The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-07-24


The recent political conventions Illus
| trate this tendency of which the venerable
! retired politician spoke In neither of
| these great party gatherings was there any
| discussion except incidental and compar-
atively trivial of the vice presidential
nomination until after the candidate for
president had been chosen. Mr.. Seward
| used to say that an amendment TO the
constitution caused this comparatively
| trivial interest in the vice presidential
nomination. and in that opinion he is
| confirmed by Mr.. Blaine and by other
| students of our political history.
| Prior 10 1910 the ablest men were not
only willing TO accept the nomination for
| vice president but permitted their friends
to make earnest canvasses IN their behalf.
| And this was undoubtedly due to the fact
| that until the second election of Jefferson
the vice president was looked upon as in
| the line of succession and the lingering in
| tuence of such sentiment did not die out
entirely until after the promotion of Mar
| tin Van Buren, from the vice presidency to
the presidency.
1t was originally the law that the per-
son who received the largest number of
| votes in the electoral college should be
| declared elected president. while he who
| received the next largest number should
| be declared elected vice president This
| gave opportunity for political maneuver-
| ing, and il was predicted by Jefferson that
| il would cause trouble sooner or later.
| When the electoral votes were counted
| in 1901 it was found that Jefferson
| and Aaron Burr were tied. and the con-
| tingency for which the constitution had
made provision was at hand upon the oc-
| casion of the third presidential election
| There being no choice in the electoral coll
| lege the election was taken 10 the House
| of representatives and there Jefferson
was chosen through the influence of
| Alexander Hamilton, who preferred the
| Democrat Jefferson to the Federalist Burr
/ although Burr was OF his own party. The
| dramatic and awful sequel of this election
was Hamilton's death IN duel with Burr
This election showed grave rerils in the
method first adopted by the constitution.
SO tina; n constitutional amendment was
passed and adopted by the states providing
for the election of president and vice
president after the manner which now
| prevails.
Notwithstanding this change in tho con-
stitution the ablest men in the country
| looked with desire upon the vice presiden-
tial nomination. George Clinton sought
il because he and his friends believed that
il would put him in line for the presidency.
and SO doubtless il would had not the
party 10 which he belonged, the FEEDER
alisis, become disrupted. Elbridge Gerry,
! one Of the most able men OF his time, felt
| highly honored when chosen vice preSi-
| dent. nor WAS his political influence in the
slightest degree diminished by reason of
his holding OF that oilte. Daniel H.
| Tcmpkins and his friends regarded his
selection as wee president rs q great pec-
/ soma triumph for him and for New York
/ state. and John c. Calhoun most willing Y
| accepted the office, believing that his po-
/ htical influence would be increased there
by. and that his ambition - become presi-
dent would be more easily realized bv
virtue of his holding ttus Office than
through any other political inStrd-
| mentality.
Martin Van Buren, accepted the vice
| presidency for no other reason than 10
maintain has political influence and 10
make It apparent that President Jackson
| regarded him a. his poiitjca! iegatee. Van
! Buren's career in uIiicehoidiug was the
! only one Of steady progression. He served
| first in the New York legislature. then WAS
| COMPTROLLER OF the state an Office which
has furnished more senators. governors
! and cabinet members th4u any other ms-
/ nor office IN the United States: then Van
/ Buren, became governor. senator. seCrctA-
/ ~ OF state minister ~ England. vice pres
/ ldent and president, recon- OK pubic NJ
uCe-holGine unparalleled IN this country.
4 number Of senators were once discus
sing IN the Senate cloak room this Quts-
ton Of the vice presidency and is relation
To personal ami party politics. Senator
( COnkHuS. Who was Of the party. turned
t. Senator Logan ami sad; General
who was the vice president with Martin
/ Van BUREN, Logan was unable 10
answer nor could any ot the other sea-
| Ator~ mention lhe name II this vice pres}-
dent uut! Ingalls, came IN. The Kansas
senator said that il MAS 10 wonder Nan
Eureu's wee president VAS forgotten.
s.nce he VAS not even known by name 50
the vast body oi Americans until he was
pax IN nomination.
"Rut do you know who he WAS. In
| gals - Conk inc asked.
1t WAS Richard NJ. Johnson" aud even
this mention al the name did not bring re-
memorance - any ~ the senator's except
Conks,0E himself, who confessed shat lie
only recalled Iohnson's name because