Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-06-09
LAST HOURS OF MIR. BUCHANAN.
enlfniseenceS of Isis Early Life and
HiSPersOuaI Characteristics. -

"Reminiscences Of IaIs Early Life and
HiSPersOuaI ChRrAeteristtcs =.
. Correspondence Of the New York World.
/. j believe that it has been told in private
before how Mr.. Buchanan came to lead his
long life alone but the story will bear
repetition. In very early life he engaged
to marry a young lady of Lancaster, but
gossips came TO her with story of his in
fidelity. She denied herself TO him, and
went away soon after to die of a broken
heart. His heart was of sterner stuff, and
he lived on, achieving every honor that
his town, his county, and his State could in
their turns bestow on him. But il was a
heartiess task to him, and now at last he
has followed her, with no reluctance TO quit
world from which the bloom died of full
fifty years ago. There is indeed touch
ing similarity between his career and that
OF another famous man, who died only the
other day, as it seems, at an age almost
equally advanced. Both lost their youth
in equal measure; both struggled stoutly
in achieving in their. different walks the
favor of their countrymen, and both have
died-the one at Whealland, the other at
Notwithstanding behind them the re-
cord Of lives led not for pleasure nor ambi-,
tion, but for dpty's sake; which ought not
to be without an influence on statesmen and
ON wriiefs. ilBn9 while in the ease iof1
Irving the world gave him the credit of
soft -heartednesss and generosity, Mr., Bu-
cianan had the name of being cold It
is only necessary 10, go about afAong his
old neighbors and friends here, from the
lawyer who was his most trusted friend to
his black barber, to learn how unjust such
a supposition was. "Why, sir,p the latter
told me, che didn't know what it was to /
give a rough answer TO man, woman or
child.p In the height Of party 'raneor,
ghen his policy was assailed in such
manper as only can be in the fercest fines, /
the most violent man forbore to touch
private chamber which was and remains
immaculate. Those who were admitted to
the hospitalities' Of his home know how
genial he was, what a store of stories he had
for every listener, how women and little
children loved him, and how he had their
confidence. 1t was not becatlse he had held /
high public trusts, but because be was a
good citizen, good neighbor and good
man that James Buchanat's memory was
honored to-day by g funeral, the like of
WHICH 14dilCdHlEI Has ucfcI beEu
Nor is Lancaster likely to see it again; for
the only son she has, who Is at all com
parable in prominence 10 the man who
was buried to-day, is a man whose public
career is inspired only by hate as the
others was by Kindness, and whose
private life is notoriously as foul as the
other mans was pure.
OF the last hours Of Mr.. Buchanan it is
only needed to say that they were perfectly
peaceful and almost perfectly painless
Mr.. Swarr, his lifelong friend, had an in
terView with him the night before he died,
in which he appeared altogether conscious
and composed. He gave direetionsthat there
should be no pomp about his funeral, al.
thongh he was willing that such civic So
cieties as should, without solicitation,
choose il, should be allowed 20 unite in the
honots Of his memory. His tomb he or
dered to be Of the simplest but most dura
bic material, and upon il he directed that
these words should be inscribed: .AJ 'E"i7
-.. I'd. Here rest the remains Of '-.i''
JAMES BUCHANAN r. .Is)
President Of the United States,
H'lBoRN } iigJ l. i n
In Franklin County, Pennsylvania
suI April %, l79L 7mEL .rs.,
.7aal. DIED .1.IN VI y LOB
At his residence at Wheatland, Lancaster
County, Pennsylvania, 3 ns1b
.l.amH'.F 30 On -, lHR .il Il .'u4
And then he added: And Of course in
sert the date Of my death, which cannot be |
far distant" The blank is filed with June
|, 1868. Shortly before his death, he asked
for drink from spring at Wheatland,
which is famed for the quality of its water, |
and said to his physician: = a',li# lsJ
doctor, if disembUdied spirits ever
COME back, believe that mine will be
found about that spring" ".b ~ % .H7J
His last authentic words were: iaH
"Oh Lord, God Almighty, as Thou
wilt"
He died literally in his sleep: but in the |
same conversation to which have referred, !
be had taken pains TO express his belief in
The Divinity of Jesus Christ, and the eff |
cacy of the atonement made by Him. His |
funeral was as he wished. There were in
it ali the societies of the town, the students |
Of franklin aud Marshall College, of which |
he had been trustee for many years, dele-
CATION from Harrisburg, delegation from
Philadelphia, delegation from the New
Ofk city government numbering hHJI
headed by Mayor Hoffman, and in charge
Of Mr.. Green, the Clerk of the Board of |
aud the committee of the
Lower House Of Congress, comprising
Messrs. Eldridge, Thomas, Kerry, Trimble,
alosbrenner and Blair. But all these
we're only fraction. The spacious
grounds were filed with the personal
friends, political admirers, and townsmen
Df Mr.. Buchanan, waiting in silent reye-
renee until the long services were ended.
DR.. Nevin, the President of Franklin and
Marshall College, conducted them, at the |
especial wish of the friend over
whom they were to be held se 81 @
The body was exposed to view in the |
wide hall. 1t was in a satin shroud, but
The face was 20 like life in its serenity that,
bat for the shroud aud the coffin, it |
would have been taken for the face of
man asleep. CHANGING from this fresh face |
TO the paIlid bust which stood near it, it |
was difficult to feel that the flesh was as
dead as the marble; that the brow on
which once collaboration sat and public |
care" was now insensible, and that the man |
mask il once was, slept indeed in |
,o.co alar an MANN frouhlaa in honor /