Title:  A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents:  Tyler Section 2 (of 3) of Volume 4:  John Tyler

Author:  Compiled by James D. Richardson

Release Date:  May 28, 2004 [EBook #12464]

Language:  English

Character set encoding:  ASCII

*** Start of this project gutenberg EBOOK papers of the presidents:  Tyler ***

Produced by Juliet Sutherland, David Garcia and the Online Distributed
Proofreading Team.

A COMPILATION OF THE MESSAGES AND PAPERS OF THE PRESIDENTS

BY JAMES D. RICHARDSON

John Tyler

April 4, 1841, to March 4, 1845

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