John Tyler, the Accidental President

345 Pages·2006·1.72 MB·English

by  Edward P. Crapol

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JOHN TYLER
the Accidental President
JOHN
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THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA PRESS (cid:132)(cid:202)CHAPEL HILL
TYLER
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the
Accidental President
(cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132) (cid:202) (cid:132)
Edward P. Crapol
© 2006
The University of North Carolina Press
All rights reserved
This book was published with the assistance of
the William R. Kenan Jr. Fund of the University
of North Carolina Press.
Designed and typeset in Bodoni Book and
Torino by Eric M. Brooks
Manufactured in the United States of America
The paper in this book meets the guidelines
for permanence and durability of the Committee
on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity of
the Council on Library Resources.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Crapol, Edward P.
John Tyler, the accidental president/by Edward P. Crapol.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN-13: 978-0-8078-3041-3 (cloth: alk. paper)
ISBN-10: 0-8078-3041-0 (cloth: alk. paper)
1. Tyler, John, 1790–1862. 2. Presidents—United States—
Biography. 3. United States—Politics and government—
1841–1845. I. Title.
E397.C73 2006
973.5'092—dc22 2005037963
10 09 08 07 06 5 4 3 2 1
(cid:132) For my grandchildren
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CONTENTS
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(cid:202)(cid:132) Introduction 1
1 Forewarned, Forearmed 7
2 Visions of National Destiny 29
3 Defending Slavery 57
4 Avoiding War & Preserving Peace 89
5 Pacific Visions 129
6 Texas 175
7 Retirement & Secession 223
(cid:132) Conclusion: Precedents & Legacies 267
Notes 285
Bibliography 301
Acknowledgments 321
Index 323
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MAP & ILLUSTRATIONS
Map
The United States in 1840 24
Illustrations
Tippecanoe Log Cabin, Buffalo, New York 19
John Tyler, Governor of Virginia 40
Timoteo Haalilio 148
Timoteo Haalilio and William Richards 150
Pencil Sketch of Sherwood Forest 251
Proposed Meeting of Ex-Presidents 263
Let It Be Ever Thus with Traitors 274
Bookplate, Life of John Tyler 276