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Office Insider
To accentuate how • Getting Ready for an Oral Presentation
excellent communica-
In ge1ring tt:ldy for an oral presentation, you 1lla)' feel ~ lot of :1rudt1)•. For nuny
tion skills translate ,..._.,...., . . . . 8f'e. pri-
,..,................
.......... people fear of speaking before a group ,s almosr as great as rhe fear of p.1in. We g.er
- , . dffts.:a ti•• -
into career success, the
--
,....,._ bunerfli~ in our ~torna<."M just thinking about it. When )'OU f«l th~ butti:rflih,
Office Insider demon-
strates the importance
...............,,.., rhough, spe«h coach Dianne Booher advises gening rhenl in fomtarion and visual·
~ing (h( ~wjlrn1 ili ii. JX)Y.(rfyl py_,h proptlli1!3 yoy_ to ii. Pfi!k IX'rforn\itlH;c-. 1 for ~_ny
p~ntation, you can redua your f~~ and lay the foundation for a prof~~ional
performance h) focusing on fhe areas: preparation. organiiacion. audience rappon.
of communication skills \'15ual aids, and delivery.
in real-world practice.
FIGIJAI! 6.t ~ F f l Y O J I ~
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Communication
( ___c_o_M_M_u_N_1c_A_T_1o_N_w_o_R_K_s_H_o_P_ _, Workshops
Communication
Workshops develop
• WEB EVALUATION: HOAX? SCHOLAALY critical thinking skills
RESEARCH? ADVOCACY? and provide insight into
special business com-
Most of ._. lend to hi< hlll lllPi norlTWben lumed t4I WI I Web eean:::tt -one t.s aomehow
been EIYSUlled as pa,1 of a -..ct Mleaion JY00888.1 Not true The ttUh • thst lht lntemer munication topics such
• ~ l with U"l'llabll $IN 1hlU tlllOt 8ictl Of SiClt v.1lltl ltl)IJUlblll MM. N'lyCl"4 'N(h I
c:aT1)Ul.er and an lntemel COi • .ec.to, can publl;h lnyth~ on I'll Vis:, as ethics, technology,
Uihke 11:>rary-ba&ed flll8etCh materials. •ib11.adc:..1 at tnarJf . . . MS n o t ~ the
«111ng « ICl\lf"'I Of tctw:lllr\' S)A)ICIIO\ f)l'OOl(lurt$. 'Jhe f'lb'met(Jn wtttild i"I jCUnllS and
career skills, and
moGI nap.A:aCtt maga.z:nas • t'CMCIWOd. at.lthenbc:aled. and ~led. lhll's Yb/ we hiMI
leomod to trus, lheee aouue as Valid a n d ~ . Eu rlormabOn on thO W«J iS rn.dl
collaboration.
• ,....._ Some•• ere~,...,.._ Olhfnt:ICill to ctsi:rbA.•PCIPIOli IClk S..othlrl
w«ll to NI you IOf'l'l9thlng To t.N theW e b ~ . youm.at ICI\ARZe whlt you find
Het9 are !'OAOk (JJe&IJOM IO Mk ll!t you ex.anve a a,te
CU1T9nCY. \\tlal • h dale of tne Web page? Whan was t last UJ)dnd? II eorne of the
'''""""' _.,.1y, ........ _noc _

Wctmet11Cn dMouatf out cl date? If the lntonTetal e tme sen5lfYe aid the s,te has not
-
Authority. 'M'IO pWllhes OJ Sl)()nlOrS lhlS Web Pllil"? Wh8I ,,,..... u-. ~ - .,
authcrly? Is a ocnact acttaaa avalabla b' the l)f85a'lkW? l.eam to be &keptlCll1 abotl
(WI .-id NNrtl:lnl from ~ 'llltlC)IO credCW'ICdS . . not ~ .
eonwit. ts lhe l)Ul1X)Ce of "" pege 10 tnlMilln. norm. CXW'MiCe, a sell? Who • me
nendad auclaice. Judging tram content tone, and 81)'8? Can you auesa the OY9'8I value
of t h e ~ oc,mpftl9d With thll d the OChtt ~ on thS IOpiC? Web Pfll9lf'IWS
With o Skowed Pol'll OI VIM an'IOl bl CX>uY.Od on IOr oq8CIN9 diU.
Accuracy. Do the tacts thal ere presented seem releble k> you? Do you hi emn n
..,..ong. gonvno<. o, uoogo? Do""' - .,,,--.,. ol-?"" '°""""""~
• you find nuTl8fOIA 9ITCQ and if tacts an, not • • • iCGd. you thould be aler'led thal the
data nmy be quasbo, .....
F« rnc:,,e ~ i O n on .._..,ng
Wfb 111-. ct'9Ck CIA the lhYerartv or ceuornia at
~ · s exoelenl \\lab Ille at www.llb.berklfMY.«tuff••chingUb/GuldN/lnt.mel/
Evaluate.html
Career Application
a news~tlwrQ IBW:8. )'Qt.I hlwe been 8911.ed IO asaau Iha (J.lllty of the
As nlQ'TII 81
fOIOwr,g Wfb t(OI. W"Ch OI fflON COUid YoU 'eoo, I. I ,0.1(1 . . tcueOI OI veld ~bc:l'I?
8"' Nut11ll()f'I (www.b,Mfnutritlon.Of'g)
Eaoonds--.s.-. C.a.,n Slan(www.- c o m J
°'"""'
~~
ol - roe (http:// Cf1tldsmotapplelnc.blog,coml)
www.Ntths.aw.0t9)
~ ~ ~~ GrOl4) www.vrg.orglnutahelVnubhell.htmJ
Subject line: Summarize the content of the message.
Writing Plans
Opening: Expand the subject line by stating the main idea concisely in
Ample, step-by-step a full sentence.
writing plans help Body: Divide the instructions into steps. List the steps in the order
you get started quickly in which they are to be carried out. Arrange the items vertically with
on organizing and bullets or numbers. Begin each step with an action verb using the
formatting messages. imperative mood (command language such as do this, don't do that).
Closing: Request a specific action, summarize the message, or present
a closing thought. If appropriate, include a deadline and a reason.
Workplace in
Focus Photo
Essays
Vivid photos with
. . . .
1ntngumg stones
demonstrate real-world
applicability of business
commtmication
concepts. Each photo
essay concludes with
a critical thinking
question.
Trying to sell a micro car to Caladians has been

a gamble for Daimler AG, rnanufactu-er of the
luxurious Mercedes-Benz brand but also maker
of the diminutive Smart Fortwo. Prompted by
skyrocketing gasoline prices, European and Asian
drivers have long embraced smal autornobles. But
SLN-, truck- and van-loving Canadians? Although
the Smart is well engineered and sel s briskly il
over 30 countries, Its promoters have had to work
harder to win over Canadians, especially those not
IMng il large urban centres. What might rural or
suburban Canadian car buyers wony about most
when they see an automobile such as the Smart?
What strategies might reduce their resistance?
• WRITING IMPROVEMENT EXERCISES
Wordiness
- lho ~ sel11enoe6 IO ..,,,......•• wo«ly plYasos. outdalod e,p,-,is. and IOng
lead+ins
Exompto: lhs ,s to notify you tnet at a tater da.18 v.'O may be able 10 subn"ut the report.
Writing
Revis.on: We 1rey be able to SIA::lm1 the report later
Improvement
rl the event that lhe 18Si)CJo • is at al taYourat»e. we WII w, al probabiity star1 our W©
"'10 ti !ho mon1h 0, Jont*}'. Exercises
2 Tris IS 10 acMse you that ~ v.,!h !ho date o, Ap,t I all charges rredo attor that
date wil b8 chrg8d to your ro,w croort oord IUTW. These exercises will
3. Ptrsuont 10 )'Oii roquos1. ondosod plooso Im o copy of )'Oii Augus1 stO!omont. develop your writing
4 WI WM of the fact thal OU' saleS are f'ICt89Sllng in a 9'00ual manner. we m.JSt secure a
loan In lho """""' o, $50,000.
skills and allow you
5. This Is to let ~ know that you should fool froo 10 use your c,ecbt card for I.he pupose to practise the con-
o, purctm,ng - •oms lor a penod of 60 days cepts explained in the
Needless Adverbs, Fillers, Repetitious Words chapter.
- !ho f<ll<M~ -lenc:os 10 elll1Wlat0 - - Nlers (suct, as lf>ore IS and a IS).
encf \l"W)!Gnh01'"91 repetitl()f"I
6. ut is Web-based technology that is reaJty strearnlinng adrrlnistrahve proc a5sos and
reo;,:rng buss1e6s C061S 1"' bus,-.
7 " os certarly dear lhol lhore are many ~ ,,.,._. v.ro are very - but \'Alo
are actualy "1PfOPOled to essuroo management or - I P """"
8. There ant four 811 IPDfBOS who defin1tety spend more tme n lntemel reaeatJOnal uses on
!he lntemol lhan lhoy spend oo lluSflOSS·relatod Internet WOtk
9. There are deliMoly fMl advantaQas thet cx,mputors h<Ml c,;or a huroon deosocn - ·
Redundancies, Jargon, Slang, Clieh6s
Revise the folow1ng sentences 10 elmnate r8CUldandes, Ja,gon. stang, cliches. and any
"'""' wordiness
l.leif"MsT~
Aot:Ml'ul Fuy\1111 was ln touch~ mt ~ 1 0 ,...,.i lwl18 a~~ IOt her. .-Id I'm.,.,.,
ptl,aNd IC> do so co4ldlli.W7.1 uronta'ld RotMmi has**""!_..., kw the l)O$IIIOl'I ot ~ .
FOC(t ~ ill the IJM.,et5tly ~ Ne(wo,1f Acberra wc;r'tad tQt me torc,,-MYN" • ~ .
~()prnl!Cft;,
In ttw po11t1on, Robortl ~ a st3"I ol bGtMion eo and ao oooks. ~ 1og151,cs. and m.1ltilobng
Md . . . ~~. Aooe,tai WM MOQnO l'I commend ...... mt In lab'lg ~ llrgit
~ PfO\l'dng,.... few,. C.-.:la. w.u.t. .-Id ott.. ~ ~ r d intaTla!lonlll c:.riera.
"'°""
Robin,~-• C>OOII, #Id.,..,~ ne, IOgiellert~ N . . . ~ IO&.oginet
Witwl
Coordinolor. tlllO ~ s t . b e d ~ hor MBA and- promcr'.-l t.r egmin to MS11191f. Airlr.
Oontion&, Ck.ring v,,ncn bn"otN ~..,_In Ml' dMlion !)JOWi 15"
Tips for
Be5oclel~tl'lt ~trvedienl ~ e n d ~ IOod ~
~ . logJsbm, l!Wbbng rd sales}.. ACit,erta 15 ""'81 liaed boJ boltt Ueab.les and ~ because d
"*""'"' Preparing
'*' ~ 60ft$Nb. The:59 Skll&cemt in NNtt. . .""5liOned
Gatieg,oup. She regwrty Pl'CMde$ p:isi1M; ~
OWfteCI ~en.'°
~~
10 her e,nc,loijeet. rd ,t,ows ~ . F<:tt ~ Business
we _...uw,g MOI.IIOllled pe.lu,11•1()6 ,e,riew ~ tncl ~~ ar'llf Oik*d a ffil.dl fflCW9
$UC10e$SU~ee S)'S1etn lhall ~ poo,.e _.,. bolt'! ~ a n d managers. Messages
I'm eitc,er IO..:I Aot>erl.a In ne, ~ flOm lie '*1lne tood ~ lnCM1ry 10 lie l'ISIJIWOl'IOI IOoO
9M4ce9 9ee10i, and hOpe NII I ha¥e eJr:l)lainl!d Ef"ecl~ln ffftcomrnMIS lbo¥e RobMa'-S Sll'CflOwcr'II Tips boxes summarize
-·
41Ctl1C., ~ 1 ¥ 9 CIWid8t, and abaty 10 manaig1t- In othel" worm, I tigt1ly iVC:011 • • id Aob9i1;i *1out
~ . I y0u'd lb 10decun"'fro!COi1w1,e,clMlc),11'.)te,W,COt11at:tf'N ac N COOtdliiMl!!t klecl abOYe. practical suggestions
--
VP.Airfno Tip$ few Writine lAttws of Recommendation
• Identify the pupose Md conllderu131Jty o( the ffle9$3Qe.
• EstablSh YoUr rclationshe> witf'I U'IC' appllic.Ylt
,....,.,,..
• Oescnbe the length of employment irw::I JOb d\Ales, If
for creating effective
business messages.
Study them before
completing your
. . .
wrmng assignments.
• PrO't'dO $pl()fiC ~ t s OI mt ;,ll)Ql,c;wu·s proto$·
e,onal and per:sonal skas.
• ecw,,.,ar.,, the aPS*(:anl with others tn hrS or hef field
•~ •n
ov.rllll ratnQ of thl appll;ont.
• Sunwnanze 1he signdlcanl attrb.rles of the appieant
• Craw a concl.lslon reg31'dng the reoorrwnend3bon
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xxii
Unit 1: Communicating Today 1

