The Coolidge examiner., 1935-11-15

ington and Vice President Thomas Jefferson sue
ceeded President John Adams.
But the break from this tradition came when
Aaron Burr vice president under Jefferson.
Burr served one term then became involved in
the scheme which led to his trial for treason and
as a result George Clinton chosen vice presi-
dent when Jefferson was elected for his second
term. Again precedent ignored, for instead
of Clinton succeeding Jefferson as president that
honor went to JeffersOn's secretary of state
James Madison. Clinton, however was re-elect
ed vice president but died in 1872 after serving
only three years of his term. During the last
year of Madson's first term as President the
United States had no vice president.
When Madison was reelected EIbridge Gerry
became vice president He also died in office
after serving only little year and the
United States was again without vice presi-
dent-ths time for nearly three years. So James
Madison was the only President in our history
during whose administrations two vice presi
dents died in office
The next vice president was Daniel d. Tomp
kins who served both terms under Monroe but
when Monroe retired, Tompkns did not become
his heir to the high office. Again it went to
secretary of state John Quincy Adams Adams
vice president was John C. Calhoun of South
Carolina, who again chosen for the office
when Andrew Jackson became Chief Executive
Thus the South CarOlinian had the honor of Oc
cupying that office under two Presidents of oppo
site political faith.
But Calhoun did not serve out his term under
Jackson He quarreled with "Old Hickory and
in 1882 the vice presidency was again vacant
this time because of a resignation the first and
only one thus far in our history, instead of a
DEATH When Jackson was reelected President
Martin Van Buren,, his former secretary of state
vi praCidnnt nd oft Tool
from the White House Van Buren succeeded him
Up to this time the vice presidency had been
filled with men of unquestiOned ability But in
1886 there a sudden lowering of the stand
ard for vice president" says historian. Rich
ard NJ. Johnson who was chosen by the Demo
crats 70 run with Van Buren, lived in a border
state, Kentucky where Van Buren not
strong. Otherwise he was merely a second-rate
politician whose principal claim to fame was
that he had killed the great Indian chief Te
cumseh during the Battle of the Thames in 1913
1t helped elect him, even though it a spur-
claim. More authentic is his distinction of
being the only vice president who has ever been
elected by the United States senate.
The Twelfth amendment to the Constitution
provides that a candidate must receive a ma
jOrity Of the whole number of electoral votes to
be chosen vice president If no candidate re-
ceives such majority, the senate must then
choose a vice president from the two candidates
who have received the largest number of votes.
In the election of 1886 electoral votes were cast
for the candidates for vice president as follows :
Richard NJ. Johnson, 147; Francis Granger, IT !;
John Tyler, AZ, and William Smith, 22. The total
number of votes cast for GrangeS. Tyler and
Smith was 147, the same number as JOhnsons,
and no candidate had majority of the whole
number of votes cast Therefore the election
fell to the senate, which chose Johnson.
His election marked the beginning of the Gus
tom of filling the second highest office in the