Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. II.djvu/35

 MARTIN VAN BUREN 17 The majority for Harrison in the popular vote was nearly 140,000. Retiring after this overthrow to the shades of Lindenwald, a beautiful country-seat which he had purchased in his native county, Van Buren gave no vent to repinings. In 1842 he made a tour through the southern states, visiting Henry Clay at Ashland. In 1843 he came to the front with clear-cut views in favor of a tariff for revenue only. But on the newly emergent question of Texan annexation he took a decided stand in the negative, and on this rock of offence to the southern wing of his party his candidature was wrecked in the Democratic national convention of 1844, which met at Baltimore on May 27. He refused to palter with this issue, on the ground of our neutral obliga tions to Mexico, and when the nomination went to James K. Polk, of Tennessee, he gave no sign of resentment. His friends brought to Polk a loyal support, and secured his election by carrying for him the decisive vote of the State of New York. Van Buren continued to take an interest in pub lic affairs, and, when in 1847 the acquisition of new territory from Mexico raised anew the vexed ques tion of slavery in the territories, he gave in his adhesion to the &quot;Wilmot proviso.&quot; In the new elective affinities produced by this &quot;burning ques tion&quot; a redistribution of political elements took place in the chaos of New York politics. The &quot;Barnburner&quot; and the &quot;Hunker&quot; factions came to