Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1868-06-12
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Death OF tx-President Buchan-

0odIA u 114.1T0elQouL 6OCQa0-
an.
James Buchanan. the fifteenth President
Of til" United States. died ut his re.idence,
in Wheatland. ut 8o'clock this morning
He has been so i'll for many days that his
death was expected hourly.
Mr.. Buchanan was Of an Irish family,
and was born in what was then almost the
western end of civilization, Franklin coun
ty. Pennsylvania, according to his biOgra-
piers. OH the 22d If April, 1891. But Mr..
Buchanan himself never told his age and
it was the impression of many who knew
him well tl,as he was really three or four
years older. His appearance would fully
justify the current report, that he was over
four score at his death.
In 1879 Mr. Buchanan graduated at
Dickenson College. Pennsylvania and IN
after life. always exhibited strong attach
ment to his early literary home. He first
distinguished himself as lawyer before
the Senate Of Pennsylvania, upon the trial
O. a judge. IN 1916. Oh an impeachment
Mr.. Buchadan established his reputation
as rising young lawyer, Of great ingenui
ty, though without eloquence. He rapid.
" became int. rested in political life, how
ever. and his a,nIi'ion at an early perioi
fixed Oh the highest offices Of the nation al
the goal of his life 50 that he sacr feed ia
this his professional prospects. and after
General Jackson sent hun to Russia in
1881. scarce y appeared ut the bar.
During Jackson's sccond administration
the abolition agitation in the North. which
had been growing more and more bitter in
its tune. first l'egan to assume national i'm
portance, and to threaten to become 20
li!ical movement. The occasion OF this
was that the rapidly growing cotton inter.
eat of the South began at that time to
avail itself Of this agitation to consolidate
its own power, and to use all its resources
to gain the control ofthe general govern.
ment. Mr.. Buchanan colDprrhended tile
situation better than mos: nnfihern states
men, and Doubtless finally believed. from
the very constitution Of his mind. that in
the great contest Of humanity against mon
ey. Of II moral principal with few supporters
against an aristOcracy ruling half cont
mcnt the latter must be sure TO win. Ger
tain it is that he already ut this early day,
marked out his own course. and can scarce
ly b. said to have deyated from it after
wards
From the accession of Mr.. Van Buren,
in 1886. to that Of General Taylor in ls45
Mr.. Buchanan steadfastly in the United
States Senate. gave all his considerable
abilities to the organization and cOnsolida-
tion Of the Democratic party, on the prin-
ciple of the extensicn and perpetuatisn Of
human slavery. 1t would be peculiarly
ungrac Ous task at this time, to reconsider
the various measures he supported or Of
fered. or tho manner in which he uttered
his sentiments. The memory Of his atl
ministrati0n too is too fresh to be recalled
in all its disgraceful features Just as it.
heal is finally lald out of our sight.
Suffice it hat Mr. Buchanan must be re
m rmbercd IN history IA statesman incap-
ale Of patriotism or Of anv moral m0tiv.
in public life; as man who lived out more
than two generations of men without being
suspected Of a generous act /; as one WHOM
selfish ambition did all that any one mar
could have done in his place to ruin hi
country. At the same time, in view Of al
tnat has occurred between his politica
burial and his bodily deccase, we may
thankfully acknowledge that he neve
wished i'll to his nation at large, nor ever
to his purely political opponents and tina
the later conduct Of many Of the neares
associates Of his active career, has dom
much to make his public lille. by contrast
respectable.