Tylerism

English

Etymology

From Tyler +‎ -ism. The abandoning-political-party sense came from John Tyler who is said to have done this after William Henry Harrison died in office.

Noun

Tylerism (countable and uncountable, plural Tylerisms)

1. (uncountable) The policies of U.S. president John Tyler.
   • 1842 March, Courier and Esquire, quoted in The Foreign Quarterly Review:

     The Herald of Saturday last, contained the first notice of a sale Public Lands ever advertised in [Illinois]! The last resort of Tylerism is not only destined to be a signal failure, but those who pretend to be Mr. Tyler's friends, and have some little knowledge of the people, will tell him that it was conceived in folly and madness; and that it will not secure him an additional supporter among the people.

2. The practice of abandoning the political party to which political office is owed, defecting while in office, committing political apostasy.
   • 1845 February, The American Review:

     Of his ragged army, the impedimenta, the vile baggage, fell to our share — the armory and military chest were betrayed to our enemies. This position of things was entirely unparalleled in the course of political contests in our country: we fervently pray that it may never occur again. The defunct carcass of Tylerism bred a political pestilence, congenial to the vitality of Locofocoism, and it throve upon it—fatal to healthier organs, and we were enfeebled by the malaria.

   • 1845 March, The United States Democratic Review:

     For even though the hour has not yet quite arrived, which is to be brightened by the reflection that Tylerism has ceased to exist, in any other than the past tense, yet, by the time this page shall reach the eyes of most of its readers, they will have ceased to blush for the government of their country.

3. (Christianity) The Reformed theology of Bennet Tyler.

Related terms

• Tylerize

Anagrams

• lymiters