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West Wing Reports (edited by Paul Brandus)

@WestWingReport

9 Apr

An overjoyed Abraham Lincoln learned - this day in 1865 - that the South had surrendered, bringing the Civil War to a close. The Civil War remains by far the bloodiest war in U.S. history: 750,000 Americans were killed—the equivalent of 7.7 million Americans today (more)

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Robert E. Lee's surrender to Ulysses S. Grant is captured wonderfully in this painting by Gen. L.M.D. Guillaume. Occurred at McLean House Appomattox, VA - this day in 1865. America's worst war, mercifully, was over

The original Mercury 7 astronauts only appeared together in their space suits once: this day in 1959. In back, L-R: Shepard, Grissom, Cooper. Front: Schirra, Slayton, Glenn, Carpenter. (for PR purposes, Slayton and Glenn wore spray-painted work boots)

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West Wing Reports (edited by Paul Brandus)

@WestWingReport

9 Mar

Two presidents died on March 8. Millard Fillmore in 1874 was the first. The 13th president (1850-53) and sixth in nine years, he was the last Whig POTUS, and regarded as one of the worst for his failure to heal the deepening north-south divide over the issue of slavery (more)

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Fillmore earned his fate as one of the worst presidents for his support of the Fugitive Slave Act (1850), which required that all escaped slaves, if captured, be returned to their masters—and that officials and citizens of free states had to cooperate with this law (more)

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Abolitionists called the Fugitive Slave Act the “Bloodhound Law” for the dogs that were used to track down runaway slaves. After his presidency, Fillmore opposed Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War

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West Wing Reports (edited by Paul Brandus)

@WestWingReport

6 Mar

Mini-Thread
March 6th played a big role in the decades-long buildup to the Civil War. This day in 1820, James Monroe signed the Missouri Compromise, which admitted Missouri to the Union as a slave state, but Maine and part of Massachusetts as a free state (more)

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The bill banned slavery in territories north of a line drawn at Missouri’s southern boundary—except in Missouri itself. It was also an attempt to equalize the number of slave-holding states and free states in the country (more)

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Although President Monroe did not support limiting slavery, he backed the Missouri Compromise because he thought it would help keep the Union together. The Missouri Compromise was largely the work of Kentucky Senator Henry Clay, “the Great Compromiser.” (more)

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West Wing Reports (edited by Paul Brandus)

@WestWingReport

5 Mar

James Monroe was inaugurated for his second term as the fifth president - this day 1821 (not Mar. 4, which was a Sunday)

Zachary Taylor was inaugurated as the 12th president - this day 1849. He would die after just a year and a half in office (perhaps because of the bad White House water supply)

Rutherford B. Hayes was sworn in publicly - this day 1877. He had actually been sworn in three days before, in a secret White House ceremony because there were fears of a coup against the government

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West Wing Reports (edited by Paul Brandus)

@WestWingReport

28 Feb

A close call for President Tyler, this day in 1844. As he president hosted a pleasure cruise along the Potomac River on the U.S.S. Princeton, a cannon exploded during a demonstration, killing eight people, including the Secretary of State and Secretary of the Navy (more)

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The daughter of one victim later became Tyler’s wife. Julia Gardiner was 34 years younger than the 54-year old president. Tyler’s first wife Letitia, had died in 1842

The explosion that nearly killed a president - but led him to his second wife. Here's an excerpt from "Under This Roof,' the 2015 book by WWR's Paul Brandus: amazon.com/gp/product/149…

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West Wing Reports (edited by Paul Brandus)

@WestWingReport

27 Feb

Leadership:
Abraham Lincoln’s Cooper Union address - this day in 1860 - outlined the platform of the Republican Party, notably its no-compromise stance on slavery. The speech vaulted Lincoln into the frontrunner’s position for the Republican presidential nomination (more)

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Of course, it's hardly necessary to note that the Republican party that attracted the likes of great men like Lincoln, (Theodore) Roosevelt and Eisenhower hasn't existed for quite sometime. Quite blasphemous for those who call themselves "Republicans" today

The 22nd Amendment to the Constitution was ratified this day in 1951 - limiting presidents to two terms in office. It was passed after the death of Franklin D. Roosevelt—who was elected to the presidency four times

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