1. Career Success Begins With Communication Skills 3
Unit 2: The Business Writing Process 31

2. Before You Write 34
3. Writing and Revising 56
Unit 3: Forms of Daily Business Writing 86

4. E-Mails, Messages, Texts, Social Media, Memos, Letters,
and Other Daily Writing 88
5. Routine Writing Situations 127
6. Persuasive Writing Situations 160
7. Negative Writing Situations 188
Unit 4: Reporting Data 220

8. Informal Reports 223
9. Proposals and Formal Reports 257
Unit 5: Developing Speaking Skills 303

10. Communicating in Person 306
11. Business Presentations 339
Unit 6: Communicating for Employment 373

12. The Job Search, Resumes, Social Media, and Cover Letters 376
13. Interviews and Follow-Up 411
Appendixes 443
A. A Guide to Document Formats 443
B. Correction Abbreviations and Proofreading Marks 453
C. Documentation Formats 455
D. Style in Writing 465
Grammar/Mechanics Handbook 474

Key to Grammar/Mechanics Checkups 538
Notes 540
Index 547
x NEL
Copyright 2016 Nelson Education Ltd. All Rjg.h1s Reserved. May not be copied, scanned. or duplicated. in " 'hole or in part. Due to elecll'Onic rig.Jus. so1ne third party content
may be suppressed fro1n the eBook ancVor eChapter(s). Nelson Educ~ujon reserves the right to remo\'e additional content at any 1i1ne if subsequent rights res1ric1jons require it.
Preface xvii
Acknowledgments xxii
Unit 1: Communicating Today 1

Chapter 1: Career Success Begins Tips for Improving Your Nonverbal Skills 16
With Communication Skills 3 What Employers Want: Professionalism 17
Becoming an Effective Business Communicator 3 Understanding How Culture Affects Communication 18
Succeeding in the Changing World of Work 4 Comparing Key Cultural Values 18
How Technology Improves Business Writing 5 Context 19
Examining the Communication Process 10 Individualism Versus Collectivism 20
Developing Better Listening Skills 12 Fonnality 20
Barriers to Effective Listening 12 Communication Style 20
Tips for Becoming an Active Listener 13 Time Orientation 20
Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills 13 Leaming lntercultural Workplace Skills 21
How the Eyes, Face, and Body Send Silent Messages 14 Controlling Ethnocentrism and Stereotyping 21
Eye Contact 14 Ethnocentrism 21
Facial Expression 14 Stereotypes 21
Posture and Gestures 14 Tolerance 21
How Time, Space, and Territory Send Silent Messages 14 Tips for Minimizing Oral Miscommunication Among Cross-
Cultural Audiences 22
Time 15
Tips for Minimizing Written Miscommunication Among
Space 15
Cross-Cultural Audiences 22
Territory 15
Globalization and Workforce Diversity 23
How Appearance Sends Silent Messages 15
Appearance of Business Documents 15 Tips for Effective Communication With Diverse Workplace
Appearance of People 16 Audiences 24
Communication Workshop 30
Unit 2: The Business Writing Process 31

Chapter 2: Before You Write 34 Polite "You" View 42
Basics of Business Writ ing 34 Conversational but Professional 43
Writ ing Process for Business Messages Positive Language 44
and Oral Presentations 35 Courteous Language 45
Bias-Free Language 45
Prewriting 35
Plain Language and Familiar Words 47
Writing 36
Precise, Vigorous Words 47
Revising 36
Scheduling the Writing Process 36
Analyzing the Purpose for Writing 36 Chapter 3: Writing and Revising 56
Writing: Researching 56
Identifying Your Purpose 37
Selecting the Best Channel 37 Formal Research Methods 57
Switching to Faster Channels 37 lnfonnal Research and Idea Generation 57
Anticipating the Audience 39 Writing: Organizing Data 58
Profiling the Audience 39 Outlining 58

Responding to the Profile 41 The Direct Pattern 59
Adapt ing to the Task and Audience 41 The Indirect Pattern 60
Constructing Effective Sentences 61
Audience Benefrts 41
NEL xi
Copyright 2016 Ne~son Education Ltd. All Rjg.h1s Reserved. May not ~ copied, scanned. or duplicated. in " 'hole or in part. Due to elecll'Onic rig.Jus. so1ne third party content
may be suppressed fro1n the eBook ancVor eChapter(s). Nelson Educ~UJOn reserves the right to remo\'e additional content at any 1i1ne if subsequent rights res1ric1jons require it.
Using Four Sentence Types to Achieve Variety 61 Jargon 68
Controlling Sentence Length 62 Slang 69
Avoid ing Three Common Sentence Faults 62 Cliches 69
Fragments 62 Instant-Messaging and Texting Speak 70
Run-On (Fused) Sentences 63 Precise Verbs 70
Comma-Splice Sentences 63 Active Versus Passive Voice 71
Writing: The First Draft 63 Concrete Nouns 72
Revising: Understanding the Process of Revision 64 Vivid Adjectives 72
Concise Wording 64 Designing Documents for Readability 72
Long Lead-Ins 65 Employing White Space 73

Outdated Expressions 65 Numbering and Bulleting Lists for Quick Comprehension 73
Needless Adverbs 66 Adding Headings for Visual Impact 73
Fillers 66 Revising: The Proofreading Process 75
Repetitio us Words 66 What to Watch for in Proofreading 75
Redundant Words 67 How to Proofread Documents 75
Parallelism 68
How to Proofread and Revise PDF Files 77
Appropriate Wording 68 Communication Workshop 84
Unit 3: Forms of Daily Business Writing 86

Chapter 4: E-Mails , Messages, Business Podcasts 104
Texts, Social Media, Memos, Letters, How Organizations Use Pod casts 104
and Other Daily Writing 88 Delivering and Accessing Pod casts 104
Creating a Podcast 105
Written Communication in Business 88
Professional Biogs and Twitter 105
Communicating With Electronic Messages 89
How Companies Use Biogs 107
Communicating With Paper-Based Messages 90
Public Relations, Customer Relations, and Crisis
E-Mails and Their Proper Use 90
Communication 107
Knowing When to Send an E-Mail 90 Market Research 108
Components of E-Mails 90 Online Communities 108
Subject Line 91 Internal Communication and Recruiting 108
Salutation 91 Tips for Creating a Professional Blog 108
Opening 92 How Businesses Use Wikis 109
Body 92 How to Be a Valuable Wiki Contributor 110
Closing 93 Writing Hard-Copy Memos 110
Putting It All Together 93
Memo Templates 110
Best Practices for Professional E-Mails 93
Preparing Memos as E-Mail Attachments 112
Getting Started 96
Writing Hard-Copy Letters 112
Content, Tone, and Correctness 96
Netiquette 97 Permanent Record 112
Reading and Replying to E-Mail 97 Confidentiality 113
Personal Use 97 Formality and Sensitivity 113
Other Smart E-Mail Practices 97 Persuasiveness 113
Instant Messaging and Texting and Their Proper Use 98 Formatting Business Letters 113
Letter Templates 113
How Instant Messaging and Texting Work 98
Pros and Cons of Instant Messaging and Texting 100
Best Practices for Instant Messaging and Texting 100 Chapter 5: Routine Writing Situations 127
Social Media as a Business Writing Channel 101 Routine Situation: Sharing Information 128
Routine Situation: Requesting Information
How Businesses Use Social Networks 101 or Action 129
Potential Risks of Social Networks for Businesses 101 Opening Directly 129
Tips for Using Social Networking Sites Details in the Body 129
and Keeping Your Job 102
Routine Situation: Replying to Shared Information or
Sharing Information Through RSS Feeds Requests 130
and Social Bookmarking 103
Really Simple Syndication 103 Subject Line Efficiency 131
Social Bookmarking 103 Opening Directly 132
Podcasts, Biogs, and Wikis for Business Writing 104 Arranging Information Logically in the Body 132
xii Contents NEL
Copyright 20 16 Nelson Education Ltd. All Rjg.h1s Reserved. May not be copied, scanned. or duplicated. in "'hole or in part. Due to elecll'Onic rig.Jus. so1ne third party content
Closing Politely 132 Persuading Your Manager 165
Routine Situation: Giving Instructions 132 Persuasive Situation: Sales and Promotional
Messages 168
Divid ing Instructions Into Steps 132
Attention 169
Revising a Message Delivering Instructions 133
Interest 170
Routine Situation: Making a Complaint or Claim 133 Desire 171
Opening With Action 135 Action 171
Explaining in the Body 135 Putting It All Together 172
Closing Pleasantly 135 Persuasive Situation: Online Sales and Promotional
Putting It All Together 136 Messages 172
Routine Situation: Replying to Complaints Selling by E-Mail 173
and Claims 136 Using Facebook, Biogs, and Other New Media to Connect
With Customers 174
Revealing Good News in the Opening 138
Facebook 174
Explaining Compliance in the Body 140
Biogs 176
Decid ing Whether to Apologize 140
Wikis 176
Showing Confidence in the Closing 140
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) 176
Routine Situation: Recommending Someone 141
Podcasting 176
Identifying the Purpose in the Opening 141 Other Social Media 176
Describing Performance in the Body 142 Communication Workshop 186
Evaluating in the Conclusion 142 Chapter 7: Negative Writing Situations 188
Routine Situation: Expressing Goodwill 144 Dealing with Negative Situations Effectively 188
Thanks 144 Establishing Goals in Communicating Negative News 189
To Express Thanks for a Gift 145 The Importance of a nmely Response in Negative Situations 189
To Send Thanks for a Favour 146
When to Use t he Direct Writing Strategy
To Extend Thanks for Hospitality 146 in Negative Situations 189
Replies to Goodwill Messages 146 Negative Situation: Collection Letters 190
To Answer a Congratulatory Note 146
When to Use t he Indirect Writing Strategy
To Respond to a Pat on the Back 147 in Negative Situations 191
Sympathy 147
To Express Condolences 147 Analyzing the Parts of an Indirect-Strategy Negative
Message 193
Are Electronic Channels Appropriate for Goodwill
Messages? 147 Buffer the Opening 193
Communication Workshop 159 Apologizing in the Buffer 194

