Two attempts have been made to secure the impeachment of the President ;— the incumbent in each instance having been elected Vice President, and succeeded to the higher office upon the death of the President. A resolution looking to the impeachment of President Tyler was introduced into the House of Representa tives in January 1843, but being defeated no further steps were taken. Articles of impeach ment for "high crimes and misdemeanors") were presented by the House of Representa tives against President Johnson in 1868. By constitutional provision the trial was by the Senate, the chief justice of the United States presiding. Less than two-thirds of the sena tors voting for conviction, he was acquitted.
No constitutional provision existed until the adoption of the 12th Amendment for separate votes in the electoral colleges for President and Vice-President; the candidate receiving the highest number of votes (if a majority of all) became President, and the one receiving the second highest, Vice-President. In 1801 Jeffer son and Burr each received 73 electoral votes, and by constitutional requirement the election at once devolved upon the House of Representa tives, voting by States. Upon the 36th ballot, a majority of the States voting for Jefferson, he became President and Burr Vice-President. The constitutional amendment above indicated — by which separate ballots were required in the electoral colleges for the two offices — was the result of the intense excitement through out the country engendered by this contest. The earnest opposition of Alexander Hamilton to Aaron Burr in the above-mentioned contest was the prime cause of the duel by which Hamilton lost his life at the hands of Burr, in 1804.
George Clinton, the fourth Vice-President, had as a member of the Continental Congress voted for the Declaration of Independence, and held the rank of brigadier-general during the War of the Revolution. The fifth Vice-Presi dent, Elbridge Gerry, had been a prominent member of the Constitutional Convention of 1787. William R. King, elected in 1852, by reason of ill-health never entered upon the discharge of the duties of his office. By special act of Congress, the oath .of office was administered to him in Cuba and his death oc curred soon thereafter. Of the 25 Vice Presidents thus far elected, nine have been taken from the State of New York. Adams and Jefferson, the first and second Vice-Presi dents, rendered valuable service to the young republic at foreign courts, each by election was elevated to the Presidency, and their deaths oc curred upon the same historic 4 July—just 50 years from the day they had signed the Decla ration of Independence. A marble bust of each of the Vice-Presidents has been placed in the gallery of the Senate chamber. The office of Vice-President is one of great dignity. He is the presiding officer of the most august legis lative assembly known to men. In the event of an equal division in the Senate he gives the deciding vote. This vote, many times in our history, has been one of deep significance. It will readily he seen that the contingency may often occur when the Vice-President becomes an important factor in matters of legislation. See also UNITED STATES - PRESIDENTS AND VICE-PRESIDENTS OF.