Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1864 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XXII. PRESIDENT VAN BUREN FINE TEMPER CANADIAN AGITATIONS BURNING OP THE CAROLINE SOOTT SENT TO THE FRONTIER THE TURMOIL QUIETED SCOTT SENT TO REMOVE THE CHEROKEES. Mb. Van Buren succeeded to the presidency. With a very respectable degree of moral firmness, all his other qualities were in happy contrast with those of his predecessor. Few men have ever suffered less wear and tear of body and mind from irascible emotions. Hume, in his unique autobiography, says of himself: "I am, or rather was" (for being at the end of life, "emboldens me the more to speak my sentiments);---I was, I say, 302 President Van Buren. a man of mild disposition, of command of temper, of an open, social, and cheerful humor, capable of attachment, but little susceptible of enmity, and of great moderation in all my passions," which advantages he, some pages before, puts down as of more worth than "to be born to an estate of ten thousand a year." According to this mode of estimation, Mr. Van Buren, throughout a long life, was a rrviUionaire. He entered on the presidency with right intentions toward his country and all mankind, and with the needful gifts and abilities to make an excellent practical administrator of the Executive Department--only that from the sense of gratitude to General Jackson, he felt himself obliged to work with (one exception) the old cabinet, consisting of members he never would have selected for himself; and, in the second place, he retained a little of his early and only weakness--an inclination toward the expedient more than either of the Catos, a Hampden, or Roland would have approved. The autobiographer became early in the War of 1812-'15 acquainted with Mr. Van Buren, an acquaintance that soon ran into intimacy and friendship; and...