Conveying Empathy in the Buffer 195
Chapter 6: Persuasive Writing Situations 160
Present Your Reasons 195
Using the Indirect Strategy in Persuasive Writing Cushion the Bad News 197
Situations 160
Close Pleasantly 198
The Components of an Indirect Persuasive Request 161 Negative Situation: Refusing Requests
Gain Attention 161 and Claims 198
Build Interest 161 Refusing Favour Requests 199
Reduce Resistance 161 Refusing Claims 201
Motivate Action 162 Tips for Dealing with Disappointed Customers 203
Persuasive Situation: Asking for a Favour Negative Situation: Sharing Negative News
or Other Action 162 with Employees 204
Persuasive Situation: Making Complex Claims Delivering Bad News Personally 205
and Complaints 164 Refusing Workplace Requests 206
Persuasive Situation: Getting Co-workers and Announcing Negative News to Employees 207
Managers Onside 165 Keeping the Indirect Strategy Ethical 209
Persuading Other Employees 165 Communication Workshop 219
Unit 4: Reporting Data 220

Chapter 8: Informal Reports 223 Analytical Reports 224
Understanding Report Basics 223 Report Organization 224
Functions of Reports 224 Direct Strategy 224
Ind irect Strategy 225
Information Reports 224
NEL Contents xiii
Report Formats 225 262
Writing Formal Business Reports
Electronic Format 225 Researching Secondary Data 264
Letter Format 225
Print Resources 264
Memo Format 226
Books 264
PowerPoint Format 227
Periodicals 264
Template Format 228
Research Databases 265
Manuscript Format 228
The Internet 265
Report Delivery 228
Browsers and URLs 266
By E-Mail 228
Search Tools 266
Online 228
Internet Search Tips and Techniques 266
In Person 228
Biogs and Social Networks 267
By Mail 228
Guidelines for Writing Informal Reports 228
Generating Primary Data 268
Define the Project 228 Surveys 268

Interviews 268
Gather Data 229
Observation and Experimentation 269
Company Records 229
Observation 229 Documenting Data and Plagiarism 269
Surveys, Questionnaires, and Inventories 229 Recognizing the Purpose of Documentation 270
Interviews 229 What Has to Be Documented? 270
Secondary Research 230 How to Paraphrase 270
Use an Appropriate Writing Style 230 How to Document 271
Be Objective 231 Citing Electronic Sources 271
Use Headings Effectively 232 Organizing and Outlining Data 272
Six Kinds of Informal Reports 233 Organizational Strategies 272
Information Reports 233 Where to Place the Conclusions and Recommendations 272
Introduction 234 How to Organize the Findings 272
Findings 234 Outlines and Headings 273
Summary 234 Creating Effective Graphics Using Your Data 274
Progress Reports 234 Matching Graphics and Objectives 274
Justification/Recommendation Reports 237
Tables 275
Indirect Strategy 237
Bar Charts 276
Feasibility Reports 238 Line Charts 277
Summary Reports 240
Pie Charts 278
Minutes of Meetings 245 Flow Charts 279
Organization Charts 279
Chapter 9: Proposals and Using Software to Produce Charts 279
Formal Reports 257 Photographs, Maps, and Illustrations 280
Informal Proposals 258 Presenting the Final Report 280
Introduction 258 Prefatory Parts 280

Background 258 Body of Report 281
Plan 258 Introduction 281
Staffing 259 Findings 282
Budget 260 Conclusions and Recommendations 282
Authorization 261 Supplementary Parts of a Report 282
Formal Proposals 261 Other Ways of Presenting Formal Reports 285
Unit 5: Developing Speaking Skills 303

Chapter 10: Communicating in Person 306 Business and Dining Etiquette 307
The Importance of Professionalism, Business Social Intelligence 307
Etiquette, and Ethical Behaviour 306 Soft Skills 307
The Relationship Between Ethics and Professional Behaviour 307
Defining Professional Behaviour 306
Knowing What Employers Want 308
Civility 307
Successful Face-to-Face Workplace Communication 310
Polish 307
xiv Contents NEL
Copyright 2016 Nelson Education Ltd. All Rjg.h1s Reserved. May not be copied, scanned. or duplicated. in "'hole or in part. Due to elecll'Onic rig.Jus. so1ne third party content
Using Your Voice as a Communication Tool 310 Getting the Meeting Started 326
Pronunciation 311 Moving the Meeting Along 327
Tone 311 Dealing With Conflict 327
Pitch 311 Handling Dysfunctional Group Members 327
Volume and Rate 311 Ending With a Plan 328
Emphasis 312 Following Up Actively 328
Promoting Positive Workplace Relations Through Communication Workshop 337
Conversation 312
Chapter 11: Business Presentations 339
Use Correct Names and Trtles 312
Getting Ready for an Oral Presentation 340
Choose Appropriate Topics 312
Avoid Negative Remarks 313 Know Your Purpose 340
Listen to Learn 313 Understand Your Audience 340
Give Sincere and Specific Praise 313 Organizing Content for a Powerful Impact 341
Offering Constructive Criticism at Work 313 Capture Attention in the Introduction 341
Responding Professionally to Workplace Criticism 314 Organize the Body 344
Resolving Workplace Conflicts 315 Summarize in the Conclusion 345
Common Conflict Response Patterns 315 Build ing Audience Rapport Like a Pro 345
Six-Step Procedure for Dealing with Conflict 316
Effective Imagery 346
Telephone, Smartphone, and Voice Mail Etiquette 316
Verbal Signposts 346
Making Productive Phone Calls 316 Nonverbal Messages 347
Receiving Phone Calls Professionally 317 Planning Visual Aids 347
Using Smartphones for Business 318
Types of Visual Aids 348
Location 318
Slides 348
Time 319
Flipchart/Whiteboard/Blackboard 348
Volume 319
Handouts 349
Making the Best Use of Voice Mail 319
Receiving Voice Mail Messages 320 Designing an Impressive Slide Presentation 349
Leaving Voice Mail Messages 320 Preparing a Visually Appealing Slide Presentation 350
Becoming a Team Player in Professional Teams 321 Analyze the Situation and Purpose 350
Anticipate Your Audience 351
The Importance of Conventional and Virtual Teams in the
Workplace 321 Adapt Text and Colour Selections 351
Positive and Negative Team Behaviour 322 Organize Your Slides 351
Characteristics of Successful Professional Teams 323 Compose Your Slide Show 351
Small Size, Diverse Makeup 323 Revise, Proofread, and Evaluate Your Slide
Show 355
Agreement on Purpose 323
Using Slides Effectively in Front of an Audience 357
Agreement on Procedures 323
Practising and Preparing 357
Ability to Confront Conflict 323
Keeping Your Audience Engaged 358
Use of Good Communication Techniques 323
Giving Powerful Slide Presentations in Eight Steps 358
Ability to Collaborate Rather Than Compete 324
Shared Leadership 324 Polishing Your Delivery and Following Up 360
Acceptance of Ethical Responsibilities 324 Delivery Method 360
Conducting Productive and Professional Delivery Techniques 361
Business Meetings 325 Before Your Presentation 361
Decid ing Whether a Meeting Is Necessary 325 During Your Presentation 362
Selecting Participants 325 After Your Presentation 363
Distributing an Agenda 325 Communication Workshop 371
Unit 6: Communicating for Employment 373

Chapter 12: The Job Search: Resumes, Choose a Career Path 378
Social Media, and Cover Letters 376 Searching for a Job Online 380
Preparing for Employment 376 Using the Big Employment Sites 380
Beyond the Big Employment Sites 382
Identify Your Interests 377 Using Traditional Job Search Techniques 382
Evaluate Your Qualifications 377 Creating a Persuasive Resume 383
Recognize the Changing Nature of Jobs 378
NEL Contents xv
Choose a Resume Style 383 Sequential Interviews 413
Chronological 383 Stress interviews 413
Functional 384 Online Interviews 413
Combination 384 Before the Interview 414
Decide on Length 384
Use Professional Phone Techniques 414
Arrange the Parts 384
Make the First Conversation Impressive 414
Main Heading 385
Research the Target Company 415
Career Objective 385
Prepare and Practise 416
Summary of Qualifications 385
Prepare and Rehearse Success Stories 416
Education 386
Practise Answers to Possible Questions 416
Work Experience or Employment History 386
Clean Up Any Digital Dirt 416
Capabilities and Skills 388
Expect to Explain Problem Areas on Your Resume 418
Awards, Honours, and Activities 388
Decide How to Dress 418
Personal Data 388
Gather Items to Bring 418
References 389
Travelling to and Arriving at Your Interview 418
Using Linkedln and Video to Bolster the Traditional
Fighting Fear 419
Resume 390
During the Interview 419
linkedIn: The "Professional" Social Media Site 390
Video Resumes 394 Sending Positive Nonverbal Messages and Acting
Professionally 419
Applying the Final Touches to Your Resume 395
Answering Typical Questions Confidently 421
Be Honest and Ethical 395 Questions to Get Acquainted 422
Polishing Your Resume 396 Questions to Gauge Your Interest 423
Proofreading Your Resume 397 Questions About Your Experience and Accomplishments 423
Submitting Your Resume 397 Questions About the Future 423
The Persuasive Cover Letter 398 Challenging Questions 424
Situational Questions 424
Gaining Attention in the Opening 398
Behavioural Questions 425
Openings for Solicited Jobs 398
Illegal and Inappropriate Questions 426
Openings for Unsolicited Jobs 399
Asking Your Own Questions 427
Building Interest in the Body 399
Ending Positively 427
Action in the Closing 402
After the Interview 428
Avoid ing "I" Dominance 402
Sending Your Cover Letter by E-Mail 402 Thank Your Interviewer 428
Communication Workshop 409 Contact Your References 428
Chapter 13: Interviews and Follow-Up 411 Follow Up 430
Employment Interviews 411 Other Employment Documents and Follow-Up

