The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1867-09-19

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Peril Of the vics Presidency Startling
Coineidsnces.
1t 10 . singular fact in our history that
while from 1850 to 1s4l-- fifty two years
1--WE lost no President while in office.
though Eve Of them during that time
served two terms. each; yet, in the next
twenty four years ending in.April, 1865,
we lost thres presidents-- Harrisos,
Taylor and Lincoln, and within the same
period It 10 we'll known that an attempt
was made to poison = fourth, Jam es
Buchanan. These things have caused
thinking men to fear that General Har-
rison and General Taylor were each
poisoned, as was attempted, but unsuc-
cessfully, with Mr.. Buchanan. This sus
picion was strengthened with many when
Mr. Lincoln Was assassinated soon after
his second election.
To one who has not examined this
subject in all its bearings and coinci-
dences it may appear strange that Mr..
Lincoln was not assassina.ed during his
first term; but If he will recollect that dur
ing that term Mr.. Hamlin, mcst incor.
ruptible Union man, waa Vice Presi
dent, AID would have succeeded Mr.
Lincoln, he will see that nothing wouli
have been gained by Mr. Lincoln's as
sassination then To take the lives of
both would not only have exposed the
plot, but then Mr.. Foster, the President
of the Senate, would still have carried
out the yolicy Of Mr.. Lincoln, and moth
ing would have been gained by remov
ing Mr.. Lincoln during his first term.
Now, let it be remembered, that be-
sides the singular fact that from 1880 to
1S4l we lost no President, and yet, from
1e41 to 1865, less than half that time,
we lost three by death, and the life Of
another was attempted to be taken, and
then reflect that in each instance Of the
succession Of Vice President, though
elected on the same ticket with the de-
ceased President, the whole policy of
the Government in relation to the great
issues Of the day was at once changed,
and we cannot nationally resist the con
clusion that the Vice Presidency had
much to do in presenting the induce
ments and offering the fit occasion for
the sudden removal of the President
Such coincidence Of three almost sue
cessiye deaths of Presidents, in 40 short
a time, and the more unacconntable co
incidence that in every instance the poll
cy Of the Government was Immediately
changed to suit the political party OPP
posed to the deceased President, and
also the Vice President himself, must
cause every rejecting mind to fear that
General Harrison and General Taylor.
as we'll as Mr.. Lincoln, were foully dealt
with. Had Mr.. Buchanan been poisoned,
it is easy to see what John C. Breckin-
ridge would have done. The whole
Government would have been surren-
dered to the South, and all resistance to
secession aud the Confederacy would
have been prevented. Such was no
doubt the plot ct that particular time.
But Mr.. Buchanan's preference tor old
Bourbon saved him and saved the Gov
ernment from this well concocted coup d
esat.
Though l may be right in my conjec-
lures as to the fatality which has attend
ed on Presidents in the last twenty five
years, yet would not be understood as
insinuating that in all--perhaps in none
Of these cases--the Vice President had
any direct hand in the plot to take the
| life of the President. But the guilty &C :
! tors at least understood that u change
| in the Executive would bring about
change of policy to suit them. and on
this assurance they acted. and have never
been disappointed.
Would 1t not be we'll, then, to remove
this temptation, and place the Executive
in a position that no one GOULD calculate
an advantage from his removal? The
subject is worthy Of consider alton. The
Vice President is, at any rate, useless
appendage to the Government, and has
very many times in our history, given
us much trouble, even saying nothing
about the death, poisoning or assassina-
tion Of four Presidents since 184l.
Morton Tor the Presidency.
| We publish . letter this morning,
fr0m = prominent Union man Of Ken :