The first "accidental president," whose secret maneuverings
brought Texas into the Union and set secession in motion
When William Henry Harrison died in April 1841, just one month
after his inauguration, Vice President John Tyler assumed the
presidency. It was a controversial move by this Southern gentleman,
who had been placed on the fractious Whig ticket with the hero of
Tippecanoe in order to sweep Andrew Jackson's Democrats, and their
imperial tendencies, out of the White House.
Soon Tyler was beset by the Whigs' competing factions. He vetoed
the charter for a new Bank of the United States, which he deemed
unconstitutional, and was expelled from his own party. In foreign
policy, as well, Tyler marched to his own drummer. He engaged
secret agents to help resolve a border dispute with Britain and
negotiated the annexation of Texas without the Senate's approval.
The resulting sectional divisions roiled the country.
Gary May, a historian known for his dramatic accounts of secret
government, sheds new light on Tyler's controversial presidency,
which saw him set aside his dedication to the Constitution to gain
his two great ambitions: Texas and a place in history.
General
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