Messages 430
Purposes of Employment Interviews 412
Kinds of Employment Interviews 412 Application Form 430
Screening Interviews 412 Application or Resume Follow-Up Message 431
Hiring/Placement Interviews 412 Rejection Follow-Up Message 431
One-on-One Interviews 413 Job Acceptance and Rejection Messages 432
Panel Interviews 413 Resignation Letter 433
Group Interviews 413 Communication Workshop 441
Appendixes 443
Appendix A: A Guide to Document Formats 443 Key to Grammar/Mechanics Checkups 538
Appendix B: Correction Abbreviations and
Proofreading Marks 453 Notes 540
Appendix C: Documentation Formats 455 Index 547
Appendix D: Style in Writing 465
Grammar/Mechanics Handbook 474
xvi Contents NEL
Today's graduates enter working environments with ever-increasing demands. As a
result of growing emphasis on team management and employee empowerment, they
will be expected to gather data, solve problems, and make decisions independently.
They will be working with global trading partners and collaborating with work
teams in an increasingly diverse workplace. And they will be using sophisticated
technologies to communicate.
Surprisingly, writing skills are becoming more and more important. In the past,
businesspeople may have written a couple of business letters a month, but now they
receive and send hundreds of e-mails and texts weekly. Their writing skills are show-
cased in every message they send. To help students develop the skills they need to
succeed in today's technologically enhanced workplace, we have responded with a
thoroughly revised Eighth Canadian Edition of Essentials of Business Communications.
• Effective Features That Remain Unchanged

The Eighth Canadian Edition maintains the streamlined, efficient approach to com-
munication that has equipped past learners with the skills needed to be successful
in their work. It is most helpful to postsecondary and adult learners preparing
themselves for new careers, planning a change in their current careers, or wishing
to upgrade their writing and speaking skills. The aim of this edition is to incorpo-
rate more of the comments, suggestions, and insights provided by adopters and
reviewers over the last few years. For those new to the book, some of the most
popular features include the following:
• Text/Workbook Format. The convenient text/workbook format presents an all-
in-one teaching-learning package that includes concepts, workbook application
exercises, writing, speaking, and interpersonal problems, and a combination
handbook/reference manual. Students work with and purchase only one volume
for efficient, economical instruction.
• Comprehensive but Concise Coverage. An important reason for the enor-
mous success of Essentials of Business Communication is that it practises what it
preaches. The Eighth Canadian Edition follows the same strategy, concentrating
on essential concepts presented without wasted words.
• Writing Plans and Writing Improvement Exercises. Step-by-step writing plans
structure the writing experience so that novice writers get started quickly-
without struggling to provide unknown details to unfamiliar, hypothetical cases.
Many revision exercises build confidence and skills.
• Wide Coverage of Communication Technology. All relevant chapters build
technology skills by including discussions and applications involving e-mail,
instant messaging, texting, cellphones, Web research, contemporary software,
online employment searches, and electronic presentations. The Eighth Canadian
Edition stays on top of the use of mediated communication within organizations,
including the use of social media sites like Twitter and biogs for both business
and marketing communication.
• Grammar/ Mechanics Emphasis. Each chapter features a systematic review of
the Grammar/Mechanics Handbook. Readers take a short quiz to review specific
concepts, and they also proofread business documents that provide a cumulative
review of all concepts previously presented.
NEL xvii
• Challenging Cases. The reality of the work world is that communication situa-
tions will not always easily fit the models provided in a business communication
textbook. As a result, we have threaded ambiguity and complexity into the tasks
so that students have a chance to use their critica l thinking skills as well as their
business communication skills regularly.
• Workplace-in-Focus Feature. Chapters contain a Workplace in Focus feature
that connects the content being discussed in the chapter to a real-world example.
These features make ideal starting points for in-class discussion.
• Communication-Technology-in-the-News Feature. Units open with articles
from Canadian media outlets that bring home the relevance of business com-
munication to today's technology-driven workplace. Topics covered range from
texting lingo in the workplace to mastering anger when sending e-mail.
• Plagiarism. An unfortunate reality of the Internet age is the difficulty today's
students have in understanding the need for proper citation and documentation,
as well as the difficulty in understanding the seriousness of plagiarism and its
difficult repercussions. We address the issue of plagiarism by offering concrete
examples of the real-world ramifications of this behaviour.
• Revision Highlights
The following new features update the Eighth Canadian Edition:
• Situational Focus. The reality of business communication is that people need to
be able to respond effectively in a variety of situations. This is different from mem-
orizing a number of genres or formats. For this reason, while the Eighth Canadian
Edition does include a rich introductory chapter on various daily forms of commu-
nication (e.g., text, e-mail, letter), it expands on this generic way of thinking over
the next three chapters by considering important, realistic, and recurring business
situations divided into three categories: routine, persuasive, and negative.
• New and Revised End-of-Chapter Exercises and Activities. This edi-
tion features a significant revision of the end-of-chapter exercises and activi-
ties, prepared by Marco Campagna of Algonquin College. More than half of
the Writing Improvement Exercises are new and almost all of the Grammar/
Mechanics Reviews have been replaced. The Activities and Cases also feature
more than 15 percent new content. As with the last edition, these new cases
recognize the pedagogical usefulness of scripting, role-play, and performance as
effective means of practising business communication skills.
• Updated Communication Workshops. Chapters conclude with a number of new
and revised Communication Workshop features in which an enrichment activity
is offered to students. These workshops cover topics that are related to but not
covered in depth in the preceding chapter. They can be used as group activity
assignments, in-class discussion prompts, or homework assig,unents.
• Increased Analysis of New Communication Technologies. Technology manu-
facturers' ability to innovate can seem to outstrip teachers' ability to contextu-
alize the changes happening to communication. This edition stays ahead of the
curve by contextualizing podcasts, Twitter, Linkedin, Facebook, wikis, biogs,
and other of-the-moment technologies in more detail than any other business
communication textbook.
• Other Features That Enhance Teaching

and Learning
Although the Eighth Canadian Edition of Essentials of Business Communication
packs considerable information into a small space, it covers all of the critical topics
necessary in a comprehensive business communication course; it also features many
teaching-learning devices to facilitate instruction, application, and retention.
xviii Preface NEL
• Focus on Writing Skills. Most students need a great deal of instruction and practice
in developing basic and advanced writing techniques, particularly in view of today's
increased emphasis on communication by e-mail. Writing skills have returned to the
forefront since so much of today's business is transacted through written messages.
• Realistic Emphasis. Essentials devotes a chapter to the writing of e-mail, rexes,
and instant messages, plus other daily forms of communication, recognizing that
the business world no longer operates via letter or memo, except in certain spe-
cialized situations (e.g., direct-mail sales letter, collection letters, cover letter for
job application, etc.).
• Listening, Speaking, and Nonverbal Skills. Employers are increasingly seeking
well-rounded individuals who can interact with fellow employees as well as rep-
resent the organization effectively. Essentials provides professional tips for man-
aging nonverba l cues, overcoming listening barriers, developing speaking skills,
planning and participating in meetings, and making productive telephone calls.
• Coverage of Formal and Informal Reports. Two chapters develop functional
report-writing skills. Chapter 8 provides detailed instruction in the preparation
of six types of informal reports, while Chapter 9 covers proposals and formal
reports. For quick comprehension all reports contain marginal notes that pin-
point writing strategies.
• Employment Communication Skills. Successful reswnes, cover letters, and other
employment documents are among the most important topics in a good busi-
ness communication course. Essentials provides the most realistic and up-to-date
reswnes in the field. The models show chronological, functional, combination,
and computer-friendly resumes.
• Focus on Oral Communication Skills. Chapter 10 looks at oral interpersonal
skills: person-to-person conversations, telephone communication (including cell-
phone etiquette), and business meeting skills, whi le Chapter 11 specifically dis-
cusses business presentation skills.
• Employment Interviewing. Essentials devotes a chapter to effective interviewing
techniques, including a discussion of screening interviews and hiring interviews.
Chapter 13 also reaches techniques for fighting fear, answering questions, and
following up.
• Models Comparing Effective and Ineffective Documents. To facilitate speedy
recognition of good and bad writing techniques and strategies, Essentials presents
many before-and-after documents. Marginal notes spotlight targeted strategies and
effective writing. We hope that instructors turn this before-and-after technique into
effective pedagogy whereby all their students' written assignments undergo the scm-
tiny of an editing and revising process before being handed in as final products.
• Variety in End-of-Chapter Activities. An amazing array of review questions,
critical-thinking questions, writing improvement exercises, revision exercises,
activities, and realistic case problems holds student attention and helps them
apply chapter concepts meaningfully.
• Diagnostic Test. An optional grammar/mechanics diagnostic rest helps students
and instructors systematically determine specific student writing weaknesses.
Students may be directed to the Grammar/Mechanics Handbook for remediation.
• Grammar/Mechanics Handbook. A comprehensive Grammar/Mechanics
Handbook supplies a thorough review of English grammar, punctuation, capi-
talization style, and number usage. Its self-reaching exercises may be used for
classroom instruction or for supplementary assignments. The handbook also
serves as a convenient reference throughout the course and afterwards.
• MindTap
. MincJTap·
MindT ap for Essentials of Business Communication is a personalized reaching expe-
rience with relevant assignments that guide students to analyze, apply, and elevate
thinking, allowing instructors to measure skills and promote better outcomes with
NEL Preface xix
Copyright 2016 Nelson Education Ltd. All Rjg.h1s Reserved. May not be copied, scanned. or duplicated. in "'hole or in part. Due to elecll'Onic rig.his. so1ne third party content
may be suppressed fro1n the eBook ancVor eChapter(_s). Nelson Educatjon reserves the right to remo\'e additional content at any 1i1ne if subsequent rights restric:tjon.t: requjre it.
ease. A fully online learning solution, MindTap combines all student learning
tools-readings, multimedia, activities, and assessments-into a single Learning
Path that guides the student through the curriculum. Instructors personalize the
experience by customizing the presentation of these learning tools to their students,
even seamlessly introducing their own content into the Learning Path. Chapter-
based learning paths utilize the MindTap Reader eBook, Aplia assignments
that highlight key concepts in each chapter, and oral communication activities
through YouSeeU. Other MindApps Web applications let you create an engaging
course with options to read the text aloud, insert video and audio, and create
shared social media information. You'll also find measurable learning objectives
for each unit. Instructors can access MindTap at http://www.nelson.com and
http://login.cengage.com
• Unparalleled Instructor Support

