The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-08-30

Looking over some old documents tn
other day we CHANGED to light upon a cop,
of the letter Gen. Andrew jackson wrot
. to Commodore Elliot, in reply to one which
the Commodore wrote in regard to sarco
phagus he had brought from Abroad
having once been the tomb of an Eastern
king or emperor. The Commodore pre-
sented it to the National Institute at Wash.
jington, that through that Institute it NIGH
be presented to Gen. Jackson, for the pur'
pose of inclosing his remains after death.
On presenting this marble tomb to the In
stitute, the officer said: SIT is believed to
have once held the remains of Alexander
Severus, and it is fit resting place for all
that is mortal of Andrew Jackson"
The old Generals reply was as follows:
HERMITAGE, March 81, 1916.
"Dear Str-Your letter Of the 18th inst,
together with the copy of the proceedings
of the National Institute, furnished me by
the Corresponding Secretary, on the pre-
sentation by you of the sarcophagus for
their acceptance, OIL condition it shall be
preserved, and in honor of my memory,
have been received, and are now before
me-
although laboring under great de-
bility and affection from a severe attack,
from witch I may never recover, raise
my pen and endeavor to reply. The
steadiness Of my nerves may, perhaps, lead
you to conclude my prostration of
strength is not SO great as here expressed.
Strange as it may appear, my nerves are
as steady as they were forty years gone by,
whilst from debility and affection l am
gasping for breath.
81 have read the whole proceedings of
the presentation by you of the sarcophagus,
and the resolution passed by the board of
directors, so honorable to my name, with
sensations and feelings more easily to be
conjectured than by me expressed. The
whole proceedings call for my most grateful
thanks, which are hereby rendered to you,
and, through you, to the president and
directors of the National Institute But
with the warmest sensations that can in
spire grateful heart, must decline accept
ing the honor intended to be bestowed. l
cannot consent that my mortal body shall
be laid in repository intended for an en-
peror or king. My republican feelings
and principles forbid it; the simplicity of
our system of government forbids it. Every
erected to perpetuate the
of our heroes and statesmen ought |
to bear evidence of the economy and
of our republican citizens, who
are the sovereigns of our glorious union,
and whose virtue is to perpetuate it. True
virtue cannot exist when pomp and parade
are the governing passions; it can only |
dwell with the people-the great laboring
and producing classes that form the bone
and sinew of our confederacy.
"For these reasons 1 cannot accept the
honor you and the president and directors
Of the National Institute inteded to bestow.
cannot permit my remains to be the first
in these United States to be deposited in
made for an emperor or king.
again repeat, please accept for yourself,
md convey to the president and directors
If the National Institute, my most profound
respect for the honor you and they in
ended to bestow. I have prepared an
tumble repository for my mortal body,
beside that wherein lies my beloved wife,
where, without any pomp or parade, have
'equested, when my God calls me to sleep
With my fathers, to be laid-for both of us
here to remain until the last trumpet
sounds to call the dead to Judgment; when
We, hope, shall rise together, clothed with
hat heavenly body promised to all who
believe in our glorious Redeemer, who died
'or us that we might live, and by whose
ltonement hope for a,blessedI Immortality
~ am, with great respect, your friend
md fellow. citizen,
"ANDREw JACKSON.
TO Com. J, D. Elliot, United States Navy"