his candidacy not an act of revenge,433;undoubtedly sincere in his advocacy of Free-soil principles,433;ends political career,433.In Retirement.His career up to 1848 logical and creditable,434;had he died then, his reputation would stand higher,434;separated beyond hope from his party,434;until 1859 sympathizes with Free-soilers,435;accepts finality of compromise of 1850,436;his justification, love of Union and dread of ruin,436;stands with majority of Northern statesmen,438;not to be condemned more than Clay or Webster,439;writes letter favoring Pierce in 1852,439;visits Europe,440;declines position as arbitrator upon British-American claims commission,440;votes for Buchanan in 1856,441;expects squatter sovereignty to succeed,441;his distrust of Republican party,441,442;letter in behalf of Buchanan,442-444;its cheerless tone,442;rehearses history of Democratic party,443;laments repeal of Missouri Compromise,443;hopes question of slavery in Territories may be settled peaceably,443;asserts power of Congress over Territories,444;thinks Buchanan can save Union,444;unpardoned by South,444;votes against Lincoln in 1860,445;character of his retirement,445;writes autobiographical sketch,446;his history of American parties,446;condemns Buchanan for accepting Dred Scott decision,446;sympathizes with North in civil war,447;expresses confidence in Lincoln,447;last illness and death,447;his funeral,448.Character and Place in History.His personal appearance,449;elegance,450;his country life, thrift, and fortune,450;pecuniary integrity,450;his polished manners,451;called insincere by Adams,451;his fairness and personal friendliness to opponents,452;his skill in reading and managing men,452,453;not stilted, yet free from dissipation,453;social agreeableness,454;fictitious stories of his cunning,454;his friendships,454-456;these the true test of his sincerity,456;his placidity under abuse thought hypocritical by opponents,457;his caution in political papers,457;his popularity in New York,458;his true democracy,458;creed of his followers,459;lack of enthusiasm prevents his being a popular hero,459;always follows principles of Jefferson,460;his fame dimmed by spoils system,460;yet his attitude in respect to it not a discreditable one,461;his courage a marked quality,461,462;his prolixity and politeness obscure his clear statements of opinion,462;does not belong among mediocrities of the White House,463;his eminence as a real leader,463;superior to Jackson in wisdom,463;and to John Adams in party leadership,464;stands with Madison and John Quincy Adams,464;comparison with Madison,464;with Adams,465;comparison with Webster and Clay,465;superior to either in party leadership,465;summary and review of his career,465,466;his fidelity to principle throughout,466,467.Personal Traits.General estimate of,3,462-466;betting habits,453;bitterness, lack of,123,152,163,223,420,452;cheerfulness,114,453;conservatism,186,436;courage,87,183,195,215,266,325,407,436,461-463;diplomatic ability,221,222;education,15-17,22;friendships,454-456;imperturbability,228,253,391,396,414,445,451,456;integrity,194,268,450,456;legal ability,17-21,25,29,30,31;magnetism, lack of,281,459;manners,4,15,18,72,206,394,395,451;modesty,243,268,284;non-committalism,79,147,151,265,380,400,421,461;oratory,27,31,32,61,78,87,150,457;personal appearance,1,449,450;private life,37,453;political leadership,58,61,69,76,87,117-119,131,150,153,157,179,180,431,452,454;scrupulousness,68,194,195,278;shrewdness,197,207,224,229,369,452-454;sincerity,430,431;social qualities,394,395,396,397,400,450;subserviency, alleged, to South,403,404,439;unfavorable views of,158,196,223,230,231,244,256,325 n.,384,385,396,406,451,456;unpopularity in later years,3,444,458.Political Opinions.Bank of United States,145,244,250,251,267,328,329,345,363,373,391;banking,169,170,372,373;Barnburners,419,425,429;British West India trade,141,219-222;Canadian rebellion,354;compromise of 1850,436;conscription,62;Democratic party,145,147,242,443,446;debt, imprisonment for,26,27,98,116,142;Dred Scott decision,446,447;election of 1820,75;election of 1824,115,116;election of 1828,173;election of 1840,400;election of 1848,425;elections, reform of,170,171;embargo,59;Erie Canal,65,66;expunging resolutions,267;Federalists,70,127,152;gag rule,380,381;independent treasury,330,331,377;internal improvements,95,96,97,98,117,132,133,142,168,244,266;Jeffersonian principles,3,4,12,39,40,145,147,171,249,284,329,332,458-460;judiciary,83,84,85,134-137,141,142;Kansas question,442-444;legislative instructions,143;Maine boundary,367;Mexican claims,359,360;Mexican war,421;Missouri Compromise,73,74,443;naval academy,140;nullification,244;office, appointments to,81,82,137-139,173,364;Panama congress,127-129,141;panic of 1837,327,328,345;party allegiance,43,59,70-72,175,401,414,420,426,432;preëmption law,345;presidential ambition,193,223,242,254,278,399,400,405-407,430,433;Republican party of 1856,441,442;slave trade,392;slavery,74,93,271,277,278,285,380,403,420,426,436;slavery in Territories,426,429,436,441,444;States' rights,97,172;specie circular,319,331;spoils system,53,54,57,75,173-175,207,209,210,214,215,233,460;suffrage, basis