The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-12-09
The Perils Of the White House,
The Fatality Of Power.


1t seems that the White House at Washing
ton is fatal to those who inhabit it, and that
in the United States even, that il the intox;-
eating cup of power there turks q deadly poi
son.
Of all the happy family of General Taylor,
whose arrival in the federal capital in lS49
was inaugurated by brilliant, and it may be
said, national fetes, there remains but single
member to regret the splcndor and the happi-
ness of the past. The noble old lack, the hero
who should never have bid farewell to the
camp to face the cares, the rascality and the
degradation of a political career, died year
and half after his election. His wife, Ro-
man matro1, who in her foresight venturcd to
counsel the General to refuse the Presidency
is also dead. Her daughter, a young flower
transpanted suddenly from the cotton fields of
the Mississippi to the blazing chandeliers of
the White House, has fallen in her turn ; and
finally the husband of this poor young woman
Col. Bliss who by his brilliant military achieve
mcnts dnripg the campaign of Mexico, by his
marriage with the beloved daughter of the pop
ular President, and by his appointment as his
Private Secretary, saw five years since, life
open to him new and smiling horizon. COL
Bliss is no more.
The man whom Gen. Taylor succeeded -
James K. Polk, the modest Tennessee lawyer
who managed to double almost the territorial
magnitude of the United States had also made
a brilliant entrance into the federal city. He
was young, full of life, full of hope, and had al
ready in his minds eye, those provinces which
he intended to add to the map of this country.
and which are called Texas, New Mexico, Or
cgon, Utah and California. -Four years later
he left Washington, sad and prcmaturely gray,
| dali
to the great people that he had enriched by
three splendid diplomatic triumphs. A few
weeks afterwards, vanquished, Notwithstanding
haunts the White House, he expired in the
solitude of the West.
! The immediate predecessor of Mr.. Polk in
the Presidency, as the man elect of the Amcri-
can people Gen. Harrison, the Cincinnatus, of
Cincinnati, within month, after taking pos
session of the fatal habitation was no more
Considering the brevity Of each presidential
term, it would naturally be believed, that there
might be found in the United States consiel.
cradle number of citizens who had been in
vested with the chief magstracy. But one
survives MIR. Martin Van Buren,. But he
at least, seems to have his VOltairean soul SO
we'll wcdged into his delicate, graceful form,
that one would almost believe, instead of APP
preaching nearer the tomb, he is every day
getting further from it.
Thus of the four last Presidents of the Uni
ted States, two have quickly succumbed be-
meath the task, the third died Immediately af
ter having laid down the burden-who can
forcsec the fate reserved for the fourth?
OF the four Vice Presidents one, MIR. King
died before he was installed. Another, Mr.
Dallas, elected with Mr.. Polk, yet sees his fine
head crowned with noble white locks but he
has never dedicated himself much to politics
The third, Capt. John Tyler, elevated to the
Presidency by the unexpected death of Gen
Harrison, has done more than draw his last
breath-erhaler de derneer soufe he is dead
politically, and has died as man was never
seen to die before. With resp ct to the fourth
Millnrd Fillmore who entered the White House
as the remains of Gen. Taylor were carried out
Of it, misfortune has of late visited his family
also, and left him alone in the world and he
can reflect upon the vanity of human things al
the tomb of his wife, his only daughter, ant
Of his brother-Couricr DIES Etats UnlS.