John Tyler
After President William Henry Harrison passed away, John Tyler started his term as the 10th President of the United States. He was in office from 1841 to 1845 and he was the first person to take over a president who died in office. Basically, he was the first non-elected president. He expressed support for the right of the states to decide about slavery for themselves. He was later called “His Accidency” and people tried to impeach him to no avail. In the international sphere, Tyler wrote treaties with China and Britain.
Franklin Pierce
Franklin Pearce was the 14th President of the United States and he was, to say the least, rather controversial. A Democrat, he criticized the abolitionist movement and called it “a fundamental threat to the unity of the nation”. Nonetheless, Pearce signed the Kansas-Nebraska act which gave new territory residents the autonomy to decide on the slavery question.