ing Accident--Admission of Florida--Revolt of Texas Against Mexican
Rule--The Alamo--San Jacinto--The Question of the Annexation of
Texas--The State Admitted--The Copper Mines of Michigan--Presidential
Election of 1844--The Electro-magnetic Telegraph--Professor Morse--His
Labors in Bringing the Invention to Perfection 215

CHAPTER XII.

FAMOUS PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGNS PREVIOUS TO 1840.

The Origin of the "Caucus"--The Election of 1792--The First
Stormy Election--The Constitution Amended--Improvement of the
Method of Nominating Presidential Candidates--The First
Presidential Convention--Convention in Baltimore in
1832--Exciting Scenes--The Presidential Campaign of 1820--"Old
Hickory"--Andrew Jackson's Popularity--Jackson Nominated--"Old
Hickory" Defeated--The "Log-Cabin" and "Hard-Cider" Campaign of
1840--"Tippecanoe and Tyler Too"--Peculiar Feature of the
Harrison Campaign 239

CHAPTER XIII.

ADMINISTRATION OF POLK, 1845-1849.

James K. Polk--_The War with Mexico_--The First Conflict--Battle
of Resaca de la Palma--Vigorous Action of the United States
Government--General Scott's Plan of Campaign--Capture of
Monterey--An Armistice--Capture of Saltillo--Of Victoria--Of
Tampico--General Kearny's Capture of Santa Fe--Conquest of
California--Wonderful March of Colonel Doniphan--Battle of Buena
Vista--General Scott's March Toward the City of Mexico--Capture
of Vera Cruz--American Victory at Cerro Gordo--Five American
Victories in One Day--Santa Anna--Conquest of Mexico Completed--Terms
of the Treaty of Peace--The New Territory Gained--The Slavery Dispute
--The Wilmot Proviso--"Fifty-Four Forty or Fight"--Adjustment of the
Oregon Boundary--Admission of Iowa and Wisconsin--The Smithsonian
Institute--Discovery of Gold in California--The Mormons--The
Presidential Election of 1848 251

CHAPTER XIV.

ADMINISTRATIONS OF TAYLOR, FILLMORE, PIERCE, AND BUCHANAN, 1849-1857.

Zachary Taylor--The "Irrepressible Conflict" in Congress--The
Omnibus Bill--Death of President Taylor--Millard Fillmore--Death
of the Old Leaders and Debut of the New--The Census of 1850--Surveys
for a Railway to the Pacific--Presidential Election of 1852--Franklin
Pierce--Death of Vice-President King--A Commercial Treaty Made with
Japan--Filibustering Expeditions--The Ostend Manifesto--The "Know
Nothing" Party--The Kansas-Nebraska