1848]

WAR WITH MEXICO.

403

vaded the state of Chihuahua, and having defeated the Mexicans at Bracito and at the Pass of Sacramento, they took possession of Chihuahua, the capital.

A small party under Captain JOHN C. FREMONT was exploring the territory of California when the war broke out. Fremont had, previous to this, explored the Rocky Mountain region from the South Pass to the Three Peaks of Colorado, and also the Great Basin from the Rocky Mountains to the Sierra Nevada. Uniting his forces with the American settlers, and co-operating with Commodore Stockton who commanded the Pacific fleet, they soon overcame the opposition of the natives. In a few months all California was in their possession. Early in 1848 a treaty was concluded with Mexico. New Mexico and California were ceded to the United States, and the Rio Grande accepted by Mexico as the boundary separating it from Texas. In return, the United States agreed to pay Mexico 15 million dollars, and to assume the claim for damages, amounting to three and a half million dollars, said to be due to United States citizens. The money cost of the Mexican war was about 100 million dollars. Although comparatively few soldiers of the Americans were killed in battle, yet thousands died of the vomito and other diseases. At Perote, there were 2600 American graves of the victims of disease, and at the city of Mexico, the deaths, for awhile, were 1000 a month. For nearly two years as many as 140,000 men were employed as soldiers, teamsters, artificers, etc., and hence the otherwise useful labor of many of these was lost to the country.

WILLIAM JAY remarks on the needlessness of this war: "It is impossible to resist the conviction that, by honest negotiation, we might have become the masters of these territories without crime, without human butchery, and at a far less cost in money than the sum we have paid. ** We should, however, take a most erroneous and limited view of the cost of this war to the United States, were we to confine our estimates to the millions which have been

expended in its prosecution, or to the personal sufferings it has occasioned. Before we can sum up the total cost, we must add to the blood, and the groans, and the treasure we have bartered for victory and conquest, the political and moral evils the war has bequeathed to the nation-evils as extensive as the bounds of the Republic, and whose effects upon the happiness of individuals will continue to be felt when time shall be no more."

During the exciting debates in Congress upon the acquisition of California and New Mexico, a proposition was introduced by David Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, which provided that neither slavery nor involuntary servitude should be permitted in any ceded territory. This amendment to the bill was termed the "Wilmot Proviso," and the discussion which was provoked thereby, made it apparent that the true object of the war on the part of the pro-slavery party was not to avenge imputed wrongs on the part of Mexico, but simply to add to the extent of slave territory. The Proviso passed the House, but failed in the Senate.

Just before the ratification of the treaty with Mexico, rumors of the discovery of gold in California, reached the eastern states. The shining particles were first noticed (1847) by a laborer who was engaged at work upon a mill-race on one of the tributaries of the river Sacramento. Intense excitement followed the intelligence, and shortly, thousands of emigrants for the Eldorado of the West were on their way,—some going in caravans across the plains and over the Rocky Mountains; others by ship to the isthmus of Panama, and thence by the Pacific; and others again by the long route around Cape Horn. SAN FRANCISCO at once became the favorite city and port. Speculation was rife in the land, and, along with the intense thirst for gold, gambling, intemperance and ruffianism prevailed there for a number of years. Silver and quicksilver were also discovered, while the teeming products. of a fertile soil soon passed out through the "Golden Gate" to other less favored quarters.

1848]

GADSDEN PURCHASE.

405

The TREATY OF GUADALOUPE-HIDALGO (1848) had resulted in the cession by Mexico of 545,000 square miles of territory. By the "Gadsden Purchase" of 1853, the Pima silver region and Mesilla Valley, south of the Gila river, comprising 45,000 square miles, were also acquired upon payment of the further sum of ten million dollars.

Wisconsin was admitted into the Union in 1848. The presidential election of that year resulted in the choice of General Zachary Taylor, of Louisiana, for the chief office. MILLARD FILLMORE, of New York, was chosen vice-president.

CHAPTER XXX.

TAYLOR. FILLMORE. PIERCE. BUCHANAN.

1849-1861.

THE SLAVERY AGITATION.

FOR twelve years following the passage of the Missouri Compromise act, the subject of slavery was not agitated in Congress. Public opinion, however, at the North, was by no means at rest, and the Anti-Slavery party or Abolitionists were yearly gaining in numbers. The American Anti-Slavery Society was organized at Philadelphia, in 1833, with ARTHUR TAPPAN as its first president. A few years previous, Benjamin Lundy, of Baltimore, had published a small journal, "The Genius of Universal Emancipation," while William Lloyd Garrison, in Boston, issued "The Liberator." During the presidency of Jackson, prohibition memorials began to be presented to Congress, while papers and illustrated publications, designed to generate a feeling in favor of emancipation, were mailed to the slave-owners and others at the South. When Jackson recommended to Congress that a law should be passed prohibiting the use of the mails for the latter purpose, the excitement became intense; exhibiting itself at the North, in violent attacks upon the Abolitionists, and at the South, in the breaking open of some of the post-offices and the destruction of the unwelcome documents.

The debates upon the annexation of Texas and upon a war with Mexico, showed that the extension of slavery was viewed

1850]

THE SLAVERY AGITATION.

407

with favor by the administrations of Tyler and Polk. The opponents of slavery now brought the subject forward as one which should properly find expression through the medium of the ballot-box. The Abolitionists, or those who were in favor of the utter extinction of slavery, were comparatively few in number. The Free-Soil party, although equally persuaded with the Abolitionists of the moral wrong of the slave system, favored the recognition of the constitutional limits of slavery as established by the Missouri Compromise, but were opposed to the creation of new slave states. At the presidential election of 1840, this party polled but 7600 votes; but in 1848 their candidate received the suffrages of nearly 300,000 citizens.

In 1849, California, which had rapidly increased in population, following the discovery of gold, adopted a constitution prohibiting slavery, and asked to be admitted as a state. Such a result of the acquisition of Mexican territory had not been looked for by the advocates of slavery. There were violent debates in Congress, with threats of secession, and protests that as slavery was a domestic institution, it should not be interfered with. The Anti-Slavery party, on their side, also advocated separation, declaring that a republic like the United States could not with any consistency support so unrighteous a custom as slavery, and that the obligation on the part of the Northern states to return fugitive slaves ought not to be assented to.

The first message of President Taylor to Congress, and the only one which he lived to submit, recommended that California should be at once admitted into the Union. Also, that NEW MEXICO and UTAH should be organized as territories, and, when prepared to be received into the Union, that they be allowed to settle the question of slavery to suit themselves. A few months later, on the 9th day of 7th month (July), 1850— the day of the great fire at Philadelphia-the president died.