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measure had little prospect of effecting their object. But the imperious necessity of the measure, the wants of the national treasury, and the embarrassed condition of various branches of industry, induced Congress to yield to the prejudices of the president. Accordingly, such alterations were made in the bill vetoed, as comported with Mr. Tyler's views, and it received his sanction.

At the next session of Congress, the third of the twenty-seventh, the principal acts passed related to the repeal of the bankrupt law, which had become odious to a large portion of the business men of the country-to suitable provisions for promoting friendly intercourse between the United States and China, and also for carrying into effect the late treaty with Great Britain. By the act relating to intercourse with China, forty thousand dollars were placed at the disposal of the Executive; who nominated Caleb Cushing, of Massachusetts, as commissioner, under the act, to the Celestial Empire. On the 3d of March, 1843, Congress closed its session: and on the 8th of May following, Mr. Webster retired from the Cabinet, and was succeeded in the responsible office of Secretary of State by Hugh S. Legare, of South Carolina.

In June was celebrated, with great pomp and appropriate ceremonies, the completion of the Bunker Hill monument. This great public work had met with numerous delays: but having, at length, received its topmost stone, the 17th of June, the anniversary of the battle, was assigned to celebrate the event. The president and several members of his cabinet honored the celebration. A multitude of all classes, and from various parts of the country, were present. An oration was pronounced by Mr. Webster on the occasion. The pageant was grand and imposing, and calculated to exalt, in the hearts of the assembled thousands, the virtues and the patriotism of the men, who had in by-gone years moistened the soil on which the monument stands with their richest blood.—A sad event, however, followed fast upon the festivities of the day-this was the sudden decease of Mr. Legare, the recently appointed Secretary of State. He had followed the president to witness the celebration, but sud den sickness fell upon him, and he died at his lodgings in Boston on the morning after the celebration.

During the following winter, Jan 8th, 1844, an act passed Congress, refunding a fine, which had been imposed upon Gen. Jackson at the time of the attack upon New Orleans, in the late war with England. The repayment of this fine had been recommended by the president as early as 1842; but the measure had been till now strongly and successfully resisted. It had been imposed on the

General by Judge Hall, for his refusal while commanding the army at New Orleans, to obey a summons to appear before the court, and answer for his disobedience of a writ of habeas corpus. The fine was one thousand dollars. The amount now refunded-fine and interest, was two thousand seven hundred dollars: but the act disclaimed any reflection upon Judge Hall.

In April, Congress was informed by a special message from the president, that a treaty had been negotiated with Texas, by which she was annexed as a territory to the United States. This annunciation excited no small surprise throughout the country, and awakened great solicitude in the minds of those who were opposed to the measure; as, in their view, it involved an extension of slavery and a probable rupture with Mexico, which power laid claim to the republic, as a part of her rightful domain. The treaty, however, was rejected by the Senate; and the object of the President for the present failed.

During the second session of the 28th Congress, an important treaty between the United States and the Chinese Empire was ratified by an unanimous vote of the Senate. This treaty was concluded by Caleb Cushing and Tsiyeng, on the 3d of July, 1844; and by it our relations with China were placed on a new footing, eminently favorable to the commerce and other interests of the United States.

The rejection of the treaty with Texas by the Senate, instead of cooling, increased the ardor of President Tyler to accomplish his plan of annexation. According to his wishes, and probably at his suggestion, at the following session of Congress, a joint resolution for her annexation was introduced into Congress, and passed the House of Representatives, January 23d, by a vote of 118 to 101. In the Senate, the resolution underwent several inportant amendments, which, having been concurred in by the House, received the sanction of the Executive; and thus the way was prepared, in violation of the Constitution, as many believed, for the annexation of Texas.

On the 4th of March, 1845, the presidential career of Mr. Tyler closed. For a time, he had been before the country as a candidate for re-election, but finding himself sustained by no party, he withdrew from the canvass. The two candidates left in the field were Henry Clay, of Kentucky, and James K. Polk, of Tennessee. These had been nominated by the two great political parties in the country by conventions, which had assembled at the city of Baltimoreone on the 1st, and the other on the 27th of May, 1844. During the contest prior to the election, the friends of the respective can

ELECTION OF MR. POLK.

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On the votes

didates used every effort to secure their election. being counted, in the presence of both houses of Congress, February 12th, it was officially declared, that Mr. Polk was elected. The whole number of votes given was two hundred and seventy-five of which he had one hundred and seventy. Mr. Clay received one hundred and five. George M. Dallas was elected Vice President over Mr. Frelinghuysen by a similar majority.

CHAPTER LXXIII.

MR. POLK'S INAUGURATION.-Formation of the Cabinet.—Death of General Jackson— First message of Mr. Polk.-Relations with Mexico.-Question about Oregon--Admission of Texas.-State of the controversy with Mexico.-Battles of Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma.—Army increased.-Proclamation of war by the President.Discussion in relation to Oregon.-Notice to British government in relation to Oregon.--Capture of California by Commodore Sloat.-Blockade of the Mexican coast —Adjournment of Congress.-Bills passed.--Bills vetoed.—Naval operations.— Capture of California.—Attack on Alvarado.—Capture of Tabasco.-Capture of Tampico.--Military operations.--Capture of Santa Fe.-Siege and Capture of Monterey.-Bombardment and occupation of Vera Cruz.-Battle of Cerro Gordo.--Capture of Contreras, Churubusco, Jalapa, Perote, Puebla, and Molinos del Rey.— Entrance into the Capital.--Battle of Huamantla.-Death of Captain Walker, &c.

AGREEABLY to the Constitution, James K. Polk entered upon the duties of President of the United States, and George M. Dallas, Vice President, on the fourth day of March, 1845. Mr. Polk's elevation to this office was unexpected to both political parties. At the Democratic convention held in Baltimore in May of the previous year, Mr. Van Buren was expected to be the prominent candidate ; but from various causes, particularly his opposition to the annexation of Texas, his popularity, especially at the south, had diminished. Hence, a plan was projected to supersede him by selecting another candidate; which was accomplished, by requiring a major vote of two-thirds of the delegates present, in favor of the candidates, who should be selected. This rule, now for the first time adopted, was strenuously opposed by the friends of Mr. Van Buren; but the advocates of the change succeeded; and as a consequence a candidate was ultimately selected, whose name, previously to the convention, had scarcely been heard of in connection with the presidency. Once before the democratic party as a candidate, every effort was of course made to elect Mr. Polk; and, yet, it is doubtful, whether his friends seriously anticipated success; be this, however, as it may, so signal a triumph over a rival candidate so distinguished and popular as was Mr. Clay, was unanticipated.

The ceremonies at the induction of Mr. Polk into office were, as usual, grand and imposing, and were witnessed by a great concourse of citizens gathered from all parts of the country. In his Inaugural Address, delivered at the time, he gave, as usual, a summary of his political principles-entering somewhat minutely into the course which he designed to pursue in the administration of the government. "It will be my first care," said he, "to administer the government in the true spirit of the Constitution, and to assume no power