Vice President
Gerry was chosen by the Democratic-Republican party congress to be James Madison's vice presidential running mate in the 1812 election. Madison easily won reelection, and Gerry took office in March 1813. At that time the office of vice president was largely a sinecure; however, Gerry's duties included advancing the administration's agenda in Congress, and the securing of loans for the government to assist in funding the nation's prosecution of the War of 1812. He died in office of heart failure in Washington, D.C. and is buried there in the Congressional Cemetery.
Read more about this topic: Elbridge Gerry
Famous quotes containing the words vice and/or president:
“It is the vice of our public speaking that it has not abandonment. Somewhere, not only every orator but every man should let out all the length of all the reins; should find or make a frank and hearty expression of what force and meaning is in him.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
“I shouldn’t want you to be surprised, or to draw any particular inference from my making speeches, or not making speeches, out there. I don’t recall any candidate for President that ever injured himself very much by not talking.”
—Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933)