The Eighth Canadian Edition of Essentials continues to set the standard for business
communication support. Classroom success is easy to achieve with the many practical
ancillary items that supplement Guffey, Loewy, and Almonte's textbook.
About the Nelson Education Teaching
" JlfilQ
NELSON EDUCATION TEACHING ADVANTAGE
Advantage (NETA)
The Nelson Education Teaching Advantage (NETA) program delivers research-
based instructor resources that promote student engagement and higher order
thinking to enable the success of Canadian students and educators. To ensure the
high quality of these materials, all Nelson ancillaries have been professionally copy-
edited.
Be sure to visit Nelson Education's Inspired Instruction website at http://www
.nelson.com/inspired/ to find out more about NETA. Don't miss the testimonials
of instructors who have used NETA supplements and seen student engagement
increase!
Instructor Resources
All NETA and other key instructor ancillaries can be accessed through http://www
.nelson.com/login and http://login.cengage.com, giving instructors the ultimate tools
for customizing lectures and presentations.
• Guffey Resource Centre (www.nelson.com/login): Find all of your teaching
and learning resources in one place! This resource centre houses all of the resources
listed below as well as additional instructional support, including: teaching
modules, grammar and mechanics worksheets, cases and solutions, online teaching
suggestions, tips for teaching with technology, resource integration guides, and
active learning activities. Please contact your local Nelson Representative to gain
access to all of your instructional support.
• NETA Test Bank: This resource includes over 250 multiple-choice questions
written according to NETA guidelines for effective construction and develop-
ment of higher order questions. The Test Bank was copy-edited by a NETA-
trained editor. Also included are 260 true/false questions and 130 completion
-
cognero· FUll-drtle Assessment•
questions.
The NETA Test Bank is available in a new, cloud-based platform. T esting
Powered by Cognero® is a secure online testing system that allows you to author,
edit, and manage test bank content from any place you have Internet access. No
special installations or downloads are needed, and the desktop-inspired interface,
with its drop-down menus and familiar, intuitive tools, allows you to create and
manage tests with ease. You can create multiple test versions in an instant, and
xx Preface NEL
import or export content into other systems. Tests can be delivered from your
learning management system, your classroom, or w herever you want. Testing
Powered by Cognero for Essentials of Business Communication can be accessed
through www.nelson.com/login and http://login.cengage.com.
• NETA PowerPoint: Microsoft® PowerPoint® lecture slides for every chapter
have been created with an average of 25 slides per chapter, many featuring key
figures, tables, and photographs from Essentials of Business Communication.
NETA principles of clear design and engaging content have been incorporated
throughout, making it simple for instructors to customize the deck for their
courses.
• Image Library: This resource consists of digital copies of figures, short tables,
and photographs used in the book. Instructors may use these jpegs to customize
the NETA PowerPoint or create their own PowerPoint presentations.
• NETA Instructor's Manual: This resource is organized according to the text-
book chapters and addresses key educational concerns, such as typical stumbling
blocks student face and how to address them. Other features include answers to
problems and suggested answers to exercises and cases.
• Day One: Day One-Prof InClass is a PowerPoint presentation that instructors
can customize to orient students to the class and their text at the beginning of the
course.
• Innovative Resources for Students

. Mindlap·
Stay organized and efficient with MindT ap-a single destination with all the course
material and study aids you need to succeed. Built-in apps leverage social media and
the latest learning technology. For example:
ReadSpeaker will read the text to you.
Flashcards are pre-populated to provide you with a jump start for review-or
you can create your own.
You can highlight text and make notes in your MindTap Reader. Your notes will
flow into Evernote, the electronic notebook app that you can access anywhere
when it's time to study for the exam.
Self-quizzing allows you to assess your understanding.
Visit NELSONbrain.com to start using MindTap. Enter the Online Access Code
from the card included with your text. If a code card is not provided, you can
purchase instant access at NELSONbrain.com.
NEL Preface xxi
The Eighth Canadian Edition of Essentials of Business Communication includes
many of the constructive suggestions and timely advice provided by professional
communicators, educators, and students who use the book across Canada. These
dedicated reviewers include Martine Bernard, New Brunswick Community College;
Kathryn Pallister, Red Deer College; Judy Puritt, Algonquin College; and Sylvia
Vrh-Zoldos, Centennial College.
A new edition like this would not be possible without the development team at
Nelson Education. Special thanks go to ArUle-Marie Taylor, Dave Stratton, Theresa
Fitzgerald, Claire Horsnell, and Jaime Smith. Many thanks to Marco Campagna
of Algonquin College who revised the end-of-chapter exercises and activities. We
would also like to thank Naman Mahisauria and his team at MPS. Thanks also go
to the copy editor, Elizabeth Phinney.
Mary Ellen Guffey

