Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-09-28
FROM VICE PRESIDENT TO
PRESIDENT.

For the fourth time in the history
of the Republic its chosen Chief Magis.
tratc has been prcmaturely removed,
twice by natural death and twice by
assassination. In each instance the
transfer OF the powers and duties of
the office OF President has been made
to the Vice President without the least
apparent violence or shock to tho
| Government.
President Harrison died on the
fourth of April, lS41, after holding the
office one brief month, and Vice Presi.
dent Tyler took the oath as bis sue.
cessor on the 9th of April. on enter.
ing upon the Presidency John Tyler
expressed his wish that the members
of the Cabinet would continue to fll
their places and "his confidence that
they wopid afford all the aid in their
power to enable him to carry on the
administration Of the government sue.
cessiully" But during the extra ses.
sion of Congress that was convened
irreconcileablc differences broke out
between John Tyler and Henry Clay.
In consequence OF this quarrel all the
members of the Cabinet were forced
into resignation on the 18th of Sep.
tember, 1871, except Daniel Webster,
the Secretary Of State, who held on
till 1913, when he was compelled to
retire. The political change through
which this Tyler administration passed
is shown by the fact that Daniel Web
ster was its first Secretary of State
and his great rival, John G, Calhoun,
the last.
President Zachary Taylor died on
the 9th OF July, 1850, and Vice Presi.
dent Fillmore took the oath Of office
next day. There was almost imme.
diateIy clean sweep of President
Taylors Cabinet, as well a change in
the policy of the administration on the
absorbing question of slavery. Within
ten days from Millard FllImore's ac-
cession to tho Presidency a new Cabi.
net was appointed and confirmed. The
radical or free soil element of the
Whig party which, strangely enough,
was in the ascendant under q southern
and slave.holding President was sup.
planted by the conservative or com.
promise element under his northern
successor Daniel Webster returned
to the office OF Secretary of State, his
famous Seventh of March Speech hav-
ing restored him to complete harmony
with the southern element of the
Whig party. Tom Corwin of Ohio,
another compromiser, were made See.
rotary of the Treasury, and John J.
Crittenden of Kentucky, resumed the
Attorney Genoralshlp from which he
had been removed by John Tyler,
MiIlard Fillmore made his Buffalo law
partneg Nathan X. Hall, his Post.
master General.
Abraham Lincoln was shot by Booth
on the night Of the 18th Of April, and
the next day Andrew J johnson entered
upon the duties of President The
members of the Cabinet Immediately
rendered their designations, but they
were requested by President johnson
10 retain their places As it was the
aim of Andrew johnson TO faithfully
carry out the policy outlined by Presi-
dent Lincoln he did not deem it wise
TO remove Dincoln's advisers, and they
all remained. The quarrel with See.
rotary Stanton did not take place until
the last year of Andrew Johnsons ad.
ministration. Mono of the members
of Lincoln's Cabinet were personal
friends" of Andrew johnson. With
most Of them he had no personal ac-
quaintance, but he did not remove
them TO make place for personal
friends lie knew he could trust
them as his great predecessor had
trusted them, and that was the chief
consideration.
These are the precedents for tho
consideration of President Arthur on
entering upon the responsible duties
of his Office. If he undertakes to make
up o Cabinet on the score Of personal
friendships and intimacies his admins.
tration is failure from the very out
start,