The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1855-06-01
Tho Figurs.Hsad Of tho Constitution.

1 Tbose OF our readers whose memory run.
meth back TO Tho time Of Andrew Jacksou's
reign, cannot have forgotten the exci.smsnt
created BY the " 6gure.head Affair."" A full
length statute, Ia the wood, Of the venerable
President had been put apon the noble old
Constitution, and In the dead Of night Il
was removed. An investigation wss had. .
reward was offered for tho discovery Of the
perpetrats Of the outrage, but, % Tar % the
public knew, nothing was ever elected Of .
nature to throw light upon the mystery.
Jack Downing wrote about Il tho papers on
one side abused the Wings for the insult TO
the hero, and those on the other pronounced
the putting the 6gure-hssd there in tho first
place. an insult 70 the people Even the
story writers wove the incident into the web
Of fiction, and the figure. head of the Con.
stitution y was tho title Of tale BY one Of
our best authors. Now, alter the lapse Of
some twenty years, We bavs the true n,r.
rative. given to The public In q letter TO the
New York Times, which, % . matter OF
interest, We copy. The writer. whose iuiti.
ais are given III" G. z. j." dates from Spring
field, lie says:
"a fsw years since, Ia company with .
friend. called on tho venerable Mahlou
Dickerson, at bis residence near Dover.
Morris County, New Jersey. and alter POI
litely showing " over Ills grounds and Iron
mines, he took Us through his extensive
library, and while giving rs detail Of his
books, and the history Of many Of them, he
also laughingly told Us the story Of tho 6g.
ure.head which was locking down on us
from the upper book shelf. He said:
I" You know hat at the time this occur.
red | was Secretary Of the Navy, and that
Government had offered o rewarl for the
apprehension Of the perpslraior Of the out
rage. Well, one day was sitting In the
Office when sailor walked In with bundle
In his hand, and asked II was the Sscfe-
tary Of the Navy He went on to say:
"You offered reward for the one that
cut Of the 6gure.head Of Gen. Jackson J"
Yes"
az opi The man.
"And untying bis budget placed before
me the head. I was amazed and pdsaled 10
divine what Il could mean. asked him
who helped him 10 do If
"Nobody.'
"How did you do ="
~ rowed out alono. climbed up In the
chains and sawed Il OF attempted to
saw Il OF through the neck q, first, but the
saw struck bolt, and I had to saw It through
the mouth"
"How did you manage to escape being
seen by the watch I"
"Iiumph I swear there wasn't any light
nor q man on deck"
"Who got you to do this !"
"Nobody, and nobody knows Of IT,"
"why did you DO It don't you like Gen.
eral jackson"
"Yes, am jackson man. and have NJ
objection to bis bust being on Old lronsides,
but don't believe 10 trhols.isngih figure.
: head, and IL you put It back again, d-u mo
If don't saw II OF again.
In consultation with the President, the
question oame up. what shall we do with
this man The old General said, % there
didn't appear to be any political motive in
the act, and the man had Voluntarily sur.
rendered, and ~ his story implicated the
officers Of tho Constitution, who had sworn
before the Investigating Committee that the
lights were burning and The watch set, why
we had better let the man 90, and hush II
up"
49," said Gov. D., when I LEFT Wash.
ington, I threw the head into my trunk and
brought II home, and that's the history Of
tho aiiair Of tho 6gurc-head."