Political Cartoon
A contentious topic in the 1844 presidential election was the long-running debate about the annexation of Texas. Clay opposed the annexation of another slave state, in an effort to keep a balance between North and South. The scene depicted in the cartoon reflects the opinion that Clay attempted to influence the views of his colleagues.
After James K. Polk won the presidency, Polk led the annexation of Texas in 1845 and ended the Mexican-American War in 1848.
