Norwich bulletin., 1920-04-16

SUCCESSION
 17eo-Mareh 2e, John Tyler born
 in Charles City County, Va.
 1ao6-Graduated from William
 and Mary.
 1811- -16-Member of Legislature.
 S15-21-Members of Congress.
 1923 -25-Member of Legislature.
 1925 Ex-Governor of Virginia.
 1927 -36-United States Senator.
 184o-EIeeted Vice President.
 1341-April 6, became tenth presi-
 dent, aged 51.
 Greatness and the presidency found John Tyler down on one knee, playing 'knucks' with his boys in a pathway of his dooryard in Williams burg, that stately old vice regal yil- lage of colonial Virginia. He had not even heard that Harrison was i'll, un- til destiny. without steam, wire or rail 10 carry it, sped to him from Washington by boat and buggy with the news that the president had been dead a day and that the empty pres idetnial chair was awaiting the vice president.
 Rising from his game of marbles the first problem that confronted this president by succession. was to gel money enough to tale him to the apital. He promptly received the 1 offer of a loan from a money lender of the neighborhood. But since that thrifty man had coldly refused tC take similar chance on him a few months before, the favor wa de- 1 cltned now. and personal friend; SUD- 1 piled the needed amount to convey i to the White House this port of for tune.
 It was the first time that a vic, president had been called upon to dis charge the one duty which give: that office its only excuse for exist. l ence-to fill q vacancy in the presi dency. People had all but forgotten the purpose for which the place wa created. If those who had nominat ed Tyler had given a thought to tn, chief magistracy. he would have beei about the last man they would hay, 1 chosen for the emergency
 Tyler belong among the third O fourth-rate presidents. Although ( clean handed, kindly man of goo presence and polished manners, h was mediocre country lawyer an a narrow minded politician. with gift for getting offices that he had n gift for filling Graduating at 1 from William and Mary. the onl college besides Harvard to be tn, alma mater of three presideits. h | was elected to the Virginia legisla ture at 21. while his father wa serving as governor. At 26 he wen to congress; at 35 he was chosen t tered the sente, to which he was re elected for a second term.
 His record of statesmanship those various posts need not detai the reader q moment. It is a blan page, as with so many of our faci | vote getters and place hunters. Bl . for the accident of apothers deatl Tyler's name would have been burie
 with his dust in the oblivion of u . grave.
 A Jacksonian democrat at frs Tyler followed John c. Calhoun o $ into nullifcation and to extrem, on the dogma of States rights ar ' the protection of slavery. Rath than obey the instructions of u J Virginia legislature that he shoul ', vote to expunge the censure whiC
 the senate had passed upon Jackso he broke with the democrats, resigl
 ed the sena torsl1ip and reappenrt 2 in the state legislature as a VII ' member. He was also a delegate
  | nominated hi mfor vice presiedl v Nevertheless he agreed with [ Wings only in oposing Jackson al Van Buren. In the North, they we 1T for protection and internal improv " " the Union above all else, and TyI 7 ments; the the South they were f was dead set against each of tho 1. policies,
 v Thurlow Weed and the whlg DO d ticians understood this perfectly. " distract the north from the slave if question they nominated the l j: cabin hero and to attract the slav
 holding south they nominated wi
 him a disciple of Calhoun With
 ticket facing both ways, they adopt rs no platform and stood for nothi s. except vote catching.
 The scheme worked to perfection