inally annexed to
the United States; Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin were admitted into the
Union; the Oregon boundary was settled; the independent-treasury system
was reenacted; the Naval Academy was established; acts were passed
establishing the Smithsonian Institution and creating the Department of
the Interior; the war with Mexico was successfully fought, and the
territory known as New Mexico and Upper California was acquired. The
acquisition of territory by Mr. Polk's Administration added to the
United States California and New Mexico and portions of Colorado, Utah,
and Nevada, a territory containing in all 1,193,061 square miles, or
over 763,000,000 acres, and constituting a country more than half as
large as all that held by the Republic before he became President. This
addition to our domain was the next largest in area ever made. It was
exceeded only by the purchase by President Jefferson of the Louisiana
Territory, in which was laid so deep the foundation of the country's
growth and grandeur. If our country had not already attained that rank
by the acquisition of the Louisiana Territory, the further additions
made by Mr. Polk's Administration advanced it at once to a continental
power of assured strength and boundless promise.

JAMES D. RICHARDSON.

APRIL 27, 1897.

William Henry Harrison

March 4 to April 4, 1841

William Henry Harrison

William Henry Harrison, third and youngest son of Benjamin Harrison, one
of the signers of the Declaration of Independence, was born at Berkeley,
Charles City County, Va., February 9, 1773. Was educated at Hampden
Sidney College, Virginia, and began the study of medicine, but before he
had finished it accounts of Indian outrages on the western frontier led
him to enter the Army, and he was commissioned an ensign in the First
Infantry on August 16, 1791; joined his regiment at Fort Washington,
Ohio. Was appointed lieutenant June 2, 1792, and afterwards joined the
Army under General Anthony Wayne, and was made aid-de-camp to the
commanding officer. For his services in the expedition, in December,
1793, that erected Fort Recovery he was thanked by name in general
orders. Participated in the engagements with the Indians that began on
June 30, 1794, and was complimented by General Wayne for gallantry in
the victory on the Miami on August 20. On May 15, 1797, was made captain
and given the command of Fort Washington. While there he married Anna,
daughter of John Cl