This issue, however, was not made clear in the South.

In the absence of telegraph and daily paper it was quite possible to maintain contradictory positions in different sections of the country.

But since the Democrats everywhere openly favored annexation, the election of their candidate, James K.Polk, was generally accepted as a popular approval of the annexation of Texas.

Indeed, action immediately followed the election and, before the President-elect had been inaugurated, the joint resolution for the annexation of Texas passed both Houses of Congress.
The popular vote was almost equally divided between Whigs and Democrats.
Had the vote for Birney, who was again the candidate of the Liberty party, been cast for Clay electors, Clay would have been chosen President.

The Birney vote was over sixty-two thousand.