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Tyler Vetoes

The Whigs held high hopes for Tyler’s presidency, but were soon disappointed. Henry Clay guided a legislative program from the Senate, brought the president bills to reconstitute the Bank of the United States and provide funding for an array of internal improvement programs; these measures were tersely vetoed by Tyler. Outrage at this rejection of Whig initiatives was so strong that mobs marched on the White House; stones were thrown and windows broken. Tyler remained calm and armed the White House staff. The mob dispersed without doing further damage. Tyler was completely unmoved. Clay reworked a Bank bill and again submitted to the president. Again it was vetoed. John Tyler became the first president to have his veto overturned by Congress when a minor bill regarding revenue cutters, which he had vetoed, was passed again by Congress on March 3, 1845, by the required 2/3 vote in each house.