JAMES K. POLK — ZACHARY TAYLOR. 193 



JAMES K. POLK, 1845— 1849 



JAMES K. POLK, the eleventh President of the United 

 States, entered upon the duties of his office on the 4th day of 

 March, 1845. 



President Polk had always been unfavourable to the 

 establishment of a National Bank, or to the abolition of 

 slavery. He was of opinion that each State had the exclusive 

 power to regulate this subject according to its own judgment, 

 and that the general Government had no power to interfere 

 with, or to act upon the subject of domestic slavery, the 

 existence of which, in many of the States, was expressly 

 recognized bv the Constitution of the United States. 



It was during this administration that war was declared 

 between the United States and Mexico, resulting in the 

 capture of the Capital by the North Americans, and the treaty 

 passed between the two countries on the 2nd February, 1848. 

 By that treaty, which was ratified on the 16th of March, 1848, 

 by the American Congress, and on the 30th of May of the 

 same year by the Mexican Congress, Upper California was 

 ceded to the United States on payment of fifteen millions of 

 dollars, or (£3,000,000). 



The name of Polkos, from Polk, was given to the 

 Mexicans, who pronounced against the legal government of 

 Mexico in 1847. 



In November, 1848, ZACHARY Taylor was elected 

 President to succeed to Mr. POLK. 



ZACHARY TAYLOR, 1849. 



ZACHARY Taylor, the twelfth President of the United 

 States, took possession of the chair on the 4th of March, 1849. 

 It was during this administration that the rich gold placers of 

 California attracted the general attention of the world, and 

 attracted such a large number of immigrants of all nationalities 

 with the extraordinary result that, in a few years, a magnificent 

 new State was created, in a place which for centuries had 

 only been known as a wilderness. 



Zachary Taylor was born in the county of Orange, 

 Virginia, on the 24th of September, 1784. At the early age 

 of twenty-four, he was nominated lieutenant, and in that 

 capacity, he took part in the war against the English, and also 

 against the Indians. He was made a colonel in 1834. In 

 1836, he took part in the Florida wars. In 1845, he was 

 sent to Texas, and intrusted uith the defence of the frontier 



