New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1881-07-05
VICE PRESIDENTS IN THE WUITE HOUSl

VICE PRESIDENTS IN THE UUITE HOUSE.
The country has weghty reasons for dread
ing the succession of Vice President to the
Chief Magistracy. Three times in its history
have Presidents been removed by death, and
each time tho administration of the Vice
President produced such unfortunate political
consequences that the change in the Executive
Office proved to bo grave National
calamity. The first President who died in
Office WAS William Henry Harrison, the
idolized leader of tho Wings, elected
after the exciting and dramatic campaign of
1S4O. Harrison lived only n month after his
Inauguration. John Tyler the Vice President,
WAS Virginan OF considerable prominence in
National politics, who supposed to be de-
voted to Wing principles After entering the
White lLonse he protested fidelity to the policy
OF his predecessor, informed IIarTisOn's Cabinet
that he desired them TO remain in Office, and
issued an inaugural address which was salts
factory to his party. He called Congress
together in May, and sent to it draft of n
bill to establish United States Bank, one of
the chief measures which tho Wings advo-
Gated but when the bill was passed in August
he vetoed it on tlimsy prctcncc of objection
10 certain amendments. His Cab.act, with the
exception of Daniel Webster resigned and
condemned his course in a collective mani
feSto He filed their places With rcp,ltcd
Wings, but the next year Webster broke
with him and he rcorganized the Cab
met by appointing three Democrats A
Subsequent change brought ia John G. Cal
h"nn and john I. Mason, two prominent
Democratic leaders. Tylcr's trrachory to the
party was now complete. Abhorrcd by the
Wings and dittrustod by the Democrats, he
inf, III l,l.r.
term, and was scarcely heard Of until sixteen
years afterward, when be emerged from his
retirement rs a member of the abortivc Peace
Convention in Washington, held lust before
the outbreak of the Rebellion, and little
later member of the Confederate Con-
gress To this day the word "Tylcrize" is
used to designate II base recreancy to political
principles and obligations.
The second NiccPrcsidcnt who succeeded to
the Presidency was Willard Fillmore. lie did
not desert his party. but he ruined it by max
ing it the servant of the Southern slavehold-
ers. President Taylor died July Q, 1850 six
teen months after his Inauguration. A fierce
controversy was then raging over the slavery
question, caused by the opposition of the South
to the admission of California as n free
State. Although Southern man and q
Shareholder, Taylor pursued a wise and
conservative course, opposed the demands
OF the hot-headed advocates of the extension
OF slavery, and favored the admission of Cali
fornia. His death changed tho course of the
Administration. Fillmore had in times past
been identified with the Anti-Slavery Wings.
and when i'll Congress he had stood with John
Quincy Adams. But rs soon as he WAS seated
in the Executive chair he placed him.
self in the hands of the Pro- Slavery
leaders and used all the influence of
his Office to push through Congress the
Compromise of 1850, which admitted Califor-
mia but coupled the act of admission with the
infamous Fugitive Slave law that converted
the whole free North into q hunting ground
for slave catchers, compelled United States
officials to be their aids, and made it crime
to give food shelter to human
being flying from chains and the lash.
Fillmore's conduct was largely responsible
for the defeat and decentralization of tbo
Wing party in 1852. IF he had been faithful
to his own principles and had carried out the
conservative views of President Tayior. the
Wings might have formed bulwarl against
the mad schemes OF the ultra Southern leaders.
and the country might perhaps have been saved
from the terrible scourge of the civil war.
The conduct of Andrew Johnson when he
came to power by the assassination of
President Lincoln is still fresh in mems
minds. He had every reason for Gdel-
ity to the Republican party. He had re-
sisted secession, and us military governor of
Tennessee had vigorously combatted rebellion.
In an access OF sentimental enthusiasm tho
Republicans placed him on their ticket rs a
representative Southern Union man. while
PRESIDENT he did all Ae could to betray and