Richard Rush (August 29, 1780 – July 30, 1859) was an American lawyer, politician and diplomat who served as the 8th United States Attorney General from 1814 to 1817 and the 8th United States Secretary of the Treasury from 1825 to 1829.
Born~Died Aug 29, 1780 ~ Jul 30, 1859Last edited Oct 15, 2026, 4:15 PM
Rush served as the ambassador to Britain from 1818 to 1825. He negotiated the Treaty of 1818 which set the boundary between the U.S. and Canada and had discussions with George Canning that led to the announcement of the Monroe Doctrine. He served as minister to France from 1847 to 1849. He helped establish and served on the board of regents for the Smithsonian Institution. He was the last surviving member of the Madison1 and Monroe Cabinets.
Early life and education
Rush was born on August 29, 1780, in Philadelphia, . He was the second son, and third child, of and Julia (Stockton) Rush, daughter of and . He entered the College of New Jersey (now known as ) at the age of 14, and graduated in 1797 as the youngest member of his class. He studied law in the practice of and was admitted to the bar in 1800.
This page is based on “Richard Rush” from English Wikipedia, (r1362321382) CC BY-SA 4.0 used under the license. The original authors are listed in its page history.
Rush married Catherine Eliza Murray on the fall of 1809.4 They were the parents of eleven children including the lawyer and writer Benjamin Rush and Union Army colonel Richard H. Rush.5
From the position as Comptroller of the Treasury, albeit a subordinate position, Rush functioned as one of President Madison's closest friends and confidential advisors throughout the War of 1812. Rush was on the field of battle along with Madison during the Battle of Bladensburg.6 He was one of the war hawks who advocated war with Britain. In 1814 Madison offered Rush the choice of Secretary of the Treasury or Attorney General of the United States, and Rush chose Attorney General.6
With his appointment as Attorney General, Rush became the youngest person to serve in that office. Rush served as United States Attorney General from 1814 to 1817. At this time the attorney generalship was a part-time position, and so Rush also maintained his private law practice while in this office. He edited Laws of the United States, which codified all the federal statutes implemented between 1789 and 1815.9 He was acting Secretary of State briefly in 1817. During this time Rush concluded the Rush-Bagot Convention, which demilitarized the Canadian boundary on the Great Lakes.9
In October 1817, Rush was appointed Minister to Britain10 to succeed John Quincy Adams, who had taken the position of Secretary of State upon his return. He remained in Britain for almost eight years, and negotiated a number of important treaties, including the Treaty of 1818.9 In 1823, Rush negotiated with George Canning over British proposals that the two countries issue a joint declaration against French support for Spain during the Spanish American wars of independence, though Canning refused to agree to Rush's demands for a joint recognition of the newly independent Latin American republics, leading to the separate American declaration of the Monroe Doctrine.9 He wrote about his experience as Minister to Britain in A Residence in the Court of St. James.11
Upon the election of John Quincy Adams in 1825, Rush (having made a study of Britain, and the Royal Navy in particular, while he was there) desired to become the Secretary of the Navy. Adams, however, immediately nominated him for the post of Secretary of the Treasury, which he accepted.6 In 1828, he was a candidate for Vice President on the re-election ticket with John Quincy Adams, but was defeated.6
In 1829, he went overseas at the behest of the cities of Alexandria, Virginia, and Georgetown, to secure funds for the construction of a canal connecting the Chesapeake Bay and the Ohio River.12 In 1836, President Andrew Jackson sent him to England as Commissioner to secure for the United States the legacy left the government by James Smithson. He was successful in this undertaking, bringing to this country the sum of $508,318.46, which would eventually be used to establish the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Rush later became one of the first regents of the institution.13
After a short time with the Anti-Masonic Party, in the later 1830s Rush became a member of the Democratic Party.14 He was opposed to anti-slavery sentiments because he believed they threatened the stability of the Union.6 In 1847, Richard Rush was appointed as Minister to France by President James K. Polk. When his negotiations were interrupted by the overthrow of King Louis-Philippe, he was among the first foreign diplomats to recognize the new French Second Republic.6
Rush served as the ambassador to Britain from 1818 to 1825. He negotiated the Treaty of 1818 which set the boundary between the U.S. and Canada and had discussions with George Canning that led to the announcement of the Monroe Doctrine. He served as minister to France from 1847 to 1849. He helped establish and served on the board of regents for the Smithsonian Institution. He was the last surviving member of the Madison and Monroe Cabinets.
Rush married Catherine Eliza Murray on the fall of 1809.4 They were the parents of eleven children including the lawyer and writer Benjamin Rush and Union Army colonel Richard H. Rush.5
From the position as Comptroller of the Treasury, albeit a subordinate position, Rush functioned as one of President Madison's closest friends and confidential advisors throughout the War of 1812. Rush was on the field of battle along with Madison during the Battle of Bladensburg.6 He was one of the war hawks who advocated war with Britain. In 1814 Madison offered Rush the choice of Secretary of the Treasury or Attorney General of the United States, and Rush chose Attorney General.6
With his appointment as Attorney General, Rush became the youngest person to serve in that office. Rush served as United States Attorney General from 1814 to 1817. At this time the attorney generalship was a part-time position, and so Rush also maintained his private law practice while in this office. He edited Laws of the United States, which codified all the federal statutes implemented between 1789 and 1815.9 He was acting Secretary of State briefly in 1817. During this time Rush concluded the Rush-Bagot Convention, which demilitarized the Canadian boundary on the Great Lakes.9
In October 1817, Rush was appointed Minister to Britain10 to succeed John Quincy Adams, who had taken the position of Secretary of State upon his return. He remained in Britain for almost eight years, and negotiated a number of important treaties, including the Treaty of 1818.9 In 1823, Rush negotiated with George Canning over British proposals that the two countries issue a joint declaration against French support for Spain during the Spanish American wars of independence, though Canning refused to agree to Rush's demands for a joint recognition of the newly independent Latin American republics, leading to the separate American declaration of the Monroe Doctrine.9 He wrote about his experience as Minister to Britain in A Residence in the Court of St. James.11
Upon the election of John Quincy Adams in 1825, Rush (having made a study of Britain, and the Royal Navy in particular, while he was there) desired to become the Secretary of the Navy. Adams, however, immediately nominated him for the post of Secretary of the Treasury, which he accepted.6 In 1828, he was a candidate for Vice President on the re-election ticket with John Quincy Adams, but was defeated.6
In 1829, he went overseas at the behest of the cities of Alexandria, Virginia, and Georgetown, to secure funds for the construction of a canal connecting the Chesapeake Bay and the Ohio River.12 In 1836, President Andrew Jackson sent him to England as Commissioner to secure for the United States the legacy left the government by James Smithson. He was successful in this undertaking, bringing to this country the sum of $508,318.46, which would eventually be used to establish the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. Rush later became one of the first regents of the institution.13
After a short time with the Anti-Masonic Party, in the later 1830s Rush became a member of the Democratic Party.14 He was opposed to anti-slavery sentiments because he believed they threatened the stability of the Union.6 In 1847, Richard Rush was appointed as Minister to France by President James K. Polk. When his negotiations were interrupted by the overthrow of King Louis-Philippe, he was among the first foreign diplomats to recognize the new French Second Republic.6