The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1896-10-04

1899, however, seven years before his
death, he emerged from his solitude
long enough to take leading part III
formulating a new State constitution
Jackson's plantation, the Hermitage,
near Nashville, Tenn, where the ldohz-
ed leaders of the Democracy spent the
last eight years of his life,was great
resort of politicians and literary nota-
bles to the end. At the close OF ms
exciting career of Old Hickory grew m
tensely religious, and frequently de-
clared that he had forgiven all OF ms
enemies, as he himself hoped to be Tor
given.
johnson. the fifth post-presidential
farmer. spent the six years intervening
between his retirement from the presl-
dency and his qualification as United
States Senator in Knoxville and Green
Vile. Tenn, where he had a farm,
mill. a country store and other small
interests. He lived a simple, easy
going. comfortable life, mingding Tree
" with his old friends and POI teal
adherents. In 1872, in the spring, be was
a candidate before the Tennessee leg
islature for a seat in the United States
Senate as a Democrat, and in the fall
he was an independent candidate for
Congress, but not until 1875 was he
successful in his aspirations to re-en-
ter Washington official life. He died
within a year afteTward, possessing a
considerable estate.
HAYES rural retreat at Spiegel
Grove, near Fremont, o., is of current
memory. made by the recent death of
its proprietor. There General Hayes
superintended the operations of his
farm. looking after his investments,
interested himself in charitable and
benevolent objects and contriyed to
gain both pleasure and profit from his
private mode of life.
VAN buren, WAS RICH.
Five other of our ex-Presidents-V
Buren,, Polk, Fillmore, Pierce and
Grant recruited their exhausted nerve
force i'm rambles abroad, while Polk
found refreshment from his political
tolls in change of scene in our own
country. Van Buren, was the first of
all our eX-Presidents to seek renewal
of spirits and respite from private
grief in foreign chimes. He was rich
would have been deemed a millionaire
at this day-and could crafty his de-
sire for sightseeing without stint. On
his return to America, after a pro-
longed soiourn abroad, he again con-
centrated his energies upon the subtle
arts of politics, of which he was so ac-
eomplished a master. He was candi-
date for the Democratic nomination
in 1S44,and secured the Free Soil party
nomination in 1874, but his candidacy
defeated Cass, the regular Democratic
nominee, and this act ended his pollti-
cal career. He lived until 1862.
Polk. Fillmore and Pierce We're also
wealthy. Polk made tour of the
South at the close of his term and
was returning from New Orleans
when he was stricken down with the
cholera Fillmore also4 made a tour
through the Southern States after
Pierce's Inauguration, and subsequent
ly went abroad, returning in time TO
accept the Presidential nomination of
the Know-Notbing or American party.
After his overwhelming defeat in that
canvass he withdrew permanently to
his home in Buffalo, y. Y, and there
passed in green old age the pleasantest
years of his life, which terminated in
1874. Pierce in turn went across the
sea at the end of his administration,
and two wears later settled down
quietly at his home in Concord, N. H.,
a veritable hermit. He died in 1869.
He and Fillmore and Buchanan all
suffered in their retirement from the
reproach of being Northern maA
with Southern hearts"
Grants promenade around the world,
of course, transcribed the foreign
of all our Presidents. and
was, in truth, the most extraordinary
triumphal progress ever made by a
retired ruler of any nation.