Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-07-05
But Few Presidents
Active in Politics
After Expiration Term

After Expiration Term
Former presidents of the United
States, after laying down the heavy
burdens of their Office, ordinarily
have retired to the quiet of private
life. There are notable exceptions to
this rule, however.
One former president was later
commander-in chief of the armies of
the nation, another was a leader in
the lower house of Congress for a
considerable period, a third was
elected to the L. S. Senate, another
was prominent in the Congress of the
| Confederate states, and several 9TH
ers remained active in politics after
relinquishing their posts.
! George Washington retired in 1897
after serving two terms. In 1898,
however, the French under Napoleon
had become SO Oyerbearing and in
sulting to the young American Re-
public that state of war existed.
The great Washington was induced
TO become the comma nder-in-c chief
formed to fight the French, and he
reentered public life for season.
He died the next year, on December
IA. 1899.
When John Adams retired from
the presidency he withdrew from
public life for all time. Adams was
a great scholar and his last years
were spent with his books. He lived
for a quarter of a century after
leaving the White House and saw the
Gay whon his son was inaugurated
president. Strangely he died on the
50th anniversary of the Declaration
of independence, and on the precise
day when his great political foe,
Thomas Jefferson, passed away.
| 1t was on March 4, 1909, that
Jefferson left the White House after
30 years of public service. jefferson
in his declining years founded the
University of Virginia, and he re-
garded this work as SO important
that on his tomb he had written the
following words: Here was buried
Thomas jefferson, author of the
Declaration of American indie
for religious freedom. and father of
the University of Virginia."
James Madison retired to his
Montpelier estate in Virginia in 1917,
and his home became a rendezvous
for literary folk. He emerged into
public life for a season when in 1929
he became a leading member of the
Virginia constitutional convention.
He died in 1886, at So, the Oldest age
attained by president of the United
States.
. After his retirement in 1925 James
Monroe held two public posts one as
regent of the University of Virginia
and the other as delegate to the Nir-
cinia constitutional convention of
1929. He was the third president to
die on July 4, the year of his death
being 1881.
1t remained for John Quincy Adams
to demonstrate that a man can ac-
tuallV come into more fame as a
member of Congress than as pres-
dent. Adams was defeated for re-
election by Andrew Jackson and he
retired in 1929. In the following year
he was elected to the National House
of Representatives from his Massa
chusettG district.
In Congress he became leader
especially of the anti-slavery move
ment. He died in the public service
dropping dead in the house in 1S4S
Andrew Jackson on his retirement
in 1897 withdrew to the Hermitage
at Nashville, Tenn. He continued to
take an active interest in his party,
but held no public office and died in
1S45 atsthe age of rs.
Martin Van Buren, was in politics
from his earliest years. and he re-
manned in the public eye long after
his retirement from the White House
in 1871. Defeated by Harrison in
1910, in 1874 he again sought the
Democratic nomination. He had a
majority of the votes on eight ballots,
but seeing the impossibility of mar
shalling the necessary two thirds, he
withdrew from the contest. In 1S4S
he was the presidential nominee of
the Free Sellers, but he failed to get
a single electoral vote He died in
1852 at the age of so.
/ Death removed William Henry
Harrison soon after his Inauguration.
and he was succeeded by John Tyler,
! who failed to obtain nomination from
his party and left the presidency in
/ 1S45. Tyler was against disunion in
/ 1860, and he presided over the
peace conference" in Washington in
! February, 1851. He was elected to
the Virginia secession convention and
! he there advocated secession as the
/ only logical course for the south to
take. He served in the provisional
! Confederate Congress and was elect
ed to the permanent Congress, but he
/ died in 1862 before it convened. He
was the only former president to
support the Confederacy.
; James X. Polk died in the June
following his relinquishing of the
presidency in 1S49. and Zachary Tay-
Tor, his successor, died in office.
I Willard Fillmore failed to win re-
nomination at the hands of the
Wings. and in 1858 he left the White
House to travel in Europe While
absent, in 1856, he was nominated for
the presidency by a combination of
, Wings and Know Nothings. but
Maryland was the only state he car
ried. He died in 1874
y Franklin Pierce laid down the
presidential duties in 1857 and after
three years of travel in Europe he re-
tired to his New Hampshire home