Five Worst Inaugural Addresses of the 1800s

The speeches delivered by men who have just become President of the United States can be soaring and inspiring. But some of them, particularly in the 19th century, have been real clunkers. I've been reading inaugural addresses and I've picked out my nominees for the five worst in the 1800s.

Of course, I really only had to pick four, thanks to William Henry Harrison. "Old Tippecanoe" went way beyond the call of duty to ensure that his calamitous speech would always be remembered as the worst ever.

One surprise for me was that a president who had given what's widely considered one of the best inaugural speeches also gave one of the worst. And one of the smartest presidents may have been sabotaged by his own brainpower.

Read about, if you dare, the Five Worst Inaugural Addresses of the 1800s. Coming soon: the Five Best.

Image: William Henry Harrison/Library of Congress