The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1914-04-28
tGan. Isaac r. Sherwood, in Wash
ington PoSt.)

tcan Isaac r. SHERWOOD, IN WASH
ington Post.)
rav Of our great statesmen ever
,toaer long in memory after they
cross the river to the eternal shore be-
~ And this is true Of James
1nchanan, once President of the
i,nited States, and constantly in the
Imelight for AZ years before the
arcat civil war. His name Is never
,nentioned now by any poet, orator,
49, prophet. Yet he was from 1914
~ 1861 a leader in the councils Of his
STATE and nation.
Rorn poor, the son of an Irish i'm
migrant, reared on a farm at Stony
natter, Pennsylvania, he was elected
. member of the Pennsylvania legis-
I,ture when % years DID,, and was
~~nntinuously in offices Of high trust
mil over 70 years Of age. He was
Ton years in Congress, was sent on an
;mnortant and delicate mission to
Pnssia by President Jackson; was
elected TO United States Senate in
1as3 was Secretary Of State under
President Polk; was Ambassador to
Great Britain under President Pierce,
and elected President Of the United
safes over Col. John G.. Fremont in
1896.
Administration Notable Socially.
Ne was the first old bachelor elect
81 President, and his administration
was the most notable socially since
Dollv Madison presided in the White
Uouse from 1909 to 1917. Neither the
wives OF Franklin Pierce, nor Mil
lard Fill more, nor Gen. Zachary Tay-
lor nor James Is. Polk, the predeces-
sors of James Buchanan, were accom-
pll,hed society m Harriet Lane.
the niece of James Buchanan, was the
mistress OF the White House during
his administration. n was the most
beautiful and accomplished woman
who ever presided in that historic
mansion: more beautiful and accom-
plished than Dolly Madison, and no
quite so dressy and fussy.
Princes Tribute TO Miss Lane.
The Prince of Wales, afterwarC
klng Edward VII, then a young man
visited the United States during Buch'
anan's administration, and was tn
guest of the White House, He wa
given q very elaborate banquet b.
Harriet Lane. Upon his return t.
London he was quoted as saying tina
he had met a more beautiful n &C
complished and entertaining lady II
Harriet Lane than he had eve me
in any European court. And he neve
forgot Harriet Lane. When he wa
crowned King of Great Britain, h
sent a special invitation to Harrie'
then Harriet Lane Johnson, to atten
his coronation. And yet, only tie
years after James Buchanan's deaf
Tin 1869 all his countrymen and til
balance Of the world had forgotte
there was ever such a man once tn
chief executive of the greatest reput
lie on earth. And it seems Of stuff
cient interest to know why this fore
most statesman of ante bellum time
never married.
Only a few evening ago., as I steI
ped into the old Ebbitt louise / stul
bed my toe against the heels of an Of
Washingtonian. While I was apol'
giving and he was begging pardon II
standing in the entrance, we mutual
recognized each other as acQuaM
ances Of the long ago. We had met
Horatio Kings levees in the season
1875. Horatio King was Postmast
General under President Buchana
and the Washington Literary Socie
met at his home Saturday evening
AT that time Grace Greenwood, Ma
Clemmer Ames, George Alfred Tow
send. j. q. Howard, of Galaxy; Mi
Boyle, the poetess and Col. Don Pla
were among the usual visitors.
much for the prelude, now for faC
and romance.
His Heart Won BY Miss Coleman.
My old-time friend look me to l
library on Connecticut avenue, a
told me this interesting story:
in his youth Mr.. Buchanan's hes
was won by the charms Of beauti1
Miss Coleman, who, like himself,
SIDED in Lancaster, Pa. She was
Wtn;bel OF the we'll known and ariS1
crate Coleman family, whose vast
tates and the Cornwall iron wor
near Lebanon, rendered them one
the WealthieSt in the country. II
were soon betrothed and were cou,
ed the handsomest couple in all
Country round.
Some time after the engaSem'
hau been announced Mr.. BuchaT
Wis Obliged to go u Of town Oh
rNtended business trip. He returned
" lew weeks and casually dropped
TO see my aunt, MrA. william Jenki
"!th whose husband, he was on ter
"l intimate friendship. With her ,
staying a sister. Miss Oracle Hub
a daughter of Gen. Hubley. a. revC
.l'hary officer, u pretty and char
ll1 young lady.