of all their courage, began to give way. When Taylor saw this, he is reported to have cried: "A little more grape, Captain Bragg!" In obedience to this order, a few more rounds were fired, and the Mexicans, unable to face the shot any longer, turned and fled.

While Taylor was holding the ground he had won, Santa Anna hurried off to meet and stop General Scott, on the road Cor'tez had traveled when he came to conquer Mexico, more than three centuries before. Scott's advance was one continual fight; but although he lost many men from wounds and disease, he won several battles.

The principal engagements took place at Cer'ro Gor'do, not far from the coast, and at Contreras (con-trā ́rahs), Churubusco (choo-roo-boos'co), and Cha-pul-te-pec', near the city of Mexico. In this campaign our troops did wonders, for they had to climb tall mountains and scale high walls before they could march in triumph into the capital of Mexico (1847).

Taylor and Scott were not the only ones to win laurels during this war, for Kearny, after leaving Fort Leav'enworth, went on to take Santa Fé and all New Mexico. He next intended to conquer California, but when he got there he found the work nearly done, and could only help win the struggle against the Mexicans. This was because Captain Fré-mont', who was surveying there, had taken command of the American settlers as soon as the Mexicans tried to turn them out. Helped by Commodore Stockton, who was on the Pacific coast at the same time, this small force beat the Mexicans. Next, the Americans decided that California should be called the "Bear State Republic," and govern itself until it could join the United States.

JOHN

XXVI. THE SLAVERY QUARREL.

OHN C. FREMONT is one of our national heroes Besides conquering California, he is

and pioneers.

noted for his explorations, which he had been carrying on

for more than five years.

Frémont the Explorer.

His guide and friend was the famous trapper, Kit Carson, whose name is now borne by a prosperous city in Ne-va'da. Once when Frémont crossed the Rocky Mountains, he carved his name on a bowlder more than thirteen thousand feet above the sea, on Frémont Peak.

People had long believed that the wide tract of land just east of the Rocky Mountains, which was called the 'Great American Desert" on old maps, was entirely barren. But Frémont, the "Pathfinder," discovered that the

greater part could be cultivated or used as pasture land. Frémont had also explored a vast tract of land in northern Mexico, which the United States wished to own. So, when the treaty of Gua-da-lu'pe Hi-dal'go was signed, in 1848, it was agreed that Mexico should give up all claim to Texas as far south as the Rio Grande, and also to New Mexico and what was then called Upper California, -in

cluding all the land between the Gila (he'la) River and the parallel of 42°,—in exchange for fifteen million dollars.

There was, however, soon after this some slight trouble about the boundary, so James Gads'den was sent to sign a new treaty. He bought for the United States another strip of land, south of the Gila River, for ten million dollars (1853). Because he did this, and signed the treaty, that strip of land is known as the "Gadsden Purchase."

The war with Mexico was, according to Northern views, unfair, and it seemed doubly so because Mexico just then was weak and poor. In speaking of it later on, General Grant, who took part in it, said it was "one of the most unjust wars ever waged by a stronger against a weaker nation." Many other people did not approve of it, either, and when they heard how much money the war cost, some remarked that if Texas were spelled properly it would read " Taxes."

Meanwhile, the old quarrel about the slavery question raged worse than ever. When President Polk, in 1846, asked for money to pay Mexico, a man named Wil'mot proposed that it should be granted only on condition that the territory bought with it should be free soil. This is what is known as the "Wilmot Proviso," and it gave rise to endless disputes, not only in Congress, but all through the country.

The quarrel between the slavery and antislavery parties, which had begun so long before, was to go on much longer, and many eloquent speeches for and against slavery were made in the House during the following years. Among the many able speakers of that time there was John Quincy Adams, who was now over eighty, and was known as the

"Old Man Eloquent." Hearing the wrangling over this vexed question, he once said, with great sadness: "Slavery is in all probability the wedge which will split up this Union."

Still, John Quincy Adams did not live long enough to see his words come true, for he died soon after in Congress, crying: "This is the last of earth; I am content" (1848). As he had served his country faithfully for many years as minister, President, and in Congress, he had at public funeral, and Daniel Webster was asked to make a speech about him.

This Daniel Webster is one of the greatest orators of our country. He had already made famous speeches for the laying of the corner stone of the Bunker Hill Monument, and in praise of John Adams and Thomas Jefferson. Since then, he had spoken in many parts of the country, and he had now reached the highest point of his fame.

As he is one of the great men of our country, it will interest you to hear a few anecdotes about him.

D

XXVII. DANIEL WEBSTER'S YOUTH.

ANIEL WEBSTER'S father lived in central New Hampshire, at the time when miles of uninhabited forests lay between him and the nearest settlement in Canada. He took part in the French and Indian War, and when the Revolution began went to serve at Boston. He also took part in the famous fight at Ben'ning-ton, and the night after Arnold's flight from West Point

Washington chose him to mount guard over his tent, saying: "Captain Webster, I believe I can trust you."

As a child, Daniel Webster was very delicate. Hoping to do him good, his mother once took him to the seashore, making the long journey on one of the old farm horses, with her sick boy in her arms.

Although not strong enough to work on the farm like his eleven brothers and sisters, Daniel learned to read before he was five, and went to the village school, where he was the brightest pupil. His memory was so good that when the schoolmaster once offered a jackknife as a prize to the scholar who learned the most Bible verses, he