happiness in their own way, and that no man or class of men had any right to use the Government to promote their own interests or selfish purposes. The principles of democracy lay in his heart, next to those of his religion, and he deemed both sacred, and tending to promote the true happiness of mankind. His administration was complimented by Mr. Webster.

92.-MR. POLK'S ADMINISTRATION.

Many important events occurred while Mr. Polk was President, some of which will be mentioned.

1. THE MEXICAN WAR.-Texas was admitted as a State of the Union under legislative authority near the close of Mr. Tyler's administration, before Mexico had ceased claiming her. Mr. Van Buren, Silas Wright, and others had expressed their fears that such admission would bring war with it, as it would be, in effect, espousing the cause of Texas and taking her quarrel off her hands. We then had a treaty of peace and amity with Mexico. These distinguished statesmen doubted the propriety of admitting Texas, without the assent of Mexico, while she continued her claim and proposed still to enforce it. Texas claimed southwest to the Rio Grande. After the admission, General Taylor was sent down with a force to protect this boundary. The Mexicans came over to drive him away, and were defeated in two battles and driven back. The war thus commenced was prosecuted by direction of Congress. The city of Mexico was taken, and California and New Mexico yielded to our power. The war ended in a treaty, fixing our boundaries, in which she ceded to us New Mexico and California, we paying fifteen millions of dollars.

2. THE OREGON QUESTION.-The Oregon country, first explored by Lewis and Clark, by direction of Mr. Jefferson, and whose principal river was entered by Captain Gray, of Boston, had so much increased in value, that its exact boundaries became a subject of interest. We claimed north to 54° 40', and the British claimed many degrees farther south. In this controversy James Buchanan, then Secretary of State, displayed his wonderful industry in making researches, and remarkable clearness and force in presenting the facts and arguments on our side. His

vindication of our rights seemed unanswerable, but the Senate, whose advice Mr. Polk took in advance on the question, advised him to accept the line of 49°, and a treaty was concluded accordingly, much to the regret of very many of our people. Colonel Benton insisted that our claim did not properly extend beyond that parallel of latitude, and his views were adopted and carried

out.

3. THE DISCOVERY OF GOLD AND ITS CONSEQUENCES.-In examining the beds of streams near Captain Sutter's establishment in California, particles of gold were found. Further search led to the discovery of considerable quantities, but in small particles. But ere long, in the latter part of the year 1848, very considerable specimens were found. A full knowledge of these discoveries was unknown in the Atlantic States prior to Mr. Polk's annual message in December of that year. This directed attention of miners to California. More gold and more gold was discovered. California was soon admitted as a State, supplying many millions of gold annually. She has now become one of our most flourishing agricultural States.

4. CONGRESSIONAL LEGISLATION.-During Mr. Polk's administration, the Independent Treasury was restored, and so was hard money. From the time the Sub-Treasury Act of 1840 was repealed in 1841, the Executive kept the public money where and in such manner as he chose. It was now made criminal to keep it anywhere but in the Treasury, or with an assistant treasurer. This Act passed in 1846.

The protective tariff of 1842 gave place to a revenue tariff of 1846, many of the principles of which still remain in our tariff laws.

The Department of the Interior was created in 1849, just before the close of Mr. Polk's term.

The warehouse system was modified and placed upon a new footing, and drawback allowed on goods imported from Canada. The Smithsonian Institution was organized.

An Act in relation to the weight of gold coins, and authorizing the coinage of double eagles and gold dollars, was passed by Congress, and approved by Mr. Polk on the last day he was in

office. This was one of the most important Acts passed while he was President, as it tended to restore the use of a gold currency.

Mr. Polk's administration accomplished much. It settled our dispute with Great Britain, fixed our northern boundary on the Pacific, secured New Mexico and California, and put at rest the British claim to Oregon and Washington. These events have led to searches for the precious metals from the Pacific almost to the Mississippi. These have been found in the whole Rocky Mountain region, which are being filled with an active and energetic population. Roads are opened in every direction throughout all these vast regions, and railroads are now being extended from the Mississippi, through the Rocky Mountains, to the Pacific settlements; roads, cities, States, and Territories have sprung into existence as if by magic. These are some of the consequences of the Mexican War, and the fruits of Mr. Polk's administration. But for his administration, all these States and Territories might have remained a trackless wilderness, save a Mexican settlement at Santa Fé, and a few weak missionary and military posts in California. Consequences have resulted from Mr. Polk's administration far more important than he, in his most sanguine moments, anticipated. The Louisiana and Mexican purchases have added unlimited wealth and advantages to our country. Taken together, they have realized what the old Federalists used to call "Jefferson's day-dreams." All that he anticipated has been more than realized. Let us give Mr. Polk his share of the credit.

