The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-26
MOODS OF orR PRESIDENTS.

With Few Exceptions the Executives OF
the Nation Were Grave Men.
II is remarkable how little the teudcn-
cy 20 humor has been developed IN the
mon who have been presidents Of tho
United States. says the Boston Herald.
We do not SO much refer TO exhibition
of humor In office, that, of course. 10
not to be expected lie mus, be bub-
bling over with a sense OF humor. as was
our single humorist, President Abraham
Lineoln, who could give vent under sucli
conditions. Il It had not been for LIN
coin We might have followed the heading
OF this article after the manner OF the
historian who wrote OF snakes In Ireland
by saying There has been no humor
IN our presidents" and we might have
gone further and said that there has been
no numor In the character OF any OF them.
heaviest responsibility that ever rested
upon president might well have weighed
down Lincoln he appeared 10 find 1t
Necessary to relieve himself Of this re-
sponsioihty by an occasional, joke. lilo
never ,es,ed officially; he was carefully
mindful OF the proprieties In this respect
ton from this kind of etiquette when he
was ont Of the public eye, and Rood
Eoue into print and Into the oral trada-
Tons OF our people, probably much OF
It not without establishment and cxag-
geration.
Wnsninston was the eravest man OF the
Whole Nation. The tradition Of HIM "a ihat
he was never known to laugh, and seldom
seen TO smilc, lie did not allow that Iamu-
iaflty which must preSede joking. thcre Is
ttoly of his nearly wtthcr. ng ii man With
q look VINO once Nentuted TO slap MIN IN
the back. lie Ma hrcN,iy cmhoA.c 81. John
Ad1rs was lmpmslNc ana irasciblc, bui too
much IN earnest TO ho humorous. jefferson
was theurist WHO waa intent upon pro-
mating humun equality IN a way ttat did
not admit OF Joking. Madison ami Monroe
ware NirfnlaNs educated to state smln-
shir, and carrying oll-tashioned Nirsinia
Ids as with IN m, If wtich lignity formed u
considerable part John quincy Adams cat.
ricd the stern Puritan methods INTO his
luhlic life. Jackson was u fighter, mud his
method of hghtng had no fun IN II. Van
kuivn WIS smooth. courteous, con ciiiItilg
IN manner, hut certainly not hAoM ngly
tortcnl William HeutN Harrison Was
han assed and oNcrwcighted IN the month
he tss IN once; Webster made a Joke
Vt thy seeiouSucss with which h0 carried
the old Romans into his single ncssa-t.
| iNl&i was cross. sour always In trpuule.
| In Ila term OF office. Polk was another
iNt'tar, modified lev pantsanship. Thy Tor
WAS !, matter OF fact Old fighter striS Wing
| Win immaculate seriousness to do his
! only
Fillmore was thoroughly practical in
hts tastes and tendencies. Pierce was one
of the most genial and genilemanly Of
| our presidents hut he has LEFT no mark
| az humorous tendency. Buchanan took
| himself with The extremist possible seft,
.
| old public functlonary. Andrew Johnson
| had his head turned by his Intense eager
ness to have his own WAY, and he could
not recognize humor when he saw
| It, Grant is thought to have some grim
sense of humor. but there is no record
| left Of IL. Hayes was thoroughly res-
/ peciahlo and humor was not IN Ma pro-
| grantme for this purpose. Garfield was
versatile. but a taste for fun was not
among his accomplishments Cleveland
| has ALWAYS taken his private and public
| Affairs with entire HohcrncaH. Bentnnin
| Harrison was our third puritan pr, sldent
! Polk over again. with l'VllSa politics re
I Nerscd, but rivaliuE Polk In earnest de-
| voiou to par.lsunshlp.
Tho eohcrnefs OF our long line OF prosi-
| dents is singular They seem to have
! tRltcn their tone from Washington, while
| In Office and IL was "A good model, but It
! is remarkable that succession OF mon
/ through 100 years should havo had 50
! little tendency TO the humorous In their
/ native competition. Lincoln ~ unique
among them all IN this quality.