and ambitious politician, and yet was honest in intention, and sought to serve his country well. He had a just pride of character and conduct; was singularly self-possessed, and was a gentleman everywhere and always, but did not see the high moralities of thought and statesmanship which alone give glory to a public career.

Mr. Forsyth, his secretary of state, made this estimate of him: "I have never witnessed aught in Mr. Van Buren which requires concealment, palliation or coloring; never anything to lessen his character as a patriot or a man; nothing that he might not desire to expose to the scrutiny of every member of this body, with a calm confidence of unsullied integrity. He is called an artful man, a giant of artifice, a wily magician. Those ignorant of his unrivaled knowledge of human character, his power of penetrating into the designs and defeating the purposes of his adversaries, seeing his rapid advance to power and public confidence, impute to art what is the natural result of those simple causes. Extraordinary talent; untiring industry; incessant vigilance; the happiest temper, which success cannot corrupt, nor disappointment sour, these are the sources of his unexampled success, the magic arts, the artifices of intrigue, to which he has resorted in his eventful life. Those who envy his success may learn wisdom from his example."

THE GRAVE OF MARTIN VAN BUREN.

Martin Van Buren was born, lived and died at Kinderhook, Columbia county, New York. And there reposes what was mortal of him. The graveyard at the northern end of the village is filled with tenants. The Van Buren lot is at the northeast corner of the yard. It is crowded with graves; is unfenced; is even without boundary marks; is flowerless and shrubless. The president's grave is in the center of the lot. Over it is a

plain granite monument fifteen feet high. Half way up on one side is this inscription:

Martin Van Buren,

EIGHTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

Born December 5, 1782,

Died July 24, 1862.

Immediately under this is that of his wife:

Hannah Van Buren,

HIS WIFE.

Born March 3, 1783,

Died at Albany, New York,

February 3, 1819.

Mr. Van Buren had three sons, the remains of one rest with him; the rest elsewhere. His parents and brother Lawrence were buried here.

Two nieces, daughters of Lawrence, were all of the family that lived there some few years ago.

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CHAPTER X.

ANCESTRY.

N the opening life of William Henry Harrison, we are carried back to Virginia, mother of presidents, nursery of freedom and the revolution, home of great men and great deeds; we mingle again with the Washingtons, the Randolphs, the Lees, the Masons, Marshalls, Henrys, Wythes, Jeffersons, Madisons and Monroes, and their great compatriots; we see again that rich and picturesque land, rivered with the Potomac, the James, the Shenandoah and the Rapidan, washed by Atlantic tides and overlooked by the peaks of the Blue Ridge-land of sunshine and fruitfulness, which 'will ever hold a great place in American history because of its production of so many great men.

Не

The father of William Henry was Benjamin Harrison, of Virginia, associate of the great patriots of the revolution. He was in comparatively opulent circumstances; was an intimate friend of Washington; was among the first in Virginia to resist the oppressions of England; was a member of the Continental Congress, and was three times governor of Virginia. When in Congress he was chosen to preside over that body, but in deference to Massachusetts and John Hancock, from that state, he declined; and seeing that Mr. Hancock, who was a small man, while Harrison was very large, strong, and full of fun, modestly