93.-ZACHARY TAYLOR AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.

General Taylor was born in Virginia, in 1784, and died at Washington, July 9, 1850. He entered the army in 1808, and rose by regular gradations to be a major-general. He was distinguished through life as an honest and worthy man. His successful battles at Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, Monterey, and Buena Vista, gave him so much public favor that the Whigs nominated him for President, and elected him in 1848, over General Lewis Cass, the regular Democratic candidate. Millard Fill

more, of New York, was elected on the same ticket with him as Vice-President. In forming his Cabinet, General Taylor selected Whigs (although he had claimed to be a no-party man), some of whom were able and experienced, and some far otherwise. He was pledged against removals from office on political grounds, and to remove none without a hearing. In the first month he was in office, he refused to make a vacancy, except on charges, for a friend of the Vice-President, and on the latter's application. Only a few months elapsed before removals on political grounds were of daily occurrence, and apparently without consultation with him. He knew his want of qualifications for civil officeoften spoke of it to the writer, and expressed his regret that he ever consented to run for the presidency-saying that Mr. Clay ought to have been in his place. He was a confiding man, and freely trusted his friends. He had never seen one of his Cabinet before the time of their appointment-so he said, and often felt the want of old tried friends about him, although he had full confidence in the ability and integrity of his Cabinet. His want of knowledge in the affairs of civil government, and his inaptitude in learning them, greatly embarrassed him, and instead of being a Taylor administration, it was soon a Cabinet-officer affair, in part very able, and continued so until his death, sixteen months after he was sworn into office.

A defect in his speech greatly embarrassed him on many occasions. But his sincerity and sterling honesty rendered him a favorite with those who knew him intimately. He delivered but one message, and in that he came out firmly against disunion. Whether he did right or wrong, he meant right, but in political matters he was so unskilled that he did not readily comprehend their meaning, or the results that would naturally flow from them. He was a Whig, and had full faith in the Whig leaders, but the consequences to result from the practical application of their principles to the business and affairs of the world he did not understand. From habit, he had taken whatever the Whig leaders said as literally true. He trusted their judgment without being at the trouble of exercising his own. He believed the Democrats were wrong, because those in whom he confided said so, and not

He

because of any personal knowledge or scrutiny by him. trusted others, as others trusted him in military affairs which he understood. His natural impulses were in the direction of equal rights of mankind, but his confidence in others led him to ignore such ideas in practice, and he went with those who believe in class legislation, which confers advantages on one class by taking them from another. This made him an anti-Democrat in practice. Of himself, he had no policy to propose or carry out. He received impressions from others, but impressed no one in return. His administration terminated so soon after its commencement, and contained so little that has passed into history, that not much can be said for or against it. But of him it can be said that he was a good man, with honest intentions. As a military man he had done good service, and practised rational economy. He rendered the same service for half the expense that some others occasioned Government. President Polk often said this to the writer.

94.-MILLARD FILLMORE AND HIS ADMINISTRATION.

Mr. Fillmore was born in Cayuga County, N. Y., on the 7th of January, 1800. He received very little education during his minority, but learned the occupation of a clothier. At the age of nineteen he resolved to become a lawyer. His abilities, energy, and industry, were equal to the undertaking. Having devoted his leisure to the acquirement of an education, he became qualified, and taught school days, and read law mornings and evenings. His mind was well-balanced, and his careful and accurate study soon made him a good lawyer, and, when admitted, business soon came to him. He was not remarkably quick, but industrious and thoughtful, and he prepared his cases with great care and judgment. He never omitted any thing that ought to be done. His thorough preparations enabled him to discover the strong and weak points of his adversary. The whole case on both sides was committed to paper before he went into court, which made trials comparatively easy. In these preparations lay the secret of his success. It would be fortunate for clients and useful to many lawyers if they would follow Mr. Fillmore in pre