Vermont daily transcript. [volume] (St. Albans, Vt.) 1868-1870, 1868-06-02
Vermont Daily Transcript
TUESDAY, JUNE 2, 1868.
De0tb of Err President Buch""d".

Deoth of Err PJesidcnt Buch0ndn.
James Buchanan, fifteenth President
of the United States, died at his resi-
dence, Wheatland, near Lancaster, Pa,
on the morning of June LIST, in the 71th,
year of his age. Mr.. Buchanan was
born i'm Pennsylvania on the I'D OF
April. 1901. and was a son of James Blu
chanan, who came to this country in
1888 from Ireland. His father secured
a competence, and gave his son good
education; and after graduating at Dick
inson College, Pa, at the age of eight
cen, Young Buchanan studied law and
after admission to the bar in 1872, rose
rapidly in his profession. Two years
after his admission to the bar he was
elected TO the Senate of his state. ana
reelected the next year. In $50 he
was elected to Congress from his dis
trict. and served five successive terms,
after which he declined reelection
In 1881 President Jackson appointed him
Minister to Russia, and he negotiated
the first commercial treaty between that
country and our own. Two years after
his appointment he returned to ms
home. and was elected to the |. =. Sen
ate. and held his seat in that body for
twelve wears. During this time Mr..
Buchanan was recognized as an able and
skillful leader among the Democracy,
and his prominence in his party gave
him fair prospect of being successful
candidate for the Presidency, at no dis
tant day. In 1915 he was appointed
Secretary of state, which office he held
four wears, under the administration of
Polk. Though disappointed, with many
Others. at the nomination of Pierce III
1852, he aided in securing the election
to that lawyer and after Mr.. Pierce
came to office he was appointed Minis
ter to England, where he remained three
wears, when he returned to this coun-
try to look after his own chances for the
Presidency, and finally succeeded in
gaining the nomination and election at
the hands of his party, party which
he served as faithfully as could have
been asked of any man.
A man of much ability, but with more
fnesse than force, he was better lifted
for diplomatic career than for eNecu-
tive office, and consequently creditably
successful as Minister abroad, he failed
weakly in his administration at home
when put to the test which required de-
cision as well as patriotism. That he
possessed kind of calculating and di-
loyalty we do not doubt, anditis
evident that though he had the closest at
tachment for the party of slavery, which
he had served and which had rewarded
him, he possessed, though untitled tc
show it boldly and as patriots should, q
deeper regard for the Union. He was :
specimen of what party training may
do-make OF man a mere politician
with heart as inactive in his deeds as {
stone in the bottom of Il river.
We think that history will judge
James Buchanan charitably, and i'll Sc
doing will be nearest justice. Freed
from great blame he never can be; 70
as a Statesman his weakness was thu
source of misfortune and suffering Il
his country but something OF tn
shame and blame must be charged t
thai appalling moral darkness will
which slavery had gradually but surel,
enveloped both church and state, warp
ing the mental vision of even the bcs
meaning men. The shame which al
taches to the administration of Mr.. Blu
chanan, was the shame of the country
and of aparty, eliminating around him
and finding in him an accidental as we
as weakly submissive scape-goat. TIL
Democratic party as he knew it is deat
The institution which that party an
no less the dead Wing party champione
and upheld, is dead. The survivin
leaders are all dead, except the formalit
of putting aside the flesh; and jaime
Buchanan has done that. When W
consider to what political objects h
powers were directed, and look bac
upon the records of the last few year
we think that the epitaph of job
Keats might well be placed upon I'll
tomb of the once President, James Bl
chanan, and serve rs a lesson to Il
men, and especially to all statesmen:
"Here lies one whose name was WI
in water
PORTRAIT OF GEN. GRANT.-W