C C INTRODUCTION
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A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS 
BY JAMES D. RICHARDSON 
John Tyler 
April 4, 1841, to March 4, 1845 

LETITIA CHRISTIAN, of Virginia, President Tyler's first wife, was extremely delicate, and lived scarcely two years after his inauguration. She was lovely and gentle, highly accomplished and beautiful, greatly beloved by her husband and family, but seldom seen in public. Therefore during his administration the White House had several mistresses. The duties of hostess sometimes devolved upon his married daughter, but were generally assumed by his daughter-in-law, Mrs. Robert Tyler, to whom were relegated the duties of permanent hostess until, in 1844, the President married Miss Julia Gardiner. The ceremony took place at the Church of the Ascension in New York City, and was the first instance of the marriage of a President, which fact excited intense interest throughout the United States. Mrs. Julia Tyler, for the remaining eight months of the term, filled her position creditably and gracefully. She died in 1889, having long outlived her husband.

TYLER
No president of the Republic has created greater extremes of opinion respecting his merits than John Tyler; and perhaps another generation must pass before his administration can be justly or impartially weighed. He came of an old English family, which settled in Virginia, in the early days of that colony, and he was the fifth John Tyler in the line of descent in his section of the State. Some have traced the family origin to Watt Tyler, the celebrated English agitator, who became famous by his rebellion near the close of the 14th Century. John Tyler seems to have foreseen even in his early manhood the inevitable clash to come between the slaveholding and non-slaveholding States. As a pro-slavery man he accepted and followed the lead of John C. Calhoun in the nullification branch of the Democratic party; and he soon became a power to be reckoned with in the politics of the country. His prominence was such that he was put on the ticket with General W. H. Harrison in 1840, when, the "Tippecanoe and Tyler" campaign developed into one of the most exciting episodes of American politics. This campaign produced a singular combination, the Whigs, the "National Republicans" and the "Democratic Republicans," uniting on a ticket incongruous in its candidates, but claimed with frantic enthusiasm, to represent the cherished views of both the North and the South.

Tyler was expected to uphold and conserve the tenets of the State-rights party, and to see that the Constitution was strictly construed in all matters affecting the institution of slavery.

In one month after the inauguration, General Harrison died, and Tyler became President. Instead of reorganizing the Cabinet on lines of his own, he adopted the policy of retaining the existing Cabinet, although many, and possibly all, of them felt more or less distrust of Mr. Tyler's fidelity to the platform on which the party had come into power. The truth is, that the combination ticket of Harrison and Tyler was the usual party trick, intended to unite discordant elements, and having the sole object of obtaining votes enough to insure success. Slavery agitation had already then become exciting if not violent. Harrison was recognized as an anti-slavery man, while Tyler was notoriously allied in sentiment with the extreme section of the pro-slavery party of the South. His nomination, therefore, in 1840, on the Whig ticket, was to reap the fruits of disaffection in the Democratic party rather than to make sure of fealty to Whig principles or to reward Mr. Tyler for any services rendered to that party.

When Tyler vetoed the National Bank Bill in 1841, his party abandoned him with curses and maledictions accompanied with unpardonable vehemence and violence.

In all other respects his administration proved to be eminently successful. A bankruptcy law, admittedly necessary to relieve the failures following the panic of 1837, was passed, and a tariff law looking to both revenue and protection was approved in 1842. Just before the expiration of his term in 1845, Texas was admitted into the Union with the mutual consent of the parties in interest, and on the true principles of peaceable and healthful expansion, under which the inhabitants of the new territory became at once clothed with every constitutional right, and the State itself took its place as an equal member of the federal union. The Northeastern boundary question which had long threatened the public peace was honorably and satisfactorily settled during his administration.

President Tyler's critics of that day aspersed his name with immoderate abuse and seem to have delighted in calumniating his character, but in the clearer light of subsequent history, it is admitted that much of this detraction may be fairly attributed to the smarting anguish of party disappointments, stimulated and aggravated by the fierce and unreasonable passions which disgraced the politics of that period.

It is now perfectly clear that the advantages of the independent treasury system, then recently adopted under the administration of Mr. Van Buren, are far better for both government and people than any benefits to be derived from the fiscal agencies of a national bank. Time, indeed, sets all things even. And Tyler's friends may now, with some justification, claim that his treason to party proved to be a blessing to his country.

When the great war of the Rebellion began in 1861, he came as a delegate from Virginia to a "Peace Convention" at Washington, with the vain hope of averting the horrors which he had already seen in the prophetic visions of his youth, but it was too late.

