"What do we want with it?" they said. "What are we to do with it? How could a bit of land five thousand miles away ever become part of the United States? It is absurd!"
Steam, said someone, would make it possible. Railways would bring
Oregon near to the seat of government.
"Steam!" cried the objectors. "Railways across the Rocky Mountains!
Rubbish!"
The British on their side did not want the whole of Oregon, but they wanted the land as far south as the Columbia River.
However in the end both sides gave way a little. It was agreed to halve the country, and the parallel 49 was taken as the boundary. Thus another large territory was added to the States and the northern frontiers peacefully settled from east to west.
But Polk's land hunger was not yet satisfied. He had half of Oregon, he had the whole of Texas, but he wanted more. He waned California, but California belonged to Mexico. He tried to buy it from Mexico, but Mexico would not sell it. Polk, however, was determined to have it. So determined was he that he made up his mind to fight for it, if there was no other way of getting it.
It was easy to find an excuse for war. The boundaries of Texas were very uncertain, and a tract of land lying east of the Rio Grande River was claimed by both Texas and by Mexico. IN 1846 Polk sent an army to take possession of this land.
General Zachary Taylor was in command of this expedition. And when he arrived near the mouth of the Rio Grande and began to build a fort the Mexicans were very angry. They sent him a message ordering him to be gone in twenty-four hours.
Of course Taylor refused to go, and he began to blockade the river, so as to stop trade with Mexico.
The Mexicans then made ready to fight, and next morning they attacked and captured a scouting party of Americans.