Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1873-03-05
The Ills of the Vice-preSidency


What is there about the Vice Presiden-
tial Office that makes most of those who
hold it unucky mortals, who not only
come to grief but would seem to 90 in
search of it, and to be very successful in
their seeking? OF the seventeen men
who have held it, only three can be said
to have been fortunate men. John Adams
was our first Vice President, aud he was
beaten when he tried to be reelected to
the Presidency, and he quarreled with
almost al the leading men of his party,
and destroyed that party itself He was a
quarrelsome, an arrogant, and an over
bearing man, and proved an lshmaelite to
almost every person and cause with whom
or which he had anything to do. Even at
this day, how much lower he stands in
public estimation, Notwithstanding his
| splendid revolutionary services, than
| Thomas Jefferson, though to the latter
principles and action we are so largely in
debted for the secession war Aaron
Burr, down to the time that he was cho-
sen to the Vice Presidency by the Elect
ors, was one of the most fortunate of men
in America, and had as good Presidential
prospect as any American politician, and
his reputation was very high indeed but
he broke down on the day that was sup
posed to be the luckiest of his life. Haw-
thorne is strictly correct when he says
that Col. Burrs ruin was 3" the profound
est and most striking, with more Of moral
circumstance in it than that Of almost any
other man. George Clinton lived and
died disappointed man. He wished to
be President, but was forced to give way
to Mr.. Midison and he died in office, the
same year that his nephew was beaten as
a Presidential candidate, since which the
Chntons, once SO great, have made 40 H.
ure in our national history Eibridge
Gerry died before he had completed the
second year Of the only term for which he
was chosen; and Daniel D. Tomkins.
though reelected and a strong man,
proved a total failure as national states
man, and as total wreck as 4 man.-and
he died about three months after leaving
Office. John G. Calhoun was the most
popular man in America when be became
Ice-Presdent, in 1923; yet in 1888 he
was broken man, conquered nuihier,
and teacher and preacher Of seditiOn
and treason and to him more than any
other recent man was the Southern rebel
lion due. \ constant seek er of the Pres
ldency, he was equally constant in his
failure to get it, Martin Van Buren,, after
having been elected to both the N.ee
Presidency and the Presidency, was most
dlsastrously beaten when seeking d re-elec-
ton to the latter Office in $40; and he
made a most ridiculous fLure IN striving
for third nomination, IN 1874 and in
1913 COL X. VI. johnson could not
even get all the Democratic votes ior the
Y Presidency, and was chosen by the
Senate, IN 1877 ; and though he had been
one Of the most popular OF men, he was
beaten horribly in 1910, and became dead
as Tecumthe. John Tyler became Vice.
President in lS4l, one Of the most res
pected Of statesmen, and honorel by men
OF ali parties,-and in lS45 he retired
from the Presidency ito which he had sue
ceeded in consequence of the death OF
President Harrison) the most unpopular
man that ever 1ad been chief magistrate
of great nation. Mr.. Fillmore, VINO be-
came President because Of the death OF
President Taylor, was a total failure, and
the wings dropped him in 1892, because
he had burned their fingers to the bone.
Mr.. King died before he had been in office
two months. Mr.. Breckinridge became a
traitor, and is even now under proscrip-
ton. Mr.. Andrew johnson proved to be
woful failure and now Mr. Coltax has
fallen so low that it is difficult to believe
that he ever will be able to rise again.
Most Of the men named began life better
than their contemporaries notably Burr
and Breckenridge, Tompkins and Tyler,
Calhoun and Coltax, Clinton and Johnson,
but, like Mr.. Trptoemus Yellowley,
nothing would thrive with them. The
few fortunate Vice Presidents were Mr.
Jefferson, Mr. Dallas, and Mr. Hamin
and of the others, Mr. Gerry and Mr..
King, by dying in office, were 50 fortunate
as to keep tree from the consequences of
the attacks of change and time. General
Wilson is so sensible and shrewd man
that we hope he will break the spell under
which the Presidency appears to suf-
fer, as he will take that office in twenty
four days; but now, its history almost
would justify the application to 1t Of the
part played by the pitcher in the oriental
proverb :-'' When the pitcher falls on
stone, woe pitcher when stone falls Oh
pitcher, woe pitcher whatever happens,
woe pitcher. ."-TraUeller.