Editing Increase Sumner (section)

==Governor of Massachusetts==
In 1795 some factions of the [[Federalist Party]] sought to promote Sumner as a candidate for governor, but he was not formally nominated, and Governor [[Samuel Adams]] was reelected.<ref>Morse, p. 149</ref>  The following year Sumner was actively promoted by the Federalists, but Adams was able to prevail by a comfortable margin.<ref>Alexander, p. 314</ref>  The campaign was not very divisive: Sumner was presented as comparatively youthful alternative to the aging Adams.<ref>Morse, p. 160</ref>  Sumner wrote afterwards that Adams "has waded through a sea of political troubles and grown old in labors for the good of his country."<ref>Hart, 3:450</ref>

Adams' popularity, however, was declining, and he decided not to run for reelection in 1797. A number of popular figures were raised as nominees, and in that year's election, Sumner won the vote with 15,000 out of a total of 25,000 votes cast against a divided opposition.<ref name=S21>Sumner, p. 21</ref><ref>Morse, p. 174</ref> On June 2 Sumner rode from his home in Roxbury accompanied by 300 citizens on horseback to the State House in Boston, where the Secretary of the Commonwealth proclaimed his governorship from the eastern balcony. Sumner was the last governor to preside in what is now called the [[Old State House (Boston)|Old State House]] as the seat of government was moved to [[Massachusetts State House|the New State House]] the following year.<ref>Sumner, pp. 21–22</ref>

Sumner was reelected in 1798 and 1799 against minimal opposition.<ref>Morse, pp. 175–176</ref> His popularity as governor was seen by his garnering a larger share of the vote for his third term, where he won 17,000 out of 21,000 votes cast,<ref name=S21/> receiving unanimous votes in 180 towns out of 393 in the state.<ref name=S28/>  During Sumner's period in office the state was principally preoccupied with the threat of attack by [[France]] as a result of the ongoing naval [[Quasi-War]].  Comparatively younger and more vigorous than his predecessors, Sumner actively built up the state militia and worked to ensure its preparedness in case of attack.<ref>Hart, p. 3:451</ref>

[[File:Grave of Increase Sumner.JPG|thumb|right|Sumner's grave in the [[Granary Burying Ground]], Boston, 2009]]
Sumner never assumed the duties of office after winning the 1799 election as he was sick on his death bed at the time.  In order to avoid constitutional issues surrounding the [[Order of succession#Republics|succession to the governor's office]], he managed to take the oath of office in early June.<ref name=S28>Sumner, p. 28</ref>  He died in office from [[angina pectoris]], aged 52 on June 7, 1799. His funeral, with full military honors, took place on June 12, and was attended by [[President of the United States|United States President]] [[John Adams]].<ref>Sumner, pp. 29, 54</ref> The funeral procession which included four regiments of militia ran from the governor's Roxbury mansion to a service at the [[Old South Meeting House]].<ref name=S29>Sumner, p. 29</ref> He is interred at the northerly corner of Boston's [[Granary Burying Ground]].<ref>Drake, p. 357</ref>  The brass epitaph indicates:

<blockquote>Here repose the remains of Increase Sumner.  He was born at Roxbury, November 27, 1746, and died at the same place, June 7, 1799 in the 53rd year of his age.  He was for sometime a practitioner at the bar; and for fifteen years an associate judge of the supreme judicial court; was thrice elected governor of Massachusetts in which office he died.  As a lawyer he was faithful and able.  As a judge, patient, impartial and decisive. As a chief magistrate, accessible, frank and decisive. In private life, he was affectionate and mild. In public life was dignified and firm. Party feuds were allayed by the correctness of his conduct. Calumny was silenced by the weight of his virtues and rancour softened by the amenity of his manners in the vigour of intellectual attainments and in the midst of usefulness.  He was called by Divine Providence to rest with his fathers and went down to the chambers of death in the full belief that the grave is the pathway to future existence.</blockquote>

The lieutenant governor, [[Moses Gill]], became acting governor and ran the state until elections were held in 1800.<ref>Morse, p. 178</ref>