Description:

Tyler (President) John



Vice President John Tyler ALS--very rare!



1p ALS inscribed overall and signed by then Vice President John Tyler (1790-1862) as “John Tyler” at center right. The watermarked cream blue-lined paper is embossed "Satin" in an upper left hand corner cartouche and has two hole punches along the left edge. In near fine condition with expected light paper folds. Measures 8" x 10".



Vice President Tyler wrote an unknown correspondent, probably Secretary of War John Bell (1796-1869), on March 15, 1841. He wrote: "I cordially unite with Govr Gilmer in the wishes he expresses on the opinion entertained by him relative to Mr Pleasants - If the Secretary of War can meet his views I am certain that Mr Pleasants will be an acquisition to the service. John Tyler, March 15. 1841."



Since John Tyler only served about 30 days as Vice President, any correspondence from this period is very rare. ABPC and other sources report only a few  other letters  appearing on the market in the past 30 years.



Tyler had been the rather forgettable running mate of 9th U.S. President William Henry Harrison (1773-1841). Most historians concede that Tyler was chosen because he could appeal to the Southern voting bloc. Tyler was not very involved during his month-long vice presidency; he did not assist Harrison with cabinet nominations, or even reside in Washington, D.C. during Harrison's brief term.



President Harrison was inaugurated on March 4, 1841 and died of pneumonia on April 4, 1841, the first instance that an elected U.S. President had not finished his term. Subsequently, there was much debate about constitutional procedure. Tyler asserted his rights to assume the full duties and privileges of the presidency following Harrison's death, even though he had not been elected per se. Critics and opponents considered Tyler nothing but Acting President, questioned his mandate, and derogatively called him “His Accidency."



The "Govr Gilmer" referred to in this letter was Thomas W. Gilmore (1802-1844). Gilmore was just wrapping up his year-long tenure as Governor of Virginia before transitioning to the U.S. House of Representatives, where he would support Tyler's Texas annexation agenda. President Tyler later appointed Gilmore Secretary of the Navy. On February 28, 1844, just ten days into his term as Secretary of the Navy, Gilmer was 1 of 6 killed in an explosion aboard the screw steam warship U.S.S. Princeton. About 400 passengers, including President Tyler and other dignitaries, had boarded the vessel for a pleasure cruise down the Potomac River. During a demonstration of "Peacemaker," one of its massive 12" muzzle loading cannon, the hastily installed armament exploded. President Tyler lost 2 of his cabinet members that day, as Secretary of State Abel P. Upshur (1790-1844) was also killed.



During Tyler's presidency, he alienated many with his ideas and policies, and was in fact disowned by his own political party, the Whigs. Tyler identified with strict constructionists and states’ rights Southerners, alliances which deepened sectionalism prior to the Civil War.



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