The Placer herald., 1869-11-06
The last Illness of Ex. x.Prssidsnt Pieresj

A Concord. N. H., special Of the s,b, 10
the Boston Journal, givss the following par
ticulars Of the closing hours Of ex-Pfssi-
dent Pierce:
The last sickness Of sx,Ptssilsnt risfcS
commsucsd in . mild form about nvs weeks
since While he WAS stopping II lis cottage
Al littls Boar's head a. Hampton Beech. =
For ss,eral months before Ais health b ad-
been unusually good. hs having risen from
bis severe sicknsss OF last fall and the early
winter With apparently fshswsd health and
vigor. When his last at,ack came Oh as
The beach it was not At first considered to
be dangerous illness, bu. be grew worse
rapidly, and in a few days Was taken 70 6is'
home 10 Concord. His family physician,
Dr.. Charles p. Gsgs, Of this city, was imms-
diatsy summoned, and be fopnd The sx-
Prssiden. suffering from abdominal dropsy.
attended With alarming symptoms. Prompt
treatment resulted 10 relieving The patient
entirely Of the water, but few days after
ward it again began TO accumulate. About
two weeks since biccups ~. 10 ssriously snd
continued At intervals for about Ten days.
The dropsics difficulty had been agsiu re-
lieysd, but when il set 10 the third time the
system did not seem 10 respond 10 diurstic'
medicines. This physical condition, Joined
With inability TO take much soufisbtnsnt :,
caused Mr.. Pierce to commence sinking,
and he continued 10 fail gradually uutii'
death. He was conscious to the last, and
sufficisnt slreugth 70 converse up 10 within
two bours Of his dscsass. When his ph y
sioian made hs fret visit 10 him in bis lass
sicknsss. be remarked: Doctor, what do
you think Of my csas!'
Tbs reply was: II think your symp.oms
are very grave ones" The General added
II think 80 myself. and I am souvisosd that
| sbalI not recover" A. times during bis
sickness hs suffered from the hiesups, and
neuralgia pains in bic shoulder and bip. ri:
naily these pains cenosntra,sd about the
heart. Al Other times bs was very calm
and comfortable.
LIE converssd frequently during his sisk~-
ne" upon publissand national matters, aud
expressed a dssp interest 10 and ansisty for
the welfare OF the county.
Hs talked freely Of the public mon With
whom be bad been associated 10 politicas
life, and spoke personally ef bic former
Cabinet members and OF many other sta.ssa
men and representative men 10 difsrsut
parts Of the country. As death approa. he'd
bis waning strength did aos psrmi. him 70
converse, but to all appearance bodily pain
had left him. He lay quietly upon bic bed.
a calm, happy and resigned sxpressies sufu'
sing bis sounteuancs AT about I've o'clock
be looked around the room for the last time, >,
his eyes resting for 4 moment upon those
in attendance upon him, and thsu ~ calmly
aud swss,ly A. a child would sink - lie
rest, he closed his syss ia bis lee. sleep,
and passed away. He died a the residence
Of Mr.. William Williams, on Main street,
where he bad made his home while 10 Con-
cord for many years past. The family With
whom be boarded, and host Of sympa-
thiziug neighbors and frisnds, did every.
thing possible for his comfort AID happiess.-
during his sickness. Among those who
were frequently at his bedside, we're Hon.
Josiah Minot, his former Law partner, and
for many years past his intimate friend and
business adviser, and Mr.. John Mcneil, Of
Concord, one OF bis nephsws, in whom hs
took a particular interest,"
President Pierce formerly attended The
South Congregational Church, in Concord.
but few years since he joined 81. Paul's
Episcopal Church, OF which be WAS q COM
municsnt. He lsft . handsome property,
which, il 10 understood, is devised BY will.