CHAPTER II. CAMPAIGN OF 1844--ANNEXATION AND SLAVERY. The Nomination of Clay--His Position on the Slavery Question and Annexation--Van Buren's Letter to Hammett, and its Effect upon the South--His Repudiation, and the Nomination of Polk--The Surprise of the Country--Unbounded Confidence of the Whigs--The Course of the New York Democrats--The "Kane Letter"--Trouble among the Whigs on the Annexation Question--Fierceness of the Contest, and singular Ability of the Leaders--The Effect of Clay's Defeat upon the Whigs --Causes of the Defeat--The Abolitionists, and the Abuse heaped upon them--Cassius M. Clay--Mr. Hoar's Mission to South Carolina-- Election of John P. Hale--Annexation, and War with Mexico--Polk's Message, and the Wilmot Proviso--The Oregon Question, and Alex. H. Stephens. CHAPTER III. CAMPAIGN OF 1848--ITS INCIDENTS AND RESULTS. Approach of another Presidential Campaign--Party Divisions threatened by the Wilmot Proviso--Nomination of Gen. Cass--The "Nicholson Letter"--Democratic Division in New York--Nomination of Gen. Taylor --Whig Divisions--Birth of the Free Soil Party--Buffalo Convention --Nomination of Van Buren and Adams--Difficulty of uniting on Van Buren--Incidents--Rev. Joshua Leavitt--Work of the Campaign--Webster and Free Soil--Greeley and Seward--Abuse of Whig Bolters--Remarkable Results of the Canvass. CHAPTER IV. REMINISCENCES OF THE THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS. Novel Political Complications--Compromise Measures--First Election to Congress--Sketch of the "Immortal Nine"--The Speakership and Wm. J. Brown--Gen. Taylor and the Wilmot Proviso--Slaveholding Bluster--Compromise Resolutions of Clay and Retreat of Northern Whigs--Visit to Gen. Taylor--To Mr. Clay--His Speeches--Webster's Seventh of March Speech--Calhoun--Speech on the Slavery Question. CHAPTER V. THE THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS (CONTINUED). Fracas between Col. Benton and Senator Foster--Character of Benton --Death of Gen. Taylor--The Funeral--Defeat of the "Omnibus Bill" --Its Triumph in Detail--Celebration of the Victory--"Lower Law" Sermons and "Union-Saving" Meetings--Slaveholding Literature-- Mischievous Legislation--Visit to Philadelphia and Boston--Futile Efforts to suppress Agitation--Andrew Johnson and the Homestead Law--Effort to censure Mr. Webster--Political Morality in this Congress--Temperance--Jefferson Davis--John P. Hale--Thaddeus Stevens--Extracts from Speeches--Famous Men in both Houses--Free Soilers and their Vindication.