If he had remained with the Whig party, he would have suffered much mortification at the domineering spirit of some of his friends, and been forced into subordinate relations. Had he joined the Democrats, after approving the land distribution and the repeal of the Independent Treasury, he never could have commanded their respect and confidence. It was fortunate for that party that he did not return to it. They could not rise under the weight of his inconsistencies.

Personally, Mr. Tyler possessed many good qualities. He was benevolent, kind, and warm-hearted, and without greediness for money, or a disposition to trench upon the rights of others. He possessed some qualities that unfitted him for the presidency. He was careless, indolent, easily persuaded to any thing, where old Virginia doctrines did not point out the contrary way. He was not prompt nor firm like those governed by inflexible principles. If Virginia had fully settled the question, he was ready to conform to it, but even then he was not always firm and immovable, but often drifted. On other questions he was apt to follow the course of an easy mind. The natural promptings of his mind were such as mankind could approve. The errors came in when he attempted to control his natural impulses and yield to those of selfish calculation. The attempt to limit him in the enjoyment of privileges which had been permitted all other Presidents has left more salutary enactments on the statute-book than were made in the same length of time since the repeal of the Alien and Sedition Laws. Mr. Tyler was born March 29, 1790, and died January 17, 1862. He went with the secessionists, and was a secession member of Congress when he died, showing that he had outlived. all the Democracy he ever had.

91. JAMES K. POLK, HIS ELECTION AND POLITICAL PRIN CIPLES.

The late civil war has prevented the preparation, by an eminent biographer in New York, of a complete work on the Life and Times of Mr. Polk, which his sudden death prevented his preparing. Born and educated in North Carolina, he early became an adopted son of Tennessee, reading law with Felix Grundy.

He commenced practice in 1820, was elected to the State Legislature in 1823, and to Congress in 1825, where he continued fourteen years, and from 1835 to 1839 was Speaker of the House, and was in 1839 elected Governor of Tennessee, and in 1844 President of the United States, from which office he retired on the 4th of March, 1849.

A majority of the Baltimore Convention of 1844 were in favor of nominating Mr. Van Buren, but the adoption of a rule requiring two-thirds of all the votes to make a nomination caused his defeat, he not favoring the acquisition of Texas in the manner and for the purpose of extending slavery, as insisted upon by Mr. Calhoun. Mr. Polk was thereupon nominated and elected. He had always been an ardent Democrat, and approved the Baltimore resolutions of 1840. He became distinguished as a debater and well-informed statesman, in his opposition to Mr. Adams's administration, and was the leader in the House during General Jackson's administration. He was elected Speaker in December, 1835, and again in 1837, in which position he distinguished himself for intelligence, impartiality, and firmness. His discussions were distinguished for their clearness and logical force, and for an earnest sincerity which tended to carry conviction. His industry knew no bounds, and his devotion to his duties was not excelled by any of his contemporaries. He enjoyed the unlimited confidence of General Jackson and the entire Democratic party. He manifested great sincerity and cordiality of manners among his political friends, without being rude or even cold toward his adversaries. His incorruptibility was proverbial, and even his enemies never questioned his truthfulness or integrity. His construction of the Constitution was of the strictest kind. He designed to keep within its unquestioned powers, and to restrain others within the same boundaries. He was kind-hearted, liberal, and generous with his own means for all approved objects, but nothing could induce him to adopt latitudinarian constructions and under them indulge liberality and generosity with the people's money. He sought to be right, and when he believed he was so, nothing could turn him. He believed our Government was framed to protect men and their property, to the end that they might seek

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 cur

rency.

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