CH. IV.] JOHN TYLER'S FISCAL PLANS. ests of the party, it would have been better not to have gone to this length, at this time. Brief as this extra session was, it was one of the most important under the administration of John Tyler. Provision was made for the widow of General Harrison, as a durable testimony of regret at his sudden decease; a loan of $12,000,000 was authorized, for the purpose of covering the deficit under Van Buren's administration; a provisional tariff act laid as much as twenty per cent. on many articles admitted free by the compromise tariff; a. uniform system of bankruptcy was established; and an act was passed granting rights of pre-emption as to the public lands, and providing for the distribution of the proceeds from land sales amongst the states, substantially in accordance with Mr. Clay's plan. Seventy-five acts were passed, the veto power was twice exercised. 1841. The elections, during the summer and autumn, resulted on the whole, unfavorably to the whigs, and renewed the hopes of the democrats that Mr. Tyler might advance their views to a greater extent than those of the party which had elevated him to power. The second session of the twenty-seventh Congress began on the 6th of December, and continued until the 31st of August, 1842, being the longest session of the national legislature that had ever yet occurred. A very large amount of public business was transacted, there having been passed no fewer than two hundred and ninety-nine acts. Besides these bills and the discussion arising out of them, Congress was occupied in 419 this session by a thousand and ninetyeight reports, and above three hundred other bills, not passed. There were about a hundred private bills ready for final passage in the House, but retained till the next session, because the Senate was so much occupied by the treaty of Washington and other momentous matters. The president put his veto to four bills this session; which of course occasioned much debate and many protests. Instead of a bank, Mr. Tyler suggested a "board of control," but Congress would not agree to any such plan. The tariff formed the leading topic of discussion, and after the president had vetoed two bills on this subject,* he approved a third, which omitted the provision in the former for distribution of the proceeds of the public lands among the states. This was on the 30th of August, 1842. without cost or charge. Favorable reports were made upon this plan in both Houses, and in each a bill to establish such a board was introduced; but the plan was not adopted by Congress. mutual extradition of fugitives from justice, and the taking of measures for the more effectual suppression of the slave trade. On On the 9th of August, 1842, four months after the arrival of Lord Ashburton, the labors of the negotiators were brought to a successful conclusion, and the treaty of Washington signed. By this treaty the boundary between the State of Maine and the British provinces was at length definitely settled. the whole, though more or less objec tion was made to the final arrangement, it was regarded as fair and just by sensible and reasonable men on both sides the Atlantic. The navigation of the River St. John was declared free; all grants of lands, on whichever side of the boundary line they might be, were to be held valid; and ‘he United States agreed to satisfy the claims of the States of Maine and Massachusetts, out of its share of the “disputed territory" fund. 1842. Before Congress adjourned, the Senate was called upon to ratify a very important treaty, usually known as the treaty of Washington. Daniel Webster was the negotiator on the part of the United States, and in behalf of Great Britain, Lord Ashburton arrived at Washington, as special minister, on the 4th of April, 1842. Besides the boundary question, which had been so long in dispute, there were other matters of no small moment to be discussed, and if possible settled now; one, the indemnification or "atonement" due on the ground of the violation of the United States' territory when the Caroline was destroyed, and for that vessel, if it were not proved that its owner had acted in conjunction with the insurgents on Navy Island; and another, the right of search claimed and enforced by the British cruisers, as to ships sus-lated, that Great Britain and America pected of being slavers, which arose near the end of the preceding year.* *This subject had been largely discussed between By the eighth article, it was stipu should each maintain on the coast of Africa, a sufficient squadron or naval force, carrying not less than eighty guns, for the purpose of enforcing separately and respectively the laws, rights, and obligations of the two countries for the suppression of the slave trade. Another article of the treaty provided for the reciprocal tradition of the fugitives from justice, an arrangement evidently of importance to the welfare of both countries. The Senate ratified Mr. Stevenson, the American minister, and Lords Palm- this treaty by a majority of thirty-nine erston and Aberdeen. Mr. Stevenson asserted as un questionable, that the right of search would, in no case, be submitted to by the United States. against nine, Senator Benton being one of the minority; and the bill for car |