path: root/79072-0.txt

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79072 ***




Transcriber’s Notes:

  Underscores “_” before and after a word or phrase indicate _italics_
    in the original text.
  Small capitals have been converted to SOLID capitals.
  Illustrations have been moved so they do not break up paragraphs.
  Deprecated spellings have been preserved.
  Typographical and punctuation errors have been silently corrected.




[Illustration: GEORGE WASHINGTON.]




                                   THE
                            VOTER’S TEXT BOOK,

              COMPRISING A COLLECTION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT
                        DOCUMENTS AND STATISTICS,
                            CONNECTED WITH THE
                      POLITICAL HISTORY OF AMERICA,

                   COMPILED FROM OFFICIAL RECORDS, WITH
                  BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL SKETCHES.

                            BY JAMES M. HIATT.

                           INDIANAPOLIS, IND.:
                         ASHER, ADAMS & HIGGINS.
                                  1868.

         Entered, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1868,
                        by ASHER, ADAMS & HIGGINS,

    In the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the United States,
                       for the District of Indiana.

          STEREOTYPED AT THE FRANKLIN TYPE FOUNDRY, CINCINNATI.




CONTENTS.


                                                               PAGE.
    Formation of the Original Union                               5
    Population of the United States at Decennial Periods          6
    Declaration of Independence                                   7
    Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union                13
    Constitution of the United States, and Amendments            23
    Washington’s Addresses                                       41
    Missouri Compromise of 1820                                  65
    Fugitive Slave Law of 1850                                   66
    Kansas and Nebraska Act of 1854                              73
    Ordinance of 1787                                            86
    Amnesty Proclamation                                         94
    Proposed Crittenden Compromise                               97
    Emancipation Proclamation                                    99
    Letter Explaining the same                                  101
    Proclamation of Andrew Jackson                              106
    History of each of the States                               130
    Life of Washington                                          157
    Electoral Votes for 1st and 2d terms                        158
    Life of John Adams                                          161
    Electoral Votes for 3d term                                 162
    Life of Jefferson                                           164
    Electoral Votes for 4th and 5th terms                       166
    Life of Madison                                             168
    Electoral Votes for 6th and 7th terms                       170
    Life of Monroe                                              172
    Electoral Votes for 8th and 9th terms                       174
    Life of John Q. Adams                                       176
    Electoral Votes for 10th term                               178
    Life of Jackson                                             179
    Electoral Votes for 11th and 12th terms                     181
    Life of Van Buren                                           183
    Electoral Votes for 13th term                               185
    Life of Harrison                                            186
    Electoral Votes for 14th term                               188
    Life of Tyler                                               190
    Life of Polk                                                192
    Electoral Votes for 15th term                               194
    Life of Taylor                                              195
    Electoral Votes for 16th term                               197
    Life of Fillmore                                            198
    Life of Pierce                                              200
    Electoral Votes for 17th term                               202
    Life of Buchanan                                            203
    Electoral Votes for 18th term                               207
    Life of Lincoln                                             208
    Electoral Votes for 19th and 20th terms                     214
    Life of Johnson                                             216
    Chronological Record of the Rebellion                       219
    Pay of Officers of the United States, Civil and Military    269
    Schedule of Stamp Duty                                      280
    The Civil Rights Bill                                       289
    Constitutional Amendment (proposed)                         293
    The Military Government Bill                                295
    Supplement to the same, and Amendment                       297
    History of the National Banks                               301
    History of Finances, Loans, Bonds, Legal-Tender Notes, etc. 318
    Statistical View of the States, etc.                        328
    Platforms of the Parties for 1860 and 1864                  331
    Life of General U. S. Grant                                 341
    Tenure-of-Office Bill                                       345
    Impeachment                                                 348
    Chicago Platform of 1868                                    369
    Life of Schuyler Colfax                                     371
    Democratic Platform                                         375
    Hon. Horatio Seymour                                        378
    Gen. Francis Preston Blair, Jr.                             380




FORMATION OF THE ORIGINAL UNION.


On Monday, the 5th of September, 1774, there were assembled at
Carpenter’s Hall, in the city of Philadelphia, a number of men who had
been chosen and appointed by the several colonies in North America
to hold a Congress for the purpose of discussing certain grievances
imputed against the mother country. This Congress resolved, on the next
day, that each colony should have one vote only. On Tuesday, the 2d
July, 1776, the Congress resolved, “That these United Colonies are, and
of right ought to be, Free and Independent States,” etc., etc.; and on
Thursday, the 4th July, the whole Declaration of Independence having
been agreed upon, it was publicly read to the people. Shortly after,
on the 9th September, it was resolved that the words “United Colonies”
should be no longer used, and that the “UNITED STATES OF AMERICA”
should thenceforward be the style and title of the Union. On Saturday,
the 15th November, 1777, “Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
of the United States of America” were agreed to by the State delegates,
subject to the ratification of the State legislatures severally. Eight
of the States ratified these articles on the 9th July, 1778; one on the
21st July; one on the 24th July; one on the 26th November of the same
year; one on the 22d February, 1779; and the last one on the 1st March,
1781. Here was a bond of union between thirteen independent States,
whose delegates in Congress legislated for the general welfare, and
executed certain powers so far as they were permitted by the articles
aforesaid. The following are the names of the Presidents of the
Continental Congress from 1774 to 1788:

    Peyton Randolph, Virginia               5th Sept.,  1774.
    Henry Middleton, South Carolina         22d Oct.,   1774.
    Peyton Randolph, Virginia               10th May,   1775.
    John Hancock, Massachusetts             24th May,   1776.
    Henry Laurens, South Carolina           1st Nov.,   1777.
    John Jay, New York                      10th Dec.,  1778.
    Samuel Huntingdon, Connecticut          28th Sept., 1779.
    Thomas McKean, Delaware                 10th July,  1781.
    John Hanson, Maryland                   5th Nov.,   1781.
    Elias Boudinot, New Jersey              4th  ”      1782.
    Thomas Mifflin, Pennsylvania            3d   ”      1783.
    Richard Henry Lee, Virginia             30th ”      1784.
    Nathaniel Gorham, Massachusetts         6th Jan.,   1786.
    Arthur St. Clair, Pennsylvania          2d  Feb.,   1787.
    Cyrus Griffin, Virginia                 22d Jan.,   1788.

The seat of government was established as follows: At Philadelphia,
Pa., commencing September 5, 1774, and May 10, 1775; at Baltimore,
Md., December 20, 1776; at Philadelphia, Pa., March 4, 1777; at
Lancaster. Pa., September 27, 1777; at York, Pa., September 30, 1777;
at Philadelphia, Pa., July 2, 1778; at Princeton, N. J., June 30, 1783;
at Annapolis, Md., November 26, 1783; at Trenton, N. J., November 1,
1784; and at New York City, N. Y., Jan. 11, 1785.

On the 4th March, 1789, the present Constitution, which had been
adopted by a convention and ratified by the requisite number of States,
went into operation.

        POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES AT DECENNIAL PERIODS.
    ------+------------+---------------------------------+------------
          |            |        Colored Persons.         |
    Cens’s|   White    +---------+-----------+-----------+   Total
    Years.|  Persons.  |  Free.  |   Slave.  |   Total.  | Population.
    ------+------------+---------+-----------+-----------+------------
     1790 |  3,172,464 |  59,466 |   697,897 |   757,363 |  3,929,827
     1800 |  4,304,489 | 108,395 |   893,041 | 1,001,436 |  5,305,925
     1810 |  5,862,004 | 186,446 | 1,191,364 | 1,377,810 |  7,239,814
     1820 |  7,861,937 | 238,156 | 1,538,038 | 1,776,194 |  9,638,131
     1830 | 10,537,378 | 319,599 | 2,009,043 | 2,328,642 | 12,866,020
     1840 | 14,195,695 | 386,303 | 2,487,455 | 2,873,758 | 17,069,453
     1850 | 19,553,068 | 434,495 | 3,204,313 | 3,638,808 | 23,191,876
     1860 | 26,964,930 | 487,970 | 3,953,760 | 4,441,730 | 31,443,322
    ======+============+=========+===========+===========+============




        DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE.

    IN CONGRESS, TUESDAY, JULY 4, 1776.


Agreeably to the order of the day, the Congress resolved itself into
a committee of the whole, to take into their further consideration
the Declaration; and, after some time, the President resumed the
chair, and Mr. Harrison reported that the committee had agreed to a
declaration, which they desired him to report. (The committee consisted
of Jefferson, Franklin, John Adams, Sherman, and R. R Livingston.)

The Declaration being read, was agreed to, as follows:

                    A DECLARATION

    BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OF THE UNITED STATES OF
           AMERICA, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED.

When, in the course of human events, it becomes necessary for one
people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with
another, and to assume among the powers of the earth the separate and
equal station to which the laws of nature and of nature’s God entitle
them, a decent respect for the opinions of mankind requires that they
should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created
equal; that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable
rights; that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of
happiness. That, to secure these rights, governments are instituted
among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed;
that, whenever any form of government becomes destructive of these
ends, it is the right of the people to alter or to abolish it, and to
institute a new government, laying its foundation on such principles,
and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most
likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will
dictate that governments long established should not be changed for
light and transient causes; and, accordingly, all experience hath shown
that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable,
than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are
accustomed. But, when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing
invariably the same object, evinces a design to reduce them under
absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off
such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.
Such has been the patient sufferance of these colonies, and such is
now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former systems
of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a
history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having, in direct
object, the establishment of an absolute tyranny over these States. To
prove this, let facts be submitted to a candid world:

He has refused his assent to laws the most wholesome and necessary for
the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass laws of immediate and pressing
importance, unless suspended in their operation till his assent should
be obtained; and, when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend
to them.

He has refused to pass other laws for the accommodation of large
districts of people unless those people would relinquish the right of
representation in the legislature—a right inestimable to them, and
formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual,
uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their public records,
for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his
measures.

He has dissolved representative houses repeatedly for opposing, with
manly firmness, his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused, for a long time after such dissolutions, to cause
others to be elected; whereby the legislative powers, incapable of
annihilation, have returned to the people at large for their exercise,
the State remaining, in the meantime, exposed to all the danger of
invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavored to prevent the population of these States; for
that purpose, obstructing the laws for naturalization of foreigners;
refusing to pass others to encourage their emigration hither, and
raising the conditions of new appropriations of lands.

He has obstructed the administration of justice, by refusing his assent
to laws for establishing judiciary powers.

He has made judges dependent on his will alone for the tenure of their
offices and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of new offices, and sent hither swarms of
officers to harass our people, and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, standing armies, without the
consent of our legislature.

He has affected to render the military independent of, and superior to,
the civil power.

He has combined, with others, to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign
to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his assent
to their acts of pretended legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us;

For protecting them, by mock trial, from punishment, for any murders
which they should commit on the inhabitants of these States;

For cutting off our trade with all parts of the world;

For imposing taxes on us without our consent;

For depriving us, in many cases, of the benefits of trial by jury;

For transporting us beyond seas to be tried for pretended offenses;

For abolishing the free system of English laws in a neighboring
province, establishing therein an arbitrary government, and enlarging
its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit
instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these colonies;

For taking away our charters, abolishing our most valuable laws, and
altering, fundamentally, the powers of our governments;

For suspending our own legislature, and declaring themselves invested
with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated government here, by declaring us out of his
protection, and waging war against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coast, burnt our towns, and
destroyed the lives of our people.

He is, at this time, transporting large armies of foreign mercenaries
to complete the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun,
with circumstances of cruelty and perfidy scarcely paralleled in the
most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the head of a civilized
nation.

He has constrained our fellow-citizens, taken captive on the high seas,
to bear arms against their country, to become the executioners of their
friends and brethren, or to fall themselves by their hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavored
to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian
savages, whose known rule of warfare is an undistinguished destruction,
of all ages, sexes, and conditions.

In every stage of these oppressions, we have petitioned for redress,
in the most humble terms; our repeated petitions have been answered
only by repeated injury. A prince, whose character is thus marked by
every act which may define a tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free
people.

Nor have we been wanting in attention to our British brethren. We have
warned them, from time to time, of attempts made by their legislature
to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them
of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have
appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured
them, by the ties of our common kindred, to disavow these usurpations,
which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence.
They, too, have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity.
We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our
separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, enemies in
war—in peace, friends.

We, therefore, the representatives of the UNITED STATES OF AMERICA,
in GENERAL CONGRESS assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the
World for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the name, and by the
authority of the good people of these colonies, solemnly publish and
declare, That these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, FREE
AND INDEPENDENT STATES; that they are absolved from all allegiance to
the British crown, and that all political connections between them and
the State of Great Britain, is, and ought to be, totally dissolved; and
that, as _FREE AND INDEPENDENT STATES_, they have full power to levy
war, conclude peace, contract alliances, establish commerce, and to do
all other acts and things which INDEPENDENT STATES may of right do.
And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the
protection of DIVINE PROVIDENCE, we mutually pledge to each other, our
lives, our fortunes, and our sacred honor.

The foregoing Declaration was, by order of Congress, engrossed, and
signed by the following members:

    JOHN HANCOCK.

    _New Hampshire._

    JOSIAH BARTLETT,
    WILLIAM WHIPPLE,
    MATTHEW THORNTON.

    _Massachusetts Bay._

    SAMUEL ADAMS,
    JOHN ADAMS,
    ROBERT TREAT PAYNE,
    ELBRIDGE GERRY.

    _Connecticut._

    ROGER SHERMAN,
    SAMUEL HUNTINGTON,
    WILLIAM WILLIAMS,
    OLIVER WOLCOTT.

    _Rhode Island._

    STEPHEN HOPKINS,
    WILLIAM ELLERY.

    _New York._

    WILLIAM FLOYD,
    PHILIP LIVINGSTON,
    FRANCIS LEWIS,
    LEWIS MORRIS.

    _New Jersey._

    RICHARD STOCKTON,
    JOHN WITHERSPOON,
    FRANCIS HOPKINSON,
    JOHN HART,
    ABRAHAM CLARK.

    _Pennsylvania._

    ROBERT MORRIS,
    BENJAMIN RUSH,
    BENJAMIN FRANKLIN,
    JOHN MORTON,
    GEORGE CLYMER,
    JAMES SMITH,
    GEORGE TAYLOR,
    JAMES WILSON,
    GEORGE ROSS.

    _Delaware_.

    CÆSAR RODNEY,
    GEORGE READ,
    THOMAS M’KEAN.

    _Maryland._

    SAMUEL CHASE,
    WILLIAM PACA,
    THOMAS STONE,
    CHARLES CARROLL, OF CARROLL’N.

    _Virginia._

    GEORGE WYTHE,
    RICHARD HENRY LEE,
    THOMAS JEFFERSON,
    BENJAMIN HARRISON,
    THOMAS NELSON, JUN.,
    FRANCIS LIGHTFOOT LEE,
    CARTER BRAXTON.

    _North Carolina._

    WILLIAM HOOPER,
    JOSEPH HEWES,
    JOHN PENN.

    _South Carolina._

    EDWARD RUTLEDGE,
    THOMAS HEYWARD, JUN.,
    THOMAS LYNCH, JUN.,
    ARTHUR MIDDLETON.

    _Georgia._

    BUTTON GWINNETT,
    LYMAN HALL,
    GEORGE WALTON.

[Illustration: JOHN ADAMS.]




                       ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION
                                  AND
                  PERPETUAL UNION BETWEEN THE STATES.

    The Articles of Confederation reported July 12, ’76,
    and debated from day to day, and time to time, for two
    years; were ratified July 9, ’78, by 10 States; by
    New Jersey, on the 26th of November of the same year;
    and by Delaware, on the 23d of February following.
    Maryland, alone, held off two years more, acceding to
    them March 1, ’81, and thus closing the obligation. The
    following are the Articles:

_To all whom these Presents shall come, We, the undersigned Delegates
of the States affixed to our names, send greeting_—Whereas, the
Delegates of the United States of America, in Congress assembled,
did, on the 15th day of November, in the year of our Lord, 1777, and
in the Second Year of the Independence of America, agree to certain
Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union between the States of New
Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,
Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, in the words
following, viz.:

    “_Articles of Confederation and Perpetual Union
    between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay,
    Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut,
    New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland,
    Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and
    Georgia._”

ARTICLE 1. The style of this Confederacy shall be “The United States of
America.”

ARTICLE 2. Each State retains its sovereignty, freedom, and
independence, and every power, jurisdiction, and right, which is not by
this confederation expressly delegated to the United States in Congress
assembled.

ARTICLE 3. The said States hereby severally enter into a firm league
of friendship with each other, for their common defense, the security
of their liberties, and their mutual and general welfare, binding
themselves to assist each other against all force offered to, or
attacks made upon them, or any of them, on account of religion,
sovereignty, trade, or any other pretense whatever.

