Butte record., 1856-07-19
James Buchanan,

I .
Buchanan from England 1t will he roai
with interest BY all.
Among that galaxy Of Statesmen who :.
future times will be regarded rs bovin- 81
upon the present epoch light ,hose hr;1
hancy will be reflected on the pages Of ~
tory, few have occupied more prom;no,,,
position than James Buchanan. and tLor,
are still fewer, who, without reechip,, H..
position which is the highest object ~ 80.
American 5 ambition, have acquired and -
/ tanned so large a share of public conf Io,o.
| \ recognized leader ola grea. political ~
/ ty, aud at this moment one of H.. ,,os, -
mnent candidates for the PresiIcncv ".
! Buchanan yet commands the esteem ana a..
confidence Of the whole comnuuitv "a
| haps greater extent than any other nnbli,.
man in the country. To devote few, -.
Of the magazine to 4 brief sketch Of tbc H..
of such II man would be the most acccnt,II'
service we could render to our readers
James buchanan was born on the o3I Ior,
of April, lt9l, near Mercenbnrgh. Fr,rll,'.
county, Penn. He was the son of nm ND
tious farmer Of that county. who had liIt,
to leave his children except good elncs
ton. James was hls eldest son His c,le.
gate education was received at Dickinson
/ college, where he graduated in 1909 Ua
! Il ] ,r1
in the office OF Jas Hopkins. H., soon too,'
prominent position in the profession AMI
it was not very long before he was br c~'.
mon consent, ranked AT its heak. Ui.n.lit
ical career commenced in The Year IsIt
when mt the age of twcnty-three he vr.s
elected to the Legislature of PeprsvIv,r;a
in which body he soon became Ii.ti14ni.bnJ
for his Jealous and eloquent alv5cacy oftho
war in which we were then tura.,cl ,,;,L
England. After serving two tc,nls lie 70,
turned to the practice of his profession. Tn
the year 1871, he was elected to Ccuore.s hy
a large majDrity from the district con,no.el
Of the counties Of Lancaster. Chester and
| Delaware. He continued in Congress for
ten years, having been elected for five con
Secuiye terms, during which he became can.
spicuouS for his eloqnence and ability Du-
ring the session of 1910 he esroused the
cause of Andrew Jackson. as a candidate
for the Presidential chair, and was Il uromi-
ncnt actor i'll the stirring scenes Of that
eyentful session From this time forward
he continued devoted anl unwavcripc snr-
porter Of Gen Jackson 1t was durinc the
first two years of Jacksou's alntiuist ration
that Mr.. Buchanan served his last term in
the House Of Representatives: but his rein
| tons Of confidence with the President djl
not terminate with the conclusion of his
term Of service in the House on the con
trary, they confined uudiuiui,hel ur TO
the moment, not only Of the close Of Jack
sons term Of Office. bat even up to the hour
of his death The limited space ut our com
mand does not permit much more than this
briet alusiun to Mr. bucnauan's career as
member of the House The journals Of
congressional proceedings during that time.
will suffice to illustrate the important posi-
ton which he assumed and maintained
Mr.. Buchnnun's service in the House ter
minated on the 4th Of March, 1880 On the
4th Of january, So, he was appointed by
President Jackson, Minister to Russia.
During the short period he remained in
| hat country, he negotiated an important
commercial treaty with tie Emperor Nichu.
las; which had baIled diplomatic skill for
twenty years
At the session Of the Legislature succeed
Ing his return from Europe, he was elected
4 Senator in Congress, and presented his-
credentials in the United States Senate, on
the Sth of December Is !; where be was
continued by the unanimous vote Of 5he De
mocratic members OF the Leuisiatare, until
the 4th Of March 1915. In that year he was
appointed by President Polk to fill she first
place in his cabinet, Secretary Of Etdte
The best authority for the ability and sdel
ity with which he discharged the duties os
that high position, is to be found in the pub
lished records of the country. In the Sen
ate he occupied a position as the proudly
recognized equal Of the most distinguished
members Of that august body.
HIS natural dignity Of department, easy
and concilitary mauuers-his well ostab-
lished reputation, uusullied by blot or
| biemisb, secured 10 him not only the entire
confidence Of the Democratic side, but gave
him, with the opposition strength and in
iiucucc possessed by few ilustriuus states
men, whose brilliant talents adorned the
Senate Of the United States. The Democratic
| party Of the whole country then recognized
james Buchanan rs one Of It's most gallant,
able and faithful champions.
His successful contests in intellectual
! power with the two greatest of living ora
! tors, Henry Clay and Daniel Webster. in
the celebrated discussions upon the veto
power" the . Mcleod case" and other i'm
portant questions embracing the vexed one
of the Tariff, in which the Hon. John Davis
Of Massachusetts, became his most promi-
nent adversary, conclusiveiy proved that he
was deserving Of the exalted opinion, then
entertained, Of his abilities as a statesman
and of his devotion to the principles Of the
party to which he belonged.
The signal ability with which AIr BucLan-
an performed his high and responsible du-
ties as Secretary of State is exhibited on tiie
highest Iages of the National Record st
the close Of Mr.. Polk's presidential term,
Mr.. buchanan enjooed his friendship and
unlimited confidence, as it existed at the
commenccment-and that confidence and
friendship mutually entertained, only ter
minated at the death Of the ex-President.
On the accession Of Mr. Pierce to the Pre-
sidency Mr. buchanan was appointed Min
lister to England. 1t is needless to say that
the selection gave general satisfaction. The
impression derived from his past diplomatic
career, and especially from his able and
brilliant correspondence on the Oregon
question, in 1915, that the honor and inter
ests Of the country would he safe in his
hands has been amply justified by the events
of his mission 50 lar rs they have been made
| public These are of 50 recent occurrence
| that they are familiar to the public, and it.
is therefore not necessary for US to recapitu-
late them. The 0steud Conference and the
correspondence on the Central American
question bear witness, not cnly to Mr.. Bu-
| chanan's progressive ideas, but to his skill AZ
a diplomatist and negotiator. At the pres
ent moment lac stands before the country as
the most prominent Democratic candidate
! for the Presidency, and his nomination by
\ the Cincinnati Convention IS thought ex-
'remely probable.
Fr0:i, Oregon.
We have been kindly favored with the
perusal Of a letter from Adjutant Andrew J.