Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1853-10-20
Colonel Bent jn's History.
AMMO 1897. MARTIN VAN BUREN, PRESIDENT.
Retiring and Death of General jackson.


Retiring and Death of General jackson.
The second and last term of General Jackson's
presidency expired on the Sd of March, 1887
The next dav. at IL, he appeared with bis sue
cessor, Mr. Van Buren,, on the elevated and spa
clous eastern portico of the capitol as one of
the citizens who came to witness the Inaugural
tion of the new President, and no way distin.
gaished from them, except by his place on the
left hand of the Presdentelect. The day was
beautifn'-clear sky, balny vernal sun, tranquil
atmosphere land The assemblage immense. On
foot, in the large area in front of the steps, or
der'y without troops, and closely wedged to-
gether, their faces turned to the portico-pre-
senting to the beholders from all the eastern
windows the appearance of field paved with
human faces--this vast crowd remained riveted
t., their places and profoundly silent, until the
ceremony of Inauguration was over. 1t was the
Stiffness and silence Of reverence and affection,
and there was no room for mistake as 10 whom
this mute and impressive homage was rendered
For once, the rising was eclipsed by the setting
sun. Though dsrobed of power, retiring to the
shades of private life, ii was evident that the
great ex-Presldent was the absorbing object of
this intense regard. At the moment that he be-
gan to descend the broad steps of the porlco to
take his seat in the open carriage which was to
hear him away, the deep, repressed feeling Of
the dense mass broke forth, ncclamations and
cheers bursting from the heart and filling the air
such as power never commanded, nor man in
power ever received. 1t was the affection, graf
ilude and admiration of the living age, saluting
for the last time great mar. 1t was the &C.
claim of posterity, breaking from the bosom of
contemporaries. 1t was the anticipation of fu-
turily-unpurc haseable homage to the hero-pat-
riot who, all his life land in all the circumstances
Of his life, in peace and in war, and glorious in
each, had been the friend of his country, devoted
to her, regardless of SELF Uncovered and bow
ing with look Of unaffected humility and
thankfulness, he acknowledged in mute signs
his deep sensibility to this affecting overflow Of
popular feeling was looking down from a
side window, and felt an emotion which never
had passed through me before. had seen the
Inauguration of many Presidents, and their gong
away, and their days of state, vested with power,
and surrounded by the splendors of The first
magislracy of 4 great republic. But they all ap-
peared to me os pagean's, brief TO the view, un-
real to the touch, and soon to vanish But here
there seemed to be reality-a real scene-a
man and the peope-he, laying down power and
Withdrawing through the portals Of everlasting
fame: they, sounding in his ears the everlasting
pandIts of unborn generations. Two days after,
| saw the patriot ex,Presdent in the car which
bore him off TO his desired secuslon-I saw him
depart with that look of quiet enjoyment which
exchanging the cares of Office tor the repose Of
home. History, poetry, oratory, marble and
brass will hand down the military exploits Of
Jackson this work will commemorate the events
of his civil administration, not less glorious than
his military achievements, great as they were;
and this brief notice of his appearance at The
American capitol is intended to preserve some
faint memory Of a scene, the grandeur of which
was So impressive TO the beholder, and the solace
of which must have been so grateful to the hear,
of the departing patriot
Eight years afterwards he died at the Her.
mltage, in the full possession of all his faculties
and strong to the last in the ruling passion o
his soul--love of country. Public history vii
do justice to his public life; bu, further notice
is wanted of him--a notice of the domestic man
of the man at home, with his wife, his friends
his neighbors, his slaves; and this teel som'
qualification for giving, from my long and varie,
acquaintance with him. FIRST, his intimate an,
early friend-then rude rupture-aferward
friendship and intimacy for twenty years, ant
until his death: in all. forty years of persona
observation, in the double relation of friend an,
foe, and in all the walks of life, public and pri
vate, civil and military.
The first tne that saw General Jack son wa
at Nashville, ,Tcnuesse, IN 1799-he on the Bench
a judge of the then Superior Court-and !
youth of seventeen, back in The crowd. He wa
then remarkable man, and had the asceudan
over all who approached him, not the effect hi
high judicial station, nor of the senatorial ranl
which he had held and resigned nor of mlitar,
exploits, for he had not then been to war, but thu
effect of personal qualites-cordial and graceful
manners, hospitable temper, elevation of mind
undaunted spirit, generosity and perfect integri
ty. In charging the jury in the impending case
he committed slight solecism in language
which grated on my car, and lodged on my mem
ory, without derogating in the least from th'
respect which he inspired, and without awaken
ing the slightest suspicion that was ever to b.
engaged IN smoothing his diction. The frs
time spoke with hun was some few years after
at (hen frontier town in Tennessee, when h
was returning from southern visit, which bro
him through the towns and camps OF some of tn
Indian tribes. In pulling Of his over-coat pei
ceived on the white lining of the turning dow
sleeve, dark speck, which had life and motor
brushed it off, and put the heel of my shoe o
it-ttle thinking that was ever to brush ava
from him game very differen, kind. He smiled
and we began conversation, in which he quick
y revealed leading trait of hrs character--,ht
OF encouraging young men IN their laudabIe pu
suits. Getting my name and parentsge. an
learning my intended profession, he manifesto
a regard for me, said he had received hospllahl
at my fathers house in Moth Carolina, gave N
kind invitations to visit hm, and expressed bt
lief that would do well at the bar-generor
words, which had The effect of promoting whl