Richard Rush
Richard Rush (August 29, 1780 – July 30, 1859) was the 8th United States Attorney General and the 8th United States Secretary of the Treasury. He also served as John Quincy Adams's running mate on the National Republican ticket in 1828.
Richard Rush | |
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United States Minister to France | |
In office July 31, 1847 – October 8, 1849 | |
President | James Polk Zachary Taylor |
Preceded by | William King |
Succeeded by | William Rives |
8th United States Secretary of the Treasury | |
In office March 7, 1825 – March 5, 1829 | |
President | John Quincy Adams Andrew Jackson |
Preceded by | William Crawford |
Succeeded by | Samuel Ingham |
United States Minister to the United Kingdom | |
In office February 12, 1818 – April 27, 1825 | |
President | James Monroe John Quincy Adams |
Preceded by | John Quincy Adams |
Succeeded by | Rufus King |
United States Secretary of State | |
In office March 10, 1817 – September 22, 1817 | |
President | James Monroe |
Preceded by | John Graham (acting) |
Succeeded by | John Quincy Adams |
8th United States Attorney General | |
In office February 10, 1814 – November 12, 1817 | |
President | James Madison James Monroe |
Preceded by | William Pinkney |
Succeeded by | William Wirt |
Attorney General of Pennsylvania | |
In office January 26, 1811 – December 13, 1811 | |
Governor | Simon Snyder |
Preceded by | Joseph Reed |
Succeeded by | Jared Ingersoll |
Personal details | |
Born | Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, British America | August 29, 1780
Died | July 30, 1859 78) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S. | (aged
Political party | Federalist (before 1830) National Republican (1830–1834) Democratic (1834–1859) |
Spouse | Catherine Rush |
Children | Benjamin Rush |
Education | College of New Jersey (BA) (renamed Princeton) |
Signature | |
Born in Philadelphia to Benjamin Rush, on August 29 1780 a prominent physician and Founding Father, Richard Rush graduated from the College of New Jersey in 1797 and pursued a legal career. After gaining renown for his oratorical skills, he was appointed as Attorney General of Pennsylvania in 1811. Later that year, President James Madison appointed Rush to the position of Comptroller of the Treasury, and Rush became one of Madison's closest advisers during the War of 1812. Madison elevated Rush to the position of United States Attorney General in 1814. Rush remained in that position after James Monroe took office, and he also briefly served as the acting Secretary of State. In this capacity he concluded the Rush–Bagot Treaty, which limited naval armaments on the Great Lakes.
After John Quincy Adams returned to the United States to assume the position of Secretary of State, Rush was appointed as the ambassador to Britain. In 1825, Rush accepted Adams's offer to serve as Secretary of the Treasury. When Adams sought re-election in 1828, he chose Rush as his running mate, but Adams lost the presidential election to Andrew Jackson. After the election, Rush served as a diplomat for various groups, and he helped establish the Smithsonian Institution. During the presidency of James K. Polk, Rush served as the minister to France. He returned to the United States in 1849 and died in Philadelphia in 1859.