The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1880-03-11
gn1tttta1.
oLp-T1ME POLITICS.

btAten SenAlo-nOW VAinV"A
Failed,
The unfortunate quarrel between Mr..
Calhoun, who was then Vice-President
of the United States, and General Jack
son, then President, elected to the two
highest offices of the Republic-"unfor-
tunate" for Mr.. Calhoun, because he was
badly worsted-if traced to its source,
was brought about by hisgreat ambition
to be President, as the successor of Gen.
eral Jackson.
Before leaving Tennessee to take upon
himself the duties Of Chief Magistrate,
General Jackson laid down certain rules
of action, one of which was no member
OF his Cabinet, while holding office,
should be candidate for President
And this he did to keep his administra'
ton from being an eleCtioneering ma
chine. These rules we're communicated
TO his Cabinet before the acceptance of
office by its members, and were person
ally shown by General Jackson to Mr..
Calhoun.
The death of Dewitt Clinton, of New
York who would undoubtedly have been
chosen by General Jackson as Secretary
of State, threw the mantle on Van Buren,
Just then elected Governor OF the State.
Jefferson, who had been Secretary OF
State under Washington; Madison, who
had been Secretary Of State under Jetfer-
son; Monroe, who filed the same office
under Madison, and Adams, who had
been Secretary under Monroe, made-as
far as custom rarely violated could
make 1.-THE SeCretaryship stepping
stone to the Presidency, placing that Of
fee, in the language of the day, in the
slime of safe precedents" Mr.. Calhoun
had determined to be himself the sue
Cessor of General Jackson, and soon be-
lieved, or effected to believe, that Van
Buren, had the same aspirations, and that
when the time came Jackson would aid
Van Buren, in achieving the object Of
his ambition. To kill of Van Buren was
the great object of Mr., Calhoun. Jack
sons Cabinet was composed of three
members in the interest of Calhoun,an
the same number, it was thought, pre-
ferred some other Candidate-Mr. Cal.
houn thought them Van Buren men.
His object was to drive some of the Cab
met, especially John H. Eaton, Secretary
OF War, from Office. Failing in that, the
quarrel resulted between Calhoun and
Jackson, detailed at length in my last
"Old Time Politics." When this quarrel
was brewing, and before it got to head
the friends of Jackson determined to
make him candidate for a second term.
That did not suit Mr.. Calhoun's view at
all. No man had ever been elected
Vice. President for more than two terms,
and Calhoun was then serving out Of his
second. He knew that he could not be
a candidate with any chance of success
for third term. To run against Jack
son for President he knew was utterly
hopeless. To break down Van Buren he
wished the Cabinet disrupted, and hence
his quarrel with General Jackson. Find
ing himself spoken Of as a candidate for
President, as the successor of Jackson, in
1885, and the victim of abuse from the
Calhoun organs, Mr.. Van Buren, to car
ry ont General Jacksons plan that no
member of his Cabinet should be can
didate for President. suddenly resigned
his Office of Secretary Of State. For this
reason, Mr.. Van Buren in his letter un-
der date of Washington, April 18th,
1881, says:
From the moment of taking seat in
your Cabinet it has been my anxious
wish and Jealous ehdeavor to prevent
premature agitation of the question of
your suscessor, and at all events to dis.
countenance, and, if possible, repress,
the disposition at an early day manifest.
ed to connect my name with that dis
turbing topic. OF the sincerity and con.
stancy of this disposition no one has had
a better opportunity to judge than your
self. 1t has, however, been unaVailing.
Circumstances not Of my creation, and
altogether beyond my control, have
given this subject turn which cannot
now be remedied, except by a self.dis-
franchisement, which, even if dictated
by my own individual tastes, could hard
ly be reConcilable with propriety or self
respect"
Concerning the injurious effects" Mr.
Van Buren, continues, (which the cir
Cumstance of member of the Cabinet
occupying the relation toward the coun-
try to which l adverted, ia calculated to
have upon the conduct of public officers,
there cannot, think, at this time be
room for two opinions. Diversities Of ul-
terror preference among the friends of an
Administration are unavoidable, and
even if the respective advocates of those
placed in rivalship be patriotic enough
TO resist the temptation or creating OBJ
stacles to the advancement of him to
whose elevation they are opposed by
embarrassing the branch of public SER
vice committed to his charge, they are,
nevertheless, by their position, exposed
to the suspicion Of entertaining and en-
Couraging such views-a suspicion which
seldom fail, in the end to aggraVate into
present alienation and hostility the per-
Hpective differences which first gave rise
to IT," 4 "Such being
nay impression the path Of duty is plain,
and not only submit with Cheerfulness
to whatever personal sacrifices may be
involved in the station occupy, but l
make 1t my ambition TO set an example
which, should it in the progress of Gov.
ernment be deemed, notwithstanding the
humility Of its origin, worthy of respect
and observance, cannot, think, fail to