Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-09-26

The Grand Lodge, 4. o. O. F.-yislt 70 Mrs.
Polk, the Hermitage, &C &c.
Corrssposdsrcs of Ths Star
NASHVILLE, TENN. Sept. 10.

thc E"hsaxcs &c 3 &c.
Correspondence Of TAs Star.
r NASHVILLE, Tenn, Sept. 10.
Dear Star: This morning, In the Grand Lodge
after the transaction of some routine business the
amendments proposed to the Constitution were
again discussed. On taking vote, the first
amendment was rejected-yeas 40, nays s5
The hour Of ~ m having arrived, the Grand
Ledge took a recess for dinner; and on their way
the epezned lady Of the lamented ex- President
JamesS. Polk, where the members were indi-
vidusnY intredueed. Afer an interchange Of a
few worts, during which / learned that Mrs
Polk viii visit Warrington City for a few days in
January next, the body was invited into adjoin-
Ing room, roo where the popping Of champagne cork:
those present Surveying the beautifully laid OF
grounds around The buildings, I found the tomb
OF Oft the s..Presldsnt ON the eastern front It's
over it, on the front Of which II the inscription,
flames Knox Polk, 10th President Of the u 8
Born Nov 2, 1895; died June Is, 1897 Phe east
side Of the monument 10 inscribed, I" The mortal
remains Of James Knox Polk are resting I'm the
vault beneath. He was born In Mecklenburg
county, N. c., and emigrated with his father,
Samuel Polk, to Tennessee in 1906 The beauty
of virtue was illustrated in his life The excel
lencies Of Christianity was exemplifed In his
death" On the north side-''His life was de-
voted to the public service. He elevated
suceossiyely to the first places In the State and
Federal Governments. A member Of the General
Assembly; member Of Congress, aud chairman
Of the most important Cong ressonal committees
Speaker OF the House of Representatives; Governor
ofTennessee; and President Of the United States
On the south side" BY his public policy he
defined established, and extended the boundaries
Of his country. He plsnted the laws Of the Amer
tcan Union on the shores of the Pacific. His
influence and his counsels tended to organize the
National Treasury on the principles Of the Con-
sttution, and to apply the rules Of Freedom to
Navigation, Trade, and Industry"
In the afternoon the Grand Lodge resumed the
consideration Of the amendmens . Of the Constitu-
tiOn. The tenth (referring to biennial sessions)
was rejected; the NTH and sixth amendments (the
mergement question) were indefinitely postponed;
ss were also the second, third, fourth seventh
eighth, and ninth amendments.
NASHVILLE, Sept. 20.
The Grand Lodge, this morning, paid visit In
q body TO the Hermitage which 10 situated about
thirteen miles from this city. The procession
comprised some seventy or eighty carriages,
headed by a band wagon, and attracted much
attention AZ 1t wended its way thither. On the
way out the old race course Of Gen. Jackson was
passed nsar which is still standing the log house
where Jackson and Gen. Coffee kept a grocery
store, from which Aaron Burr was furnished the
provisions and stores necessary for his expedition
to Mexico-so says the tradition of the vicinage
The house exhibits the ravages Of Time, the roof
having fallen In, the chimney, gone, and alto
eether, presenting very dilapidated condition
After a ride Of about two hours reached the
Hermitage the premises Of which Were examined
with much interest. The house is vacant the
relics, mementoes, paintings, &c, having been
removed Among the objects Of interest examined
was the old ortce chair Of General Washington,
which had been used by him for thirty years; the
carriage Of Gen. Jackson, said to have been built
Of live-oak from the 90 Old Ironsdes' (Constt tll-
toni Of our Navy; the family carriage Of General
Jackson, In which he journeyed to and from
Warrington city whilst President Of the United
States; the mantelpiece In the north room Of the
lower noor of the mansion, made of hickory wood,
ana containing 1--WE were told) one thousand
pieces, most Of them not more than one inch In
length; and the tomb, cupalo resting on eight
columns, underneath which is plain granite
monument sided by two slabs. On one Of the
l.k.S q. Nna- fh.1 I'D. ~
Born March Is, 1867. Died June 8, ISI5"-and
on the other-(said to have been written by Gen
Jackson)-s' Here lies the remains Of Mrs Rachel
Jackson, wife Of President Jackson, who died
2d December, 1S2S. Aged 81. Her face was fair;
her person blessing; her temper amiable and her
heart kind; she delighted In relieving the wants
OF her fellow-creatures and cultivated that divine
pleasure by the most liberal and unpretending
methods; 70 the poor she was benefactor; to the
rich an example; TO the wretched a comforter to
ns ss an her p,e Wv went hand
her Creator for being permitted to do good. A
being 50 gentle, and yet SO virtuous, SANDER
might wound but could not dishonor Even
Aeath, when he tore her from the arms of her nus
band, could but transport her TO the arms Of her
Godo
Ar examination OF the house and grounds oecu.
