the democratic candidate for President. And more than this. The resolutions declaring the sentiments of the Convention of 1840, were previous to its session, prepared by the late Hon. Silas Wright and submitted to Mr. Van Buren for examination. He not only approved of them, generally, but suggested, as appears by a letter of the late Gov. Hill of New Hampshire, that the resolution relating to the slavery question, should be pointed and unequivocal and upon his suggestion the concluding clause of that resolution was added to the draft, viz :-" That all efforts of the abolitionists or others made to induce Congress to interfere with questions of slavery, or to take incipient steps in relation thereto, are calculated to lead to the most alarming and dangerous consequences; and that all such efforts have an inevitable tendency to diminish the happiness of the people, and endanger the stability and permanency of the Union, and ought not to be countenanced by any friend of our political institutions."

In Mr. Van Buren's inaugural address, he further sanctioned the doctrine of the convention, by asserting that he "must go into the Presidential chair the inflexible and uncompromising opponent of every attempt on the part of Congress, to abolish slavery in the District of Columbia against the wishes of the slaveholding States. "It now only remains for me," said he, "to add, that no bill conflicting with these views, can ever receive my constitutional sanction."

The platform of doctrine upon which the democratic party of 1840 with Mr. Van Buren stood, the platform of 1844 with Mr. Polk, and the platform of 1848, with Gen. Cass, were precisely identical in all those things, which Mr. Van Buren and his friends supported in 1840, and repudiated in 1848. If the doctrines were sound in 1840, when Mr. Van Buren pledged himself to their support under all circumstances, what other motive could he have in 1848 to oppose and denounce them, than the sole and personal one of chagrin and disappointment, because the democracy wished to transfer a portion of their confidence to other eminent men, and afford him the opportunity to enjoy that retirement and repose, which his years and public services entitled him to.

The regular opponent of Gen. Cass for the Presidency, was Gen. Zachary Taylor, nominated by a convention of the Whig

party, held at Philadelphia in June, 1848. The military achievements of Gen. Taylor in the war with Mexico, had won for him a high place in the affections of the people. He was brought forward by his friends as a candidate for the Presidency at an early day. He was not connected with any political party, nor were his opinions on any of the leading measures generally known. Letters from individuals, in different parts of the Union, reached him in his camp on the battle field, soliciting him to declare himself a candidate for President. To these letters Gen. Taylor replied, expressing himself ready to receive the votes of any of his fellow citizens who were disposed to sustain him. The Democratic party had chosen their candidate, and were therefore not to be classed among the supporters of Gen. Taylor. The Whig party were alone his reliance for a nomination and support, yet he would not, nor did he from the time his name was first mentioned in connec tion with the Presidency, to the day of his nomination, commit himself to the support of any of the principles by which that party was characterized.

By the time the Philadelphia convention assembled, the leaders of the Whig party, convinced that the elements of discord had fairly begun to work among the Democratic ranks, and having first in view, as paramount to all else, the defeat of Gen. Cass, they determined that it would be better to go before the people with a candidate who could not be charged with having supported Whig principles, than one who had been identified with them. Besides, Gen. Taylor had declared that, whether nominated or not, he would not withdraw his claims to the confidence of his fellow citizens. Hence he was nominated by the convention, and placed before the people for their support, on the ground of his military glory and success. The convention neither adopted resolutions nor an address, but silently hoisted the flag of Gen. Taylor and adjourned.

