the Democratic party; while Van Buren came to be looked upon as indifferent to the sufferings of the people and as taking care only of the government's money (by the Independent Treasury Act). The people were determined to turn the "Little Magician" out of office. CHAPTER XXV THE HARRISON-TYLER ADMINISTRATION WHIG-1841-1845 446. Harrison and Tyler Are Elected. In this election of 1840 William Harrison, the Whig "Log Cabin Candidate,' was elected President by a majority of one hundred and seventy-four votes over Van Buren, the Democratic nominee. John Tyler was chosen Vice-president. The campaign of 1840 stands out in marked contrast to all preceding ones because of its appeals to the passions of the multitude. For months the people gave themselves up to noisy and unreasoning partisanship. "Down with Van Burenism!"' was the cry. The contemptuous statement of a Democratic editor that Harrison would be more in his element in his log cabin, drinking hard cider, and skinning "coons" than in the White House, was promptly taken up by the Whigs. In their outdoor meetings and long processions, a log cabin on wheels, containing barrels of cider and live "coons,' was always a conspicuous object, while "Tippecanoe and Tyler too" became the striking watchword. At a Democratic meeting, held in New York (1835), in the midst of a scene of contest and confusion, the lights were suddenly extinguished. Prepared for the emergency the men of the opposition had provided themselves with candles and locofoco matches; hence the name Locofocos, as applied to a faction of the Democratic party. Harrison (1773-1841), a native of Virginia, and the son of Benjamin Harrison, a signer of the Declaration of Independence, was the hero of Tippecanoe and of the victory on the Thames (1812). He had been Governor of Indiana Territory and had served in turn as Representative and Senator in the United States Congress. Yet he had not been considered a national statesman in any sense. He was, however, earnest and straightforward, and a man of the people. For a number of years he had taken no part in public life; in fact, at the time of his election he was attending to the affairs of his farm in Ohio. 447. Work Confronting the New Administration-Harrison Dies. As may be inferred from the events of the last presidency, Harrison assumed the duties of office under trying conditions. Both government and people were in real distress. An extra session of Congress was necessary to devise measures of relief as speedily as possible. Henry Clay had prepared a list of measures which included: (a) the repeal of the Independent Treasury Act; (d) the laying of permanent tariff duties. The excitement and fatigue of the campaign and the difficulties attendant upon dealing with a mad rush of office seekers proved too much for even Harrison's vigorous and toughened frame. He died suddenly, just one month after his inauguration, in his sixty-ninth year. 448. Embarrassment of the Whig Party. The office of President now fell to Tyler. Thus, for the first time in the history of our country, the Vice-president succeeded to the presidency upon the death of his chief. The Whigs found themselves in a novel and most embarrassing situation. Instead of a President who was a real Whig, they had one who was in truth a Democrat, except in a few particulars. Tyler for a time, however, retained Harrison's cabinet, which was made up of loyal Whigs, led by the great Whig champion, Daniel Webster, as Secretary of State. 449. Clay's Program in Congress. Though Clay had serious misgivings concerning the new President, he nevertheless came forward with his program, and a bill repealing the Inde pendent Treasury Act was passed without difficulty. Two bank bills in succession were introduced and passed both houses. of Congress. It was now that Tyler proved himself no Whig. He promptly vetoed both bills on constitutional grounds, and the Whigs had not the necessary two-thirds vote to pass it over his veto. The Whig leaders were furious and every member of the cabinet resigned, with the exception of Webster, who remained to complete a negotiation begun with Great Britain. The immediate needs of the Treasury were provided for by a loan, and a new tariff measure, which increased the duties, was passed (1842), but not until after two other tariff bills had been vetoed by the President. Though the Whig program for the most part had been carried out, all efforts to carry the bank measure proved futile, and the breach between the President and his party became open. Clay resigned from the Senate. 450. Webster-Ashburton Treaty. By an agreement between Webster and Lord Ashburton, a treaty was signed (1842) at Washington, by which: (a) the long disputed boundary line between Maine and Canada was fixed, and the line as far west as the Lake of the Woods likewise defined; (b) our fishing rights in British waters were renewed; (c) each nation (Great Britain and the United States) was to keep an armed squadron cruising off the African coast in order to suppress the slave trade; (d) terms for the extradition of criminals were agreed upon. 451. Dorr's Rebellion. Rhode Island was still governed by its colonial charter. Under it no man was allowed to vote unless he held real estate worth one hundred and thirty-four dollars, or property renting for seven dollars a year, or was the eldest son of such a "freeman." An attempt of the people to secure a more liberal state constitution (1842) ended in the so-called Dorr Rebellion. The "people's party," headed by Thomas W. Dorr, proceeded to seize the state property by force and to set up a government under a new constitution. Tyler sent United States troops into the state to uphold the old government. Dorr was convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for life, but was eventually pardoned. Later a more liberal constitution was adopted. 452. Anti-Rent Trouble. The large estates, or manors which had been created during the early history of New York had by this time increased greatly in value. Some of the tenants (at first only those on the Van Rensselaer patroonship) refused to pay their rent. Furthermore, (1844) they tarred and feathered those of their fellow-tenants who paid their rents, and resisted and even killed the officers sent to serve warrants on them. Order was ultimately restored by the state militia and by the judicious measures of the governor. In time, most of the landed estates were sold to the tenants. 453. The First Electric Telegraph. Samuel F. B. Morse, after four years of effort, finally received from Congress a grant of thirty thousand dollars for the purpose of erecting an experimental telegraph line between Baltimore and Washington (forty miles). The first message, "What hath God wrought," proved the success of an invention which today covers the United States like a network. The first public message was the announcement of the nomination of James K. Polk for the presidency by a Democratic convention. 454. Native American Riots. The native American party provoked a dreadful riot in Philadelphia (1844). An army of ruffians, hounded on by pulpit harangues of fanatical ministers, destroyed two Catholic churches, a house of the Sisters of Charity, the valuable library of the Augustinian Fathers, and a number of private dwellings occupied by Catholics. A similar riot in New York was prevented by the firmness of Bishop Hughes, the champion of Catholicity and Catholic education in the state. Through the influence of his fiery eloquence, the New York Catholics publicly declared that if the |