The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-03-12
THE EX-PRESIDENTS.
how THEY 9AvE LIVED AFTER
THEIR TERMS HAD hxPIsED.


Gen. Harrison's Plans-Hs Will
Lecture or Engage In Literary
Pursuits at Present-How his Prede-
cessors Have Occupied Their Time.
FROM the WASHINGTON Star.
President Harrison returned to his home
in Indianapolis as soon as Mr.. Cleveland is
sworn in to succeed him. and will soon
he will resume his old law practice. In
this he will follow in the footsteps
Of three of his illustrious predecessors in the
executive Office who did the same thing
Monroe. Arthur and Cleveland-all Of
whom were likewise lawyers before they
were Presidents IL was also Lincoln's
design to go back to the law at Springfield,
III. had he lived to complete his second
term.
Monroe. on turning over the govern
ment to John Quincy Adams, was harassed
by financial embarrassments, and found it
incumbent upon himself to strike out anew
to provide means Of support for bis family.
Instead, therefore, of remaining long on his
farm at lakewood Hill, In Loudoun county,
Virginia where he had been made justice
OF the peace, he betook himself to New York
city TO enter a larger field and sought dis-
OF the legal profession there, His practice
at the bar in New York, unfortunately,
was not lucrative, and be died a poor man
six years after hanging ont his shiuRle,
Gen. Arthur was in the prime OF life when
he vacated the presidential chair eight
years ago, ana 10 all outward appearances
bad long and agreeable career in prospect.
he associated himself with a prominent
law firm in New York and was perteoting
some elaborate business projects in addition,
when, unknown TO his friends, his health
gave way and the country was shocked one
morning to learn that he had been found
dead in bed, just twenty months after his re-
tirement He was worth about $500, 900
when he died. Mr.. Cleveland's connection
with leading law firm in New YORK as
special advisory counsel is still fresh in the
public mind, but he did not devote all of his
time by any means to his practice IN this
auxiliary capacity. He is now reputed to
be worth at least half a million, the result
careful husbaEdlnR and judicious invest
ments for years back.
A STEP TO BE REGRETTED.
Somehow the return of President to act
i've business in the walks Of professional
life strikes the average citizen as a step to be
regretted and avoided. The popular idea
seems to be that in this republic of ours
President, after having enjoyed the highest
honors in the gift of the nation, should
round out his career in some ideal sort OF
retirement, surrounded by hosts OF friends
and cheered with the mellow companion
ship Of books. That is all very well, but
it Is neither practicable nor desirable in
every case. Generally, TO a man not vet
suffering from the Infirmities of age and OF
an active temperament Infatuated to con-
tinous industry from early life, such con-
dlt1on OF repose becomes intolerably irk-
some, and some congenial kind of intelli-
genet occupation Is a necessity.
Those are the considerations which have
largely determined the programme Presl-
dent Harrison has mapped out tor himself.
In contemplating his future he looks for
ward to decade or so of moderate ac-
tivity more as a relief from care and sor-
row than as a means of pecuniary gain.
DE is well of already, as the world goes,
and ID not in need Of employment on that
score. After brief season Of rest and re-
cuperation from his late exhausting ex--
periences he means to plunge again into
the engrossing Vaccinations OF his profession.
and hopes therein to find degree of content
that would be lacking otherwise If he had
| nothing to engage his mind,
his house in indianapolis, though not
pretentious, is model of comfort and CON
venience, and it is only natural that he
| should prefer its accustomed repose to the
| novelty OF new residence elsewhere, al
though OF course every familiar object in
| it cannot fail to remind him Of the tender
| helpmeet who left it with him four years
ago nevermore TO return. His daughter,
Mrs. Mckee, and her children will take up
their residence with him there.
WILL NOT LECTURE OR DO LITERARY WORK
Rumor has it that President Harrison
will devote a considerable part of his time
to lecturing and literary work for certain
magazines and reviews, but he has stated
to few intimate friends that, although he
has received no end Of offers from innumer-
able publishers and bureaus, he will not
touch pen for hire or mount a platform
until the fall at least, and possibly not then
He has also been pressed to accept the law
chair as nonresident professor and mem
Der Of the faculty of Stanford University,
at Palo Alto, Cal, but this project he is
also holding In allegiance, and he may not
make up his mind about it for some months.
His closest friends here and elsewhere
entertain the idea privately that it is
among the possibilities, even probabilities
that Mr.. Harrison three years hence will be
called to lead bis party again as a presi-
Dental candidate for a second term.
Doubtless the prevalent sentimental no
ton that a retired President should spend
his latter days in elegant leisure is due to
the examples set by some of the earlier
Presidents, like Washington, Adams and
JeueIsOu eL RLduCe at Lu9lr post
presidential careers shows that even those
venerated worthless still continued to a
certain extent in the public arena after
they had laid aside the official cares Of
state.
Washington was the only ex7President who
ever refused a denomination at the close Of
his administration. Hayes and Cleveland
declared or intimated before their election
that they would not expect a
second nomination. Grant yearned for a
third term, and all the Others who
survived their terms may truthfully be
pictured as having cast many a "longipg,
lingering look behind" on leaving 1.-THE
precincts Of the cheerful day." But only
five Of all of Washington's twenty-five suo.
cessors strove openly 70 get back into the
white house after their departing from IT,
These five were Van Buren,, Tyler. Fill
more, Grant and Cleveland, but all Of them
failed in the eudeavor save Cleveland.
He is the only ex-President who over be-
came President-elect; and in this regard
he has broken the record Of our entire his
tory and furnished an astonishing ex-
ception to the time-honored rule that
water never turns back over the same
wheel.n