The Somerset reporter., 1885-03-04
Death Of me Presidents.
WHAT THEY DID AsD WHAT THEY SAID
IN THEIR LAST MOMENTS.

John Adams aud Thomas j. f-Json both
died on the ssrne day, aud that the 4th of
july, 1926 They ". re friends during their
/ laier year, aud Adams ia~f words were,
'.Tbpnas J # r~nu >;ii .iy.-." bu, history
shows be ~. mistaken. f-rson had
! died an hour b-iorr, enchanting, "LOrd,
now .ttest Thou Thy servant depart IN
| peac,, aud al resign my soul TO God--aud
| my daughter to my country JDhn Quincy
Adams gave his last breath in tue Capitol
a. Ws-hinttO,i, saying, ''fhi. l. the epd Of
earth, am CONTENT and General Harrison
who died In the White House, said, "5ir,
wish you ~ Understand the principles Of
government. ! wish them carried out.
ask nothing more"
GArdcid'. last reported word, as be lay
racked by his terrible wound, acre, ''O1,
| that pain" But Lincoln became uDcon-
sclous when be wa shot and remained so
| Till he died. George Washington WIS saue
| during his last hours, aud be sp.n: then in
| calmly arranging hi, affairs. He told his
| .siic TO bring Two wills which he had made
and to burn one Of them. lie then grasped
bis pulse with one hand ond counted the
beats until be died Washington died Of a
cold, Polk Of the cholera, Andrew Jicksoo
of paralysis and Gen. Harrison OF cold,
| pi-urisy ard cholera morbus.
President Jackson was for thirty-one
year, a diseased man, and the latter part Of
| his life was sp"n; 10 almost continuous
pam. Even on bis death bed he was tor
| tured by office-seekers. 81 am diving" said
he, "as fast as can, and they all know il !;
but they keep swarming aboa' me in crowds
seeking for ofiice-intriguiDg for office
His death-bed scene was most affecting
one. hall an hour before his death his
chiidren and friends were standing around
his bed-sid- and his adopted son Andrew
had taken his hand a. whispered iu bi.
ear:
Father, how do you feels Do you know
met
Know you? Yes, l should know you
all if could see. Bring me my specta-
clts."
These were brought and put on him, nd
he said Nv here is my daughter and Mari
an? God will take care of you for me. l
am my Gods. belong to him. 60 but
short time before you, and want to
meet you all, white aud black, 10 heaven"
At this all burst into tears, and the gen.
erai said ''What il the matter with you.
my dear children? Have | alarmed you:
Oh, don't cry. b. good children. and We
will all meet in heaven"
These were Jacksun's last words. A
short time after this he passed peacefully
away. tie died Christian ana Pre>oy-
teriaD.
Thomas j. ff,rs0n was more Of del~t
than abyj thing else, snt when he died ne
said he would be glad 10 preacher
who called ''s> god neighbor," Thereby
intmalDg that he did care To see him pro-
fessionaily. There WAS NJ preacher pres
eUt AT Wasnlugton's death-bed a0d there Is
doubt ~ to hi belief. The two Adam,e,
believed in Christian doctrines, and 1t is
said that John Quincy Adams, during his
last years, never went to sleep without re-
peatiug that little child's prayer
Now lay NE down sleep,
Ipr,y the Lori my soul TO keep;
II | should die before sake,
Ipray the Lord my soul to take.
There is considerable doubt as to Lin
coins Christianity, but Ills best friends be-
lieve him to have been believer. He was
certainly great Bible reader. and under
stood it thoroughly FraOk Pierce was an
Episcopaian and church member Gen
eral Grant and Hayes attended the Metho-
dist Church while IN the White House, and
Garfield spent his Sundays at the Chapel OF
the Disciples. John Tyler wa l think,
Presbyterian, though mis- second wife WAS
Catholic. Dolly Madison was an Episco-
palian, whatever her husband may have
been, and The Old church which she atieud-
ed years ago, still stands, aud in it Presi-
dent Arthur worships to Jay CIeretdAd
Leader.