He returned home from his fruitless mission to join the fortunes of his State just then being hurried on with frantic zeal into a war more fruitless still.

John Tyler was not without faults, but he was better than many who, with shameless contumely, have aspersed his name.

He disregarded the behests of his party; and no man can survive this act of disobedience, however justified he may be in the eyes of God or of sensible men. The more ignorant or corrupt his party, the more swift and certain in his ruin.

The first Japanese Treaty.

Japan’s ports were closed to foreigners as late as the beginning of the second half of the nineteenth century, and mariners wrecked on her shores got short shrift. The natives refused to enter into commercial relations with any save their fellows. In 1832, 1845 and 1849 vessels were sent to establish commercial relations with Japan, but without avail. Finally, Commodore M. C. Perry, bearing instructions prepared by Secretary of State Daniel Webster, set sail in November 1852, with a respectable naval force, prepared to secure a treaty by persuasion, if possible, by force if necessary. He succeeded; two Japanese ports were opened to our trade.

The preceding picture shows Perry, attended by his marines and sailors, forcing an audience upon the authorities. See the articles entitled “Japan” and “Japan, Treaties with,” in the Encyclopedic Index for a full statement of the history of the nation and our relations with her.
THE DAYS OF FORTY-NINE IN CALIFORNIA.

Suiter's discovery of gold in 1848 could not be kept secret; by May of that year San Francisco was deserted by its male population. By March, 1849, more than seventeen thousand gold hunters had embarked at Atlantic and Gulf ports for California, intending either to make the seven-months' journey around Cape Horn, or, after landing in Panama, Nicaragua or Mexico, to cross overland to the Pacific and there re-embark. By May an equal number had begun the overland journey. San Francisco was their objective point. It was composed of a few old Mexican residences and a host of shacks, tents and shanties for the temporary accommodation of the hordes who made the town a stopping-place on their route to the El Dorado. Four or five hundred ships, whose crews and captains had caught the gold fever and had deserted, lay rotting in the harbor; cargoes of goods, unsuitable to the population but worth fortunes, were strewn on the beach; gold was the only currency in use, an ounce of it being worth $16; unskilled labor received $10 per diem, while carpenters and blacksmiths received $16; a candle cost $3; a shirt $40; a barrel of pork $210; a tin basin, $9. El Dorado, the chief, gambling tent, paid $40,000 a year rent; the Parker House, a two-story hotel, paid $120,000 a year rent. The law was meted out by an alcalde, who heard complaints, settled disputes and summoned juries. Punishments in the shape of fines, flogging, expulsion from the camps and death were awarded. Each man's right to his claim was carefully guarded.
See the article "California" in the encyclopedic index.

THE BATTLE OF CHAPULTEPEC. 
September 12 and 13, 1847.

By means of ladders, Scott's gallant storming-party, under severe fire constantly, swarmed over the walls of the castle of Chapultepec. It stood one hundred fifty feet above the plain on the summit of a hill; and in addition to the walls of the fortress proper, the Americans had to make their way through two other walls, which surrounded the entire building and were from twelve to fifteen feet high, with a ten-foot interval between them. Over their heads screamed the projectiles from the American artillery, while the Mexican gunners, under the direction of French experts, replied in kind. But after penetrating the outer walls, the troops rushed up their ladders into the fort itself, and after the kind of fighting shown in the picture, the Mexican flag came down and in its place fluttered Old Glory.

THE BATTLE  OF CHDRUBUSCO

On August 20, 1847, after the victory at Contreras, the Americans pursued the fleeing Mexicans to a small village called Churubusco. Here, at the head of the causeway running to Mexico City, and in front of a bridge over the Churubusco River, stood a strong redoubt. Inside the hamlet stood the convent church of San Pablo, its walls pierced for cannon and filled with munitions of war saved from the wreck at Contreras. Twelve thousand Mexicans under Santa Ana held the place. The redoubt at the bridge was carried, as shown in the illustration, at the point of the bayonet. For three hours the troops in the church held out, the stubbornness resistance being made by deserters from the American Army, who hauled down the white flag each time it was raised, knowing that escape was impossible and that capture meant court-martial and the gallows.

In the Encyclopedic Index, there is an article describing the action under the heading "Churubusco (Mexico), Battle of." Beneath is an entry directing the reader to a presidential reference to the victory.

