Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1866-06-21
RecoIIections Of the Iimesof ,
GEN. ANDREW JACKSON.
MO. TWO.
Richard Lawrence, the
Assassin. y

| Richard Lawrence, the
Assassin. ~
The virulence Of party was Sc
exceedingly animated during the
two or three last years of General
Jackson's administration, and the
newspaper assaults that were made
on the President, were distln-
guished for such unusual bitterness
that it was seriously contemplated,
by his friends, to get up life
guard to protect the Executive
mansion and its distinguished oe-
cupant. A scheme of this kind
was more than once limited at in
Congress, and would have undoubt-
edly been carried into execution,
had it not been Indignantly re
PEELED and rejected by General
Jackson. fT spa
What probably first led to the
suggestion-of the expediency of
getting up a life or body-guard for
the President-was the violence
exhibited at public meeting, held
in the city of New York, at which
lit was proposed that an armed
body should be enlisted and en-
rolled by the citizens, to proceed
to the Capitol and compel the
President to modify, if he did
not change, the entire policy of
This administration, SO far as it
related to matters of finance
The proposition was an idle one,
conceived by demagogues, and
openly proposed and advocated by
political fanatic, named Gould,
who lived long enough to find HIM
self ridiculed for his folly by all
the political sects in the Union.
In the month of January, 1885,
at a time, when, in consequence
Iof pending difficulties between
this country and France, the pub
lie mind had become somewhat di-
verted from the politics of factions,
an attempt was made on the life
of General jackson, by a young
man, named Richard Lawrence.
He was journeyman painter,
about twenty or twenty-one years
of age, and a native of Great Brit
ain, though for some years a res
ident of the city of Washington.
This bold attempt was made In
the day time, and in the presence
of at least ten thousand people,
on the steps of the east front of
the Capitol. The opportunity
sought, was singular, and a mel
ancholy one,
The Hon. Warren R. Davis, a
representative in Congress, from
South Carolina, a wit, poet, and
statesman, had, a few days be-
fore, fallen victim to the disease
incident to the Capitol; and was
to be buried, of course, from the
Halls of Congress, in conformity
with parliamentary custom and
courtesy. Warren R. Davis had
lived a life of easy elegance; was
of a convivial habit and tempera-
ment; as poet and scholar, he had
distinguished himself; and, conse-
quently, an unusually large assem-
blage had collected, to pay to his
lifeless body the holy rites OF sep
ulchre. 1t was he who wrote the
celebrated and popular parody on
"Roy's Wife" entitled .Johnson's
Wife of Louisiana" which had so
extensive arun in England.
The multitude had listened to a
funeral discourse from the Chap
lain, in the hall of the House of
Representatives, and had marched,
in procession, through the rotunda
to the east front of the Capitol,
and were standing on the esplan-
ade, General Jackson somewhat
in advance, when Richard Law
renee, who had gained his position,
no one could tell how, drew from
his bosom a brass barrelled pistol,
deliberately presented it to the
breast of General jackson, and
pulled the trigger. The percus-
sion cap exploded without dischaarg-
ing the pistol. Finding HIM I
self bafled in his attempt, ne
drew a second pistol, which had
IL. .a-n oHoo@ Tho rovct,aaIon