The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-03-24
DEATHS OF THE PRESIDENTS
Only Four Passed to the Great Beyond While Serving
Out Their Terms of Office

The death and funeral of ex-President
Harrison in Indianapolis suggest the re-
cital of n few facts relative to the man.
ner in which the Presidents have passed
away since the establishment of the Re-
public. With four exceptions the Presi-
dents have died after finishing their
terms of Office. William Henry Harrison.
the grandfather of Benjamin Harrison,
died after being in office one month. Gen
eral Taylor lived one year and four
months after being inaugurated Lincoln
was assassinated one month after his
Inauguration for the second term. and
Garfield was shot five months after being
indicted into office. President Polk died
at the age of fifty-three, the youngest
of all the Chief Magistrates. The oldest
was John Adams, who reached the age
of ninety. Between these extremes the
others have been gathered to their fathers
at periods ranging from a few months to
nearly thirty years after laying down the
reins Of power.
1t is well known that Washington con-
tracted the illness from which he expired
during a long ride in Maryland in the
month of December. Cold and wet, he
reached Marshall Hall, on the Maryland
side of the Potomac, opposite Mount Yer
with the disease which would now be
called oedema The following morning he
was conveyed across the river to his
home and surgeons were summoned to
attend him. At that time it was the be-
lief of the medical profession that the
cause of congestion or Inflammation was
bad blood, and they thought that blood
letting was the sovereign remedy. 1t was
applied vigorously in his case and there
is little doubt that the distinguished pa
tient was bled to death. He died in his
sixty eighth year. about two years after
leaving the Presidential office.
The funeral of Washington was con-
Quoted under the auspices of the Masonic
fraternity, and its one hundredth ami
yersary was observed at Mount Vernon
December II, 1899.
Adams and Jefferson died on the same
day. July 4, 1896. the former at the ad-
vanced age of 80 and the latter at -.
anniversary of the Declaration OF lnde-
pendence, and the coincidence was
| thought most striking at the time After
! leaving the White House, of which Jonn
/ Adams was the first occupant, he retired
| to Quincy. Mass, where he i1ved 1oi
| twenty-five years and devoted MS time
| to study and reflection. be died OF What
would now be termed senlle Deputy. IN
| his case n serene old age ended by the
slow and natural failure of his physical
| powers.
| try residence in Virginia, where he lived
| as the oracle OF his party for seventeen
| years. and died of chronic diarrhoea. Dur
! ing the years of his retirement Jefferson
| eSerted a great influence upon polltlca
| afrairs by his counsel and by correspond
| ence with the leaders OF the party OF
which he was the founder.
Adams was buried in the First Congre
/ orr
Mass. while Jefferson sleeps at Monticel
| To- jefferson wrote the Declaration OF in,
| dependence, both he and Adams signed
! ii. and among the last words OF ADAMS,
| few hours before he died, on being re-
minded that 1t was the Fourth of July, ne
| said feebIy, Independence forever
| lanes Madison retired to his estate q,
MontDelier. Va, where he sought rest
| from the troubles of his Administration III
| agricultural pursuits. The end came after
seventeen years of quiet country NE, anc
| people of Virginia. His bones rest al
! Montpelier. Madison died of senile de
| bility.
| Day in 1881, six years after leaving tho
| White House. He retired at first to Oai
| Hill his country residence in Loudour
| County Va, but he was residing in New
| York CITY at the time of his death. Deatf
| in his case was the result of the general
| breaki ing down of his powers at the age OF
| seyenty-three. The end was peaceful
| Cemetery Richmond, Va.
| John Quincy Adams did not follow the
| example set by his predecessors and seek
| oTiat from the tolls OF official life. Though
| his Administration had been rather &
| stormy one he made arrangements as
| soon as IL was over to again enter pub
lie life. He was candidate for Governor
of his native State, and later for Sena-
tor Being unsuccessful in this, he was
| elected to represent his district IN tht
| Eonse of REPRESENTATIVES. where he TOOK
mart in the stormy debates of the period
| Ea died in harness, being attacked by pa
raIysjs at his home in Washington aftel
a busy day spent at the Capitol
THE end was sudden and painless aftel
seventeen years of faithful service as
an ex-President in Congress. lie died a
tha age of eighty. and his resting place
10 Leside his father, in the Congregations
Cemetery, at Quincy, Mass
| Andrew Jackson, one OF the most pic
t,irasnue of our Presidents, retired to hi!
estate. called the Hermitage, near Nash
vile. Tenn. Jackson went out or oiiic'
more popular than when he entered upoI
It's duties. Like the illustrious Washing
ton he delivered farewell ADDRESS III
Journey home, by the way of Pittsburt
| IN the month of March, was slow ana tie
dious. but had its compensations; being II
the nature of n triumphal march all IN
yyav During the eight years or his re
tirement at the Hermitage, jackson ex
| arcised n prodigious influence upon TN
councils of his party. The Hermitage wa
| the Mecca of many pilgrimage by IN
| marty leaders, and the lavish entertain
ment of the host has passed INTO hlstor!
jackson died June s, 1915, OF consumption
az the age of seventy-eight. He wa
, greatly mourned as the oracle oil ~