Dana Loewy
Richard Almonte
NEL xxii
NEL
Copyright 2016 Nelson Education Ltd. AU Rjg.hts Reserved. May not be copied. scanned. or duplicated. in whole or in part. Due 10 el
may be suppre-.ssed fro n\ the eBool andfor eChapter(s). Nelson Educ-,ujon reserves the right 10 remo\'e additional content at any 1i 1ne if
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votes—he contending for district elections, and the delegates to vote
individually. South Carolina was not represented in the convention.
After the first ballot Mr. Van Buren’s vote sensibly decreased, until
finally, Mr. James K. Polk, who was a candidate for the Vice-
Presidency, was brought forward and nominated unanimously for
the chief office. Mr. Geo. M. Dallas was chosen as his colleague for
the Vice-Presidency. The nomination of these gentlemen, neither of
whom had been mentioned until late in the proceedings of the
convention, for the offices for which they were finally nominated,
was a genuine surprise to the country. No voice in favor of it had
been heard; and no visible sign in the political horizon had
announced it.
The Whig convention nominated Henry Clay, for President; and
Theodore Frelinghuysen for Vice-President.
The main issues in the election which ensued, were mainly the
party ones of Whig and Democrat, modified by the tariff and Texas
questions. It resulted in the choice of the Democratic candidates,
who received 170 electoral votes as against 105 for their opponents;
the popular majority for the Democrats being 238,284, in a total vote
of 2,834,108. Mr. Clay received a larger popular vote than had been
given at the previous election for the Whig candidate, showing that
he would have been elected had he then been the nominee of his
party; though the popular vote at this election was largely increased
over that of 1840. It is conceded that the 36 electoral votes of New
York State gave the election to Mr. Polk. It was carried by a bare
majority; due entirely to the Gubernatorial candidacy of Mr. Silas
Wright, who had been mentioned for the vice-presidential
nomination in connection with Mr. Van Buren, but who declined it
after the sacrifice of his friend and colleague; and resigning his seat
in the Senate, became a candidate for Governor of New York. The
election being held at the same time as that for president, his name
and popularity brought to the presidential ticket more than enough
votes to make the majority that gave the electoral vote of the State to
the Democrats.
President Tyler’s annual and last message to Congress, in
December 1844, contained, (as did that of the previous year) an
elaborate paragraph on the subject of Texas and Mexico; the idea
being the annexation of the former to the Union, and the assumption
of her causes of grievance against the latter; and a treaty was pending
to accomplish these objects. The scheme for the annexation of Texas
was framed with a double aspect—one looking to the then pending
presidential election, the other to the separation of the Southern
States; and as soon as the rejection of the treaty was foreseen, and
the nominating convention had acted, the disunion aspect
manifested itself over many of the Southern States—beginning with
South Carolina. Before the end of May, a great meeting took place at
Ashley, in that State, to combine the slave States in a convention to
unite the Southern States to Texas, if Texas should not be received
into the Union; and to invite the President to convene Congress to
arrange the terms of the dissolution of the Union if the rejection of
the annexation should be persevered in. Responsive resolutions were
adopted in several States, and meetings held. The opposition
manifested, brought the movement to a stand, and suppressed the
disunion scheme for the time being—only to lie in wait for future
occasions. But it was not before the people only that this scheme for
a Southern convention with a view to the secession of the slave States
was a matter of discussion; it was the subject of debate in the Senate;
and there it was further disclosed that the design of the secessionists
was to extend the new Southern republic to the Californias.
The treaty of annexation was supported by all the power of the
administration, but failed; and it was rejected by the Senate by a two-
thirds vote against it. Following this, a joint resolution was early
brought into the House of Representatives for the admission of Texas
as a State of the Union, by legislative action; it passed the House by a
fair majority, but met with opposition in the Senate unless coupled
with a proviso for negotiation and treaty, as a condition precedent. A
bill authorizing the President and a commissioner to be appointed to
agree upon the terms and conditions of said admission, the question
of slavery within its limits, its debts, the fixing of boundaries, and the
cession of territory, was coupled or united with the resolution; and in
this shape it was finally agreed to, and became a law, with the
concurrence of the President, March 3, 1845. Texas was then in a
state of war with Mexico, though at that precise point of time an
armistice had been agreed upon, looking to a treaty of peace. The
House resolution was for an unqualified admission of the State; the
Senate amendment or bill was for negotiation; and the bill actually
passed would not have been concurred in except on the
understanding that the incoming President (whose term began
March 4, 1845, and who was favorable to negotiation) would act
under the bill, and appoint commissioners accordingly.
Contrary to all expectation, the outgoing President, on the last day
of his term, at the instigation of his Secretary of State, Mr. Calhoun,
assumed the execution of the act providing for the admission of
Texas—adopted the legislative clause—and sent out a special
messenger with instructions. The danger of this had been foreseen,
and suggested in the Senate; but close friends of Mr. Calhoun,
speaking for the administration, and replying to the suggestion,
indignantly denied it for them, and declared that they would not
have the “audacity” to so violate the spirit and intent of the act, or so
encroach upon the rights of the new President. These statements
from the friends of the Secretary and President that the plan by
negotiation would be adopted, quieted the apprehension of those
Senators opposed to legislative annexation or admission, and thus
secured their votes, without which the bill would have failed of a
majority. Thus was Texas incorporated into the Union. The
legislative proposition sent by Mr. Tyler was accepted: Texas became
incorporated with the United States, and in consequence the state of
war was established between the United States and Mexico; it only
being a question of time and chance when the armistice should end
and hostilities begin. Although Mr. Calhoun was not in favor of war
with Mexico—he believing that a money payment would settle the
differences with that country—the admission of Texas into the Union
under the legislative annexation clause of the statute, was really his
act and not that of the President’s; and he was, in consequence,
afterwards openly charged in the Senate with being the real author of
the war which followed.
The administration of President Polk opened March 4, 1845; and
on the same day, the Senate being convened for the purpose, the
cabinet ministers were nominated and confirmed. In December
following the 29th Congress was organized. The House of
Representatives, being largely Democratic, elected the Speaker, by a
vote of 120, against 70 for the Whig candidate. At this session the
“American” party—a new political organization—first made its
appearance in the National councils, having elected six members of
the House of Representatives, four from New York and two from
Pennsylvania. The President’s first annual message had for its chief
topic, the admission of Texas, then accomplished, and the
consequent dissatisfaction of Mexico; and referring to the
preparations on the part of the latter with the apparent intention of
declaring war on the United States, either by an open declaration, or
by invading Texas. The message also stated causes which would
justify this government in taking the initiative in declaring war—
mainly the non-compliance by Mexico with the terms of the treaty of
indemnity of April 11, 1839, entered into between that State and this
government relative to injuries to American citizens during the
previous eight years. He also referred to the fact of a minister having
been sent to Mexico to endeavor to bring about a settlement of the
differences between the nations, without a resort to hostilities. The
message concluded with a reference to the negotiations with Great
Britain relative to the Oregon boundary; a statement of the finances
and the public debt, showing the latter to be slightly in excess of
seventeen millions; and a recommendation for a revision of the tariff,
with a view to revenue as the object, with protection to home
industry as the incident.
At this session of Congress, the States of Florida and Iowa were
admitted into the Union; the former permitting slavery within its
borders, the latter denying it. Long before this, the free and the slave
States were equal in number, and the practice had grown up—from a
feeling of jealousy and policy to keep them evenly balanced—of
admitting one State of each character at the same time. Numerically
the free and the slave States were thus kept even: in political power a
vast inequality was going on—the increase of population being so
much greater in the northern than in the southern region.
The Ashburton treaty of 1842 omitted to define the boundary line,
and permitted, or rather did not prohibit, the joint occupation of
Oregon by British and American settlers. This had been a subject of
dispute for many years. The country on the Columbia River had been
claimed by both. Under previous treaties the American northern
boundary extended “to the latitude of 49 degrees north of the
equator, and along that parallel indefinitely to the west.” Attempts
were made in 1842 and continuing since to 1846, to settle this
boundary line, by treaty with Great Britain. It had been assumed that
we had a dividing line, made by previous treaty, along the parallel of
54 degrees 40 minutes from the sea to the Rocky mountains. The
subject so much absorbed public attention, that the Democratic
National convention of 1844 in its platform of principles declared for
that boundary line, or war as the consequence. It became known as
the 54–40 plank, and was a canon of political faith. The negotiations
between the governments were resumed in August, 1844. The
Secretary of State, Mr. Calhoun, proposed a line along the parallel of
49 degrees of north latitude to the summit of the Rocky mountains
and continuing that line thence to the Pacific Ocean; and he made
this proposition notwithstanding the fact that the Democratic party—
to which he belonged—were then in a high state of exultation for the
boundary of 54 degrees 40 minutes, and the presidential canvass, on
the Democratic side, was raging upon that cry.
The British Minister declined this proposition in the part that
carried the line to the ocean, but offered to continue it from the
summit of the mountains to the Columbia River, a distance of some
three hundred miles, and then follow the river to the ocean. This was
declined by Mr. Calhoun. The President had declared in his
inaugural address in favor of the 54–40 line. He was in a dilemma; to
maintain that position meant war with Great Britain; to recede from
it seemed impossible. The proposition for the line of 49 degrees
having been withdrawn by the American government on its non-
acceptance by the British, had appeased the Democratic storm which
had been raised against the President. Congress had come together
under the loud cry of war, in which Mr. Cass was the leader, but
followed by the body of the democracy, and backed and cheered by
the whole democratic newspaper press. Under the authority and
order of Congress notice had been served on Great Britain which was
to abrogate the joint occupation of the country by the citizens of the
two powers. It was finally resolved by the British Government to
propose the line of 49 degrees, continuing to the ocean, as originally
offered by Mr. Calhoun; and though the President was favorable to
its acceptance, he could not, consistently with his previous acts,
accept and make a treaty, on that basis. The Senate, with whom lies
the power, under the constitution, of confirming or restricting all
treaties, being favorable to it, without respect to party lines, resort
was had, as in the early practice of the Government, to the President,
asking the advice of the Senate upon the articles of a treaty before
negotiation. A message was accordingly sent to the Senate, by the
President, stating the proposition, and asking its advice, thus shifting
the responsibility upon that body, and making the issue of peace or
war depend upon its answer. The Senate advised the acceptance of
the proposition, and the treaty was concluded.
The conduct of the Whig Senators, without whose votes the advice
would not have been given nor the treaty made, was patriotic in
preferring their country to their party—in preventing a war with
Great Britain—and saving the administration from itself and its party
friends.
The second session of the 29th Congress was opened in December,
1847. The President’s message was chiefly in relation to the war with
Mexico, which had been declared by almost a unanimous vote in
Congress. Mr. Calhoun spoke against the declaration in the Senate,
but did not vote upon it. He was sincerely opposed to the war,
although his conduct had produced it. Had he remained in the
cabinet, to do which he had not concealed his wish, he would, no
doubt, have labored earnestly to have prevented it. Many members of
Congress, of the same party with the administration, were extremely
averse to the war, and had interviews with the President, to see if it
was inevitable, before it was declared. Members were under the
impression that the war could not last above three months.
The reason for these impressions was that an intrigue was laid,
with the knowledge of the Executive, for a peace, even before the war
was declared, and a special agent dispatched to bring about a return
to Mexico of its exiled President, General Santa Anna, and conclude a
treaty of peace with him, on terms favorable to the United States.
And for this purpose Congress granted an appropriation of three
millions of dollars to be placed at the disposal of the President, for
negotiating for a boundary which should give the United States
additional territory.
While this matter was pending in Congress, Mr. Wilmot of
Pennsylvania introduced and moved a proviso, “that no part of the
territory to be acquired should be open to the introduction of
slavery.” It was a proposition not necessary for the purpose of
excluding slavery, as the only territory to be acquired was that of
New Mexico and California, where slavery was already prohibited by
the Mexican laws and constitution. The proviso was therefore
nugatory, and only served to bring on a slavery agitation in the
United States. For this purpose it was seized upon by Mr. Calhoun
and declared to be an outrage upon and menace to the slaveholding
States. It occupied the attention of Congress for two sessions, and
became the subject of debate in the State Legislatures, several of
which passed disunion resolutions. It became the watchword of party
—the synonym of civil war, and the dissolution of the Union. Neither
party really had anything to fear or to hope from the adoption of the
proviso—the soil was free, and the Democrats were not in a position
to make slave territory of it, because it had just enunciated as one of
its cardinal principles, that there was “no power in Congress to
legislate upon slavery in Territories.” Never did two political parties
contend more furiously about nothing. Close observers, who had
been watching the progress of the slavery agitation since its
inauguration in Congress in 1835, knew it to be the means of keeping
up an agitation for the benefit of the political parties—the
abolitionists on one side and the disunionists or nullifiers on the
other—to accomplish their own purposes. This was the celebrated
Wilmot Proviso, which for so long a time convulsed the Union;
assisted in forcing the issue between the North and South on the
slavery question, and almost caused a dissolution of the Union. The
proviso was defeated; that chance of the nullifiers to force the issue
was lost; another had to be made, which was speedily done, by the
introduction into the Senate on the 19th February, 1847, by Mr.
Calhoun of his new slavery resolutions, declaring the Territories to
be the common property of the several States; denying the right of
Congress to prohibit slavery in a Territory, or to pass any law which
would have the effect to deprive the citizens of any slave State from
emigrating with his property (slaves) into such Territory. The
introduction of the resolutions was prefaced by an elaborate speech
by Mr. Calhoun, who demanded an immediate vote upon them. They
never came to a vote; they were evidently introduced for the mere
purpose of carrying a question to the slave States on which they
could be formed into a unit against the free States; and so began the
agitation which finally led to the abrogation of the Missouri
Compromise line, and arrayed the States of one section against those
of the other.
The Thirtieth Congress, which assembled for its first session in
December, 1847, was found, so far as respects the House of
Representatives, to be politically adverse to the administration. The
Whigs were in the majority, and elected the Speaker; Robert C.
Winthrop, of Massachusetts, being chosen. The President’s message
contained a full report of the progress of the war with Mexico; the
success of the American arms in that conflict; the victory of Cerro
Gordo, and the capture of the City of Mexico; and that negotiations
were then pending for a treaty of peace. The message concluded with
a reference to the excellent results from the independent treasury
system.
The war with Mexico was ended by the signing of a treaty of peace,
in February, 1848, by the terms of which New Mexico and Upper
California were ceded to the United States, and the lower Rio
Grande, from its mouth to El Paso, taken for the boundary of Texas.
For the territory thus acquired, the United States agreed to pay to
Mexico the sum of fifteen million dollars, in five annual installments;
and besides that, assumed the claims of American citizens against
Mexico, limited to three and a quarter million dollars, out of and on
account of which claims the war ostensibly originated. The victories
achieved by the American commanders, Generals Zachary Taylor
and Winfield Scott, during that war, won for them national
reputations, by means of which they were brought prominently
forward for the Presidential succession.
The question of the power of Congress to legislate on the subject of
slavery in the Territories, was again raised, at this session, on the bill
for the establishment of the Oregon territorial government. An
amendment was offered to insert a provision for the extension of the
Missouri compromise line to the Pacific Ocean; which line thus
extended was intended by the amendment to be permanent, and to
apply to all future territories established in the West. This
amendment was lost, but the bill was finally passed with an
amendment incorporating into it the anti-slavery clause of the
ordinance of 1787. Mr. Calhoun, in the Senate, declared that the
exclusion of slavery from any territory was a subversion of the
Union; openly proclaimed the strife between the North and South to
be ended, and the separation of the States accomplished. His speech
was an open invocation to disunion, and from that time forth, the
efforts were regular to obtain a meeting of the members from the
slave States, to unite in a call for a convention of the slave States to
redress themselves. He said: “The great strife between the North and
the South is ended. The North is determined to exclude the property
of the slaveholder, and, of course, the slaveholder himself, from its
territory. On this point there seems to be no division in the North. In
the South, he regretted to say, there was some division of sentiment.
The effect of this determination of the North was to convert all the
Southern population into slaves; and he would never consent to
entail that disgrace on his posterity. He denounced any Southern
man who would not take the same course. Gentlemen were greatly
mistaken if they supposed the Presidential question in the South
would override this more important one. The separation of the North
and the South is completed. The South has now a most solemn
obligation to perform—to herself—to the constitution—to the Union.
She is bound to come to a decision not to permit this to go on any
further, but to show that, dearly as she prizes the Union, there are
questions which she regards as of greater importance than the
Union. This is not a question of territorial government, but a
question involving the continuance of the Union.” The President, in
approving the Oregon bill, took occasion to send in a special
message, pointing out the danger to the Union from the progress of
the slavery agitation, and urged an adherence to the principles of the
ordinance of 1787—the terms of the Missouri compromise of 1820—
as also that involved and declared in the Texas case in 1845, as the
means of averting that danger.
The Presidential election of 1848 was coming on. The Democratic
convention met in Baltimore in May of that year; each State being
represented in the convention by the number of delegates equal to
the number of electoral votes it was entitled to; saving only New
York, which sent two sets of delegates, and both were excluded. The
delegates were, for the most part, members of Congress and office-
holders. The two-thirds rule, adopted by the previous convention,
was again made a law of the convention. The main question which
arose upon the formation of the platform for the campaign, was the
doctrine advanced by the Southern members of non-interference
with slavery in the States or in the Territories. The candidates of the
party were, Lewis Cass, of Michigan, for President, and General Wm.
O. Butler, of Kentucky, for Vice-President.
The Whig convention, taking advantage of the popularity of Genl.
Zachary Taylor, for his military achievements in the Mexican war,
then just ended; and his consequent availability as a candidate,
nominated him for the Presidency, over Mr. Clay, Mr. Webster and
General Scott, who were his competitors before the convention.
Millard Fillmore was selected as the Vice-presidential candidate.
A third convention was held, consisting of the disaffected
Democrats from New York who had been excluded from the
Baltimore convention. They met at Utica, New York, and nominated
Martin Van Buren for President, and Charles Francis Adams for
Vice-President. The principles of its platform, were, that Congress
should abolish slavery wherever it constitutionally had the power to
do so—[which was intended to apply to the District of Columbia]—
that it should not interfere with it in the slave States—and that it
should prohibit it in the Territories. This party became known as
“Free-soilers,” from their doctrines thus enumerated, and their party
cry of “free-soil, free-speech, free-labor, free-men.” The result of the
election, as might have been foreseen, was to lose New York State to
the Baltimore candidate, and give it to the Whigs, who were
triumphant in the reception of 163 electoral votes for their
candidates, against 127 for the democrats; and none for the free-
soilers.
The last message of President Polk, in December following, gave
him the opportunity to again urge upon Congress the necessity for
some measure to quiet the slavery agitation, and he recommended
the extension of the Missouri compromise line to the Pacific Ocean,
passing through the new Territories of California and New Mexico,
as a fair adjustment, to meet as far as possible the views of all parties.
