Martin Van BurenVan Bu′ren, Martin, eighth president of the United States, was born at Kinderhook, N. Y., Dec. 5, 1782. He commenced the practice of law at a very early age, and was elected to the New York state senate in 1812. After filling a number of other offices and taking an active part in the politics of the state, in 1821 he was chosen United States senator. He served a term of six years in that capacity, and was then chosen governor of New York. When General Jackson became president in 1829, Mr. Van Buren was appointed secretary of state, but he resigned the office in 1831 in order to accept the position of minister to England. This appointment being made during the recess of Congress, Mr. Van Buren proceeded to England, but as the senate refused to confirm the appointment he returned home soon after. This rejection by the senate probably caused his nomination and election to the office of vice-president in 1832, General Jackson being re-elected president at the same time. In 1836 he was elected president of the United States, receiving 170 electoral votes out of 283; but, although nominated for a second term by his party in 1840, he was overwhelmingly defeated by Gen. William Henry Harrison, the electoral vote standing for Harrison, 234; Van Buren, 60. Mr. Van Buren was brought before the Democratic national convention of 1844 as a candidate, but his nomination was prevented by the adoption of the rule requiring a vote of two thirds of the delegates to secure a nomination. In 1848 he was the candidate of the Free Soil party, but received no electoral votes. He died at Kinderhook, July 24, 1862.
