Walker Lake bulletin. (Hawthorne, Nev.) 1883-1926, 1885-01-28
Vice Presidents In History.

Since the beginning of the Govern
ment the Vice President has had the
least to do with the administration to
which he belongs. Many of our Vice
Presidents have been able men, but
few of them have made any stir while
in office, while a number have been
diametrically opposed TO their chiefs.
Thomas Jefferson, as Vice President
under Adams, was the leader Ct tho
opposition, and, after the first few days
oil his term, Adams counse ed with hin:'
in nothing. Aaron Burr and Jefferson,
during The next term, were at logger
heads, and ii was due to Jefferson that
Burr was finally prosecuted for treason
1t is hardly possible that John Quincy
Adams and Calhoun had much IN COM
mon, and we all know how the latter
iell out with Andrew jackson as Vice
President during the next administra.
ton. Van Buren and jackson got
along very well, but it was only be-
cause President jackson was King and
Van Buren merely factotum. 1t was
another case OF me, too," only more
so, and Van Buren, as reward for his
submission, Was made Jackson's sue
cessor. Van Buren's Vice President
was Richard Nj. johnson, of Kentucky,
the first Vice President selected west
Of tn Z Alleghenles, and, though he was
the man who killed Tecumseh, his
name is now almost forgotten. John
Tyler, the next Vice President, was II
cipher as long as Harrison lived, and
Harrison's Cabinet tried to control hun
after Harrson's DEATH Fillmore had
little influence while Zach Taylor was
alive, and the troubles OF Andrew
Johnson, after the death of Lincoln,
show that his influence was small dur.
ing the life of Old Abe. SO far as 1
can learn we have never had Vice
President who has ruled the President,
or directed the administration. Even
the ablest of them have made no repu-
talion while filling the office, and John
G. Breckenridge, Buchanan's second,
George M. Dallas, who reigned with
Polk, and William r. King, Vice
President with Pierce, so down to
history through other acts rather than
those done during the Vice Presidency
Mr.. King, by the way, died in office,
He was the third Vice President who
did SO. The first was George Clinton,
who had been Vice President under
Jefferson and was then serving under
Madison. The second who died was
Eldrldge Gerry, slgner of the ,Declar-
alton OF Independence, and the author
of the system of changing Legislative
districts for Congressional purposes
called after his name, Gerrymander.
ing" The sixth Vice President WIS
Daniel ID. Tompkins, of New York,
He is one OF four Vice Presidents who
were twice elected, and he held the
place through the whole of Monroe's
administration. Now, everyone re.
members Monroe, but how many can
tell anything about Tompkins? Still
IN the decade between 1910 and 1920 he
was far more of man than Tom Hen.
bricks is now. He, e,made IA great repu.
tatlon as a war governor of New York.
and at one time when the State put out
100000 of bonds and there was no
takers, he personally Endorsed them
and thus made them good, for he was
wealthy. The other Vice Presidents
who have had two elections are John
Adams, George Clinton aud John G.
| Calhoun. OF the last Vice Presidents,
ColfaA. Wilson and Wheeler, the world
| knows how little prominence they hsd
while Grant was President, and under
the pacific reign Of Rutherford Is.
Hayes. Chester A. Arthur was little
talked of until Gartield's death, and his
relations with the great Ohioun were
not more friendly than those at present
said 10 exist between Hendricks and
Cleveland. There have been altogether
twenty-one Vice Presidents elected by
the people. OF these, four have died
in office, three have risen To the Presi.
dency by election, tcur have become
Presidents by the death of the Presi-
dent, and none of them have made
regulations which will outlast their
century. Washiagton Letter 10 Ctece.
laRd Leader.
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