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1833.

Feb. 12-Henry Clay introduces a bill on the tariff comprising the points at issue between the manufacturing States and the South.

Mar. 3-It becomes a law, and gives general satisfaction.

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4-President Jackson reinaugurated on his second term.

May 20-The death of La Fayette, in France.

June 1-Oliver Wolcott, Sec. of the Treasury under Washington, dies.
July 27-Com. Bainbridge, a famous naval commander, dies.

Sept. 30-President Jackson removes his Sec. of Treas. W. J. Duan, rbr
refusing to carry out his policy in regard to the U. S. Bank. The
presence of the Indians in Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, and
Florida, produces so much conflict and so frequeat a necessity for
chastising them that they are in danger of total extermination.
Gen. Jackson persuades Congress and the Indians to arrange for
their removal to lands west of the Mississippi. Some of the Indi-
ans quietly remove this year. Many resist, but all are finally
persuaded to this course by Gen. Scott and others, except the
Seminoles of Fla.

1834.

Mar. 28-Congress formally censures the President for his course in regard to the U. S. Bank.

Oct. 28-A conditional treaty made with the Seminoles at Payne's Landing, May 9, 1832, for their removal to the Indian Territory west of the Mississippi, was afterwards confirmed by the chiefs but rejected by the people. Gen. Thompson was sent, at this time, by President Jackson to insist on their carrying out the treaty.

Dec. 28-A council of the Indians, called by Gen. Thompson, seemingly accept the terms of the President.

1835.

Mar. 3-Congress establishes branch mints in La., N. C., and Ga.

May 14-A treaty with the Cherokees purchases all their lands east of the
Mississippi for $5,262,251, and ample lands in exchange in the
Indian Territory.

June 3-Osceola, a Seminole chief, imprisoned by Gen. Thompson.

July 6-Chief Justice Marshall dies, aged 80.

Dec. 16-A destructive fire in New York. $17,000,000 worth of property consumed.

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28-The Seminoles killed their chief, Mathla, who had been prominent in making the obnoxious treaty, and suddenly attack a U. S. force under Maj. Dade. But one man out of 110 escaped. He was wounded and afterwards died. The same day Gen. Thompson and others were surprised and massacred.

31-Gen. Clinch is attacked by the Indians at Withlacoochee. He repulses them and retires.

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1836.

Early in this year the Indians laid waste the whole country, burning the buildings and killing all who had not taken refuge in the forts.

Jan. 20-A treaty of friendship and commerce concluded with the republic of Venezuela, South America.

Feb. The U. S. Bank was chartered by the Legislature of Pa.

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11-Gen. Gaines lands an army at Tampa Bay. He is surrounded by the Indians on his march toward Fort King. He repulsed them, but his army is nearly starved. While the army is held here the tribe remove their families and effects into the impenetrable swamps of the interior.

Mar. 2-The Texans proclaim their independence.

Apr. 26-Wisconsin receives a territorial government.

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21-Battle of San Jacinto. Santa Anna taken prisoner.

June 15-Michigan erected into a State, conditionally.

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"-Arkansas admitted into the Union.

23-A surplus revenue having accumulated it is loaned to the States. 28-James Madison, the ex-President, dies, aged 86.

July 4-Office of Commissioner of Patents created.

Sept. 15-Aaron Burr, an able but dishonest and disloyal statesman, for

merly Vice-President, dies, aged 81.

The Creek Indians commenced hostilities in May of this year, in their usual fierce and barbarous manner. Gen. Scott and the State

authorities of Geo. subdue them early in the summer.

In the presidential election this fall Martin Van Buren was elected. Dec. 15-The General Post Office and Patent Office, with many records and articles of value, are destroyed by fire.

1837.

Jan. 16-The U. S. Senate repealed and expunged its resolution of March 24th, 1834, censuring President Jackson, as having exceeded his Constitutional powers when he ordered the public funds to be withdrawn from the U. S. Bank.

Mar. 4-Van Buren inaugurated President.

Speculation having been carried to an extreme length for some time, and somewhat arrested by the "specie circular" requiring payments for public lands to be made in coin, a revulsion, producing great distress, and suspension of payments by the banks, occurred this spring.

May 3-The merchants of New York present a memorial to the President urging him to remit the regulations of the "specie circular." The President declines, but calls an extra session of Congress. Aug. 4-Texas proposes annexation to the U. S. The President declines to entertain the proposition.

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13-The banks resume specie payments.

Sept. 4-Congress assembled in extra session. A portion of the surplus

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revenue, which, by law of June 23d, 1836, was to be loaned to the States, is reclaimed to meet the current expenses of the govern

ment.

29-A treaty made with the Sioux Indians for the purchase of their lands, 5,000,000 acres, for $1,000,000.

Oct. 1-The Winnebagoes sell their lands for $1,500,000.

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12-Congress authorizes the issue of $10,000,000 in Treasury notes.
21-Osceola, the Seminole chief, with 70 of his warriors, visits the
camp of Gen. Jessup. They are detained, and Osceola was impris
oned in Ft. Moultrie, S. C., where, in a few months, he died.

Dec. 25-The battle of Okee-cho-bee fought with the Seminoles in the swamps of Florida, by Col. Zachary Taylor. The Indians are defeated.

The Magnetic Telegraph was patented in this year.

1838.

Jan. 5-The President issues a proclamation enjoining neutrality on American citizens, during the "Patriot war," or insurrection in Canada.

June 12-Iowa receives a Territorial government.

