Potus Geeks Summer Reruns: The Vice-President Inaugurated in Cuba
[Originally posted January 31, 2013]
Franklin Pierce served his entire term as President with the same cabinet. He is the only President to serve a full term who did that. But he never really had a Vice-President. When Pierce won the election of 1852, his running mate was Senator William Rufus King of Alabama. (King was rumored to be the gay lover of future President James Buchanan. A journal entry about these rumors was posted in this community here). King would hold office for only a few weeks, and would never perform any official duty as Vice-President.
King had been nominated as the Democrats' Vice-Presidential candidate in 1852 to placate the Buchanan wing of the party. Buchanan had asked Pierce to seek King's input on patronage appointments including selection of his cabinet, but Pierce did not do so. In fact the two running mates never communicated at all after the Democratic convention in June of 1852. King became despondent over his limited influence in the new government. King wrote to Buchanan on December 13, 1852, telling Buchanan that he intended to have "as little intercourse with [Pierce] as possible." He also said:
"However kindly General Pierce may speak and write concerning me, it is evident beyond all question that I am not one of those he takes into his confidence, for not a single line have I received from him since the nomination."
By the winter of 1852-53, King was very ill with tuberculosis. He went to Cuba in January, hoping that the climate would improve his condition, though it was generally accepted that his illness was terminal. King was the only Vice-President to take the oath of office on foreign soil. A special act of Congress was passed which allowed King to be inaugurated in Cuba. The oath of office was administered by the American Consul in Cuba on March 24, 1853. King was too weak to stand and had to be held up by Representative George Washington Jones of Tennessee. The National Intelligencer gave this report of the ceremony in its April 8, 1853 edition:
"The ceremony, although simple, was very sad and impressive, and will never be forgotten by any who were present. To see an old man, on the verge of the grave, clothed with honors which he cared not for, and invested with authority which he could never exercise, was truly touching. It was not only by persuasion that Mr. King would go through with the ceremony, as he looked on it as an idle form, for he was conscious that he would not live many weeks."
In fact King did not live many weeks. He left Cuba for his home in Alabama on April 11, 1853. He died a week later on April 18th, the day after he arrived home. Pierce would serve out the remainder of his term without a Vice-President.
Franklin Pierce served his entire term as President with the same cabinet. He is the only President to serve a full term who did that. But he never really had a Vice-President. When Pierce won the election of 1852, his running mate was Senator William Rufus King of Alabama. (King was rumored to be the gay lover of future President James Buchanan. A journal entry about these rumors was posted in this community here). King would hold office for only a few weeks, and would never perform any official duty as Vice-President.
King had been nominated as the Democrats' Vice-Presidential candidate in 1852 to placate the Buchanan wing of the party. Buchanan had asked Pierce to seek King's input on patronage appointments including selection of his cabinet, but Pierce did not do so. In fact the two running mates never communicated at all after the Democratic convention in June of 1852. King became despondent over his limited influence in the new government. King wrote to Buchanan on December 13, 1852, telling Buchanan that he intended to have "as little intercourse with [Pierce] as possible." He also said:
"However kindly General Pierce may speak and write concerning me, it is evident beyond all question that I am not one of those he takes into his confidence, for not a single line have I received from him since the nomination."
By the winter of 1852-53, King was very ill with tuberculosis. He went to Cuba in January, hoping that the climate would improve his condition, though it was generally accepted that his illness was terminal. King was the only Vice-President to take the oath of office on foreign soil. A special act of Congress was passed which allowed King to be inaugurated in Cuba. The oath of office was administered by the American Consul in Cuba on March 24, 1853. King was too weak to stand and had to be held up by Representative George Washington Jones of Tennessee. The National Intelligencer gave this report of the ceremony in its April 8, 1853 edition:
"The ceremony, although simple, was very sad and impressive, and will never be forgotten by any who were present. To see an old man, on the verge of the grave, clothed with honors which he cared not for, and invested with authority which he could never exercise, was truly touching. It was not only by persuasion that Mr. King would go through with the ceremony, as he looked on it as an idle form, for he was conscious that he would not live many weeks."
In fact King did not live many weeks. He left Cuba for his home in Alabama on April 11, 1853. He died a week later on April 18th, the day after he arrived home. Pierce would serve out the remainder of his term without a Vice-President.