The true Democrat., 1856-08-12

ourselves of the following condensation of the leading incidents, prepared by the New York News, and invite especial attention to the bril- liancy of his career:
 HIS EARLY CAREER.
 James Buchanan was born at place called Stony Batter, in Franklin county, Pennsylvania, at the foot of the eastern ridge of the Allegha- nies, on the 23d day of April, 179l Frank lin county borders on the State of Maryland, and the greater part of it consists of a broad limestone valley, watered with copious and unfailing mountain spfngs, and having soil of unsurpass d fertility. The immense range of mountains known as the Alleghanies, which commences in the northern part of Georgia and Alabama, and runs generally in uniform ridges to the northeastern part of New York, is, in Franklin county, divided into an irregular se- res of rocky, broken emlnences. The South Mountain, continuation of the Blue Ridge of Virginia, forms its boundary on the east, and Tuscarora, or Cove Mountain, on the north west. The highest points of the Cove Moun- tain are estimated at fifteen hundred feet above the valley.
 The spot where Mr. Buchanan first saw the light of day is situated in wild and romantic gorge of this mountain. The towering sum-
 
 slope down like the sides of an am mphtheatre. A beautiful stream of water, clear as the crys- tai fountain from which it flows, meanders through what was once cleared field, not far from his humble birthplace. The remains of the old Buchanan cabin are still to be seen, a- though little is left but the chimney. They lie to the north of the Mercersburg and Me Connellsburgh turnpike, but within sight and about three miles from the village of Mercers- burg. It is lovely spot, and the scenery has all those elements of grandeur and subllmity which serve to inspire Ill youthful minds noble aspirations and exalted patriotism. Such places have been those where a majority of our great men have been born and reared. The early strugg les necessary to contend with the rugge inequalities of nature, have developed hardy constitution inspired them with honest amb. ton and taught them early in life those inva- luable lessons of sclfdenal which are the foundation of all true excellence of character.
 Mir. Buchanan's father was J James Buchanan, a native of the county of Donegal in the north of Ireland, who cmlgrated to the United States in the year 1763. He was poor man when ] he came to America but with vigorous arm, an industrious spirit and untirng perseverance, he acquired before his death a handsome com potency. Five years after his arrival, he mar red Elizabeth Speer, the daughter of respec- | table farmer of Adams county, Pennsvlvauia. 1 At that time the broad and beautiful valleys of Franklin county were comparatively wilder ness, but Mr. Buchanan sought them, and with his young wife became pioneer in American civilization.
 Having "staked his claim," and erected rude log cabin his own right arm feled the tre8s that allowed the sunlight of heaven to fallup- on the little clearing that surrounded his hum- ble home. In this log cabin was the present James Buchanan born and there he continued to reside until he was eight years of age. No one would have suspected, had they then seen the log cabin boy wandering through the pri- meval forests, aWe-struck at tine strange, weird scenes which met his gaze that he would one day hold listening, Seuates in attentjon and stand among the leading statesmen Of Anne rca. What commentary do such facts present upon our free anI glorious iusti,u- tions.
 | Mr. Buchanan's father was respected and in- fuenta throughout the county where he le- sided His mother was remarkable for the vi gor of her intellect and the self-taught trca- sures of her mind, and the whole family were noted from their earliest years by mark of superiority, even among the sturdy population of what was in those days esteemed the west. h 1796 the family removed to Mercersburg, where James received his first general and clas- oical education. He there revealed the finest and most versatile mental capacity, and ai- though outstripping his companions in the race of learning won their warm esteem by the mo- ble qualities of his heart, and the free, manly sraccs of happy disposition.
 Entering Dickinson College, Carlisle Cum beraud county Pa, at the age of fourteen, un- der the presidency of Dr. Davidson, he rapii- \ ly gnaIiZcd himself among hi~ las-mates, and as a member of the Union P Society, won the affection of all around him, and captured it, honors. Graduating when eighteen years ot age, in 1909, he was presented, by uuanimous vote of the faculty, with the highest distinctions the institution had in its gift.
 At that time, young Mir. Buchanan was model of manly accomplishments as well as of scholarly success to his class mates and the youth of the country. Untirinsy industrious, while he was splendid rfleman and sports man, he could endure an astonishing amount of mental as well as physical fatigue. In De- celnber, 1909, he commenced the study of law with James Hopkins esq, all eminent advocate of Lancaster city, and, admitted to the bar n 1912, rapidly arose in that arduous profes- sion. Mr. Horton thus eloqucntly pictures his advance:
 He came to the bar of his native State when Pennsylvania was distinguished far and wide for the superior ability of her lawyers She could then boast of her Baldwns, her G ib- sons, her Rosses her Duncans, her Breckin- ridges, her Dallases, and her Samples, who shed not only honor upon their own State, but who added materially to the legal reputation of the whole country. With such men as these, Mr. Buchanan was compelled to struggle for that | lpp n " "a hSp- quently attained, and so firmly kept
 Perhaps we do not go too far i'll saying, that there never has been in our country aninstance of so rapid a rise in the legal profession as that afforded in his case From the day he was ad- mitted until he finally retired from the legal profession, his a series of successive tri- umphs He was poor, and necessity demand ed that eXerton which soon made him the rival and equal of the best lawyers in the State.- lie was engaged in all important cases tried in Dauphin, ' ork, and oth CT neighboring coun- ties, and his name appears in the Pennsyl lvania reports more frequently than of any other law yer of his day.'
 In the famous session of 1016-17, Bucha- nan, then a member at the early age of 26, add ed fresh laurels to his brilliant store. At the age of 30 he ranked with the brightest legal minds of his State He was elected, about this time, to Congress, and alter ably serving Tor ten years, declined a re- election. In 1881, he re- tired altogether from his profession, having al ready accumulated respectable competence.
 "When he retred,'' says his bographer, "he left more business than any one man could at tend to. Thus had the log cabin boy, born in wild and rocky gorge of the Aleghany Noun tains, at the early age of forty years, been the architect of his own fortune, and become the admiration and pride of his native State. Once only after he left his profession could he be prevailed upon to again appear at the bar. This was the cause of an aged widow, where he was appealed to by the most earnest solicitations It was an action of ejectment which involved all her little property. The case was difficult one, and technically decided against the unfor- tunate woman. To the surprise and astonish- ment of every one, he succeeding in establish ing her title to the property in question. The moor woman was intoxicated with ioy and over