The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-07-19
The vice-Presidency and the Cabinet

The vice-Presidency and the Cabinet.
Mr.. BRYAN has said that II the Demo-
cratic national ticket is elected he will
invite MIR. KERN to occupy a seat In the
Cabinet. for the purpose not Of exer-
cising any specific functions but Of gen.
eral consultation. That Is to say, he
will ask the Vice-President to play the
part which in some European countries
Is delegated to a Minister without port
folio The expediency Of making such
an innovation Is doubtful, and somehow
we do not feel apprehensive that a SINH
lar declaration Of intention will be made
by Mr.. TAFT. Meanwhile, the incident
Is of some interest as recalling the
curious vicissitudes through which the
conception and importance Of the Vice
Presidency has passed since our Federal
Constitution became operative.
The trainers Of our Federal organic
law did not expressly forbid the Vice
President to take part in executive bust
ness, and thus left the President at liberty
to consult him if he chose, while himself
shouIdering the whole responsibility for
his acts. There Is no doubt that during
WAsHINGToN's two terms, and espe-
cially during the second, JOHN ADAMS
had a good deal Of influence, and would
have had more but for the ascendency
Of ALEXANDER HAMILTON in Federalist
councils and over the mind of the Chief
Magistrate. The division between Fed
eralists and Republicans had already
been defined distinctly in the general
election Of 1902, but by 179e the two par
ties had become bitterly a~ntagonistic,
and it was out Of the question that the
Federalist JOHN ADAMS, then chosen
President. should seek the advice of the
Vice-President, THOMAS JEFFERSON, the
Republicans chief spokesman. In 1900,
although the President and Vice-Presi-
dent we're both Republicans, BURR's at
tempt to s~upersede, through an intrigue
with the Federalists, JEFFERSON, the
acknowledged leader Of the Republican
party, rendered anything like friendly
intercourse between the two officials out
of the question.
The election Of 1904 was held after the
Constitution Of the United States had
been amended to the effect that the
President and the Vice-President must
be Of the same party. Nevertheless,
the relations between JEFFERSON and
GEORGE CLINTON were not particularly
cordial, for in 1892 and again in l7oe
they had been rivals for the headship Of
the Republicans. A similar state OF
things was indicated in 1908 between
MADISON and GEORGE CLINTON, six
Republican Presidential electors with
holding their votes from the former for
the Presidency and fifteen declining to
vote for GEORGE CLINTON as Vice-Presi-
dent. The relations between MADISON
and ELBRIDGE GERRY, who were respec-
lively elected in 1872 President and Vice
President, we're friendly enough. but the
latter lived only a short time. In both
Of MoNRoE's administrations DANIEL
D. ToMPKINs Of New York was Vice
President. but had little influence at the
White House; in 1920, indeed, he fell short
by II of receiving as many votes as were
given to MONROE. In the administra-
ton of JOHN QUINCY ADAMS the advice
OF Vice-President JOHN C. CALHOUN was
not sought by the Chief Magistrate or by
HENRY CLAY, Secretary Of State, for
CALHOUN at that time was regarded as
a coadjutor Of ANDREW JACKSON, and
indeed was nominated and chosen Vice
President on the jackson ticket In 1928.
There is reason to think that CALHOUN
might have acquired great influence over
JACKSON and have become his successor
instead of VAN buren, had he not upheld
his wife in refusing with other Cabinet
ladies to recognize socially Mrs. EATON,
a position which VAN buren,, being un-
married, was not constrained to take.
In %JACKsoN's second term the Vice
Presidency, occupied by VAN buren,,
became what it had ceased to be since
WAsHINaToN's administrations. the post
of the recognized heir apparent. From
1888 to 1887 Vice-President VAN buren,
had more influence with JACKSON than
all the members Of the latter's Cabinet
put together. Such a state Of things
was not to recur for sixty years. Thence
forth it became customary for national
conventions to select candidates for the
Vioe-Presidency without much reference
to their fitness for high executive func-
lions and with no heed to their personal
relations to the nominees for the Presi-
dency, but for the most part with no
other purpose than to conciliate a par
ticular geographical section or to allay
local or -fsctQRsk disa1eotQps IRL1a4Qs|