of,79,80;suffrage, negro,80,81;surplus, distribution of,265;tariff,99,102,103,140,142,143,243,249,401;war of 1812,50;war of rebellion,447.Van Dyke, ——, votes for Panama congress,131.Van Ness, William P., studies of Van Buren with,17;his career at the bar,17;friendship with Burr,17;attacks Clintons and Livingstons in Burr's interest,43;his residence bought by Van Buren,398.Van Ness, William W., competitor of Van Buren at bar,20.Van Rensselaer, Jacob R., at Columbia County bar,20.Van Rensselaer, ——, commands a filibustering expedition against Canada,353.Van Rensselaer family, gains political influence through landed wealth,33.Van Vechten, Abraham, succeeded by Van Buren as attorney-general,23;removed by Republicans,63.Virginia, Democrats of, refuse to support Johnson for vice-presidency,259,260.Von Holst, H. C., praises bearing of Van Buren during panic,325;his unhistorical view of Van Buren,325 n.,406 n.Walker, Robert J., leads annexationists in Democratic convention of 1844,408;induces convention to adopt two-thirds rule,408,409;protests against New York Democrats,409.War of 1812, Republican opposition to,58,59;causes of,59.Ward, Rev. Thomas, at Buffalo convention,427.Washington, George, character of his presidential administration,5,6;his prestige aids Federalists,38;refuses to appoint political opponents to office,46;his recall of Monroe,89;appealed to by Van Buren as authority against Adams's foreign policy,126-129;leaves office with popularity,282;best of American presidents,464.Watkins, Tobias, his removal from office,212.Webb, James Watson, abandons Jackson in 1832,247.Webster, Daniel, compared with Van Buren as lawyer,32;not in Congress in 1821,94;against tariff of 1824,100;on Panama congress,130;inferior to Van Buren as parliamentary leader,150;on Jackson's manners,156;on Van Buren's prominence in 1829,179;his debate with Hayne,188;votes to reject Van Buren's nomination as minister to England,230;condemns him for un-American conduct,231;exaggerates results of removal of deposits,252;supported for presidency by Massachusetts Whigs,260;condemns bill to exclude anti-slavery matter from mails,276;vote for, in election of 1836,280;urges extension of pet bank system,299;later condemns this policy,300;approves bill to distribute surplus,300;denounces Van Buren for causing panic,333;resists attempt to suspend depositing surplus,334,338;ridicules possibility of resumption without government aid,335;votes for treasury notes,339;votes for preëmption bill,357;his speeches in campaign of 1840,383,384;his denunciations of Van Buren,383,384;on Van Buren's vote for the bill to exclude abolition matter from mails,404;indignant at Taylor's nomination,430;his comment on Van Buren's Free-soil candidacy,431;forfeits fame by support of compromise,435;his motives,437;compared with Van Buren,465.Weed, Thurlow, on rotation in office,67;praises Albany Regency,112;leader of Anti-Masonic party,245;manager of New York Whigs,363;prevents nomination of Clay in 1840,378.Wellington, Duke of, his position in 1832,227.West, favors tariff of 1828,143;opposes Van Buren in 1836,280;development of, after 1820,288-290;land hunger in,289,294,309.Westervelt, Dr. ——, appointed to office by Van Buren,173;his "claims,"174.Whigs, in New York, coalesce with Anti-Masons,245;nominate Clay,246;their Young Men's convention nominates Clay,246;nominate Harrison and Granger in 1836,260;their policy in attacking Jackson,263;their real platform in Harrison's letter to Sherrod Williams,264;their refusal to reduce taxation increases speculation,299;and their advocacy of distribution,300,301;rave against Van Buren as author of crisis of 1837,321,322,333;demand bank,334-337;demand payment of fourth installment of surplus,338;gain in election of 1837,337,342;in New York, aided by Loco-focos,344;transfer name Loco-foco to whole Democratic party,345;aided by conservative Democrats,347;repeal sub-treasury,348;refuse to join popular receptions of Van Buren,368;endeavor to force New Jersey congressmen upon House,377;nominate Harrison and Tyler,377,378;do not adopt a platform,378;their policy in election of 1840,382-386,388-390;campaign songs,389;elect Harrison,390,391;their difficulties with Tyler,401,402;defeated in 1844,412,413;support Wilmot Proviso,417,418;nominate Taylor and reject resolution against slavery extension,430;anti-slavery members refuse to support Van Buren,431;elect Taylor,432;accept compromise of 1850,435;nominate Scott in 1852,439;support Fillmore in 1856,445.White, Hugh L., heads secession from Democratic party,256,260;reasons for his candidacy for presidency,256,257;votes for bill to exclude anti-slavery matter from mail,277;vote for,279,280.Wilkins, William, receives electoral vote of Pennsylvania in 1832 for vice-president,248.William IV., character of his court,227;compliments Jackson to Van Buren,229.Wilmot, David, offers anti-slavery proviso to three-million bill,416,417;at Barnburner convention,419.Wilmot Proviso, origin of Republican party and civil war,416;becomes a party question,417,418;discussion of its necessity in New Mexico and California,418;abandoned by Republicans in 1861,438.Wirt, William, Anti-Masonic candidate for presidency,167,