The vidette. (Iuka, Tishomingo County, Miss.) 1912-1967, 1918-03-28
A PATHETIC ROMANCE
The Sad Love Sotry of a Presi-
dent of the United States
Remarkable Career of James
Buchanan.

(From a speech by Congressman
Sherwood on the proposal to build
Buchanan Memorial at Washing
toni
And now let me say something of
James Buchanan as a man. / have
some matter that / consider vital
which has never appeared in print
touching the character of the dis
tinguished Pennsylvania. Itthrows
light on his character not revealed
in this debate.
In his youth James Buchanan's
heart was won by the charms of the
beautiful Anna c. Coleman, who, like
himself, resided in Lancaster, Pa.
They were soon betrothed and were
counted the handsomest couple in
all the country around. Some time
after the engagement had been an
nounced Mr.. Buchanan was obliged
to go out of town on a business trip.
On his return he stopped in to see
a Mrs. William Jenkins, who was
entertaining a Miss Oracle Hubley, a
daughter of General Hubley, an Off
Ger of the Revolutionary war; A
gossiping young woman told Miss
Coleman of Mr.. Buchanan's visit
and thereby incurred her jealousy.
On the spur of the moment she
penned an. angry note and released
him from his engagement. A short
time after this incident a party was
arranged to go to Philadelphia to at
tend an opera. Miss Coleman was
included in the invitation, and on
arriving at Philadelphia, on plea
of indisposition remained at the
hotel. On their return from the
opera Miss Coleman was found in
her room cold in death The sad
fate of Miss Coleman broke James
Buchanan's heart, and he never
married and never loved another
woman.
A poem written by James Buch-
anan which has never been printed,
was found on the person of Miss
Coleman, of Lancaster on the 26th
of August, 1919. James Buchanan
wrote note to the father of Miss
Coleman, asking the privilege of at
tending the funeral. Here is the
note, dated December 10, 1919;
/ have lost the only earthly
object of my affections, without
whom life now presents to me a
drearyblank. l have now one re-
quest to make, and for the love
of God and of your dear depart
ed daughter, whom | loved more
than any other human being
could love, deny me not.
This letter is signed James Buch-
anan, and is addressed to Robert
Coleman. 1t was written to ask the
privilege of gazing upon the form,
then cold in death, of aimee. Cole
man. This privilege the father Of
Miss Coleman denied toJames Buch-
anan. In fact, never answered his
letter.
Let me read an unpublished poem
by James Buchanan, found on the
person of Miss Coleman, the night
of her suicide in Philadelphia.
And is my dream of faith and hope,
Forever gone into the past?
And will the God for mercy cope
With all my sunken hopes at last?
1t can not be that | shall meet
No more those eyes of light divine
1t cannot be your memory sweet
Can ever part from me and mine.
Some other day | hope and pray
The shadows of this desperate hour
Shall vanish in brighter day,
And truth and trust shall vent
their power.
Some other day not far away,
As God is truth and | am true,
These ugly doubts shall fly away,
And show | am not false to you;
Until that hour, dear heart, be true,
For here | pledge my all to you.
A man, either in public or private
life, who could remain loyal and
true to the love OF woman dead for
so we ars for james Buchanan lived
II years-can have my vote for
monument even Is he did not earn