Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 June 1858 — The Wealth of our Statesmen. [ARTICLE]

The Wealth of our Statesmen.

Jefferson died comparatively poor. Indeed, if Congress had not phrebased his library, and given for it five times its value he would with difficulty have kept lhe wolf jrotn his door. Madison saved money, and was comparatively rich. To add to his fortunes, however, or rather to those us his widow, Congress purchased His- manuscript papers, and” paid thirty thousand'dollars for them James Monroe, the fifth President of the United States, died so poor that his remains found a resting place through the charity of one of the citizens. J John Quincy Adams left some hundred and fifty thousand dollars, the' result, of industry, prudence and inheritance. He was a man of method and economy. Martin Van Buren is very rich. Thromrhout his political life he has studiously looked out tor his own interest. It is not believed that he ever spent thirty shillings in politics. His party shook the bush, and he caught the bu-d. True to the instincts of his nature, nt* beliov cs thnt charity is a cheat. Daniel Webster squandered some millions in his lite time, the products of his profession and his political speculations. He died leaving his property to his children, and his debts to his friends. The former sold for less tlian twenty thousand dollars—the latter exceeded two hundred and fifty thousand. llei )ry Clay left a very handsome estate. It probably exceeded one hundred thousand dollars. He was a prudent manager and a scrupulously honest man. James K. Polk left about one hundred and fifty thousand dollars—fifty thousand of winch he saved from his Presidency of four years. < John Tyler is worth fifty thousand dollars. Before he reached the Presidency he was a bankrupt. In office, he husbanded his means, and then married a rich wife. Zachary Taylor left one hundred and fifty thousand dollars. Millard Fillmore is a wealthy man, and keeps Ins money in a very strong and safe box. It will never be wasted In speculaton or squandered in vice.* Ex-President Pierce saved some fifty thousand dollars from his term of service. But he had a way of his own.