Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1855-03-13
DAILY VIRGINIAN.
The Figure Head of the Constitution


Those of our readers whose memory runns,l,
back to the time of Andrew Jack sons reign. oun.
not have forgotten the excitement created by the
'hgoro head affair full length stature, in
wood, of the venerable President, had been M,
upon the noble old Constitution. and in the dead
OF the night in was removed An investigation
wns had, and reward offered for the discoy-
cry of the perpetrator ofthe outrage. but 80 far
rs the public knew, nothing was ever ecited of
ann'nre to throw light upon tho mystery. Jack
i'ownlng wrote about il the papers on one side
abused the Wings for the insult to the hero, and
lhoSe on inc other pronounced the putting of tho
hgnre head there in tho first place, an insult IN
the People.-Even the story writer's wove tho in.
odent INTO the web of fiction, and the .Fionre
h'nd oi the Constitution was the title of n tale
ny ono "i our best authors. Now, after the lapse
ot some twenty years, we have the true narrative
gwen to tho public in n letter TO the New York
lines which, as matter of interest, we COPY
lhe writer, whose initials are given M a. T. l.,
dates ir"m Springfield He says:
"a few years since, in company with a friend.
| called ON the venerable Mahon Diokerson at his
residence, near Dover, Morris county NJ j., and
hiter politely showing us over the grounds, and
IRON m'nes' he took us through his extensive H.
ornry' and while giving us detail of his books
and the history OF many of them, he laughngly
told us th" story of the figure head which was
III.
lie snid: "lo know that u, the time this occur.
red was Secretary of the Navy. and the Gov.
ernncnt had offered reward for the apprehen
sion OF the pcrpetrator of the Outrage. Well, one
day wn1 sitting in the office when n sailor walk
ed IN with bundle in his hand, and ask ed me If
| was the Secretary of the Navy. IIe went on
10 snN, y ou offered reward for the one that cut
oil th" Figure head of Gen. Jack sonr' .Yes.' 4
am me man. and untying his budget, placed
before mc the hend. wns amazed and pnzzled
10 d'Hn" what II could mean. | asked him who
helped to do II. Nobody How did you do itl'
fow"d out alohc, climed up in the ohnns. and
sawed It ui'. attempted to saw it of through
the neck ut hrst, but tho struck bolt nnd
Ind to saw II through tho mouth How did You
manage TO escape Icing seen by the watchp
'llnlnph ! swear there wasn't light nora man
ON deck. who got Nou to do thisli Why did YOU
olt; don't you like General Jacksonl' Yes,
nm Jackson nun, and hive no objection To
his baSt being on Old ronsdes but | don't be-
he'e IA trhoit ftnrth figure hend nnd if von put
1t back ngnln, d--n me i'll don't saw it off ngnin.
In consultation Wi,h the President, the aaea.
ton came up whit shall do with this man
The old General sad, as there didn't appear To
be any political motive in the act, and the man
lind Voluntarily surrendered and as his story in.
phcatcd the officers of the Constitution who
Ind sworn before the investigating commit se
thu tho lights were burning aud the watch st.
why we had better LET the man 60, and hush il
mp.
So sald Gov. D., when left Washington, I
throw The hend into my trunk, and brought it
home, and thnts the history Of the affnir Of the
Figure head