Twenty Years of Congress, Vol. 1

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Twenty Years of Congress, Vol. 1 (of 2), by

James Gillespie Blaine This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: Twenty Years of Congress, Vol. 1 (of 2) From Lincoln to Garfield, with a Review of the Events Which Led to the Political Revolution of 1860
Author: James Gillespie Blaine
Release Date: April 17, 2007 [EBook #21128]
Language: English
Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK TWENTY YEARS OF CONGRESS ***

Produced by Ed Ferris

Transcriber's note:
Right-hand-page heads have been set right-justified before the appropriate paragraphs.
Footnotes are at the end of the chapter. Asterisks have been added to show where the notes occur in the text (unless at end of chapter). Four notes from the Errata to Vol. I (in Vol. II) have been added, and the other corrections indicated there made.
The statistical tables in the Appendices have been rearranged for .TXT format, using long lines when required and joining tables split across pages.
Lines set as caps and small caps have been transcribed as upper-and- lower-case (except some table headings).
The typographic fist is transcribed by the right guillamet (?).
LoC call number: E661.B6 v.1
2nd proof completed Apr. 11th, 2007. Errata corrected Apr. 13th. Submitted Apr. 13th.
[Frontispiece: v1.jpg]
[Signature] James G. Blaine
TWENTY YEARS OF CONGRESS: FROM LINCOLN TO GARFIELD. WITH A REVIEW OF THE EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION OF 1860.
BY JAMES G. BLAINE.
VOLUME I.
NORWICH, CONN.: THE HENRY BILL PUBLISHING COMPANY. 1884.
COPYRIGHT, 1884, BY JAMES G. BLAINE.
All rights reserved.
ELECTROTYPED AND PRINTED BY RAND, AVERY, AND COMPANY, BOSTON, MASS.
CONTENTS OF VOLUME I.
CHAPTER I.
A REVIEW OF THE EVENTS WHICH LED TO THE POLITICAL REVOLUTION OF 1860. Original Compromises between the North and the South embodied in the Constitution.--Early Dissatisfaction with National Boundaries. --Acquisition of Louisiana from France by President Jefferson.-- Bonaparte's Action and Motive in ceding Louisiana.--State of Louisiana admitted to the Union against Opposition in the North.-- Agitation of the Slavery Question in Connection with the Admission of Missouri to the Union.--The Two Missouri Compromises of 1820 and 1821.--Origin and Development of the Abolition Party.--Struggle over the Right of Petition.
CHAPTER II.
Review of events before 1860 (continued).--Early Efforts to acquire Texas.--Course of President Tyler.--Mr. Calhoun appointed Secretary of State.--His Successful Management of the Texas Question. --His Hostility to Mr. Van Buren.--Letters of Mr. Clay and Mr. Van Buren opposing the Annexation of Texas.--Mr. Clay nominated as the Whig Candidate for the President in 1844.--Van Buren's Nomination defeated.--Mr. Polk selected as the Democratic Candidate.--Disquietude of Mr. Clay.--His Change of Ground.--His Defeat.--Prolonged Rivalry between Mr. Clay and General Jackson.--Texas formally annexed to the Union.
CHAPTER III.
Review (continued).--Triumph of the Democratic Party.--Impending Troubles with Mexico.--Position of Parties.--Struggle for the Equality of Free and Slave States.--Character of the Southern Leaders.--Their Efforts to control the Government.--Conservative Course of Secretaries Buchanan and Marcy.--Reluctant to engage in War with Mexico.--The Oregon Question, 54° 40′, or 49°.--Critical Relations with the British Government.--Treaty of 1846.--Character of the Adjustment.--Our Probable Loss by Unwise Policy of the Democratic Party.
CHAPTER IV.
Review (continued).--Relations with Mexico.--General Taylor marches his Army to the Rio Grande.--First Encounter with the Mexican Army.--Excitement in the United States.--Congress declares War against Mexico.--Ill Temper of the Whigs.--Defeat of the Democrats in the Congressional Elections of 1846.--Policy of Mr. Polk in Regard to Acquisition of Territory from Mexico.--Three- Million Bill.--The Famous Anti-slavery Proviso moved by David Wilmot.--John Quincy Adams.--His Public Service.--Robert C. Winthrop chosen Speaker.--Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo.--Presidential Election of 1848.--Effort of the Administration to make a Democratic Hero out of the Mexican War.--Thomas H. Benton for Lieutenant-General. --Bill defeated.--Nomination of General Taylor for the Presidency by the Whigs.--Nomination of General Cass by the Democratic Party. --Van Buren refuses to support him.--Democratic Bolt in New York. --Buffalo Convention and the Organization of the Free-soil Party. --Nomination of Van Buren and Charles Francis Adams.--Mr. Clay's Discontent.--Mr. Webster's Speech at Marshfield.--General Taylor elected.--The Barnburners of New York.--Character and Public Services of Mr. Van Buren.
CHAPTER V.
Review (continued).--Contrast between General Taylor and General Cass.--The Cabinet of President Taylor.--Political Condition of the Country.--Effect produced by the Discovery of Gold in California. --Convening of Thirty-first Congress.--Election of Howell Cobb as Speaker.--President Taylor's Message.--His Recommendations Distasteful to the South.--Illustrious Membership of the Senate.--Mr. Clay and the Taylor Administration.--Mr. Calhoun's Last Speech in the Senate. --His Death.--His Character and Public Services.--Mr. Webster's 7th of March Speech.--Its Effect upon the Public and upon Mr. Webster.--Mr. Clay's Committee of Thirteen.--The Omnibus Bill.-- Conflict with General Taylor's Administration.--Death of the President.--Mr. Fillmore reverses Taylor's Policy and supports the Compromise Measures.--Defeat of Compromise Bill.--Passage of the Measures separately.--Memorable Session of Congress.--Whig and Democratic Parties sustain the Compromise Measures.--National Conventions.--Whigs nominate Winfield Scott over Fillmore.--Mr. Clay supports Fillmore.--Mr. Webster's Friends.--Democrats nominate Franklin Pierce.--Character of the Campaign.--Overwhelming