Van Buren
MARTIN, an Ameri- United States; born in Kinderhook, N. can statesman; 8th President of the Y., Dec. 5, 1782. He became office boy to the village lawyer, studied hard, and was called to the bar in 1803. Long before this, however, he had developed the age of 18 was already member of a a precocious interest in politics, and at nominating convention. In 1812 and 1816 he was elected to the State Senate, and in 1815-1819 he was State attorneygeneral. In 1821 he entered the United States Senate, of which he was a member till his election in 1828 to the governorship of New York. In the same Vol. X VAN BUREN year he zealously supported Jackson for the presidency, and in 1829 he was rewarded with the portfolio of Secretary of State. This he resigned in 1831. Two years later he was elected Vice-President, and in 1835 President, but by a popular majority of less than 25,000, and VANCOUVER early teaching; yet his political antipathies did not destroy his warm private friendship for great opponents such as Henry Clay. He died in Kinderhook, July 24, 1862. an