John Tyler, Bom 150 Years Ago,
Is One of Least-Known Presidents
But Had a Career That Is Unique
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
(Releacrd bv Weitern Newspaper Ur.lon.i
JOHN TYLER, who was
born just 150 years ago,
is one of the least-known
Presidents of the United
States, yet few of our Chief
Executives have had a more
interesting or more unusual
career. Here are some of the
facts which make his unique:
He was the first vice presi
dent to become President
upon the death of the Chief
Executive.
He was the first vice presi
dent to be defeated for that
office in one election and then
stage a come-back and win in
the next one.
He was the first President
to surround himself with a
“Brain Trust” of college pro
fessors and experts (even
though that name had not yet
been coined for it) and in do
ing so he antedated Franklin
D. Roosevelt by nearly a
hundred years.
He was the only President
who was “purged” by mem
bers of his party . . . and they
were more successful in do
ing that than President
Roosevelt was in his attempt
ed “purge” of his party!
He was the only President
who ever renounced his alle
giance to the United States.
After leaving the White
House, he accepted the lowli
est office ever filled by an ex
President—that of road over
seer.
His wife was the first Presi
dent's wife to die in the White
House.
In fact, the dark thread of
Death was woven all through the
pattern of John Tyler’s life. The
death of a Virginia congressman,
John Clopton, in 1816 resulted in
Tyler’s being chosen to fill the
vacancy in the house of repre
sentatives and thus brought him
on the stage of national affairs.
The death of John Taylor in 1824
resulted in the nomination of Ty
ler to fill the vacancy thus creat
ed in the United States senate but
his friend, Littleton Tazewell,
was elected to the post. The
death of William Henry Harrison
made Tyler President of the Unit
ed States in 1841 and a little
more than a year after he moved
into the White House, it was
draped in black in mourning for ,
his wife, Letitia Christian Tyler,
who died September 10, 1842. And
finally his own death prevented
his holding the last office to which
he was ever elected—member
ship in the congress of the Con
federate States of America.
Tyler was born at Greenway in
Charles City county, Virginia,
March 29, 1790, the son of John
Tyler who had served as gover
nor of the Old Dominion from
1808 to 1811. Fourteen years
later another John Tyler (the
junior) was chief executive of
Virginia but after serving one
term was elected to the United
States senate. When the doctrine
of nullification was proposed by
the South Carolinians, Tyler
broke with his party and resigned
from the senate.
By 1835 there was a serious
schism in the Democratic party.
Not only had the "nullifiers,” un
der the leadership of John C. Cal
houn, broken away, but a much
larger party, which was formed
in the South under the name of
State-Rights Whigs, were opposed
to the policies of Jackson and
the administration "regulars.”
Lost His First Race.
In the campaign of 1836 these
State-Rights Whigs nominated
Hugh L. White of Tennessee for
President and Tyler for vice pres
ident. The National Republicans
nominated Gen. William Henry
Harrison for President and Fran
cis Granger for vice president.
But the influence of “Old Hick
ory,” who had forced the nomina
tion of Martin Van Buren by the
Democrats, was potent enough to
bring about his election and with
it the election of Richard M.
Johnson for vice president. So
John Tyler lost out in his first
race for vice president.
But it was a different story four
years later. As the campaign of
1840 approached, Henry Clay pre
pared to make his third bid for
the Presidency. Leaders in the
Whig party, though certain that
Van Buren, would go down to de
feat in his race for re-election,
did not believe that Henry Clay
was the man who could carry the
Whig banner to victory.
Taking a tip from the Demo
crats’ success in electing a mili
tary hero—"Old Hickory” Jack
son, they decided upon William
Henry Harrison, a noted Indian
fighter and general in the War of
JOHN TYLER—Tenth President of the United States.
1812. As a running mate for “Old
Tippecanoe” they selected the ex
Democrat, John Tyler. They be
lieved that this cultured Southern
gentleman would attract South
ern votes and his friendship for
Henry Clay would hold the sup
port of the Clay faction in the
party. In the tumultuous cam
paign which followed, Harrison
and Tyler won an easy victory
but within a month after taking
the oath of office as President,
the aged Indian-fighter, worn out
by the demands of Whig office
seekers, died on April 4, 1841.
