The morning times., 1897-02-07

active. He was sixty-two when he re-
tired in 1923, but he was as much inter
ested in public affairs as ne ever had been;
and in less than two years he was sent TO
the lower House OF Congress- where he re-
mained until his death from paralysis in
1S4S. He was once nominated to the
senate and once TO the governorship of
Massachusetts on an antf-Masonic ticket.
but was defeated for both offices He
was one OF the strongest abolitionistS Of
his times, and his public addresses against
slavery and on other topics were as Wig
orous till near his death as those of any
of his younger contemporaries. In fact,
he was lin hot water" because Of his
tongue and his independence of all party
lines during his entire Congressional ca
reer
Andrew Johnson, the tailor, who be-
came President, after the assassination
of Lincoln, is not often thought OF now-a-
days as an active man after his Presi-
Dental term, and there was much more
cause for him TO become a recluse than
for any OF the five who actually did
seclude themselves since he had narrowly
escaped impeachment at the hands of his
own party. But he had no sooner returned
to Tennessee upon the expiration of his
term as President. than he made an effort
TO go to the United States Senate. De
fea ted the first time, he tined again ant
won, taking his seat at the extra session
of 1875. He was not destined 20 serve
his time. however. for shortly after the
close Of the session, he was carried of by
paralysis.
Although Martin Van Bureu did not sue
reed in getting high office after he left
the Presidency in 1871, yet the twenty
one years that remained to him before his
death in 1862, We're exceedingly busy
ones, in which he succeeded In keeping his
name almost constantly before the public
Times were bard-almost as hard as they
are now-when he went out, and this work
ed against him, OF course, but after a brief
rest at his country seat, ''LindenwalI,"
in Columbia county, Y. Y, he made tour
OF the South, visiting Clay and other
eminent men. In 1S43 he pined for nOmi-
nation to the Presidency, but he was so bit
terly opposed to the annexation OF Texas,
then the most vital question before the
people OF the United states, that he could
not win, but he supported Polk actively. IT,
1S4S he came out strong for the Wilmot
proviso, andin 1S4S he was actually nomi-
mated for President on the free soil ticket
He got no electoral votes, however, and,
after that, he was little more than an OIL
locker III politics. he went abroad In
1852, voted for Buchananin in 1856, andwas
against Lincoln, in 1860, but supported his
administration during the civil War He
was active in his law practice till very
near his death.
John Tyler was extremely active in a
| public way during the last years of his
life as ex-President, as was Van BuTen.
Hestepped down and out at the age Of fifty
| five, in 1S45, retiring at once to his home,
sherwood Forest near Greenway, Va.
| There he lived life OF leisure after the
! beginning of the civil war Then, although
! he was originally against secession, he came
! out strong for the South Before this ne
| had recommended a convention of delegates
| from the border States of New Jersey
| Penns ylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, and
| Iowa; Delaware, Kentucky, Tennessee and
| Missouri, and had served as commissioner
to President Buchanan from Virginia. He
| talked strongly in favor of a peace conven-
! ton at the gathering he had proposed but
! it came to nothing. His statement OF the
| case was, Secession is inadvisable, but
| Is lllipOSSi UiS AlN was IOtCis >
made member, first of the provisional
| and then the permanent Confederate CON
| gress. He died before lie had an opportunity
| todo much OF real value for the South.
| Millard Fillmore, who lived twenty-one
| years after his retirement from the White
| House In $50, did not do much of note i'll
| politics While anex-President, but ncve lost
his active interest in public affairs, and
| for long time was habtually spoken OF
! as the foremost citizen OF Buffalo. He was
named by the American" party TO sue
| ceed himself, but was not elected, and then
| Travelled abroad for a time. During the
early days of the civil war he was ex-
ceedingly patriotic. Three times he went
| abroad, and once was offered, by Oxford
| University, gland, but declined, the de-
| gree of d. C. L He took n deep but quiet
| interest in public matterstill the day of his
| death, and travelled about the earth good
| bit
| James K. Polk died in 1S45, eight years
| after he left the White House. His tie
| clining years were marked by illhealth.
Although only one OF the founders OF
the republic who became ex-Presidents
| turned to recluscs when cx es, yet none
! of them were as active in public life as
| some OF their successors. Washington
! lived less than four full years after his
retirement in 1876, and part OF that
time he was engaged az commander
in-chief in reorGanizing che army 10 be
ready for an expected war with France.
He was much pleased when this blew over
and then proposed to spend sorne years at
tending to his plantation Ut Mount Vernon
| He had one form OF amusement which is
closed to Mr.. Cleveland, SO far as the