ARTICLE 4. The better to secure and perpetuate mutual friendship and
intercourse among the people of the different States in this Union,
the free inhabitants of each of these States—paupers, vagabonds, and
fugitives from justice excepted—shall be entitled to all privileges
and immunities of free citizens in the several States; and the people
of each State shall have free ingress and regress to and from any
other State, and shall enjoy therein all the privileges of trade and
commerce, subject to the same duties, impositions, and restrictions, as
the inhabitants thereof respectively, provided that such restriction
shall not extend so far as to prevent the removal of property, imported
into any State, to any other State of which the owner is an inhabitant;
provided, also, that no imposition, duties or restriction shall be laid
by any State on the property of the United States, or either of them.

If any person guilty of or charged with treason, felony, or other high
misdemeanor in any State, shall flee from justice, and be found in
any of the United States, he shall, upon demand of the Governor, or
executive power of the State from which he fled, be delivered up and
removed to the State having jurisdiction of his offense.

Full faith and credit shall be given in each of these States, to the
records, acts, and judicial proceedings of the courts and magistrates
of every other State.

ARTICLE 5. For the more convenient management of the general interest
of the United States, Delegates shall be annually appointed, in such
manner as the legislature of each State shall direct, to meet in
Congress on the first Monday in November, in every year, with a power
reserved to each State, to recall its Delegates, or any of them, at
any time within the year, and to send others in their stead, for the
remainder of the year.

No state shall be represented in Congress by less than two, nor by more
than seven members; and no person shall be capable of being a Delegate
for more than three years in any term of six years; nor shall any
person, being a Delegate, be capable of holding any office under the
United States, for which he, or another for his benefit, receives any
salary, fees or emolument of any kind.

Each State shall maintain its own Delegates in any meeting of the
States, and while they act as members of the Committee of the States.

In determining questions in the United States, in Congress assembled,
each State shall have one vote.

Freedom of speech and debate in Congress shall not be impeached or
questioned in any court or place, out of Congress, and the members
of Congress shall be protected in their persons from arrests and
imprisonments, during the time of their going to and from, and
attendance on Congress, except for treason, felony, or breach of the
peace.

ARTICLE 6. No State, without the consent of the United States in
Congress assembled, shall send an embassy to, or receive an embassy
from, or enter into any conference, agreement, alliance or treaty with
any King, Prince, or State; nor shall any person holding any office
of profit or trust under the United States, or any of them, accept of
any present, emolument, office or title of any kind whatever from any
King, Prince, or Foreign State; nor shall the United States in Congress
assembled, or any of them, grant any title of nobility.

No two or more States shall enter into any treaty, confederation or
alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the United
States in Congress assembled, specifying accurately the purposes for
which the same is to be entered into, and how long it shall continue.

No State shall lay any imposts or duties which may interfere with any
stipulations in treaties, entered into by the United States in Congress
assembled, with any King, Prince or State, in pursuance of any treaties
already proposed by Congress, to the Courts of France and Spain.

No vessels of war shall be kept up in time of peace by any State except
such number only, as shall be deemed necessary by the United States in
Congress assembled, for the defense of such State, or its trade; nor
shall any body of forces be kept up by any State, in time of peace,
except such number only, as in the judgment of the United States in
Congress assembled, shall be deemed requisite to garrison the forts
necessary for the defense of such State; but every State shall always
keep up a well-regulated and disciplined militia, sufficiently armed
and accoutred, and shall provide and have constantly ready for use, in
public stores, a due number of field-pieces and tents, and a proper
quantity of arms, ammunition, and camp equipage.

No State shall engage in any war without the consent of the United
States in Congress assembled, unless such State be actually invaded by
enemies, or shall have received certain advice of a resolution being
formed by some nation of Indians to invade such a State, and the danger
is so imminent as not to admit of a delay, till the United States
in Congress assembled can be consulted: nor shall any State grant
commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor letters of marque or
reprisal, except it be after a declaration of war by the United States
in Congress assembled, and then only against the Kingdom or State,
and the subjects thereof, against which war has been so declared, and
under such regulations as shall be established by the United States
in Congress assembled, unless such State be infested by pirates, in
which case vessels of war may be fitted out for that occasion, and kept
so long as the danger shall continue, or until the United States in
Congress assembled shall determine otherwise.

ARTICLE 7. When land forces are raised by any State for the common
defense, all officers of, or under the rank of colonel, shall be
appointed by the legislature of each State respectively, by whom such
forces shall be raised, or in such manner as such State shall direct,
and all vacancies shall be filled up by the State which first made the
appointment.

ARTICLE 8. All charges of war, and all other expenses that shall be
incurred for the common defense or general welfare, and allowed by the
United States in Congress assembled, shall be defrayed out of a common
treasury, which shall be supplied by the several States, in proportion
to the value of all land within each State, granted to or surveyed for
any person, as such land and the buildings and improvements thereon
shall be estimated according to such mode as the United States in
Congress assembled, shall, from time to time, direct and appoint.
The taxes for paying that proportion shall be laid and levied by the
authority and direction of the legislatures of the several States
within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress assembled.

ARTICLE 9. The United States in Congress assembled shall have the sole
and exclusive right and power of determining on peace and war, except
in the cases mentioned in the 6th article—of sending and receiving
embassadors—entering into treaties and alliances, provided that no
treaty of commerce shall be made whereby the legislative power of the
respective States shall be restrained from imposing such imposts and
duties on foreigners, as their own people are subjected to, or from
prohibiting the exportation or importation of any species of goods
or commodities whatsoever—of establishing rules for deciding in all
cases what captures on land or water shall be legal, and in what
manner prizes taken by land or naval forces in the service of the
United States shall be divided or appropriated—of granting letters of
marque and reprisal in times of peace—appointing courts for the trial
of piracies and felonies committed on the high seas and establishing
courts for receiving and determining finally appeals in all cases of
captures, provided that no member of Congress shall be appointed a
judge of any of the said courts.

The United States in Congress assembled shall also be the last resort
on appeal in all disputes and differences now subsisting or that
hereafter may arise between two or more States concerning boundary,
jurisdiction, or any other cause whatever; which authority shall always
be exercised in the manner following:—Whenever the legislative or
executive authority or lawful agent of any State in controversy with
another shall present a petition to Congress, stating the matter in
question, and praying for a hearing, notice thereof shall be given
by order of Congress, to the legislative or executive authority of
the other State in controversy, and a day assigned for the appearance
of the parties by their lawful agents, who shall then be directed to
appoint, by joint consent, commissioners or judges to constitute a
court for hearing and determining the matter in question: but if they
can not agree, Congress shall name three persons out of each of the
United States, and from the list of such persons each party shall
alternately strike out one, the petitioners beginning, until the
number shall be reduced to thirteen; and from that number not less
than seven, nor more than nine names, as Congress shall direct, shall
in the presence of Congress be drawn out by lot, and the persons whose
names shall be so drawn or any five of them, shall be commissioners
or judges, to hear and finally determine the controversy, so always
as a major part of the judges who shall hear the cause shall agree
in the determination: and if either party shall neglect to attend at
the day appointed, without showing reasons which Congress shall judge
sufficient, or being present shall refuse to strike, the Congress
shall proceed to nominate three persons out of each State, and the
Secretary of Congress shall strike in behalf of such party absent or
refusing; and the judgment and sentence of the court to be appointed,
in the manner above prescribed, shall be final and conclusive; and if
any of the parties shall refuse to submit to the authority of such
court, or to appear or defend their claim or cause, the court shall,
nevertheless, proceed to pronounce sentence or judgment, which shall in
like manner be final and decisive, the judgment or sentence and other
proceedings being in either case transmitted to Congress and lodged
among the acts of Congress for the security of the parties concerned:
provided that every commissioner, before he sits in judgment, shall
take an oath, to be administered by one of the judges of the Supreme
or Superior Court of the State where the cause shall be tried, “well
and truly to hear and determine the matter in question, according to
the best of his judgment, without favor, affection, or hope of reward:”
provided also that no State shall be deprived of territory for the
benefit of the United States.

All controversies concerning the private right of soil claimed under
different grants of two or more States, whose jurisdictions as they
may respect such lands, and the States which passed such grants,
are adjusted; the said grants or either of them being at the same
time claimed to have originated antecedent to such settlement of
jurisdiction, shall, on the petition of either party to the Congress
of the United States, be finally determined as near as may be in the
same manner as is before prescribed for deciding disputes respecting
territorial jurisdiction between different States.

The United States in Congress assembled shall also have the sole
exclusive right and power of regulating the alloy and value of
coin struck by their own authority, or by that of the respective
States—fixing the standard of weights and measures throughout the
United States—regulating the trade and managing all affairs with
the Indians, not members of any of the States; provided that the
legislative right of any State within its own limits be not infringed
or violated—establishing or regulating post-offices from one State
to another, throughout all the United States, and exacting such
postage on the papers passing through the same as may be requisite
to defray, the expenses of the said office—appointing all officers
of the land forces, in the service of the United States, excepting
regimental officers—appointing all the officers of the naval forces,
and commissioning all officers whatever in the service of the United
States—making rules for the government and regulation of the said land
and naval forces, and directing their operations.

The United States in Congress assembled shall have authority to appoint
a committee, to sit in the recess of Congress, to be denominated “A
Committee of the States,” and to consist of one delegate from each
State; and to appoint such other committees and civil officers as may
be necessary for managing the general affairs of the United States,
under their direction—to appoint one of their number to preside;
provided that no person be allowed to serve in the office of president
more than one year in any term of three years—to ascertain the
necessary sums of money to be raised for the service of the United
States, and to appropriate and apply the same for defraying the
public expenses—to borrow money, or emit bills on the credit of the
United States, transmitting every half year to the respective States
an account of the sums of money so borrowed or emitted—to build and
equip a navy—to agree upon the number of land forces, and to make
requisitions from each State for its quota, in proportion to the
number of white inhabitants in such State; which requisition shall be
binding; and thereupon the legislatures of each State shall appoint the
regimental officers, raise the men, and clothe, arm, and equip them in
a soldier-like manner, at the expense of the United States; and the
officers and men so clothed, armed, and equipped, shall march to the
place appointed, and within the time agreed on by the United States
in Congress assembled; but if the United States in Congress assembled
shall, on consideration of circumstances, judge proper that any State
should not raise men, or should raise a smaller number than its quota,
and that any other State should raise a greater number of men than the
quota thereof, such extra number shall be raised, officered, clothed,
armed, and equipped in the same manner as the quota of such State,
unless the legislature of such state shall judge that such extra number
can not be safely spared out of the same; in which case they shall
raise, officer, clothe, arm, and equip as many of such extra number as
they judge can be safely spared. And the officers and men so clothed,
armed, and equipped, shall march to the place appointed, and within the
time agreed on by the United States in Congress assembled.

The United States in Congress assembled shall never engage in a war,
nor grant letters of marque and reprisal in time of peace, nor enter
into any treaties or alliances, nor coin money, nor regulate the value
thereof, nor ascertain the sums and expenses necessary for the defense
and welfare of the United States, or any of them, nor emit bills, nor
borrow money on the credit of the United States, nor appropriate money,
nor agree upon the number of vessels of war to be built or purchased,
or the number of land or sea forces to be raised, nor appoint a
commander-in-chief of the army or navy unless nine States assent to the
same; nor shall a question on any other point, except for adjourning
from day to day, be determined, unless by the votes of a majority of
the United States in Congress assembled.

The Congress of the United States shall have power to adjourn to any
time within the year, and to any place within the United States, so
that no period of adjournment be for a longer duration than the space
of six months, and shall publish the journal of their proceedings
monthly, except such parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances,
or military operations, as in their judgment require secrecy and the
yeas and nays of the delegates of each State on any question shall be
entered on the journal when it is desired by any delegate; and the
delegates of a State, or any of them, at his or their request, shall
be furnished with a transcript of the said journal, except such parts
as are above excepted, to lay before the legislatures of the several
States.

ARTICLE 10. The committee of the States, or any nine of them shall be
authorized to execute, in the recess of Congress, such of the powers
of Congress as the United States in Congress assembled, by the consent
of nine States, shall, from time to time, think expedient to vest them
with; provided that no power be delegated to the said committee; for
the exercise of which, by the Articles of Confederation; the voice of
nine States in the Congress of the United States assembled is requisite.

ARTICLE 11. Canada, acceding to this confederation and joining in the
measures of the United States, shall be admitted into, and entitled to
all the advantages of this union; but no other colony shall be admitted
into the same unless such admission be agreed to by nine States.

ARTICLE 12. All bills of credit emitted, moneys borrowed, and
debts contracted by, or under the authority of Congress, before
the assembling of the United States, in pursuance of the present
confederation, shall be deemed and considered as a charge against the
United States—for payment and satisfaction whereof, the said United
States and the public faith are hereby solemnly pledged.

ARTICLE 13. Every State shall abide by the determinations of the
United States in Congress assembled on all questions which, by this
confederation, are submitted to them. And the articles of this
confederation shall be inviolably observed by every State, and the
union shall be perpetual; nor shall any alteration at any time
hereafter be made in any of them, unless such alteration be agreed to
in a Congress of the United States, and be afterward confirmed by the
legislatures of every State.

_And Whereas_, It hath pleased the Great Governor of the World to
incline the hearts of the legislatures we respectively represent in
Congress, to approve of and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles
of Confederation and perpetual union. Know Ye that we, the undersigned
delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that
purpose, do, by these presents, in the name and in behalf of our
respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify and confirm each
and every of the said Articles of Confederation and perpetual Union,
and all and singular the matters and things therein contained. And
we do further solemnly plight and engage the faith of our respective
constituents, that they shall abide by the determinations of the United
States in Congress assembled on all questions which, by the said
confederation, are submitted to them. And that the articles thereof
shall be inviolably observed by the States we respectively represent,
and that the union shall be perpetual. In witness whereof we have
hereunto set our hands in Congress. Done at Philadelphia, in the State
of Pennsylvania, the 9th day of July, in the year of our Lord 1778, and
in the 3d year of the Independence of America.




                      CONSTITUTION
                         OF THE
                 UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

    We, the People of the United States, in order to form a
        more perfect Union, establish justice, insure domestic
        tranquillity, provide for the common defense, promote
        the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty
        to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish
        this Constitution for the United States of America:


                         ARTICLE I.

SECTION 1. All the legislative powers herein granted shall be vested in
a Congress of the United States, which shall consist of a Senate and
House of Representatives.

SEC. 2. The House of Representatives shall be composed of members
chosen every second year by the people of the several States; and the
electors in each State shall have the qualifications requisite for
electors of the most numerous branch of the State Legislature.

No person shall be a Representative who shall not have attained to the
age of twenty-five years, and been seven years a citizen of the United
States, and who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State
in which he shall be chosen.

Representatives and direct taxes shall be apportioned among the several
States which may be included within this Union, according to their
respective numbers, which shall be determined by adding to the whole
number of free persons, including those bound to service for a term
of years, and excluding Indians not taxed, three-fifths of all other
persons. The actual enumeration shall be made within three years after
the first meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within
every subsequent term of ten years, in such manner as they shall by law
direct. The number of Representatives shall not exceed one for every
thirty thousand, but each State shall have at least one Representative;
and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire
shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island
and Providence Plantations one, Connecticut five, New York six, New
Jersey four, Pennsylvania eight, Delaware one, Maryland six, Virginia
ten, North Carolina five, South Carolina five, and Georgia three.

When vacancies happen in the representation from any State, the
Executive authority thereof shall issue Writs of Election to fill such
vacancies.

The House of Representatives shall choose their Speaker and other
officers; and shall have the sole power of impeachment.

SEC. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be composed of two
Senators from each State, chosen by the Legislature thereof, for six
years; and each Senator shall have one vote.

Immediately after they shall be assembled in consequence of the first
election, they shall be divided as equally as may be into three
classes. The seats of the Senators of the first class shall be vacated
at the expiration of the second year, of the second class at the
expiration of the fourth year, and of the third class at the expiration
of the sixth year, so that one-third may be chosen, every second year;
and if vacancies happen by resignation, or otherwise, during the
recess of the Legislature of any State, the Executive thereof may make
temporary appointments until the next meeting of the Legislature, which
shall then fill such vacancies.

No person shall be a Senator who shall not have attained to the age of
thirty years, and been nine years a citizen of the United States, and
who shall not, when elected, be an inhabitant of that State for which
he shall be chosen.

The Vice-President of the United States shall be President of the
Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided.

The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President
_pro tempore_, in the absence of the Vice-President, or when he shall
exercise the office of President of the United States.

The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeachments. When
sitting for that purpose, they shall be on oath or affirmation. When
the President of the United States is tried, the Chief Justice shall
preside; and no person shall be convicted without the concurrence of
two-thirds of the members present.

Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend further than to
removal from office, and disqualification to hold and enjoy any office
of honor, trust or profit under the United States; but the party
convicted shall nevertheless be liable and subject to indictment,
trial, judgment and punishment, according to law.

SEC. 4. The times, places, and manner of holding elections for
Senators and Representatives, shall be prescribed in each State by the
Legislature thereof; but the Congress may, at any time, by law make or
alter such regulations, except as the places of choosing Senators.

