408 ANNEXATION OF TEXAS. mainly in predatory incursions, attended by circumstances revolting to humanity. The contiguity of the two nations to our territory involved our own peace. Our government, therefore, from time to time exerted its friendly offices to bring about a termination of hostilities upon terms honourable alike to both the belligerents. Its efforts in this behalf proving of no avail, the only alternative left the executive, was to take advantage of the well known disposition of Texas, and to invite her to enter into a treaty for annexing her territory to that of the United States. The treaty, which was negotiated for this purpose by the executive, failed to receive the ratification of the Senate, that body urging as an objection that the question of annexation had not as yet been placed before the people of the United States. This objection, however, soon lost its force, for at the presidential election in November, a controlling majority of the people, and a large majority of the states, declared in favour of immediate annexation. Immediately after this election, President Tyler recommended the adoption of the terms of annexation, by Congress, in the form of a joint resolution, or act, to be perfected and made binding on the two republics, when adopted in like manner by the government of Texas. The joint resolution, or act, proposed by President Tyler, passed both Houses of Congress by a large majority; and on the 3d of March, 1845, the last day of his administration, President Tyler proposed to submit the first and second sections of that resolution to the republic of Texas, as an overture, on the part of the United States, for her admission as a State into our Union. On the 4th of March, the term of Mr. Tyler s presidency expired, and James K. Polk (of Tennessee) took possession of the chair. George M. Dallas (of Pennsylvania) was chosen Vice-President. HE first act of the new President was to instruct the Charge d'Affaires of the United States in Texas to lay before the government and citizens of that republic the first and second sections of the joint resolution of Congress, for their approval and acceptance. The executive government, the Congress, and the people of Texas, successively complied with all the terms and conditions. of the joint resolution. Nothing now remained to consummate the event, but the passage of an act by Congress to admit the state of Texas into the Union upon an equal footing with the original states. This act was passed at the next annual meeting of the American Congress on the 29th of December, 1845. During this session of Congress (1845-6) the tariff law of 1842 was repealed, and another substituted which reduced the duties on imports in a considerable degree. This important change in the national policy was not effected without a lively opposition in both houses of Congress; and in the senate the new tariff bill was passed only by the casting vote 412 THE TARIFF OF 1842. of the Vice President. Serious apprehensions were entertained respecting the probable effects of the new law on the manufacturing interests of the country; and Pennsylvania, in particular, resented the apprehended injury to her coal miners and iron manufacturers so gravely as to elect a new legislature, a majority of which was composed of members opposed, in their political views, to the administration of the general government. Another important measure which marked the early part of Mr. Polk's administration, was the establishment of what is termed the independent treasury. By the provisions of this act of Congress, all moneys paid into the treasury for customs, imposts, and other dues, are required to be in specie; and instead of being as heretofore deposited in banks, the public treasure is entrusted to officers specially appointed by the government to receive and disburse it. Payments from the treasury are also required to be made in specie. The reason assigned for this measure is the increased security of the public funds, which were supposed to be in constant peril from the alleged insecurity of the banks. The result of the experiment, of course, can only be known, after a trial of several years' duration; and can only be fairly stated, after a comparison of the expenses and losses actually suffered by the treasury under the operation of the old and the new sys tems respectively. A great deal of apprehension has been entertained by the commercial classes with respect to the effect of this measure in withdrawing specie from circulation.|| Simultaneously with the repeal of the tariff of 1842, Great Britain modified her corn laws, and reduced many other duties to moderate revenue rates. This simultaneous abandonment of a protective tariff by the United States and Great Britain, has opened new markets for our agricultural and other products; commerce and navigation have received a new impulse; and a reciprocity in the exchange of commodities has been established by the two nations. At the same time that the tariff question agitated the country, the "Oregon question" was settled between the United States and Great Britain. In the two preceding administra |