Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-06-05
Ex-pREsrDENT BUCHANAN.

The telegraph announces the not uneX
nected death of JAMES BUCHANAN, at hi
home in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in the
seyenty-seventh year of his age. He was
the Fifteenth President of the United
States, and passed the larger part OF his life
IN the public service. Hewas born IN l79l
and graduated at Dickinson College, Penn,
in 1909. He was q successful practitioner
Of law until the age of forty, when he EN-
barked wholly on the duties of a public
life, and did not retire permanently unit
the expiration Of his Presidential term IL
March, 1861. When only twenty-three ne
was q member Of the Pennsylvania Legls-
Iature. When the war with England broke
out, he headed the list OF volunteers from
Lancaster and marched to the defence OF
Baltimore.
He entered Congress in 1920, and served
for five successive terms in the House. He
rapidly rose to be one of the leaders OF the
Democratic party, and was acknowledged
as among the ablest debators of that body.
He was the leading manager on the part OF
the House in the impeachment OF Judge
PECK, of Missouri. He had not retired
long from Congress, in 1881, when he was
appointed Envoy Extraordinary and Min
lister Plenipotentiary to the Court Of st.
Petersburg, and concluded the first treaty
between the United States and Russia. In
1888, at the expiration of Gen. JACKSON
first term, he was elected United States
Senator from Pennsylvania, and remained
a conspicuous member of that body until
called into the Cabinet of President Polk,
as Secretary of State, in 1915. He was
most ardent supporter of President JACK
son in those stirring and able debates upon
the National Bank, Tariff and Expunglng
Resolutions, which have given Immortality
10 that portion of American history. HIS
sympathies were openly with Texas as
early as 1885, and afterwards had the salts
faction, as Secretary of State, of bringing
that new State into the family of the Union.
After the expiration Of President Polk s
term in 1919, Mr.. BUCHANAN returned to
private life until 1853, when he was ap-
pointed minister to England, by President
PIERCE, and returned III 1856, when he re-
ceived the Democratic nomination for
President, and was elected in November of
the same year His administration en-
comprised the most stormy period then
known in our political history. First, the
Kansas territorial question, and then the
secession of the Southern States. In all
Of these troubles President BUCHANAN bore
himself with prudence, judgment, and in
strict accordance with the principles which
had governed his entire political life. A
firm States rights Democrat not believing
that the Federal Government had right
to coerce sovereign States, he refused to
be driven into any hasty attempt to oppose
the South with the military and naval pow
crs of the Government, but endeavored to
save the Union by that enlightened States
manship which had SO often blessed the
country by its foresight and ability. His
efforts failed for want of time, and the hos
tilities which could have been averted.
wero precipitated by President LINCOLN, in
the second month of his administration.
MI BUCHA0AN's retirement has been as
honored as his public life was successful ;
and he has reached the close Of his career
without committing any act to mar the
Grandeur of his life, OF derogate from the
honor of country over which he had pre-
sided. His name is honorabIy and ill.,
separately connected with the most interest
ing period of our history, and the impress
Of his ability and patriotism is stamped
upon the proudest pages CT our national
life. And now, that The causes which had
made him the invidious target of political
animosities arc at an end, the name OF
JAMES BUCHANAN will live in the memcry
of Americans as one of the most sterling
patriots and wisest statesmen which the
country has produced.