# Talk:Elbridge Gerry

The article may not be technically incorrect, but citing to Gerry's words himself (as transcribed by Madison) would be more clear and precise.  Gerry outlined the three primary reasons he wasn't signing
1) The Necessary and Proper clause gave Congress too much power;
2) Not limiting Congress' ability to raise money and armies was dangerous; and 
3) No right to jury in civil cases.
Here's a link to that specific speech on August 15, 1787 - http://www.tweetthedebates.com/2955-2/
The speech within the contest of all of the day's speeches is available here - http://consource.org/document/james-madisons-notes-of-the-constitutional-convention-1787-9-15/
24.52.86.182 (talk) 23:31, 6 January 2014 (UTC)

Gerry did not sign the constitution!

It doesn't say he did, in fact it says he voted against it.   --fvw* 22:49, 2004 Dec 20 (UTC)
It does say he's the only signer buried in Washington DC, so that could potentially be improved or explained. Did he sign it after Bill of Rights was adopted?  Does it mean "only person present at the signing" (even though he didn't himself sign it)?  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 104.14.65.239 (talk) 22:12, 28 March 2022 (UTC) 

Why would Elbridge Gerry become vice president if he was not in favor of the new govt.? He did take part.
That is addressed in the article, he changed his mind, he was publicly against the government when it was proposed and publicly for it when it came into effect.

Should it say that he was humiliated by the French?  It doesen't sound like they humiliated them, disrespected them most definitely but the Americans supported his response, as to not give a cent for a bribe.  One might say he was humiliated when he stayed in France but I think that would still be poor word choice. Any ideas for a different word, snubbed sounds informal.  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.7.64.93 (talk) 22:51, 8 October 2007 (UTC) 

perhaps US history buffs can correct me here, but i don't think anyone has ever been "elected" to the Vice Presidency of the U.S. 71.188.87.164 (talk) 01:57, 29 April 2008 (UTC)
Yes, electors vote for a President as well as a Vice President.  The 12th Amendment clarified this. Perm Dude (talk) 23:02, 4 April 2011 (UTC)

I am removing the passage which states, "He was also the second Vice President not to run for President of the United States, although this was because of his death rather than being a political decision; the first was Aaron Burr."  The statement is factually incorrect, as Jefferson's second Vice President, George Clinton, also did not run for president, and also died in office.  To note that Gerry is the third vice president (out of a possible five) not to subsequently run for President, and the second for whom this is due to death prior to opportunity, is a claim which sinks below the threshhold of noteworthiness.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by AQuandary (talk • contribs) 23:22, 30 December 2011 (UTC) 

This has probably gone round the houses lots of times. I declare I am an Englishman. To me "Signers" (of the US Declaration of Independence) seems very unnatural; I would put "signatories". Nevertheless the category is "signers of..." and I can only assume this is either historically correct (i.e. the language of the time, on one or both sides of the Atlantic) or that it is now natural US usage. I have lived in the States a couple of years but not really heard either, so cannot make an opinion from personal experience.
I doubt I would win any change here, but it would be ideal if someone could tell me why it is "signers" not "signatories": e.g. if a paper of the time, from either side of the pond, listed them under that headline.
I am fairly sure I am "in the wrong" here in wanting "signatories" since I imagine it has been well argued before, so any pointer to a previous discussion of it will be well enough to cure my nagging doubt.
Best wishes. SimonTrew (talk) 20:21, 24 September 2009 (UTC)

According to the (authoritatively American) Merriam-Webster dictionary, the first known use of "signatory" was in 1866.  So it may be that the expressions, "signers of the..." became fossilized in the US with respect to the founding documents well before the longer word was coined.  — Preceding unsigned comment added by 208.53.195.38 (talk) 15:49, 30 May 2012 (UTC)

Declaration page states he refused to sign. His page says he signed. Which is right?  —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.175.198.184 (talk) 01:57, 16 June 2010 (UTC) 

