The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1883-03-04
IIre of Ianss Mnnrne.

The Life of James Monroe, by President
Gilman Of John Hopkins University, fills a vacuum
in our Presidential biographies There are many lives
Of Washington, Jefferson, Jackson, John Quincy
Adams, Lincoln. etc. Mr.. Riyes has written an
elaborate biography or Madison up to the beginning Of
his Presidential term. But until the publication of
Mr.. Gilman's work no biography Of Monroe has ap-
peared. The emlgrant ancestor of Mr.. Monroe was
Mai Andrew Monroe, Of the Royal army, who came
TO TINS country about 1850, and had grant OF land in
Westmoreland County, Va. In this county Mr..
Monroe was bo.n In 1855, the Of Spence Monroe
and Eliza Jones, Of King George. lie was sent TO the
College of william and Mary but In IT7G left college
with majority uf the students and Joined the Con-
tlnental Army, New York, as lieutenant of the
Third virginia Regiment. lie was at White Plains
and Trenton. where he was wounded In the shoulder
and In l777-7S served on the staff o Lord tirling at
Brandywine, Germantown, aud Monmouth. In 1880
lie WAS sent as commissioner 10 Charleston to report on
the condition 0f the Southern Army, with
the rank Of lieutenant colonel. Here his mill
tary service in the Revolution ended. In 1850
he took up his residence at Richmond and
soon acquired tue friendship of Mr.. Jefferson.
then Governor OF virginia, with whom he studied
law. The next year he was elected to the G eneral
Assembly, and in 1852 to the Congress OF the Con-
federatlou where he remained TIL 1856 In the same
year, at the age Of twenty eight, he married Miss
kottwrght, of New York, and began the practice of
thc lhh ~ fioHtlNhHuul.s IN lt0S ne was "A lntnl-
her Of the virginia Convention which adopted the
Constitution Of the United States, aud stood with
Patrick Henry, William GraysOn, and George
Mason among the opposition. In 1890 he was eect
to the United states Senate for four years. In the
Senate he soon became conspicuous for his opposition
to Washington, aud especially to Hamilton. But for
all this, Washington appointed him envoy to France
In 1894, where lie remained until recalled In 1896
when he was succeeded by that noble gentleman and
tTup natIDt Charles (DtpGWnIlL nf Gnutl "a
Carolina, whom the JacObins Of France refused to
receive. From 1899 to lsO2 he was Governor OF Viz
gnla, and In 1903 sent to France by jefferson where
lie signed the treaty for the purchase of
Louisiana. Then he sent to England
and in 1904 TO spain to negotiate for the purchase
Florida, lie left Spain in 1905 and returned to
England, where he remained Till 1907, when he came
back to Virginia and was again elected Governor In
lsll. lie was In 1905 prominent candidate for the
Presidential nomination secured by Mr.. Madison, his
lifelong friend lie entered the Cabinet In 1911 as
Secretary Of state, For time he held also the Office
Of Secretary OF War; IN which position lie the
means 10 keep Jacksons army In the field for the de-
fcnse of New orleans. In 1916 he elected Presi
dent over Rufus King, the Federal candidate and re-
elected In 1870 by an unanimous vote. lie died In
New York In 1881 at the age Of seventy years
OF this remarkable career Mr.. Gilman gives a clear
and comprehensive narrative, TO which are appended
the personal "reminiscences Of Judge Watson Of Char
Ottesyillc who was an inmate Of Mr. MOnrOe's house
AZ Oakhll In $780, aud much valuable blbllographca
Information In regard 10 Mr. MOnrOe's public life
The author acknowledges his obligations to Mrs
Gouyerneur ofthls city for the ofher valuable col
lection OF letters 10 Mr. Monroe from Madison, Cal.
houn, WiT Ia Fayette, ana many other distinguished
men, ana earesty recommends It's purchase by the
Government
Mr.. Monroe seems 10 have escaped the detracllon
which pursued ao many Of our Presidents-not ex-
ceptlng Washington himself His administration Of
eight years justly characterized as the " era Of
good feeling Marshall BushIOl Washington,
Livingston, and'story were ON the Bench; Adams,
Crawford, Calhoun, and suuthard, In the Cabinet;
Bagot, Vaughan, Hyde de Neuyille, stratford Can
ming Correa da serra aud other nOtabilites, In the
Diplomatic Corps, In the Senate and House, Lloyd,
OTIS, aud Webster, of Massachusetts,; Everett and
Mallory, OF Vermont; Burril of Rhode lsland Rufus
King Yerpanck, Van Rensselaer, Van Buren,, storfs,
aud Spencer, Jf New York; stockton, )f New Jersey
Sergeant, ot Pennsylvania; Pinkney Hanson, Lloyd,
and Lee Of Maryland; Randolph, DOddrldge aud
TdzeWcll, Of Virginia; Castor, of North Carolina;
polnsett ard Iayne ~ South Carolina; Wilde and
Forsyth, Of Georgia; johnson, Of Louisiana; Poin-
dexter, Of Mississippi; Henry clay, Of Kentucky,
aud Andrew jackson, Of Tennessee, The last winter
of Mr. MOnrOes term sgnaliIed by the TeCep-
ton by Congress Of La fayette as the guest Of tho
nation.
Ia private life Mr., Monroe Is described by his per-
sona friends as wholly unseldsh, Ia his Intercourse
with his family unyaryinGly Kind and afectlonate
aud as gentle as q woman or n child, His Integrity
In an matters was universally admitted.
". NJ. W.