HARRISON, TYLER 



viding that the surplus revenue, which was thus sure 

 soon to accumulate, should be distributed among the 

 states. But the compromise act of 1833, in which Mr. 

 Tyler had played an important part, had provided that 

 the protective policy should come to an end in 1842. 

 Both on this ground, and because of the provisions 

 for distributing the surplus, the President vetoed the 

 new bill. Congress then devised and passed another 

 bill, providing for a tariff " for revenue, with incidental 

 protection," but still contemplating a distribution of 

 the surplus if there should be any. The President 

 vetoed this bill. Congress received the veto message 

 with indignation, and on the motion of John Quincy 

 Adams it was referred to a committee, which con- 

 demned it as an unwarrantable assumption of power, 

 and after a caustic summary of Mr. Tyler's acts since 

 his accession to office, concluded with a reference to 

 impeachment. This report called forth from the Pres- 

 ident a formal protest; but the victory was already 

 his. The Whigs were afraid to go before the country 

 in the autumn elections with the tariff question unset- 

 tled, and the bill was accordingly passed by both houses 

 without the distributing clause, and was at once signed 

 by the President. As a parting menace, the distribut- 

 ing clause was then passed in a separate bill, but a 

 " pocket veto " sufficed to dispose of it. Congress 

 adjourned August 31, 1842, and in the autumn elections 

 the Whig majority of 25 in the House of Representa- 

 tives gave place to a Democratic majority of 61. 



Here our story must for the present stop, with the 

 total overthrow of the Whig doctrines of paternal gov- 

 ernment. As the net result of twenty years of politi- 

 cal experience, since the election of John Quincy 



