ation of Texas would be deemed cause for war; and when information was received of the action of congress, he was recalled. The annexation of Texas and the war with Mexico, which finally resuited in adding to the United States the vast territory west of the Rocky mountains, including Arizona and New Mexico, was a high-handed outrage, and remains one of the dark spots on her escutcheon as a nation.

In July the Texas convention assembled and framed a state constitution, at the same time requesting the President to establish posts on the frontier and provide such force as might be deemed requisite for the protection of the people. On the twenty-sixth of the same month a force under command of General Zachary Taylor, debarked from steam vessels at Aransas bay, and occupied the lower part of St. Joseph's island. By Mexico this was deemed an act of invasion, and the republic proceeded to raise an army to resist General Taylor. Previous to this time there had been other causes than the annexation of Texas that interfered with the harmony of the two nations. After throwing off the Spanish authority, Mexico was for many years overrun and desolated by partisan bands, which indiscriminately attacked friend and foe. American vessels were captured and plundered, and the property of the citizens appropriated, or themselves obliged to pay large sums for ransom. As late as 1842 the claims of citizens of the United States against Mexico amounted to six millions of dollars. Of this amount two millions was provided for by a commission which expired in that year. A new convention was formed, and in January, 1843, the demands made by the United States were admitted by Mexico; the sum due was divided into twenty annual instalments, for the convenience of Mexico; three of these instalments were paid previous to April, 1844, and the balance was yet due when the annexation of Texas precipitated hostilities, though war was not immediately declared.

The first session of the Twenty-ninth congress begun December 1, 1845, and closed August 10, 1846. The election of speaker of the house developed the strength of the parties, showing one hundred and twenty votes for the Democratic candidate as against seventy-two for the Whig and nineteen for other persons. In his first annual message the President recommended a revision of the tariff, reducing the rate of duties on imports, and through that reduction the protection of home manufactures; also the establishment of a treasury system similar to that in existence during Van Buren's administration. He also recommended the withdrawal of the agreement for joint occupation of Oregon, after the termination of one year; these recommendations were adopted by congress, which, during the session, passed many important measures, some of which, notably the tariff and warehouse regulations, gave great dissatisfaction in some parts of the country. On the fifteenth of June, 1846, a treaty was concluded by James Buchanan, secretary of state, and Mr. Pakenham, minister for Great Brit

ain, which definitely settled the boundary line as the forty-ninth degree of north latitude, and placed the relations of the two countries on an amicable footing.

Not until the spring of 1846 did any collision occur between the troops of the United States and those of Mexico. In the meantime, General Taylor had occupied strategic points on the frontier. Late in April, hostilities were begun by the Mexicans, several soldiers and one officer being killed while making a reconnoissance. Information of this action reaching congress on May 13, 1846, that body declared that, "by the act of the republic of Mexico, a state of war exists between that government and the United States." At the same time congress placed at the disposal of the President, the militia, military and naval forces of the United States, to enable him soon to terminate hostilities. Four days previous to the declaration of war, General Taylor fought the battles of Palo Alta and Resaca de la Palma, defeating the Mexican General Arista and compelling his army to seek safety by flight across the Rio Grande. Congress promptly voted all supplies called for, embodied troops, and coöperated with the President in all matters pertaining to the carrying forward of war measures. During the current session of congress several important measures were introduced: The Smithsonian institute was established, to be sustained by funds contributed by Mr. Smithson, an English gentleman, for the purposes of literature, science and education; preliminary acts were passed authorizing the territories of Iowa and Wisconsin to form governments, and providing for their admission into the Union. Beside the bills that were passed, a bill for the improvement of rivers and harbors, and one providing for the reimbursement to American citizens of losses sustained by French spoliation, which question had been settled by treaty between the two governments, were brought forward and passed; but these bills were returned by the President, with his veto, and were lost. Near the close of the session, a bill was introduced appropriating the sum of three millions of dollars, to be employed by the President in negotiating a treaty of peace with Mexico. To this bill Mr. Wilmot of Pennsylvania moved. the addition of a proviso: "That there shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in any territory on the continent of America, which shall hereafter be acquired by, or annexed to, the United States by virtue of this appropriation, or in any other manner whatsoever, except for crimes whereof the party shall have been duly convicted; provided always, that any person escaping to such territory, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed, in any one of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed and carried out of said territory to the person claiming his or her labor or services." After a heated discussion in the house the bill was passed, nearly all the members from the free states supporting, while those from the south opposed it. It was sent to the senate on the last day of

the session, where a motion was made to strike out the proviso. During the discussion that ensued the noon hour struck, and word was brought that the house was adjourned, thus leaving the bill among unfinished business to be considered at the subsequent session. At the second session the bill was taken up in its order, and again passed the house, whence it was returned to the senate. In that body the Wilmot proviso was dropped and the bill sent back to the house, which finally concurred with the senate and the bill was passed without the amendment. Thus did northern "dough-faces" kneel to the acknowledged power of the south, and strengthen it by the prospect of the addition of a large territory in which slavery should be perpetuated.

