HOW TEXAS BECAME A STATE.
JOHN C. CALHOUN, SECRETARY OF STATE--HOW TYLER WAS MANAGED --ADMISSION OF TEXAS--DOUGLAS, OF ILLINOIS--AN ABLE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES -- EXCITING PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN -- PRO- GRAMME OF PRESIDENT TYLER--NOMINATION OF HENRY CLAY--THE DEMOCRATIC TICKET--SURPRISE OF MR. DALLAS--THE LIBERTY PARTY--BIRTHNIGHT BALL--EXIT OF JOHN TYLER.
PRESIDENT TYLER was encouraged in his desire to have Texas admitted as a State of the Union by Henry A. Wise, his favorite adviser, and by numerous holders of Texan war scrip and bonds. Before the victims of the Princeton explosion were shrouded, Mr. Wise called upon Mr. McDuffie, a member of the Senate, who represented Mr. Calhoun's interests at Washington, and informed him that the distinguished South Carolinian would be appointed Secretary of State. Mr. Wise urged the Senator to write to Mr. Calhoun at once, begging him not to decline the position should he be nominated and confirmed. Mr. McDuffie did not ask Mr. Wise if he spoke by Mr. Tyler's authority, but evidently believed that he was so authorized, and promised to write to Mr. Calhoun by that afternoon's mail.
Mr. Wise then went to the Executive Mansion, where he found Mr. Tyler in the breakfast room, much affected by the account of the awful catastrophe of the previous day. Mr. Wise told him rather abruptly that
-314-