The Congress shall assemble at least once in every year, and such
meeting shall be on the first Monday in December, unless they shall by
law appoint a different day.

SEC. 5. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns,
and qualifications of its own members, and a majority of each shall
constitute a quorum to do business; but a smaller number may adjourn
from day to day, and may be authorized to compel the attendance of
absent members, in such manner and under such penalties as each House
may provide.

Each House may determine the Rules of its Proceedings, punish
its members for disorderly behavior, and with the concurrence of
two-thirds, expel a member.

Each House shall keep a Journal of its Proceedings, and from time to
time publish the same, excepting such parts as may, in their judgment,
require secrecy; and the yeas and nays of the members of either House
on any question shall, at the desire of one-fifth of those present, be
entered on the journal.

Neither House, during the session of Congress, shall, without the
consent of the other, adjourn for more than three days, nor to any
other place than that in which the two Houses shall be sitting.

SEC. 6. The Senators and Representatives shall receive a compensation
for their services, to be ascertained by law and paid out of the
treasury of the United States. They shall in all cases, except treason,
felony, and breach of the peace, be privileged from arrest during their
attendance at the session of their respective Houses, and in going to
and returning from the same; and for any speech or debate in either
House, they shall not be questioned in any other place.

No Senator or Representative shall, during the time for which he was
elected, be appointed to any civil office under the authority of the
United States, which shall have been created, or the emoluments whereof
shall have been increased during such time, and no person holding any
office under the United States shall be a member of either House during
his continuance in office.

SEC. 7. All bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of
Representatives; but the Senate may propose or concur with amendments
as on other bills.

Every bill which shall have passed the House of Representatives and the
Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President
of the United States: If he approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he
shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall
have originated, who shall enter the objections at large on their
Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such reconsideration,
two-thirds of that House shall agree to pass the bill, it shall be
sent, together with the objections, to the other House, by which it
shall likewise be reconsidered, and if approved by two-thirds of that
House, it shall become a law. But in all such cases the votes of both
Houses shall be determined by yeas and nay, and the names of the
persons voting for and against the bill shall be entered on the Journal
of each House respectively. If any bill shall not be returned by the
President within ten days (Sundays excepted) after it shall have been
presented to him, the same shall be a law, in like manner as if he
had signed it, unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent its
return; in which case it shall not be a law.

Every order, resolution, or vote to which the concurrence of the Senate
and House of Representatives may be necessary (except on a question of
adjournment) shall be presented to the President of the United States;
and before the same shall take effect, shall be approved by him; or,
being disapproved by him, shall be repassed by two-thirds of the Senate
and House of Representatives, according to the rules and limitations
prescribed in the case of a bill.

SEC. 8. The Congress shall have Power—

To lay and collect Taxes, Duties, Imposts and Excises, to pay the debts
and provide for the common defense and general welfare of the United
States; but all Duties, Imposts and Excises shall be uniform throughout
the United States;

To borrow money on the credit of the United States;

To regulate commerce with foreign nations, and among the several
States, and with the Indian tribes;

To establish an uniform rule of naturalization, and uniform laws on the
subject of bankruptcies throughout the United States;

To coin money, regulate the value thereof and of foreign coin, and fix
the standard of weights and measures;

To provide for the punishment of counterfeiting the securities and
current coin of the United States;

To establish post-offices and post-roads;

To promote the progress of science and useful arts, by securing for
limited times to authors and inventors the exclusive right to their
respective writings and discoveries;

To constitute tribunals inferior to the Supreme Court;

To define and punish piracies and felonies committed on the high seas,
and offenses against the law of nations;

To declare war, grant letters of marque and reprisal, and make rules
concerning captures on land and water;

To raise and support armies, but no appropriation of money to that use
shall be for a longer term than two years;

To provide and maintain a navy;

To make rules for the government and regulation of the land and naval
forces;

To provide for calling forth the militia to execute the laws of the
Union, suppress insurrections, and repel invasions;

To provide for organizing, arming, and disciplining the militia, and
for governing such part of them as may be employed in the service of
the United States, reserving to the States respectively the appointment
of the officers, and the authority of training the militia according to
the discipline prescribed by Congress;

To exercise exclusive legislation, in all cases whatsoever, over
such district (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of
particular States, and the acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of
the Government of the United States, and to exercise like authority
over all places purchased by the consent of the Legislature of the
State in which the same shall be, for the erection of forts, magazines,
arsenals, dock-yards, and other needful buildings; and

To make all laws which shall be necessary and proper for carrying
into execution the foregoing powers, and all other powers vested by
this Constitution in the Government of the United States, or in any
department or officer thereof.

SEC. 9. The migration or importation of such persons as any of
the States now existing shall think proper to admit, shall not be
prohibited by the Congress prior to the year one thousand eight hundred
and eight, but a tax or duty may be imposed on such importation, not
exceeding ten dollars for each person.

The privilege of the Writ of Habeas Corpus shall not be suspended,
unless when, in cases of rebellion or invasion, the public safety may
require it.

No bill of attainder or ex post facto law shall be passed.

No capitation, or other direct tax shall be laid, unless in proportion
to the census or enumeration hereinbefore directed to be taken.

No tax or duty shall be laid on articles exported from any State.

No preference shall be given by any regulation of commerce or revenue
to the ports of one State over those of another; nor shall vessels
bound to or from one State, be obliged to enter, clear, or pay duties
in another.

No money shall be drawn from the treasury but in consequence of
appropriations made by law; and a regular statement and account of the
receipts and expenditures of all public money shall be published from
time to time.

No title of nobility shall be granted by the United States: And no
person holding any office of profit or trust under them shall, without
the consent of the Congress, accept of any present, emolument, office,
or title, of any kind whatever, from any king, prince, or foreign State.

SEC. 10. No State shall enter into any treaty, alliance, or
confederation; grant letters of marque or reprisal; coin money; emit
bills of credit; make any thing but gold and silver coin a tender in
payment of debts; pass any bill of attainder, ex post facto law, or law
impairing the obligation of contracts, or grant any title of nobility.

No State shall, without the consent of the Congress, lay any imposts or
duties on imports or exports, except what may be absolutely necessary
for executing its inspection laws; and the net produce of all duties
and imposts, laid by any State on imports or exports, shall be for the
use of the treasury of the United States; and all such laws shall be
subject to the revision and control of the Congress.

No State shall, without the consent of Congress, lay any duty of
tonnage, keep troops, or ships of war in time of peace, enter into any
agreement or compact with another State, or with a foreign power, or
engage in war, unless actually invaded, or in such imminent danger as
will not admit of delay.


ARTICLE II.

SECTION 1. The Executive Power shall be vested in a President of the
United States of America. He shall hold his office during the term of
four years, and, together with the Vice-President, chosen for the same
term, be elected as follows:

Each State shall appoint, in such manner as the Legislature thereof
may direct, a number of electors equal to the number of Senators and
Representatives to which the State may be entitled in the Congress; but
no Senator or Representative, or person holding an office of trust or
profit under the United States, shall be appointed an elector.

(The electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot
for two persons—of one at least shall not be an inhabitant of the same
State with themselves. And they shall make a list of all the persons
voted for, and of the number of votes for each; which list they shall
sign and certify, and transmit, sealed, to the seat of the Government
of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The
President of the Senate shall, in the presence of the Senate and House
of Representatives, open all the certificates, and the votes shall then
be counted. The person having the greatest number of votes shall be the
President, if such number be a majority of the whole number of electors
appointed; and if there be more than one who have such majority, and
have an equal number of votes, then the House of Representatives shall
immediately choose by ballot one of them for President; and if no
person have a majority, then from the five highest on the list the said
House shall, in like manner, choose the President. But, in choosing the
President, the votes shall be taken by States, the representation from
each State having one vote. A quorum for this purpose shall consist of
a member or members from two-thirds of the States, and a majority of
all the States shall be necessary to a choice. In every case, after the
choice of the President, the person having the greatest number of votes
of the electors shall be the Vice-President. But if there should remain
two or more who have equal votes, the Senate shall choose from them by
ballot the Vice-President.[1])

[1] This clause has been repealed and annulled by the 12th amendment.

The Congress may determine the time of choosing the electors, and the
day on which they shall give their votes; which day shall be the same
throughout the United States.

No person, except a natural born citizen, or a citizen of the United
States at the time of the adoption of this Constitution, shall be
eligible to the office of President; neither stall any person be
eligible to that office who shall not have attained to the age of
thirty-five years, and been fourteen years a resident within the United
States.

In case of the removal of the President from office, or of his
death, resignation, or inability to discharge the powers and duties
of the said office, the same shall devolve on the Vice-President;
and the Congress may by law provide for the case of removal, death,
resignation, or inability, both of the President and Vice-President,
declaring what officer shall then act as President; and such officer
shall act accordingly until the disability be removed, or a President
shall be elected.

The President shall, at stated times, receive for his services a
compensation, which shall neither be increased nor diminished during
the period for which he shall have been elected; and he shall not
receive within that period any other emolument from the United States,
or any of them.

Before he enter on the execution of his office, he shall take the
following oath or affirmation:

      “I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will faithfully
    execute the office of President of the United States, and
    will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and
    defend the Constitution of the United States.”

SEC. 2. The President shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and
Navy of the United States, and of the militia of the several States
when called into the actual service of the United States; he may
require the opinion, in writing, of the principal officer in each of
the Executive Departments, upon any subject relating to the duties of
their respective offices; and he shall have power to grant reprieves
and pardons for offenses against the United States, except in cases of
impeachment.

He shall have power, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
to make treaties, provided two-thirds of the Senate present concur;
and he shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the
Senate, shall appoint Embassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls,
Judges of the Supreme Court, and all other officers of the United
States whose appointments are not herein otherwise provided for, and
which shall be established by law; but the Congress may by law vest
the appointment of such inferior officers as they think proper in the
President alone, in the Courts of Law, or in the Heads of Departments.

The President shall have power to fill up all vacancies that may happen
during the recess of the Senate, by granting commissions, which shall
expire at the end of their next session.

SEC. 3. He shall, from time to time, give to the Congress information
of the state of the Union, and recommend to their consideration
such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient; he may, on
extraordinary occasions, convene both Houses, or either of them; and,
in case of disagreement between them with respect to the time of
adjournment, he may adjourn them to such time as he shall think proper;
he shall receive Embassadors and other public Ministers; he shall take
care that the laws be faithfully executed, and shall commission all the
officers of the United States.

SEC. 4. The President, Vice-President, and all Civil Officers of the
United States, shall be removed from office on impeachment for, and
conviction of, Treason, Bribery, or other high Crimes and Misdemeanors.


ARTICLE III.

SECTION 1. The judicial power of the United States shall be vested in
one Supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from
time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the Supreme and
inferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior, and
shall, at stated times, receive for their services a compensation,
which shall not be diminished during their continuance in office.

SEC. 2. The judicial power shall extend to all cases, in Law and
Equity, arising under this Constitution, the Laws of the United States,
and Treaties made, or which shall be made, under their authority; to
all cases affecting Embassadors, other public Ministers, and Consuls;
to all cases of admiralty and maritime jurisdiction; to controversies
to which the United States shall be a party; to controversies between
two or more States; between a State and citizens of another State;
between citizens of different States; between citizens of the same
State claiming lands under grants of different States; and between
a State, or the citizens thereof, and foreign States, citizens, or
subjects.

In all cases affecting Embassadors, other public Ministers and Consuls,
and those in which a State shall be a party, the Supreme Court shall
have original jurisdiction. In all the other cases before mentioned,
the Supreme Court shall have appellate jurisdiction, both as to law and
fact, with such exceptions and under such regulations as the Congress
shall make.

The trial of all crimes, except in cases of Impeachment, shall be by
jury; and such trial shall be held in the State where the said crimes
shall have been committed; but when not committed within any State, the
trial shall be at such place or places as the Congress may by law have
directed.

SEC. 3. Treason against the United States shall consist only in
levying war against them, or adhering to their enemies, giving them
aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the
testimony of two witnesses to the same overt act, or on confession in
open Court.

The Congress shall have power to declare the punishment of treason, but
no Attainder of Treason shall work corruption of blood, or forfeiture,
except during the life of the person attainted.


ARTICLE IV.

SECTION 1. Full faith and credit shall be given in each State to the
public acts, records, and judicial proceedings of every other State.
And the Congress may by general laws prescribe the manner in which such
acts, records, and proceedings shall be proved, and the effect thereof.

SEC. 2. The citizens of each State shall be entitled to all privileges
and immunities of citizens in the several States.

A person charged in any State with treason, felony, or other crime,
who shall flee from justice, and be found in another State, shall, on
demand of the executive authority of the State from which he fled, be
delivered up, to be removed to the State having jurisdiction of the
crime.

No person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws
thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or
regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but shall
be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or labor may
be due.

SEC. 3. New States may be admitted by the Congress into this Union; but
no new State shall be formed or erected within the jurisdiction of any
other State; nor any State be formed by the junction of two or more
States or parts of States without the consent of the Legislatures of
the States concerned, as well as of the Congress.

The Congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules
and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging
to the United States; and nothing in this Constitution shall be so
construed as to prejudice any claims of the United States, or any
particular State.

SEC. 4. The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union
a republican form of Government, and shall protect each of them against
invasion; and on application of the Legislature, or of the Executive
(when the Legislature can not be convened), against domestic violence.


ARTICLE V.

The Congress, whenever two-thirds of both Houses shall deem it
necessary, shall propose amendments to the Constitution, or, on the
application of the Legislatures of two-thirds of the several States,
shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which, in either
case, shall be valid to all intents and purposes, as part of this
Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three-fourths of
the several States, or by conventions in three-fourths thereof, as the
one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress;
_Provided_, that no amendment which may be made prior to the year one
thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any manner affect the first
and fourth clauses in the ninth section of the first article; and that
no State, without its consent, shall be deprived of its equal suffrage
in the Senate.


ARTICLE VI.

All debts contracted and engagements entered into before the adoption
of this Constitution, shall be as valid against the United States,
under this Constitution, as under the Confederation.

This Constitution and the laws of the United States which shall be
made in pursuance thereof; and all Treaties made, or which shall be
made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme
law of the land; and the Judges in every State shall be bound thereby,
any thing in the Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary
notwithstanding.

The Senators and Representatives before mentioned, and the members
of the several State Legislatures, and all executive and judicial
officers, both of the United States and of the several States, shall
be bound by oath or affirmation to support this Constitution; but no
religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office
or public trust under the United States.


ARTICLE VII.

The ratification of the conventions of nine States shall be sufficient
for the establishment of this Constitution between the States so
ratifying the same.

DONE in convention, by the unanimous consent of the States present,
the seventeenth day of September, in the year of our Lord one thousand
seven hundred and eighty-seven, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the twelfth. In Witness whereof, we have hereunto
subscribed our names.

                                            GEO. WASHINGTON,
                            _Pres’t and Deputy from Virginia._

                        _New Hampshire._
    JOHN LANGDON,                         NICHOLAS GILMAN.

                        _Massachusetts._
    NATHANIEL GORHAM,                     RUFUS KING.

                        _Connecticut._
    WM. SAML. JOHNSON,                    ROGER SHERMAN.

                        _New York._
    ALEXANDER HAMILTON.


                        _New Jersey._
    WIL. LIVINGSTON,                      DAVID BREARLEY,
    WM. PATERSON,                         JONA. DAYTON.

                        _Pennsylvania._

    B. FRANKLIN,                          THOMAS MIFFLIN,
    ROBT. MORRIS,                         GEO. CLYMER,
    THO. FITZSIMONS,                      JARED INGERSOLL,
    JAMES WILSON,                         GOUV. MORRIS.

                        _Delaware._
    GEO. READ,                            GUNNING BEDFORD, JUN’R,
    JOHN DICKINSON,                       RICHARD BASSETT.
    JACO. BROOM,

                        _Maryland._
    JAMES M’HENRY,                        DAN. OF ST. THOS. JENIFER.
    DANL. CARROLL,

                        _Virginia._
    JOHN BLAIR,                          JAMES MADISON, JR.

                        _North Carolina._
    WM. BLOUNT,                           RICH’D DOBBS SPAIGHT.
    HU. WILLIAMSON,

                        _South Carolina._
    J. RUTLEDGE,                        CHARLES COTESWORTH PINCKNEY,
    CHARLES PINCKNEY,                   PIERCE BUTLER.

                        _Georgia._
    WILLIAM FEW,                          ABR. BALDWIN.

         Attest:                       WILLIAM JACKSON, _Secretary_.

[Illustration: THOMAS JEFFERSON.]


ARTICLES,

    In addition to, and amendment of, the Constitution of
        the United States of America, proposed by Congress,
        and ratified by the Legislatures of the several
        States, pursuant to the fifth article of the original
        Constitution.


ARTICLE I.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion,
or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom
of speech or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to
assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.


ARTICLE II.

A well-regulated Militia being necessary to the security of a free
State, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be
infringed.


ARTICLE III.