Good quotes, but where are they from?  If anything on the page should be sourced, it should be text purporting to be direct quotes.Perm Dude (talk) 23:04, 4 April 2011 (UTC)

This review is transcluded from Talk:Elbridge Gerry/GA1. The edit link for this section can be used to add comments to the review.
Reviewer: Khazar2 (talk · contribs) 02:17, 19 January 2013 (UTC)
I'll be glad to mander review this one. As last time I'll start with a close readthrough, noting any initial issues, then go to the checklist. Thanks in advance for your work on this one; you seem to be on quite the roll! -- Khazar2 (talk) 02:17, 19 January 2013 (UTC)


### Initial readthrough
This looks like another very strong article: sharp prose, excellent sourcing, a concise but comprehensive overview of the subject's life. I only have a few small points to suggest.

"Gerry was staying at an inn Menotomy" -- should this be "an inn in"?
On second thought, surely it is, so I just changed it myself.
"Adams himself being the other" -- not something that needs attention, I just wanted to note that this was hilarious.
Methinks Adams had an ego... I thought it was funny too, although I'd like to see what exactly Adams wrote at some point that led more than one historian (not just the one cited...) to this conclusion. Magic♪piano 15:26, 21 January 2013 (UTC)
"Gerry's financial difficulties prompted him to ask President James Madison for a federal position" -- is it possible to add a year here?
I've added explanation. The Mass governor election was held in the spring (March I think), after which he became involved in the presidential contest. Magic♪piano 15:26, 21 January 2013 (UTC)
"is the only signer of the Declaration buried in the nation's capital" --that's an interesting bit of trivia.
It's not an issue for the GA review, but I'm not sure I'm a fan of the epitaph-like closing quotation, particularly one so laudatory. -- Khazar2 (talk) 02:17, 21 January 2013 (UTC)
No one I've seen who has written at reasonable length on Gerry has seriously questioned his commitment to the causes of independence and republicanism.  The quote is, as you say, perhaps a bit laudatory, but i thought it quite apt. Magic♪piano 15:26, 21 January 2013 (UTC)
Thanks for your review! Magic♪piano 15:26, 21 January 2013 (UTC)


### Checklist
It says his middle name was Thomas. That factoid needs to cite a reliable source. I thought he didn't have a middle name. (Most Americans born in 1744 probably didn't.)--Solomonfromfinland (talk) 20:59, 27 August 2015 (UTC)
I second Solomonfromfinland--
The Personal Info box gives his name as Elbridge Thomas Gerry. I have never seen his middle name as Thomas, or any middle name for him at all, in any other source, including anywhere else in this article. Is there any authority for this? Whence comes it? Venqax (talk) 19:20, 13 December 2022 (UTC)

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The following is based on a recollection of Benjamin Rush in a letter to John Adams regarding E.G. signing the declaration:  Rush said that the rotund Benjamin Harrison approached the diminutive Elbridge Gerry, who was about to sign the Declaration, and said, "I shall have a great advantage over you, Mr. Gerry, when we are all hung for what we are now doing. From the size and weight of my body I shall die in a few minutes and be with the Angels, but from the lightness of your body you will dance in the air an hour or two before you are dead." Rush said this momentarily provided to the signers relief from the somberness of the event. I’m happy to provide the cite for the letter if desired. Hoppyh (talk) 14:26, 26 March 2025 (UTC)

Near the beginning of this article, a portrait of Elbridge Gerry appears with a caption that states the date of the portrait as 1861.
But in the body of the article, Gerry's date of death is given as 1814.
Whence comes this apparent contradiction?  What is the correct date of the portrait?
97.118.212.113 (talk) 16:46, 8 August 2025 (UTC)

It's a posthumous painting, which is not rare. Posthumous paintings are based on drawings, paintings and other depictions of the subject during his lifetime. Chthe (talk) 19:42, 8 August 2025 (UTC)