HEADS OF THE DEPARTMENTS.
| Abel P. Upshur, | Virginia, | January 2, | 1844, | Secretaries of State. |
| John C. Calhoun, | South Carolina, | March 6, | 1844, | |
| Walter Forward, | Pennsylvania, | September 13, | 1841, | Secretaries of Treasury. |
| John C. Spencer, | New York, | March 3, | 1843, | |
| George M. Bibb, | Kentucky, | June 15, | 1844, | |
| John C. Spencer, | New York, | December 20, | 1841, | Secretaries of War. |
| James M. Porter, | Pennsylvania, | March 8, | 1843, | |
| William Wilkins, | Pennsylvania, | February 15, | 1844, | |
| Abel P. Upshur, | Virginia, | September 13, | 1841, | Secretaries of the Navy. |
| David Henshaw, | Massachusetts, | July 24, | 1843, | |
| Thomas W. Gilmer, | Virginia, | February 15, | 1844, | |
| John Y. Mason, | Virginia, | March 14, | 1844, | |
| Charles A. Wickliffe, | Kentucky, | September 13, | 1841, | Postmaster General. |
| Hugh S. Legare, | South Carolina, | September 13, | 1841, | Attorneys General. |
| John Nelson, | Maryland, | January 2, | 1844, | |
| John Y. Mason, | Virginia, | March 5, | 1845, |
The bereavement which the nation had experienced, seemed to demand from it a solemn recognition of the Divine Providence in the sad event. Accordingly, Mr. Tyler very properly appointed a day of public humiliation, fasting, and prayer, to be observed throughout the land, in token of its sense of the Divine judgment, and, as a means of securing the continuance of the Divine favor. This was well received, and the day was religiously observed throughout our widely-extended country.
In the room of an inaugural address, President Tyler made an official declaration, in a published document, of the principles and general course of policy which he intended should mark his administration. These, as summarily expressed, were generally satisfactory to his political friends.
The principal measures and events of President Tyler's administration will be noticed in the following order:
| Extra Session of Congress, | Annexation of Texas, |
| Relations with Great Britain, | Character of Mr. Tyler's |
| Settlement of the N. E. Boundary, | Administrat'n, |
| Difficulties in Rhode Island, | Celebration of Bunker's hill |
| Modification of the Tariff, | Monument, |
| Treaties, | Presidential Canvass. |
Extra Session of Congress.—A few days before his death, General Harrison had issued his proclamation for an extra session of congress, to be held on the 31st of May, 1841, principally on account of the condition of the revenue and finances of the country. These were suffering, in consequence of the character of the events that had taken place. The revenue was insufficient to support the government, and the currency of the country was greatly disordered. Congress assembled, in conformity to the proclamation, and engaged in the grave and urgent business to which their attention had been called.
Several important acts were passed at this session, among which were—the establishment of a uniform system of bankruptcy, a measure which seemed imperiously required for the relief of more than half a million of debtors, who otherwise had no prospect of paying their debts—a bill providing for the distribution of the net proceeds of the public lands among the states, according to their respective population on the federal representative scale—also, the repeal of the sub-treasury law, which had been adopted towards the close of Mr. Van Buren's administration—and an act imposing duties of twenty per cent. on the value of all articles of import not expressly excepted therein.
Congress, at this time, passed a bill having in view the establishment of a national bank, which, however, Mr. Tyler saw fit to veto, notwithstanding, in his first message, he had recommended a bank of some kind. The bill, which the president set aside, chiefly, as he alleged, from his doubts as to its accordance with the constitution, contained, in the view of its framers, a compromise sufficient to overcome his constitutional objections to a bank. But having, in his veto-message, shadowed forth a fiscal agent, such as was believed he might approve, a bill, in agreement therewith, was framed and adopted; yet this also he vetoed; and there not being a constitutional majority in its favor, it was lost. This was a result, in both cases, sufficiently mortifying to the political party which had raised him to power. To the friends of a national bank, the disappointment was extreme. Great excitement prevailed, and all of Mr. Tyler's cabinet, except Mr. Webster, resigned.