SIEGE AND  CAPTURE  OF VERA  CRUZ
Gen. Winfield Scott reached the mouth of the Rio Grande in January, 1847. On March 9th 12,000 troops were landed near Vera Cruz. By March 13th the city and its island fortress, called the Castle of San Juan de Ulloa, which the Mexicans considered invulnerable, were thoroughly invested. On March 22d Scott was ready to commence the bombardment, and demanded the surrender of the city, called "the key to the country." The demand being refused, the artillerymen commenced to throw iron into the city, firing during the brief bombardment 6700 rounds of shot and shell. On March 26th overtures were made by the besieged, and on the 20th the place was handed over. Five thousand Mexicans marched out and laid down their arms, munitions and flags. One thousand Mexicans were killed and an indefinite number were wounded. The American forces lost only 80 men in killed and wounded.

John Tyler 
JOHN TYLER, second son of Judge John Tyler, governor of Virginia from 1808 to 1811, and Mary Armistead, was born at Greenway, Charles City County, Va., March 29, 1790. He was graduated at William and Mary College in 1807. At college he showed a strong interest in ancient history; was also fond of poetry and music, and was a skillful performer on the violin. In 1809 he was admitted to the bar, and had already begun to obtain a good practice when he was elected to the legislature. Took his seat in that body in December, 1811. Was here a firm supporter of Mr. Madison's Administration; and the war with Great Britain, which soon followed, afforded him an opportunity to become conspicuous as a forcible and persuasive orator. March 29, 1813, he married Letitia, daughter of Robert Christian, and a few weeks afterwards was called into the field at the head of a company of militia to take part in the defense of Richmond, threatened by the British. This military service lasted but a month. He was reelected to the legislature annually until, in November, 1816, he was chosen to fill a vacancy in the United States House of Representatives. Was reelected to the Fifteenth and Sixteenth Congresses. In 1821, his health being seriously impaired, he declined a reelection and retired to private life. In 1823 he was again elected to the Virginia legislature. Here he was a friend to the candidacy of William H. Crawford for the Presidency. In 1824 he was a candidate to fill a vacancy in the United States Senate, but was defeated. He opposed in 1825 the attempt to remove William and Mary College to Richmond, and was afterwards made successively rector and chancellor of the college, which prospered signally under his management. In December, 1825, he was chosen by the legislature to the governorship of Virginia, and in the following year was reelected by a unanimous vote. In December, 1826, the friends of Clay and Adams combined with the Democrats opposed to John Randolph and elected Mr. Tyler to the United States Senate. In February, 1830, after taking part in the Virginia convention for revising the State constitution, he returned to his seat in the Senate, and found himself first drawn toward Jackson by the veto message (May 27) upon the Maysville turnpike bill; supported Jackson in the Presidential election of 1832, but broke with the Administration on the question of the removal of the deposits from the United States Bank, and voted for Mr. Clay's resolution to censure the President. He was nominated by the State-rights Whigs for Vice-President in 1835, and at the election on November 8, 1836, received 47 electoral votes; but no candidate having a majority of electoral votes, the Senate elected Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky. The legislature of Virginia having instructed the Senators from that State to vote for expunging the resolutions of censure upon President Jackson, Mr. Tyler refused to obey the instructions, resigned his seat, and returned home February 29, 1836. On January 10, 1838, he was chosen president of the Virginia Colonization Society. In the spring of 1838 he was returned to the Virginia legislature. In January, 1839, he was a candidate for reelection to the United States Senate; the result was a deadlock, and the question was indefinitely postponed before any choice had been made. December 4, 1839, the Whig national convention, at Harrisburg, Pa., nominated him for Vice-President on the ticket with William Henry Harrison, and at the election on November 10, 1840, he was elected, receiving 234 electoral votes to 48 for Richard M. Johnson, of Kentucky. By the death of President Harrison April 4, 1841, Mr. Tyler became President of the United States. He took the oath of office on April 6. Among the more important events of his Administration were the "Ashburton treaty" with Great Britain, the termination of the Indian war in Florida, the passage of the resolutions by Congress providing for the annexation of Texas, and the treaty with China. On May 27, 1844, he was nominated for President at a convention in Baltimore, but although at first he accepted the nomination, he subsequently withdrew his name. On June 26, 1844, Mr. Tyler married Miss Julia Gardiner, of New York, his first wife having died September 9, 1842. After leaving the White House he took up his residence on his estate, Sherwood Forest, near Greenway, Va., on the bank of the James River. Was president of the Peace Convention held at Washington February 4, 1861. Afterwards, as a delegate to the Virginia State convention, he advocated the passage of an ordinance of secession. In May, 1861, he was unanimously elected a member of the provisional congress of the Confederate States. In the following autumn he was elected to the permanent congress, but died at Richmond January 18, 1862, before taking his seat, and was buried in Hollywood Cemetery, in that city.