Book Description

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1883 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER XVI. 1841--1842. DEATH OF PSESTDENT HAKMSOX--KXEACH BETWEEN WSSKNT TTtEB JL3TD THE WHIGS TTLEES VETOES Btchjlxix S BCTLT TO CLXI OB THE VETO POWER--HIS OFTOSmON TO THE KiHTW ACT OT lSil. EARELY has a party in a constitutional government come into power with apparently a better prospect of doing good to their country, and retaining their hold upon it, than did the "Whigs under President Harrison. This worthy man, who was by no means a statesman of the first or even of the second order, was a person of firir intelligence, of entire honesty of character, and was moderately well tasght in the principles of the Constitution. Almost his first act. after his election, was to tender the chief place in his cabinet to Mr. Webster. This was done with the concurrence of Mr. Clay, whom it ssited to remain in the Senate, as its leader, and who expected to cany a new national bank, as a remedy for the exiting disordered condition of the currency. But General Harrison died on the day which completed the first month of his oSeial term. His successor. John Tyler, oi Virginia, had been chosen as Vice President, with very little attention to his political opinions on the part of those who selected him for that position, or cf those who voted for him. "When he assumed the duties of the Presidency, he requested the members cf General Harrison's cabinet to remain in office. They were all of that political school which regarded a national lank of some kind as a necessity, and held it to be an instrnn: er.t of Government which Corress might constitutionally create. President Harrison and his ofikial advisers had deemed it necessary to convene an extra session of Congress; and his proclamation had summoned it for the 31st of May. When that day...