Missouri History Today October 16, 1945: Impeachment Looms Over Missouri Senator
Missouri History Today October 16, 1945: Impeachment Looms Over Missouri Senator
David Rice Atchison: President for a day?
James Polk’s presidency ended on March 3. Zachary Taylor had been elected to succeed Polk. March 3 was on a Sunday and Taylor’s religious convictions would not allow him to swear the oath of office. Therefore, with Polk’s term ended and Taylor refusing to be sworn in, David Rice Atchison became president. (Or so it seemed.)