Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-13

respects, the wee
presidency is far bet
ter than the speakership. 1t pays $1,000
annually and it is a four years job. When
Jefferson was elected to it he said it was the
only office of which he could not tell wheth-
er he wanted it or not. Its holder has to
w rk less than two years during the whole
time, and as far as labor is concerned, he
gets $4,000 for this amount of work. 1t
has also big percentage IL favor of the
presidency and the sJn,0uO job in the
White House There have been twenty
three Presidents, and of these more than III
per cent have gotten there through the vice
presidency. Tyler. Fillmore. johnson and
Arthur had almost full terms in the White
House, through the deaths of The heads of
the ticket. President Harrison died during
the same year that he was inaugurated.
and gave Tyler almost four years term.
Lincoln had hardly served month Of his
second term before he gave place to john
son. Garfield was inaugurated in the
spring, and before summer was at its full
he was shot by Guiteau, and few months
later gave place to Arthur. while Zach
Taylor, inaugurated in 1919. In 1850 was
supplanted by Willard Fillmore.
Great Men Don't Want 1t.
Yes, the vice presidency is q good job.
1t is a fat job. and still many Of our great
of the most famous men of our history
have refused it. Thomas A. Hendricks felt
Inundated when he was placed on the
ticket with Cleveland. He intended to de-
cline, and 1t took some persuasion TO make
him accept it. He said to his friends that
he did not object to being second on the
ticket with Tlden, who was the acknoWl-
edged leader of his party, but he consider
ed Cleveland a much lesser light than HIM
self. Hannibal Hamin did not want the
vice presidency, and for some time a1teE
the convention of 1860 he debated whether
he should decline it or not. He had
told the Maine delegates that he would
not be candidate. and they had promised
to respect his wishes. Still. he was NOM
mated on the second ballot When the
news brought to him he was very
indignant, and it took Ben Wade, Foote,
Fessenden and others of his friends to per
suade him to run. They visited him in
body. He held out against them until they
told him that his refusal to be candidate
would be fatal to the ticket. Said Ben
Wade
"Hamlin. if you don't run they'll think
you are afraid. and your fear will be taken
as indie ative of our defeat"
What's that?" said Hamlin. You don't
mean that"
That's just what 1 do mean" replied
Ben Wade.
What? You mean they say that l am
afraid to run on the republican ticket?"
Yes, Senator Hamiin. that's what ]
mean"
We'll. then" replied Hamln, Il shall
run. and be damned to them
AS result of the interview Hamlin did
run, and he proved a strong addition to the
ticket. He and Lincoln were on the most
friendly terms. and it was through Hamlin
largely that Lincoln chose Seward as his
Secretary of State. He treated Hamrin
WELL advised with him somewhat about
state matttrs and gave him what he want
ed in the way of appointments.
Cleveland and His Vice Presidents.
Many Vice Presidents. however have not
been sraciously treated by the Presidents.
President Cle> Gland seems to think that a
Vice President has no more claims than
any other citizen. He snubbed Hendricks
again and again, and Hendricks had trouble
| in getting even the smallest Offices for his
| friends. One place which he wanted was
| the post office at Indianapolis. He had to
| cool his heels in the ante-rooms of the
| White House to get 1t. and Hendricks said
| that Cleveland made him wait at the
outer gate as a suppliant before he granted
| him the position" He said that there had
! not been time within twenty-five years
| that he could not have gotten this had any
| ether democrat been President for the mere
asking, and that he was put off day after
| day, and that the office finally given to
| him apparently as a matter of charity.
| The snubs which Hendricks received from
Cleveland and his cabinet sank deep into
| his soul and he was SO ignored by them
| That at one time ne wanted TO resign. This
| was at the end of the first session of the
| Senate after he came into office. and II was
| only the requests of his friends that KEEP:
| him from doing so. And still it was Hen
| bricks that carried Indiana in 1884 and not
| Cleveland. ard the loss Of the state would
| have defeated the ticket.
Adlai E. Stevenson is as to most points at
| war with President Cleveland. He has lit
| tie influence with the administration and
| his only patronage consists Of the appoint
| Inent of a secretary, a messenger, a tele-
| tolpQranHpr's NAG
| These are all connected with the Senate
| and Cleveland would not think of consult
| irg Stevenson about an important appoint
| ment.
How Vice Presidents Are Snubbed.
| This snubbing of Vice Presidents by the
| Presidents has been common from almost
] the beginning of the government. During
| most of our administrations the President
and Vice President have been at logger
| heads. Thomas Jefferson, as Vice Presi-
! dent under Adams. was the leader of the
| opposition. He expected to have something
| to do with the administration when he was
| first elected. but President Adams snubbed
MIN at the start and he gave 1t up. Adams
| was disguised when Jefferson was elected as
i his successor. He would not wait in Wash
| ington to see the Inauguration, but drove
| off in his carriage the night before in order
to be out of the way. Aaron Burr was one
| Of the Vice Presidents under Jefferson
| I he two were fighting most of the time, and
| il was through Jefferson that Burr was
| finally prosecuted for treason. 1t is hardly
possible that President John Quincy Ad-
| ans and his Vice President, John G. Cal
| houn had anything in common, and Presi-
| dent Jackson, you know, threatened to hang
| Calhoun on account of the notification
matters which were gotten up in South
Carolina during Jacksons presidency. When
| Calhoun was again Vice President, Jackson
| got along very well with his Sec
| end Vice President, Van Buren,, be-
cause Jackson was king and Van Buren,
| merely his factotum. Van Buren's
| Vice President was Richard M. John.
son of Kentucky. the first Vice President
| chosen west of the Alleghenies. He was
] the man who killed Tecumseh. the great
| Indian chief. but his name is now almost
| forgotten. John Tyler was a cipher as
| long as Harrison lived. Willard Fillmore
| had little influence while Zach Taylor was
| alive, and Andrew johnson had no in
| fiuence to speak Of until the death Of Abra-
| ham Lincoln. So far as I can learn, we
| have never had a Vice President who has
| ruled the President or directed the admin
| istration. 1t is said that John Adams tried
to do this when he was Vice President I'M
der Washington, but Washington had q
| mind of his own. John Adams is said to
| have been quite Jealous Of Washington'e
| prominence, and in the memoirs of Ogle
| Tayloe. published for private circulation
| some years ago, you will find story telling
| how Adams rebuked a man who had used
| the words GoOrpa Wo ofo opS Toh p