The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1869-10-15
Curiosities Of American History.

THE American political history is full OF
curiosities and singular incidents. For in
stance, three of our Presidents, all of
whom participated in the Revolution, died
on its great anniversary, the Fourth OF
July, viz: John Adams, Thomas Jeffer-
son and James Monroe.
& General Washington, when he retired
from the Presidency, was in the 66th year
of his age. His successor, John Adams,
when he left, was &C years old. After
him came Thomas Jefferson, James Madi-
son, and James Monroe Mr.. Jefferson
was 66, James Madison had just passed
his Goth year, and Mr.. Monroe was in his
9th when they respectively left the Presi-
Dental chair. General Harrison was ~
years old when he was elected, and died
in the Presidential office. u
From 1901 to 1895, the Presidential office
was filled by Virginians. During the
same interval, with the exception Of four
wears, the Vice Presidential Office was
steadily held by citizens of New York.
John Adams negotiated the treaty of peace
that concluded the war of the Revolution
with England. His son, John Quincy
Adams, was a leading envoy, and negO-
tiated the treaty which ended the second
war with England in 1914. His son,
Charles Francis Adams, at the third great
crisis of our history was the Minister to
England during the recent war, from 1861
to 1866, the period which covers the
alabama" claims, out of which another
war is altogether possible with the old
mother country.
In 1900, John Adams was on leading
Presidential ticket. Twenty-four years
after, his son, John Quincy, was also a
Presidential candidate. Twenty four years
from that time, Charles Francis Adams,
John Quincy's son, was an important can
didate for Vice President, with contin-
gent Presidential succession.
Of the first six Presidents, four of them
were taken from the Office of Secretary of
State; and the other two, being the first
elected, could not perform its duties.
From this fact arose the precedence that
makes the Secretary of State the first Of
ficer in the Cabinet, instead of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury, which is the case in
Great Britain. 8
The highest civil officer in the country
at the time of the Declaration of Inde-
pendence was John Hancock, Of Massa-
chusetts, the President of the Continental
Congress. The highest military officer
was George Washington, of Virginia. The
first battle of the Revolution was fought
in Massachusetts, and the last in Virginia.
The first President of the United States
was from Virginia, and the second from
Massachusetts,. The first English settle
ment in the country was made in Virginia
and the second in Massachusetts. OF the
fifty six signers to the Declaration of In
dependence, three long survived upon the
earth after all others had died, and two of
these had been upon the committee of five
who drafted the important instrument.
The very last survivor, Charles Carroll, OF
Carrollton, Maryland, threw the first
shovelful of earth from the Baltimore and
Ohio Railroad, the first railroad enterprise
in the country. The last man of the past
inaugurated the coming future.
No less than five of the greatest OF
American statesmen were born in the
same year, 1882: Daniel Webster, John
G. Calhoun, Thomas II. Benton, Martin
Van Buren and Lewis Cass. From 1900
to 1855, q period spanning from the second
President to the seventeenth, only two
persons filed the Office of Chief JUS
tice of the Supreme Court of the United
States, John Marshall and Roger B.
Taney.
But two men in the United States have
as they say in Odd Fellowship, passed
through all the chairs" been Cover nOrs
of States, held a first-class foreign mission.
been the head of the Cabinet, then Vice
President and President. Their names
are Thomas Jefferson and Martin Van
Buren.
Three Presidents died in office: Harri
son, Taylor and Lincoln.
Three persons were elected by the peo'
pie Vice Presidents before they became
| Presidents: John Adams, Thomas Jetfer
son and Martin Van Buren.
Three Vice Presidents died in Office
George Clinton, Eldidge Gerry and
William R. King. -. - g
Three men we're elected President who
had been Ministers to England under the
Federal Government: John Quincy
Adams, Martin Vaa Buren and james
Buchanan.
Three Vice Presidents became President
by the death of tleir chiefs: John Tyler,
Millard Fillmore and Andrew Johnson
and every one Of them pursued q policy
adverse to of the party by which they
we're elected. Two of the Vice Presidents
of the United States, and they the young.
est men who ever held the Office, have
been indicted for treason: Aaron Burr and
John G. Breckinridge, and in each instance
| the Goyerment dismissed the case without
even putting it before . jury.
One Vice President, John G. Calhoun,
RESIGNED his seat as President of the Sen
ate. 10 take place on the floor, where
he could have the privileges OF debate,
and there elucidate his State Rights
views under the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
Enquiser.
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