Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1872-09-20
~ calling to mind q few instances

by calling to mind a few instances
of it.
The calm and deliberate wisdom
of Washington, his oqnity and care
full goodness, the immense weight Of
his individual personal character,
were chief means probably tlh
one most indispensable means of
first bringing our nation together
under its present Constitution, and
affording it an opportunity TO knit
into real nationality after the dis
united tumble of the Confederation.
The same wisdom chose EiamiItou's
great financial abilities to erect our
excellent system Of treasury basi-
ness and public finance. The same
weight ofpersonal character enabled
him to gather into his Cabinet Hon
at once valuable. powerful, and dis
cordant; and in great measure to
utilize their e2ceiienee5 for the good
of the nation, without serious injnry
from their discussions.
The resolute bolelncss Of John
Adams etfectually quenche5i the ~
tempts of the French Republic to-
overawe or abuse our marine, and
thus enroll us by forco-sa the g's.:.t
French international conscription
against England.
The perfect fearlessness and firm
ness of Jackson frightened the plot. !
tcrs Of Nulliiicatien, and ruined
their enterprise Evon the courage
of John G. Calhoun failed him; for
he felt to his very neck-bone that
when Andrew Jackson said hang,
he meant hang.
The careful deliberation, ,and slow,
intent, heedful study Of public opin-
ion, which was a chief trait Of Pre-
sident Lincoln's mind, as It was Of
his mode Of managing The course Of
public policy, while il seemed ago
nizlngly slow to men Of quick insight
and impatient temperament, yet en-
abled him to plant every leading
measure Of his administration, when
at last he did adopt it, upon an i'm
pregnable basis OF decisive national
preference.
On the other hand, it is impossi-
bic, Of course, 10 say III any case
what might have been done. But
there are no sadder questions, as
poet and statesman know alike,
than those who ask, what might
have been. What might have been
and what might not have been
if, in 1920 and 1921, we had Il man
Of purpose in the Presidency, in
ste ad Of James Monroe? Here was
a feeble piece who in the Rcyolu-
ton had deserted his country, had
played all of q traitors part that a
coward could play; who, by the
accident of Virginian birth, had
been translated into official position
by great men who thought they
could conveniently manage him;
who, on every occasion when he
had chance, had managed 10 do
wrong. But this man having Been,
for Mr.. AIadison's convenience,
made Secretary of State, happened
we must say, perhaps, to be Prosi-
dent when the Missouri question
came along. # only John Adams
had been in that place! If even
Thomas Jefferson, to whom we owe,
they say, the confirmation Of M
than Danes great e.tict, ha1 been III
power! If any man, competent to
read the future, or even look into
the fu.ure, could have held tho power
which the President OF the United
States, when he is 4 man, holds in
such crisis! Instead OF man,
there was James Monroe. There
is not, 50 far as We know. IN the
whole discussion, public or prl-
vatc, an alusion to the poor crea-
turc's opinion. lie was there to be
used by the slave-dealing cotcme;
and he was used by them. After
they had used him, they forgot him,
and the country has forgotten him
to this hour. But We cannot help
saying "What might have been.7
There is another such man whom
the country has forgotten. Oi course
it torgets men who miss their only
chances of being remembered.
John Tyler, happily called CHS ac-
cidency," came into power with a
curiously fortunate series OF possl-
bilities around him. He was at the
head Of 4nation thoroughly sick of
| the adventures and experiments of
the last five or six past years. But
he was sadly afraid that he should
be eclipsed by great men in his
| Cabinet and great men III the sen
ate. Wherever he could obstruct,
he obstructed Every measure re
quired the study of the Presidents
whims; and before it was passed
those whims had changed. III such
A man the personality proved to be
everything. 1t ended, of course, i'll
his selling himself to the extreme
Southern party in his hope OF y re-
election; and, Of course, that ended
in their forgetting him when the
day Of election came. Wha might
have been, alas,
1t was the personal tlmidty, Il
esolutions, and want Of moral
principle, of Mr.. Buchanan, that
formed the whole dependence Of
those who planned the outbreak OF
the Rebellion. Remember the dole
ful series ofpublic disgraces through
the fall and winter Of lS6o-6l; and
then say: Would these things have
happened if Jackson had been !,rcsl-
dent, or John Adams, or the hon,
est, brave old Taylor?
The case Of Andrew Johnson is
not forgotten. One Of MIR. Charles
Summers prcjudices, which he has
never yet explained to the public,
threw him into opposition to Mr..
Hannibal Uamlin, when MI. Lin
coin was nominated the second
time. This opposition succeeded,
and succeeded on account of Mr..
Sumner. TO him we owe the ad-
ministration of Andrew Johnson.
The administration, if the word is
Drnnnr X SimDly n DprS0uII history.