1788 Gubernatorial Election: Hancock vs Gerry
THE FOLLOWING CONTEST, SCHEDULED FOR ONE TERM IS FOR THE 1788 GUBERNATORIAL ELECTION! INTRODUCING FIRST, THE CHALLENGER, REPRESENTING THE ANTI-FEDERALISTS....ELBRIDGE GERRY!
The challenger
The incumbent
"Yeah I created the property tax, sue me" - James Bowdoin
"The Feds are takin over" - Alexander Hamilton
RIP Thomas Cushing 1725-1788
"I'll get you for this, Gerry!" - General Thomas Gage
"Alright put em up! Put em up!" - Francis Dana
Hancock vs Gerry......FIGHT!
Another landslide for Hancock
THE WINNER...ANDDDD....STILLLLLL GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS, JOHNNNN HANCOCK!
AND HIS OPPONENT. HE IS THE CURRENT REIGNING, DEFENDING, UNDISPUTED GOVERNOR OF MASSACHUSETTS....JOHNNNNNN HANCOCK!
After the disaster known as Shay's Rebellion infected Massachusetts the year earlier, things went somewhat back to normal under John Hancock as he was once again the Governor. Taxes were lowered to a more respectable rate although John was reluctantly forced to collect from delinquents. For the first time since 1783, national news dominated the scene from 1787 all the way to the 1788 election. Most importantly, the national US Constitution was written in September of 1787 and presented at the end of the month. Though it wouldn't be ratified until after the 1788 election, the balance of power was shifting in the United States. Since the States themselves, with similar situations popping up to the Shays Rebellion, were all but throwing up on themselves, the new Federalist party argued for a strong central government to better make & uphold laws. After all, for better or worse, James Bowdoin and John Hancock both felt what they did from 1784-87 was right. Hancock told tax collectors to kiss his foot while Bowdoin increased & created taxes to generate revenue in the wake of national debt. This was all the ammo the Federalists needed to essentially control the country, even with Thomas Jefferson's Republicans on the other side.
The Federalists struck first in a series of newspaper articles in New York where they put over the incoming ratifying of the Constitution. In the days before Fox News and CNN, newspapers were the primary source of slanted political propaganda. John Jay, James Madison and Federalist head honcho Alexander Hamilton all wrote articles that began publication in October of 1787. In the month of December, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey all signed their ratification papers. Betcha didn't know the first official state was Delaware. In January, both Georgia and Connecticut signed their papers and finally, Massachusetts signed theirs on February 6, 1788.
Sadly, there was a death in the Massachusetts family just three weeks after their portion of the Constitution was ratified. Lt. Governor Thomas Cushing had been battling illness in the months leading up to the ratification. On February 28, 1788, Cushing passed away one month shy of his 62nd birthday. Whether it was under John Hancock or James Bowdoin, Cushing was a loyal solider to both men from 1780 up to his death in office. Poor one out for Tommy!
Needing a new Lt. Governor on the eve of the 1788 election, Hancock tabbed Benjamin Lincoln. Lincoln helped end Shays Rebellion serving with the Massachusetts militia and he was one of the signees to ratify the Constitution while Hancock was battling an illness. Now, with Benjamin Lincoln in place, it was time for the election. Who would be the primary candidate running against Hancock? Former Massachusetts Congressman Elbridge Gerry. Gerry was educated at Harvard University at just 14 years old, earning his Bachelors in 1762 and Masters in 1764. Gerry, like Hancock, joined his father's merchant business and became one of the most wealthiest merchants in the colonies. Like most of the Sons of Liberty, Gerry too opposed British taxes and joined forces with Hancock, Samuel Adams and John Adams. Gerry was actually invited to represent Massachusetts during the first Continental Congress but declined as he was grieving his recently deceased father. During the Revolutionary War, he was supplying the Continental Army with goods and one of the main reasons General Thomas Gage was sniffing around Concord looking for weapons, was because Gerry was helping store them.
Gerry recovered mentally to serve in the Second Continental Congress which helped launch the Declaration of Independence but he was a very vocal critic of General George Washington after 1777 proved to be a disastrous year for the Continental Army. Eventually he resigned from Continental Congress and showed major dignity by refusing a seat in not only the Massachusetts Senate but county judge because he felt it would be too similar to Parliament appointed politicians during British occupancy. Fun fact, when Gerry got married in 1786, his best man was none other than Revolutionary War hero James Monroe.
"Good luck Gerry" - James Monroe
Gerry did ruffle a few feathers during the Constitution ratifications when he considered slaves to be nothing more than cattle during the "three fifths compromise" although he didn't agree with slavery to begin with. He did eventually change his mind on the Constitution thanks to the Bill of Rights being introduced. One way or another he was passionate about what he was doing. After all, he got into a pier six brawl with Francis Dana over it. The Constitution passed 187 to 168 regardless of the fighting.
With the national Constitution and the Bill of Rights in effect, soon there would be a national Congress, Senate and individual monarch to reign supreme. Still, Massachusetts still had their yearly Gubernatorial Election and in 1788, someone had to run against the mighty Hancock. The usual suspects James Bowdoin, James Warren, Benjamin Lincoln would also be running as well as the Adams cousins as write-ins. The main event would be Hancock defending his title against Elbridge Gerry. Would the Federalist Hancock win or would the anti-Federalist Gerry win? Let's find out.
The result? ITS A LANDSLIDE! 2 ballots were totally blank while 11 different men were written in including John Adams. Nathaniel Gorham got 2 votes while Samuel Adams took home 3 votes. Benjamin Lincoln came in fifth place with 16 votes while James Warren placed fourth with 35 votes. James Bowdoin took third place with 102 votes and Hancock buried Gerry. Hancock took 80% of the vote with 17,856 votes while Gerry got 18% with 4,145 votes.
So what happened to make it this slanted? Hancock knew that supporting the Constitution and the rights of the people would keep his popularity in the wake of Shays Rebellion and his competition being against it. The problem was Gerry standing against it UNTIL they wrote in the Bill of Rights, but Hancock being in favor from the beginning made him more popular with the voters. The sad part was Hancock thought what he was doing was best for the Commonwealth but it might have been Gerry who had the right idea depending on how you look at it. Within a year there would be a national senate, Congress and monarch (the term president hadn't been settled on yet) which would limit the Governor's power. If the Senate, Congress and President decided to vote in favor of national slavery and Hancock said the hell with that, he wouldn't be Governor for very long. Gerry knew that national power and a strong central government would all but cripple the power to the states. But, for now it would be Hancock remaining the Governor of Massachusetts.
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