The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-07-26
PAST PRESIDENTIAL NOMINA.
TONS.
M LAMRs pAnrnN


nominations
The measures taken by General Jackson to
insure the succession to Mr. Van Buren, shall
now be briefly indicated. During the first sum-
mer Of his Presidency, the General was in such
feeble health that his friends concluded that he
could not survive the term for which ne had
been elected and il occurred to one OF them,
Major William b. Lewis, that, II the President
should die, Mr. Calhoun would succeed him, and
Mr.. Van Buren's prospects be ruined. 10 pre-
vent so dire a result, he induced the General
to write letter, TO be published in case OF
his death, warmly commencing Mr.. Van
Buren, and severely denouncing Mr.. Cal
houn. This letter contained the following
PASSAGE
Permit me here { o say Of Mr.. Van Buren,,
that have found him everything J could de-
sire him to be- and believe him TO be, not only
deserving my confidence, but the confidence of
the nation. Instead of his being selfish and
intriguing as has been represented by some
of his opponents, | have ever found him frank,
open, candid and manly. He, my dear
friend, is well qualified to fill the highest Office
in the gift of the people, who in him will find
a true friend and safe depositary of their rights
and liberties. l wish | could say as much for
Calhoun and some of his friends"
The latter proceeds at considerable length,
to desCant upon Mr. Calhoun and his political
errors. To guard against accidents, a copy
of this letter, signed by the Generals own
hand, was retained in the secret archives of
the White House. As, however, the event
which it contemplated never occurred, the let
ter was never used, and the old friend of the
President, to whom it was addressed, never
knew its real object.
Vice President Calhoun was too important
character at that time, and had too many claims
upon the support of his party, to be easily set
aside. 1t was therefore concluded in the Sc
lie of fhA So. th.A
raj Jackson must serve second term, and
measures to this end were taken, early in the
spring of the Generals first year. An adrOit
letter was written in the White House to
member of the Pennsylvania Legislature,
thorough-going adherent of the Administration,
which contained a suggestion that bore fruit.
81 am not authorized to say, - said the author
of this epistle, "that the General would per-
NIT his name to be used again; but knowing
him as do, feel confident that, If he believed
the interest of the country required it, and
that it was the wish of the people he should
serve another term, he would not hesitate one
moment. IT, then, it is the desire of your
State that he should serve another term, let
the members Of her Legislature cypress the Senti-
nentS Of the people upon that subject. Let it be
done in such way as not to make it necessary
for him to speak in relation to the matter"
The hint was promptly taken. In a few
days an address appeared in the desig-
mated newspaper, requesting General jack
son to serve second term, and it was
signed by sixty-eight members of the Legis-
lature. Similar tactics elected similar ad-
dresses from the Legislatures of New York
and Ohio; so that, before General Jackson had
served fourteen months of his term he was
brought forward conspicuously, as the candi-
date of his party, for second. The sweeping
removals from Office, and the filling of all
valuable posts with unscrupulous partisans
IS 1.,.s. .s.N., i. l. s.,A
thing in the world for the President to call
forth expressions of opinion in favor of any
7 man or any measure.
Mr.. Calhoun, who was no match for the
President and his Kitchen Cabinet in political
craft was continually giving them advantages
over him. He thought to injure Andrew
Jackson's popularity by publishing his hostile
correspondence with the President, forgetting
that the President controlled the Democratic
press of the country, and could thus give to
the party his own Interpretation OF that cor
respondence. Jackson accepted the defiance,
and promptly dismissed from his Cabinet the
three members of it who regarded the Vice
President as their political chief, and appointed
IN their place three of his own friends. 1t was
thought to be necessary, also, for Mr.. Van Buren,
to withdraw from the Cabinet, and thus escape
the operation of the rule which excluded
Cabinet ministers from the succession. His
resignation was accepted and, to remove him
for time from the scene of political strife,
he was sent as Minister to England.
Then the Vice-President blundered again,
Allying himself, for the moment with Whig
Senators, he formed a combination powerful
enough TO reject the nomination of Mr.. Var
Buren, who was thus compelled to return
from England after holding the post of Minis
ter for few months. Mr.. Calhoun was con
vinced that such an emphatic censure, by the
Senate of the United States, would lay hi
rival PROSTATE forever. He was overheard tC
say to one of his friends "It will kill him, sir
kill him dead. He will never kick, sir, neve
kick" Seldom has man been more mis-
taken. The Democratic party welcomed VaI
Buren's return as they would have welcomed
a conqueror and General Jackson instantly Sc
on foot measures to make the rejected ministe
Vice President of the United States.
There was a difficulty in the way whicl
much perplexed the White House managers
and the solution of which has had importan
and lasting consequences. How should Mr
Van Buren, be nominated for the Vice-Pres
dency Other gentlemen had their eyes upo
the post, and Martin Van Buren, had not tn
national reputation which could call forth
spontaneous and universal nomination.
was also highly important that this nomina
ton should appear spontaneous, and espe
cially that the Presidents hand should not
seen it. 1t was Major William Is. Lewis
the Presidents most confidential friend, an
an inmate of the White House, who suggeste
the solution of the problem. In letter
Amos Kendall, of May, 1881, he reviewed tn
situation and the claims Of the several calldi
dates, and added the following words
'Surrounded by so many difficulties as th