POLITICAL,

ITS EXECUTIVE, LEGISLATIVE,
FINANCIAL, JUDICIAL AND INDUSTRIAL HIS-
TORY: EMBRACING SKETCHES OF THE LIVES
OF ITS CHIEF MAGISTRATES, ITS EMINENT
STATESMEN, FINANCIERS, SOLDIERS AND
JURISTS, WITH MONOGRAPHS ON SUBJECTS
OF PECULIAR HISTORICAL INTEREST. BY
BENSON J. LOSSING, LL.D., J. K. UPTON, HON. A.
G. RIDDLE, HON. THOMAS M. COOLEY, HON. J.
V. CAMPBELL, COL. CHARLES WHITTLESEY,
RT. REV. C. F.. ROBERTSON, D. D., AND MANY
OTHER DISTINGUISHED WRITERS. EDITED BY
JH. KENNEDY.

ames

CLEVELAND

The Williams Publishing Company

Copyright, 1888,

By WILLIAM W. WILLIAMS.

All Rights Reserved.

CONTENTS.

VOLUME II,

ADMINISTRATION OF MARTIN VAN BUREN.

PAGE.

The End of the Formative Period of Our Government-Martin Van Buren and his

Early Preparation for his Life Work-The Hopeful Leader of a Democratic Mi-

nority......

...........

Appointed Surrogate―Elected to the State Senate-Attorney-General of New York

-A Member of the Albany Regency-Elected to the United States Senate-Gov-

ernor of New York.........

643

647

Appointed Minister to England-Nominated and Elected Vice-President-Nomi-

nated and Elected President-The Financial Panic of 1837-Defeated for Reëlec-

tion-The Candidate of the Free-Soil Democrats-Latter Days and Death......... 650

ADMINISTRATION OF WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.

Harrison's Early Military Career-Commissioned Captain-Secretary of the

Northwest Territory-Elected to Congress-Governor of the Territory of Indi-

ana-Growing Indian Troubles.......

657

Harrison and Tecumseh-The Battle of Tippecanoe-Commissioned Brigadier-Gen-

eral-In the War of 1812-A Major-General-An Indian Commissioner—Again

Sent to Congress........

Elected to the Senate of Ohio-Promoted to the United States Senate-Minister to

Colombia-Defeated for the Presidency in 1836-Again Nominated, and Elected

in 1840-His Brief Term of Service and Death.............

ADMINISTRATION OF JOHN TYLER.

Descent and Early Days-Elected to the House of Delegates-A Member of the

Executive Council-Chosen to the United States Senate-A Supporter of State

Rights-His Work for his Native State-Governor of Virginia...........

664

672

677

I

II

CONTENTS.

PAGE

Again Elected United States Senator-An Advocate of Nullification-Opposition to

the Bank-Nominated to the Vice-Presidency-Called Suddenly to the Presi-

dency by the Death of Harrison.........

The Controversy Over the Bank Question-Veto of the Bill-Loss of the Confidence

of his Party-An Address by the Whigs-Signing a Tariff Bill—An Administra-

tion Characterized Only by Its Weakness-Life in Retirement and Service in the

Confederate Congress........

ADMINISTRATION OF JAMES K. POLK.

Entrance upon Public Life Through Election to the Legislature-To Congress-

Speaker of the House-Elected Governor of Tennessee-Elected and Inaugu-

rated President..........

Important Measures Demanding Attention-Oregon and the Northwestern Bound-

ary-The Texan Difficulties to the Southwest-War with Mexico - The Wil-

mot Proviso-California and the Discovery of Gold-Close of Administration

and Life..........

680

686

695

699

ADMINISTRATION OF ZACHARY TAYLOR.

A Soldier from his Youth-In the War of 1812, and the Black Hawk War-Fight-

ing the Indians in Florida-The Texan Difficulty Causes his Removal to the

Southwest.

714

A Dangerous Position on the Far Frontier-Correspondence with the Mexicans-

The Victory of Palo Alto-Resaca de la Palma-Scott Sent to Mexico-Posses-

sion of Matamoras-The Capture of Monterey.........

717

The Battle and Victory of Buena Vista-General Taylor's Modest Review of that

Great Event-The Return of Peace-Named for the Presidency-Definition of

Political Views........

722

Made the Presidential Nominee of the Whigs-Elected-Position in Relation to

Slavery-Views as to California-Sudden Illness and Death...........

729

ADMINISTRATION OF MILLARD FILLMORE.

Descent, and Boyhood in the Wilderness-Early Struggles-Elected to the Legisla-

ture on the Anti-Masonic Ticket-Sent to Congress-Declarations upon the

Question of Slavery......

741

Author of the Tariff Law of 1842-Nominated for Governor of New York-De-
feated-Elected Comptroller of the State-Foreshadowing Our National Bank
System-Nominated and Elected Vice-President of the United States........

746