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This is an interesting bit of American history that most people don't know. It all started when newly elected Zachary Taylor refused to be sworn into office on a Sunday in 1849. Taylor was a firm believer that Sunday was created for rest and rest only. Not even his becoming president could change this. This posed a problem. Polk's four years were up and the constitution specifically stated that he and his administration were out of office as of noon Sunday March 4, 1849. But there was a solution. According to the law the President of the Senate acts as President of the United States when both the President and the Vice President are unavailable to hold the office. The President of the Senate was Sen. David Rice Atchison of Missouri and on Sunday March 4, 1849 he became President for one day. He had partied a lot in the weeks preceding Taylor's inauguration and when he finally went to bed on Saturday night March 3 he was exhausted and left orders not be awakened for anything. His orders were followed and so he became President for one day and slept through his entire term. He died at the age of 79 and is buried in Plattsburgh, Mo with his tombstone reading: David Rice Atchison

President of the United States

For One Day 1807-1886

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Q: Why was David Rice Atchison only president for one day?
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Who served as US President for only one day?

Many would say that "David Rice Atchison" was President for a day, because Taylor would not take the oath on a Sunday. However, the facts are somewhat different. First, Atchison was appointed President Pro Tempore by the 30th Congress. Congress, and Atchison's appointment expired at midnight on March 3, 1849. That means he couldn't serve as President because he wasn't President Pro Tempore. Second, the Constitution doesn't say a person has to be sworn in to be President. One listed website states: "before "he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the following oath or affirmation . . ." It doesn't say he has to take the oath before becoming President; merely that he must take the oath before executing the duties of the Presidency." http://www.snopes2.com/ If Zachary Taylor didn't take the oath, and therefore couldn't be President, than neither could David Atchison. He didn't take the oath either. James Monroe's second term inauguration also fell on a Sunday. So was there a President between Monroe's terms? No one has step forward with such a claim. Modern Presidents have their terms end at noon on January 20th. As most modern inaugurals run behind schedule, and the Vice-president is always sworn in first, at noon on the 20th of January, we have several times had the Vice-president sworn in but not the President. Did this make the Vice-president a "President for (insert minutes)?" David Atchison, couldn't have been President. He wasn't in office, wasn't in the line of succession, and didn't take the oath of office. See these sites for further research: http://www.snopes2.com/ (Urban legends) http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a1_133.html (Straight Dope)


What president is from Missouri?

Harry Truman is the man from Missouri. He was born in Missouri, served as Senator from Missouri, retired to his home there , died there and is buried there. He mostly lived in Independence, MO, near Kansas City.


Who was president for one day in 1800s?

Some historians argue that David Rice Atchison (a senator from Missouri) servied as US President for a single day on March 4, 1849. This claim is preserved on Atchison's gravestone, but that was not true. Atchison, never even claimed to be President on that day. The presidential term of James K. Polk, 11th President, ended on March 3 and Zachary Taylor was set to be inaugurated on March 4. Since March 4 fell on a Sunday in 1849, Taylor declined to be sworn in on that day, rather opting to postpone the inauguration until Monday, March 5, 1849. The delay of the inauguration by one day really did not create a constitutional crisis that the Atchison followers argue, since the US Constitution does not say anything about a formal inauguration; it is just another long lines of traditional cerimonies marking the begining of a significant event. The Constitution says only that the President must take an oath before executing the duties of the Presidency, not before actually becoming President. The only requirement is that he had been elected to the office. In 1886, Congress resolved the issues related to the 1792 Presidential Succession Act, so this kind of situation would not happen in the future. Since then, there have been several modifications to the rules related to Presidential succession.


Who was the president with the shortest term of office?

William Henry Harrison Harrison served as president for 32 days. Though technically David Rice Atchison was president for a day. The Constitution says, in the absence of a president or Vice-president, the congress can name a substitute. James Polk ended his term on March 4, 1849 and his successor, Zachary Taylor, did not take the oath until March 5. The vice- president had resigned as president of the senate the previous Friday 3 March and Aitchison was elected by the senate to take his place pro tempore. As president of the senate throughout the weekend he was therefore the legal president until Taylor was sworn in.


will you ever have another good president?

only if a good person agrees to run for President I think Condoleeza Rice would make an excellent President, but she doesn't want the job.


How do rice krispies taste?

They taste disgusting. They're made of rice and rice alone. Rice in itself has no taste, thus, something coming of rice only can only absorb that non-existent taste.


which idea do president Kennedy in his speech at rice university and president obama in his back to school speech hace in common?

Future goals are achievable through dedication


Can you lose weight by only eating stemmed rice?

You cannot survive for even a season on only steamed rice. I highly doubt that you can survive on only steamed rice for a month.


What are the health benefits of rice?

it only whea rice it healry


Is it okay to say Only 10 kilograms of rice are left or should it be Only 10 kilograms of rice is left?

Only 10 kilograms of rice are left. The subject of the sentence is "kilograms" and only 10 are left. "Rice" is the object of the preposition "of", modifying the subject.


What is the difference between you eat only rice and you eat rice only?

the difference is that the words are switched, it has the same meaning but the words are just switched also, the proper way to say it is "you eat only rice", "not you eat rice only" ,proper grammer people, proper grammer!


What disolves rice?

You cant dissolve Rice, it only turns soft. :) :) :)