The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-01-22
Dcafhs Of Presidents.
IFrm the 81. Louis Rspsttieaa.


Deaths Of Presidents.
Irrm the g. Louis Rspsbheas.l
George Washington died ut Mount Yer
non on the nth Of December, l799, In the
GSth year Of his age. Death came sud-
denly to hlm-so suddenly that the tidlngs
Of his sickness and his decease simultane-
ously reached the halls OF Congress.
John Adams came to ''thc end of all
living" ut his residence In Quincy. Mass,
on the 4th Of July, 1896, realizing what
day It was, and rejoicing In It. He grad
ually and quietly expired at the patriarch
al age of four score years and ten.
Thomas jefferson, by an extraordinary
coincidence, brcathed his last ut Monticcl-
10 on the same day that his venerable
cOmpatriot, Adams, died-the jubilee Of
American independence. lie had reached
the advanced age Of elShty-thrce.
James Madison, the ''man Of the Con-
stitution," and one of the wlscst statesmen
our country has produced, peacefully
closed his earthly career at Montpelier,
Virginia, on the 18th Of June, 1896, In his
eighty-sixth year.
James Monroe died In the city OF New
York on the 4th of July, 1881, In his clgh-
tictl year. lie was pure patriot, and the
last of the Presidents who served In the
eventfhl days OF the Revolution, having
been colonel In the Continental army.
lie particularly enjoyed the confidence Of
Washington, and the period Of his wise
and peaceful administration was charac-
tcrized as ..thc era Of good feeling"
John Quincy Adams expired In the Cap
itol ut Washington OH the 23d day of Feb
ruary, lsis. literally dying In his country's
service, ut the age of cighty-Onc. To the
last he was of the class of life's busy men;
and identified as he had been from boy
hood with the public service, 1t was sol
cmnly striking and appropriate that the
halls of the National Council should hear
his dying words. lie was struck by pa
ralysis while In his seat In the House Of
Representatives.
Andrew Jackson died at the Hermitage,
near Nashville, on the Sth Of June, lS45,
In his scvcnty-ninth year. He must have
been great man, indeed, who could clus-
ter the affections of whole people around
him rs this distinguished soldier and pa
triot did. His popularity had no parallel
but that of Washington.
Martin Van Buren, died ut his birth
place, Undertook, Columbia county, n.
", on the aith of July, 1862, In his eigh-
tieth year. His administration, from 1887
to 1911, was period marked by great fl
nancial distress throughout the country,
which was charged by his political oppo-
ncnts upon the policy he pursued In man
aging the public finances through the
agency of the Independent treasury. lie
failed Of denomination for second term,
however, on account Of his opposition to
the anncxatiopof Texas.
william Henry Harrison died on the 4th
Of April, 1871, exactly one month amer
his Inauguration, aged Gs. lie was the
first President who died In Office, and at
the Executive Mansion. He had gained n
deep hold upon the peoples heart, and no
one living at the time can ever forget the
profound and universal expressions Of
sympathy and sorrow which his death oc-
casioned.
John Tyler, elected Vice President, and
who succeeded General Harrison for the
remainder of his term, renOnnced his allc-
glance to the United States In 1861, and
died the following year In Richmond. Va,
IN his sevcnty.second year; being Mt the
time Senator of Virginia In the Confed.
crate Congress, then In session In Rich
mond.
James Knox Polk died ut his home In
Tennessee, on the 18th of June, 1910, only
three months after the expiration Of his
term of Office, and In his ilfly.fourtll year.
lie was q man of unqucstionablc ability
and talent, aud achieved the highest hon
or his country could bcstow ut much
earlier age than any Of his predecessors.
Zachary Taylor's death, Oh the 9th OF
July, 1850. when he had been but tixtccn
months In Office, called forth the deepest
expressions of n nations grief, and every
where the full heart Of tho people was
touched beyond what adequate words can
utter. He died at the Presidential Man
slou in his sixty-sixth year.
Abraham Lincoln's death, on the 18th
of April, 1865, Zone month and ten days
aflcr his second inauguration,) was one
that shocked the country beyond anything
that had ever occurred IN It's history, and
sent n thrill OF horror throughout the
world. All his predecessors had descend |
ed To the tomb In the ordinary course Of
nature. but Il was reserved for him to fall
by the foul hand Of the assassin. His
character and administration arc too fresh
In the public memory to need any COM
mcnts. He died In his llny-seventh year.
Washington, jefferson. Madison, Mon
roe. Jackson and Lincoln were the only
Presidents twice chosen to the Office.
The present Chief Magistrate OF the
United States Is the seventeenth III sue
cession. or the sixteen former ones, but
two now suryive-Miliard Fillmore and
Franklin Pierce.