Upon succeeding to the presi
dency, Tyler announced that he
would retain the cabinet chosen
by Harrison and would carry out
the latter’s policies. What they
were, no one knew for the Whig
convention had not adopted any
platform and in the campaign
there was no discussion of issues
between the two parties. As a
matter of fact, the Whigs had
nominated Harrison because they
believed he could be “managed"
and Henry Clay intended to do
the managing.
Early-Day ‘Brain Trust.’
Although retaining Harrison’s
cabinet, Tyler immediately as
sembled about him a group of
unofficial advisers (the first
“Brain Trust") which included
Prof. Nathaniel Beverly Tucker,
professor of law at William and
Mary college, who first suggest
ed an Exchequer Bank plan
which Tyler later proposed and
whose recommendations about a
public lands policy were incorpo
rated in the Homestead Law of
1862; Caleb Cushing of Massa
chusetts, one of the greatest au
thorities on constitutional law,
who was later nominated for
chief justice of the Supreme
court; Littleton W. Tazewell of
Virginia, called by Thomas Jef
ferson “one of the most brilliant
minds I have ever known"; and
Robert J. Walker of Mississippi,
later President Polk's secretary
of the treasury and author of the
tariff of 1846, who became Tyler's
spokesman in the senate.
As soon as Henry Clay and the
other Whig leaders began trying
to dictate to Tyler, they discov
ered that the man in the White
House had a mind of his own.
They first pushed through a bill
to establish a United States bank.
Tyler vetoed it, and their effort
to pass it over his veto failed.
When the Whig leaders re
proached Tyler for his action, he
reminded them that he had sub
scribed to no platform and that
they should have known his opin
ions before they nominated him.
Somewhat crestfallen, they
asked him for an outline of a
bank bill he would sign. The re
sult was Tucker’s Exchequer
Bank plan, which they changed
and pushed through both houses.
Thereupon Tyler vetoed it and
again an attempt to pass it over
his disapproval failed Then con
gress passed a protective tariff
bill which Tyler vetoed. A pro
gram for internal improvements
to be financed by the federal gov
ernment met with the same fate,
because Tyler believed that the
states should make their own in
ternal improvements.
Swiftly the breach between the
President and his party widened.
The cabinet, with one exception,
resigned. Daniel Webster re
mained long enough to complete
negotiations for the Webster-Ash
burton treaty. Then he resigned.
The party was beginning its
“purge” of its President. Next
the Whig newspapers wrent into
action and filled their columns
with denunciations of the Presi
dent. There were even threats of
assassination. But Tyler stood
firm in his determination to he
true to his oath of office. Then
10 members of congress, headed
by ex-President John Quincy Ad
ams, now a member of the house
of representatives, brought in a
report charging Tyler with vio
lating a promise he had made
before his nomination and threat
ening to impeach him. Tyler re
plied that he had never pledged
anything to the Whigs.
Despite this denial, the Whig
congressmen issued a series of
“Addresses to the People” in
which they charged that the Pres
ident had gone into office fully
committed to a program which
he now repudiated, thus “selling
out the party.” They listed the
reforms which they desired and
which they declared, the Presi
dent was “impeding.” Finally,
when Tyler filled his cabinet with
Southern Democrats, headed by
John C. Calhoun as secretary of
state, it was the last straw. The
Whigs issued a proclamation that
“all political connection between
them and John Tyler was at an
end from that day henceforth.”
The party had completely purged
its President.
The remainder of Tyler’s term
of office was marked by the dis
pute over the slavery question
and the annexation of Texas, fa
vored by the Democrats and op
posed by the Whigs. Having been
“read out of the party,” Tyler |
now had nothing to lose and sup
ported the move for annexation,
but without success at first. As I
the 1844 campaign approached,
this question became the princi- |
pal issue. James K. Polk, the!
Democratic nominee, indorsed
annexation. Tyler had tried to
build up a party of his own and
seek re-election. Although he was
nominated by a small faction, he
was persuaded to withdraw from
the race and Polk won. Just be
fore leaving office Tyler had the
] satisfaction of seeing his plan for
the annexation of Texas accepted
by the Lone Star republic and
the next year it came into the
Union.
