History of Texas: From Its First Settlement in 1685 to Its Annexation to the United States in 1846, Volume 2 Page: 438 of 584

                                
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HISTORY OF TEXAS.

3ay, as the candidate of that party for the presidency. This
gave a party sanction to his Raleigh letter, and his leading
friends took ground against the admission of Texas. A public
functionary of the republic, then at Baltimore, and unacquainted
with such scenes as he there witnessed, says: " In the immense
concourse of persons assembled here during this week
from the various parts of the Union, there was not one to be
found to raise his voice in our behalf; and I declare to you
that such a thing as sympathy for us as a nation, however pressing
our difficulties, is totally unknown among this people: and
whatever might be our fate, it would receive more derision
than regret. The opinion very generally prevails that we are
a nation of scoundrels, speculators, and adventurers, unworthy
to occupy a place in this party-cursed country, and we are
treated in accordance with this notion."
Between the 1st and the 27th of May, the democratic leaders
had time to look over the ground, and take advantage of
the response that came up from distant states. As calls had
been made upon other public men for their views on this annexation
question, and many had answered favorably, politicians
of foresight were surveying this list in search of a friend
to Texas who would do for a standard-bearer in the contest of
November. However, no agreement was made before the assembling
of the convention. Mr. Van Buren had been endeared
to the democratic party by his earnest efforts to establish a constitutional
treasury, free from the control of bank-corporations.
When the convention met, however, and the pledges of delegates
had been redeemed by casting their votes for Mr. Van
Buren, and the untrammelled question was presented between
that gentleman and annexation, he was rejected, and the nomination
conferred on James K. Polk, of Tennessee, a civilian
of considerable political talent, and of unexceptionable charac