St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-07
A REMINIsCEyCE OF TILE list.

4 REMINISCENCE OF THE PAST.
The recent allusion in the columns of the
GLOBE to Mrs. Meckleham, granddaughter
of Thomas Jefferson and the last survivor
of his family brings to mind some reminis
cences of the closing years of that worthy and
patriotic statesman.
He was made poor by his devotion to the
interests of his country, and consequently
left his family in destitute circum stances,
and the niggardliness of congress in refusing
a pension to the last survivor of one of the
chief founders of the Republic is an migrate
full act that can hardly be too pointedly con-
demned. Had he attended to his own, in
stead of the business and interests of the
public, he would have left his family in OPP
ulence instead of penury. And in passing
we may here remark, that Presi-
dents when they retire from
office should have an annual allowance
granted them, as do army officers, who are
placed on the retired list This would be no
more than just for an ex-President is una
Voidably subjected to many extraordinary
expenses for entertainments, and the keep
ing up respectable equipage, entailed upon
him, by reason of his former high Office. This
was more especially true perhaps in the early
days of the Republic, but the principle is
none the less correct always, for an ex-Presi-
dent may retire now, as then, on a slender
fortune, embarrassed by his public service,
and needing means beyond his power to pro-
duce, to meet the demands of his posi-
ton, and to maintain the dignity and respect
ability of his ex-official character.
Jefferson's father left him 1000 acres of
land. At the breaking out of the Revolution
he had increased his real estate to 5000
acres But this was no great fortune when
land rated at only two dollars and half or
less per acre. His long continued absence,
some nineteen years, told fearfully on the
value of his farms and he retired at la st
from the Presidency in greatly embarrassed
pecuniary circumstances from which he new
er recovered.
1t is a remarkable fact that after his re-
tirement to his long neglected home, Mon
ticelo became sort of shrine, a Mecca, to
which pilgrims turned their footsteps. He
was thus overburdened, and embarrassed to
a degree that words cannot describe.
Though Mrs. Meckleham was young, (only
twelve years of age) in the closing years of
her grandfather's life, she has a vivid recol-
lection of the vast influx of visitors, and now
says, most emphaticaliy, that he was literally
''eaten out of house and home.n
1t is rather astonishing to recur to the
strange manners, or lack of manners of that
day, to the cheeE that possessed the high and
low, to enable them SO scandalously, and
mercilessly to impose upon good nature, and
crowd themselves unasked upon the hospi-
tality of the old patriot statesman.
In Randall's life of jefferson, is letter
from one OF his granddaughter, from which
is presented the following extracts, showing
how he was overburdened She writes:
''Mr. Jefferson was notan mprovident man.
He had habits of order and economy, was regu-
lar in keeping his accounts, knew the value of
money, and was in no way disposed to waste
it. He was simple in his tastes, careful,
and spent very little on himself.
Ills not true that he threw away his
money in fautastics projects or theoretical ex-
periments. He was eminenty a practical
man. He was during all the years that knew
him, very liberal, but never extravagant* x
X *To return to his visitors. They
came of all nations at all times, and staid
longer or shorter visits. l have known a
New England judge bring letter of intro
duction to my grandfather, and stay three
weeks. The Able Correa, always welcome
guest, passed some weeks of each year with
us during the whole time of his stay in this
country. We had persons from abroad,
from all the states of the union, from every
part of the state-men, women and children.
In short, almost every day, for at least eight
months of the year, brought its contin-
gent of guests. People of wealth, fashion,
men in Office, professional men, military
and CIVIL lawyers, doctors, Protestant clergy
men, Catholic priests, members of Congress,
foreign ministers, Indian agents, tourists,
travellers, natives, strangers and friends.
Some came from affection and respect, some
from curiosity, some to give or receive adj
vice or instruction, some from idleness, some
because others set the example, and very
varied, amusing and agreeable as the soci-
ETY. afforded by the influx of guests.''
His daughter Mrs Randolph, or one of
the granddaughter, took the head of the ia
BILE, he himself sat near the other end, and
almost always some visitors were present.
DR.. Dunglingson in his Memoranda says:
II had the curiosity to ask Mrs. Randolph
what was the largest number of persons for
whom she had been called upon unexpected
ly to prepare Accommodations for the night,
and she replied fifty"
Can anything be more astounding than
this unbecoming intrusion upon private
residence, though the master of it was high
official of the government? Other early ex-
Presidents suffered, if not equally, at least in
a degree from the same ill-mannered intru-
sion. Madison, in justiiably vexed spirit
said, it was enough to entertain his uninvit-
ed visitors, without being forced to receive
their hors es as his guests!
Here is argument enough to justify placing
ex-Presidents, if not their families, like army
officers on the retired list, under pay
CURRENT CONTENT.
WASHINGTON is excited over forthcoming d-