Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1882-01-19
ANDREW JACKSON.
His Last Day, Death and Funeral.

NASHVILLE, JUNE ii, 1910.
My DEAR SIR: | helped to per-
form the melancholy Office yesterday
of consigning to his last resting place
here below our old friend, General
jackson. He died on Sunday evening
the Sth. He had been sick unto death,
with now and then slight amendments,
for six or seven weeks, was swollen and
in n dropsical state, But his mind
was not only clear, but unclouded and
his memory perfect, not only OF for
mer events, but of recent ones. This
was very much the consequence, L
think, of his much newspaper reading,
in which he amused himself half the
time, or nearly so, there being sent
him an immense number,so 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 atfiic-
ton, rs he had no frame left. |
thought so, and said so to him, and
there the matter ended. He then
asked me to give him an account of
the start our friend President Polk
had made, saying knew theinside of
the troubles and workings of the polit-
ical machinery. This did for an
hour, at which he laughed heartily,
understanding to the letter the Office
seeking hord, leach 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 United
States with a brevity, force and clear
ness equal to his best days, and in the
best temper declared his opinions as
to the reacquisition of Texas had not
changed in twenty-five years; that
he foresaw and told Mr.. Monroe, when
it was parted with by the treaty of
1919; we must have it in the end, so
rs to command the Gulf of Mexico for
the protection of New Orleans and the
security of the West. In this state
mind-the body falling of-he con.
tinued up to the day of his death.
During Sunday he was too feeble to
talk, save to give instructions, | am
informed, not being there myself He
went out like burned.down candle,
those standing by not Knowing when
he ceased to breath.
One thing may be safely said Of
General jackson, that he has written
his name higher on the temple of Fame
than any man since Washington, of
those belonging to history in this coun-
try. And what is more remarkable
in him than any American is, that he
maintaiped his power from 10 to 80,
when he had nothing TO give. This
he did by the force of will and cour-
age backing his thorough out-and.out
honesty of purpose. In this lay his
strength always. His intuitive iacul-
ties were quick and strong, his instincts
capitally good. The way in which a
thing should be done struck him plain
ly, 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 hardy indus
try and sleepless vigilance few could
equal. But this was not the best quail
ty he brought to the task. He cared
not a rush for anything behind I; he
looked ahead. His awful will stood
alone, and was made the will of all he
commanded it would and did. If he
had fallen from the clouds into
a city on fire, he would have been at
the head of the extinguishing host in
an hour. and could have blown up
palace to stop the fire with n little
misgiving as another would have torp
down board shed. In a moment he
would have willed it proper, and in
ten minutes the thing would have been
done. Those who never worked be.
fore, who had hardly courage to cry,
would have rushed to the execution
and applied the match. Hence il is
that timid men and feeble women have
rushed to onslaught when he gave the
command, fierce, fearless, and unwav-
ering for the first time. Hence it is
that for fifty years he has been follow
ed, first by all the timid who then
knew him and afterward by the
broad land as a matchless man, as one
they were ready to follow whenever
he led, who with them never was
wrong, and who could sweep over OPP
posers abroad or at home, terrible and
clear as a prairie fire, leaving hardly
q smoke Of the ruin behind.
Not even death could break the
charm. The funeral yesterday was n
great mass meeting of women, children,
men, black, white, and colored of
every grade, mixed up by the acre
outside; the house Grained within.
There was not loud word or a smile
80 far as / heard or saw. See him they
would and did nay, they would see