No soldier shall, in time of peace, be quartered in any house, without
the consent of the owner, nor in time of war, but in a manner to be
prescribed by law.


ARTICLE IV.

The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers,
and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be
violated, and no warrant shall issue but upon probable cause, supported
by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be
searched, and the persons or things to be seized.


ARTICLE V.

No person shall be held to answer for a capital, or otherwise infamous
crime, unless on a presentment or indictment of a Grand Jury, except in
cases arising in the land or naval forces, or in the militia, when in
actual service in time of war or public danger; nor shall any person
be subject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life
or limb; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be a witness
against himself, nor be deprived of life, liberty, or property, without
due process of law; nor shall private property be taken for public use
without just compensation.


ARTICLE VI.

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a
speedy and public trial, by an impartial jury of the State and district
wherein the crime shall have been committed, which district shall have
been previously ascertained by law and to be informed of the nature and
cause of the accusation to be confronted with the witnesses against
him; to have compulsory process for obtaining witnesses in his favor,
and to have the assistance of counsel for his defense.


ARTICLE VII.

In suits at common law, where the value in controversy shall exceed
twenty dollars, the right of trial by jury shall be preserved, and no
fact tried by a jury shall be otherwise reexamined in any Court of the
United States, than according to the rules of the common law.


ARTICLE VIII.

Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor
cruel and unusual punishments inflicted.


ARTICLE IX.

The enumeration in the Constitution of certain rights, shall not be
construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.


ARTICLE X.

The powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution,
nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States
respectively, or to the people.


ARTICLE XI.

The judicial power of the United States shall not be construed to
extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against
one of the United States by citizens of another State, or by citizens
or subjects of any foreign State.


ARTICLE XII.

The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and vote by ballot
for President and Vice-President, one of whom, at least, shall not
be an inhabitant of the same State with themselves; they shall name
in their ballot the person voted for as President, and in distinct
ballots the person voted for as Vice-President, and they shall make
distinct lists of all persons voted for as President, and all persons
voted for as Vice-President, and of the number of votes for each,
which lists they shall sign and certify, and transmit sealed to the
seat of government of the United States, directed to the President
of the Senate:—The President of the Senate shall, in presence of
the Senate and House of Representatives, open all the certificates,
and the votes shall then be counted; The person having the greatest
number of votes for President shall be the President, if such number
be a majority of the whole number of Electors appointed; and if no
person have such majority, then from the persons having the highest
numbers, not exceeding three, on the list of those voted for as
President, the House of Representatives shall choose immediately by
ballot the President. But in choosing the President, the votes shall
be taken by States, the representation from each State having one; a
quorum for this shall consist of a member or members from two-thirds
of the States, and a majority of all the States shall be necessary
to a choice. And if the House of Representatives shall not choose a
President, whenever the right of choice shall devolve upon them, before
the fourth day of March next following, then the Vice-President shall
act as President, as in the case of the death or other constitutional
disability of the President. The person having the greatest number of
votes as Vice-President, shall be the Vice-President, if such number
be a majority of the whole number of electors appointed; and if no
person have a majority, then, from the two highest numbers on the list,
the Senate shall choose the Vice-President; a quorum for the purpose
shall consist of two-thirds of the whole number of Senators, and a
majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no
person constitutionally ineligible to the office of President, shall be
eligible to that of Vice-President of the United States.


ARTICLE XIII.

“SECTION 1. Neither slavery nor involuntary servitude, except as a
punishment for crime, whereof the party shall have been duly convicted,
shall exist within the United States, or any place subject to their
jurisdiction.

“SECTION 2. Congress shall have power to enforce this Article by
appropriate legislation, approved February 1, 1863.”

       *       *       *       *       *

The Constitution was adopted on the 17th of September, 1787, by the
convention appointed in pursuance of the Resolution of the Congress
of the Confederation, of the 21st February, 1787, and ratified by the
conventions of the several States, as follows:

    By Convention of Delaware          7th December, 1787
     ”      ”        Pennsylvania     12th December, 1787
     ”      ”        New Jersey       18th December, 1787
     ”      ”        Georgia             2d January, 1788
     ”      ”        Connecticut        9th January, 1788
     ”      ”        Massachusetts     6th February, 1788
     ”      ”        Maryland            28th April, 1788
     ”      ”        South Carolina        28th May, 1788
     ”      ”        New Hampshire        21st June, 1788
     ”      ”        Virginia             26th June, 1788
     ”      ”        New York             26th July, 1788
     ”      ”        North Carolina   21st November, 1789
     ”      ”        Rhode Island          29th May, 1790

The first ten of the Amendments were proposed on the 25th September,
1789, and ratified by the constitutional number of States on the
15th December, 1791; the eleventh, on the 8th January, 1798; and the
twelfth, on the 25th September, 1804; and the thirteenth, on the ——,
186-.




WASHINGTON’S ADDRESSES.


There were not many occasions during his public career that Washington
was called upon to exercise his abilities as a writer or an orator;
but when such occasion did occur, he always acquitted himself with
a degree of perspicuity and modesty which may be said to have been
characteristic of himself alone. The addresses which follow mark, as
it were, four distinct epochs in the history of this unexampled man:
the first, when he accepted the command of the armies by which our
national independence was achieved; the second, when he surrendered
his commission, after having driven the foes of freedom from his
beloved country; the third, when he assumed the responsible duties of
President, in which office his high qualities for civil government
were as conspicuous as had been his military talents in the field; and
fourth, when he resigned his great trust and took leave of the people
in his imperishable “Farewell Address,” an inestimable legacy, which
can not be too frequently conned by every American who values his
birthright.


WASHINGTON’S ELECTION AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF.

On the 15th of June, 1775, Washington was unanimously elected by
Congress to “command all the Continental forces raised, or to be
raised, for the defense of American liberty,” and when he appeared in
his place the next day, the President of that body acquainted him with
his election, in a well-timed address, “and requested that he should
accept of that employment;” to which Washington replied as follows:

    “MR. PRESIDENT: Though I am truly sensible of the
    high honor done me, in this appointment, yet I feel great
    distress, from consciousness that my abilities and military
    experience may not be equal to the extensive and important
    trust: However, as the Congress desire it, I will enter upon
    the momentous duty, and exert every power I possess in their
    service, and for support of the glorious cause. I beg they
    will accept my most cordial thanks for this distinguished
    testimony of their approbation.

    “But lest some unlucky event should happen, unfavorable
    to my reputation, I beg it may be remembered, by every
    gentleman in the room, that I, this day, declare, with the
    utmost sincerity, I do not think myself equal to the command
    I am honored with.

    “As to pay, sir, I beg leave to assure the Congress,
    that, as no pecuniary consideration could have tempted me
    to accept this arduous employment, at the expense of my
    domestic ease and happiness, I do not wish to make any
    profit from it. I will keep an exact account of my expenses.
    Those, I doubt not, they will discharge, and that is all I
    desire.”


WASHINGTON’S RESIGNATION OF HIS COMMISSION.

The War of the Revolution having terminated auspiciously, Washington
took leave of his officers and army at New York, and repaired to
Annapolis, Md., where Congress was then in session. On the 20th of
December, 1783, he transmitted a letter to that body, apprising them
of his arrival, with the intention of resigning his commission, and
desiring to know whether it would be most agreeable to receive it in
writing or at an audience. It was immediately resolved that a public
entertainment be given him on the 22d, and that he be admitted to an
audience on the 23d, at 12 o’clock. Accordingly, he attended at that
time, and, being seated, the President informed him that Congress were
prepared to receive his communications. Whereupon he arose, and spoke
as follows:

    “MR. PRESIDENT: The great events on which my
    resignation depended having at length taken place, I have
    now the honor of offering my sincere congratulations to
    Congress, and of presenting myself before them, to surrender
    into their hands the trust committed to me, and to claim the
    indulgence of retiring from the service of my country.

    “Happy in the confirmation of our independence and
    sovereignty, and pleased with the opportunity afforded the
    United States of becoming a respectable nation, I resign
    with satisfaction the appointment I accepted with
    diffidence: a diffidence in my abilities to accomplish
    so arduous a task; which, however, was superseded by a
    confidence in the rectitude of our cause, the support of the
    supreme power of the Union, and the patronage of Heaven.

    “The successful termination of the war has verified the
    most sanguine expectations; and my gratitude for the
    interposition of Providence, and the assistance I have
    received from my countrymen, increases with every review of
    the momentous contest.

    “While I repeat my obligations to the army in general, I
    should do injustice to my own feelings not to acknowledge,
    in this place, the peculiar services and distinguished
    merits of the gentlemen who have been attached to my
    person during the war. It was impossible the choice of
    confidential officers to compose my family should have been
    more fortunate. Permit me, sir, to recommend, in particular,
    those who have continued in the service to the present
    moment, as worthy of the favorable notice and patronage of
    Congress.

    “I consider it an indispensable duty to close this last
    act of my official life by commending the interests of our
    dearest country to the protection of Almighty God, and those
    who have the superintendence of them to his holy keeping.

    “Having now finished the work assigned me, I retire from
    the great theater of action, and bidding an affectionate
    farewell to this august body, under whose orders I have so
    long acted, I here offer my commission, and take my leave of
    all the employments of public life.”


WASHINGTON’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS.

In accordance with previous arrangements, General Washington met
Congress in New York, on the 30th of April, 1789, for the purpose of
being inaugurated as the first President of the United States. The oath
of office having been administered by the Chancellor of the State of
New York, in presence of the Senate and House of Representatives, the
President delivered the following Inaugural Address:

“_Fellow-citizens of the Senate and of the House of Representatives_:

    “Among the vicissitudes incident to life, no event could
    have filled me with greater anxieties than that of which the
    notification was transmitted by your order, and received
    on the 14th day of the present month. On the one hand, I
    was summoned by my country, whose voice I can never hear
    but with veneration and love, from a retreat which I had
    chosen with the fondest predilection, and, in my flattering
    hopes, with an immutable decision, as the asylum of my
    declining years—a retreat which was rendered every day more
    necessary, as well as more dear to me, by the addition of
    habit to inclination, and of frequent interruptions in my
    health, to the gradual waste committed on it by time. On the
    other hand, the magnitude and difficulty of the trust to
    which the voice of my country called me, being sufficient to
    awaken, in the wisest and most experienced of her citizens,
    a distrustful scrutiny into his qualifications, could not
    but overwhelm with despondency one who, inheriting inferior
    endowments from nature, and unpracticed in the duties of
    civil administration, ought to be peculiarly conscious of
    his own deficiencies. In this conflict of emotion, all I
    dare aver is, that it has been my faithful study to collect
    my duty from a just appreciation of every circumstance
    by which it might be affected. All I dare hope is, that
    if, in executing this task, I have been too much swayed
    by a grateful remembrance of former instances, or by an
    affectionate sensibility to this transcendent proof of
    the confidence of my fellow-citizens, and have thence too
    little consulted my incapacity as well as disinclination
    for the weighty and untried cares before me, my error
    will be palliated by the motives which misled me, and its
    consequences be judged by my country, with some share of the
    partiality in which they originated.

    “Such being the impressions under which I have, in obedience
    to the public summons, repaired to the present station, it
    would be peculiarly improper to omit, in this first official
    act, my fervent supplications to that Almighty Being who
    rules over the universe—who presides in the councils of
    nations—and whose providential aids can supply every
    human defect, that his benediction may consecrate to
    the liberties and happiness of the people of the United
    States—a government instituted by themselves for these
    essential purposes—and may enable every instrument employed
    in its administration to execute with success the functions
    allotted to his charge. In tendering this homage to the
    Great Author of every public and private good, I assure
    myself that it expresses your sentiments not less than my
    own; nor those of my fellow-citizens at large, less than
    either. No people can be bound to acknowledge and adore
    the invisible hand which conducts the affairs of men more
    than the people of the United States. Every step by which
    they have advanced to the character of an independent
    nation seems to have been distinguished by some token of
    providential agency; and in the important revolution just
    accomplished in the system of their united government, the
    tranquil deliberations, and voluntary consent of so many
    distinct communities, from which the event has resulted, can
    not be compared with the means by which most governments
    have been established without some return of pious
    gratitude, along with an humble anticipation of the future
    blessings which the past seem to presage. These reflections,
    arising out of the present crisis, have forced themselves
    too strongly on my mind to be suppressed. You will join
    with me, I trust, in thinking that there are none under
    the influence of which the proceedings of a new and free
    government can more auspiciously commence.

    “By the article establishing the executive department, it
    is made the duty of the President ‘to recommend to your
    consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and
    expedient.’ The circumstances under which I now meet you,
    will acquit me from not entering into that subject farther
    than to refer to the great constitutional charter under
    which you are assembled, and which, in defining your powers,
    designates the objects to which your attention is to be
    given. It will be more consistent with those circumstances,
    and far more congenial with the feelings which actuate me,
    to substitute, in place of a recommendation of particular
    measures, the tribute that is due to the talents, the
    rectitude, and the patriotism which adorn the characters
    selected to devise and adopt them. In these honorable
    qualifications I behold the surest pledges that as, on one
    side, no local prejudices or attachments, no separate views,
    nor party animosities, will misdirect the comprehensive and
    equal eye which ought to watch over this great assemblage
    of communities and interests; so, on another, that the
    foundations of our national policy will be laid in the
    pure and immutable principles of private morality; and the
    preëminence of free government be exemplified by all the
    attributes which can win the affections of its citizens,
    and command the respect of the world. I dwell on this
    prospect with every satisfaction which an ardent love
    for my country can inspire; since there is no truth more
    thoroughly established than that there exists in the economy
    and course of nature an indissoluble union between virtue
    and happiness—between duty and advantage—between the
    genuine maxims of an honest and magnanimous policy and the
    solid rewards of public prosperity and felicity; since we
    ought to be no less persuaded that the propitious smiles of
    Heaven can never be expected on a nation that disregards
    the eternal rules of order and right, which Heaven itself
    has ordained; and since the preservation of the sacred
    fire of liberty and the destiny of the republican model
    of government are justly considered as deeply, perhaps as
    finally, staked on the experiment intrusted to the hands of
    the American people.

    “Besides the ordinary objects submitted to your care, it
    will remain with your judgment to decide how far an exercise
    of the occasional power delegated by the fifth article
    of the Constitution is rendered expedient at the present
    juncture by the nature of objections which have been urged
    against the system, or by the degree of inquietude which
    has given birth to them. Instead of undertaking particular
    recommendations on this subject, in which I could be guided
    by no lights derived from official opportunities, I shall
    again give way to my entire confidence in your discernment
    and pursuit of the public good; for, I assure myself, that
    while you carefully avoid every alteration which might
    endanger the benefits of an united and effective government,
    or which ought to await the future lessons of experience, a
    reverence for the characteristic rights of freemen, and a
    regard for the public harmony, will sufficiently influence
    your deliberations on the question, how far the former can
    be more impregnably fortified, or the latter be safely and
    advantageously promoted.

    “To the preceding observations I have one to add,
    which will be most properly addressed to the House of
    Representatives. It concerns myself, and will, therefore,
    be as brief as possible: When I was first honored with a
    call into the service of my country, then on the eve of an
    arduous struggle for its liberties, the light in which I
    contemplated my duty required that I should renounce every
    pecuniary compensation. From this resolution I have in no
    instance departed, and, being still under the impressions
    which produced it, I must decline, as inapplicable to
    myself, any share in the personal emoluments which may be
    indispensably included in a permanent provision for the
    executive department, and must accordingly pray that the
    pecuniary estimates for the station in which I am placed
    may, during my continuance in it, be limited to such actual
    expenditures as the public good may be thought to require.

    “Having thus imparted to you my sentiments, as they have
    been awakened by the occasion which brings us together,
    I shall take my present leave, but not without resorting
    once more to the benign Parent of the human race, in humble
    supplication, that since he has been pleased to favor
    the American people with opportunities for deliberating
    in perfect tranquillity, and dispositions for deciding
    with unparalleled unanimity on a form of government for
    the security of their Union and the advancement of their
    happiness, so his Divine blessing may be equally conspicuous
    in the enlarged views, the temperate consultations, and the
    wise measures, on which the success of this government must
    depend.”




WASHINGTON’S FAREWELL ADDRESS.


_Friends and Fellow-Citizens_:

The period for a new election of a citizen to administer the Executive
Government of the United States being not far distant, and the time
actually arrived when your thoughts must be employed in designating the
person who is to be clothed with that important trust, it appears to
me proper, especially as it may conduce to a more distinct expression
of the public voice, that I should now apprise you of the resolution I
have formed, to decline being considered among the number of those out
of whom a choice is to be made.

I beg you, at the same time, to do me the justice to be assured that
this resolution has not been taken without a strict regard to all the
considerations appertaining to the relation which binds a dutiful
citizen to his country; and that, in withdrawing the tender of service,
which silence in my situation might imply, I am influenced by no
diminution of zeal for your future interest; no deficiency of grateful
respect for your past kindness, but am supported by a full conviction
that the step is compatible with both.