‘Robin Hood of Virginia.’
Tyler's political career was
now ended. He retired to his
home, Sherwood Forest, where,
in a facetious mood, he often re
ferred to himself as the “Robin
Hood of Virginia.” It was during
this period of retirement that he
accepted the lowly office of road
overseer.
Although a Virginian and a
slaveholder, Tyler was opposed
to the institution of slavery and
became president of the African
Colonization society, formed with
the view of recolonizing the
slaves in Africa. Early in his
career he looked forward to the
time when slavery would disap
pear from the South as it already
had from some of the Northern
states but being a strict construc
tionist he wanted to bring that
about by Constitutional means.
As the clouds of the threatened
civil war lowered, the ex-Presi
dent used his influence to help
avert it. His last great effort to
preserve the Union was as presi
dent of the Washington Peace
Convention of 1860, assembled in
* last-minute effort to seek some
compromise between the North
and the South. II? looked upon
the convention as an attempt t»
preserve the Constitution and the
laws of the nation, which he con
sidered the North had sought to
ignore, not change.
When his native state seceded,
Tyler, like Robert E. Lee, be
lieved that his first duty was to
Virginia and he renounced his
loyalty to the United States. He
was elected to the Confederate
congress but died January 17,
1862, before the congress assem
bled.
Softly Styled Suits Go Gay
With Eye-Catching Accessories
By CHERIE NICHOLAS
ALL the way from suits to acces
sories the new fashions are flat
tering and prettifying. ‘‘Never saw
you look so well, you are getting
younger looking and prettier every
day.” that’s the sweet music you
will be hearing when you go step
ping m the new spring outfit. Frilly
lacy blouses, frothy white lingerie
touches that give the feminine touch
never fail to call forth compliments
for the wearer, likewise the flowery
toques and <f>e ribbon-tied bonnets
(so new this season) and the bags
and the gloves and the jewelry that
are so high-color bright this season,
not forgetting to mention the gadget
frivolities that will adorn your
jacket lapel. They all spell youth
and flattery for the fashion-arrayed
during the coming spring and sum
mer.
The new suits especially* are de
signed with an eye for costume al
lure. Soft styling with beguiling
dressmaker touches keynote the en
tire current suit program. Having
acquired a suit that “does some
thing for you” (the new suits do
just that) the next move is to plunge
into a wild orgy of accessory shop
ping. Stop at nothing in the way of
high color and daring motif for fash
ion bids you to glamorize the pic
ture with a heart-smashing witchery
of eye-catching furbelows and
gadgets.
Note the spring costumes pic
tured. They were selected for illus
tration from among hundreds of
stunning fashions shown by the Style
Creators of Chicago at a recent pre
vue which dramatized the new
modes up to the ’nth degree of al
lure. The jacketed suit-costume
shown to the right verifies the style
message that tucks have become a
hobby with designers. Even the
new fabric or felt hats have sub
scribed to the present vogue for
tucks. Very new and smart is the
allover-tucked dress and many
frocks have fine tucked yokes and
sleeves. You will see handbags that
are tucked with gloves to match.
It’s tucks that impart unmistakable
chic to the jacketed costume to the
left in the picture. This charming
ensemble is made of tissue wool in
an entrancing lime green shade,
with horizontal tucking down the
front of the jacket. The dress, with
fitted waist, has a 16-gored skirt.
The Roman striped sailor worn with
it and the handbag to match are \
stunning.
Polka dots are staging a big re- |
vival. See the coat ensemble cen- J
tered in the group. Here you have i
the new navy and white craze in- i
terpreted at its most charming.
Also this costume is typical of the
new print-with-plain vogue that is
of tremendous importance. In this
instance as is true of the majority
of the print-plus-plain fashions, the
coat is lined with the print matched
to the dress.
The suit on the seated figure em
phasizes the use of checked wool,
for checks are as important as they
ever were and more so. A senti
mental touch is the heart-shaped
bag, which goes to show that un
usual handbags are exceedingly
chic this season, and when in gay
stripes as is this one style is mul
tiplied. Observe that mademoiselle
is wearing a sailor hat with her
striped tailleur, for there is nothing
smarter for this spring than a pert
sailor. Note the feather. Whimsi
cal feather novelties are very much
in evidence this season.
