The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-11-04
Mistellaneous.
Our Vioe.Presidents.

With the Presidents Of the United
States, with their char acter and history,
almost every well.informed man is fa.
miliar, but it is otherwise with the
Vice. presidents, the second officers Of
the Government. There are few who
can even name them in the order in
which they were elected. A few re-
Elections upon them may, therefore, be
both interesting and instructive.
The first two Vice. presidents, John
Adams and Thomas Jefferson, were
both afterward Presidents. They were
signers Of the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, on the committee that drafted it,
aud were the leaders aftheir respective
parties.
The third Woe president, Aaron Burr,
is also q great historical character, who.
iu this connection, we may pass without
notice, save the remark that his selec-
tion over the distinguished Revolution
ary generals, statesmen aud orators, ut
the early age Of forty-one, attests the
remarkable talents Of the man, and the
impression they had made upor the
public opinion.
The fourth Vice. president was Geo.
Clinton, Of New York. He held the
Office for eight years, under the second
term Of Jefferson and the first Of Madi.
son, aud died in it, the first instance of
death invading the great positions of
the Government. He had beeu the
Governor of New York for eighteen
years, during all the war of the Revo.
luton and for long time before and
after it. He was the great opponent of
the adoption Of the Constitution of the
United States, aud, By his influence,
came near defeating it in the New York
Convention. He was the uncle of a
still more celebrated mau, De Witt
Clinton.
The fifth Vice.presideut was Eldridge
Gerry, Of Massachusetts,, one Of the i'm.
mortal fifty.six who signed the Declara.
ton Of Independence. Mr.. Gerry, was
a Democrat, who maintained the faith
Of the party in the darkest hours in
Federal Massachusetts,. He had been
q Democratic Governor Of that State,
and from his name political nomencla-
ture has arisen. A Democratic Legis.
lature, under his ADMINISTRATION,
districted the State for Congress. OF
course they regarded political lines,
even more than contiguity Of territory.
Party advantage was the great aim
The Federalists denounced the bill as
a "gerrymander," and from that day
more than half century ago--the phrase
has always been applied to political,
Congressional and Legislative appor.
tiouments. Mr.. Gerry, like his prede.
cessor, Mr.. Clinton, died in Office; and
was buried in the Congressional Bury.
ing Ground, in the first year of his
term.
Daniel d. Tompkins, Of New York,
was the sixth Vice. president, twice
elected, holding the position through
all the eight year administration Of
James Munroe. He acquired his rep.
utation rs war Governor, in 1872.
On one occasion, during the late strug.
gle, the credit Of the Nation had sunk
so low, under the Federal opposition Of
New England, that when the State Of
New York put its bonds for s4O0, 900
upon the market, there was no takers.
II was not until Governor Tompkins,
who was a very wealthy man, endorsed
them personally, that the capitalists
stepped forward aud took them. He
was man of such popular aud pleas.
ing mapuers that il was said refusal
from him was more highly priced TO an
acceptance Of his great rival, De Witt
Clinton. IL is generally believed that
the death Of yice.presideut Tompkins
was produced by an immoderate indul.
geuce in the use Of spirituous liquors.
The seventh Vioe.president was a
man well known to us in middle life
who have taken any part in politics.
John c. Calhoun, Of South Carolina,
the ablest man, with the possible ex-
ception Of Jefferson, who ever held the
place. He was Vice president under
john Quincy Adams, aud also under
General jackson. Before his term was
out he resigned, in order to take bis
scat upon the floor as United States
Senator, 10 combat what he considered
the Federal herosies of Daniel Webster
10 regard 70 the respective rights Of the
States and the Federal government
He was the great apostle Of State rights
and when be arose TO address the Sen
ate, his salutation was not aMr. Presi
dent" but vas always aScnators.v H,
considered the Senate mere couvoca
ticn Of State ambassadors.
| The eighth yice-president was Mar
tin Van Buren, Of New York, who wa.
afterward elected President He wa.
was very successful man, who, BY his
Tallcyrand address, occupied, ia sue
! cession. every high positiou IL the (,ov