VAN BUREN 158 VANCOUVER year he zealously supported Jackson for the presidency, and in 1829 he was re- warded with the portfolio of Secretary of State. This he resigned in 1831. Two years later he was elected Vice-Presi- dent, and in 1835 President, but by a popular majority of less than 25,000, and that largely owing to his declared oppo- sition to the "slightest interference" with slavery. Van Buren's four years of office were darkened by the gloom of financial panic; but what one man could he did to lighten it, by wringing from Congress its assent to a measure for a treasury independent of private banks. This and his firm adherence to obliga- tions of neutrality during the Canadian rebellion of 1837 are his most states- manlike acts, but both cost him popu- larity and votes; in 1840 he and his party were overwhelmingly defeated by the Whigs. He lost the nomination in MARTIN VAN BUREN 1844, because he opposed the annexation of Texas; and his nomination by the Free Soil party in 1848 only secured the return of the Whig candidate and the rejection of both Democrats. This was his last important appearance. Van Buren was a master of the politician's arts, but he used his great skill for what he counted the highest ends. He loved not to follow but rather to make public opinion and a party for himself; for he had on the whole a statesman's soul and not a place-hunter's. So we see him often doggedly ranging himself on the unpopular side — favoring negro suffrage, and opposing an elective judici- ary. He was intensely partisan, trained a Jefferson Democrat, and loyal to his early teaching; yet his political ^ntipa»- thies did not destroy his warm private friendship for great opponents such as Henry Clay. He died in Kinderhook, July 24, 1862. VANCE, ZEBULON BAIRD, an American lawyer; born in Buncombe co., N. C, May 13, 1830. He was educated at Washington College, Tenn., and at the University of North Carolina, and was admitted to the bar in 1852. He was member of Congress from North Carolina in 1858-1861; colonel in the Confederate army in the Civil War; gov- ernor of North Carolina in 1862-1865, and 1877-1879; and United States Sena- tor from 1879 till his death in Washing- ton, D. C, April 14, 1894. VANCOUVER, a city and county-seat of Clarke co.. Wash.; on the Columbia river; and on the Great Northern, the Union Pacific and other railroads; 6 miles N. of Portland, Ore. Here are St. James College (R. C), the State School for Deaf and Dumb, and the State School for Blind, Fort Vancouver, the headquarters of the Military Depart- ment of Columbia, one of the best equip- ped military posts W. of the Mississippi, National and State banks, and several weekly newspapers. The city has manu- factures of lumber, sashes and doors, bricks, artificial stone, ice, etc. Pop. (1910) 9,300; (1920) 12,637. VANCOUVER, a city in British Co- lumbia, ' 'anada ; on Burrard Inlet, at the W. terminus of the Canadian Pacific railway . It is the largest and most im- portant city and seaport in British Co- lumbia, with one of the finest harbors in the world. It has daily communica- tion by mail steamers with Victoria. Vancouver is the home port of two lines of large and commodious ocean mail steamers, one plying to China and Japan and the other to Australia ; and the head- quarters of a fleet of smaller vessels en- gaged in the northern and coasting trade. It is well laid out with wide streets, lighted by electricity, the leading streets being paved, some with bituminous rock, others with sawed cedar blocks set on a concrete base. The climate is temperate and salubrious, with a more or less rainy season from November to March. Here are Episcopal, Roman Catholic, Presby- terian, Methodist, Baptist, and Congre- gational Churches; a normal school, high school in affiliation with McGill Univer- sity, Montreal ; and seven large and well- equipped public schools with accommoda- tions for 3,800 pupils; Roman Catholic Hospital, City Hospital, St. Luke's Home; several orphanages; water works; street railroads; a well regulated fire depart-
