JOHN TYLER.

TH

HE Tyler family of Virginia trace their lineage back to the reign of Richard II, king of England. The one prominent member of the family at that time was Wat Tyler, who headed an insurrection that had for its object a recognition of the rights of the people, in whose cause he lost his life. John Tyler, grandfather of the tenth President of the United States, was marshal of the colony of Virginia, under the king, and served as such until his death. His son, also named John, early espoused the cause of the colonies, aud was outspoken in his opinions, which called from his father the expression that he would some day be hung as a rebel. This prophecy was never fulfilled, for, although he became prominent in the colony in his advocacy of the cause of independence, instead of being elevated by means of a rope, he was eventually elevated to the office of governor of the state. The patrimonial estate was situated in and about Williamsburg, and comprised a large tract of country. The Tyler manor house was in James City, and from this the young man removed to Charles City county, some time in 1775, and soon after was elected to a seat in the Virginia house of delegates. As a member of the legislative body of the colony, his course was marked by zeal and fearlessness in the advocacy of the boldest measures of revolution. An accomplished lawyer, by the practice of his profession he added to the large fortune left him by his father, all of which he devoted to the cause of freedom; and the close of the war found him impoverished in estate. Recognizing and appreciating the sacrifices he had made, the legislature successively elected him speaker of the house of delegates, governor of the state, and judge in the higher courts. Immediately on the declaration of war in 1812, he was appointed, by President Madison, judge of the federal court of admiralty, which office he administered with ability until his death, which occurred in February, 1813.

Judge Tyler left three sons, Wat, John, and William. John Tyler, afterward tenth President of the United States, was born in Charles City county, Virginia, March, 29, 1790. When twelve years of age, he entered the college of William and Mary, and at the age of seventeen was graduated with honor, delivering at the annual commencement an address on "Female Education," that called from the audience lively expressions of approbation. During the latter part of his college course, he entered upon the study of law, which he pursued for two years with his father, and afterward for a time with Governor Edmund Randolph. When but nineteen years of age he was admitted to practice at the courts, and at once entered upon a career of success that in a few months placed him at the head of the younger members of the bar, and far in advance of many his elders. in the profession. Within a year after engaging in practice he was solicited to accept a nomination to the state legislature, which he at that time declined. A few days after attaining his majority, in 1811, by a unanimous vote he was elected to a seat in the house of delegates. So satisfactorily did he represent his constituents that he was successively elected to the legislature five times, on one occasion receiving all but five of the votes polled in his county. During the first year of Mr. Tyler's service in the legislature, Senator Brent, who had been instructed by the legislature to vote against the renewal of the charter of the United States bank, refused to be governed by his instructions, and so registered his vote. Mr. Tyler introduced into the house of delegates a resolution of censure, in which he strongly condemned the course pursued by the senator, and estalished the principle that any person who shall accept of an election as senator of the United States shall tacitly admit the binding force of instructions from the state legislature.

While yet a member of the legislature, during the session of 1815-16, Mr. Tyler was elected a member of the executive council, and thus served until November, 1816, when occurred a vacancy in the house of represen-. tatives of the United States, caused by the death of Hon. John Clapton. Two candidates were proposed in the district of Richmond-Mr. Stevenson and Mr. Tyler. The former was very popular in Richmond, and the result depended altogether on personal popularity. The contest was close, resulting in the election of Mr. Tyler by a majority of only about thirty votes. In congress he was outspoken in his advocacy of state rights, and invariably voted in opposition to any proposition which admitted the power of the general government, under the constitution, to engage in internal improvements. In pursuing this course he was but following in the footsteps of many distinguished Virginians, who, in the consideration of the constitution, had opposed the adoption of that instrument, as in a great degree interfering with the inherent rights of states; and after its adoption insisted on a strict construction of its provisions. Investigation of the affairs

of the United States bank being before congress, Mr. Tyler was appointed one of a committee for that purpose. In the course of his speech upon the report of the committee he avowed his belief that the incorporation of the bank was unconstitutional. The service of Mr. Tyler in congress was continued in 1819, by a reëlection, no opposing candidate being brought forward. In the discussion of the Missouri question he opposed any restrictions regarding slavery; and in the revision of the tariff argued against the imposition of any duties for protection. As a member of the committee on ways and means he allowed himself no time for rest, and in consequence was compelled by ill health to resign before completing the term for which he had been elected.

