The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1896-09-10

future deStlnfeS OF this republic.
I am sensible, after the measures you
have taken for getting into different
line of business. that 1t will be a great
sacrifice ON your part, and presents, from
the season and other circumstances, Sc
rious difficulties But some men are
born for the public. Nature, by fitting
them for the service Of the human race
on broad scale, has stamped them with
the evidences of her destination and
their duty"
This great sacrifice" was unhesitat-
ingly made, but at the same time 1t was
not without embarrassment that Mon
roe contemplated leaving the country
upon so short notice. The proper adjust
ment of his private affairs was a serious
matter to him, and, to enable him to
leave Immediately, he was compelled to
borrow money at high rate Of interest.
Col James Lewis, of Albemarle Coun-
ty, Va, received full power of attorney
over his affairs. During his absence
Col. Lewis was obliged to sell at great
sacrifice a tract of land In Albemarle
County, consisting Of $50 acres, to pay
off some of Mr.. Monroes obligations. 1t
Is an interesting fact that the present
University of Virginia Is built upon
some of this land, and that in 1905 Lewis
sold 1t for Sc an acre. Twenty years
later a portion of this same tract was
sold for $500 an acre. 1t can readily,
therefore. be seen that Monroe's second
| mission proved, personally speaking, q
great financial disaster.
| In 1881 four months prior to Monroe's
| death, Congress passed another act en-
| titled, IAN act to provide for the final
settlement and adjustment OF the vari-
GUS claims preferred by James Monroe
| against the United States for public ser
| I'D
| was for the sum of 10000. but, unfor
tunately, 1t came almost too late for
/, Monroe to derive any personal benefit
| from 1t. The venerable ex-President
| learned Of the passage Of this act
| through the Hon. George M Bib, OF
| Kentucky, who was at this time serv-
ing in the United States Senate. His
| letter Is dated March 8, 1881, end Is as
| follows: :.
"My Good Friend: So I must call
| you, for you have been good friend
I your accounts was finally passed. This,
| hope, will make the evening of your
| life easy. / feel so much pleasure In
this event that I cannot refrain from
communicating the result to you,
| pressed as / am by the current bust
| ness Of the Senate on the last
day of legislation. Accept the tender
of my sincere regard and undimin-
ished disposition to serve you"
Mr.. Bib was gentleman of the old
school, and 1t Is related of him that
he was the last United States Senator
to wear small clothes, a fashion he re-
tanned until the end of his life.
The New York Commercial Adver-
tiser of July 5, 1881, in noticing the
death of Mr.. Monroe, refers to this last
appropriation in the following manner;
Happy 1t Is for his country that the
reproach of total ingratitude cannot, in
this instance, be cast upon her. The
long withheld debt was paid, just ip
time to save her honor, and to gild the
evening of his days, which had else,
after all the obligations she owed him
closed in sorrow and perjury"
The last will and testament of James
Monroe reads as follows:
Having given my estate called Ash
field to my daughter Elizabeth Mrs
Hay), which estate cost me about &c..
000 1t Is my will and intention to pay
my daughter Maria (Mrs. Gouveneur,
that sum to put them on an equality
in the first instance, and then divide
my property remaining, after paying
my just debts, equally between them
my said daughters. With respect tc
the works on which I am engaged and
leave behind, commit the care and
publication of them to my son-in-law
Samuel L. Gouverneur, giving to him
one-third of the profits arising there
from for his trouble in preparing then
for publication, one third to my daugh.
ter Maria, and one-third to my daugh
ter Elizabeth. / appoint and consti
tute my son-in-law, Samuel L. Gou
verneur, my sole and exclusive execu
tor of this my last will and testament
hereby revoking all others, giving hin
full powers to carry 1t into effect.
recommend my daughter E. X. Hay tt
the paternal care and protection of my
son-in-law, Samuel L. Gouverneur.
JAMES MONROE"
A duly authenticated copy of the in
ventory of the personal estate O
James Monroe, filed in the records O
Loudon County, at Leesburg, Va, Il
now before me, and the valuation O
the various items amounts to $15,779.03
These records also show that Oak Hill
his handsome estate in Loudon Coun
ty. Va, situated ten miles from Lees
burg, which was subsequently sold b.
his executor for large sum of monei
.. to John w. Fairfax, was at Monroe
death left entirely unincumbered b.
debt. 1t can therefore be clearly seei
claims were allowed by Congress, ant
he passed away TRANQUILITY and quietl,
on the 4th Of July, 1881, amid the ring
, ing of bells and the firing of cannon
at the home Of his daughter, Mrs. Gou
|, verneur, surrounded by his. family an,
in the presence of his physician, DR.
, John w. Francis, and at peace witt
: the whole world.
,, The funeral Of James Monroe, whicl
occurred three days later, was con
Quoted with much pomp and ceremo
ny. The following is the death motto
which appeared in the New York Com
!, mercial Advertiser of July T. 1881:
; THE relatives and friends of Co
James Monroe, and of his son-in-law
Samuel l.. Gouverneur, and hi
nephew, James Monroe, Jr., are re
, specially invited to attend his funera
from So Prince street, at o'clock pre-
, cisely, without further invitation"
The funeral arrangements were unde
! the direction of a committee appointe
! by the Common Council. At the an
: pointed hour the remains were take
, from the residence of Mr.. Gouverneu
! under the escort of two battalions Of In
: fantry, In reversed order, to the Cit
Hall, in front of which platform ha
been erected to receive the coffin, whic
I was made of highly polished mahogany
!, silver plate bore the simple inscriI
: ton, James Monroe, of Virginia. Die
t 4th Of July. 1881. Aged IA years." A
4 the procession began to move from til
2 house, all the bells of the city wer
tolled and minute guns were free
Throughout the city all business wa
n suspended, and the postoffice was ais
:, closed in order to afford its employe
s an opportunity of joining their fellc'
i citizens in solemnizing the obsequie
n The streets through which the process