Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-07-25

life in 1912 as a member of the legislature of |
New York. 1t was a time of high political
excitement, and he early became identified
with that school of politics and of public men
whom he served with fidelity till his change
of fortune came and he retired from public
life. From 1926 till his election to the pres
idency his star was in the ascendant. He was
then a United States senator; reelected in
1927; elected governor of New York upon
the death of his great rival, Dewitt Clinton,
in 1928; called to the head of Gen. Jackson's
cabinet after serving as governor for seventy
days; appointed minister to England after
the famous quarrel about Mrs. Eaton and the
consequent dissolution of the cabinet.
The appointment of Mr.. Van Buren, as
minister was not confirmed by the senate.
Col. Benton, in his Thirty Years View,
tells the following story, which has a curious
bearing on the future fortunes of the expires
ident ILLS nomination was before the SEN
ate. Mr.. Gabriel Moore of Alabama sat near
me, to whom 1 said when the vote was de-
clared, you have broken a minister, and
|
and told him the people would see nothing
in it but a combination of rivals against
competitor, and would pull them all
down, and set him up. Good God! said
he, why didn't you tell me that before l vo-
ted, and would have voted the other way
Col. Benton's prophecy proved true, and Mr..
Van Buren, was in the autumn following NOM
mated and elected vice president on the ticket
with Gen. Jackson-then chosen for his sec
ond terms and four years later was advanced
to the presidency by a triumphant majority. In
that contest two states, Georgia and Tennes-
see gave their votes to judge White of Ten
nessee, a bitter personal opponent of Mr.. Van
Buren,; South Carolina threw away her vote
upon Willie P. Mangum; Massachusetts
hers upon Daniel Webster; the rest
divided, seventy-three electoral votes be-
ing given to Gen. VIM. Henry Harri-
son, one hundred and seventy to Mr.. Van
Buren,. Here his political fortunes culmi-
, mated. He was an unsuccessful candidate for
reelection in the unexamped campaign OF
1910, soon after which he retired to private
life. Once only during the intervening peri
od-in 1S4S, when the barnburners of New
York had nominated him, and the free-soil
party adopted him, as their candidate for the
presidency-was the privacy of his declining
years disturbed.
The ex-president was educated in the doc
trines of the democratic school as they were
understood at the original formation of par
ties. Close observance to the federal consti-
tuition; no latitudinarian constructions per.
mitted, no doubtful powers assumed; stric
adherence to the compromises; public econo
my; peace with all nations, entanging ALI
ances with none; these were the Fundamental
articles of his creed, to the theory of which his
administration aimed to adhere. In the excit.
ing contest with which his official career came
to a close, the public mind received impress
sions of his character which his success
would probably have modified or removed.
History, estimating his public life by the rec
ord he has left will deal with him more i'm
has been Juugeu ny gvnrr Jtloai ', he
nesses his death.