The acceptance of, and continuance hitherto in, the office to which
your suffrages have twice called me, have been a uniform sacrifice
of inclination to the opinion of duty, and to a deference for what
appeared to be your desire. I constantly hoped that it would have
been much earlier in my power, consistently with motives which I was
not at liberty to disregard, to return to that retirement from which
I had been reluctantly drawn. The strength of my inclination to do
this, previous to the last election, had even led to the preparation
of an address to declare it to you; but mature reflection on the then
perplexed and critical posture of our affairs with foreign nations, and
the unanimous advice of persons entitled to my confidence, impelled me
to abandon the idea.

I rejoice that the state of your concerns, external as well as
internal, no longer renders the pursuit of inclination incompatible
with the sentiment of duty or propriety; and am persuaded, whatever
partiality may be retained for my services, that, in the present
circumstances of our country, you will not disapprove my determination
to retire.

The impressions with which I undertook the arduous trust were
explained on the proper occasion. In the discharge of this trust, I
will only say that I have with good intentions contributed toward the
organization and administration of the Government the best exertions
of which a very fallible judgment was capable. Not unconscious in the
outset of the inferiority of my qualifications, experience, in my own
eyes—perhaps still more in the eyes of others—has strengthened the
motives to diffidence of myself; and every day the increasing weight
of years admonishes me more and more, that the shade of retirement
is as necessary to me as it will be welcome. Satisfied that if any
circumstances have given peculiar value to my services, they were
temporary, I have the consolation to believe that, while choice and
prudence invite me to quit the political scene, patriotism does not
forbid it.

In looking forward to the moment which is intended to terminate the
career of my public life, my feelings do not permit me to suspend the
deep acknowledgment of that debt of gratitude which I owe to my beloved
country for the many honors it has conferred upon me; still more for
the steadfast confidence with which it has supported me; and for the
opportunities I have thence enjoyed of manifesting my inviolable
attachment, by services faithful and persevering, though in usefulness
unequal to my zeal. If benefits have resulted to our country from
these services, let it always be remembered to your praise, and as an
instructive example in our annals that, under circumstances in which
the passions, agitated in every direction, were liable to mislead;
amid appearances sometimes dubious, vicissitudes of fortune often
discouraging; in situations in which, not unfrequently, want of success
has countenanced the spirit of criticism—the constancy of your support
was the essential prop of the efforts, and a guarantee of the plans,
by which they were effected. Profoundly penetrated with this idea, I
shall carry it with me to my grave, as a strong incitement to unceasing
vows, that Heaven may continue to you the choicest tokens of its
beneficence; that your union and brotherly affection may be perpetual;
that the free Constitution, which is the work of your hands, may be
sacredly maintained; that its administration, in every department,
may be stamped with wisdom and virtue; that, in fine, the happiness
of the people of these States, under the auspices of liberty, may be
made complete by so careful a preservation and so prudent a use of this
blessing as will acquire to them the glory of recommending it to the
applause, the affection, and the adoption of every nation which is yet
a stranger to it.

Here, perhaps, I ought to stop; but a solicitude for your welfare,
which can not end but with my life, and the apprehension of danger
natural to that solicitude, urge me, on an occasion like the
present, to offer to your solemn contemplation, and to recommend to
your frequent review, some sentiments which are the result of much
reflection, of no inconsiderable observation, and which appear to me
all-important to the permanency of our felicity as a people. These
will be afforded to you with the more freedom, as you can only see in
them the disinterested warnings of a parting friend, who can possibly
have no personal motive to bias his counsel; nor can I forget, as an
encouragement to it, your indulgent reception of my sentiments on a
former and not dissimilar occasion.

Interwoven as is the love of liberty with every ligament of your
hearts, no recommendation of mine is necessary to fortify or confirm
the attachment.

The unity of government which constitutes you one people, is also now
dear to you. It is justly so; for it is a main pillar in the edifice
of your real independence—the support of your tranquillity at home,
your peace abroad, of your safety, of your prosperity, of that very
liberty which you so highly prize. But as it is easy to foresee that,
from different causes and from different quarters, much pains will be
taken, many artifices employed, to weaken in your minds the conviction
of this truth; as this is the point in your political fortress
against which the batteries of internal and external enemies will be
most constantly and actively (though often covertly and insidiously)
directed, it is of infinite moment that you should properly estimate
the immense value of your National Union to your collective and
individual happiness; that you should cherish a cordial, habitual, and
immovable attachment to it; accustoming yourselves to think and speak
of it as of the palladium of your political safety and prosperity;
watching for its preservation with jealous anxiety; discountenancing
whatever may suggest even a suspicion that it can, in any event, be
abandoned; and indignantly frowning upon the first dawning of every
attempt to alienate any portion of our country from the rest, or to
enfeeble the sacred ties which now link together the various parts.

For this you have every inducement of sympathy and interest. Citizens
by birth or choice, of a common country, that country has a right
to concentrate your affections. The name of _American_, which
belongs to you in your national capacity, must always exalt the just
pride of patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local
discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same
religion, manners, habits, and political principles. You have, in a
common cause, fought and triumphed together; the independence and
liberty you possess are the work of joint counsels and joint efforts—of
common dangers, sufferings and successes.

But these considerations, however powerfully they address themselves
to your sensibility, are greatly outweighed by those which apply more
immediately to your interest; here every portion of our country finds
the most commanding motives for carefully guarding and preserving the
union of the whole.

The North, in an unrestrained intercourse with the South, protected
by the equal laws of a common government, finds, in the productions
of the latter, great additional resources of maritime and commercial
enterprise, and precious materials of manufacturing industry. The
South, in the same intercourse, benefiting by the agency of the North,
sees its agriculture grow and its commerce expand. Turning partly into
its own channels the seamen of the North, it finds its particular
navigation invigorated; and while it contributes, in different ways,
to nourish and increase the general mass of the national navigation,
it looks forward to the protection of a maritime strength to which
itself is unequally adapted. The East, in like intercourse with the
West, already finds—and in the progressive improvement of interior
communication by land and water, will more and more find—a valuable
vent for the commodities which it brings from abroad or manufactures at
home. The West derives from the East supplies requisite to its growth
and comfort; and what is, perhaps, of still greater consequence, it
must, of necessity, owe the secure enjoyment of indispensable outlets
for its own productions, to the weight, influence, and the future
maritime strength of the Atlantic side of the Union, directed by an
indissoluble community of interest as one nation. Any other tenure by
which the West can hold this essential advantage, whether derived from
its own separate strength, or from an apostate and unnatural connection
with any foreign power, must be intrinsically precarious.

While, then, every part of our country thus feels an immediate and
particular interest in UNION, all the parts combined can not fail
to find, in the united mass of means and efforts, greater strength,
greater resource, proportionately greater security from external
danger, a less frequent interruption of their peace by foreign nations;
and what is of inestimable value, they must derive from union an
exemption from those broils and wars between themselves, which so
frequently afflict neighboring countries, not tied together by the
same government; which their own rivalship alone would be sufficient
to produce, but which opposite foreign alliances, attachments, and
intrigues would stimulate and embitter. Hence, likewise, they will
avoid the necessity of those overgrown military establishments, which,
under any form of government, are inauspicious to liberty, and which
are to be regarded as particularly hostile to republican liberty; in
this sense it is that your union ought to be considered as a main prop
of your liberty, and that the love of the one ought to endear to you
the preservation of the other.

These considerations speak a persuasive language to every reflecting
and virtuous mind, and exhibit the continuance of the Union as a
primary object of patriotic desire. Is there a doubt, whether a common
government can embrace so large a sphere? Let experience solve it.
To listen to mere speculation, in such a case, were criminal. We are
authorized to hope, that a proper organization of the whole, with
the auxiliary agency of governments for the respective subdivisions,
will afford a happy issue to the experiment. It is well worth a fair
and full experiment. With such powerful and obvious motives to Union,
affecting all parts of our country, while experience shall not have
demonstrated its impracticability, there will always be reason to
distrust the patriotism of those who, in any quarter, may endeavor to
weaken its bands.

In contemplating the causes which may disturb our Union, it occurs, as
a matter of serious concern, that any ground should have been furnished
for characterizing parties by geographical discriminations—Northern
and Southern, Atlantic and Western—whence designing men may endeavor
to excite a belief that there is a real difference of local interests
and views. One of the expedients of party to acquire influence within
particular districts, is to misrepresent the opinions and aims of other
districts. You can not shield yourself too much against the jealousies
and heart-burnings which spring from these misrepresentations; they
tend to render alien to each other those who ought to be bound together
by fraternal affection. The inhabitants of our western country have
lately had a useful lesson on this head; they have seen in the
negotiation of the Executive, and in the unanimous ratification by the
Senate, of the treaty with Spain, and in the universal satisfaction
at that event throughout the United States, a decisive proof how
unfounded were the suspicions propagated among them of a policy in the
General Government, and in the Atlantic States, unfriendly to their
interests in regard to the Mississippi; they have been witnesses to
the formation of two treaties—that with Great Britain, and that with
Spain—which secure to them every thing they could desire in respect to
our foreign relations, toward confirming their prosperity. Will it not
be their wisdom to rely for the preservation of these advantages on the
Union by which they were procured? Will they not henceforth be deaf
to those advisers, if such there be, who would sever them from their
brethren, and connect them with aliens?

To the efficacy and permanency of your Union, a Government for the
whole is indispensable. No alliance, however strict between the parts,
can be an adequate substitute; they must inevitably experience the
infractions and interruptions which all alliances, in all time, have
experienced. Sensible of this momentous truth, you have improved upon
your first essay, by the adoption of a Constitution of Government
better calculated than your former for an intimate Union, and for the
efficacious management of your common concerns. This Government, the
offspring of our own choice, uninfluenced and unawed, adopted upon
full investigation and mature deliberation, completely free in its
principles, in the distribution of its powers, uniting security with
energy, and containing within itself a provision for its own amendment,
has a just claim to your confidence and your support. Respect its
authority, compliance with its laws, acquiescence in its measures, are
duties enjoined by the fundamental maxims of true liberty. The basis of
our political systems, is the right of the people to make and to alter
their constitutions of Government; but the Constitution which at any
time exists, till changed by an explicit and authentic act of the whole
people, is sacredly obligatory upon all. The very idea of the power and
the right of the people to establish Government, presupposes the duty
of every individual to obey the established Government.

All obstructions to the execution of the laws, all combinations and
associations, under whatever plausible character, with the real design
to direct, control, counteract, or awe the regular deliberation
and action of the constituted authorities, are destructive to this
fundamental principle, and of fatal tendency. They serve to organize
faction, to give it an artificial and extraordinary force, to put in
the place of the delegated will of the nation the will of a party,
often a small but artful and enterprising minority of the community;
and, according to the alternate triumphs of different parties, to
make the public administration the mirror of the ill-concerted and
incongruous projects of faction, rather than the organ of consistent
and wholesome plans, digested by common counsels, and modified by
mutual interests.

However combinations and associations of the above description may now
and then answer popular ends, they are likely, in the course of time
and things, to become potent engines, by which cunning, ambitious, and
unprincipled men, will be enabled to subvert the power of the people,
and to usurp for themselves the reins of Government; destroying,
afterward, the very engines which had lifted them to unjust dominion.

Toward the preservation of your Government, and the permanency of
your present happy state, it is requisite, not only that you steadily
discountenance irregular oppositions, to its acknowledged authority,
but also that you resist, with care, the spirit of innovation upon
its principles, however specious the pretexts. One method of assault
may be to effect, in the forms’ Constitution, alterations which will
impair the energy of the system, and thus to undermine what can not be
directly overthrown. In all the changes to which you may be invited,
remember that time and habit are at least as necessary to fix the
true character of Governments as of other human institutions; that
experience is the surest standard by which to test the real tendency of
the existing constitution of a country; that facility in changes, upon
the credit of mere hypothesis and opinion, exposes to perpetual change,
from the endless variety of hypothesis and opinion; and remember,
especially, that for the efficient management of your common interests,
in a country so extensive as ours, a Government of as much vigor as
is consistent with the perfect security of liberty, is indispensable.
Liberty itself will find in such a Government, with powers properly
distributed and adjusted, its surest guardian. It is, indeed, little
else than a name, where the Government is too feeble to withstand the
enterprises of faction, to confine each member of the society within
the limits prescribed by the laws, and to maintain all in the secure
and tranquil enjoyment of the rights of person and property.

I have already intimated to you the danger of parties in the State,
with particular reference to the founding of them on geographical
discriminations. Let me now take a more comprehensive view, and warn
you, in the most solemn manner, against the baneful effects of the
spirit of party generally.

This spirit, unfortunately, is inseparable from our nature, having
its root in the strongest passions of the human mind. It exists under
different shapes, in all Governments, more or less stifled, controlled,
or repressed; but in those of the popular form it is seen in its
greatest rankness, and is truly their worst enemy.

The alternate domination of one faction over another, sharpened by the
spirit of revenge, natural to party dissension, which, in different
ages and countries, has perpetrated the most horrid enormities, is
itself a frightful despotism. But this leads, at length, to a more
formal and permanent despotism. The disorders and miseries which
result, gradually incline the minds of men to seek security and repose
in the absolute power of an individual; and, sooner or later, the
chief of some prevailing faction, more able or more fortunate than
his competitors, turns this disposition to the purposes of his own
elevation on the ruins of public liberty.

Without looking forward to an extremity of this kind, (which,
nevertheless, ought not to be entirely out of sight,) the common and
continual mischiefs of the spirit of party are sufficient to make it
the interest and duty of a wise people to discourage and restrain it.

It serves always to distract the public counsels, and enfeeble the
public administration. It agitates the community with ill-founded
jealousies and false alarms; kindles the animosities of one part
against another; foments, occasionally, riot and insurrection. It opens
the door to foreign influence and corruption, which find a facilitated
access to the Government itself, through the channels of party
passions. Thus the policy and the will of one country are subjected to
the policy and will of another.

There is an opinion that parties, in free countries, are useful checks
upon the administration of the Government, and serve to keep alive
the spirit of liberty. This, within certain limits, is probably true;
and in Governments of a monarchical cast, patriotism may look with
indulgence, if not with favor, upon the spirit of party. But in those
of the popular character, in Governments purely elective, it is a
spirit not to be encouraged. From their natural tendency, it is certain
there will always be enough of that spirit for every salutary purpose.
And there being constant danger of excess, the effort ought to be, by
force of public opinion, to mitigate and assuage it. A fire not to be
quenched, it demands a uniform vigilance to prevent its bursting into a
flame, lest, instead of warming, it should consume.

It is important, likewise, that the habits of thinking, in a
free country, should inspire caution in those intrusted with its
administration to confine themselves within their respective
constitutional spheres, avoiding in the exercise of one department, to
encroach upon another. The spirit of encroachment tends to consolidate
the powers of all the departments in one, and thus to create, whatever
the form of Government, a real despotism. A just estimate of that love
of power, and proneness to abuse it which predominates in the human
heart, is sufficient to satisfy us of the truth of this position. The
necessity of reciprocal checks in the exercise of political power,
by dividing and distributing it into different depositories, and
constituting each the guardian of public weal, against invasions by
the others, has been evinced by experiments, ancient and modern, some
of them in our own country, and under our own eyes. To preserve them
must be as necessary as to institute them. If, in the opinion of the
people, the distribution or modification of the constitutional powers
be, in any particular, wrong, let it be corrected by an amendment in
the way which the Constitution designates. But let there be no change
by usurpation; for though this, in one instance, may be the instrument
of good, it is the customary weapon by which free Governments are
destroyed. The precedent must always greatly overbalance, in permanent
evil, any partial or transient benefit which the use can, at any time,
yield.

Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity,
religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that
man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these
great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties
of men and citizens. The mere politician, equally with the pious man,
ought to respect and to cherish them. A volume could not trace all
their connections with private and public felicity. Let it simply be
asked, Where is the security for property, for reputation, for life,
if the sense of religious obligation _desert_ the oaths which are the
instruments of investigation in the courts of justice? And let us
with caution indulge the supposition, that morality can be maintained
without religion. Whatever may be conceded to the influence of refined
education on minds of peculiar structure, reason and experience both
forbid us to expect that national morality can prevail in exclusion of
religious principles.

It is substantially true, that virtue or morality is a necessary
spring of popular Government. The rule, indeed, extends with more or
less force to every species of free Government. Who, that is a sincere
friend to it, can look with indifference upon attempts to shake the
foundation of the fabric?

Promote, then, as an object of primary importance, institutions for the
general diffusion of knowledge. In proportion as the structure of a
Government gives force to public opinion, it is essential that public
opinion should be enlightened.

