Succession Crisis
Poor Thomas Marshall. He served two terms as Woodrow Wilson's vice-president, but when Wilson experienced a severe stroke that incapacitated him from carrying out the duties of the presidency, people thought too little of Marshall to suggest that he take the helm of the ship of state.
President Wilson experienced a mild stroke in September 1919. On October 2, he was struck by a much more severe stroke that left him partially paralyzed and almost certainly incapacitated. Wilson's closest adviser, Joseph Tumulty, didn't believe that Vice-President Marshall would be a suitable president and took precautions to prevent him from assuming the presidency. Wilson's wife Edith strongly disliked Marshall because of what she called his "uncouthed" disposition, and she was quick to join in on the plan to shut Marshall out of power.
Tumulty and Mrs. Wilson believed that an official communication from Wilson's staff on his condition would allow Marshall to trigger the constitutional mechanism allowing him to become acting president, so they made sure that no such communication occurred. When Marshall demanded to know Wilson's status so that he could prepare for the possibility of becoming president, a reporter from the Baltimore Sun informed him that Wilson was near death. Marshall later said that "it was the first great shock of my life", but without an official communication on Wilson's condition, he didn't believe he could constitutionally assume the presidency.
On October 5, Secretary of State Robert Lansing was the first cabinet member to propose that Marshall assertively assume the presidency. Other members of the cabinet backed Lansing's request, as did Congressional leaders from both parties who sent private communications to Marshall. Marshall was timid about accepting their offers of support. After consulting with his wife and with his long-time personal adviser, Mark Thistlethwaite, he privately refused to assume Wilson's duties and become Acting President of the United States. Marshall waned Wilson to voluntarily allow his powers to devolve to the vice president, but that was impossible given Wilson's condition and his dislike for Marshall.
Marshall informed the cabinet that the only circumstances in which he would assume the presidency would be a joint resolution of Congress calling on him to do so, or an official communication from Wilson or his staff asserting his inability to perform his duties. But Wilson was kept secluded by his wife Edith. She and Wilson's physicians conspired not to divulge official information on the President's condition. Marshall tried to meet with Wilson to personally determine his condition, but he was unable to do so, and relied on vague updates he received from Wilson's physician.
On December 4, Lansing announced in a Senate committee hearing that no one in the cabinet had spoken with or seen Wilson in over sixty days. The senators seeking to elevate Marshall requested that a committee be sent to check on Wilson's condition, hoping to gain evidence to support their cause. Dubbed the "smelling committee" by several newspapers, the group discovered Wilson was in very poor health, but seemed to have recovered enough of his faculties to make decisions. Their report ended the perceived need for the joint resolution.
At a Sunday church service in mid-December, in what Marshall believed was an attempt by other officials to force him to assume the presidency, a courier brought a message informing him that Wilson had died. Marshall was shocked, and rose to announce the news the congregation. The ministers held a prayer, the congregation began singing hymns, and many people wept. Marshall and his wife exited the building, and made a call to the White House to determine his next course of action, only to find that he had been the victim of a hoax, and that Wilson was still living.
Marshall performed a few ceremonial functions for the remainder of Wilson's term, such as hosting foreign dignitaries, including the King of Belgium Albert I, and Edward, Prince of Wales. Edith Wilson performed most routine duties of government by reviewing all of Wilson's communications and deciding what he would be presented with and what she would delegate to others. The resulting lack of leadership allowed the administration's opponents to prevent ratification of the League of Nations treaty.
Wilson began to recover by the end of 1919, but remained secluded for the remainder of his term. Marshall was prevented from meeting with him to ascertain his true condition until his final day in office.
President Wilson experienced a mild stroke in September 1919. On October 2, he was struck by a much more severe stroke that left him partially paralyzed and almost certainly incapacitated. Wilson's closest adviser, Joseph Tumulty, didn't believe that Vice-President Marshall would be a suitable president and took precautions to prevent him from assuming the presidency. Wilson's wife Edith strongly disliked Marshall because of what she called his "uncouthed" disposition, and she was quick to join in on the plan to shut Marshall out of power.
Tumulty and Mrs. Wilson believed that an official communication from Wilson's staff on his condition would allow Marshall to trigger the constitutional mechanism allowing him to become acting president, so they made sure that no such communication occurred. When Marshall demanded to know Wilson's status so that he could prepare for the possibility of becoming president, a reporter from the Baltimore Sun informed him that Wilson was near death. Marshall later said that "it was the first great shock of my life", but without an official communication on Wilson's condition, he didn't believe he could constitutionally assume the presidency.
On October 5, Secretary of State Robert Lansing was the first cabinet member to propose that Marshall assertively assume the presidency. Other members of the cabinet backed Lansing's request, as did Congressional leaders from both parties who sent private communications to Marshall. Marshall was timid about accepting their offers of support. After consulting with his wife and with his long-time personal adviser, Mark Thistlethwaite, he privately refused to assume Wilson's duties and become Acting President of the United States. Marshall waned Wilson to voluntarily allow his powers to devolve to the vice president, but that was impossible given Wilson's condition and his dislike for Marshall.
Marshall informed the cabinet that the only circumstances in which he would assume the presidency would be a joint resolution of Congress calling on him to do so, or an official communication from Wilson or his staff asserting his inability to perform his duties. But Wilson was kept secluded by his wife Edith. She and Wilson's physicians conspired not to divulge official information on the President's condition. Marshall tried to meet with Wilson to personally determine his condition, but he was unable to do so, and relied on vague updates he received from Wilson's physician.
On December 4, Lansing announced in a Senate committee hearing that no one in the cabinet had spoken with or seen Wilson in over sixty days. The senators seeking to elevate Marshall requested that a committee be sent to check on Wilson's condition, hoping to gain evidence to support their cause. Dubbed the "smelling committee" by several newspapers, the group discovered Wilson was in very poor health, but seemed to have recovered enough of his faculties to make decisions. Their report ended the perceived need for the joint resolution.
At a Sunday church service in mid-December, in what Marshall believed was an attempt by other officials to force him to assume the presidency, a courier brought a message informing him that Wilson had died. Marshall was shocked, and rose to announce the news the congregation. The ministers held a prayer, the congregation began singing hymns, and many people wept. Marshall and his wife exited the building, and made a call to the White House to determine his next course of action, only to find that he had been the victim of a hoax, and that Wilson was still living.
Marshall performed a few ceremonial functions for the remainder of Wilson's term, such as hosting foreign dignitaries, including the King of Belgium Albert I, and Edward, Prince of Wales. Edith Wilson performed most routine duties of government by reviewing all of Wilson's communications and deciding what he would be presented with and what she would delegate to others. The resulting lack of leadership allowed the administration's opponents to prevent ratification of the League of Nations treaty.
Wilson began to recover by the end of 1919, but remained secluded for the remainder of his term. Marshall was prevented from meeting with him to ascertain his true condition until his final day in office.