"He favored the typical position of Democrats on what we could call domestic policy, which is ‘that government is best which governs least.' So the less federal domestic policy you have trying to generate economic growth or improve society or whatever, the better."

　　In comparison, many Whig Party members firmly supported the ideas of a national bank, a protective tax on imports, and federal spending to improve transportation in the states. Tyler was just as firmly against these ideas.

　　At the same time, many Democrats did not like the president either.

　　"Most Democrats regarded him as a traitor who had jumped from the Jackson party and joined the Whigs, however temporarily."

　　John Tyler, the 10th president of the United States, 1841-1845, is shown in this undated illustration. (AP Photo)

　　Michael Holt says even Tyler's appearance made him seem difficult and unpleasant.

　　"You look at this guy and he's sort of aesthetically thin, and with sunken cheeks, and a long pointed nose. He just looks like he's unhappy with the world."

　　Support for National Bank Costs Tyler Support

　　President Tyler quickly became even more unpopular over the issue of a new national bank. He wanted to establish such a bank in the nation's capital, Washington, DC. The national bank could open offices in a state, but only if the state approved.

　　Tyler's proposal was not the kind of bank most Whigs in Congress supported. They wanted no limits of any kind on the power of a national bank to open offices anywhere in the country.

　　Whigs in Congress suggested a compromise: bank offices would be permitted in any state where the state legislature did not immediately refuse permission.
But President Tyler vetoed the compromise. He sent the bank bill back to Congress.

　　The congressmen wrote another bill. They said it was exactly what the president wanted. But the president did not agree. He said the states must have the right to approve or reject bank offices.

　　He said this second bill would also be vetoed unless changes were made in it. The changes were not made. And Tyler did as he said he would do. He vetoed it.

　　The decision created a crisis in the cabinet. All the president's advisors but one — Daniel Webster — resigned.

　　Michael Holt says that, several days later, most cabinet members and a large group of other Whig congressmen voted to expel Tyler from the party.

　　"And they read this paper saying he's no Whig, don't blame us for all his vetoes."

　　Harrison appointed a new cabinet of Whigs he hoped would be more friendly to him. But after a while, they too resigned. Michael Holt says Tyler made more changes in his cabinet than any other U.S. president.

　　Tyler Faces Other Crises

　　President Tyler struggled with his party over other issues. One was about import taxes.

　　Two years into Tyler's presidency, the government found itself short of money. It was spending more than it had. Congress decided that import taxes should be raised, some even higher than 20 percent.

　　But President Tyler vetoed the bill. He said it was wrong to raise the tax so high and, at the same time, continue to give the states money from land sales. He said the federal government itself needed the land-sale money.

　　Michael Holt says once again, the Whigs were angry. Their party controlled both houses of Congress and the White House, but they could not reach their goals.

　　"The Whigs were elected with this agenda that they wanted Congress to pass, that they had promised would rescue the country from a very serious depression. And this included a new national bank, higher tariffs, distribution of federal revenues from public land sales."

　　President Tyler, he adds, frustrated the entire Whig legislative program.

　　It was clear the Whigs would not nominate him for the next election. So Tyler turned his attention to the Democrats. He hoped they would ask him to be their presidential candidate in 1844.