The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1871-09-28

war Of 1872 was ruinous to the Southern
| planter. 50 many considered it THEN
duty to pay their respects to Jefferson
that his household expenses were enor-
nous. The last fifteen years of his life
We're spent in struggle against pecuni-
ary ruin.
MEETING WITH LAFAYETTE
In 1924, Lafayette visited America
after an absence of more than forty years.
At Jetferson's urgent request he visited
him at Monticello. Their meeting is thus
described by an eye witness.
The lawn on the eastern side of the
house at Monticello contains not quite an
acre. On this spot was the meeting of
Jefferson and Lafayette on the latter's
visit to the United States The barouche
containing Lafayette stopped at the edge
Oh this lawn. His escort-one hundred
and twenty mounted men-formed on
one side in a semi-circle extending from
the carriage to the house. A crowd of
about two hundred men, who were drawn
together by curiosity to witness the meet
Ing OF these two venerable men, forueti
| themselves in a simi-circle on the opposite
side. AS Lafayette descended from the
carriage Jefferson descended the steps of
the portico. The scene that followed was
touching. Jefferson was feeble and
tottering with ague = Lafayette per-
manently lamed and broken in health by
his long confinement i'll the dungeon of
| Omutz. AS they approached each other
their uncertain gait quickened itself into
4 shut1iing run, and exclaiming; All,
Jet1ersonH All, Lafayette 7 they burst
into tears as they fell into each others
| arms. Among the four hundred men
witnessing the scene there was not dry
cye-no sound save an occasional sup.
pressed sob. The two old men then en-
profound silence"
DECLINING HEALTH.
Early in the spring of 1926 the health
of Jefferson began to fail. He told his
grandson that he thought he might last
till midsummer. From that time the de-
cline went on, slowly but surely, until
the 9th of June. On that day he wrote
to his physician, DR.. Dunglison, asking
him to visit him, as he "was not SO well. y
On the same day he wrote a letter to Gen
Weightman, in reply to an invitation to
attend at Washington, 4 celebration of the
fttieth anniversary Of the Declaration of
Independence.
He declined the invitation on the score
of i'll health. He, as we'll as all others,
knew that the end was at hand. Once
his grandson told him that he thought
there was some Improvement in the
| symptoms. ''Do not imagine for a mo-
mcnt," was the reply, ''that | feel the
smallest solicitude about the result. lam
like an old watch, with a pinion worn out
here and 4 wheel there, until it can 60 nc
longer" Being aroused from sleep by
the name of a clergyman, Il have no OBJ
lection to seeing him." said Jefferson, ''a>
q kind friend and good neighbor." His
grandson understood from this that he
did not desire the attendance of the clergy
man in his official capacity, having form
ed his religious opinions upon mature
study and reflection.
| HIS LAST IIoI IRS.
/ His parting interview with his family
on the ID of July, was calm and compos
| ed. lie told his daughter she would find
in a certain drawer, something intended
| tor her 1t proved to be these verses;
4 A pEATH-EED ADIEU FROM III. J. no NJ. X.
! If's visions are vanished; its dreams are II
Dear friends Of my bosom, why batheu ii
tears:
I 90 TO my fathers; | welcome the shore
! Which crowns all my hopes, or which burie
my cares,
/ Then farewell, my dear, my loved daughter
/ alieu,
The last pans in life is in parting from you,
| Two Seraphs await me. long shrouded in death
4 will bear them your love on my last partin
breath,
TO his grandchildren he spoke man,
words of wisdom, the cardinal points 0
which We're ''to pursue virtue, be tru
and truthful" One of the children. 4 la'
Of eight years, seemed somewhat be
wildered. 'George,' said the old patri
arch, with a smile, "does not understan
what all this means" Then, when al
had been said, Jefferson murmured, lowly
but audihly, those words which hav
murmured through mems hearts for eigh
teen centuries: "Lord now lettest Thy
servant depart in peace"
On the next day. Monday, July 3, hi
slumbers were evidently those of ap
preaching dissolution. He slept unit
evenings, dill llitll dNDht, StCiillilS u
think it was morning, saying, 'Is this tn
Fourth of Julvo" 1T soon will be,
was the reply. Then he sunk again t.
slumber. AT nine in the evening he wa
aroused to take his medicine 'sNo
doctor, nothing more" in a clear distinc
voice, and tell into Il disturbed slumbel
In his sleep he SIT up in his bed, wen
through the forms of writing, spoke o
the Committee Of Safety, and said it ongl
to be warned.
AS midnight approached, the friend
stood watch in hand, hoping for yet q fe,
minutes Of life, so lnat his death migl
be hallowed by taking place on the glori
Gus Fourth. Their pious wish was grant
ed AT four O'clock in the morning h
spoke in clear voice, perfectly consciou
of his wants. These were his last audibl
words; but still he lived as the slow hour
wore on. At ten he made some sigr
which his faithful old servant understood
to indicate desire that his head shoul
be raised. At eleven he opened his eye
and moved his lips. A wet sponge wa
placed to his mouth this he sucked wit
apparent relish. This was the last ev
dence Of consciousness which he gave
| +Al my p'eol ii''ii hS NNt''N'
breath.
All through these hours a similar seen
had been enacted hundreds of miles away
On that same day, a few hours earliel
died John Adams, the senior of JeffersO
by eight years. Just half 4 century bt
f fore, the Declaration of independence,
that immortal document where of one {
these two dying men was the autho
, and the other the most eloquent advocate
had been formally put forth to all lutul
ages as the corner stone upon which ws
built the structure of the Unitess States {
America.
The New York correspondent of ii
Washington Patriot, alluding to the Sc:
son of marriages, says
} Among the marriages of the season AZ
, two that are rather interesting as to
, few of the details Not long since gel
tleman, obstinately avoiding society, an
: faithfully nursing his widowhood fo
thirty years, during which time he devol
ed himself to business, met and marie
a captivating widow, with thirteen chi
) dren. The new papa is rich, and til