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
United States Minister to France
In office
July 31, 1847  October 8, 1849
PresidentJames Polk
Zachary Taylor
Preceded byWilliam King
Succeeded byWilliam Rives
8th United States Secretary of the Treasury
In office
March 7, 1825  March 5, 1829
PresidentJohn Quincy Adams
Andrew Jackson
Preceded byWilliam Crawford
Succeeded bySamuel Ingham
United States Minister to the United Kingdom
In office
February 12, 1818  April 27, 1825
PresidentJames Monroe
John Quincy Adams
Preceded byJohn Quincy Adams
Succeeded byRufus King
United States Secretary of State
In office
March 10, 1817  September 22, 1817
PresidentJames Monroe
Preceded byJohn Graham (acting)
Succeeded byJohn Quincy Adams
8th United States Attorney General
In office
February 10, 1814  November 12, 1817
PresidentJames Madison
James Monroe
Preceded byWilliam Pinkney
Succeeded byWilliam Wirt
Attorney General of Pennsylvania
In office
January 26, 1811  December 13, 1811
GovernorSimon Snyder
Preceded byJoseph Reed
Succeeded byJared Ingersoll
Personal details
Born(1780-08-29)August 29, 1780
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, British America
DiedJuly 30, 1859(1859-07-30) (aged 78)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Political partyFederalist (before 1830)
National Republican (1830–1834)
Democratic (1834–1859)
SpouseCatherine Rush
ChildrenBenjamin Rush
EducationCollege 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.

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