1841 Death of Harrison. Death 235 he took his breakfast at nine, dined at six, retired after midnight, and rose at five. He was then sixty-nine years of age. "Can it be a cause of wonder that his system gave way, refusing to bear this heavy and unaccustomed tax ?" He was taken sick, and, just one month after his inauguration, he died (April 4th, 1841). "His death was an astounding shock to the country. He was first president who had died in office. All the public buildings, most of the private dwellings, and even the lowliest tenements, in Washington, were draped in black; and business was suspended." the of the President. 4. John Tyler, the vice-president, being called to Washington, took the oath of office and assumed the title of president; but the course he pursued sadly disappointed the Whigs, by a National Bank " for the relief of the country," but he vetoed two bank bills passed by Congress, though one of them had been previously approved by him. All the members of his Cabinet-except Daniel Webster, the Secretary of State-resigned, and he was denounced by his former political friends. Webster remained at his post long enough to make what is commonly known as the Webster-Ashburton treaty, by which long-standing differences between England and the United States respecting the North-eastern boundary were settled, and provision was made for determining the entire northern boundary line to the Rocky mountains.1 1 JOHN TYLER. 1 In 1842 serious difficulties occurred in Rhode Island, growing out of a movement to substitute a constitution extending the right of suffrage, in place of the charter granted by Charles II., in 1663, and which had 5. A proposition for the admission of Texas into the Union caused an excited discussion throughout the country during the closing months of Tyler's administration. Texas had been Annexation a province of Mexico, but the inhabitants had reof Texas. volted, achieved their independence, and set up a republican government of their own. Hence, Texas was called, at this time, "The Lone Star State," one star only being on her flag. The annexation of Texas was favored by the South, because slavery existed there, but the measure was opposed by a large party in the North, who were greatly averse to any increase of the slave power in the United States. Many, too, foresaw that the annexation of Texas would produce a war with Mexico. The discussion in Congress was finally ended by the passage of a resolution in favor of the annexation, and to this Tyler gave his approval three days before he went out of office (1845). 6. The demand for the rapid communication of intelligence was by no means supplied by the locomotive and railroad. To Professor Morse is due high honor for the manner in which he availed The magnetic himself of scientific distelegraph. coveries, previously made by others in the department of electro-magnetism, for many discoveres of his own, and especially for his perseverance in bringing his system into use for the benefit of mankind. His telegraph was first so made available in 1837. 'He had completed his telegraph line from Washington to Baltimore just previous to the sitting of the Democratic convention for the 66 MORSE. been the "fundamental law of the land" the greater part of two centuries. The" suffrage party" attempted to effect the change without regard to existing laws, even resorting to force; but the legitimate power prevailed. A constitution, the one under which the State is now gov erned, was soon after adopted. 1844 The Electro-Telegraph 237 nomination of a presidential candidate, and was ready to report its proceedings every fifteen minutes. The terminus of the line in Washington was in a room adjoining the Supreme Court room, under the Senate chamber, now the Supreme Court room. 7. Here he received and communicated dispatches during the sitting of the convention, and read them to the large crowd assembled around the window, manifesting the most intense interest in the proceedings at Baltimore, as they were from time to time received and read aloud. It was a novelty. Every few minutes it would be reported that Mr. So-and-so had made such a motion, and in a minute or two, the motion has failed,' or, has carried,' as the case might be. Again, A ballot is being taken for president.' 'Mr. Polk has been proposed, and a vote is being taken; such a State has voted for Mr. Polk, such and such and such States have voted for him he has received two-thirds, and is nominated.' This talking with Baltimore was something so novel, so strange, so extraordinary, and upon a matter of such intense interest, that we could hardly realize the fact. It seemed like enchantment, or a delusion, or a dream." : Polk's Administration. The 1. The presidential contest in the fall of 1844 turned largely upon the question of the annexation of Texas. The candidate of those favoring the measure-the Democratic party,was James K. Polk, of Tennessee. Henry Clay, "The Mill-Boy of the Slashes," who was and 15th national had been most of his life, the great champion of "The American System," that is protection to American labor and American manufactures, was again the candidate of the Whigs, but was again defeated, for "he was not election. 1 This term was applied to Clay by his political friends, in allusion to the fact that, when a boy, he was often sent on errands to a place near his home called "the Slashes," where there was a mill. pro-slavery enough for the South, nor anti-slavery enough JAMES KNOX POLK. for the North." The Abolitionists voted for James G. Birney, who, though he did not get a single electoral vote, received sixty-five thousand of the people's ballots. Polk's inauguration took place on the 4th of March, 1845. 66 2. Texas, having assented to the annexation act in the form in which it had passed Congress, the Lone Star State was merged in the constellation of the Union (1845). As anticipated by many, this led to a War war with Mexico, for that country still claimed with Mexico. Texas as a part of her own territory. Hostilities commenced in 1846, near the Rio Grande (re'-o grahn'-da), to which river General Taylor had been sent to protect the new State from a threatened invasion by the Mexicans.1 3. The Mexicans made an attack upon a small party of American dragoons, and this led to two engagements, one at Palo Alto (pah'-lo ahl'-to) and the other at Resaca de la Taylor's Palma (ra-sah'campaign. kah da lah pahlmah), in both of which the Mexicans were defeated 'The United States, by the annexation of Texas, claimed the Rio Grande as their boundary, while Mexico alleged that the western limits of the province never extended beyond the Nueces river. The crossing of the latter river into the disputed territory by Taylor, was, therefore, considered by the Mexicans as the commencement of active war, and they consequently made the attack. 1846-7 Conquest of New Mexico and California. 239 with severe loss (May, 1846). In a few days Taylor took the town of Matamoras, and then marching to the fortified city of Monterey (mon-ta-ra), after a series of assaults compelled it to capitulate (Sept. 24). These victories were gained with a force far inferior to that of the Mexicans. Taylor's last engagement in Mexico was the battle of Buena Vista (bwa'-nah vees'tah). At this place, his small force, of less than five thousand troops, was attacked by Santa Anna with an army of nearly four times that number of men; but after a determined contest which lasted from morning till night, the Mexicans were driven in disorder from the field (Feb. 23, 1847). 4. In the mean time, General Kearny had marched with a small force into New Mexico and taken possession of that province; while Captain Fremont, "the Pathfinder of the Rocky JOHN C. FREMONT. Kearny (1847). Conquest of New Mexico and California. mountains," who had com 5. It having been decided by the authorities in Washington, that, in order "to conquer a peace," the Mexican capital must be captured, this task was assigned to General Scott, 1 Santa Anna had been made Dictator, and was the commander-inchief of the Mexican army. He had been so sure of victory, that he sent his cavalry to intercept the retreat of the Americans. The American general, summoned to surrender, replied, "General Taylor never surrenders." In the midst of this dreadful battle he remained perfectly cool, calling out to his artillery officer at one time, A little more grape, Captain Bragg" The battle of Buena Vista entirely broke up Santa Anna's spendid army of twenty thousand men. 66 |