d to the bar, 1809; member of Virginia legislature,
1811-16; member of Congress, 1816-21; governor of Virginia, 1825-27;
United States senator, 1827-36; elected Vice-President, 1840, and
succeeded to Presidency on the death of General Harrison, April 4, 1841;
president of the peace convention of 1861, favored secession and served
as member of the Confederate provisional Congress; died at Richmond,
Virginia, January 18, 1862.

POLK, JAMES KNOX. Born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, November
2, 1795; admitted to the bar, 1820; member of Congress,
1825-39; speaker of the House of Representatives, 1835-39; governor of
Tennessee, 1839-41; President, 1845-49; died at Nashville, Tennessee,
June 15, 1849.

TAYLOR, ZACHARY. Born in Orange County, Virginia, September 24, 1784;
entered the army as first lieutenant, 1808; served in War of 1812,
attaining rank of major; served in Black Hawk's war, 1832, with rank of
colonel; defeated Seminole Indians, 1837; commander-in-chief of Florida,
1838; took command of the army in Texas, 1845; won battle of Palo Alto,
May 8, 1846, and that of Reseca de la Palma, May 9, 1846; captured
Matamoras, May 18, and Monterey, September 24, 1846; defeated Santa Anna
at Buena Vista, February 22-23, 1847; appointed major-general, June 29,
1846; elected President, 1848; inaugurated, March 4, 1849; died at
Washington, July 9, 1850.

FILLMORE, MILLARD. Born at Summer Hill, Cayuga County, New York, January
7, 1800; admitted to the bar, 1823; member of New York State
legislature, 1829-31; member of Congress, 1833-35, 1837-43; elected
Vice-President, 1848, and succeeded to presidency on the death of
Taylor, July 9, 1850; died at Buffalo, New York, March 8, 1874.

PIERCE, FRANKLIN. Born at Hillsborough, New Hampshire, November 23,
1804; member of Congress, 1833-37; United States senator, 1837-42;
served with distinction in Mexican war; President, 1853-57; died at
Concord, New Hampshire, October 8, 1869.

BUCHANAN, JAMES. Born at Stony Batter, Franklin County, Pennsylvania,
April 22, 1791; member of Congress, 1821-31; minister to
Russia, 1831-33; United States senator, 1833-45; secretary of state,
1845-49; minister to Great Britain, 1853-56; President, 1857-61; died at
Wheatland, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, June 1, 1868.

* * * * *

CHAPTER IV

LINCOLN AND HIS SUCCESSORS

And so we have come down through the years to Abraham Lincoln--that
patient and gentle