The convention having made no declaration of principle, and its candidate, Gen. Taylor, being equally non-committal, the contest assumed a new character, solely one of opposition to the democratic nominee and the party which sustained him. Thus every element of opposition could unite in aid of the one controlling object. No principle being at issue for them to contend for, no

matter how greatly they might differ as party men, they could fight shoulder to shoulder on the platform of opposition which a combination of circumstances had erected for them. It was thus amid unprecedented excitement and partisan spirit that the contest was carried on. No means, fair or foul, were left unused, to defeat Gen. Cass. The Whig party, really, did not care whether Gen. Taylor was elected or not, so long as Gen. Cass was defeated. That party would have hailed the election of Mr. Van Buren as a triumph of their own. No event in the political world would, at any time, so exasperate the politicians of the Whig party as the election of Gen. Cass to the Presidency. With such determined and unscrupulous opponents, it was a matter of no great surprise that the Democratic party was not successful in 1848. A course of political warfare, until then unknown in party tactics, was adopted a disregard of every honorable principle which had ever before governed the contest of parties for power. The political opinions of Gen. Cass were misrepresented in every manner, the skill and ingenuity of his opponents could devise; his private character was slandered, and acts of his life, which are generally considered as conferring honor, and worthy of respect, were turned against him, and distorted into weapons of injury.

The aggregate vote polled at the election of 1848, for Cass, Taylor, and Van Buren, was 2,872,000, of which Gen. Cass received 1,219,962; Gen. Taylor 1,360,752, and Mr. Van Buren 291,342. Mr. Van Buren undoubtedly received a sufficient number of democratic votes in the free States to turn the scale in favor of Gen. Taylor. By this influence the States of New York and Pennsylvania, in reality Democratic by a large majority, were made to cast their electoral vote for the Whig candidate, giving him sixty-two votes in the electoral college. Taking into consideration the vote cast for Van Buren, Gen. Cass received a very large majority of the votes of the people, over Gen. Taylor, but the majority against him in two of the largest States of the Union, having the greatest electoral vote, gave the preponderance to Gen. Taylor.

It is not the purpose of this work to enter at length into a discussion of the political principles of any party. To mention in outline the general features which marked the Presidential election

of 1848, is deemed sufficient to convey to the reader a correct idea of the position of the Democratic candidate in that contest. The Democratic party, it is true, were defeated, but not on the ground of their principles or of their candidate. They were satisfied of their correctness-were not discouraged by the resultand maintained without diminution their confidence in and attachment for their candidate.

CHAPTER XVII

Effects of defeat in 1848-Increased confidence of the people in the political views of Gen. Cass-He is re-elected to the Senate-First session of the thirtyfirst Congress-Importance of the questions before it-The feeling of the south -Course of ultra politicians-Efforts of Compromise-Propositions of Messrs. Clay and Bell-Mr. Foote's Resolution-Gen. Cass' remarks-Remarks in reply to Mr. Berrien-Report and Bill of committee of thirteen-Amendments to the bill-Opposition to the admission of California-Remarks of Gen. CassThe "Fugitive Slave" bill-Suggestions of Gen. Cass in relation to it-Compromise measures-Their effects-Efforts of Gen. Cass and other eminent men to create a sound state of feeling in regard to slavery-His remarks at a public meeting in the city of New York-Extract from his letter to the Democratic Union festival, at Baltimore-Flis action on the slavery question approved by the people-Repeal of Resolutions of Instruction by the Legislature of Michiigan-Unanimous re-election of Gen. Cass by the Legislature of Michigan, in February, 1851.

The defeat of the democratic party, in 1848, was the means of causing a salutary change in the views of many prominent and influential men, who, in that contest, had either supported with indifference or openly opposed the majority of their political friends. An examination of the real position of the democratic candidate, tested by cool and dispassionate reason, and confirmed by results, convinced them, that the standard he had raised was the right one for the safety and interests of the country. Investigation produced conviction, and conviction confidence in the purity of the national doctrine, upon which Gen. Cass had staked his reputation as a statesman, and his success as a candidate for the Presidency. This confidence was exhibited by the general wish of the democratic party that Gen. Cass should be re-elected to the Senate to fill the unexpired portion of his original term of six years. The legislature of Michigan, of 1849, obeyed the voice of their constituents, and their political friends elsewhere, and Gen. Cass resumed his seat in the Senate of the United States.

The first session of the thirty-first Congress, in 1849 and 1850, was peculiar for the exciting and important character of the propositions brought before it. The south had for years complained of infringement by the north upon their rights as members of the