Speaking of hats, see the pretty
flower-trimmed toque above to the
right. The millinery picture is gay
with flowers this spring. You’ll
adore the new flower hats. Most of
them are flirtatiously veiled which
but adds to their piquancy and
charm.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
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Gypsy Influence
The gypsy influence is going
strong this season throughout fash
ion design. It reflects attractively
in this stunning spectator sports hat.
The Breton sailor of rough white
| straw is tied on with a scarf of hand
printed linen in yellow, black and
white, with the same print making
the crown and facing the brim.
Wide brimmed Bretons, either black
or navy straw or fabric, are listed
among the most fashionable for im
mediate wear.
Evening Ensembles
In Spring Wardrobe
Unlined full-length wool evening
coats worn with pastel chiffon eve
ning dresses are ensembles that will
find a place in many spring ward
robes. You’ll wear a coat of one
j color and a dress of another, the
| coat the stronger in tone.
Trousered Fashion
Reaches New High
Smart women all over the country
are going places in slack suits and
in pajama costumes. The idea that
slacks are strictly a sports fashion
no longer exists. According to the
present order of things it’s trouser
fashions when you work, when you
play, when you go dining, go mar
keting. do your housework, enter
tain at bridge, in fact slack and
pajama costumes have become a
round-the-clock theme. Stunning
new slack suits done in handsome
monotone pastel washable weaves
are making special appeal. These
are tailored to perfection. The spun
rayon types are also great favorites.
A trend toward longer jackets is
noticed in the later slack costumes.
These are styled with pleats, pock
ets and other effective details.
Watch the slack movement. The
developing of their widespread
vogue marks an epoch-making
event.
Jeweled Fantasies
Deck Spring Togs
Spring fashions call for jeweled
fantasies to adorn your lapel. Try
a pair of knitting needles with a
diamond set in the end of each to
flash when you do your knit-two
purl-two (for sunstruck resorts
where everyone knits in the gar
den, and big dinner parties where
everyone knits after a demitasse).
A flowered clip is always nice—
a spray of white and yellow roses
set in gold coils so they quiver, to
go with a tailored suit you like ao
well.
TEMPTING AND TOOTHSOME
(See Recipes Below)
Household Neurs
15
What Every Good Cook
Should Know
There are certain principles of
food preparation which every good
cook follows, whether or not she’s
conscious of doing so, or under
stands the reasons on which they
are based.
To be sure, every so often we find
a recipe which seemingly contra
diets every prin
i ciple of cookery
that has ever
been formulated,
and in spite of it,
produces an ex
cellent product. I
suppose that’s the
proverbial exception that proves the
rule! But in general, following defi
nite rules of cookery produces the
best results consistently.
There is, for example, a standard
method for mixing cakes. Then
there are revolutionary methods
such as that which is used in the
jiffy cake recipe below. But it’s
well to remember that the unusual
method which, in one recipe, gives
entirely satisfactory results, for an
other recipe may not work at all.
These are general rules (with an
exception to prove every one, I do
believe!) which the good cook fol
lows as a matter of habit:
1. When mixing butter cakes or
muffins, by the standard method,
cream shorten
ing, add sugar
gradually, then
egg yolks. Add
sifted dry ingre
dients and liquid,
alternately, be
ginning and end
ing with the dry
ingredients.
2. Unless a recipe specifies other
wise, mix only until the ingredients
are blended.
3. Cheese, egg and milk mixtures
require a low temperature for cook
ing. Too high a temperature is likely
to cause curdling.
4. When making pie crust, have
the ingredients as cold as possible.
5. When egg white is added to a
batter, it should be beaten until it
is stiff but not dry, and folded lightly
into the batter.
The recipes below will give you
excellent results, in spite of the fact
that they seem somewhat contradic
tory. But remember that the meth
ods have been developed for these
particular recipes, and they may not
work if applied to any other.
Grandmother’s Ginger Bread.
