.
He believed that its strength had been exerted against him, and in his
first message to Congress, in December, 1829, he charged that it had
failed to establish a uniform and sound currency and that its existence
was contrary to the spirit of the Constitution. Its charter would expire
in 1836, and Congress passed an act renewing it for fifteen years.
Jackson vetoed the measure, and the two-thirds majority necessary to
pass it again could not be obtained.

By law the deposits of the bank were subject to the secretary of the
treasury, who could not remove them without giving Congress his reasons
for the step. Jackson ordered his secretary to remove the deposits, and
when he very properly refused, the President removed him. He made Roger
B. Taney, afterward chief justice of the United States, his new
secretary of the treasury, and that pliable official promptly
transferred the deposits to certain banks that had been selected.

PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION OF 1832.

Although the fight caused much excitement, and the action of Jackson was
bitterly denounced, it added to his popularity, as was proven in the
presidential election of 1832, when the following electoral vote was
cast: Andrew Jackson, 219; Henry Clay, of Kentucky, National Republican,
49; John Floyd, of Georgia, Independent, 11; William Wirt, of Maryland,
Anti-Masonic, 7. For Vice-President, Martin Van Buren, Democrat, of New
York, received 189 votes; John Sergeant, of Pennsylvania, National
Republican, 49; Henry Lee, of Massachusetts, Independent, 11; Amos
Ellmaker, of Pennsylvania, Anti-Masonic, 7; William Wilkins, of
Pennsylvania, Democrat, 30. On the popular vote, Jackson had more than a
hundred thousand in excess of all the others in a total of one million
and a quarter. It was a great triumph for "Old Hickory."

[Illustration: SAMUEL HOUSTON.

One of "Old Hickory's" volunteers, afterward famous in the Texan War for
Independence.

(1793-1863).]

It rarely happens in the history of any country that the government
finds itself in the possession of more money than it wants. It became
clear, however, that not only would the public debt soon be paid, but a
surplus would accrue. In view of this certainty, Henry Clay secured the
passage of a bill in 1832, which reduced the tariff, except where such
reduction came in conflict with home labor. Several years later, the
surplus, amounting to $28,000,000, was divided among the States.

BLACK HAWK WAR.

In the y