As a very important source of strength and security, cherish public
credit. One method to preserve it is to use it as sparingly as
possible; avoiding occasions of expense by cultivating peace, but
remembering also that timely disbursements, to prepare for danger,
frequently prevent much greater disbursements to repel it; avoiding,
likewise, the accumulation of debt, not only by shunning occasion of
expense, but by vigorous exertions in time of peace to discharge the
debts which unavoidable wars may have occasioned, not ungenerously
throwing upon posterity the burden which we ourselves ought to bear.
The execution of these maxims belong to your representatives, but it
is necessary that public opinion should coöperate. To facilitate to
them the performance of their duty, it is essential that you should
practically bear in mind, that toward the payment of debts there must
be revenue; that to have revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes
can be devised which are not more or less inconvenient and unpleasant;
that the intrinsic embarrassment inseparable from the selection of
the proper objects (which is always a choice of difficulties) ought
to be a decisive motive for a candid construction of the conduct of
the Government in making it, and for a spirit of acquiescence in the
measures for obtaining revenue, which the public exigencies may at that
time dictate.

Observe good faith and justice toward all nations; cultivate peace and
harmony with all; religion and morality enjoin this conduct: and can
it be that good policy does not equally enjoin it? It will be worthy
of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant period, a great nation,
to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a people
always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence. Who can doubt
that, in the course of time and things, the fruits of such a plan
would richly repay any temporary advantages which might be lost by a
steady adherence to it? Can it be that Providence has not connected
the permanent felicity of a nation with its virtue? The experiment, at
least, is recommended by every sentiment which ennobles human nature.
Alas! is it to be rendered impossible by its vices?

In the execution of such a plan, nothing is more essential than
that permanent inveterate antipathies against particular nations,
and passionate attachment for others, should be excluded; and that,
in place of them, just and amicable feelings toward all should be
cultivated. The nation which indulges toward another an habitual
hatred, or an habitual fondness, is, in some degree, a slave. It is a
slave to its animosity or its affection, either of which is sufficient
to lead it astray from its duty and its interest. Antipathy in one
nation against another, disposes each more readily to offer insult and
injury, to lay hold of slight causes of umbrage, and to be haughty and
intractable when accidental or trifling occasions of dispute occur.
Hence frequent collisions, obstinate, envenomed, and bloody contests.
The nation, prompted by ill-will and resentment, sometimes impels to
war the Government contrary to the best calculations of policy. The
Government sometimes participates in the national propensity, and
adopts, through passion, what reason would reject; at other times it
makes the animosity of the nation subservient to projects of hostility,
instigated by pride, ambition, and other sinister and pernicious
motives. The peace often, sometimes perhaps the liberty, of nations has
been the victim.

So, likewise, a passionate attachment of one nation to another produces
a variety of evils. Sympathy for the favorite nation, facilitating the
illusion of an imaginary common interest, in cases where no real common
interest exists, and infusing into one the enmities of the other,
betrays the former into a participation in the quarrels and wars of the
latter, without adequate inducement or justification. It leads also
to concessions to the favorite nation of privileges denied to others,
which is apt doubly to injure the nation making the concessions; by
unnecessarily parting with what ought to have been retained, and by
exciting jealousy, ill-will, and a disposition to retaliate in the
parties from whom equal privileges are withheld; and it gives to
ambitious, corrupted, or deluded citizens (who devote themselves to the
favorite nation) facility to betray, or sacrifice the interest of their
own country, without odium, sometimes even with popularity; gilding
with the appearance of virtuous sense of obligation, a commendable
deference for public opinion, or a laudable zeal for public good the
base or foolish compliances of ambition, corruption, or infatuation.

[Illustration: JAMES MADISON.]

As avenues to foreign influence, in innumerable ways, such attachments
are particularly alarming to the truly enlightened and independent
patriot. How many opportunities do they afford to tamper with domestic
factions, to practice the art of seduction, to mislead public opinion,
to influence or awe the public councils! Such an attachment of a small
or weak, toward a great and powerful nation, dooms the former to be the
satellite of the latter.

Against the insidious wiles of foreign influence (I conjure you to
believe me, fellow-citizens) the jealousy of a free people ought to be
_constantly_ awake; since history and experience prove that foreign
influence is one of the most baneful foes of Republican Government. But
that jealousy, to be useful, must be impartial, else it becomes the
instrument of the very influence to be avoided, instead of a defense
against it. Excessive partiality for one foreign nation, and excessive
dislike for another, cause those whom they actuate to see danger only
on one side, and serve to veil, and even second the arts of influence
on the other. Real patriots, who may resist the intrigues of the
favorite, are liable to become suspected and odious; while its tools
and dupes usurp the applause and confidence of the people to surrender
their interests.

The great rule of conduct for us, in regard to foreign nations, is,
in extending our commercial relations, to have with them as little
political connection as possible. So far as we have already formed
engagements, let them be fulfilled with perfect good faith. Here let us
stop.

Europe has a set of primary interests, which to us have none, or a very
remote relation. Hence she must be engaged in frequent controversies,
the causes of which are essentially foreign to our concerns. Hence,
therefore, it must be unwise in us to implicate ourselves, by
artificial ties, in the ordinary vicissitudes of her politics, or the
ordinary combinations and collisions of her friendships or enmities.

Our detached and distant situation invites and enables us to pursue
a different course. If we remain one people, under an efficient
Government, the period is not far off when we may defy material
injury from external annoyance; when we may take such an attitude
as will cause the neutrality we may at any time resolve upon, to
be scrupulously respected; when belligerent nations, under the
impossibility of making acquisitions upon us, will not lightly hazard
the giving us provocation; when we may choose peace or war, as our
interest, guided by justice, shall counsel.

Why forego the advantages of such a peculiar situation? Why quit our
own to stand upon foreign ground? Why, by interweaving our destiny with
that of any part of Europe, entangle our peace and prosperity in the
toils of European ambition, rivalship, interest, humor, or caprice?

It is our true policy to steer clear of permanent alliances with any
portion of the foreign world; so far, I mean, as we are now at liberty
to do it; for let me not be understood as capable of patronizing
infidelity to existing engagements. I hold the maxim no less applicable
to public than to private affairs, that honesty is always the best
policy. I repeat it, therefore, let those engagements be observed in
their genuine sense. But, in my opinion, it is unnecessary, and would
be unwise to extend them.

Taking care always to keep ourselves, by suitable establishments, on
a respectable defensive posture, we may safely trust to temporary
alliances for extraordinary emergencies.

Harmony and a liberal intercourse with all nations, are recommended
by policy, humanity, and interest. But even our commercial policy
should hold an equal and impartial hand; neither seeking nor granting
exclusive favors or preferences; consulting the natural course of
things; diffusing and diversifying, by gentle means, the streams of
commerce, but forcing nothing; establishing, with powers so disposed,
in order to give trade a stable course, to define the rights of our
merchants, and to enable the Government to support conventional rules
of intercourse, the best that present circumstances and mutual opinions
will permit, but temporary, and liable to be, from time to time,
abandoned or varied, as experience and circumstances shall dictate;
constantly keeping in view, that it is folly in one nation to look for
disinterested favors from another; that it must pay, with a portion
of its independence, for whatever it may accept under that character;
that by such acceptance it may place itself in the condition of having
given equivalents for nominal favors, and yet of being reproached with
ingratitude for not giving more. There can be no greater error than to
expect, or calculate upon, real favors from nation to nation. It is
an illusion which experience must cure, which a just pride ought to
discard.

In offering to you, my countrymen, these counsels of an old and
affectionate friend, I dare not hope they will make the strong and
lasting impression I could wish—that they will control the usual
current of the passions, or prevent our nation from running the course
which has hitherto marked the destiny of nations—but if I may even
flatter myself that they may be productive of some partial benefit,
some occasional good, that they may now and then recur to moderate
the fury of party spirit, to warn against the mischief of foreign
intrigues, to guard against the impostures of pretended patriotism,
this hope will be a full recompense for the solicitude for your welfare
by which they have been dictated.

How far, in the discharge of my official duties, I have been guided
by the principles which have been delineated, the public records, and
other evidences of my conduct, must witness to you and the world. To
myself the assurance of my own conscience is, that I have at least
believed myself to be guided by them.

In relation to this still subsisting war in Europe, my proclamation of
the 22d of April, 1793, is the index to my plan. Sanctioned by your
approving voice, and by that of your Representatives in both Houses
of Congress, the spirit of that measure has continually governed me,
uninfluenced by any attempts to deter or divert me from it.

After deliberate examination, with the aid of the best lights I
could obtain, I was well satisfied that our country, under all the
circumstances of the case, had a right to take—and was bound in duty
and interest to take—a neutral position. Having taken it, I determined,
as far as should depend upon me, to maintain it with moderation,
perseverance, and firmness.

The considerations which respect the right to hold this conduct, it is
not necessary on this occasion to detail. I will only observe that,
according to my understanding of the matter, that right, so far from
being denied by any of the belligerent powers, has been virtually
admitted by all.

The duty of holding a neutral conduct may be inferred, without any
thing more, from the obligation which justice and humanity impose
on every nation, in cases in which it is free to act, to maintain
inviolate the relations of peace and amity toward other nations.

The inducements of interest, for observing that conduct, will best be
referred to your own reflections and experience. With me, a predominant
motive has been to endeavor to gain time to our country to settle
and mature its yet recent institutions, and to progress, without
interruption, to that degree of strength and consistency which is
necessary to give it, humanly speaking, the command of its own fortunes.

Though in reviewing the incidents of my administration, I am
unconscious of intentional error, I am, nevertheless, too sensible of
my defects not to think it probable that I may have committed many
errors. Whatever they may be, I fervently beseech the Almighty to
avert or mitigate the evils to which they may tend. I shall also carry
with me the hope, that my country will never cease to view them with
indulgence; and that, after forty-five years of my life dedicated to
its service with an upright zeal, the faults of incompetent abilities
will be consigned to oblivion, as myself must soon be to the mansions
of rest.

Relying on its kindness in this, as in other things, and actuated by
that fervent love toward it which is so natural to a man who views
in it the native soil of himself and his progenitors, I anticipate,
with pleasing expectation, that retreat in which I promise myself to
realize, without alloy, the sweet enjoyment of partaking, in the midst
of my fellow-citizens, the benign influence of good laws under a free
Government—the ever-favorite object of my heart—and the happy reward,
as I trust, of our mutual cares, labors, and dangers.

                                     GEORGE WASHINGTON.
    UNITED STATES, 17th September, 1796.




MISSOURI COMPROMISE OF 1820.


When Missouri applied for admission into the Union, a proposition
was started in Congress to prohibit the introduction of slavery into
the new State. This had the effect of arraying the South against the
North—the slaveholding against the non-slaveholding States—and the
whole subject of slavery became the exciting topic of debate throughout
the country. The question was finally settled by a _Compromise_, which
tolerated slavery in Missouri, but otherwise prohibited it in all the
territory of the United States north and west of the northern limits of
Arkansas.

As the principle then settled has often since been the prolific source
of much sectional controversy and angry debate, and as it is desirable
that every one should be familiar with the _real_ provisions of the
act by which Missouri was admitted, we have concluded to insert here
so much of the law as is necessary to a full understanding of the
subject. All the sections, except the following, relate entirely to the
formation of the Missouri territory, in the usual form of territorial
bills:

“SEC. 8. That in all that territory ceded by France to the United
States, under the name of Louisiana, which lies north of thirty-six
degrees and thirty minutes north latitude, not included within the
limits of the State contemplated by this act, slavery and involuntary
servitude, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes, whereof the
parties shall be duly convicted, shall be, and is hereby, forever
prohibited. _Provided always_, That any person escaping into the
same, from whom labor or service is lawfully claimed, in any State or
Territory of the United States, such fugitive may be lawfully reclaimed
and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or service as
aforesaid.”




FUGITIVE SLAVE LAW OF 1850.

    An Act to amend, and supplementary to, the Act entitled,
        “An Act respecting Fugitives from Justice, and persons
        escaping from the Service of their Masters,” and
        approved February 12, 1793.


_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled_, That the persons who have
been, or may hereafter be, appointed Commissioners, in virtue of any
Act of Congress, by the Circuit Courts of the United States, and who,
in consequence of such appointment, are authorized to exercise the
powers that any justice of the peace, or other magistrate of any of
the United States, may exercise in respect to offenders for any crime
or offense against the United States, by arresting, imprisoning, or
bailing the same, under, and by virtue of, the thirty-third section
of the act of the twenty-fourth of September, seventeen hundred and
eighty-nine, entitled, “An Act to establish the judicial courts of the
United States,” shall be, and are hereby, authorized and required to
exercise and discharge all the powers and duties conferred by this Act.

SEC. 2. That the Superior Court of each organized Territory of the
United States shall have the same power to appoint Commissioners to
take acknowledgments of bail and affidavits, and to take depositions
of witnesses in civil causes, which is now possessed by the Circuit
Court of the United States; and all Commissioners who shall hereafter
be appointed for such purposes by the Superior Court of any organized
Territory of the United States shall possess all the powers, and
exercise all the duties, conferred by law upon the Commissioners
appointed by the Circuit Courts of the United States for similar
purposes, and shall moreover exercise and discharge all the powers and
duties conferred by this Act.

SEC. 3. That the Circuit Courts of the United States, and the Superior
Courts of each organized territory of the United States, shall, from
time to time, enlarge the number of Commissioners with a view to afford
reasonable facilities to reclaim fugitives from labor, and to the
prompt discharge of the duties imposed by this Act.

SEC. 4. That the Commissioners above named shall have concurrent
jurisdiction with the Judges of the Circuit and District Courts of
the United States, in their respective circuits and districts within
the several States, and the Judges of the Superior Courts of the
territories severally and collectively; in term time and vacation; and
shall grant certificates to such claimants, upon satisfactory proof
being made, with authority to take and remove such fugitives from
service or labor, under the restrictions herein contained, to the State
or Territory from which such persons may have escaped or fled.

SEC. 5. That it shall be the duty of all marshals and deputy marshals
to obey and execute all warrants and precepts issued under the
provisions of this act when to them directed; and should any marshal
or deputy marshal refuse to receive such warrant, or other process,
when tendered, or to use all proper means diligently to execute the
same, he shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in the sum of one
thousand dollars, to the use of such claimant, on the motion of such
claimant, by the Circuit or District Court for the district of such
marshal; and after the arrest of such fugitive, by such marshal or
his deputy, or while at any time in his custody, under the provisions
of this act, should such fugitive escape, whether with or without the
assent of such marshal or his deputy, such marshal shall be liable, on
his official bond, to be prosecuted, for the benefit of such claimant,
for the full value of the service or labor of said fugitive in the
State, Territory, or district whence he escaped; and, the better to
enable said Commissioners, when thus appointed, to execute their
duties faithfully and efficiently, in conformity with the requirements
of the Constitution of the United States, and of this Act, they are
hereby authorized and empowered, within their counties respectively,
to appoint, in writing under their hands, any one or more suitable
persons, from time to time, to execute all such warrants and other
process as may be issued by them in the lawful performance of their
respective duties; with authority to such Commissioners, or the persons
to be appointed by them, to execute process as aforesaid, to summon and
call to their aid the bystanders, or _posse commitatus_ of the proper
county, when necessary to insure a faithful observance of the clause
of the Constitution referred to, in conformity with the provisions of
this Act; and all good citizens are commanded to aid and assist in the
prompt and efficient execution of this law whenever their services may
be required, as aforesaid, for that purpose; and said warrants shall
run, and be executed by said officers, anywhere in the State within
which they are issued.

SEC. 6. That when a person held to service or labor in any State or
Territory of the United States has heretofore or shall hereafter escape
into another State or Territory of the United States, the person or
persons to whom such service or labor may be due, or his, her, or their
agent or attorney, duly authorized by power of attorney, in writing
acknowledged and certified under the seal of some legal officer or
Court of the State or Territory in which the same may be executed, may
pursue and reclaim such fugitive person, either by procuring a warrant
from some one of the Courts, Judges, or Commissioners aforesaid, of
the proper circuit, district, or county, for the apprehension of such
fugitive from service or labor, or by seizing and arresting such
fugitive where the same can be done without process, and by taking or
causing such person to be taken forthwith before such Court, Judge, or
Commissioner, whose duty it shall be to hear and determine the case of
such claimant in a summary manner; and, upon satisfactory proof being
made, by deposition or affidavit in writing, to be taken and certified
by such Court, Judge, or Commissioner, or by other satisfactory
testimony, duly taken and certified by some Court, Magistrate, Justice
of the Peace, or other legal officer authorized to administer an oath
and take depositions under the laws of the State or Territory from
which such person owing service or labor may have escaped, with a
certificate of such magistracy, or other authority as aforesaid, with
the seal of the proper Court or officer thereto attached, which seal
shall be sufficient to establish the competency of the proof, and with
proof, also by affidavit, of the identity of the person whose service
or labor is claimed to be due as aforesaid, that the person so arrested
does in fact owe service or labor to the person or persons claiming him
or her, in the State or Territory from which such fugitive may have
escaped as aforesaid, and that said person escaped, to make out and
deliver to said claimant, his or her agent or attorney, a certificate
setting forth the substantial facts as to the service or labor due
from such fugitive to the claimant, and of his or her escape from the
State or Territory in which such service or labor was due to the State
or Territory in which he or she was arrested, with authority to such
claimant, or his or her agent or attorney, to use such reasonable force
and restraint as may be necessary, under the circumstances of the case,
to take and remove such fugitive person back to the State or Territory
whence he or she may have escaped as aforesaid. In no trial or hearing
under this Act shall the testimony of such alleged fugitive be admitted
in evidence; and the certificates in this and the first [fourth]
section mentioned shall be conclusive of the right of the person or
persons in whose favor granted to remove such fugitive to the State
or Territory from which he escaped, and shall prevent all molestation
of such person or persons by any process issued by any Court, Judge,
Magistrate, or other person whomsoever.

