The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1867-12-11
The Hermitage The Home {
Jackson.

On Saturday, Nov. 10th, committee OF
the Tennessee Legislature visited the Her.
mltage, to ascertain its condition. From
the Nashville Times we take the following
statements in connection with the visit:
General Jackson left the estate to his
adopted son. Andrew Jackson, who having
become involved in debt, offered the tract
containing 500 acres, to the State of Ten
nessee. In 1856 the Legislature authorized
Governor Harris to purchase it for $48 ,000
payable in State bonds, and the homestead
OF Jackson became the property of Ten
nessee. Old Hickory was good Judge Of
land as well as of horses, and he selected
for his home one of the finest bodies Of
land in the vicinity of Nashville. On this
delightful spot General jackson built the
Hermitage, and made his homo. He was
good farmer, and he raised fine crops ani
good stock. Mrs. Jacksons dairy brought
the best price in Nashville. Jackson's
adopted son Andrew was a good natured
easy fellow, who let things 90 to decay
He died in 1865. The Act of the Legisla
ture of 1856 provided that the property
should be offered to the General Govern
ment on condition that it would establish
a military academy, similar to the one al
West Point; if the offer was refused, then
fifty acres, including the residence and
tomb Of Jackson, were to be reserved, and
the remaining 450 acres were to be sold
Up to this time the property has remained
in the hands of the State.
The committee had a fine day for theil
journey Of twelve miles, and they came te
u fine old estate in ruins! The fences
were grown over with poison oak vines
and tumbling down; the grand park, OF
whose green lawn once graZed herds OF
sleek cattle, was q dense jungle ofpoke
weeds and brambles; the gates creaked I'M
willingly on rheumatic hinges; the flower
beds were defaced; the pavements torn up
the outhouses dilapidated; the stately
! columns of the portico Of the mansion ap
parently long suffering for lack of paint
while on every side pencil scribblings and
hacked shrubbery showed traces Ut the re
morseless reIic-hunters, who had generous
| ly left their names to pay for the memen
toes which they had carried away. Ever
the little copper-roofed temple, i'll the cor
ner of the garden, which shelters the mod
est obelisk that stands between tue graves
of Andrew and Rachel Jackson, has severe
ly felt the pitiless tooth of time The col
umns Of the temple are made of an inferior
quality of Tennessee limestone, and the sui
and rain and frost have eaten ont th,
chalky particles which dot it's composition
until its surface is completely honey-comb
/ ri 1n ~ I, a,r1n 70.
and the dairy-house and spring choked up
The whole spectacle was enough to draw ;
sigh from a frugal and tidy farmer. Mrs
Jackson, the widow Of the lost owner 0
the estate, and her widowed sister. VIII
resides there with her, received the visitor
at the house with great courtesy. The,
examined the chair presented by Wash
ington, the cane given by President Jeffer
son, Old Hiekory's ebony walking stick
the easy chair in which he reelined the da.
before his death Mrs. jackson spoke 0
her restitution, and expressed all earnes
desire to be able to purchase back q pol
tion of the old homestead.
AS the party passed by dilapidate,
brick cottage in the rear of the mansion
an aged negress made her appearance a
| the door with parcel of hickory walking
sticks, which she was anxious to sell
Betty said that she was eighty-three year
old, and lived with General Jackson eve
since he settled on the farm, and served a
cook; was with him at the battle of New
| Orleans and at Washington while he wa
President. Her husband, Ned, is a helples
cripple, bed-ridden with rheumatism
Their son lives with the old couple an,
supports them. He rents few acres 0
ground from the estate, at four dollars al
acre. The little cabin looked squalid an
poverty-stricken A few rude articles o
! furniture stood in the room, and a print Q
General Jackson, and Of the Saviour, who's
pictures are more numerous than his disc
pies, hung on the dingy walls. The oil
woman appealed earnestly to the Commit
tee: Gentlemen, for the Lords sake, don
turn us off from here. We have lived her
all our lives, and haven't much longer t
live. A little while longer, and we'll bot
be gone. DO let us have few acres o
ground here to spend the rest Of our day
on the old farmp' Betty's entire lot Q
canes were purchased by the party, VIII
made a complete cleaning outof the chang
for her relief, for which she expressed III
bounded gratitude.