The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1856-08-28
OF James Buchanan.

Within the ancient city OF Lane aster, in
the good old Keystone State, on one of the
public lots, stands a pile to which scarce
one in thousand give more than a passing
glancs. 1t is Buchanan's Monument 1t
is not made of Italian Marble, but to those
who know its history and design, it is more
beautiful-it is not of granite, yet ii is more
enduring, aad although il towers not to the
heavens, yet it is more grand and more i'm
posing to the eye of the Christian and the
Philanthroipst, than any of which the old
world can boast. In the fall, its size, in
length, breadth, and heighth, is great, yet as
the snow falls, and the fierce blasts of win.
ter rush through the streets OF Lancaster,
its size gradually diminishes, and when
spring, with its genial warmth, brings out
the flowers, this monument has almost dis.
appeared. And thus, year after year, that
monument to JImes Buchanan rises and
falls, as surely as winter succeeds fall. This
may seem paradox, yet it is all true The
| explanation opens up a chapter in the histo.
ry of the candidate Of the Democracy, for
the first office in the peoples gift, which it
would be well for others to initiate.
Years ago, during one of the severe win
ters, when the thermometer stood for weeks
below zero, the inhabitants of Lancaster
were startled by the announcement of the
extreme suffering OF portion of the people
by cold. One widow, with family ofsmall
children, saw one of her loved ones perish,
because she had neither fuel nor means to
provide it.
Although Mr.. Buchanan had aided largely
in the contribution 'leved on the citizens for
charity, he determined that. at least, the un.
protected female portion of the inhabitants
should no longer suffer, and Immediately en-
closed his check for five thousand dollars to
the city council asking that they take it as
a gift, to be held in trust, in perpetuity, for
the purpose OF providing fuel for the dest.
tute females in the city-the interest year
ly to be applied to the purchase of wood, to
to be dealt out as the necessities of the poor
widows might require. The offer was ac-
cepted-the City Council passed the neces-
sary Ordinance, and selected the spot, and
every year, the entire interest is strictly ap-
piled to the benevolent purpose Of its found
er, and the monument of james Buchanan
more beautiful than if made of Farian mar.
BILE, and shaped by the finest of architects
more enduring than if made of granite, is
the huge wood pile which rises every sum-
mer and autumn when wood is cheap, anc
sinks in the winter when fuel is dear, aDC
which goes to give comfort and preserve life
and warmth to the poor and distressed wild
ows and their fatherless children in Lancas
ter.
His political enemes-for he has no per
sonal ones-call Mr.. Buchanan cold ant
heartless. Let one Of them show, on thG
record, an act of SO disinterested benevo
ence, and he may have all the rights of
slanderer to brand Mr.. Buchanan with wha
name he pleases. But the man of benevo
tence cannot stoop to slander. His hear
is too large--hfs soul too exalted to stool
so low, but it is those who have no pity il
their souls-no charity in their hearts-whc
shoot their arrows at the good men and thu
true, whose virtues they dare not initiate.
Mr.. Buchanan is unmarried, and OH thi
the class of whom we speak, build the pre-
text that he is without heart. Still re
membering the fair form Of her, to whom
his young affect ions were given, still cling
ing to the memory of her to whom, in earl
life, when poor, and struggling with adversi
tv, he was ufianced, and who more thai
forty years ago, sunk into the grave. he is
it is true, bachelor, and in all probablit.
will die one. But that heart is not ada
mant. He never did. and he never coult
love another as he loved that lost one, We
the incident we have related, shows tha
while her loved form still fingers in hi
memory, fresh and green as the day he las
saw her, can never be replaced by another
yet still, women, in distress, have the powe
to awaken the noblest sympathies of his ge
nerous heart.
AS the fierce winds of winter sweep il
gusts through the streets of Laucaster-a
+ it breathes its icy breath and freezes every
thing it toucbes-when the green grass
hid beneath the wintry veil which Heavel
sends to enrich, 10 protect and fertilze tn
earth, ask one OF these poor widows in Ian
caster, if it is indeed true, that James Blu
chanan is q heartless man, and she will poin
to the blazing fire on the hearth stone, diffu
sing its light and warmth, around the littl
cottage she occupies with her thin clad Chi
! dren, and she will reply: "If it was not fo
his heart that fire would not be there, an
my poor children, now warm and comforta
! BILE would.have been boggars for fuel o
/. would have been frozen with the cold. Bles
! sed be to God, he has heart end noble on
, it fs."-UrbanG Democrat.
A CHARITABLE MAN.-Rev. Mr.. Stis
| Gins said UT am n charitable man md