Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1882-01-20
ANDREW JACKSON.
His Last Days at the Hermitage,
Death and Funeral.
A Letter From Justice Cairon TO
James Bnehanan Not Before
Published.

4
jackson. He died on Sunday evening,
/ the 9Th. He had been sick unto death,
} with now and then slight amend
: ments, for six or seven weeks, was
swollen and IN a dropsical state. But
J his mind was not Only clear, but IN
, clouded, and bis memory perfect, not
only Of former events, but OF recent
ones. This was very much the eonse-
ouence. / think, Of his much news
paper reading, in which he amused
himself half the time, or nearly 80,
there being sent him an immense num-
! Der, 80 that he was most familiar with
the politics Of the day, and excited to
thought In regard TO them.
A month ago / FIRST saw him since
last November. he said to me he
could not recover from his then sfFlic-
ton, as he had no frame left. L
thought 80, and said 50 TO him, ard
there this matter ended. He then
asked me TO give him an account Of
the start our friend President Polk
had made, saying / knew the inside
Of the troubles and workings Of the
political machinery. This | did for
an hour, at which he laughed heartily,
understanding to the letter the Office
seeking horde, each one for himself
and God for us all, " in Scotch phrase.
He then went into English, Mexican
and Texas matters, compared men and
things in Europe, Mexico and the
United States with a brevity, force
and .clearness equal to the best days,
and in the best temper; declared bis
opinions as to the reacquisitiOn Of
Texas had not changed in twenty five
years; that be foresaW and tod Mr.. /
Monroe, when it was parted with by
the treaty OF 1919, We must have it in
the end, so as TO command the Gulf
Of Mexico for the protection Of New
Orleans and the security Of the West.
In this state OF mind-the body fall
ing of-he continued up to the day Of
his death. During Sunday he was too
feeble to talk, save 10 give instruc.
tons, am informed, not being there
myself. He went out like burned
down candle, those standing by not
knowing when he ceased to breathe.
One thing may be safely said Of
General Jackson, that he has written
his name higher on the lemple OF Fame
than any man since Washington, OF
those belonging to history in this
country. And what is more remark
able in him than any American is,
that he maintained his power from 20
TO 50, when he had nothing TO give.
This he did by the force Of will and
courage backing his thorough out-and
out honesty Of purpose. In this lay
his strength always. His intuitive
faculties we're quick and strong, his
instincts capitally good. The way in
which thing should be done struck
him plainly, and he adopted the plan.
If it was not the best, it would still
answer the purpose If we'll executed.
Then TO the Executive, he brought
a hardy industry and q sleep
less vigilance few would equal But
this was not the best quality he brought
to the task. He cared not a rush for
anything behind; he looked ahead.
His awful will stood alone, and was
made the will Of all he commando /,
and command it he would and did I'll
he had fallen from the clouds into
city on fire, he would have been at the
head Of the extinguishing host in an
hour, and would have blown up q
palace to stop the fire with as little
misgiving as another would have torn
down board shed. In moment he
would have willed it proper, and in
ten minutes the thing would have
been done. Those who had never
worked before, who had hardly cour.
age TO cry, would have rushed TO the
execution and applied the match.
Hence it is that timid men and feeble
women have rushed to the onslaught
when he gave the command, fierce,
fearless and unwavering for the first
time. Hence 1t is that for fifty years
he bias been followed, first by all the
tlmid who then knew him and after
ward by the broad land, as a match
less man, as one they were ready to
follow wherever be led, who with them
never was wrong, and who could sweep
over all opposers abroad, or at home,
terrible and clear az a prairie fire,
leaving hardly smoke Of the ruin.
! behind.
Not even death could break the
charm. The funeral yesterday was
great mass-meeting of women, chill
dren, men, black, white and colored
OF every grade, mixed up by the acre
outside; the house crammed within.
There was not loud word or a smile
so far as | heard or saw. See him they
would and did. Nay, they would see
the coffin cased in lead. II was Just
possible TO have room for the soldiers,
a tedious process. They claimed il as
a right to see the thing done. The
i, vast crowd followed him to the tomb.
/. stone grave by the side Of Mrs
Z JacksOns. laid there in 1923, covered
With a copper.roofcd canopy some ten
: feet high, resting on stone pillars. lie
/. was tediously put in, and the tomb.
! stone left of SO that all could look
once more. 1t was scene for painter
10 see, tho dense crowd at the partic-
ular spot, the slave women inIan agony
Of grief laying their heads on the
= shoulders and backs Of the lady friends
! OF their old master, leaving laces wet
: : with tears. Nor did the circumstance
elicit a simple renork an faraa Tboord
\ Death did not make all equal more
: completely than did the funeral. Be.
: ing there 10 perform the Office Of seeing
/ my friends remains consigned 10 its
|, final earthly abode, and thinking death
z a blessing in the particular case, and
. having especially promised him to AID
Il IN that duty | was unmoved, and OBJ
- servant from necessity. In an hour all
= had departed, except a few intimatel
i Of the family, and this so noiselessl,
that one 10 the house would not have