Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-11-17
THE ATTEMPT TO AsSASS;NATE GEN.
JACKSON.



The virulent party was exceedingly ami
mated during the two or three last years of
Gen. Jackson's administration, and the
newspaper assaults that were made on the
President We're distinguished for snch unusual
bitterness, that it was seriously contempla-
ted by his friends, to get up life-guard TO
protect the Executive mansion and lis dis
tinguished occupant. A scheme of this
kind was more than once hinted at in Con-
gress, and would have undoubtedly been
carried into execution, had it not been in
dignantly repealed and rejected by Gen.
Jackson. "t"
What probably first led 10 the suggestion
of the expediency of getting up life or
body guard for the President-was the vio-
lence exhibited at public meeting held in
the city of New York, at which it was pro-
posed that an armed body should be enlist
ed and enrolled by the citizens, to proceed
to the capitol and compel the President to
modify, if he did not change the entire
policy of his administration, so far as rea-
ted to matters of finance. The proposition
was an idle one, conceived by demagogues,
and openly proposed and advocated by a
political fanatic named Gould, who lived
long enongh to find himself ridiculed for
his folly by al classes, and by all the po-
litical sects Of the Union. al
In the month of January, 1885, at a
time, when in consequence Of pending diff
culties between this country and France,
the public mind had become somewhat d.
verted from the politics and factions, an at
tempt was made on the life Of Gen. Jack
son, by a young man named Richard Law
renee. He was journeyman painter
abont twenty or twenty-one years Of age
and native of Great Britain, though fol
some years citizen of the city Of Wash.
ington.
The bold attempt was made in the day
time, and in the presence Of a, least ter
thousand people, on the steps of the cas-
front of the capitol. The opportunit,
songht was a singular and melancholy one
The Hon. Warren r. DAVIS, Represen
tative in Congress, from South Carolina,
wit, poet, and statesman, had few day
before, fallen victim to the disease Incl
dent to the capitol, and was to be buried
of course, from the Halls of Congress, il
conformity with parliamentary custom an,
courtesy. Warren R. DAVIS had lived
| life of easy elegance; and was OF convivia
habit and temperament; as a poet AM
scholar, he had distinguished himself; an
consequently an unusually large assembling
had collected, to pay to his lifeless bod
the holy rites of sepulchre. 1t was he VIII
wrote the celebrated and popular parody OF
"Roy's Wife," entitled 'Johnson's wife G
Louisiana" which had so extensive ru
in England and America. 20
The multitude had listened to the funera
/ discourse from the Chaplain in the Hall G
the House of Representatives, and ha
marched, in procession, through the rotun
da to the east front of the capitol, and wer
standing on the esplanade, General Jacs
son somewhat in advance, when Richar
Lawrence, who had gained his position, n
one could tell how, drew from his bosom
brass barrelled pistol, deliberately presente
. it to the breast OF Gen. jackson, and pulle
4 the trigger. The percussion cap explode
] without discharging the pistol. Findin
, himself baded in this attempt, he DIRE
the second pistol, which had the san
efsct-the percussion cap exploded, an
no'harn was done. So sdroitly did Law