The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-09-19
PRECEDENT rs Ruler
Changes in Cabinet on Vice
Presidents Succession.
is INTERESTING STORY
Fight of Tyler With His Bosses
Is Recalled.
is INTERESTING STORY

Washington. Sept. I7.-Wnliam H. Sew
ard, Hugh Mccullough. Gideon WeIes and
Robert 7. Lincoln seem TO have been the
only Cabinet officers of an old admins
tration who have remained in Office dur
ing the entire term OF vice president
who has succeeded to the presidency. The
relation of cabinet ministers to a new ad-
ministration brought into power by the
death OF president has always been an
interesting question. and one Of the great
episodes OF American history, the quarrel
between President Johnson and the Re
publican leaders. was focused upon this
issue. To the founders Of the republic it
would probably have appeared, had they
given attention to the subject of a cabinet
that its members in. such a contingency
should remain with the new president who
succeeded to Office, helping him TO carry
out the politics OF the party which had on
the same ticket elected both him and his
predecessor to Office. It would seem the
natural thing for the cabinet ministers,
familiar with their several lines Of work,
TO remain too do. But presidents have
ruled otherwise, and doubtless the prac-
tice Of today is the result OF this peculiar
combination of circumstances from which
the early precedents arose.
The Wing party lost by death the only
two presidents which in its long history
It succeeded in electing. Like the RepubI-
can party. which in long measure is its
successor. it was in the habit in selecting
g.
dent, to draw on opposite wings Of the
party for the purpose OF broadening its
appeal to the country. Nor has the Dem
ocratc party been much less inclined to
this policy, except that. as no Democratic
president ever died in Office. no occasion
has appeared for revealing in its full light
the extremes of feeling between the fac
tons represented by the two candidates.
When the Whig national convention met
in Harrisburg IN 1899, to nominate candi-
dates to be voted for the following year,
it aimed TO cast as wide net as possible.
Accordingly it adopted no platforms, and
in order to unite anti-Masonic and other
opposition elements, it set aside the claims
of Clay and nominated for president VIII
liam Henry Harrison OF Ohio, who mad
been its leading candidate against Van
Buren, four years earlier, and for vice
president John Tyler of Virginia Tyler
was Calhoun Democrat and a stricr con-
structionist. He had refused to stand with
the rest of the political faction to which
he belonged in supparting the Van Buren,
administration. His nomination, which
was intended to crafty a Southern ele-
ment in the opposition, was supposed to
be for an Office of much honor and little
Importance. This was one of the mistakes
in the vice presidency, although during
the campaign he played an important
part and was but little less popular than
the hero of the Tippecanoe himself.
Harrison was inaugurated. and Tyler
was indicted into office for which Ben
jamin Franklin had said that the fit title
should be His Most Superfous High
ness" Harrison lived Just one month
otter the Wing party had waited for
years to get q taste of power. Tyler re-
tanned Harrison's cabinet at first. and
promised to carry out his politics. but in
an extra session of congress which had
been called by Harrison. a breach soon
widened between Tyler and the Wings.
1t reached a crisis when on September
he vetoed a bill which he himself had out
lined, at the request Of the Wing leaders.
as one which he would approve as a sub
stitute for the Fiscal Bank Bill, which he
had, TO their great dismay. before vetoed.
His action IN vetoing a bill drawn in ac-
cordance with his own suggestion natur-
ally aroused the unconceaIed indignation
of the Wing party. The cabinet. with the
exception Of Daniel Webster. Secretary Of
State, resigned. The Wing members OF
congress issued an address 10 the people
in which they declared that All political
connections between them and John Tyler
were at an end" Webster impelled by
a lofty spirit Of patriotism. decided 10 re-
main in Office 70 further some diplomatic
negotiations which he had begun. He re-
signed, however, in 1913, two years after
the others. and was succeeded by Hugh
S. Legare of South Carolina. who died IN
Office the same year, and was succeeded
by APPEL p. Upsher Of Virginia The fol-
lowing year Upsher was killed on board
the man-of-war Princeton, when gun
which had been taken down the river Tor
trial exploded, killing two cabinet Of
6cers. He was succeeded ~ John Cal
houu, who was then Tyler's fourth sec
rotary OF State. II was in his cabinet
that John C. Spencer. OF New York. was
Secretary Of War. who is remembered on
account of the execution of his son, be-
Captain Mckenzie. for alleged mutiuy ca
the high seas. Young Spencer vas q mid
shipman. only boy. whose feelings had
been innamed and whose execution is gen
orally regarded as an outrage
Tyler's break with the Wing party.
which unexpectedly cccasiorel The va
eating Of the Harrison cahiret, furnished
the first precedent Of this subject and
one which has since prevailed. Just IS his
decision 10 call himself President instead
OF Acting President has never since
been challenged Had Tyler been a sub
rnisive follower Of his chief. the chances
are that cabinets would generally expect
% remain with a wee president SUDDENLY
called upon TO assume the presidential
Office.
when Fillmore succeeded 20 the prasi-
Gency he made up an entirely new csbi-
net with the exccptior cf Thomas ET4rs
q Ohso. Secretary 70 ths lnteri7v. who
held once until September T.. ~ ah9lt
two months. This vas an Office watch
had Just been created. ard r. vas tha
ilrst occupant Cl7Et1a. Secretary of
state unde- Tyier. Elose raue i assoc
Gated u.1h the Clayron-Buiv-er treafr,
was succeeded hy Taai=I webster. Wha
Efrd 81 * srd VS. slcceelcd g. tie
state Department by EfW-rt Everett
Between TayIo- ard Fillmore there TEas
lss- difference ~ ors7i0r than between
the president ard wee pfs-e1t q tie
aa-1f-- white Admins f--lsil.r ziffcs-E