Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-01-30
Andrew Jackson at the Grave OF HIS
80 81 g. Wife. -


ssss Wife.
The following from the pen of Henry A.
Wise. is found in his ..SevenI Decades of the
Union 81
The day of burial came. and We witnessed
the solemn scene. Thiswe confidently testify,
that more sincere homage was done to her dead
than was ever done to any woman in our day
and country living. Thousands from the city
and from all the country round 'fUcked ta her
funeral. The poor white people. the slaves
of the 81 ermitage and adjoining plantations,
and the .neighbors, crowded off the gentry of
town and country, and filled The large garden
in which the interment took place. She had
been Hannah and Dorcas to every needy,
household She had been. more than miss
tress, mother to her servants and dependents;
and the richest aud best were proud of the
privilege of her sincere and simple friendship.
She was, without question, loved and honored
by high and low, white and black, bond and
free, rich and poor; and that love was so uu
affec,edly expressed by wall so loud aud long
that there was no installing its griet for the
loss, not OF the departed one but of the living
left behind her. From that same door OF the
northeast room OF the house, near which the
happy bridal party sat bu, few months before,
..SA SS@A1a
garder for her remains.
Following the pall.bearers came General
jackson. with his left hand in the arm of Gen.
eral Carroll, holding his cane in his righ.
hand. not grusping it with the nand over the
head, but with the back of the hand up, and
holding the point of the cane forward as lie
would have held sword, and where he
stopped at the pile of clay its point rested on
the clods. Weeping and mourning were
heard on every side. but ut the moment of his
coming up to that cold portal Of clay, u favorite
old servant of Mrs Jackson burt through the
group around the pit, aud tried to get into The
grave with the coffin. She was about sixty
years of age, robust and strong, and, falling
near the brink, got both feet over the edge of
the grave, when the sexton and others took
hoid of her aud prevented her descending,
and were trying to raise her up and remove
her. Hercries were agonizing: Ny mistress,
my best friend, my love, my life is gone-I
will 90 with her"
This was but moment; but. close to Gen.
erai Jackson, we watched him intently-
Every muscle Of his face was unmoved
steady as rock, without a tear drop in his
eye or quiver in his voice, he quickly raised
the point of his caue, and said. Let that
faithful servant weep for her best friend aud
loved mistress; she has the right aud cause to
mourn for her loss and her griet is sweet to
me-. The persons who had hold of her im>
mediately released her. and left her sitting
over the fresh clods weeping. AID there she
remained. h,udering the burial until after
awhile some OF her friends persuaded her to
leave the side of the grave aud let the ceres
mony go on. The body was let down, dust
to dust was said, the grave was filled up and
shaped into the common mound which covers
poor mortality, and General Jackson was led
away by General Carroll back to The northeast
room. The crowd followed and we got in
near to the chief mourner Arriving fairly
into the room and pausing a few moments. he
looked around him, and raising his voice. said:
"Friends and neighbors, thnuk you for
the honor you have done to the sainted one
whose remains now repose in yonder grave
She is now in the bliss of Heaven, and know
that she can suffer here no more on eartl,.-
That is enough for my consultation my loss is
her gain. But | am left without her t. en-
counter the trials of life alone. am now the
President elect of the United States, and in
short time must take my way to the metropolis
or my country. and if it had been Gods will
would have been grateful for the privilege
OF taking her to my post of honor and seating
her by my side but Providence knew what
was best for her. For myself L bow t, Gods
will and go alone to the place of new aud
arduous duties, and | shall not go without
friends to reward, and pray God thst may
not be allowed to have enemies t, punish. |
can forgive all who have wronged me, bu,
will have tervently 60 pray that | may have
grace to enable me to forget or forgive any
enemy who has ever maligned that blessed
one who,is now safe from all suffering and
sorrow. whom they tried to put to shame for
my sake!'
This was uttered calmly, firmly, m"uspfully.
and in such deep silence OF the crowd that /,
was audible and distinct tn every one in the
room We can never forget it Could bey
The answer tn the question illustrates his
leading trait OF the police of pugnacity.
A FIRE TO PokE.-How can a person be
attached to house that has no centre of at.
traction no sOni in IL in tho y;s;bIa Co.., = 8