The President referred also to the state of the finances; the excellent
condition of the public treasury; government loans, commanding a
high premium; gold and silver the established currency; and the
business interests of the country in a prosperous condition. And this
was the state of affairs, only one year after emergency from a foreign
war. It would be unfair not to give credit to the President and to
Senator Benton and others equally prominent and courageous, who
at that time had to battle against the bank theory and national paper
money currency, as strongly urged and advocated, and to prove
eventually that the money of the Constitution—gold and silver—was
the only currency to ensure a successful financial working of the
government, and prosperity to the people.
The new President, General Zachary Taylor, was inaugurated
March 4, 1849. The Senate being convened, as usual, in extra
session, for the purpose, the Vice-President elect, Millard Fillmore,
was duly installed; and the Whig cabinet officers nominated by the
President, promptly confirmed. An additional member of the Cabinet
was appointed by this administration to preside over the new “Home
Department” since called the “Interior,” created at the previous
session of Congress.
The following December Congress met in regular session—the 31st
since the organization of the federal government. The Senate
consisted of sixty members, among whom were Mr. Webster, Mr.
Calhoun, and Mr. Clay, who had returned to public life. The House
had 230 members; and although the Whigs had a small majority, the
House was so divided on the slavery question in its various phases,
that the election for Speaker resulted in the choice of the Democratic
candidate, Mr. Cobb, of Georgia, by a majority of three votes. The
annual message of the President plainly showed that he
comprehended the dangers to the Union from a continuance of
sectional feeling on the slavery question, and he averred his
determination to stand by the Union to the full extent of his
obligations and powers. At the previous session Congress had spent
six months in endeavoring to frame a satisfactory bill providing
territorial governments for California and New Mexico, and had
adjourned finally without accomplishing it, in consequence of
inability to agree upon whether the Missouri compromise line should
be carried to the ocean, or the territories be permitted to remain as
they were—slavery prohibited under the laws of Mexico. Mr. Calhoun
brought forward, in the debate, a new doctrine—extending the
Constitution to the territory, and arguing that as that instrument
recognized the existence of slavery, the settlers in such territory
should be permitted to hold their slave property taken there, and be
protected. Mr. Webster’s answer to this was that the Constitution
was made for States, not territories; that it cannot operate anywhere,
not even in the States for which it was made, without acts of
Congress to enforce it. The proposed extension of the constitution to
territories, with a view to its transportation of slavery along with it,
was futile and nugatory without the act of Congress to vitalize slavery
under it. The early part of the year had witnessed ominous
movements—nightly meetings of large numbers of members from
the slave States, led by Mr. Calhoun, to consider the state of things
between the North and the South. They appointed committees who
prepared an address to the people. It was in this condition of things,
that President Taylor expressed his opinion, in his message, of the
remedies required. California, New Mexico and Utah, had been left
without governments. For California, he recommended that having a
sufficient population and having framed a constitution, she be
admitted as a State into the Union; and for New Mexico and Utah,
without mixing the slavery question with their territorial
governments, they be left to ripen into States, and settle the slavery
question for themselves in their State constitutions.
With a view to meet the wishes of all parties, and arrive at some
definite and permanent adjustment of the slavery question, Mr. Clay
early in the session introduced compromise resolutions which were
practically a tacking together of the several bills then on the calendar,
providing for the admission of California—the territorial government
for Utah and New Mexico—the settlement of the Texas boundary—
slavery in the District of Columbia—and for a fugitive slave law. It
was seriously and earnestly opposed by many, as being a concession
to the spirit of disunion—a capitulation under threat of secession;
and as likely to become the source of more contentions than it
proposed to quiet.
The resolutions were referred to a special committee, who
promptly reported a bill embracing the comprehensive plan of
compromise which Mr. Clay proposed. Among the resolutions
offered, was the following: “Resolved, that as slavery does not exist
by law and is not likely to be introduced into any of the territory
acquired by the United States from the Republic of Mexico, it is
inexpedient for Congress to provide by law either for its introduction
into or exclusion from any part of the said territory; and that
appropriate territorial governments ought to be established by
Congress in all of the said territory, and assigned as the boundaries
of the proposed State of California, without the adoption of any
restriction or condition on the subject of slavery.” Mr. Jefferson
Davis of Mississippi, objected that the measure gave nothing to the
South in the settlement of the question; and he required the
extension of the Missouri compromise line to the Pacific Ocean as
the least that he would be willing to take, with the specific
recognition of the right to hold slaves in the territory below that line;
and that, before such territories are admitted into the Union as
States, slaves may be taken there from any of the United States at the
option of their owner.
Mr. Clay in reply, said: “Coming from a slave State, as I do, I owe it
to myself, I owe it to truth, I owe it to the subject, to say that no
earthly power could induce me to vote for a specific measure for the
introduction of slavery where it had not before existed, either south
or north of that line.*** If the citizens of those territories choose to
establish slavery, and if they come here with constitutions
establishing slavery, I am for admitting them with such provisions in
their constitutions; but then it will be their own work, and not ours,
and their posterity will have to reproach them, and not us, for
forming constitutions allowing the institution of slavery to exist
among them.”
Mr. Seward of New York, proposed a renewal of the Wilmot
Proviso, in the following resolution: “Neither slavery nor involuntary
servitude, otherwise than by conviction for crime, shall ever be
allowed in either of said territories of Utah and New Mexico;” but his
resolution was rejected in the Senate by a vote of 23 yeas to 33 nays.
Following this, Mr. Calhoun had read for him in the Senate, by his
friend James M. Mason of Virginia, his last speech. It embodied the
points covered by the address to the people, prepared by him the
previous year; the probability of a dissolution of the Union, and
presenting a case to justify it. The tenor of the speech is shown by the
following extracts from it: “I have, Senators, believed from the first,
that the agitation of the subject of slavery would, if not prevented by
some timely and effective measure, end in disunion. Entertaining
this opinion, I have, on all proper occasions, endeavored to call the
attention of each of the two great parties which divide the country to
adopt some measure to prevent so great a disaster, but without
success. The agitation has been permitted to proceed, with almost no
attempt to resist it, until it has reached a period when it can no
longer be disguised or denied that the Union is in danger. You have
had forced upon you the greatest and gravest question that can ever
come under your consideration: How can the Union be preserved?
*** Instead of being weaker, all the elements in favor of agitation are
stronger now than they were in 1835, when it first commenced, while
all the elements of influence on the part of the South are weaker.
Unless something decisive is done, I again ask what is to stop this
agitation, before the great and final object at which it aims—the
abolition of slavery in the States—is consummated? Is it, then, not
certain that if something decisive is not now done to arrest it, the
South will be forced to choose between abolition and secession?
Indeed as events are now moving, it will not require the South to
secede to dissolve the Union.*** If the agitation goes on, nothing will
be left to hold the States together except force.” He answered the
question, How can the Union be saved? with which his speech
opened, by suggesting: “To provide for the insertion of a provision in
the constitution, by an amendment, which will restore to the South
in substance the power she possessed of protecting herself, before
the equilibrium between the sections was destroyed by the action of
the government.” He did not state of what the amendment should
consist, but later on, it was ascertained from reliable sources that his
idea was a dual executive—one President from the free, and one from
the slave States, the consent of both of whom should be required to
all acts of Congress before they become laws. This speech of Mr.
Calhoun’s, is important as explaining many of his previous actions;
and as furnishing a guide to those who ten years afterwards
attempted to carry out practically the suggestions thrown out by him.
Mr. Clay’s compromise bill was rejected. It was evident that no
compromise of any kind whatever on the subject of slavery, under
any one of its aspects separately, much less under all put together,
could possibly be made. There was no spirit of concession
manifested. The numerous measures put together in Mr. Clay’s bill
were disconnected and separated. Each measure received a separate
and independent consideration, and with a result which showed the
injustice of the attempted conjunction; for no two of them were
passed by the same vote, even of the members of the committee
which had even unanimously reported favorably upon them as a
whole.
Mr. Calhoun died in the spring of 1850; before the separate bill for
the admission of California was taken up. His death took place at
Washington, he having reached the age of 68 years. A eulogy upon
him was delivered in the Senate by his colleague, Mr. Butler, of South
Carolina. Mr. Calhoun was the first great advocate of the doctrine of
secession. He was the author of the nullification doctrine, and an
advocate of the extreme doctrine of States Rights. He was an
eloquent speaker—a man of strong intellect. His speeches were plain,
strong, concise, sometimes impassioned, and always severe. Daniel
Webster said of him, that “he had the basis, the indispensable basis
of all high characters, and that was unspotted integrity, unimpeached
honor and character!”
In July of this year an event took place which threw a gloom over
the country. The President, General Taylor, contracted a fever from
exposure to the hot sun at a celebration of Independence Day, from
which he died four days afterwards. He was a man of irreproachable
private character, undoubted patriotism, and established reputation
for judgment and firmness. His brief career showed no deficiency of
political wisdom nor want of political training. His administration
was beset with difficulties, with momentous questions pending, and
he met the crisis with firmness and determination, resolved to
maintain the Federal Union at all hazards. His first and only annual
message, the leading points of which have been stated, evinces a
spirit to do what was right among all the States. His death was a
public calamity. No man could have been more devoted to the Union
nor more opposed to the slavery agitation; and his position as a
Southern man and a slaveholder—his military reputation, and his
election by a majority of the people as well as of the States, would
have given him a power in the settlement of the pending questions of
the day which no President without these qualifications could have
possessed.
In accordance with the Constitution, the office of President thus
devolved upon the Vice-President, Mr. Millard Fillmore, who was
duly inaugurated July 10, 1850. The new cabinet, with Daniel
Webster as Secretary of State, was duly appointed and confirmed by
the Senate.
The bill for the admission of California as a State in the Union, was
called up in the Senate and sought to be amended by extending the
Missouri Compromise line through it, to the Pacific Ocean, so as to
authorize slavery in the State below that line. The amendment was
introduced and pressed by Southern friends of the late Mr. Calhoun,
and made a test question. It was lost, and the bill passed by a two-
third vote; whereupon ten Southern Senators offered a written
protest, the concluding clause of which was: “We dissent from this
bill, and solemnly protest against its passage, because in sanctioning
measures so contrary to former precedents, to obvious policy, to the
spirit and intent of the constitution of the United States, for the
purpose of excluding the slaveholding States from the territory thus
to be erected into a State, this government in effect declares that the
exclusion of slavery from the territory of the United States is an
object so high and important as to justify a disregard not only of all
the principles of sound policy, but also of the constitution itself.
Against this conclusion we must now and for ever protest, as it is
destructive of the safety and liberties of those whose rights have been
committed to our care, fatal to the peace and equality of the States
which we represent, and must lead, if persisted in, to the dissolution
of that confederacy, in which the slaveholding States have never
sought more than equality, and in which they will not be content to
remain with less.” On objection being made, followed by debate, the
Senate refused to receive the protest, or permit it to be entered on
the Journal. The bill went to the House of Representatives, was
readily passed, and promptly approved by the President. Thus was
virtually accomplished the abrogation of the Missouri compromise
line; and the extension or non-extension of slavery was then made to
form a foundation for future political parties.
The year 1850 was prolific with disunion movements in the
Southern States. The Senators who had joined with Mr. Calhoun in
the address to the people, in 1849, united with their adherents in
establishing at Washington a newspaper entitled “The Southern
Press,” devoted to the agitation of the slavery question; to presenting
the advantages of disunion, and the organization of a confederacy of
Southern States to be called the “United States South.” Its constant
aim was to influence the South against the North, and advocated
concert of action by the States of the former section. It was aided in
its efforts by newspapers published in the South, more especially in
South Carolina and Mississippi. A disunion convention was actually
held, in Nashville, Tennessee, and invited the assembly of a Southern
Congress. Two States, South Carolina and Mississippi responded to
the appeal; passed laws to carry it into effect, and the former went so
far as to elect its quota of Representatives to the proposed new
Southern Congress. These occurrences are referred to as showing the
spirit that prevailed, and the extraordinary and unjustifiable means
used by the leaders to mislead and exasperate the people. The
assembling of a Southern “Congress” was a turning point in the
progress of disunion. Georgia refused to join; and her weight as a
great Southern State was sufficient to cause the failure of the scheme.
But the seeds of discord were sown, and had taken root, only to
spring up at a future time when circumstances should be more
favorable to the accomplishment of the object.
Although the Congress of the United States had in 1790 and again
in 1836 formally declared the policy of the government to be non-
interference with the States in respect to the matter of slavery within
the limits of the respective States, the subject continued to be
agitated in consequence of petitions to Congress to abolish slavery in
the District of Columbia, which was under the exclusive control of
the federal government; and of movements throughout the United
States to limit, and finally abolish it. The subject first made its
appearance in national politics in 1840, when a presidential ticket
was nominated by a party then formed favoring the abolition of
slavery; it had a very slight following which was increased tenfold at
the election of 1844 when the same party again put a ticket in the
field with James G. Birney of Michigan, as its candidate for the
Presidency; who received 62,140 votes. The efforts of the leaders of
that faction were continued, and persisted in to such an extent, that
when in 1848 it nominated a ticket with Gerritt Smith for President,
against the Democratic candidate, Martin Van Buren, the former
received 296,232 votes. In the presidential contest of 1852 the
abolition party again nominated a ticket, with John P. Hale as its
candidate for President, and polled 157,926 votes. This large
following was increased from time to time, until uniting with a new
party then formed, called the Republican party, which latter adopted
a platform endorsing the views and sentiments of the abolitionists,
the great and decisive battle for the principles involved, was fought
in the ensuing presidential contest of 1856; when the candidate of
the Republican party, John C. Fremont, supported by the entire
abolition party, polled 1,341,812 votes. The first national platform of
the Abolition party, upon which it went into the contest of 1840,
favored the abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia and
Territories; the inter-state slave trade, and a general opposition to
slavery to the full extent of constitutional power.
Following the discussion of the subject of slavery, in the Senate
and House of Representatives, brought about by the presentation of
petitions and memorials, and the passage of the resolutions in 1836
rejecting such petitions, the question was again raised by the
presentation in the House, by Mr. Slade of Vermont, on the 20th
December 1837, of two memorials praying the abolition of slavery in
the District of Columbia, and moving that they be referred to a select
committee. Great excitement prevailed in the chamber, and of the
many attempts by the Southern members an adjournment was had.
The next day a resolution was offered that thereafter all such
petitions and memorials touching the abolition of slavery should,
when presented, be laid on the table; which resolution was adopted
by a large vote. During the 24th Congress, the Senate pursued the
course of laying on the table the motion to receive all abolition
petitions; and both Houses during the 25th Congress continued the
same course of conduct; when finally on the 25th of January 1840,
the House adopted by a vote of 114 to 108, an amendment to the
rules, called the 21st Rule, which provided:—“that no petition,
memorial or resolution, or other paper, praying the abolition of
slavery in the District of Columbia, or any state or territory, or the
slave-trade between the States or territories of the United States, in
which it now exists, shall be received by this House, or entertained in
any way whatever.” This rule was afterwards, on the 3d of December,
1844, rescinded by the House, on motion of Mr. J. Quincy Adams, by
a vote of 108 to 80; and a motion to re-instate it, on the 1st of
December 1845, was rejected by a vote of 84 to 121. Within five years
afterwards—on the 17th September 1850,—the Congress of the
United States enacted a law, which was approved by the President,
abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia.
On the 25th of February, 1850, there was presented in the House
of Representatives, two petitions from citizens of Pennsylvania and
Delaware, setting forth that slavery, and the constitution which
permits it, violates the Divine law; is inconsistent with republican
principles; that its existence has brought evil upon the country; and
that no union can exist with States which tolerate that institution;
and asking that some plan be devised for the immediate, peaceful
dissolution of the Union. The House refused to receive and consider
the petitions; as did also the Senate when the same petitions were
presented the same month.
The presidential election of 1852 was the last campaign in which
the Whig party appeared in National politics. It nominated a ticket
with General Winfield Scott as its candidate for President. His
opponent on the Democratic ticket was General Franklin Pierce. A
third ticket was placed in the field by the Abolition party, with John
P. Hale as its candidate for President. The platform and declaration
of principles of the Whig party was in substance a ratification and
endorsement of the several measures embraced in Mr. Clay’s
compromise resolutions of the previous session of Congress, before
referred to; and the policy of a revenue for the economical
administration of the government, to be derived mainly from duties
on imports, and by these means to afford protection to American
industry. The main plank of the platform of the Abolition party (or
Independent Democrats, as they were called) was for the non-
extension and gradual extinction of slavery. The Democratic party
equally adhered to the compromise measure. The election resulted in
the choice of Franklin Pierce, by a popular vote of 1,601,474, and 254
electoral votes, against a popular aggregate vote of 1,542,403 (of
which the abolitionists polled 157,926) and 42 electoral votes, for the
Whig and Abolition candidates. Mr. Pierce was duly inaugurated as
President, March 4, 1853.
The first political parties in the United States, from the
establishment of the federal government and for many years
afterwards, were denominated Federalists and Democrats, or
Democratic-Republicans. The former was an anti-alien party. The
latter was made up to a large extent of naturalized foreigners;
refugees from England, Ireland and Scotland, driven from home for
hostility to the government or for attachment to France. Naturally,
aliens sought alliance with the Democratic party, which favored the
war against Great Britain. The early party contests were based on the
naturalization laws; the first of which, approved March 26, 1790,
required only two years’ residence in this country; a few years
afterwards the time was extended to five years; and in 1798 the
Federalists taking advantage of the war fever against France, and
then being in power, extended the time to fourteen years. (See Alien
and Sedition Laws of 1798). Jefferson’s election and Democratic
victory of 1800, brought the period back to five years in 1802, and
reinforced the Democratic party. The city of New York, especially,
from time to time became filled with foreigners; thus naturalized;
brought into the Democratic ranks; and crowded out native
Federalists from control of the city government, and to meet this
condition of affairs, the first attempt at a Native American
organization was made. Beginning in 1835; ending in failure in
election of Mayor in 1837, it was revived in April, 1844, when the
Native American organization carried New York city for its
Mayoralty candidate by a good majority. The success of the
movement there, caused it to spread to New Jersey and
Pennsylvania. In Philadelphia, it was desperately opposed by the
Democratic, Irish and Roman Catholic element, and so furiously,
that it resulted in riots, in which two Romish Churches were burned
and destroyed. The adherents of the American organization were not
confined to Federalists or Whigs, but largely of native Democrats;
and the Whigs openly voted with Democratic Natives in order to
secure their vote for Henry Clay for the Presidency; but when in
November, 1844, New York and Philadelphia both gave Native
majorities, and so sapped the Whig vote, that both places gave

