The evening times., 1897-03-04
SOME OF Mr.. H0BARTS
FAMOUS PREDECESSORS

/ Garrett A. Hobart. writes Major Handy,
VIII Dc the tTenty-foUrth vice President Of
the United states The list Of his prede-
eessors embraces more men OF distinction
| than the man who does not carry his
/ American history in his head is apt TO
1 think. John Adams, Thomas jefferson,
Aaron Burr, John c Calhoun. Martin van
| Buren, John c. BFeckinridge. Chester A.
Arthur and Levi P Morton W q. among
/ the best Eight, or one-third OF the whole
number. hailed from New. YORK Massachu-
setts has contributed three. Adams. Gerry
and Wilson; Virginia, two, jefferson and
| Tyler; Kentucky, two, johnson and Breck-
inridge: Indiana. two, and South Carolina,
Pennsylvania. Alabama, Maine, Tennessee
AMI Illinois. one each. The New YOrkers,
heSides Burr. Van Buren,, Arthur and Nor
ton. were Clinton, Fillmore, Tompkins and
Wheeler There have been sixty-three Pres
idents pro tempore of the Senate. and it
is a remarkable fact that the grade OF
men who have filled this position in the
last quarter Of a century is even higher
than it was in the earlier years OF tire
Republic Wade. Carpenter, Thurman, Bay
ard, Davis, Edmunds, Sherman and ingalls,
take rank in ability higher than almost
any OF their predecessors.
In mary respects the most capable and
versatile OF Vice Presidents was one who
afterwa1d fell from his high estate and is
known tothe public Of the present day chief
" as traitor. mean, Cf course, Aaron
Burr. When he last took the Wee Presi-
Dental chair he had but recently incurred
opprobr:Um and was a fugitive from justice
as the slayer OF Alexander Hamilton. The
fTfce1 t,
seat Were passed in hiding, lodging trial
for murder. But he presided with so much
grace. dignity ard impartiality that theeon,-
mandcd the admiration Of the Senate. When
lie took his leave he made a speech which
VIII ever live az a model. lie moved his
hearers to tears. and was the recipient OF a
res solution Of thanks which was anything
but perfunctory ItwassaiG Of him that he
presided with the impsrtiaIity OF an angel
and the vfeor of devil"
Perhaps Aaron Burr might have regained
his popularity before the people il he had
not, after his retirement, entered into the
BIennerhasset conspiracy, which was be-
lieved. and partly proved, 10 have involed
plan for disunion, and certainly meant
foreign cnnqu atthe expense Orthe peace
and good name Of the United states.
L
country ,andthe Is no story more pathetic
than that of his wanderings In Europe max
ing occasional social COnquests, but Oftener
cooling his heels in the ante-chambers OF
royalty dogged b the police, and subsisting
on food that in other days he would have
been ashamed to give the negro servants, to
whom he was model master.
Calhoun was another great Vice Presi-
dent but by no means the equal OF Burr
in fitness for that particular position. He
never ma gnifiedthe Vice Presidential Office.
and with al his pride of mien, seemed To
consider the Vice President as the repre-
sentative of the Federal authority OF less
importance than the individual senator who
was the accredited representative Of SOW
ereign State. When on the floor, as Sen
ator he never addressed the presiding Of
ficer, but the Senators themselves. His
form OF address was Senators instead or
the customary MIR. President John C.
Breckinridge is remembered as model
vice President. His manner in the Chair
was n perfect combination OF dignity and
Difference. Chester A Arthur was man
OF very much the same pattern, and bis too
short occupancy OF the chair prepared me
country for the cOurtly dignity which char
acterized him in the White House. The best
parliamentariau ever in the Vice Presiden-
tial chair was schuyler COifax-