范布伦(1782～1862年)

Van Buren, Martin

美国第八任总统（1837～1841）。1812～1820年为纽约州参议员，兼任州司法部长。1821年选入参议院。支持州权主义，反对中央集权政府。1824年後参加建立新的政治团体，即後来的民主党。1828年当选为纽约州长。不久即辞职，担任国务卿（1829～1831），1832年当选为副总统。1837年在美国经济大恐慌之际继任总统，建议把政府基金存入「独立金库」，佛罗里达塞米诺尔战争、兼并德克萨斯建议的争论及缅因－加拿大边界的冲突，使他的声望大减。1840和1848年两度被提名为总统候选人，但竞选均告失败。

English version：

1782～1862年

Van Buren, Martin

Eighth president of the U.S. (1837-41). Born in Kinderhook, N.Y., he practiced law and served in the state senate (1812-20) and as state attorney general (1816-19). He became the leader of an informal group of political supporters, called the Albany Regency because they dominated state politics even while Van Buren was in Washington. He was elected to the U.S. Senate (1821-28), where he supported states' rights and opposed a strong central government. After John Quincy Adams became president, he joined with Andrew Jackson and others to form a group that later became the Democratic Party. He was elected governor of New York (1828) but resigned to become U.S. secretary of state (1829-31). He was nominated for vice president at the first Democratic Party convention (1832) and served under Jackson (1833-37). As Jackson's chosen successor, he defeated William H. Harrison to win the 1836 election. His presidency was marked by an economic depression, the Maine-Canada border dispute (see Aroostook War), the Seminole War in Florida, and debate over the annexation of Texas. He was defeated in his bid for reelection and failed to win the Democratic nomination in 1844 because of his antislavery views. In 1848 he was nominated for president by the Free Soil Party but failed to win the election and retired.