Download Vice President to 10th President of the United States, John Tyler

Vice President to 10th President of the United States, John Tyler 1841-1845
March 29, 1790 to January 18, 1862
John Tyler became president of the United States upon the death of his predecessor on
April 4, 1841. The complications that resulted from the death of the president caused the Whig
party along with others to begin infighting and jockeying for position for a cabinet nominee.
However, John Tyler made a misstep by keeping William Henry Harrison’s cabinet intact thus
created frustrations and jealousies. The events that unfolded would leave Tyler as a president
with no party, the country trying to figure out Tyler’s agenda, and the government dealing with
the first ever tragedy in the presidency.
President John Tyler was born in Charles City County, Virginia to well to do parents who
owned a tobacco plantation, slaves, and was versed in politics. His father was the governor of
Virginia, knew President Thomas Jefferson, and gave way to John Tyler’s political campaign.
Tyler went to the College of William and Mary to learn law but left for a life in politics. He was
part of the Virginia house of delegates, after the War of 1812 he was elected to the United States
House, and viewed slavery as a state’s rights issues as an opponent of the Missouri Compromise.
He was elected to the U.S. Senate, was at one point the governor of Virginia, and longed for
larger stages often growing restless. For the election of 1840, he was paired with William Henry
Harrison to gain votes from southerners. The duo won in 1840 under the Whig Party and
ultimately upon William Henry Harrison’s death after his inauguration, John Tyler was sworn in
immediately afterwards.
As President, John Tyler was feisty, utilized his constitutional rights and vetoed many
bills causing frustration within his own party. The Whigs tried to impeach Tyler but did not
gain traction. He wrote in his own letter after being sworn in, “The spirit of faction, which is
directly opposed to the spirit of a lofty patriotism, may find in this occasion for assaults upon my
Administration; and in succeeding, under circumstances so sudden and unexpected and to
responsibilities so greatly augmented, to the administration of public affairs I shall place in the
intelligence and patriotism of the people my only sure reliance.”1 A very combative tone, Tyler
continued to combat everyone and even called for cabinet resignations if anybody disagreed with
him. Thus, Tyler caused continuous headaches and then without a party, tried to make a play for
political pull by backing Texas’s annexation. At first it failed, but he tried again and right before
he left office, the Congress passed Texas’s annexation and along with Florida, Texas saw stated
hood before his presidency ended. Also, Tyler went down in history becoming the first president
to have his veto overrode.
Tyler left office losing to Democrat James Polk and never earned a chance to cement his
legacy. He was the first Vice President to have to take over the presidency thus setting the stage
for others. Millercenter.org explains ““His assertion set a critical precedent and paved the way
for future orderly transfers of power after the deaths of Presidents Taylor, Lincoln, McKinley,
Franklin Roosevelt, and Kennedy.”2 Because of the fragility of this, Tyler never really had an
opportunity due to infighting for positions after Harrison’s death, Tyler had to choose to do what
was best with what he had. Upon his leaving the presidency, he tried to become a peace broker
for northern and southern states over issues leading to the civil war and when that did not work,
he became a supporter of southern succession. Per millercenter.org, “in late 1861, he was
1
John Tyler: "Address Upon Assuming the Office of President of the United States," April 9, 1841. Online by
Gerhard Peters and John T. Woolley, The American Presidency Project.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=533.
2
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “John Tyler: Domestic Affairs.” Accessed November 13,
2016. http://millercenter.org/president/biography/tyler-domestic-affairs.
elected to the Confederate House of Representatives and days before the first meeting, however,
John Tyler died, denounced in the North as a traitor.”3 Thus ended John Tyler’s presidential and
political career.
Keeping with the tradition of basketball and presidents, I would liken John Tyler to the
play and post career efforts of Dennis Rodman. Dennis Rodman was an active and strong
individual who took what he could, was a rebounder, an outspoken individual who did what he
wanted, and in his post career became a friend of Kim Jong Un in North Korea trying to “bridge
relations” with the United States. Ultimately, his career has been hurt by outbursts, nonsensical
actions, and creating an environment where no one wanted to deal with him. John Tyler was an
individual who kicked out cabinet members who didn’t like his style, ticked off the congress
over vetoes, and did not truly care about having no party assuming he can work a deal out with
Texas to bring him good standing. Ultimately, before his death, he tried to broker peace between
north and south and when that didn’t work, he went all the way with the south. Both two strong
men with great chances, they were both on the wrong side of change.
3
Miller Center of Public Affairs, University of Virginia. “John Tyler: Life After the Presidency.” Accessed
November 13, 2016. http://millercenter.org/president/biography/tyler-life-after-the-presidency.