Retiring to his farm in Charles City county, immediately after the acceptance of his resignation, he devoted some time to recruiting his health, which being established, he engaged in the practice of his profession. Not long was he suffered to attend to his private business. In 1823 he was solicited to accept a seat in the state legislature, to which he was elected with little opposition; and soon took position as a leader in that body. Twice elected to the house of delegates, he was enthusiastic in support of the cause of internal improvements by the state, and successively overcame opposition to the constitution of canals and roads that eventually became of vast and lasting importance.

His second term as member of the house of delegates was but just terminated when he received the unexpected and unsolicited election as governor of the state, which office was conferred upon him by the two houses of the legislature, there being on joint ballot, for Tyler, one hundred and thirty-one votes; for Floyd, eighty-one; scattering, two. In the office of governor he still devoted much time to the subject of internal improvements; he also labored to settle the sectional differences that had arisen in some parts of the state. During his term as governor occurred the death of Thomas Jefferson, many of whose principles Mr. Tyler had up to this time followed; in July, 1826, he delivered an eulogy on Mr. Jefferson, in the capital square at Richmond. Again did the legislature elect Mr. Tyler governor, this time by an unanimous vote. However, he was not suffered to occupy the chair of state throughout the term. The term of service of John Randolph as senator was about expiring, and the erratic course of that gentleman during the last few years of his service in the senate had convinced many that he was no longer a suitable representative of the interests of Virginia. The friends of Governor Tyler pressed him to become a candidate, to which he demurred, saying, in a letter written a short time before the election: "I have constantly opposed myself to all solicitations. I desire, most earnestly, to be left at peace. There is no motive which could induce me to seek to change my present station for a seat in the senate at this time. I cannot admit that to be one in a body

of forty-eight members is to occupy a more elevated station than that presented in the chief magistracy of Virginia. My private interests, intimately connected with the good of my family, are more highly sustained by remaining where I am than by the talked-of change." Notwithstanding his expressed opposition to an election, he was considered a candidate, and was elected senator, the vote on the first ballot being: Tyler, one hundred and fifteen; Randolph, one hundred and ten. In accepting the office of senator, Mr. Tyler said to the committee appointed to notify him of his election: "Be pleased, gentlemen, to bear to your respective houses my most profound acknowledgments for this distinguished testimonial of their confidence; convey to them renewed assurances of my unshaken allegiance to the constitution, as received and expounded by our fathers; say to them that if I carry with me into the national councils less of talent than many of my predecessors, yet that, in singleness of purpose, and in ardent devotion to the principles of civil liberty, I yield to none. If Virginia has changed her representative, her principles remain unaltered. Be assured that the only and highest aspiration of my ambition consists in the desire of promoting the happiness of my native state, and that it shall be the untiring effort of my life to advance and vindicate her interests.

At this period in his life, Mr. Tyler, was held in high regard by the people of Virginia, in witness whereof is quoted an extract from the Richmond Enquirer, a paper devoted to the interests of John Randolph. In regretting his failure of reëlection, and enumerating the causes that led to such results, the paper said: "Yet even this combination could not have succeeded in favor of any other man in the commonwealth than John Tyler, because he carried with him personal friends who would have voted for John Randolph in preference to any other man than himself." The election of Mr. Tyler as senator was approved throughout the state. On his resignation of the office of governor, March 3, 1827. Mr. Tyler, with a large part of the legislature, was complimented by the citizens of Richmond with a public dinner. On the third of December he took his seat in the senate, an avowed opponent of the administration of President Adams. Previous to the election an adherent of William H. Crawford in his candidacy for President, when the election was thrown into the house of representatives, and Andrew Jackson was likely to receive the honors,he, with others, acquiesced in the movement giving to Adams the election. Soon after the delivery of the inaugural by Mr. Adams, he changed his views, and thereafter, during his administration, opposed his every measure. His opposition in the senate to the administration of President Adams was limited to three months' duration. On the fourth of March, 1829, Andrew Jackson was inaugurated President. In general, Mr. Tyler endorsed Jackson's administration, although he did not always coincide with his views regarding appointments. Holding, as he did, to a strict construction of the con