Norwich bulletin., 1920-04-20
Five Minutes a Day
 With Our Presidents
Copyright 1sao-sy James Morgan

XXXII-AN VICTORIOUS VICTOR
 1s45--March {. James K. Polk In- l
 augurated 11th President.
 aged 49.
 1s46-July F. Orego. question set-
 tied.
 1s46-s-Ihe Mexican War.
 lS4s-Greatest terFitoriaI conquest
 in American History
 1849-June 15. death of Polk, aged
 53.
 Although Folks administration added more square miles to the map of the Union than any other except Jeffersons peaceable acquisition of Louisiana, his- tory and posterity continue to look that gift horse in the mouth. Why? Our deed to that immense territory is much the same as our title to all the rest of our country which was taken from the Indians on the fundamental principle that land rightly belongs to those who can and will use it.
 What American today would wish that our settlers in Texas had been left at the mercy of Mexico, or wish that Cali fornia, Nevada, Utah, Arizona and parts of New Mexico, Colorado and Wyoming still remained huge, undeveloped, sem ibarbarous wedge of Mexican territory between us and the western ocean? Nevertheless, qualns of conscience over that conquest continue to disturb us. And this is a wholesome symptom of national scruples Even if the ef- 1 feet seems good, the motive was mad. For Polk was put into the presidency solely because he could be relied on to push the boundaries of slavery to the Rio Grande.
 l The new president really went into the White House with two land claims to press. Besides Texas there was Ore gon (including Washingtonl. which was then our only foothold on the Pacific and which we were occupying jointly with the British. The American claim in that unsurveyed region took in what is now the coast of British Columbia clear to Alaska, and the conflicting Brit. ish claim ran down as far as Portland and the Columbia River.
 Polk at once offered to compromise but was rebuffed by the British Min ister Thereupon he withdrew his offer and the American demanded every thing, the parallel of latitude to whiei they claimed being popularly expFesse, in the alliterative phrase, "Fifty-fouI forty, or fight r' But when we foun, Jour hands full with Mexico. the Poll administration and the British govern ment agreed on the compromise whcl
 the President had first proposed ant
 the forty-ninth parallel became the al viding line.
 Although congress and Tyler had huI riedly completed our part In the annex ation of Texas, the very day befoF Folks inauguration, and Mexico reall ; had renounced the Lone Star state, tn boundary still was open to question. Tn new administration promptly ordere : General Zachary Taylor to march to ths river with instructions to regard as II 3 vaders any Mexican troops on this sid of it.
 After year of challenging by us,
 Mexican general took up eur ehaileni
 and skirznish occurred. Thereupon, - Folks request, Congress declared tn n war existed 'by the act of Mexico" .- It was not much of q war as war s a But few military campaigns have be- e richer in booty. General Taylor h; > only 5000 and 5000 men In the mo 2 decisive engagements. General Scott D ,r gan his advapee on the City of Me
 leo from Vera Cruz with 12.o0o treor l. But he did not have half that many ( m feetives in his easy victories over Id bankrupt, distracted nation whose feet j. governments tumbied down every tiI er we gave them a tap.
 n. The Mexican war was redeem T. somewhat from it's military ene-side ness and from it's bad political mcti