Page:Lives of the presidents in words of one syllable (1903).djvu/75

 thought, at one time, that Hen-ry Clay would have the chair. All knew Polk to be wise, and sure to speak the truth as he knew it. When he made up his mind, naught could turn him.

One of the men he chose to help him was James Bu-chan-an, who was to be Pres-i-dent in half a score and two years. George Ban-croft, who wrote books of great worth, was there too. At that time, and long ere that date, the talk was of the slaves and what to do as to the claim to hold them in the new parts of the land.

War with Mex-i-co came on. Troops were sent there. With them was a young man whose name was to be much known in years to come. This was U. S. Grant. In this war, which came to an end in 1848, two men won great fame, Zach-a-ry Tay-lor and Win-field Scott. When peace was made, the U-ni-ted States, in the course of five years, paid a big sum for New Mex-ic-o and Up-per Cal-i-for-nia.

GENERAL WINFIELD SCOTT.

It has been said that though Polk could not rank with the high states-men who had come ere his day, yet when he held the chair great things came which shed a bright light on his term.

Large tracts of new lands came then to be ours. Gold was found in Cal-i-for-ni-a. Things which came, some folks thought, were like Jef-fer-son's day dreams.