Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-03-12

Henry H. Gilbert. dated at New Hart
ford, February 6. 1916, which he stated
was in session by the Hon. John Quincy
Adams who informed the porter that he
was requested to hand it to me in per-
son. Mr.. Adams, as the porter informed
of his carriage. The letter contains MOTH
ing remarkable except the fact, which l
regard singular one, that it was
brought by Mr.. Adams in person. have
made an Endorsement on the letter and
placed 1t on my files of letters to be
Ex-President Adams died suddenly, you
will remember on the floor of the House
of Representatives,. Feb
Adams ruary q. 1S4s. and
n...l President Polk gives an
DS"'A' account Of his funeral,
which was held Saturday, February g.
He says:
This being the day appointed by the
Two Houses Of Congress for performing
the funeral ceremonies of the late John
Quincy Adams. the Cabinet assembled
at the Presidents Mansion at II O'Clock
4. NJ and proceeded with me to the Capt.
toll On reaching the Hall OF the House
Of Representatives I was conducted to a
seat provided for me on the right of the
Speaker, the Cabinet occupying seats on
the floor Of the House. On similar occa-
sions heretofore the President has been
seated on the floor with the Cabinet 1 of
course conformed to the order Of arrange
ments which had been made by the
Speaker. and took my seat on his right
The Vice President Of the United States
was seated on the left of the Speaker.
An immense crowd attended at the
Ii cot d
mlttance to the Hall Of the House. Every
seat was occupied. In addition to the
members of both Houses of Congress, the
Judges OF the Supreme Court Of the
United States, the officers of the army
and navy in uniform. Foreign ministers,
most of them in their court dresses, and
a vast multitude of citizens and strangers
was present. The galleries as well as the
floor were crowded with ladies and gen.
tlemen. Mrs. Polk. Mrs. Dallas and many
other ladies occupied the ladies' gallery.
The family of the deceased were on
the floor. The corpse was brought into
the Hall. Divine service was performed
by the Rev. Mr.. Gurley. the Chaplain of
the House of Representatives The serv-
Ice being over, a long procession of car
rfages. persons on horseback and on foot,
of military. the Order of Odd Fellows.
the fire companies and citizens moved
with the corpse to the Congressional Bury
Ing ground, where further religious cere-
monies were performed and the body de-
posted in vault, where. understand.
1t will remain few days. when it will
be removed to the late residence Of the
deceased in Massachusetts. 1t was the
most numerous funeral procession 1 ever
witnessed: The whole ceremonies were
conducted with order and solemnity. 1t
was a splendid pageant. I returned to
the Presidents Mansion about o'clock
p. N. transacted no business in my Of
nce OF any Importance today"
It appears that President Polk and the
family OF President Jackson desired that
George Bancroft, the great
JackSon's historian, who at the time
De-. was Secretary Of the Navy
4"peAS' in tho Polk cabinet. should
take charge Of the private and public
papers Of "Old Hickory and write his
biography. Maj. Donelson. a nephew of
Gen. Jackson, brought q large number of
papers to Washington to deliver them to
Mr.. Bancroft. and sought the good Of
fees Of President Polk to persuade him
to undertake the task. President Polk
relates the circumstances In his diary,
and says that 1t was 1.-The earnest de-
sire" OF Gen. Jackson that Bancroft.
whose history of the United States had
already made him famous, should write
his life. President Polk says that Mr..
Bancroft was willing to do SO, and that
Mr.. F. p. Blair, to whom the papers were
intrusted by Gen. Jackson's will. desired
to pass them over to Mr.. Bancroft But
for some reason or another the plan was
not carried out and James Barton Of Bos-
ton became the official biographer.
On Friday. the oath of October, 1916,
President Polk makes the following entry
in his diary:
Received today a letter from Andrew
Jackson. jr.. and inclosed to me q let
ter from Gen. Andrew Jackson. written
on the 9Th Of June. 1915. two days be-
fore his death, and the last letter which
he ever wrote. This letter breathes the
most ardent friendship for me personal
ly and for the success Of my admins
tration. 1t is marked CONFIDENTIAL and
communicates information touching the
official conduct of q person high in Office,
his dying moments thought 1t proper to
put me on my guard. AS 1t is highly
confidential, it's contents will never be
disclosed by me or with my permission.
1t will be preserved as highly priced
memorial Of the friendship of the dying
patriot a friendship which had never
for moment been broken. from my
early youth until the hour Of his death.
Andrew Jackson. jr.. in his letter in
closing this to me, explains the circum-
ally mislaid among other papers on his
table in his dying room. and had not
been discovered until recently before he
inclosed 1t to me. The latter letter will
also preserve"
There is no clue to the contents of
the communication which Gen. jackson,
in his dying moments, sent
Secret to the President Of the United
xYy,. States. He always showed
""AuS' great interest in Folks career,
regarding him as sort of a protege, and
frequently sent him advice. warning and
suggestions for the conduct Of his ad-
ministration.
Things are very different nowadays.
Politics have softened up. Debates in
Congress are not SO acrimonious. and
the warmest kind of friendship are FORM
ed between political opponents like that
Damon and Pythias relation which has
long existed between Joseph G. Cannon
and Champ Clark. 1t is q subject for
continual controversy whether Cannon
loves Clark more than Clark loves Can
non. and the usual conclusion is that
they break even; but the proceedings of
the next session of Congress will furnish
a test Of their love.