WHEN PRESIDENT John Tyler accepted an invitation to the launch of the USS Princeton on the Potomac River at Alexandria on Feb. 28, 1844, he had no inkling of what was in store. The launch of a major U.S. Navy warship and the demonstration of the world's largest naval gun were great reasons to celebrate. Tyler could never have anticipated that the day would end in both tragedy and romance.
The first vice president ever to become president--when President William Henry Harrison died in office--Tyler was dubbed the "Accidental President" and opinion was divided on how much power he should assume. When he used the presidential veto to block the creation of a U.S. Central Bank his entire Cabinet resigned (except Secretary of State Daniel Webster, who stayed on for a year to complete the treaty with Britain settling the Maine-Canada border). Tyler immediately assembled a new Cabinet.
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