Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1866-02-10
SPECIAL DurAr0H TO rHr COLD HILL DAILY srws.I
SAN Francisco, Feb. l0-2 P. ".
Perenson stock Transactions.
The Presldents.

Andrew johnson completed his fifty
seventh year on the goth OF December last.
Of the seventeen Presidents of the United
States, four came into Office in the fifty
seventh year Of their age, namely: Jeffer-
son, Madison, John Quincy Adams and
Andrew Johnson. Eleven, between the
age Of fifty and sixty: Washington, John
Q. Adams, Jefferson, Madison, Monroe,
Van Buren,, Tyler, Polk, Fillmore. Lin
coin and johnson. Jackson was sixty
one when elected; Harrison sixty-seven /;
Buchanan sixty-six; John Adams sixty
three; Pierce was elected at ~fofty-eight.
Next to Pierce, Lincoln was the youngest
man ever elected President-being but
ffty-oue; Harrison was the Oldest, being
sixty-seven. OF the seventeen, eleven
were of Southern birth, six of Northern
but two Of those born in the South-Har-
rison born in Virginia and Lincoln in
Kentucky-were residents Of the North at
the time Of their election, and each persisted
before the expiration of his term of office
Harrison, exactly n month after his In
auguration, from the cares of State, and
Lincoln a month and a few days after his
second Inauguration, by the hand of ar
assassin. Five of the Presidents took an
active part in the Revolutionary war and
in the formation Of the Government,
namely: Washington, John Adams, JEFF
ferson, Madison, and Monroe. John Q.
Adams. the sixth President, was but ten
years old at the adoption of the Declare
ton Of Independence, and graduated at
Harvard two years before the present
Constitution went into effect. But four
of the Presidents are now living: Fill
more, Pierce, Buchanan. and Johnson.
Three Of them died on the 18th Of July /:
John Adams, Jefferson, and Monroe-the
first two (both signers Of the Declaration
of Independence half a century before) on
the same day, July 4, lS26-Adams, aged
81 Jefferson, SO. The respective ages of
the four still living are: Fillmore, 81
Pierce, 81; Buchanan, 76; johnson, So.
Fourteen Of the seventeen were elected to
the Presidency, and three succeeded to
that Office from the Vice Presidency:
Tyler, Fillmore, and Johnson. Eight
were elected for but one term, and six for
two terms. Lincoln was the only Presi-
dent ever elected from q free State for the
second term. Five Vice Presidents have
risen from that Office to the Presidency /;
three from the post Of Secretary Of State,
and one from the British Ministry. Not
one from any other Administrative De-
partment or from the Judiciary or the
Navy. Five Secretaries Of State-all most
distinguished statesmen, have aspired to
the Presidency and been disappointed.
Four Presidents were distinguished as
military Observation-Disclosures, Jack
son, Harrison and Taylor, and the last
three were elected on military prestige.
All the rest were civilians who had taken
each a large part in public affairs before
their election to the FIRST Office Of the nation.
Not one Of them has ever been accused
Of personal dishonor, of peculation in
office, of enriching himself at the public
expense, or advancing his family through
the influence Of his position. On the
whole. Notwithstanding political differ
ences Of opinion and party bitterness, we
may challenge the world for a parallel in
rulers to the wisdom and virtue Of those
seventeen Presidents of the United States.
In the best government of modern Europe
it is only at long intervals that there is a
monarch government for the good of the
people and refrsining from rapacity. In
constitutional England, where the Prime
Minister is virtually the ruler, peculation
is not the exception, but the rule, and the
Office is more frequently used to further
family interests and personal ambition
than the good of the State. In the Roman
Republic the Consular authority was al
-
bition; and in the Empire. if we except
the brief and golden age of Trajan, Had
rian and the two Antonines, there is moth
ing in public virtue to compare with even
the worst Of our Presidents, who must
ever stand out in history as the paragon
rulers Of q great nation, shaming the hoary
lies Of monarchists and vindicating the
superiority of this Government over all
that have preceded is.-Stockton Indepsnd-
eHk,