The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-04-10
OUR RETIRED PRESIDENTS.
AFTER-LIVEs OF THE NATIONS
CHIEF MAGISTRATES.

AS Mr.. Cleveland was about TO leave the
white house in 1889, he was asked by a
friend regarding his plans for the future.
lie replied that he was going TO practice
law, Just as he would have done if he mad
not been President. "I think" he said.
the most appropriate thing a man can do
after ne has retired from public Office is
to take up his private business again,
unless, of course. ne is too old"
II Is well remembered how industrionsly
Grover Cleveland, the lawyer, held to his
purpose, and with what unostentatious
dignity he pursued his vocation in New
york, as he had done years before in Buff
falo, in the practice of his profession. His
mental activities and his natural energy
impelled him to work as a plain citizen Of
the republic. and to take such part in the
| political movements around him as occa-
sion offered
But now, after the turmoil of a second
eventful administration, Mr.. Cleveland
appears to have less incentive to engage
in active professional toll than he had
eight years ago. Doubtless he does not
consider himself too old to take up his
private business again. But the necessity
for it is surely absent Mr. Cleveland has
| passed through long and laborious career
| Of responsibility. Therefore in retiring to
Princeton, he is but satisfying that
worthy ambition which every man feels,
to enjoy well-earned rest. Ample wealth
makes it possible for him to indulge in the
recreations and light employments of dig
nifed leisure, and, like Washington at
Mount Vernon, Cleveland seems to have
/ NCrhf do.
pass the remaining years Of his life.
Benjamin Harrison followed Mr. Cleve-
| lands example four years ago, by return
| ing to his home in indianapolis, and en-
| tering once more upon the duties of his
profession. He left the white house under
the shadow of domestic misfortune, but
| neither that nor the fact that he was a
retiring President made any difference
with his resolute determination to engage
| in useful pursuits. Since leaving Wash
| ington he has been particularly active as
| lecturer, as an advocate, and as a po-
| litical orator.
An opinion has prevailed at times that
| it was not consistent with the dignity of
| the nation that an ex-President should
| engage in professional work or should be
| active as a politician. Consequently, 1t
| has been suggested that these high Off
| Gals should either be pensioned by the
! government. so as to permit them to retire
| they should be made honorary members
| of the Senate, in order that their expert
| ence and wisdom might be made perma-
| nently available to the public interests.
| This feeling may have been inspired by
| the opinions expressed by Washington,
| and by his example when ne retired from
/ the presidency. He refused to become
! candidate for a third term, as he had de-
| clined to wear the crown, and he told his
| countrymen that it would be wise to limit
| the presidential term by custom, if not
| by constitutional provision.
But the Father of his Country had
| grown weary of carrying the burdens of
| public office, and he yearned for cne COM
| forts and relaxation Of domestic life. For
| thirty years he had been the first citi-
zen" of America. His life had been filled
/ with the most eventful experiences, and
| he had been subjected to thrilling dangers
/ on the field of battle, as well as to the
perils of suspicion and treaehery in the adj
ministration of public affairs. He was lit
| orally tired out, and as soon as his sue
| cessor was inaugurated he returned to
! his home In Virginia, and prepared to take
up the title of a quiet country gentleman
| on the banks Of the Potomac. He lived
! but two years in the ideal retirement
/ which he had eagerly sought, but it was
| dignihed repose, such as well betitted the
| first President of the republic.
| John Adams was 66 years old when, as
| the representative of the fedeTalist party,
| he was defeated by Thomas jefferson in
| the electoral college. He retired from
! the presidency under a cloud, and lived
| for a quarter of a century afterward to
| see his political opponents discredited by
| the people, when his son was elevated 10
| the presidential office. On the same day
| that his successor was inaugurated Mr..
| Adams left Washington for his home in
| Quincy Mass. He entered his library and
| practically lived in it to the day of his
| death. Surrounded by his books and pa
| pers he took the keenest interest in public
affairs, and through Volumnous corre-
| spondence with statesmen I'm Washington
and elsewhere, the elder Adams, as he
| was called, continued for many years to
have a large influence upon the political
| destinies of the country. He died i'm the
! peaceful retreat to which he retired July
| A. 1926 and, by a singular coincidence,
| Thomas Jefferson passed away IN the
same day in his home at Monticello.
At the close of his second presidential
term Thomas Jefferson, like Washington,
declined election for the third time, and
| withdrew from public life to his estate in
| Virginia. Though he had been associated
with the government from its beginning,
| and had been twice President Jefferson
| was a poor man, and was burdened by
financial difficulties, from which he SEEM
| ed unable to extricate himself. OF course,
| his embarrassing position was aggravated,
If not caused, by spendthrift habits, for
he kept open house at Monticello. the hos
| pitalities of the mansion being at times
| strained to accommodate as many as fifty
guests. He supervised the plantation and
made it as profitable as possible, but his
| embarrassments finally became known,
and he was compelled to go through the
| humilating experience of making an APP
| peal to congress to buy his library. The
response was a generous one Jefferson
receiving $2S000 for his literary treasures.
But this sum sufI1ced barely to pay his
debts and in a brief time he was again
in the tolls of poverty.
But during the years of his retirement,
Mr.. Jefferson founded the University of
| Virginia at Charlottesville, and thus gave
impetus and direction to higher education
In his native state. He also wrote an au-
photography and edited his speeches and
| papers, at the same time following the
example of his predecessor by keeping up
an extensive correspondence with public
men In all parts Of the union.
James Madison also went to his Virgin
Ia estate after retiring from the presi-