Aug. 19—An Arctic exploring expedition, with six vessels, sails from Hampton Roads, Va.

The Cherokee Indians completed their emigration to the Indian
Territory this year.

1839.

Gen. Macomb makes a treaty early in this year with the Seminoles, which they very imperfectly kept.

A difficulty with England in regard to our northeast boundary narrowly avoids war, but is, at length, peaceably adjusted.

Dec. 2--Congress assembles.

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4-A Whig Convention prepares for the contest of the coming year by the nomination of Wm. H. Harrison for the Presidency. Great discontent was felt with the financial policy of Van Buren's administration, and lively interest taken in the coming election, which made the campaign the most stirring and the noisiest ever experienced in this country.

1840.

May 5-The Democrats renominate Van Buren for the Presidency.

This year was chiefly memorable for the " Log Cabin and Hard Cider" election gatherings, and the extreme interest of the people in the elections, on financial grounds.

June 30-Congress passes the sub-treasury bill recommended by President Van Buren, in 1837, but then rejected.

Nov.-W. H. Harrison elected President, and John Tyler Vice-President 1841.

Jan. 14-Imprisonment for debts due the U. S. abolished.

Mar. 4-Harrison inaugurated ninth President.

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11-The steamer President sails from New York but is never again heard of. She had 109 passengers.

17-The President calls an extra session of Congress to consider financial questions.

Apr. 4-President Harrison died and John Tyler became acting President. May 31-Congress convenes.

June 25-Gen. Macomb died.

July 6-The proceeds of the public lands ordered to be distributed to the States.

21-Congress orders a loan of $12,000,000.

Aug. 9-The Sub Treasury act repealed.

"16-President Tyler vetoes the National Bank bill.

“18—A general bankrupt law passed.

Sept. 9-A Second Banking Bill vetoed. This was the fourteenth time the veto power had been used; by Washington twice, Madison four times, Monroe once, Jackson five times.

Oct. 11-Failure of U. S. Bank under the Pennsylvania charter.

1842.

June 25-The new Ratio of Representation, based on the census of 1840, gives one Member of Congress for every 70,600 inhabitants.

July 23-Bunker Hill Monument finished and dedicated. The corner stone was laid by Lafayette 17 years before.

Aug. 20-The Ashburton treaty with England, settling the N. E. Boundary, ratified by the U. S. Senate.

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28-The U. S. fiscal year ordered to commence with July 1st.

Oct. 2―The U. S. sloop of war Concord wrecked on the African coast.

"14-The Ashburton-Webster treaty ratified in England.

1843.

Mar. 3-Congress appropriates $30,000 for building Morse's electric telegraph from Washington to Baltimore. It was the beginning of that magnificent enterprise.

Com. Porter, minister to Turkey, dies in Constantinople.

Apr. 18-Commences "Dorr's rebellion" in Rhode Island.

Aug. 26-The U. S. frigate Missouri burned, at Gibraltar, Spain.

1844.

Feb. 28-A large cannon on board the war steamer Princeton, bursts while the President and others are visiting the vessel, killing Messrs. Upshur and Gilmer, secretaries of war and navy, and others. May 6-The "Know-nothing" or American excitement produces a serious riot in Philadelphia.

July 7—Jo. Smith, the originator of the Mormons, killed at Carthage, Ill. Nov. -The Democratic party elected James K. Polk for President. The chief question entering into the election was on the annexation of Texas. It had been sought for some years but had been declined as certain to bring on a war with Mexico, which, as a

sister republic, and much weaker than ourselves, had been considered to be an unworthy act. The Whigs, with Henry Clay as their candidate for President, opposed it. It was carried, in great part as a pro-slavery measure, although the bitter and barbarous conduct of the Mexicans toward Texans and American citizens had something to do with it.

1845.

Jan. 16-A treaty made with China, ratified by the U. S. Senate. "23-An act of Congress orders presidential elections to be held in all the States on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in November. Feb. 28-Congress annexes Texas to the Union, by a joint resolution of both Houses.

Mar. 3-Florida admitted into the Union.

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4-Mr. Polk inaugurated the tenth President.

June 18-Andrew Jackson died.

The Congress of Texas accepted the conditions of the U. S. and it became a State in the American Union.

July 30-Gen. Taylor ordered to the frontier of Texas.

Sept. 10-Judge Joseph Story, of the U. S. Supreme Court, died, aged 66. Dec. 15—A misunderstanding had long existed between the U. S. and England as to the northern boundary of Oregon. Much excitement is now produced by a speech and resolution of Mr. Cass, which seemed the prelude to war with Great Britain.

1846.

June 18-A treaty was negotiated by Mr. Packenham and Mr. Buchanan settling the northwest boundary satisfactorily.

CHAPTER XXII.

THE MEXICAN WAR.

Texas was a nearly uninhabited part of Mexico, lying between Louisiana and the Rio Grande river. It was a fertile region, with a fine climate. The Spanish possessors of Mexico, in the bigoted and bitter spirit that was traditional with the Spaniards toward protestants, and deeply hostile in feeling from the rather high-handed and vigorous proceedings of Gen. Jackson before and after the cession of Florida, did not encourage the settlement of Texas; preferring to be separated by a wilderness from the United States. In 1821 the Mexicans finally threw off the Spanish yoke and established an independent government.

About this time the Americans, and especially those of the South, foreseeing the probable spread of the northern part of the Republic to the Pacific, began to look with covetous eyes on the fine Savannas of Texas, as

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