The popularity of gen. Jackson caused his re-election by an overwhelming majority against Henry Clay, the leader of the bank, protection, and internal improvement party; and he entered upon his second term with Martin Van Buren of New York as vice-presi dent. The removal of the government deposits from the U. S. bank to certain state banks, led to the failure of the bank, and after some years, to the adoption of Mr. Van Buren's plan of an independent treasury. The Cherokee Indians in Georgia who had attained to a certain degree of civilization, appealed to the president for protection against the seizure of their lands by the state; but they were told that he " had no power to oppose the exercise of the sovereignty of any state over all who may be within its limits:" and the Indians were obliged to remove to the territory set apart for them w. of the Missis sippi. In 1835 the Seminole war broke out in Florida; and a tribe of Indians, insignifi cant in numbers, under the crafty leadership of Osceola (q.v.), kept up hostilities for years, at a cost to the United States of several thousands of men and some $50,000,000. In 1837 Martin Van Buren succeeded gen. Jackson in the His term of four years was a stormy one, from the great financial crisis of 1837, which followed a period of currency-expansion and wild speculation. All the banks suspended payment, and the great commercial cities threatened insurrection. Mr. Van Buren was firm in adhering to his principle of collecting the revenues of the government in specie, and separating the government from all connection with the banks. His firmness in acting against the strong sympathies of the northern and western states with the Canadian insurrection of 1837-38, also damaged his popularity; and in 1840 the election of gen. Harrison, with John Tyler for vice-president, was one of unexampled excitement, characterized by immense popular gatherings, political songs, the use of symbols, and the participation of both sexes to a degree hitherto unknown in America. The Whigs triumphed in nearly every state; gen. Harrison was inaugurated Mar. 4, 1841; and the rush to Washingtoa for offices was as great as the election had been exciting and remarkable. Worn down with the campaign and the office-seekers, gen. Harrison died in a month after his inaugu ration, and was succeeded by John Tyler, who, having mien a democrat, was no sooner in power than he seems to have reverted to his former political principles. He vetoed a bill for the establishment of a national hank and other measures of the party by which he had been elected. His cabinet resigned, with the exception-of Daniel Webster, secre tary of state, and others, democratic or neutral, were appointed in their place. Dur ing Mr. Tyler's administration, the north-eastern boundary question, which nearly occasioned a war with England, was settled by Mr. Webster and lord Ashburton; a difficulty amounting almost to a rebellion was settled in Rhode Island; but the most important question agitated was that of the annexation of Texas. This annexation was advocated by the south, as a large addition to southern and slave territory; and, for the same reason, opposed by the whig and anti-slavery parties of the north. Besides, the independence of Texas, though acknowledged by the United States, England, and France, had not been acknowledged by Mexico, and its annexation would be a casas bell with that power. The recent admissions of Iowa and Florida into the union had kept the balance of power even between north and south, but Texas would be an advan tage to the south. But the gain of territory, and a contempt for Mexico, overcame these objections, and in 1845 Texas was formally annexed to the United States; and James K. Polk of Tennessee succeeded Mr. Tyler in the presidency.
Almonte, the Mexican minister at Washington, protested against the annexation of Texas as an act of warlike aggression; and to guard against a threatened invasion of Texas, gen. Zachary Taylor was ordered, with the U. S. troops of his military district, to its southern frontier. The Mexicans crossed the Rio Grande, and commenced hostili
ties, April 26, 1845. Gen. Taylor moved promptly forward, and won the victories of Palo Alto, Resaca de la Palma, 3lonterey, Sandia. and finally, against great odds 20,000 to 4,759—the hard-fought battle of Buena Vista, a victory that excited great enthusiasm. In the meantime, gen. Wool had been sent on an expedition to Chihuahua in northern Mexico; gen. Kearny to New Mexico; and capt. Fremont and commander Stockton took possession of California. Mar. 9, 1847, gen. Scott landed at Vera Cruz, which he took on the 29th, after a siege and bombardment by land and water. March ing into the interior with a force of about 9,000 men, he found gen. Santa Anna intrenched on the heights of Cerro Gordo with 15,000 men. On April 18, every position was taken by storm, with 3,000 prisoners, 43 cannon, 5,000 stand of arms, etc. Waiting at Puebla for re-enforcements until August, gen. Scott advanced with 11,000 men toward Mexico, near which gen. Santa Anna awaited him with large forces and in strong positions. On Aug. 19 and 20 were fought the battles of Contreras and Churubusco, in which 9,000 Americans vanquished an army of over 30,000 Mexicans in strongly for tified positions. After a brief armistice, hostilities recommenced on Sept. 7; and after a series of sanguinary actions, the American army, reduced to about 8,000, entered the City of Mexico, which ended the war. By the treaty of Guadalupe, the United States obtained the cession of New Mexico and Upper California, the United States paying Mexico $15,000,000, and assuming the payment of the claims of American citizens against Mexico. The opposition to the annexation of Texas, and to the war and the acquisition of the newly acquired territory, became now complicated and intensified by sectional feelings and the opposition to slavery. The northern party demanded that slavery should never be introduced into territories where it had not existed; the south claimed the right of her people to emigrate into the new territories, carrying with them their domestic institutions. During the debates on the acquisition of the Mexican ter ritories, Mr. Wilmot of Pennsylvania introduced an amendment, called the " Wilmot proviso," providing that there should be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude iu the acquired territory. This was voted down, but became a party principle. In 1849 gen. Taylor, the "rough and ready" victor of Buena Vista, became president, with Millard Fillmore as vice-president. The free-soil party* had nominated Martin Van Buren. with Charles Francis Adams for vice-president; the democratic candidate being gen. Lewis, Cass. The liberty party in 1840 had cast 7,609 votes; in 1844 it had 62,300; Mr. Van Buren in 1848 received 291,263, so rapid was the growth of a party soon destined to control the policy of the government. Sept. 1, 1849, California, rapidly peopled by the discovery of gold, adopted a constitution which prohibited slavery. Violent struggles and debates in congress followed, with threats of secession, and protests against interference with slavery. The more zealous abolitionists of the north denounced the constitution for its support of slavery, and its requirement of the return of fugitive slaves to their owners, and threatened separation. The south denounced the violation of the constitu tion by interference with slavery—a domestic institution of the states—the carrying off of negroes secretly by organized societies, and what was termed the "underground rail way," and the passage of personal liberty bills in several states, which defeated the fugi tive slave law, and the requirements and guarantees of the constitution. Mr. Clay introduced a compromise into congress, admitting California as a free state, and intro ducing a new and more stringent law for the rendition of fugitive slaves. President Taylor, more used to the rough life of a frontier soldier than the cares of state, died July 9, 1850, and was succeeded by Mr. Fillmore.