The Topeka state journal., 1908-03-31
TENTH PRESIDENT,
John Tyler Was Born 11S Years Ago
Sunday in Virginia.

Washington, March 31.-Just 11S years
ago Sunday was born at the little
city Of Greenway, Charles county,
Virginia, John Tyler, tenth president
of the United States. The period of
Mr.. Tyler's life came at that chaotic
stage in the United States government
When so many questions of the great
est magnitude perplexed the country.
Ty1er'S life from the time he was grad
uated from William and Mary college
in 1907 was one continual opposition
to the majority. He was a strict con-
stitutionalist during the time when the
majority favored more latitude for the
government He opposed the national
banking system at a time when the
majority wished to renew it's charter.
He upheld slavery at a time when there
was a growing sentiment against this.
His life was one continual fight and
defeat.
Undaunted by these defeats he con-
tinued to uphold the principles he
thought were right, and history records
no slur ever being cast upon his sin
cerity of purpose.
At the time when the Missouri COM
promise was being fought out SO bit
terly in congress, he, as a member of
congress from Virginia, opposed it, and
took prominent part in the debates
against it. His arguments were two
fold: First, that if slavery were spread
out over the entire Union it would so
diffuse itself that no great harm could
come to any section of the country
from it, whereas If 1t were eliminated
from the north and west and central
lied in the south they would be the
ones to receive the harm. Secondly,
that Virginia, as one state, had the
right to hold slaves. If Missouri should
be denied this right they would be on
a different footing from Virginia, which
would be unconstitutional. Tyler was
very popular with his own state of V1r-
ginia, and was continually returned to
congress by almost unanimous votes.
He was governor of the state and was
shown every favor possible He repre-
sented the sentiments of the people.
John Tyler was a lawyer by profess
sion, Democrat by aftiliation, and
always a true patriot. He supported
Andrew Jackson for the presidency.
although he frequently opposed him
and his methods. He fought the ma
tional bank issue from the beginning
of his career, and declared emphatl-
cally: "I believe the bank to be the or
which, in the progress of our history,
has called into existence numerous
progeny of usurpattons.
In the Whig convention at Harris
burg in 1889 no platform OF principles
was adopted General Harrison was
again nominated for the presidency as
a candidate fit to conciliate the Anti
Massons and National RepubEcans
whom Clay had offended. Mr.. Tyler
was nominated for the vice presidency
in order to catch the votes of such
Democrats as were dissatisfied with the
administration. In the uproarious can
vass which followed there was prob
ably less appeal to sober reason and
more liberal use of clap-trap than in
any other presidential contest in our
history. Borne upon a great wave OF
popular excitement with the slogan,
''Tippecanoe and Tyler. too, he was
carried to the White House. BY the
death of President Harrison one month
later Mr.. Tyler became president of the
United States, which position he held
during the three years and eleven
months following. While in the preS1-
Dental chair he showed the same ster-
ling lighting qualities as before demon
strated. and upheld his principles to
the letter He died at the age OF "a, on
January IT, 1862.