The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1876-06-08

/ i1Nsi.oi
LANCASTER, PA. May TO- The IntclIi-
| geneer OF this city, publishes the follow
| ing:
CAUSE OF DUCHANAN'S CELEBACY.
''ln an elegant mansion near the Arlington
| hotel, III this city, reside two ladies of the old
| en- aristocracy, Mrs. Freeman and her sister,
Miss Coleman. About the latter lady a little
romance clngs which makes her ineres ting.
She was the second love and aftianced bride of
| the late President Buchanan, his first love hav-
Ing died in her youth, and until he met Miss
Coleman he was almost reclIIse from ladies'
society. He was engaged to her when sent
abroad as American minister to the court of St.
James, in London. At that time Miss Coleman
resided in New York. He returned to this
country on visit, and Oh the evening he ar
rived Miss Coleman was giving grand enter
tainment. He was fatigued, and instead of
dressing and paying his respects TO her imme
dlately, retired to his room. and early next
morning called to see her. She had taken of
1eSe at his not calling the evening before and
refused to see him, and they never met again
What regrets We're felt the world has never
known, but many an angry impulse has wreck
ed the happiness of men and women beyond
reparation." Washington Correspondence
Chicago journal.
The amount of fact in proportion to tic-
ton in the above little romance is very
small indeed the sole romance attached
to the lady mentioned is III being the
niece of Miss Ann Coleman, of Lancaster,
Pa, who was the first and only iance of
the late President Buchanan, newspaper
reporters to the contrary Notwithstanding
The incidents connected with that sad af-
ftlr, although occurring when the writer
Of this was but youth of II or IS wears
Of age, have haunted his memory up to
the present, when he has passed tie aIIot-
ted three-score- and-ten.
| shall briefly state the circumstances as
| remember them. Mr.. Buchanan, then
somewhere in the neighborhood Of 80
years of age, h'd been elected in the fail
Of 1920 as member of congress for the
Lancaster district. The long session. ex-
tended, | think into the month of july
1t was hot dusty summer and the stage
coach then was the only approved means
of travel The Baltimore coach did not
reach this city until after 9 O'Clock iii the
evening. There were several printer boys
awaiting the arrival of the stage, who
congratulated Mr.. Buchanan on his arrival
home, and unanimously pronounced him
the best-dusted man they had ever met
At that time the court house stood at the
intersection OF the four main streets ct the
city, and Mr. Buchanan; (; vilico and cham
bers were in the southwestern angie Soon
after aIighting and chatting few mo-
ments with acquaintances who happened
to be in the vicinity, he went to his cham
ber to undergo Il much needed purgatOn
This accomplished, somewhere about 10
o'clock he stepped out in morning gown
AID slippers, and without hat, and prom
enaded back and forth in the angie. to
+,,l,
Grace Hubley. sister-in-law to VIM Jenk-
ins, Esq, who resided on South Queen
street, the terminus of the southwestern
angle. happening to be sitting in the par
lor with all the windows opcn, on account
of the heat noticing that Mr.. Buchanan
had returned, want TO the door, and pass
ing the compliments of the evening, in
vited him to walk in, with which he eoln-
piled. and they seated themselves by a
large open window aud engaged in
conversation. Not more than twenty
minutes thereafter an anonymous note
was handed in to Miss Coleman, stating
that Mr. Buchanan was too tired to call on
his alfianccd, but that he could call on and
sit and chat with Miss Hnbley.
To understand what follows. must
here state that Robert Coleman, the father.
was a purse-proud, imperious man, who,
hh1Eljlng hljll aa9HiGf, Ii t1"' @ ~. .ow ga every
bush, and possessing bat little educational
advantage. was very .ealons Of those
whose cultivation and social position We're
in advance OF his own, scrupulouslv stood
sentinel over his own dignity, and was
ever ready to resent any taucied infringe
ment of it. On the night in question there
|, .,il .,tt f,,in
man mansion, who were sitting in the
parlor in conversation when the note was
handed by the servant to Miss Ann. On
perusing it the lady was naturally some
what disturbed, which was evidenced in
her face. and Immediately attracted the
attention of the Jealous and mperious old
man. who, notW outstanding her remon-
strances, snatchcd and read It, Ills ot-
Tended dignity was at once IN arms, ami
within the hour his daughter was placed
in the family carriage, and on the way to
Philadelphia, TO visit her sister, Mrs Judge
llemphill. Knowing the unrelcntlng nj
ttrc Of her father, and probably feeling
hurt at the inuuendo thus anonymously
conveyed to her, although an intelligent
and accomplished young lady, and very
much attached to her betrothed lover, she
became despondent, and in her despair
took laudanum, and was q corpse ON the
day following her reaching Philadelphia.
Mr.. Buchanan requested permission to at
teud the funeral rs Chief mOurner but
was rudely refused Being Il man OF ar
dent affections. and entirely devoted to his
betrothed, Mr. Buchanan's mind was near
ly unhinged by the sudden calamity which
had beiallen hnn--so much 50 indeed that
his friends became uneasy, and Judge
Frank lin persuaded him to remain in his
family q lew days. While there, and wish
| inc to write the obituary notice himself, he
requested MT. Dickson to delay the pnbll-
cation of the lntelligenccr rs long rs he
| could which was done; but, as the mail
was only posted once week to certain
| points of the county, we were compelled
to close the paper that evening, and was
sent around to the Judges to see il the
obituary was ready. | was informed that
MIR. Buchanan's mind was SO disturbed by
grief that he was unable to write the no
tice, but the judge suggested that should
90 into the parlor, where Mr.. Is. was alone
in his sorrow, and inform him that we
must close the paper that evening, think
ing it might spur him up to the necessary
scenes in the course Of q somewhat
heightened life, but none that left 81 in
delible an impression on my mind as the
grief-strcken appearance of Mr. Buchanan
or that occasion. 10 see Il man Of almost
perfect physical and mental structure
bowed to the earth by irretreyablc grief
is one of the most painful sights that a
person of average feeling can witness
Judge Franklin had to write the obituary
! himself.
l would here state that | heard with
pain, blame attributed to Miss liublcy in
this connection of which she was wholly
gultless,-the anonymous note having
been written by an enyious lady who pass
ed while Mr. Buchanan and Miss Grace
were conversing together.
The circumstances of the above are
true in every respect, Notwithstanding the
accounts given in other papers, for they
are remembered by my grandmother,
who is now in her S5th year; and she says