Volume 16 , Issue 21

Our Presidents

The following poem of Our Presidents was found in the 1 January 1909 edition of The Indian Advocate, Sacred Heart, Oklahoma. This was written by someone using their initials,G.M., in the early 1900's. What will the Presidents that followed Taft, up to the 21st century look, read like in a similar poem?

Our Presidents - A Curious Summary

Father Washington left us united and free,
And John Adams repelled French aggressions at sea.
Boundless Louisiana was Jefferson's crown,
And when Madison's warships won lasting renown
And the steamboat was launched, then Monroe gave the world
His new doctrine; and Quincy (Adams) his banner unfurled
For protection; now Jackson with railways and spoils,
Left Van Buren huge bankruptcies, panics and broils.
Losing Harrison, Tyler by telegraph spoke,
And the Mexican War brought accessions for Polk.
Taylor lived not to wear the reward of ambition,
And Fillmore's sad slave law stirred up abolition.
So, compromise failing, Pierce witnessed the throes
Of the struggle in Kansas. Secession arose
With the halting Buchanan, but Lincoln was sent
To extinguish rebellion. Next some years were spent
Reconstructing by Johnson. Grant lessened our debt;
Hayes resumed specie payments, and Garfield was set
ON reform, which, as Arthur soon found, came to stay.
Cleveland raised the gold standard, and Harrison's sway
Raised the tariff. McKinley's redemptionist call
Won Free Cuba expansion and Roosevelts canal
And now President Taft enters beaming on all.   |  View or Add Comments (0 Comments)   |   Receive updates ( subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

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