to such an extent as eventually threatened a direct collision with England. This general feeling was aggravated by an attack of the British upon the American steamer Caroline, which they set on fire and sent over the Falls. This led to an angry correspondence 1 tween the English minister and the Secretary of State, but eventually the matter was dropped. Subsequently there arose vexatious disputes concerning the Maine boundary, during which, citizens on each side of the line arrayed themselves in military costume, and occasionally came into open collision. The President issued a proclamation, forbidding all citizens of the United States to take part in these disturbances, and appointing General Winfield Scott as superintendent of the northern border until the question of boundary could be settled. The prevention of war between the two countries was in a great measure owing to the efforts of that officer. CONVENTION for determining the boundaries with Texas was concluded at Washington, April 25, 1837. Treaties were also concluded with Peru, the Bolivian Confederacy, and the King of Greece. These were followed by fresh difficulties with Great Britain, and Congress authorized the President to raise a provisional army, appropriated money for fortifications and for the repair of the national vessels, and the building of new ones. At the same time, special commissioners were appointed by both parties to settle the dispute by negotiation. The greater portion of Van Buren's administration was occupied by his efforts to establish an independent treasury, into which the public moneys were to be deposited, after removal from the state banks. The collections were to be made in gold and silver. The measure was finally passed on the eve of the President's retirement from office. The commercial revulsion in the country having produced a change of politics, the party opposed to the administration succeeded in electing their presidential candidate, General W. H. Harrison, [November, 1840,] by a large majority. John Tyler was chosen Vice-President. war of 1812 had given him popularity, and his subsequent discharge of the duties of several important diplomatic offices had inspired confidence in his abilities as a statesman. His inaugural address was an able paper, and received the approval of his political friends. The cabinet appointments were judicious. That of Mr. Webster, as Secretary of State, ultimately proved very fortunate. But ere the President could give any farther indication of his course of action-in one short month after his inauguration [April 4th, 1841] he died, after a short illness, in the sixty-fifth year of his age. Mr. Tyler, the Vice-President, was his constitutional successor, and immediately entered upon the duties of his station. General Harrison had called an extra session of Congress, which met on the 27th of May. The Independent Treasury Act was re pealed; and two several bills for establishing a new United States Bank, after passing both houses of Congress, were defeated by the veto of the President. This caused a total rupture between Mr. Tyler and the party by whom he had been elected; and the members of the cabinet, with the exception of Mr. Webster, immediately retired from office. About this time, Alexander McLeod, accused of being concerned in the attack upon the ill-fated Caroline, was arrested in New York, and the demand of the British minister for his release was refused. Great Britain assumed a belligerent attitude, but his trial took place at Utica in October. Fortunately for the cause of peace, he was acquitted, and thus one incentive to war between the two countries was removed. But as several questions of an irritating nature were still pending between the two governments, Lord Ashburton was sent by the British Prime Minister, as a special ambassador, with full powers to effect an amicable adjustment. He was met, on the part of the United States, by Mr. Webster, Secretary of State, and the negotiations lasted from April to August, on the 9th of which month the two ministers concluded a treaty, settling the line of the north-eastern boundary by a minute geographical description of the country through which it was to run, and also providing for the suppression of the slave trade. This treaty was approved by the two governments, and immediately after, Mr. Webster resigned his seat in the presidential cabinet. On the 31st of August, Congress adjourned, after a most laborious session, of which the most important act was a general ANNEXATION OF TEXAS. 588 Dankrupt law, which, however, was repealed, after being a few months in operation. The last act of Mr. Tyler's administration was the passage of a joint resolution by both houses of Congress, for the annexation of Texas to the United States. This was signed by the President on the 3d of March, 1845, and on the following day, James K. Polk, of Tennessee, took his seat as chief magistrate of the Union, having been elected by the democratic party in November. Before giving an account of the succeeding administration, we will notice the rise and progress of the republic of Texas, which, at the period which we have now reached became one of the states of the Union. |