New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-02-24
THE PRESIDENTIAL LINE.
WASHINGTON TO BENJAMIN HARRISON.
COMPARISONS OF THE. NATIONS CHIEF EXEcU-
TIvEs-THEIR PERSONAL APPEARANCE,
PRIVATE CAREERS AND PUBLIC


TIvEs-THEIR PERSONAL APPEARANCE
PRIVATE CAREERS AND PUBLIC
SERVICES
rvRoM AN OCCASIONAL CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIPUNEl
Washington, ID. c.. Feb. 23.-General Harrison, on
the day he becomes President. will be hftynve years.
seven months and fourteen days old about year less
than the average age of has predecessors when augu
rated The grandfather Of Mr. Harrison was tne olu-
est of the Presidents. having entered upon the duties
Of the Office In his sixty eighth year General JACK
son. when he began his second term. lacked eleven
DAYS of being sixty-sx years old, and Buchanan was
only five days younger than this when insugifa'eo'
The first six Presidents also Taylor and Johnson were
all older than the Presden'elect waen
General Grant was youngest President inauguraea
being under forty seven Mr. Cleveland next not quite
forty-eIght: Pierce forty-eght. Fillmore forty nine
Polk and Garfield each fifty, Tyler and Arthur each
ffty-one. Lincoln ffty-two, Van Buren, and Hayes
each ffty-four.
Tho ancestry of the Presidentelect as clearly re-
corded is traceable further back than that Of any other
President excepting General Hayes. The American
branch Of General Harrsons family is clearly defined
Cor six prior generations, agreeing in number with the
record of General Hayes's family. President Cleve-
lands ancestry as well as that of John Quincy Adams.
Is authenticity recorded for four prior generations
none OF the others extends beyond three
IL Is q little remarkable that in sixteen cases the
parents of Presidents were farmers OF planters. OF
these the parents of John Adams Fillmore, Buchanan
Grant and Garfield we're in humble circumstances
In contrast to the opinion OF ministers sons
two became Presidents of the United s'ates' Whle
the family records of President Taylor, whose father
was a Colonel OF Franklin Pierce, whose father was
General; Of John Tyler whose father was Governor
=, Virginia of the Adams family and that of the
presidentelect which includes Governors and Presi
aents in their respective lines, would all seem to con-
arm the oftquoted saying, Blood viii tell" there
aro some strong examples which would tend rather TO
support the well-worn line OF Pope;
Honor and shame from condition RISE"
Andrew Johnson Abraham Lincoln and Andrew
1ackson sprsng from the poor white trash" OF the
south and rose rather from an observance OF those
,tpcrles of greatness common to the race than nom
any special impulse Of the blood
AZ regards early educational facilities Jehn Quincy
Adams undoubtedly takes precedence. he had the
.dvaniare of a preparatory school In Amsterdam,
Holland; a course Of instruction In the University o.
r.vden and was afterward graduated at Harvard COL
-, Andrew Johnson's educational experience, il
hs last extensive, certainly the most ronahuc'
80 was taught 10 read when village tailor by inc
,,3r who became his wife The little schooling JACK
son had be received in log pen twenty eet square,
80 Is va NAV believe his biogaphers, he was an eA-
a.s,ncly ignorant man. His ignorance OF law, MS
- rostIes sclence-of everything which he VINO
,ovr,cs country ought to know says Parton was
sx,,e,es member of Jacksons family once sfasea
ta, DE General did not believe the world was round
ia had never read book through, except The vicar
NJ vaketelds whom elected President OF the Uniteo
s,at.. His natural eEdowments almost exclusively
,r,e tbe sources Of his success. Zachary Tsylors
schooling was of no higher grade he was says
Scott quito ignorant for his rank, and quite oleoted
in his znorance.s He always seemed suspicious OF
any officer whose literary requirements exiehooo DC
yond GOOD old Dilworth's spelling BOOK fet
more faithful Executive never entered the White
House Lncoln's early educational opportunities
were not much better. Fillmore, and also Washing
ton attended common schools only.
Van Bufen's as well as Mr. Cleveland's, schoohng
was Of the academic grade and Monroe was IN VIII
IAN and Mary College but part OF course "hen
no LETT TO enter tho army. OF all military Fres-
dents. General Grant was the only one educated al
West Point Thirteen Presidents, including the freS
denteiect were college graduates, their edncSnopsi
facilities varying according 70 the RANK ana
of their respective colleges
ae e tent of their experiences particularly IN puo
&c affairs prior 10 Inauguration wouio range Pto'es
closely doubtless IN the ratio OF their ages tnouEn
with wide difference as TO the character Oh tnen o0
trpafions. Twelve Presidents were lawyers only
Garfield had the most varied occupation; he was
,,cbcr preacler lawyer and soldier before becoming
statesman John Quincy Adams was professor Oh
rhetoric in Harvard College, besides having peeh
lawver and statesman. Jackson was taught the al
phabet In log schoolhouse and was lawyer pianter
ard soldier. Arthur teacher and lawyer DO
fra presided over the Ouitcu StotSS OOA"'D' -
he other soldier Presidents, Hayes, Pierce, Monroe
and the PresIdsntelect lawyers, Grant tanner
{, wulJam Henry Harrison physician and Washington
surveyor
Tav,or was soldier and soldier only, by pro
fezs,on and occupation though the hero Of the Mexl
90 oonouest a war. by the way, in which he simply
obeyed orders and Of numerous indian wars ne was
never wounded and he never fought duel
II we include President Lincoln, who was militia
IN
General Taylor we shall find that majority Of our
presidents have been military men, OF these Gen
era Grant doubtless had the most extensive hghtng
experience and received the greatest NUMBER OF pro
motions he rose from Lieutenant to General Mon
roe had risen from cadet to Colonel when be was
wounded In the shoulder at Trenton. washington
Jackson, william Henry Harrison and Taylor were
sator-GeneraIs s0ardeld was MajorCeneral ana
HAYES Brigadier- General of Volunteers; Pierce was
Brigadier General, and the Presidentelect brigaeI
General OF Volunteers by brevet. Arthur was guar.
termaster-General the staff OF the Governor Oh
New-York.
HAYES was wounded four times in battle; jackson
also received four wounds, though none Oh tneh IN
battle When captured by the British. while more
boy. he received two severe sabre cuts, one On the
hand and the other on tho head, for refusing 70 bach
an officers boots In his second duel he was shgnuB
wounded In the breast and then deliberately hhea MS
antagonist, Dickinson. HIS fourth wound, winch was
TIC severe, Nnen Two UdtlS anu SNNb "N-N
planted in his shoulder, received IN row with
Colonel Benton, at Nashville. General Harrison was
slightly wounded in the thigh at the battle OF TIP
pecanoe General Pierce accidentally injured In
battle by being thrown from his horse In the advance
On the City Of Mexico.
In extent and variety Of purely pohtcai work.
John Adams doubtless stands first. He filed con
secutively thirteen important public positions; VIZ
Chairman Of the Resistance COMMITTEES In the Mas
saehnsetts Colony member Of the Massachusetts Leg
stature of the First Continental Congress- In which
he was q member Of ninety committees; Commissioner
70 Versailles; Minister Plenpotentiary and CONNER
eiaI Agent 10 Great Britain also TO Holland Minister
10 France; Fitst Minister to London; YicePresdent
Of the United States President; and subsequently,
Presidential Elector and member of the achusetts