John Tyler: 10th President of the United States
John Tyler was the 10th President of the United States, serving from 1841 to 1845. His presidency has been largely overlooked, not only because his term was cut short—Tyler faced the prospect of impeachment—but also due to the divisiveness of the country during his tenure. This article will explore Tyler’s accomplishments as President and contextualize his importance both in the history of US leadership and our own age.
Early Life
John Tyler was born in 1790 in Charles City County, Virginia. He was a prominent lawyer and politician who served in the Virginia House of Delegates and the U.S. House of Representatives prior to becoming Vice President. In the 1836 election he ran as William Henry Harrison’s running mate, as a result of a selected strategy based on personal closeness.
Harrison’s Inauguration
On March 4th, 1841, despite a torrential downpour, Harrison was inaugurated as the 9th president of the United States. During his speech, he briefly posited the idea of President Tyler as the rightful successor if he should pass away. Just one month later, on April 4th, Harrison died of pneumonia, leaving Vice President John Tyler as the President of the United States.
John Tyler’s Presidency
The timing of John Tyler’s succession meant his presidency was short-lived—45 days after his inauguration, Vice President Tyler became President Tyler. He was the first vice president to take on the full executive responsibility of the presidency and did so with dignity and authority.
Unlike many of his predecessors, Tyler’s presidency was greatly impacted by the political divisions of the day — notably between the Democratic and Whig parties — which had been developing since the Jacksonian Democratic Party was in power. The Whigs had opposed the Jacksonian Democrats on many issues, especially slavery and tariffs, resulting in a period of gridlock between the two parties. Tyler attempted to maintain the government’s neutrality in the face of a divided Congress, which only served to further estrange him from the Whig-influenced Congress.
Administration Successes
During his time in office, President Tyler was able to achieve a number of accomplishments. Among these, he is remembered for signing into law the first major tariff since1828 and for vetoing several bills pushed by the Whigs for a new national bank and for a declaration of war with Britain. Additionally, he appointed Abel Upshur as Secretary of State and appointed more than a dozen Supreme Court justices.
He managed to form signed a ten-year reciprocity treaty with Britain and negotiated several other international agreements before his government tenure ended. He additionally began work on a proposal to annex the Republic of Texas, signing a bill that would have allowed the Republic to join the Union as a slave state, which was vetoed by the Senate.
Legacy
John Tyler was the first U.S. President to assume office following the death of his predecessor, thereby introducing a new form of transition into the presidency. His insistence on the executive branch’s neutrality between political parties may have led to the deadlock in Congress during his administration, but it also ensured a peaceful transfer of power between the two parties. Tyler’s legacy as President can be seen today in the United States’ relatively peaceful transition of power between parties every four years.
Today, Tyler’s descendants carry on his legacy. He and his first wife named eight of their children in his name. Their youngest daughter, Pearl Tyler, married a French nobleman and had two sons, both of whom are still living. Tyler’s eldest son, Lyon, had six children, five of whom have living descendants today, making John Tyler one of the few United States Presidents to have living descendants.
John Tyler is an oft-overlooked President, but his legacy is worth celebrating. Not only did he become the first President to assume office upon the death of his predecessor, but his example of government neutrality has helped shape the peaceful transitions of power that have occurred in the United States since. Additionally, his descendants continuing to live on today still proudly tell stories of their forefather and of his accomplishments as the 10th President of the United States.
