The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1923-04-20

secretary of state under President
Jackson in 1929 and was appointed
minister to England in 1881.
First Democratic Vice-President
He was the first democratic vice
president under Andrew Jackson, the
first democratic president. In 1886
he was elected president, defeat
ing William H. Harrison, the whig
candidate, by vote of 762,678
against the combined whig vote of
1861. He received ITO out of 294
electoral votes. Even in these days
elections we're often too close for
comfort.
Harrison in turn defeated Van
Buren, in 1910, but 'Tippecanoe' died
after serving month. In 1914 Van
Buren, failed to receive the nomina-
ton. In 1848 Van Buren, was the
anti-slavery candidate for president
on the Free Soil ticket. He ran more
on matter of principle, but it should
be remembered that to Lincoln all
honors for emancipation are not due.
Van Buren's principles were a decade
ahead of the public's desires.
$50 it happened that in the morn
ing of my life, when I was 16 years
old and Martin Van Buren, "a, was
formed deep and abiding friend
ship which lasted until l was 16 and
of which my memories are still very
vivid.
Like Colonial Days.
zone must remember that in the
40s much of the atmosphere of CO.
lonial life still remained Railroads
were few. We lived 81 miles from
railroad. The presidents grounds
were $50 acres in extent and his
house one of many rooms. There
were no kerosene lamps at that time.
There were, of course, no bicycles,
flying machines, tele-
phones, typewriters, no postage
stamps, envelopes and many of the
of today. My father
came to America from Droughadea.
in a sailing vessel in 1880. |
SO years ago. He was naturalized an
American citizen at Albany almost
and his naturalization
papers written altogether by hand are
still in possession of my brother
Frank, who lives in Chicago. He is |
35 years old. My father was "a years
Did when he died.
I'm spite of the absence of cleo |
,ricity and coal oil lamps the presi- |
lent kept his house brilliantly lighted |
With whale oil lamps and myriads of |
andes, especially when there was
company. In the summer he enter
aimed lavishly and notable men came
rom great distances, men who were
famous then but who have
ince dropped from the public mind.
These parties lasted for weeks and
we're often in the nature of political
differences. Of the names of visitors
still remember were the Stuyvey-
ants, Lodges, Van Rensellers and the
lays. Some men who differed with
i'm politically were his greatest
riends. remember Henry Clay best.
Ie came oftenest and stayed long
st, sometimes a month at a time.
lay brought his own colo.red serv-
nts, two of them. when he came. F.;
Knew Henry Clay
''The arrival of guests was usually
Graded several days in advance. ]
hey came by train to Albany. The s
residents finest coach and four
orses would be taken out. He would I
rive to Albany to meet them. l
hough he had his own coachmen
2 would often drive it himself with
lie coachman sitting behind. He
'ok pride in what he called hand 7
ng the ribbons but the coachman d
ways drove back. He had his own
sh pond few miles away at the {
ot of the Catskill mountains about T
big as Lake Avoca. Here were n
,rch, club, sunfish and pickerel in {
Guidance, also catfish, the most f