The House of Repre Jackson returned home in June, 1818. sentatives, in the next session of Congress, justified his course in taking temporary possession of the Spanish fortresses, and in executing the two British ringleaders. Soon after these events he visited the northern cities, where he was enthusiastically received with public and private honors. When the Floridas were ceded by Spain to the United States, the President appointed General Jackson a commissioner to receive the cession, and act as Governor of the territory. This important annexation was officially announced by him at Pensacola in July, 1821, when he commenced his administration. Having organized his new government, he resigned his office, and returned to his farm in Tennessee. re In the month of August, 1822, the legislature of Tennessee nominated General Jackson as the successor of Mr. Monroe in the presidency of the United States; the proposition was favorably received in many parts of the Union. He declined an appointment as Minister to Mexico, and in 1823 was elected to the Senate of the United States; but having now become a prominent candidate for the Chief Magistracy, he resigned his seat in the second session. The result of the popular elections of 1824, for President, gave General Jackson a plurality, but not a majority of votes: Jackson had ninety-nine, Adams eighty-four, Crawford forty-one, and Clay thirty-seven. The House of Representatives was quired, by the constitutional provision, to make a selection from the three who received the greatest number of votes, and the suffrages of the States gave the majority to Mr. Adams. General Jackson was at once nominated to succeed Mr. Adams at the close of his term; and the elections of the colleges were reported to Congress on February 11, 1829, as giving to General Jackson, one hundred and seventy-eight votes, and to Mr. Adams, his only competitor, eighty-three. At the end of his first term of office, he was re-elected to a second, by an increased majority of the electoral votes: there being four candidates in the field, Jackson received two hundred and nineteen votes, Clay forty-nine, Floyd eleven, Wirt seven. On the expiration of his second term, General Jackson retired to his farm, near Nashville, and there resided till his death, which occurred at 6 o'clock in the evening of Sunday, June 8, 1845, in the 78th year of his age. Much of the time during his retirement he suffered greatly from a disease in the left lobe of his lungs, which he bore with characteristic firmness and resignation. The public had been led to expect his death for many weeks; the venerable patriot himself, in the last letter he ever wrote, had said—” I am dying daily. I feel that I can no longer be of service to my country, to my friends, or myself; and I am ready and willing to appear in the presence of my Maker." On the morning of Sunday the 8th, the General had swooned, and for a time was supposed to be dead; but he soon after revived, and lived till evening. A short time before his death, he took an affectionate leave of his friends and domestics, retaining to the last his senses and intellect unclouded. He expired with the utmost calmness, expressing the highest confidence in a happy immortality, through the Redeemer. The simple announcement of this melancholy, though long expected event, excited the deepest emotions in the hearts of the American people. will The memory of JACKSON belongs to his country. His name go down to posterity as the HERO OF NEW-ORLEANS, whose military ability covered with glory our citizen soldiers; and his Presidential career will afford to the future historian and the political economist, many important incidents and lessons of wisdom. Weep, Columbia, weep! 'Tis closed-his book of life But while in sadness here, He lives mid spirits free, Where he, with them, will shine. Yet shall the Patriot's name Her booming guns may roar, |