St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1889-02-28
Gbe Californian.
ABOUT THE PRESIDENTS.

was held on Tuesday, November 9th.
Hence we have completed one centu
nv of our present form of government
and are just at the beginning of
another Taking a review of the
past, it may be said that the first
idea of a President was originated
by Benjamin Franklin at the Albany
convention in 1851. That conven-
ton was held for the purpose of con-
solidating the colonies under the
British flag, but the crown authOri-
ties opposed the scheme and it was
was created when the first Congress
was held, but the incumbents were
called Presidents of Congress This
office continued until theconstitution
provided President to be elected by
the people The first of these was
George Washington, who was fifty
seven at the time of his inauguration.
John Adams was sixty-twO. Jeffer-
son, who succeeded him, was a Vir-
gilman of fifty-eight and was sixty
six when he retired from the presiden
tial chair. Madison, likewise a Vir-
ginian, was fifty-seven when elected
and retired after eight years service,
ranging from 1909 to 1917. Mon
roe, also Nirginian, was inaugural
ed at the age of fifty-nine and was
sixty-seven when he retired from of
flee, period extending from 1917 to
1925. John Quincy Adams was
elected at the age of fifty-seven and
retired at sixty-one, having served
but one term, which closed March 1,
1929. Jackson, a native of North
Carolina, was sixty-two when elect
ed and retired at seventy, having
served eight years, from 1899 to
1897. Van Buren, was the first ma
tive of New York state to enter into
the presidential office. He was fifty
four when elected and served but one
term, which lasted from 1887 to
1871. Gen. Harrison was native
of Virginia and was sixty-seven when
elected. He died after Il months SER
vice, and John Tyler, also a Virgin
ian, was raised from the vice presi-
dency to take the office thus vacated.
This was the first instance of such an
exigency, and, therefore, was an inn
pOrtant experiment.
other Names.
Polk, the next President, was of
North Carolina birth, and was fifty
when elected He retired after one
term, which closed in 1S49. His sue
cessor was General Taylor, native
of Virginia, who was sixty-five when
inaugurated. His term was closed
by death in 1850, and Fillmore was
raised from the vice presidency. He
was Buffalo lawyer, and was at
that time fifty-one. Frank Pierce,
the next President, a native of New
Hampshire, was fOrty-eight when
elected, and served but one term,
which closed in 1857. Hissuccessor,
James Buchanan, Il native of Penn
sylvania, was sixty-four when this
occurred. His term closed III 1861,
when Abraham Lincoln, kentuck
ian by birth, but from bovhood
resident of Illinois, aged fifty-one,
was inaugurated. Johnson was in
augurated at fifty-scven, Grant at
forty-six, Hayes at fifty-four, Gar
field at forty-nine, Arthur at fifty
one, Cleveland at forty-seven, and
Benjamin Harrison at ffty-fve.
Domestic Life.
Washington was married but had
no children. Adams was married
and had one son, whom he lived to
see President. Jefferson was a wild
over, his wife having died twenty
years before his election. They had
six children, all daughters, of whom
only two survived infancy. Madison
was married, but had no children.
His wife was the most elegant woman
that ever adorned the presidential
mansion. She survived him, and was
for many years the pride of Wash
ington society, having lived to listen
to Henry Clay's farewell speech in
the Senate in 1851. Monroe was
married, and so was John Quincy
Adams, whose children inherited
some of the family talent. Jackson
was a widower, and SO were Van
Buren, and General Harrison. Tyler
was a widower when he entered of
fee, but soon afterward married the
heiress, Miss Gardiner of New York
He was the first President who mar
ried during his term of office. Polk
was a married man, but Buchanan
was the first bachelor indicted into
the presidential office. Grant was
the first President who had a daugh-
ter married while in Office, and the
social conditions of his success are
too well-knOwn to require sta tement.
Personal Appearance.
The Presidents of the United States
were generally men of good personal
appearance. The extremes in point
of stature were in Polk and Lincoln
the latter was six feet four, while
the former was little more than five
feet three Van Buren, was also a
small man. The first four were men
of much dignity. Concerning Wash
ington nothing need be added on this
point. He was the beau ideal of
manly beauty, even in his latter
days, and when Stuart undertook to
paint his portrait the artist was so
overcome by the majesty of his pat
ron that at first he was unable to go
on with his task. John Adams lack
ed Washington noble stature and
grandeur of mien, but he was a man
of much dignity Jefferson was of
imposing appearance Madison had |
an assuming but highly respectable
look, and. being always dressed in
black, presented much the appear
ance of a clergyman. John Quincy |
Adams, like his father, was stout, |
thick-set, and deficient in point of
stature. Jackson was tall and |
gaunt, with bristling hair, high |
cheek bones, and a nervous but de- |
faint cOuntenance Van Buren, lack |
ed personal dignity in every point, |
and, indeed, was the most deficient |
of all our Presidents in physique.
General Harrison was a man of much |
personal dignity. Tyler wasa spare