Amador ledger., 1900-03-30
THE PRESIDENTS.
How They Died, Their Last Words and
Their Religious Beliefs.


Adams last words were: Thomas
Jefferson still lives. but history shows
that he was mistaken. Jefferson had
died an hour before, exclaiming
Lord, now lettest thou that thy SER
want depart in peace, 'and Il resign my
soul to GOd-and my daughter to my
country" John Quincy Adams gave
his last breath in the Capitol at Wash
ington, saying: This is the end of
earth, 1 am content" and General
Harrison. who died in the White
House said: ''Sir, wish you to under
stand the principles of government. l
wish them carried out. | ask nothing
more. -
Garfield's last reported words, as he
lay racked by his terrible wound,
were: "'Oh, that pain!" But Lincoln
became unconscious when he was shot,
and remained so till he died. George
Washington was sane during his last
hours, and he spent them in calmly ar
ranging his affairs. He told his wife
to bring two wills which LIE had made,
and to burn one of them. He then
grasped his pulse with one hand and
counted the beats until he dropped
back dead. Washington died of
quinsy, Polk of malaria, Andrew John
son of paralysis and General Harrison
of pleurisy owing to his exposure dur
ing the inaugural ceremonies.
President Jackson. was for thirty
one years diseased man, and the lat
ter part of his life was spent in almost
continuous pain. Even on his death
he was besieged by office seekers. 81
am dying" said he ''as fast as can,
and they all know it; but they keep
swarming about me in crowds, seeking
for office-intriguing for office" His
death-bed scene was a most affecting
one. A half an hour before his death
his children and friends were standing
around his bedside, and his adopted
son Andrew had taken his hand and
whispered in his ear:
Father, how do you feel? Do you
know me?"
''Know you? Yes, [ should know
you all if could see. Bring me my
spectacles."
These were brought and put on him,
and he said "Where is my daughter
and Marian? God will take care of you
for me. am my Gods. l belong to
him. l go but short time before
you, and want to meet you all, white
and black, in heaven.
At this all burst into tears, and the
General said what is the matter
with you, my dear children? Have |
alarmed you: Oh, don't cry Be
good children, and we will all meet in
heaven"
These were Jackson's last words. A
short time after this he passed peace
fully away. He died Christian and a
Presbyterian.
Thomas Jefferson was more Of de-
ist than anything else, and when he
died he said he would be glad to see a
preacher who called "as good neigh
bor," thereby intimating that he did
not care to see him professionally.
There was no preacher present at
Washington deathbed. He was an
EpiscOpalian, and for many years a
vestryman OF Christ Church, Alexan-
dria, Va. The two Adams believed in
Unitarian doctrines, and it is said that
John Quincy Adams, during his last
years, never went to sleep without re-
peating that little child's prayer:
Nov lay me down to sleep
1 pray Thee, Lord, my soul to keep;
If should die before wake,
I pray Thee, Lord, my soul to take
There is considerable doubt as to
Lincoln's christianity, but his best
friends believe him to be believer.
He was certainly a great Bible-reader,
and understood it thoroughly. Frank
Pierce was an EpiscOpalian and a
church member. Generals Grant and
Hayes attended the Methodist Church
while in the White House, and Gar
field spent his Sundays at the chapels
of the Disciples. John Tyler was, I
think, a Presby yterian, though his Sec
bond wife was Catholic. Dolly Madi-
son was an Episcopalian, whatever her
husband may have been, and the old
church which she attended years ago
still stands, and in it President Arthur
Worships today.