The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1897-04-29
RETIRING PRESIDENTS.
WHAT THEY DID UPON LAYING DOWN
THE REINS OF GOVERNMENT.
Few of Them Were Recalled to the
Presidents Chair After Their Re-
tirement from Office-From WASH
ington Down to the Present Time.
(Atlanta Constitution J

tirement from Office-From WASH
ington Down to the Present Time.
(Atlanta COnstitution.)
Few of our ex-presidents have held
office after their retirement from the
presidency.
President Washington went from
the executive mansions to his rural
home at Mount Vernon at the age IS
years.
President John Adams arose before
dawn on the morning Of the 4,h oil
March, 1901, and set out in his coac h
for his home in Massachusetts, whe re
he spent the remainder of his life in
peaceful and happy seclusion, devoting
himself to literary research and cores
pondence with his friends, notably
Thomas Jefferson.
He was IS years old at his retire
ment, and he lived not only to see his
oldest son president, but to reach
the greatest age Of all the ex-presi-
dents
Jefferson retired to Monticello at
the age Of 66 years, after forty years
of continuous public service, SO ssse-
rlously impoverished" as the chron-
lcles have it, "that he was not sure Of
being allowed to leave Washington
without being arrested by his credi-
tors"
Madison at the close of his second
term, was 66 years of age. He spent
the rest of his days with his books and
his friends.
President Monroe, when he retired
from the White House, on March 4,
1925, at 81 years Of age, went to his
modest home at Oak Hill, Loudon
county, Va. There he accepted an
election to the office of local magis-
trate. He thought that x-presidents
should not be party leaders.
The junior Adams left the execu-
tive mansion for retirement, to be
soon broken by his return to Wash
ington as a member of the House OF
Representative, five years later, in
1881. In IS4S, in the capitol, he
died in the harness, aged 81 years,
and was the oldest member of the
House.
"Old Hickory" rode down the ave-
nue. on the 4th of March, 1887, the
weather being remarkably pleasant, by
the side of his successor, in hand
some phaeton made of wood from the
historic frigate Constitution. The We
hicle was present from the Demo
Gratis of New York. After the inaugu
raj ceremonies on the eastern portico
perhaps the first in the style of the
programme now in use for such oc-
Casions, he repaired at once to his
Hermitage retreat, near Nashville
Tenn.
Here his eventful and aggressive
life closed in the becoming peace and
grateful retirement in IS45, at the
age of IS, just seven years after leav-
ing the White House.
Martin Van Buren, retired in 1S41
to the shades of Lindenwald, beau
! tiful country seat in his native county
Columbia, N. Y. He spent the RESI-
of his days in the singular enjoyment
of the reflection that the "veto" haC
never been exercised by him while
| president.
The first Harrison lived just one
month after his Inauguration. HI
had called an extra session on the I 7tE
of April, IS47, but did not live to
that date.
President Tyler retired to his Vlr
| ginia home, March 4, 1S47, at the ag'
of IS. He remained in retiremen
until the beginning Of the civil war
when he became member Of tn
Confederate congress and died il
lIS62.
| President Polk retired to his HON
at Nashville, but survived only fe,
months, dying in 1S49, aged S
years.
President Taylor died at the execu
tive monsion in 1850, and Fillmore
who succeed him, retired in 1858 t
his home in Buffalo, N. Y, and i
1850 was the defeated nominee fo
president # the National America
party. He died in 1874, aged 7
Years.
| President Pierce, after the 4th {
March, 1857, retired to his home i
Concord, n. H., where he died
1869, aged 95 years.
President Buchanan retired from til
executive office in 1861 to his HON
near Lancaster, Pa, and for the RI
mainder Of his public life was yer
much abused ex-president.
The sad ending of the lives Of 18Th
mar,yred presidents" Lincoln ant
Garfield, are familiar history.
President Andrew Johnson retire
to his home in .Greenville, Tenn, Q
the expiration of his term of Office i
1869. He participated in the polit
cal discussions OF the times and W;
elected to the United States sena
in 1875, but lived only few weel
after returning to public life in Wasl
ington.
N President Grant, in 1877, after Il
! termination of his eight years as pre-
ident, made tour of the world, whit
b. was one of the most noted inciden
of his later years. He was enthusla
u tically urged for the Republ
< can nomination for president