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(eBook PDF) Essentials of Business

Communication 8th Canadian Edition

effective use of the

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Trying to sell a micro car to Caladians has been

Unit 1: Communicating Today 1

Unit 2: The Business Writing Process 31

Unit 3: Forms of Daily Business Writing 86

Unit 4: Reporting Data 220

Unit 5: Developing Speaking Skills 303

Unit 6: Communicating for Employment 373

Grammar/Mechanics Handbook 474

Unit 1: Communicating Today 1

Improving Your Nonverbal Communication Skills 13 Leaming lntercultural Workplace Skills 21

Unit 2: The Business Writing Process 31

Profiling the Audience 39 Outlining 58

Long Lead-Ins 65 Employing White Space 73

Unit 3: Forms of Daily Business Writing 86

xii Contents NEL

Communication Workshop 159 Apologizing in the Buffer 194

Unit 4: Reporting Data 220

NEL Contents xiii

Define the Project 228 Surveys 268

Introduction 258 Prefatory Parts 280

Unit 5: Developing Speaking Skills 303

xiv Contents NEL

Unit 6: Communicating for Employment 373

Employment Interviews 411 Other Employment Documents and Follow-Up

xvi Contents NEL

• Effective Features That Remain Unchanged

• Other Features That Enhance Teaching

NEL Preface xix

• Unparalleled Instructor Support

About the Nelson Education Teaching

• Innovative Resources for Students

NEL Preface xxi

Mary Ellen Guffey

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