Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/84

58 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS the lead of John Randolph, became thus united with the Jacksonians, while others, of whom Mr. Tyler was one of the most distinguished, main tained a certain independence in opposition. It is to be set down to Mr. Tyler s credit that he never attached any importance to the malicious story, be lieved by so many Jacksonians, of a corrupt bar gain between Adams and Clay. Soon after the meeting of the Virginia legislature, in December, 1826, the friends of Clay and Adams combined with the opposite party who were dissatisfied with Randolph, and thus Mr. Tyler was elected to the U. S. senate by a majority of 115 votes to 110. Some indiscreet friends of Jackson now attempted to show that there must have been some secret and reprehensible understanding between Tyler and Clay; but this scheme failed completely. In the senate Mr. Tyler took a conspicuous stand against the so-called "tariff of abominations" enacted in 1828, which Benton, Van Buren, and other prom inent Jacksonians, not yet quite clear as to their proper attitude, were induced to support. There was thus some ground for the opinion entertained at this time by Mr. Tyler, that the Jacksonians were not really strict constructionists. In Feb ruary, 1830, after taking part in the Virginia con vention for revising the state constitution, Mr. Tyler returned to his seat in the senate, and found himself first drawn toward Jackson by the veto