St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1884-11-20

pdi hclu uleu Iue YOUNGEST, hot nav
ing reached his fiftieth birthday. Polk
was 81 at his death Lincoln, So ;
Pierce, 65; Taylor, &c: Washington
and johnson, 81 Harrison, IS; Tyler
and Monroe, 73; Fillmore, IA; Bu-
chanan. II; jackson, 7S; Van Buren.
so; John Quincy Adams, 81 j.; Jeffer-
son, 50; Madison, s.; John Adams 81.
Nine states of the Union have thus
far furnished all the presidents, and
| from ten states have come all the vice
presidents. The following are the
names of the states that have supplied
the presidents and the number of years
that each has had this honor Virginia.
| thirtysiX years /; Massachusetts, eight
years; Tennessee, sixteen years; New
York, ten and One-half years Louisi-
ana, one year; New Hampshire, four
years Pennsylvania, four years Hi
nois, twelve years total, 1889 to 1885,
ninety-six years.
Attention has been called to the fact
more than once alluded to that no as
pirant to presidential honors whose
name begins with C has been success
full. The fact is the more noticeable,
| perhaps, when we remember that such
men as George Clinton, De Witt Clin-
ton, William H. Crawford, John G.. Cal
houn, Lewis Cass, Henry Clay, Salmon
p. Chase have at different times either
been candidates for the presidency or
their names seriously considered by
their cOuntrymen for that high office.
! The late election has shown the falla-
cy of this fancy.-ED. ..-.
Another tradition that has frequent
ly been mentioned, and that will not
be disturbed whatever may be the re-
suit of the present struggle, is that no
candidate has ever entered the White
house from the senate. General Gar
field, although senator-elect, was
actually member Of the house when
elected president-that being the only
instance where citizen while holding
seat in the house of representatives
| has been elected to the senate and
little further on selected by the whole
people as their chief magistrate. We
have had presidents who have served
in the senate, but not one has been
chosen to that Office who was a senator
at the time of his election. This is a
noticeable fact, because the United
States senate is our highest delibera-
tive body, and its rolls embrace largely
| the illustrious names in our political
history.
The people seemed to have turned
to the army for a president whenever
distinguished success in the field has
given them the opportunity to so show
| their gratitude for valor, and the per-
haps more wise and sagacious states
men in the senate have been hidden to
wait. Leaving out of the list Wash
ingtOn, soldier and statesman both, for
he was "iirst in war and first in peace"
we have only to mention the names of
jackson, Harrison, Taylor, and Grant
to prove the assertion. General Scott
was really the only conspicuous and
distinguished soldier of the country
who has not been thus honOred, and
even his successful opponent was Gen
eral Franklin Pierce of (more or less)
Mexican war fame. Hayes modest,
but creditable war record undoubtedly
aided him in his lucky strike, and the
more valuable military services of Gar
field, although not of the highest rank,
beyond doubt largely endeared him to
the people. But for this hearty and
enthusiastic feeling of gratitude to our
military herOcs-which is quite natural
and pardonable-it would be difficult
w uuucISttHu WHY bnt CldlflS Dl SUCH
eminent and sagacious men as have
adorned the senate of the United States
in years gone by to have been repeat
edly ignored or passed by for men con-
fessedly not their superiors-alas in
more than one instance not their equal
in the wisdom, sagacity, and expert
ence necessary to preside over n great
nation at peace with all the world.
Of the sixteen elected presidents,
but seven occupied seats in the senate
before their election, and of the con-
tingent or accidental presidents but
two. Andrew johnson was senator
from Tennessee both previous to his
election to the presidency and after
the expiration of his term of office-re-
calling the fact that John Quincy
Adams served in the house of repre-
sentatiyes after having been president.
These two notable instances are the
only ones in our history where eX-
presidents have reentered public life.
/ Buffalo Express.