SEC. 7. That any person who shall knowingly and willingly obstruct,
hinder, or prevent such claimant, his agent or attorney, or any person
or persons lawfully assisting him, her, or them, from arresting such
a fugitive from service or labor, either with or without process as
aforesaid, or shall rescue or attempt to rescue such fugitive from
service or labor from the custody of such claimant, his or her agent or
attorney, or other person or persons lawfully assisting as aforesaid,
when so arrested pursuant to the authority herein given and declared,
or shall aid, abet, or assist such person so owing service or labor as
aforesaid, directly or indirectly, to escape from such claimant, his
agent or attorney, or other person or persons legally authorized as
aforesaid; or shall harbor or conceal such fugitive so as to prevent
the discovery and arrest of such person, after notice or knowledge
of the fact that such person was a fugitive from service or labor as
aforesaid, shall, for either of said offenses, be subject to a fine
not exceeding one thousand dollars, and imprisonment not exceeding
six months, by indictment and conviction before the District Court
of the United States for the district in which such offense may have
been committed, or before the proper court of criminal jurisdiction,
if committed within any one of the organized Territories of the United
States, and shall moreover forfeit and pay, by way of civil damages
to the party injured by such illegal conduct, the sum of one thousand
dollars for each fugitive so lost as aforesaid, to be recovered as
aforesaid, to be recovered by action of debt in any of the District
or Territorial Courts aforesaid, within whose jurisdiction the said
offense may have been committed.

SEC. 8. That the marshals, their deputies, and the clerks of the said
District and Territorial Courts, shall be paid for their services the
like fees as may be allowed to them for similar services in other
cases; and where such services are rendered exclusively in the arrest,
custody, and delivery of the fugitive to the claimant, his or her agent
or attorney, or where such supposed fugitive may be discharged out of
custody for the want of sufficient proof as aforesaid, then such fees
are to be paid in the whole by such claimant, his agent or attorney;
and in all cases where the proceedings are before a Commissioner, he
shall be entitled to a fee of ten dollars in full for his services in
each case, upon the delivery of the said certificate to the claimant,
his or her agent or attorney; or a fee of five dollars in cases where
the proof shall not, in the opinion of such Commissioner, warrant such
certificate and delivery, inclusive of all services incident to such
arrest and examination, to be paid in either case by the claimant,
his or her agent or attorney. The person or persons authorized to
execute the process to be issued by such Commissioner for the arrest
and detention of fugitives from service or labor as aforesaid shall
also be entitled to a fee of five dollars each for each person he or
they may arrest and take before any such Commissioner, as aforesaid,
at the instance and request of such claimant, with such other fees
as may be deemed reasonable by such Commissioners for such other
additional services as may be necessarily performed by him or them,
such as attending at the examination, keeping the fugitive in custody,
providing him with food and lodging during his detention and until
the final determination of such Commissioner; and, in general, for
performing such other duties as may be required by such claimant, his
or her attorney or agent, or Commissioner in the premises. Such fees to
be made up in conformity with the fees usually charged by the officers
of the courts of justice within the proper district or county, as near
as may be practicable, and paid by such claimants, their agents or
attorneys, whether such supposed fugitives from service or labor be
ordered to be delivered to such claimants by the final determination of
such Commissioner or not.

SEC. 9. That, upon affidavit made by the claimant of such fugitive,
his agent or attorney, after such certificate has been issued, that he
has reason to apprehend that such fugitive will be rescued by force
from his or her possession before he can be taken beyond the limits
of the State in which the arrest is made, it shall be the duty of the
officer making the arrest to retain such fugitive in his custody, and
to remove him to the State whence he fled, and there to deliver him to
said claimant, his agent or attorney. And, to this end, the officer
aforesaid is hereby authorized and required to employ so many persons
as he may deem necessary to overcome such force, and to retain them in
his service so long as circumstances may require. The said officer and
his assistants, while so employed, to receive the same compensation
and to be allowed the same expenses as are now allowed by law for
transportation of criminals, to be certified by the Judge of the
district within which the arrest is made, and paid out of the treasury
of the United States.

SEC. 10. That when any person held to service or labor in any State or
Territory, or in the District of Columbia, shall escape therefrom,
the party to whom such service or labor may be due, his, her, or
their agent or attorney, may apply to any court of record therein, or
Judge thereof in vacation, and make satisfactory proof to such court,
or Judge in vacation, of the escape aforesaid, and that the person
escaping owed service or labor to such party. Whereupon the court
shall cause a record to be made of the matters so proved, and also a
general description of the person so escaping, with such convenient
certainty as may be; and a transcript of such record authenticated
by the attestation of the clerk and of the seal of the said court,
being produced in any other State, Territory, or District in which
the person so escaping may be found, and, being exhibited to any
Judge, Commissioner, or other officer authorized by the law of the
United States to cause persons escaping from service or labor to
be delivered up, shall be held and taken to be full and conclusive
evidence of the fact of the escape, and that the service or labor of
the person escaping is due to the party in such record mentioned.
And upon the production, by the said party, of other and further
evidence, if necessary, either oral or by affidavit, in addition to
what is contained in the said record of the identity of the person
escaping, he or she shall be delivered up to the claimant. And the
said Court, Commissioner, Judge, or other person authorized by this
Act to grant certificates to claimants of fugitives, shall, upon
the production of the record and other evidences aforesaid, grant
to such claimant a certificate of his right to take any such person
identified and proved to be owing service or labor as aforesaid, which
shall authorize such claimant to seize or arrest and transport such
person to the State or Territory from which he escaped: _Provided_,
That nothing herein contained shall be construed as requiring the
production of a transcript of such record as evidence as aforesaid.
But, in its absence, the claim shall be heard and determined upon other
satisfactory proofs competent in law.

_Approved September 18, 1850._

[The above law was repealed by the 38th Congress, 1864.]




KANSAS AND NEBRASKA ACT OF 1854.

An Act to Organize the Territories of Nebraska and Kansas.


_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled_, That all that part of the
territory of the United States included within the following limits,
except such portions thereof as are hereinafter expressly exempted
from the operations of this Act, to wit: beginning at a point on the
Missouri River where the fortieth parallel of north latitude crosses
the same; thence west on said parallel to the east boundary of the
Territory of Utah on the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence on
said summit northward to the forty-ninth parallel of north latitude;
thence east on said parallel to the western boundary of the Territory
of Minnesota; thence southward on said boundary to the Missouri River;
thence down the main channel of said river to the place of beginning,
be, and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government by
the name of the Territory of Nebraska; and when admitted as a State
or States, the said Territory, or any portion of the same, shall be
received into the Union with or without slavery, as their Constitution
may prescribe at the time of their admission: _Provided_, That nothing
in this Act contained shall be construed to inhibit the Government
of the United States from dividing said Territory into two or more
Territories, in such manner and at such times as Congress shall deem
convenient and proper, or from attaching any portion of said Territory
to any other State or Territory of the United States: _Provided,
further_, That nothing in this Act contained shall be construed to
impair the rights of person or property now pertaining to the Indians
in said Territory, so long as such rights shall remain unextinguished
by treaty between the United States and such Indians, or to include any
Territory which, by treaty with any Indian tribe, is not, without the
consent of said tribe, to be included within the Territorial limits or
jurisdiction of any State or Territory; but all such Territory shall be
excepted out of the boundaries, and constitute no part of the Territory
of Nebraska, until said tribe shall signify their assent to the
President of the United States to be included within the said Territory
of Nebraska, or to affect the authority of the Government of the United
States to make any regulations respecting such Indians, their lands,
property or other rights, by treaty, law, or otherwise, which it would
have been competent to the Government to make if this Act had never
passed.

SEC. 2. That the executive power and authority in and over said
Territory of Nebraska shall be vested in a Governor, who shall hold
his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed
and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President of the United
States. The Governor shall reside within said Territory, and shall be
commander-in-chief of the militia thereof. He may grant pardons and
respites for offenses against the laws of said Territory, and reprieves
for offenses against the laws of the United States, until the decision
of the President can be made known thereon; he shall commission all
officers who shall be appointed to office under the laws of the said
Territory, and shall take care that the laws be faithfully executed.

SEC. 3. That there shall be a Secretary of said Territory, who shall
reside therein, and hold his office for five years, unless sooner
removed by the President of the United States; he shall record and
preserve all the laws and proceedings of the Legislative Assembly
hereinafter constituted, and all the acts and proceedings of the
Governor in his executive department; he shall transmit one copy of the
laws and journals of the Legislative Assembly within thirty days after
the end of each session, and one copy of the executive proceedings and
official correspondence semi-annually, on the first days of January
and July in each year, to the President of the United States, and two
copies of the laws to the President of the Senate and to the Speaker
of the House of Representatives, to be deposited in the libraries of
Congress; and, in case of the death, removal, resignation, or absence
of the Governor from the Territory, the Secretary shall be, and he is
hereby duly authorized and required to execute and perform all the
powers and duties of the Governor during such vacancy or absence, or
until another Governor shall be duly appointed and qualified to fill
such vacancy.

SEC. 4. That the legislative power and authority of said Territory
shall be vested in the Governor and a Legislative Assembly. The
Legislative Assembly shall consist of a Council and House of
Representatives. The Council shall consist of thirteen members, having
the qualifications of voters, as hereinafter prescribed, whose term of
service shall continue two years. The House of Representatives shall,
at its first session, consist of twenty-six members, possessing the
same qualifications as prescribed for members of the Council, and whose
term of service shall continue one year. The number of Representatives
may be increased by the Legislative Assembly, from time to time, in
proportion to the increase of qualified voters: _Provided_, That the
whole number shall never exceed thirty-nine; an apportionment shall
be made as nearly equal as practicable, among the several counties
or districts, for the election of the Council and Representatives,
giving each section of the Territory representation in the ratio of
its qualified voters as nearly as may be. And the members of the
Council and of the House of Representatives shall reside in, and be
inhabitants of, the district or county, or counties, for which they may
be elected respectively. Previous to the first election, the Governor
shall cause a census or enumeration of the inhabitants and qualified
voters of the several counties and districts of the Territory, to
be taken by such persons and in such mode as the Governor shall
designate and appoint; and the persons so appointed shall receive a
reasonable compensation therefor. And the first election shall be
held at such times and places, and be conducted in such manner, both
as to the persons who shall superintend such election and the returns
thereof, as the Governor shall appoint and direct; and he shall at
the same time declare the number of members of the Council and House
of Representatives to which each of the counties or districts shall
be entitled under this Act. The persons having the highest number
of legal votes in each of said Council districts for members of the
Council, shall be declared by the Governor to be duly elected to the
Council; and the persons having the highest number of legal votes for
the House of Representatives, shall be declared by the Governor to be
duly elected members of said House: _Provided_, That, in case two or
more persons voted for shall have an equal number of votes, and in case
a vacancy shall otherwise occur in either branch of the Legislative
Assembly, the Governor shall order a new election; and the persons
thus elected to the Legislative Assembly shall meet at such place and
on such day as the Governor shall appoint; but thereafter, the time,
place, and manner of holding and conducting all elections by the
people, and the apportioning the representation in the several counties
or districts to the Council and House of Representatives, according to
the number of qualified voters, shall be prescribed by law, as well as
the day of the commencement of the regular sessions of the Legislative
Assembly: _Provided_, That no session in any one year shall exceed the
term of forty days, except the first session, which may continue sixty
days.

SEC. 5. That every free white male inhabitant, above the age of
twenty-one years, who shall be an actual resident of said Territory,
and shall possess the qualifications hereinafter prescribed, shall be
entitled to vote at the first election, and shall be eligible to any
office within the said Territory; but the qualifications of voters, and
of holding office, at all subsequent elections, shall be such as shall
be prescribed by the Legislative Assembly: _Provided_, That the right
of suffrage and of holding office shall be exercised only by citizens
of the United States and those who shall have declared on oath their
intention to become such, and shall have taken an oath to support the
Constitution of the United States and the provisions of this act: _And
provided, further_, That no officer, soldier, seaman, or marine, or
other person in the army or navy of the United States, or attached to
troops in the service of the United States, shall be allowed to vote or
hold office in said Territory, by reason of being on service therein.

SEC. 6. That the legislative power of the Territory shall extend to all
rightful subjects of legislation consistent with the Constitution of
the United States and the provisions of this Act; but no law shall be
passed interfering with the primary disposal of the soil; no tax shall
be imposed upon the property of the United States; nor shall the lands
or other property of non-residents be taxed higher than the lands or
other property of residents. Every bill which shall have passed the
Council and House of Representatives of said Territory, shall, before
it become a law, be presented to the Governor of the Territory; if he
approve, he shall sign it; but if not, he shall return it, with his
objections, to the House in which it originated, who shall enter the
objections at large on their journal, and proceed to reconsider it.
If, after such reconsideration, two-thirds of that House shall agree
to pass the bill, it shall be sent, together with the objections, to
the other House, by which it shall likewise be reconsidered, and if
approved by two-thirds of that House, it shall become a law. But in all
such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and
nays, to be entered on the journal of each House respectively. If any
bill shall not be returned by the Governor within three days (Sundays
excepted) after it shall have been presented to him, the same shall be
a law in like manner as if he had signed it, unless the Assembly, by
adjournment, prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a law.

SEC. 7. That all township, district, and county officers, not herein
otherwise provided for, shall be appointed or elected, as the case may
be, in such manner as shall be provided by the Governor and Legislative
Assembly of the Territory of Nebraska. The Governor shall nominate,
and, by and with the advice and consent of the Legislative Council,
appoint all officers not herein otherwise provided for; and in the
first instance the Governor alone may appoint all said officers, who
shall hold their offices until the end of the first session of the
Legislative Assembly; and shall lay off the necessary districts for
members of the Council and House of Representatives, and all other
officers.

SEC. 8. That no member of the Legislative Assembly shall hold, or be
appointed to any office which may have been created, or the salary or
emoluments of which shall have been increased, while he was a member,
during the term for which he was elected, and for one year after the
expiration of such term; but this restriction shall not be applicable
to members of the first Legislative Assembly; and no person holding a
commission or appointment under the United States, except postmasters,
shall be a member of the Legislative Assembly, or shall hold any office
under the government of said Territory.

SEC. 9. That the judicial power of said Territory shall be vested in
a Supreme Court, District Courts, Probate Courts, and in Justices of
the Peace. The Supreme Court shall consist of a Chief Justice and two
Associate Justices, any two of whom shall constitute a quorum, and
who shall hold a term at the seat of government of said Territory
annually, and they shall hold their offices during the period of four
years, and until their successors shall be appointed and qualified.
The said Territory shall be divided into three judicial districts,
and a District Court shall be held in each of said districts by one
of the Justices of the Supreme Court, at such times and places as
may be prescribed by law; and the said Judges shall, after their
appointments, respectively reside in the district which be assigned
them. The jurisdiction of the several courts herein provided for—both
appellate and original—and that of the Probate Courts and of Justices
of the Peace, shall be limited by law: _Provided_, That Justices of the
Peace shall not have jurisdiction of the matter in controversy when the
title or boundaries of lands may be in dispute, or where the debt or
sum claimed shall exceed one hundred dollars; and the said Supreme and
District Courts, respectively, shall possess chancery as well as common
law jurisdiction. Each District Court, or the judge thereof, shall
appoint its clerk, who shall also be the register in chancery, and
shall keep his office at the place where the Court may be held. Writs
of error, bills of exception, and appeals, shall be allowed in all
cases from the final decisions of said District Courts to the Supreme
Court, under such regulations as may be prescribed by law; but in no
case removed to the Supreme Court shall trial by jury be allowed by
said Court. The Supreme Court, or the Justices thereof, shall appoint
its own clerk, and every clerk shall hold his office at the pleasure
of the Court for which he shall have been appointed. Writs of error
and appeals from the final decision of said Supreme Court shall be
allowed, and may be taken to the Supreme Court of the United States
in the same manner and under the same regulations as from the Circuit
Courts of the United States, where the value of the property, or the
amount in controversy, to be ascertained by the oath or affirmation of
either party, or other competent witness, shall exceed one thousand
dollars; except only that in all cases involving title to slaves, the
said writs of error or appeals shall be allowed and decided by the said
Supreme Court, without regard to the value of the matter, property, or
title in controversy; and except also that a writ of error or appeal
shall also be allowed to the Supreme Court of the United States, from
the decisions of the said Supreme Court created by this act, or of any
judge thereof, or of the District Courts created by this Act, or of any
judge thereof, upon any writ of _habeas corpus_, involving the question
of personal freedom: _Provided_, That nothing herein contained shall
be construed to apply to or affect provisions of the “Act respecting
fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their
masters,” (approved February 12, 1793,) and the “Act to amend and
supplementary to the aforesaid Act,” (approved September 18, 1850;)
and each of the said District Courts shall have and exercise the same
jurisdiction in all cases arising under the Constitution and laws of
the United States as is vested in the Circuit and District Courts of
the United States; and the said Supreme and District Courts of the said
Territory, and the respective judges thereof, shall and may grant writs
of _habeas corpus_ in all cases in which the same are granted by the
judges of the United States in the District of Columbia; and the first
six days of every term of said courts, or so much thereof as shall be
necessary, shall be appropriated to the trial of causes arising under
the said Constitution and laws; and writs of error and appeal in all
such cases shall be made to the Supreme Court of said Territory, the
same as in other cases. The said clerk shall receive, in all such
cases, the same fees which the clerks of the District Courts of Utah
Territory now receive for similar services.

