The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1905-03-24
20 relate. was found among the papers,

after the death of the ex-president. 1t
Is known that 1t was the intention OF
Buchanan to allow some of the CORE
spondenee in regard to the matter to
appear in his biography. He had In
formed Mr.. Reed that the explanation
Of the affair would be found in a pack
age of letters in his safe. The package
was discovered, but upon it was the d.
%rection, evidently written not long pre-
v.ous to the deash of Buchanan, as the
ink was comparatively fresh. that the
package should be burned without be
ing opened. With The burning of these
letters the secret of the tragedy seems
TO have passed from the knowledge of
the living. But through some oversight
the letter which vas written by l3u-
chanan 10 Mir. Coleman at the time Of
the death OF the young woman WAS left
among effects of minor importance and
was discovered after the death Of the
Writer. Following is the letter:
James Buchanan to Robert Coleman,
Esq:
Lancaster, Dec. 10. 1S19.-My Dear
Sir: You have lost a dear child. l have
lost the only earthly object of my af-
fections. My prospects are all cut off.
and with her in the grave. 1t is now no
time for explanation, but the time viii
come when You will discover that she,
as we'll as l, has been much abused.
God forgive the authors of it. My feel
ings of resentment against them, who
ever they may be, are buried in the
dust. l nave one request to make. and
for the love OF God and of your dear de-
parted daughter, whom l loved infinite
ly more than any other human being
could love, deny me not. Afford me the
melancholy pleasure of seeing the body
before its interme1t. l would not for
the world be denied this request.
II might make another, but from the
Representations Which must have been
made to you, | am almost afraid. I
would like TO follow her remain 70 the
grave as a moLrner. / would like 20
convince the world, and j hope Vet to
convince YOU. that she was infinitely
dearer to me han life. / a sustain
the shock of her death, but / feel that
happiness has fled from me forever.
The prayer which ] make to God with-
out ceasing is, / yet may be able to-
show my veneration for the memory Of
my dear departed saint by my respect
and attachment to her surviving!
friends.
May heaven help You, and enables
You to bear the shock with the fortitude
- 80 "N'SS'A = stita' ~ - - 80
ccre and grateful friend.
James Buchanan
Had Mr.. Coleman seen fit to open this
agonizing missive he would probably
never been responsible for the cruelty
of denying the pathetic requests con-
tanned therein, and ore can imagine the
excess of grief to poor Buchanan when
[ he realized that his letter had been re-
turned unread.
. 1t is known that an obituary notice OF
} the death of Miss Coleman. which APP
= peared in the Lancaster Journal of the
4 date Of December II, 1919, was written by
i Buchanan. 1t is as follows:
departed this life, on Thursday morn
. ing lasf, in the 2sd year Of her age. while
Philadelphia. Miss Annie c. Coleman
!, daughter of Robert Coleman, Esq, of this
ut rarely falls TO our lot to shed a tea,
over the mortal remains of one so much
and SO deservedly loved as was the de
fondest parent or fondest friend coul,
- have wished her TO he. Although she wa:
! young and beautiful and accomplished
q and the smiles of fortune shown upon her
Yet her native modestN and worth mad
her unconscious of her attractions. He
h heart was the seat of al the softer virtue
n which eniIoble and Dignity the characte
!; of woman She has now gone to a %orl
+ where in tl1s bosom of her God, she WI
memory of her virtues be ever green in tn
hearts of her surviving friends. May he
y mild spirit which on earth still breathe
j. peace and good VIII. be their suard:a
ange to preserve them from the faults I
which she ever WAS u stranger.
n THE SPIDERS most a%ttenuated thread,
Is cord. is cable. 10 mans tender TIE
on earthly b.iss-it breaks at every breeZ'
A. ON that daN there was registered an ur
10 broken. unwhispered vow of celibacN, an
~. that is the explanation OF the bachelor
pf hood of one president of the United State
" which has often been a matter of mirth I
the unknowirg and unthinkins.
y Buchanan would never refer 20 III
III event With lis II oft intimate friends. Som
Ne years: after The death of the young wona
4, one of Bu"hai1ants dearest associate
showed the larte! a newspaper artici'
ig which made some reference to the tragici
of romance. buchanan sat long Wlthol
., speaking. and then sad:
~ II LaNe no eXnlanaLnn to offer at III.