Vt cup sugar
xk cup shortening
1 cup molasses
2 Vt cups flour
2 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon cinnamon
Vt teaspoon cloves
Vt teaspoon ginger
2 teaspoons soda
xk teaspoon salt
1 cup hot water
Sift together all dry ingredients in
cluding sugar. Combine eggs, mo
lasses and hot water in which short
ening has been melted and add to
sifted mixture. Beat for 3 minutes.
Bake in 350-degree oven for 45 min
utes. Requires 9 by 9-inch pan.
Hot Water Pastry.
(Makes 1 pastry shell)
Vt cup shortening
V\ cup boiling water
1 Vie cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
Vt teaspoon baking powder
Place shortening in a warm bowl,
pour boiling water over it, and
cream thoroughly with a fork.
Place flour (measured after sifting
once), salt, and baking powder in
flour sieve and sift gradually into
the creamed shortening and water
mixture. Mix thoroughly. Make up
into a dough ball and chill thorough
ly. Roll out and arrange in pie tin.
Prick well. Bake in a hot oven (450
degrees) for approximately 12 min
utes.
Old Fashioned Jelly Roll.
5 eggs
1 cup sifted granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
Vt teaspoon salt
Beat the eggs until thick and lem
on-colored. Gradually beat in the
sifted sugar, and continue beating
until the mixture is very fluffy. Add
vanilla. Sift together the flour, bak
ing powder and salt, and fold into
the first mixture. Line a shallow
baking pan (about 10 by 16 by 1
inches) with greased waxed paper.
Spread batter evenly in the pan and
bake in a moderately hot oven (400
degrees) for 12 to 15 minutes. As
soon as the cake is removed from
the oven, turn it out on a towel which
has been wrung out of warm water.
Remove the paper, and trim off the
crisp edges of the cake. Roll up in
the towel. Let stand several min
utes, then unroll and spread with
filling. Roll again.
Custard Pie
2 cups milk
3 eggs
V\ teaspoon salt
5 tablespoons sugar
Scald milk. Beat the eggs light,
add sugar and salt, and mix care
fully. Add scalded milk. Strain
into a well-greased pie pan and bake
in a slow oven (300 degrees Fahren
heit) for about 40 minutes, or until
custard is firm. Bake a one-crust
pastry shell in a second pie tin ex
actly the same size as that used for
the custard pie. When the custard
and baked pie shell are both thor
oughly cooled, gently slip the cus
tard pie into the pie shell just be
fore serving. Note: This eliminates
the soggy pie crust so often found
in custard pies.
Jiffy Cake With Self Icing.
(Makes one 8-inch cake)
V* cup butter
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
Vi cup milk
1 teaspoon flavoring c:..
1 Vi cups flour (cake flour preferred)
\Vi teaspoons baking powder
V\ teaspoon salt
Soften the butter by creaming.
Then add sugar, unbeaten eggs.
milk, flavoring ex
tract, and the dry
ingredients which
have been sifted v
together. With a \
rotary beater or
electric mixer,
beat for 2 to 3
minutes, or until the batter is light
and very smooth. Pour into greased
pan 8 by 8 by 2 inches square, and
cover evenly with the following mix
ture:
% cup sweet chocolate (grated)
Vz cup nut meats (cut fine)
Bake in a moderate oven (350 de
grees Fahrenheit) for 35 to 40 min
utes.
Maple Syrup Muffins.
(Makes 12 muffins)
1 egg
lk cup milk
cup maple syrup
V\ cup butter (melted)
2 cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Ms teaspoon salt
Beat egg until very light and blend
with milk, syrup and melted butter.
Sift dry ingredients and add to first
mixture. Blend until the batter is
smooth. Pour into greased muffin
pans and bake in a moderately hot
oven (400 degrees) for about 20 min
utes.
Send for Your Copy of
‘Better Baking.’
Every good cook needs a copy of
Eleanor Howe's book, “Better Bak
ing”! This decidedly practical book
offers you a wealth of reliable, test
ed recipes—-recipes for cookies and
cakes, for bread and pastry; reej
pcs for every day and recipes for
special occasions, too.
Send 10 cents in coin, now, to get
your copy of “Better Baking.” Ad
dress your letter to “Better Bak
ing,” care Eleanor Howe, 919 North
Micigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.
(Released by Western Newspaper Union.)
