Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1865-06-17
AGES Of Modern Statesmen.
IRON the New York Evening Post


1t used, sometimes, TO be made re
proach to us Americans that no man
could hope to reach our highest polit-
ical places, until the yirile age was long
past. An ''old public functionary," as
Mr.. Buchanan once called himself is
likely to be a despieable object; and If
it were true that an American citizen
could look TO be President only when
he had ceased TO be fit for that of any
other post of responsibility, we should
be in a poor case. ~
But, compared with our English cous-
ms. We are ruled by set of young men;
and it is perhaps just as well that our
Presidents and other high officials have
usually attained to years of moderation
and procuration and prudence before
they are entrusted with power. - sod
men for council, young men for fight"
was an old Indian proyerb. John. G.
Breckenridge was the youngest man in
the roll of Vice Presidents his hot
blood led him into the most fragrant
Emile Girardin recently reproached
the blindness of death, which has re-
moved Richard Golden, aged sixty -one,
and left Lord Palmerston, aged eighty
one.p Cobden,s death'was mourned as
untimely, and truly among the present
race of British statesmen, he counted
but as a young man. Palmerston is
Prime Minister, and eighty,one Pres
ident Johnson is but fifty -seven, and
Mr.. Lincoln was but fifty-six. Earl
Russell is Secretarysfer Foreign Affairs,
and seventy three Mr. Sewardaour
Foreign Secretary-is the oldest man in
the administration, and but sixty-four.
Mr.. Cameron, the former Secretary of
War, is two years his Senior. The
Lord High Chancellor of England is
sixty-five, but Chief Justicei Cha is
but fifty-seven. Mr.. Gladstone is fifty
six, and is reproached as a very. young
man. He is the future Premier of Eng
land; but Earl Russell stands between
him and the succession In case of Lord
Palmerston's death.
Lord Derby, the chief Of the English
opposition, is sixtysix, and his second,
Mr.. D'Israeli, is sixty, and must some
time, go~have laid aside the flowing
locks with which Ptnch still decorates
is head. Among the-lesser lights, men
who are slowly working their, way rup-
wards, and ofwhem the British public
expect something in the course of time,
are Mr.. Milner Gibson, who is fifty
eight, Lord Clarence Paeet, the labofi.
Gus Secretary of Admiralty, ,6fty-four,
Mr.. Whiteside, the eminent Irish
bar1ister, fifty-nine, Sir 'Fitzroyo Kelly,
sixty-seven, and other not less mature
''rising young men.nonnn a. ss.aibsq s;s
Let us look tor a moment at the ages
of our own prominent public men.
M. Tl11ohana-, lanopoa - Al
age of sixty-fve; Mr.. Pierce &C forty
eight; Mr.. Lincoln at tifty-two; Mr..
sJohnsoniats fifty-seven.s breckenridge
was but thirty-four when he was chosen
Vice-President; Mr.. Douglas was but
forty-eight when he died; Mr.. Seward
became sixty five but q few days fago,
and, after a long life In, opposition,
reached the second place In the admin
istration at the early. age, of sixty-one.
Senator Sumner is but ffty-four; brave
old, Ben. Wade is sixty five; Senator
Wilson is but fifty-three General Banks
became Speaker of the House when
thirty-nine, and is now forty-hine;, Mr..
Fessenden is fifty-nine; Speaker Colfax
is but fortystwo; Winier Davis is forty
eight; and Senator Spragne, of Rhode
Island, a fayorite of fortuna,a has been
Governor, General and Senator, and is
yet but thirty five.
'Thaddens Stevens is ~, and Reverdy
johnson is CO. Mr.. Harlan, Just made
Secretary OF the Interior, lis but 45; Mr..
Adamss sour a Minister to England, is
fifty-eight; and among the opposition,
Xallandigham is "A, and Fernan o Wood
53. Senator Morgan, of this State, is
81 and Mr. Foster, the presiding b fficer
tof the Senate, is 50. III" ,iloS ~ !
r JEFF, Davis was born in the same year
with President Johnson, and the year
before Abraham Lincoln. Slidell IS as
old as Thaddeus Steyens-72; Mason, his
companion in the San Jacinto affair, is
81; Henry A. Wise is prematurely old at
90, Toombs at 55, Orr but 43, Alexander