genera
tons. Besides, she had sprung from that brave,
and generous, but bleeding island, whose green
earth has, for six long CENTURIES been wet with the
tears Of her sons. She had fed, with the one she
loved, from the cold, iron grasp Of despotism and
committed her all upon the wide ocean, to find
new but distant world, where she hoped the
flower of liberty would grow and shed its perfume.
Her pure and lofty spirit brenhed from the soul of
her boy; and no finer scene in all our annals will be
found by future historic painters than the part
ing moment, at the threshold Of her humble dwell.
ing, whom this more than Spartan mother pressed
the young soldier to her bosom, and sent him to
fight the battles Of her adopted country with the
blessing ofan Irish mother upon his head! The
future conqueror and President was proud of this
Irish mother ill the day he died. We know not
where she sleeps; but the American people will one
day lind her tomb, and cover il with honor.
Blessings on thee, mother, wherever thy grave
De made! Future times will love thy name
BessIngs, too, upon thy green iale and thy rener