The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-06-03
DEATH OF JAMES BUCHANAN.

The venerable James Buchanan, the 18th
President of the United States, died at his
residence in Lancaster, Monday morning,
June l D in his 18th year. Born in 1871, of
lrish-American parentage, q graduate of
Dickinson college, Penn, in 1909, a member
of the bar when a little past his twenty first
year, and laborious and successful prscti-
toner until the age of forty, he embarked
wholly on the duties of public life after that,
aud did not reach permanent retirement
from the same until the expiration of his
presidential term in March, 1861, at the
age of seyenty-one. When only twenty-three
he was member Of the Pennsylvania legis-
lsture. When the war with England broke
out, he headed the list of volunteers from
Lancaster, and marched to the defence Of
Baltimore. He was ardent supporter of
the government through the war
In 1920, he became member of congress,
anG continued to serve for FIVE successive
terms in the lower house, during which time
he took an active and responsible part in
the discussion of several important national
questions-among them, the bankrupt law,
the tariff measure, the Panama mission, the
impeachment Of Judge Peck, of Missouri,
and others which brought out his powers as
debater not less prominently before con-
gress and the country. Not long after leay-
ing congress in the spring of 1881, he was
appointed envoy extraordinary and minister
plenipotentiary TO the court of St. Peters
burg, and concluded the first commercial
treaty between the United States and Russia.
In 1888, on the expiration of Gen. Jackson S
first term, he was elected L nited States sena-
tor from Pennsylvania, in which body he
was the staunch and steady defender Of the
President through that stormy series of po-
htieal debates, on the National Bank char
ter, the tariff and the expunging resolutions,
which make that portion of our history
memorable. His ssympaihies were openly
with Texas, IN 1885 and later, in her strug-
gle with Mexico, and he had the satisfaction
afterwards, as secretary of state under Presi-
dent Polk, of bringing that new state into
the family Of the Union. Tn the exciting
question of French indemnity, Mr.. Buchanan
stoutly supported the ground taken by
President jackson, and delivered one of the
ablest of the speeches made in the senate on
that subject.
He was one of the leading champions of
the independent treasury, which at the time
was assailed with such vigor by prominent
whig statesmen, but which has since vindi-
Gated its necessity to the national finances.
He opposed the Ashburton treaty, because
he did Dot consider it comprehensive enough
IN Its purposes of settlement with Great
Britain; he thought that other matters should
De coupled with the dispute relative TO the
northeastern boundary. On President Pollx,s
accession to Office he was called to the state
department, and while occupying the secre
tarys Office had the practical handling of
the Oregon boundary question, which had
been left over from Mr.. Tyler's administra
ton. Both parties claimed the entire north
western territory, and COMPROMISE was
finally effected, by advice of the senate, on
the existing line. He performed valuable
service to the nation throughout the Mexi-
can war, and lent substantial aid in securing
a peace on the basis of terms with which
the country was satisfied. s
After President Folks official term e.pi
red In l649, Mr.. Buchanan returned to the
post of private citizenship again, from which
he was not summoned until President Pierce
appointed him in 1853, minister TO Engla nd
The chief question then open between the
two countries was the Central American
which had been left undetermined by the
Taylor-Fillmore administration. To connec-
ton, too, with the United States ministers
to France and Spain, Minister Buchanan
held conference at Ostend, afterwards ad-
Journed to Aixla-Chspelle, to consider the
relations Of this country and Spain, nd in
particular the position of Cuba in case of
more serious difficulty with the Spanish
government; the result of which was a body
of memoranda, which were forwarded by
agreement of the three ministers to the
President. The paper presented the great
advantages which would accrue from the
acquisition of Cuba, all of which are destin-
ed in due time TO be realized by the ma
ton. 80 s. sas.r . s-r
Ga his return from Great Britain, in 1856,
Mr.. Buchanan was nominated to the presi-
dency by the democratic convention held in
Cincinnati, and elected In November of the
same year. During his executive career,
the Kansas territorial question engrossed a
large share of public attention. Although
the disputes were fierce, it is worthy of re-
mark that both sides conceded the fact that
Kansas would certainly become q free
state. The sectional feelings were kept
alive, and eliminated at length in an
armed attempt of the southern
states to secede from the Union and set
up government of their own. Mr.. Buchan-
an nesitated 10 rashly oppose the recalcitrant
people OF the south with the military and ma
val powers of the Union, not vet satisfied
that states could be coerced by the federal
government; but the sudden precipitation Of
war by hrlng, first on an unarmed vessel
that was sent by the government
to the relief of Fort Sumter. and af
forwards concertedly on the fort itself from
encircling batteries, removed the discussion