ecognition of independence by Mexico, Texas pledged
itself not to be annexed to any other country. This agreement was approved
in Mexico. The Texan debt was largely owed in England, and it was the
policy of Lord Aberdeen, accordingly, to encourage her independence. In
February, a note by Lord Aberdeen was transmitted to the American
Government, stating that Great Britain desired to see slavery abolished in
Texas, as elsewhere, but disclaimed any intention unduly to force that
point. This statement in itself whetted the desire of the Southern States
of the Union to incorporate Texas among the slave-holding States. Calhoun,
who as early as 1836 had demanded the annexation of Texas on behalf of the
interests of Southern slavery, was invited to join Tyler's Cabinet as
Secretary of State. The office had been rendered vacant by the calamitous
explosion of a new monster gun on the U.S.S. "Princeton," killing Secretary
of State Upshar and Secretary Gilmer of the Navy in the immediate vicinity
of President Tyler. Calhoun entered office on March 6, and on April 12 the
Texan treaty of annexation was signed. On April 18, Calhoun answered Lord
Aberdeen's note, declaring that "the British avowal made it the imperious
duty of the Federal Government to conclude in self-defence a treaty of
annexation with Texas." As to this transaction, Von Holst, Calhoun's
biographer, has said: "It may not be correct to apply, without
modification, the code of private ethics to politics; but, however flexible
political morality may be, a lie is a lie, and Calhoun knew there was not a
particle of truth in these assertions." The annexation treaty was held back
in the American Senate until the Democratic Convention of 1844 had declared
for the reannexation of Texas. In the hope that this would secure
ratification the treaty was submitted in June, but the Senate once more
rejected it by 35 to 16 votes. Undismayed by this, President Tyler within
three days sent another message to the House of Representatives asking for
reconsideration of the subject, but the matter went over until after the
Presidential campaign in the autumn. Henry Clay's vacillating stand
throughout this controversy proved fatal to his Presidential aspirations.

[Sidenote: Anti-Mormon riots]

[Sidenote: Brigham Young]

During this same year, the Indians surrendered the regions adjoining Lake
Superior, which were promptly settled by white men. Iron was then
discovered at Marquette and cop