In the course of the year 1846 the American forces achieved great successes over the Mexican armies. Early in the spring the greater part of the regular army of the United States was concentrated at Corpus Christi, under the command of General Taylor. Near the last of March the army was marched to the left bank of the Rio Grande, and took position opposite the Mexican town of Matamoras. A base of supplies was established at Point Isabel, and a considerable force detailed to defend the place. Occupation of the country bordering the Rio Grande was considered by Mexico an invasion of her territory, which she claimed extended to the Neuces river; while the United States claimed the Rio Grande as the boundary of the territory obtained by the treaty with Spain. The first collision between the troops of the two countries occurred April 24, and resulted in the killing and wounding of sixteen American soldiers, and the capture of the detachment to which they belonged. Then followed the bombardment of Fort Brown, opposite Matamoras, the decisive battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma, on the eight and ninth of May, and the occupation of Matamoras on the eighteenth. On the same day an American squadron appeared before Vera Cruz and blockaded that and other Mexican ports. The summer was passed by the army in camp near Matamoras; and during that time the towns of Mier, Camargo, Revilla and Reynosa were taken. On the nineteenth of September, the army, under General Taylor, arrived before Monterey, and on the twenty-first began the bombardment of that post. A three days' battle followed, when the fortress capitulated. The column under General Wool commenced its march from San Antonio de Bexar, toward Chihuahua, on the twenty-ninth of September, and on the thirty-first of October entered Monclova, capital of Coahuila. Shortly. thereafter the column rejoined the force under Taylor, at Saltillo. General Kearney left Fort Leavenworth in the early summer, and after a toilsome march of nearly nine hundred miles, on the eighteenth of August arrived at Santa Fé, and took military possession of New Mexico, without resistAfter establishing a temporary government for the territory, with the greater part of his troops he set out for California. He soon met an

ance.

express from Commodore Stockton and Captain Fremont, which gave the information of the possession of that province. Ordering the larger portion of his troops to return to Santa Fe, and accompanied by about one hundred dragoons he continued his march to California, where he arrived in December, 1846. There he established a military government, and remained until the last of May, 1847, when he returned home. In December, 1846, the secretary of war reported that the American forces were then in possession of the department of Tamaulipas, of the right bank of the Rio Grande for several hundred miles from its mouth; of the departments of New Leru, Coahuila and Chihuahua; and had superseded Mexican authority in New Mexico and the Californias, which were under complete subjection. On the twenty-second and twenty-third of February was fought the battle of Beuna Vista, in which General Taylor, with an army of five thousand men, but five hundred of them regular troops, defeated the Mexican army, twenty thousand strong, under the command of General Santa Anna, and forced them to leave the field and retire to San Luis Potosi, The loss of the Americans was seven hundred and fifty; that of the Mexicans, fifteen hundred men.

During the month of February, 1847, a large military and naval force was concentrated on the Gulf of Mexico. General Winfield Scott was in command of the army, and Commodore Connor of the navy; later Connor was relieved by Commodore Oliver H. Perry. On the ninth the army debarked, and on the tenth it was furiously bombarded by the enemy, from the fort and defenses. It was not until the twenty-second that the Americans were enabled to mount their heavy ordnance, when a summons was made for the surrender of the town. This being refused by the Mexican governor, Morales, a destructive fire was opened, which was continued. until the twenty-sixth. On the twenty-seventh articles of capitulation were signed, and two days later the Mexican army marched out, surrendered its guns, and departed for the interior. On the fourteenth of September, 1847, General Scott entered the City of Mexico, after a series of single victories over the Mexican armies. In the meantime changes had taken place in the Mexican government; a new party had come into power, and the futility of opposition to the victorious armies of the United States was recognized. The leaders were willing to treat for peace, which was concluded between the Mexican commissioners and Mr. Trist, at Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848. By this treaty the Texas boundary between the two countries was ascertained by the Rio Grande; the territories of New Mexico and California were ceded to the United States, the government of which agreed to pay the sum of fifteen millions of dollars, besides assuming the claims due her citizens, in an amount not exceeding three and a quarter millions, Mexico being entirely released from all obligations due

on former treaties. The treaty was duly ratified by Mexico, and concurred in by the senate of the United States, July 4, 1848.

The second session of the Twenty-ninth congress, which met December 7, 1846, and terminated March 3, 1847, accomplished little important legislation. Much time was taken in discussion of the war with Mexico, and in considering its probable effect upon the country at large. The bill authorizing the use by the President of three million dollars in the negotiation. of peace, was again brought forward, and the Wilmot proviso regarding slavery inserted by the house as an amendment. The senate disagreeing it was returned, and finally passed after dropping the proviso. A bill for the improvement of rivers and harbors passed both houses, but failing to receive the President's signature, did not become a law.

In

The Thirtieth congress assembled December 6, 1847, and continued in session until August 14, 1848. The result of the elections of 1846-47 was a change in the complexion of the house, by which the Whigs came into power, while the senate still remained Democratic. Various causes led to the change in representation. In several of the states great dissatisfaction was caused by the repeal of the protective tariff of 1842, and the passage in 1846, by a Democratic house, of a tariff based on a revenue principle. Those states where manufacturing business largely predominated, were in favor of protective measures, while those which depended upon commerce and the interchange of commodities favored a tariff for revenue only. New York the Democratic party was divided against itself, one faction being denominated the "Hunkers," or Conservatives, and another the "Barnburners," or Radicals. At the election the Whigs proved the dominant power in New York, owing to the divisions among their opponents, and beside electing the governor, returned a strong delegation to congress. The Whig candidate for speaker of the house, Robert C. Winthrop of Massachusetts, was elected by a vote of one hundred and ten, while his Democratic competitor, Linn Boyd of Kentucky, received but sixty-four, other candidates receiving forty-four. Few important acts were passed: among them an act for the purchase of the papers of the late President Madison, and a bill for the organization of Oregon territory.

The Democratic convention for the nomination of President and vicepresident, was held in Baltimore May 22, 1848. Each of the two factions in New York sent delegations, and though a resolution was passed for their admission, each declined to serve unless the other was denied admittance; as a consequence New York was not represented in the National convention. General Lewis Cass was nominated for President, on the fourth ballot; and later General William O. Butler received the nomination for vice-president. The National convention of the Whig party assembled in Philadelphia, June 7, 1848. Candidates were plenty; the names of Zachary Taylor of Louisiana; Henry Clay of Kentucky; Winfield Scott of New Jersey; and