The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1856-08-13
JAMES BUCHANAN IN YOUTH.

Gne DemOCraLlc nominee lOr IQe Eres
. dency possesses a cold and selfish ten
perment, from the fact that he is GOO
bachelor, is defeated by the gener;
. knowledge of the high social qualiti'
= and genial disposition of that accon
u plished and distinguished statesman, an
by the sadly romantic and touching ci
J cumstances which closed to him the Joy
e of connubial life. These will be relate
{ in the forthcoming number of Harper
: Magazine, ian advanced sheet of whic
we have obtained,) from which we cop
the following;
Some years ago member of the Q
States Senate, distinguished not onl.
for his talents but for his fine persona
appearance, was seated in richly fur
nished parlor in the city of Washington
engaged in a. lively conversation will
one of the most amiable and accomplish
ed married ladies that ever honored the
national capital with their presence
The subject was the common and mos
agreeable one of marriage; and the la
dy, with beautiful enthusiasm natural
to her character, was pressing upon the
notice of her distinguished bachelor
friend, whose position in society, amia-
bic disposition, and liberal education
eminently rendered her fit to be the
wife of the distinguished statesman, who
had seemingly already spent too many
years without a proper companion to
divide his honors and bear wirh him the
ills of life,
The gentleman, who had for a long
time entered with hearty,good.. will into
the half serious and half playful conver-
sation, suddenly became excited, and
remarked, that he could on such sub
iect bear all that could be said in jest /;
but when serious arguments were bro't
up to urge him to change his condition,
then his reply must be that such thing
could never be +; that to love he could
not, for his affections acre IN the grace.
The lady was struck with the Sena-
tors manner, and surprised that through
out her long acquaintance with him she
had never suspected that he had found
time, amidst the struggles'o laborous
profession and high political position,
to " fall in love-" With the blandish-
ments only known to the sex, and with
curiosity prompted by the kindest of
hearts, she asked for an explanation of
this seeming mystery, and the gentle
man, for the moment overcome by the
eloquence of his interluctor, explained
as follows:
at was my good fortune, soon after
I entered upon the active duties of my
profession, to engage the affections of
lovely girl, alike graced with beauty of
person and high social position. Her
mother-her only living parent-Uas
ambitious and in the thoughtless de-
sire to make an alliance of fashion, op-
posed the union of her child with one
who had only his talents and the future
to give in return for SO much beauty and
wealth. The young lady, however, was
more disinterested; mutual vows of at
tachment were exchanged, a correspon-
dence and frequent personal interviews
succeeded, and the future seemed to
promise most Happy consumation of
all our wishes. At that time had just
under favorable circum
stances, my profession in my native towni
and, making some character, was finally
engaged as counsel in a suit of impor-
tance before one of the courts holden in
the city of Philadelphia. The opportu-
nifty was favorable to make an impress
sion, if I possessed the ability to do SO,
and I gladly accepted the position, and
bent my whole energies to accomplish
ny ambition. Arranging to write fire.
,uently to one who divided my business
luties, and to receive frequent .epistles
n return, I set out for Philadelphia, ex-
,ecting to be absent, at most, not more i
han two weeks. The laws delays,
Ioweyer, detained me a month beyond |
he anticipated time; and, although I
ucceeded beyond my most saguine ex-
ectations, and established myself in
osition before the highest court of my
ative State, my triumphs were dashed
hat in all the time thus engaged I had
OF received line from Lancaster, in j.
tead of which the atmosphere was !:
lied with rumors that the person upon /
'hom I had set my affections had been a
educed into the ambitious designs of v
er thoughtless parent, and that I had
cen discarded-a thing could not be- b
eve, and yet the dreadful silence seem n
j to endorse,
"At last, released from my engage p
ent, I took the usual, and in those ?;
ays the only, conveyance to Lancaster
the stage. The idleness consequent
pom travelling gave time for considera- q
on and thoughts, and my suspense be- u
lme painful to the last degree; and t,
,able to bear the slow pace of my con- lc
'yance, determined to anticipate the
iual time of my journey by making the -
st miles on horseback. In carrying IA
n thia determination mounted n f1eet h.