Whig Nostalgia, cont.: The Best Thing You'll Read About John Tyler Today

John Tyler (U.S. President 1841-1845) is memorable for the following reasons:

1.) The Whig V.P. was playing marbles when he learned of his promotion to the presidency. (President William Harrison died after only a month in office.)

2.) His wife, Julia, was the only First Lady who insisted on being called, “Mrs. Presidentress.” While living in the White House, Julia received guests while seated on a raised platform with a wreath of flowers on her head.

3.) As president, Tyler was vilified for being a flip-flopper. To illustrate, this detail from an 1844 cartoon shows a tiny Tyler being held aloft in a procession. The man holding him up complains, "Bedad, I can't carry you [Tyler] if you turn with every flaw of wind."

How willing was Tyler to reverse course? He was the only president ever elected to political office for both the United States and an opposing government: The Confederacy.

Fifteen years after leaving the White House, Tyler threw in his support with the rebels and was elected to a seat in the Confederacy’s newly formed House of Representatives.

Then he died. Bedad!

My sources are here.

Campaign Blast from the Past: Whigging Out

Members of the late American political party known as the Whigs (1824-1854) were notorious for “treating” voters to a drink at election time. Party organizers would even hand out little whiskey jugs with the Whig candidate’s name on it so that foggy voters recalled who had gotten them drunk.

The spirit of spirits ran through many Whig campaigns, most famously with their 1840 presidential candidate, William Harrison (you know, the guy who died after a month in office?). Nicknamed “Old Tip-ler,” his opponents came up with an election ditty for him:

Hush-a-bye baby; Daddy’s a Whig
Before he comes home, Hard cider he’ll swig;
Then he’ll be tipsy and over he’ll fall;
Down will come Daddy, Tip, Tyler, and all.

I’ve been trying to think about what kind of political giveaways one could get away with in the 21st century. (Whiskey is out of the question, right?)

I believe there is only one pair of foodstuffs so virtuous, not even the most principled opponent could object: A free “marmalade and toast” event! Think of the songs they’d write for that.

*My sources are here.