The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1850-01-22
From Holden's Magazine.
RICHARD LAWRENCE.
RECoLLECTIoNs OF THE TIMES OF GEN
JACKSON.

The virulencc of party was So exceeding
ly animated during the las. two or three
years of General Jackson's administration,
and the newspaper assaults that were made
on the President we're distinguished for
such unusual bitterness, that it was serious
Iy contemplated by his friends TO get up q
li(c-guard 10 protect the Executive mansion
and lis distinguished occupant. A scheme
of This kind was more than once hiuled at
in Congress, and would have undoubtedly
been carried into effect, had il not been in
dignanlly rcpelled and rejected by General
JACKSON.
What probobly led 10 the suggestion Of
the expediency Of getting up ii life or body
guard for the President, was the violence
exhibited by public meeting, held in the
city Of New York, at which it was propos-
ed that m armd body should be enlisted
and enrolled by the citizens, 10 proceed 10
The Capitol and compel the President to
modify, ifhe did not change the entire pol
icy OF his administration, So tar as it related
TO matters Of finance. The proposition was
an Idle one, conceived by dsmagogues, and
openly proposed and advocated by polli-
cal fanatic, named Gould, who lived long C.
nough TO see himself rdiculed 'or his folly
by all classes, and by all the political sects
in the Union.
In the month orJanuary, 1885, al n lime
when, in consequence nf pending difficult
lies between this country and France, The
public mind had become somewhat divert
Ell from politics and Factions, an aitemp,
was made on the life of Gen Jackson, by
young man named Richard Lawrence. He
"A h.,
lwehiy-one years of age, and in the pres
ence ol at least ten thousand people, on the
steps Of the east capitol. The opportunity
sought was singular and melancholy one.
The Hon. Warren r. Davis, a Repre-
sentative in Congress, from South Carroll
ma, wit, poet and statesman, had, few
days before, lalleE a victim TO the disease
Incident to the capitol, aud was to be bur.
led, of course, from the Halls Of Congress,
in conformity with parliamentary custom
and courtesy. Warren II. Davis had lived
lille ol easy elegance; was of conviyial
habit and temperament; as poet and
scholar, he had distinguished himself; and
consequently an unusually large assembly
had collected, TO pay his liieless body The
holy rites Of sepulture. 1t was he who
wrote the celebrated and popular parody
on "Roys Wife" entitled "Johnson's s
Wife Of Louisiana" which had so extern
sive run in England and America.
The multitude had listened to the funer-
al discourse from The Chaplain, in the Hall
of the House of Representatives, and had
marched in procession. through the rotun-
da TO the enst front of the Capitol, and
we're standing on the esplanade, General
Jackson somewhat in advance, when Rich
ard Lawrence, who had gained his position
no one could tell how, drew from his hos
ON brass-barrelled-, pistol deliberately
presented it TO the breast of Gen. Jackson,
and pulled the trigger. The percussion
cap exploded without dischareing The MS
Iol Finding himselfbalIled in his attempt,
he drew his second pistol, which had the
same eliect-Ihe percussion cap exploded,
and no harm was done. So aGroiily did
Lawrence act, and so dense was the crowd,
that he was not discovered by any at the
moment, except General Jackson, who rais-
Cd his cane, and struck at, but missed his
object, As he raised his zane, he eiacula-
ted an emphatic expression, familiar 10 him-
self, which arrested The attention Of oIhsrs,
when Lawrence was secured by Captain
Gedney Of the Navy, who clasped him.
The cry was Instantly, "Kill him Kill
him !. kill The assasslnl" but that the law
aud justice might take their. course, tho
madman was hurried Into a carriage and
conveyed to prism.
The excitement hat Immediately ensued
was terrific the mass IN attendance sway.
ed TO and iro like the waves Of the ocean