met at Arcade, in January, 1840, issued a call for a national convention, to meet at Albany, to consider the advisability of forming a political party of their own. The anti-slavery leaders generally assumed an attitude of indifference or coolness towards the proposed movement, and the Massachusetts anti-slavery society issued an address, in which it took strong grounds against it. When the convention met there were found to be only seventeen delegates present, outside of New York. Notwithstanding, a new political party was formed, and the name "Liberty party" adopted. It drew strength from both democrats and whigs. (Plate VI.)

Congress met December 2, 1839. The whigs had made Twenty-sixth Congress, great gains, and were quite hopeful First Session. of having a majority in the House. A contest arose over the New Jersey delegation, there being five whig candidates with certificates of election, and five democrats, contesting their claim on the grounds of a miscount in one county. The congressmen were at this time chosen on a general ticket by the whole state. The question was not settled until March, 1840, when the democratic delegation was admitted to their seats. This session is noted as being the one in which the independent treasury scheme finally succeeded. It was passed by both Houses, and signed by the President. This completely divorced the bank and state, a thing which the President had greatly desired. The policy of making appropriations for internal improvements was done away with under the strict constructionist influence of the President. Congress adjourned July 21, 1840.

ELECTION OF 1840.

In the campaign of 1840, the abolitionists appeared as a distinctive party. At their convention in 1839, they had nominated James G. Birney and Francis J. Lemoyne. These nominations were declined; but the organization, the follow

ing year, under the name of "liberty party," nominated James G. Birney and Thomas Earle. The national convention of the whig party met at Harrisburg, December 4, 1839, and nominated William Henry Harrison and John Tyler. No platform was adopted. These nominations were very popular. The democratic national convention met at Baltimore, on the 5th of May, 1840, and unanimously nominated Mr. Van Buren for a second term, leaving to the states the nomination of a Vice-President. They adopted a platform, setting forth their principles in plain terms. This campaign was one of unrivaled enthusiasm. The whigs made the defeat of Van Buren and the overthrow of his policy their chief object. The President was held up before the people; every defalcation on the part of government officials, all the evils that grew out of the unfortunate bank policy, together with alleged extravagance in the expenditure of public money, were charged upon Mr. Van Buren. The whigs had no platform to support, and made no attempts to defend accusations against their candidates, hence their fight was aggressive. They brought all their forces to bear against the President's financial policy, the sub-treasury scheme, the suspension of internal improvements, the extravagant expenditures of the Seminole war, and the re-election of a President for a second

General Harrison had the advantage of a military reputation, which did for him what it did for General Jack

son.

The friends of Van Buren found it difficult to arouse enthusiasm in his behalf. The result was the election of General Harrison by a large majority, receiving two hundred and thirty-four electoral votes to sixty cast for Van Buren. This canvass was known as the "log cabin and hard cider campaign." The abolition party got no electoral votes, but polled a popular vote of seven thousand six hundred and

Congress met December 7, 1840. There was little of party Twenty-sixth Congress, interest occurred at this session. Second Session. Congress adjourned March 3, 1841,

and on March 4 Harrison and Tyler took the oath of office.

JUDICIAL OFFICERS.

Roger B. Taney ..........................Chief Justice..........

.........1836-1864

LEGISLATIVE OFFICERS.

James K. Polk..................Speaker of House.........
Robert Hunter..........

.1835-1839 ..1839-1841

1839.-ABOLITION RESOLUTION,

Warsaw, N. Y., November 13.

Resolved, That, in our judgment, every consideration of duty and expediency which ought to control the action of Christian freemen, requires of the abolitionists of the United States to organize a distinct and independent political party, embracing all the necessary means for nominating candidates for office and sustaining them by public suffrage.

1840.-DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM,

Baltimore, May 5.

Resolved, That the federal government is one of limited powers, derived solely from the constitution, and the grants of power shown therein ought to be strictly construed by all the departments and agents of the govern、ment, and that it is inexpedient and dangerous to exercise doubtful constitutional powers.

2. Resolved, That the constitution does not confer upon the general government the power to commence and carry on a general system of internal improvements.

3. Resolved, That the constitution does not confer authority upon the federal government, directly or indirectly, to assume the debts of the several states, contracted for local internal improvements or other state purposes; nor would such assumption be just or expedient.

4. Resolved, That justice and sound policy forbid the federal government to foster one branch of industry to the detriment of another, or to cherish the interests of one portion to the injury of another portion of our common country-that every citizen and every section of the country has a right to demand and insist upon an equality of rights and privileges, and to complete and ample protection of persons and property from domestic violence or foreign aggression.

5. Resolved, That it is the duty of every branch of the government to enforce and practice the most rigid economy in conducting our public affairs, and that no more revenue ought to be raised than is required to defray the necessary expenses of the government.

6. Resolved, That Congress has no power to charter a United States bank; that we believe such an institution is one of deadly hostility to the best interests of the country, dangerous to our republican institutions and the liberties of the people, and calculated to place the business of the country within the control of a concentrated money power, and above the laws and the will of the people.

7. Resolved, That Congress has no power, under the constitution, to interfere with or control the domestic institutions of the several states; and that such states are the sole and proper judges of everything pertaining to their own affairs, not prohibited by the constitution; that all efforts, by abolitionists or others, made to induce Congress to interfere with questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences, and that all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and permanence of the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend to our political institutions.

8. Resolved, That the separation of the moneys of the government from banking institutions is indispensable for the safety of the funds of the government and the rights of the people.

9. Resolved, That the liberal principles embodied by Jefferson, in the declaration of independence, and sanctioned in the constitution, which makes ours the land of liberty and the asylum of the oppressed of every nation, have ever been cardinal principles in the democratic faith; and every attempt to abridge the present privilege of becoming citizens, and