Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1880-08-25
Some Interesting Facts About Presidents.

Some Interesting Facts About Presidents.
Forty millions of people, more or less,
are talking about presidents and the presi-
dency; and it is not out of place TO give
some interesting facts, historical and con-
stitutional, in connection Herewith.
To begin. then, the word president,
derived from the word latin, means to ''sit
befcre"-i G, an audience. The free
translation of the word be "chairman." I"
And the office of a chairman is to act as
presiding officer or moderator of an as
semblage.
The president of United States holds
his Office for four years. He must be a
native of the United States, and at least
thirty five years Of age.
He l. not elected by the popular vote,
but by college of electors chosen by the
people. Buchanan's popular vote was
about 200 900 less than half the total cast !;
Lincoln's about 100000 less than half;
and Hayes was 10000 votes behind the
number cast to Tilden.
From 1889 TO 1928 the president was, in
most cases, chosen by the legislatures of
the states.
The title at first conferred upon the
president was "his highness the president
of the United States and protector of our
liberties. After while it was discontin-
ued.
The president receives salary Of $780,
600 year, and the white house as a
residence free of charge, and light, fuel
and attendance thrown in.
Under the original provision of the
lon tho hauipr thu caonp1
highest number of votes for president
became vice-president.
By arrangement two men of directly
opposite political views might, and in fact.
did become elected to the offices of presi-
dent and vice-president in the same
administration.
The presidents of the United States,
from the adoption of the constitution to
the present time, have been as follows:
George Washington, 1889 to 1907.
John Adams, 1897 to 1901.
Thomas Jefferson, 1909 to 1917.
James Monroe, 1917 to 1925.
j. O. Adams. 1926 to 1929.
Andrew Jackson, 1880 to 1887.
Martin VanBuren, 1887 to 1941.
William Henry Harrison, 14l, when he
died, and was succeeded by John Tyler,
the vice. president, who held Office till
1S45.
James Knox Polk, 1845 to 1849.
Zachary Taylor, 1S49 to July 5, 1850,
when he died and was succeeded by Mill.
ard Fillmore, the vice president, who held
office till 1858.
Franklin Pierce, 1858 to 1857.
James Buchanan, 1857 to 1861.
Abraham Lincoln, 1861 to April 15
1865, when he died and was succeeded by
Andrew johnson, the vice-president, who
held Office till 1869.
Ulysses S. Grant, 1869 to 1877.
Rutherford b. Hays, from 1877 TO 1881
Nineteen presidents in all, from the
close of the provisional government till
the present day.
According to the constitution, the presi.
dent and vice president cannot be chosen
from the same state.
OF the nineteen presidents, seven came
from Virginia-Washington, Jefferson,
Madison, Monroe, Harrison, Tyler and
Taylor; two from Observation-Disclosures
Adams and his son, John Quincy Adams
one from New York-Van Buren,; one
from New Hampshire Pierce; one from
Nldl lliuOlt, lllloC HUN ItHutSte
jackson, Polk and johnson; two from
Illinois-Lincoln and Grant; one from
Observation-Disclosures and one from
Ohio-Hayes.
On this denomination for second term
the total ELECTORAL vote was increased by
the accession of new states to 1856, ol
which number Washington received 1872.
John Adams, who was the next presi-
dent in succession to Washington, received
seventy votes out of total of 1873.
In the fourth presidential contest Tho
mas Jefferson and Aron Burr received
seventy three votes each. The result
being II tie, there was, of course no elec
lion, and the choice of president devolved
upon the house of representatives. which
elected Jefferson by vote of ten to foul
l-Deleware and North Carolina not vo
ting.
| The electoral college also failed to cleo
in the tenth presidential contest. The
total number of votes was 26l. OF these
Andrew Jackson received ninety-nine
John @ Adams eghty-four, William H
Crawford forty.one and Henry Clay
thirty. seven. The House elected Jackson
In 1856 the democrats elected their las
president, James Buchanan, and the
republicans put in the field its first candi
date, John q. Fremont.
That same year-l856-what wa
known AS the know-nothIng movement
had acquired considerable strength, ant
the Am erican party put in the field Mil
lard Fillmore, He received only the eigh
ELECTORAL votes of his own state-Mary
land.
During the presidential election of 1864
eleven states-all southern did not vote
Of the nineteen presidents ten hav,
been soldiers and nine lawyers.
OF the six candidates now running tol
the Office of president and vice presiden
five are generals and one is "a banker.