The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-03
THE FOURTH OF JULY
Anniversaries of the Past and
Those of the Future.
CONDOLENCES OF THE DAY.
Jefferson, Adams and Monroe Died the
bone OF Rebellion Was Broken.

with our natal anniversary" was a COM
ment once made by General Garfield little
thinking that he was himself to furnish
another of these strange condolences.
As John Adams was dying he murmured
feebly. and Thomas Jefferson still sur
wives" and Jefferson on that same day.
realizing that death was near, was at peace
because his wish had been gratifed. and he
had been permitted to survive until the
anniversary of the immortal event whose
declaration he had penned.
General, how many presidents have
died upon the Fourth of July?" said Gen.
eral Garfield To Postmaster-General James
on that anniversary in iSSi
Three, Mr.. President" was General
James reply, with difficulty mastering
his emotion, for he feared that perhaps
before the sun had set on that day
fourth would be added to the list. Gar
field. racked with pain, looked with pathos
in his glance into the eyes of his post
master general for moment. and then
closed his own, as though in resignation
TO the dread which there he saw ex-
pressed.
The strange coincidence that. Jefferson
and Adams should have both passed
away upon the fifteth anniversary of the
day when independence was declared has
been deemed worthy of notice by even
the most unimaginative of historians.
Jefferson was the writer of the original
draft of the Declaration, but the commit
tee of congress appointed TO revise this
draft made some slight changes, the
lnterlineations in the handwriting
of John Adams. Roger Sherman
and Benjamin Franklin being still
Wei Eha inc ia
served in the state department at Wash
ington. While Jefferson was the writer
and the formulator of this instrument.
Adams was the orator who defended it and
pleaded for it before the congress. Thus
these two men, more than any other of the
great men of the revolutionary times.
were identified with this the most power
full written instrument since Magma
Charta.
After Adams retired from the presi-
dency. not even waiting, it is said, to re-
ceive with courtesy his successor. Jeffer-
son, I've returned to his home at Quincy,
his career, as he believed, being finished.
He was then % years of age, and as he
passed from the youth of old age to the
maturity of it he took great Joy not only
in watching the development of the coun-.
try and in criticising the policy
of the Republicans, as Jetferson's
party was then called, but especially
was he gratified in the promise which his
son was then giving of continuing the in
tluence of the Adams name. Mr.. Adams
unlike Jefferson, was possessed of suffi-
cent wealth to be able to live in comfort
He foresaw that his son might attain to
the presidency, and he earnestly prayed
that he might live long enough to see an
Adams rraSidanf
in 1925 John Quincy Adams became the
president, twenty-four years after his
fathers REIMBURSEMENT of the Office, the
venerable patriot declared that he was
quite ready at any time for the summons
which would take him from earth. Dur
ing the following year Mr.. Adams, feeling
the intirmities of age and knowing that he
could not long survive, became possessed
of one earnest desire. He hoped that he
would be spared long enough to see the sun
dawn upon the fiftieth anniversary of the
Declaration of Independence. The hope
was realized, and it seemed as though,
being thus gratitied, this great intellect of
the Revolution cared not to live through
out the day. He expired during the fore
noon. almost his last words being: And
Thomas Jefferson still survives"
Jefferson did survive, but only for few
hours. for he was then dying. He, too, for
some months previous to this semi-centen-
NAL anniversary had been filled with desire
to close his eyes forever upon that day. 1t
seemed at times as though life could not be
contained in his fral body as long as that.
But when the morning of the Fourth
of July, 1896, dawned there came
to Jefferson's countenance look
of serenity and exquisite Joy, and
at that moment he began to yield
his hold on life and ceased breathing few
hours later. Neither of these great men
had thought of this possible impressive
IL. J. Il "a NT hot Ia.F Il
the country know of it until some days
after, for communication was slow. If the
deaths of these two men had solemn and
pathetic suggestion by reason of this
strange association with the immortal part
they took in building new republic, a
double pathos is added by the story of
JeftersOn's closing years. lie was
harrassed by poverty. Ills fame was OF such
fascination that thousands were attracted
TO his home at Monticello, whom he re-
ceived with the characteristic hospitality
of his state. Sometimes the mansion was
a caravansary--its sixty beds being oc-
cupied by self-invited guests, the slaves
being busy with the care of these
people and Jefferson's farm being taxed
for the provisions TO support them. He
endured this with patience. although the
horrors OF debt were giving him nights OF
misery. 1t came ut last to the point
where TO raise money. lie was compelled
10 sell his library TO congress. and even
that sum OF $4,000 did not long stay the
disaster. In his extremity he appealed to
the state of Virginia for charter Tor lot
tery in which his estate ut Monticello was
To be the prize. Thus harrassed this noble
and conspicuous figure of the Revolution
passed the evening OF his days and those
who were with him at the end have said
that il seemed as though the hope that he
might live until the fiftieth Fourth of July
and then be taken away was the only
measure of comfort which he had in this
last year of his life.
The 1st of August had come before the
people of the United States knew that JEFF
ferson and Adams had passed away upon
this semi-centennial anniversary. The an
nouncement produced a profound aud
solemn impression. II was regarded as an
unmistakable sign of PrOyideutiai inter-
ference. Preparations were made every
where for memorial services. The spirit OF
l776 was stirred anew, and the story of
that day OF birth and Of the services Of
these two men upon that epOch-naklng
occasion was repeated till every man and
every child knew il as they knew tho
stories of the Scriptures.
Edward Everett. then N the trst lush OF
his fame as an orator was invited TO de-
liver a eulogy at Cambridge, anu Chancel-
Tor Kent at New York. But the nation
looked 10 one man-Daniei Webster-as
the sufficient eulOgist of these men and the
adeauate commentator upon the strange
signifcance OF their deaths upon this com
,neruoratiye day Webster was chosen to
deliver the eulogy in Boston, and when
the nation heard of this the people sand:
.'It il weill"
VVsh.ter's eulogy has become historic.