Richard M. Johnson
Richard Mentor Johnson of Kentucky holds the distinction of being the only Vice President of the United States thus far to have been elected through the vote of the United States Senate. Johnson was a veteran of the Indian wars, having served with the Kentucky militia during the War of 1812 and was reported to have killed the Shawnee Chieftain and warrior Tecumseh at the Battle of the Thames. Johnson had been a representative from Kentucky in the House before the war, and returned to his seat following the war, despite growing concerns of his constituents over his personal life. Johnson had a common law wife and children by her. That was not of much concern to his constituents, the fact that she was one-eighth black was.
In the parlance of the day his common law wife, Julia Chinn, was called an octaroon, and his relationship with her was considered to be interracial. Such a relationship was illegal in many southern states, but Johnson was open about it and ignored the comments of both his colleagues and his constituents. Johnson was unable to marry Chinn legally not only because she was considered to be black, but also because she was his slave, inherited by Johnson from his father. Johnson had two daughters with her (Johnson had another, illegitimate daughter which Julia helped raise) and they were raised as free women, but Johnson never manumitted his “bride”.
A wealthy planter, Johnson served in the House and the Senate, taking a seat in the upper chamber of Congress by an appointment of the Governor. While in the Senate Johnson initiated legislation which led to the charter of a District of Columbia school named Columbian College. Today it is known as George Washington University. As a Senator Johnson demonstrated an ability to award government contracts to family and friends, but his reputation did not suffer from his self-serving tendencies. Instead, when he ran for re-election and lost, it was because of the open nature of his relationship with Julia Chinn. Fellow wealthy planters were not concerned about the morality of the relationship but objected to its public appearance.
Johnson was returned to the House of Representatives by the voters of his district in 1829. He championed a bill which outlawed the imprisonment for debt, which was passed and signed by the President in 1832, eliminating debtor prisons in the United States. The following year his wife died, and although Johnson was personally devastated for a time, it removed what had been an obstacle for him in gaining support from political allies across the southern states. In the Presidential election of 1836, Andrew Jackson supported both Martin Van Buren as his successor, and Johnson as Vice President.
Johnson did not garner the necessary votes to win the Vice Presidency, nor did anyone else, and his election was placed in the hands of the Senate. He did not win in the Electoral College because 23 electors from Virginia – where he had carried the popular vote – refused to vote for him based on his long relationship with Julia Chinn. As a Vice President his performance was unremarkable, and he even took a leave of absence in 1837 to establish a tavern in Kentucky. After he left the office of the Vice President he made several attempts to return to Congress, finally succeeding in winning a seat in 1850, but he died before Congress convened the following year.