New-York tribune., 1911-04-02

IN the closing hours OF the Congress
that adjourned on March a bill was
l. passed authorizing the erection OK
monument over the grave of John Tyler
the tenth President of the United States. III
Hollywood Cemetery, at Richmond, va.
Wednesday OF last week marks the 12lst
anniversary OF his birth and the passing
of a few weeks more than the forty-ninth
anniversary of his death. And with the
enactment of the bill into law the only
virtually unmarked grave OF former Pres
ident will be honored-to the extent OF &c.
900. for that is the maximum OF the au-
thorized expenditure. The memory OF only
one other President, Thomas JEFFERSON, mas
been so signally honOred by Congressional
action There is now granite SLAB at the
head OF Tyler's grave, but 1t can scarce'S
he accounted monument. for it was erect
cd by the company that operates the ceme-
terry.
While I'm Office President Tyler was deris-
iyely called the accidental President by tue
Wings on account OF the fact that lie Was
tho first Vice President ever called upon TO
assume the office of the Chief Executive,
and the epthet seems. so far as the acci-
him even beyond the grave. series OF ac-
cidents beset him through lie, and a1'er
his death 1t has been more OF an accldeht
than anything else that his grave mas peen
so long unmarked by a fitting monument.
n was his wish that he be buried at
his home. Sherwood Forest. in Charles city
County: Virginia. But the state OF virginia
chose differently. and he was laid to rest
in beautiful Hollywood Cemetery near
Richmond, in what IS known as the fresi-
dents section. 1t was the original plan 10
hurry all of Virginia's five PRESIDENTS IN this
n,ot but only two Presidents Tyler ana
Nonroe now lie there Even then tate
had not finished. and another ACCIDENT
deprived him of the mohuileht WHY" ''
position entitled him 10
Shortly after his death the state legisiat-
,r. of virginia passed resolutions authori%'
ing the Governor to erect suitable monu-
men, out of the state funds This, however
owing to financial conditions was never
done And so the. years rolled by, ana III"
matter was left unfinished until the action
M Congress on the afternoon OF March
last
l., ,ho case OF all other Presidents. ex-
oon, Tbomas Jefferson. suitable monu-
vents have been erected ty either pub
lie subscription or relatives. Only ten iee'
away from the grave OF President i!er 10
the one of President Monroe. over winch Is
ope Of the most ornate monuments ever
erected above the resting place OF rresi-
dort OF the United States. 1t cannot OF
corrse he compared with the monuments
marking the graves OF Grant and Lincoln
nor "a II perhaps as massive as severai
o,hers hut SO far as ornateness Is con-
cerned IL easily takes first place.
No sooner had John Tyler succeedeu W
tho Presidency through the death of'Wiii-
lam IL. Harrison. one month after MS III
oupuration. than the nickname of his
Wb,g enemies began to be almost too true
AT the very start the Cabinet refused to
concede that he was the PRESIDENT anu
,,s,s,ed that he was the Vice-President
acting President Even the letter they
wrote conveying to him the news Of Presi-
dent HarrisOns death was headed ITO the
yice-Prcsident." This. however. did not
meet with Tyler's approval. and he made
IT clear that he was the President and not
simply acting chief Executive. This
caused considerable comment. Ex-Presi-
dent John Quincy Adams wrote as follows
concerning his attitude In the matter:
II paid visit this morning 10 Mr.
Tyler. who styles himself President Of the
United States. and not Nice-President act
Ing President. which would be the correct
style. II IL construction In direct viola
ton both of the grammar and context Of
the Constitution. which confcrs upon the
Vice President. on the dscease OF the
President. not the Office. but the powers
OF the said Office
But little did ex-President Adams know
then that In the several similar cases