rfed the time until dinner announced The
tables were spread In the beautiful grove in front
OF the mansion, and were loaded with excellent
fare aud the necessary ct ceteras, which were dis
cussed with keen appetises s.
After dinner, il was announced that DR.. J. NJ
Lawrence, "a son-in-law Of ndrew Jackson Jr y
the present custodian of the estate, was d.sirous
Of presenting to the Grand Lodge Of the United
sntes Hickory Arm Chair, made Of wythes
growa at the Hermitage; and the attention Of the
company was directed to the balcony Of the man
sion, where the chair was formally presented, In
behalf Of DIR Lawrence, by Mr.. II. X. Walker,
az Nashville.
Addressing the acting Grand Sire (E II Fi.z-
hug ~ he said He was deputed by DR.. Lawrence
20 ore. snt to the Grand Lodge oft6e uted States
this hanl,some specimen Of his mech chanical genius
Regarded strictly with practical eye, simply a.
aa arm chair, though iss rustic beauty will be
freely &C knowtedged, It's appropriateness as gift
20 the Distinguished body which you represent,
may not be apparent. But moments reflection
will impress You with the fact that the idea Of tie
donor In Offering it for your az ,ptance il by 10
means devoid of significance. When you recol.
lect that these hickory wytbes, Of which IL is 30
ingeniously constructed, were gathered amid the
groves Of the Hermitage-in kis active lifetime
the coveted spot where the hero, soldier, and
statesman sought repOse, alik from the fatigues
and dangers Of the tented feld-from the havoc
OF war and the battles confusion''-and from the
no less trying ordeal OF civic duty, to which the
voice Of his grateful countrymen summoned him;
m my sod SsoSed Sv anseS
abe closing years Of has eventful life, when his
beloved country, " blessed with victory and
peace,n no longer needed his gallant arm in its
defense, and when his great heart, subdusd and
soothed by the gentle influences Of beloved
family circle and the consultations Of religion,
csImIy awaited the summons hence-when you
rem.mber too that they come from the hallowed
retreat where his ashes repose beside those of his
5 beloved Rachel-when all tnese thoughts are as
soc lated with this humble memento, am sure
you viii highly appreciate and warmly cherish II
Is souvenir Of your visit to the honofed grave Of
Andrew Jackson
Another idea may be understood as synibolzed
byth gif OF our friend. AZ body, sir, the
ofvaaizsfisn which you represent 10 one Of the few
mat amid the aeyee sectional contests which have
10 unfortunsteiy aistraeed our beloved country,
has preserved perfect unity and .sg,sass. 80. Of
path Of duty, dispensing tu blessings and In
Charities alike upon united sbrotherhood-in the
fuIlest sense Of the idea, knowing no North, no
South. no East, no West IL our political insti.
tutisus are to outliye the present generation, and
cont nus TO afford In the future, n they have In
the time past, an asylnm Tor the oppressed Of all
nations, and The emily hope Of friends o. ciyil and
religious liberty throug hout the world the les
sols Of our patrlotIc fathers learned, Remembered
and practiced In the spirit which actnates your
Organization, must preserve them. The man In
hoRor Of whose memory you are to-day as
sembled was q representative of thai splt. In
that immortal sentiment-.fhe Federal Union--
kx,r -voS1f .xN~a af.x{n Af.f-