SEC. 10. That the provisions of an Act entitled “an Act respecting
fugitives from justice, and persons escaping from the service of their
masters,” (approved February 12, 1793,) and the provisions of the Act
entitled “an Act to amend, and supplementary to the aforesaid Act,”
(approved September 18, 1850,) be, and the same are hereby, declared to
extend to and be in full force within the limits of said Territory of
Nebraska.

SEC. 11. That there shall be appointed an attorney for said Territory,
who shall continue in office for four years, and until his successor
shall be appointed and qualified, unless sooner removed by the
President, and who shall receive the same fees and salary as the
attorney of the United States for the present Territory of Utah. There
shall also be a marshal for the Territory appointed, who shall hold
his office for four years, and until his successor shall be appointed
and qualified, unless sooner removed by the President, and who shall
execute all processes issuing from the said courts when exercising
their jurisdiction as Circuit and District Courts of the United States;
he shall perform the duties, be subject to the same regulations and
penalties, and be entitled to the same fees as the marshal of the
District Court of the United States for the present Territory of Utah,
and shall, in addition, be paid two hundred dollars annually as a
compensation for extra services.

SEC. 12. That the Governor, Secretary, Chief Justice, and Associate
Justices, Attorney, and Marshal, shall be nominated, and—by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate—appointed by the President of
the United States. The Governor and Secretary, to be appointed as
aforesaid, shall, before they act as such, respectively take an oath
or affirmation before the District Judge or some Justice of the Peace
in the limits of said Territory, duly authorized to administer oaths
and affirmations by the laws now in force therein, or before the
Chief Justice or some Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the
United States, to support the Constitution of the United States, and
faithfully discharge the duties of their respective offices, which said
oaths, when so taken, shall be certified by the person by whom the same
shall have been taken; and such certificates shall be received and
recorded by the said Secretary among the executive proceedings; and the
Chief Justice, and Associate Justices, and all other civil officers
in said Territory, before they act as such, shall take a like oath or
affirmation before the said Governor or Secretary, or some Judge or
Justice of the Peace of the Territory, who may be duly commissioned
and qualified, which said oath or affirmation shall be certified and
transmitted by the person taking the same to the Secretary, to be by
him recorded as aforesaid; and afterward, the like oath or affirmation
shall be taken, certified, and recorded in such manner and form as
may be prescribed by law. The Governor shall receive an annual salary
of two thousand five hundred dollars. The Chief Justice and Associate
Justices shall receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars. The
Secretary shall receive an annual salary of two thousand dollars. The
said salaries shall be paid quarter-yearly, from the dates of the
respective appointments, at the treasury of the United States; but
no such payment shall be made until said officers shall have entered
upon the duties of their respective appointments. The members of the
Legislative Assembly shall be entitled to receive three dollars each
per day during their attendance at the sessions thereof, and three
dollars each for every twenty miles’ travel in going to and returning
from the said sessions, estimated according to the nearest usually
traveled route; and an additional allowance of three dollars shall be
paid to the presiding officer of each House for each day he shall so
preside. And a chief clerk, one assistant clerk, a sergeant-at-arms,
and door-keeper may be chosen for each House; and the chief clerk
shall receive four dollars per day, and the said other officers three
dollars per day, during the session of the Legislative Assembly; but
no other officer shall be paid by the United States: _Provided_, That
there shall be but one session of the Legislature annually, unless,
on an extraordinary occasion, the Governor shall think proper to call
the Legislature together. There shall be appropriated, annually, the
usual sum, to be expended by the Governor, to defray the contingent
expenses of the Territory, including the salary of a Clerk of the
Executive Department; and there shall also be appropriated, annually,
a sufficient sum, to be expended by the Secretary of the Territory,
and upon an estimate to be made by the Secretary of the Treasury of
the United States, to defray the expenses of the Legislative Assembly,
the printing of the laws, and other incidental expenses; and the
Governor and Secretary of the Territory shall, in the disbursement of
all moneys intrusted to them, be governed solely by the instructions
of the Secretary of the Treasury of the United States, and shall,
semi-annually, account to the said Secretary for the manner in which
the aforesaid moneys shall have been expended; and no expenditure
shall be made by said Legislative Assembly for objects not specially
authorized by the Acts of Congress making the appropriations, nor
beyond the sums thus appropriated for such objects.

SEC. 13. That the Legislative Assembly of the Territory of Nebraska
shall hold its first session at such time and place in said Territory
as the Governor thereof shall appoint and direct; and at said first
session, or as soon thereafter as they shall deem expedient, the
Governor and Legislative Assembly shall proceed to locate and establish
the seat of government for said Territory at such place as they may
deem eligible; which place, however, shall thereafter be subject to be
changed by the said Governor and Legislative Assembly.

SEC. 14. That a delegate to the House of Representatives of the United
States, to serve for the term of two years, who shall be a citizen of
the United States, may be elected by the voters qualified to elect
members of the Legislative Assembly, who shall be entitled to the same
rights and privileges as are exercised and enjoyed by the delegates
from the several other Territories of the United States to the said
House of Representatives; but the delegate first elected shall hold
his seat only during the term of the Congress to which he shall be
elected. The first election shall be held at such time and places,
and be conducted in such manner as the Governor shall appoint and
direct; and at all subsequent elections the times, places, and manner
of holding the elections shall be prescribed by law. The person having
the greatest number of votes shall be declared by the Governor to be
duly elected, and a certificate thereof shall be given accordingly.
That the Constitution, and all the laws of the United States which are
not locally inapplicable, shall have the same force and effect within
the said Territory of Nebraska as elsewhere within the United States,
except the eighth section of the act preparatory to the admission
of Missouri into the Union, (approved March 6, 1820,) which, being
inconsistent with the principle of non-intervention by Congress with
slavery in the States and Territories—as recognized by the legislation
of 1850, commonly called the Compromise Measures—is hereby declared
inoperative and void; it being the true intent and meaning of this act
not to legislate slavery into any Territory or State, nor to exclude
it therefrom, but to leave the people thereof perfectly free to form
and regulate their domestic institutions in their own way, subject only
to the Constitution of the United States: _Provided_, That nothing
herein contained shall be construed to revive or put in force any law
or regulation which may have existed prior to the act of March 6, 1820,
either protecting, establishing, prohibiting, or abolishing slavery.

SEC. 15. That there shall hereafter be appropriated, as has been
customary for the territorial governments, a sufficient amount, to be
expended under the direction of the said Governor of the Territory of
Nebraska, not exceeding the sums heretofore appropriated for similar
objects, for the erection of suitable public buildings at the seat
of government, and for the purchase of a library, to be kept at the
seat of government, for the use of the Governor, Legislative Assembly,
Judges of the Supreme Court, Secretary, Marshal, and Attorney of said
Territory, and such other persons, and under such regulations, as shall
be prescribed by law.

SEC. 16. That when the lands in said Territory shall be surveyed under
the direction of the Government of the United States, preparatory
to bringing the same into market, sections numbered sixteen and
thirty-six, in each township in said Territory, shall be, and the
same are hereby, reserved for the purpose of being applied to schools
in said Territory, and in the States and Territories hereafter to be
erected out of the same.

SEC. 17. That, until otherwise provided by law, the Governor of said
Territory may define the judicial districts of said Territory, and
assign the judges who may be appointed for said Territory to the
several districts; and also appoint the times and places for holding
courts in the several counties or subdivisions in each of said judicial
districts by proclamation, to be issued by him; but the Legislative
Assembly, at their first or any subsequent session, may organize,
alter, or modify such judicial districts, and assign the judges, and
alter the times and places of holding the courts, as to them shall seem
proper and convenient.

SEC. 18. That all officers to be appointed by the President, by and
with the advice and consent of the Senate, for the Territory of
Nebraska, who, by virtue of the provisions of any law now existing, or
which may be enacted during the present Congress, are required to give
security for moneys that may be intrusted with them for disbursements,
shall give security, at such time and place, and in such manner as the
Secretary of Treasury may prescribe.

[Illustration: JAMES MONROE]

SEC. 19. That all that part of the territory of the United States
included within the following limits, except such portions thereof as
are hereinafter expressly exempted from the operations of this act,
to wit: beginning at a point on the western boundary of the State of
Missouri, where the thirty-seventh parallel of north latitude crosses
the same; thence west on said parallel to the eastern boundary of New
Mexico; thence north on said boundary to latitude thirty-eight; thence
following said boundary westward to the east boundary of the Territory
of Utah, on the summit of the Rocky Mountains; thence northward on
said summit to the fortieth parallel of latitude; thence east on said
parallel to the western boundary of the State of Missouri; thence south
with the western boundary of said State to the place of beginning, be,
and the same is hereby, created into a temporary government by the name
of the Territory of Kansas; and when admitted as a State or States, the
said Territory, or any portion of the same, shall be received into the
Union with or without slavery, as the Constitution may prescribe at the
time of their admission: _Provided_, That nothing in this Act contained
shall be construed to inhibit the Government of the United States from
dividing said Territory into two or more Territories, in such manner
and at such times as Congress shall deem convenient and proper, or
from attaching any portion of said Territory to any other State or
Territory of the United States: _Provided, further_, That nothing in
this Act contained shall be so construed as to impair the rights of
persons or property now pertaining to the Indians in said Territory,
so long as such rights shall remain unextinguished by treaty between
the United States and such Indians, or to include any Territory which,
by treaty with any Indian tribe, is not, without the consent of said
tribe, to be included within the territorial limits or jurisdiction of
any State or Territory; but all such territory shall be excepted out
of the boundaries, and constitute no part of the Territory of Kansas,
until said tribe shall signify their assent to the President of the
United States to be included within the said Territory of Kansas, or
to affect the authority of the Government of the United States to make
any regulation respecting such Indians, their lands, property, or
other rights, by treaty, law, or otherwise, which it would have been
competent to the government to make if this act had never passed.

[With the single exception of the location of the seat of government
for Kansas at Fort Leavenworth, provided for in section 31, the ensuing
sixteen sections, relative to the organization and government of the
Territory, are precisely similar to the sections already recited,
providing for the government of Nebraska Territory. The final section
of the act, which has a general reference to both Territories, is as
follows:]

SEC. 37. _And be it further enacted_, That all treaties, laws, and
other engagements made by the Government of the United States with
the Indian tribes inhabiting the Territories embraced within this
act, shall be faithfully and rigidly observed, notwithstanding any
thing contained in this act; and that the existing agencies and
superintendencies of said Indians be continued, with the same powers
and duties which are now prescribed by law, except that the President
of the United States may, at his discretion, change the location of the
office of superintendent.




ORDINANCE OF 1787.


IN CONGRESS, JULY 13, 1787.

An Ordinance for the government of the territory of the United States,
north-west of the river Ohio.

_Be it ordained_, by the United States in Congress assembled, that
the said Territory, for the purpose of temporary government, be one
district; subject, however, to be divided into two districts, as future
circumstances may, in the opinion of Congress, make it expedient.

_Be it ordained_, by the authority aforesaid, that the estates both
of resident and non-resident proprietors in the said Territory,
dying intestate, shall descend to, and be distributed among their
children, and the descendants of a deceased child in equal parts; the
descendants of a deceased child or grand-child, to take the share of
their deceased parent, in equal parts, among them, and where there
shall be no children or descendants, then in equal parts to the next
of kin, in equal degree; and among collaterals, the children of a
deceased brother or sister of the intestate shall have, in equal parts,
among them, their deceased parent’s share; and there shall in no case
be a distinction between kindred of the whole and half blood; saving
in all cases to the widow of the intestate her third part of the real
estate for life, and one-third part of the personal estate; and this
law relative to descents and dower shall remain in full force until
altered by the Legislature of the district. And until the Governor and
judges shall adopt laws as hereinafter mentioned, estates in the said
territory may be devised or bequeathed by wills in writing, signed and
sealed by him or her, in whom the estate may be (being of full age),
and attested by three witnesses; and real estates may be conveyed by
lease or release, or bargain and sale, signed, sealed, and delivered by
the person, being of full age, in whom the estate may, and attested by
two witnesses, provided such wills be duly proved, and such conveyances
be acknowledged, or the execution thereof duly proved, and be recorded
within one year after proper magistrates, courts, and registers shall
be appointed for that purpose, and personal property may be transferred
by delivery, saving, however, to the French and Canadian inhabitants,
and other settlers of the Kaskaskias, Saint Vincents, and the
neighboring villages, who have heretofore professed themselves citizens
of Virginia, their laws and customs now in force among them, relative
to descent and conveyance of property.

_Be it ordained_, by the authority aforesaid, that there shall be
appointed, from time to time, by Congress, a Governor, whose commission
shall continue in force for the term of three years, unless sooner
revoked by Congress; he shall reside in the district and have a
freehold estate therein, in one thousand acres of land, while in the
exercise of his office. There shall be appointed, from time to time,
by Congress, a Secretary, whose commission shall continue in force for
four years, unless sooner revoked; he shall reside therein, and have
a freehold estate therein, in five hundred acres of land, while in
the exercise of his office; it shall be his duty to keep and preserve
the acts and laws passed by the Legislature, and the public records
of the district, and the proceedings of the Governor in his executive
department, and transmit authentic copies of such acts and proceedings,
every six months, to the Secretary of Congress. There shall also be
appointed a court, to consist of three judges, any two of whom to form
a court, who shall have a common law jurisdiction, and reside in the
district, and have each therein a freehold estate in five hundred acres
of land, while in the exercise of their offices; and their commissions
shall continue in force during good behavior.

The Governor and judges, or a majority of them, shall adopt and
publish in the district such laws of the original States, criminal
and civil, as may be necessary, and best suited to the circumstances
of the district, and report them to Congress, from time to time,
which laws shall be in force in the district until the organization
of the General Assembly therein, unless disapproved by Congress; but
afterward, the Legislature shall have authority to alter them as they
shall think fit.

The Governor, for the time being, shall be commander-in-chief of the
militia, appoint and commission all officers in the same, below the
rank of general officers. All general officers shall be appointed and
commissioned by Congress.

Previous to the organization of the General Assembly, the Governor
shall appoint such magistrates and other civil officers, in each
county or township, as he shall find necessary for the preservation
of the peace and good order in the same. After the General Assembly
shall be organized, the powers and duties of magistrates and other
civil officers shall be regulated and defined by the said Assembly;
but all magistrates and other civil officers, not herein otherwise
directed, shall, during the continuance of this temporary government,
be appointed by the Governor.

For the prevention of crimes and injuries, the laws to be adopted
or made, shall have force in all parts of the district, and for the
execution of process, criminal and civil, the Governor shall make
proper divisions thereof; and shall proceed, from time to time, as
circumstances may require, to lay out the parts of the district in
which the Indian titles shall have been extinguished, into counties and
townships, subject, however, to such alterations as may hereafter be
made by the Legislature.

So soon as there shall be five thousand free male inhabitants, of full
age, in the district, upon giving proof thereof to the Governor, they
shall receive authority, with time and place, to elect representatives
from their counties or townships, to represent them in the General
Assembly; _Provided_, That for every five hundred free male inhabitants
there shall be one representative, and so on progressively with the
number of free male inhabitants, shall the right of representation
increase, until the number of representatives shall amount to
twenty-five, after which the number and proportion of representatives
shall be regulated by the Legislature; _Provided_, That no person
be eligible or qualified to act as a representative, unless he shall
have been a citizen of one of the United States three years and be
a resident in the district, or unless he shall have resided in the
district three years, and in either case shall likewise hold in
his own right, in fee simple, two hundred acres of land within the
same; _Provided_, also, that a freehold in fifty acres of land in
the district, having been a citizen of one of the States, and being
resident in the district, or the like freehold and two years’ residence
in the district, shall be necessary to qualify a man as an elector of a
representative.

The representative thus elected, shall serve for the term of two years,
and in case of the death of a representative, or removal from office,
the Governor shall issue a writ to the county or township for which he
was a member, to elect another in his stead, to serve for the residue
of the term.

The General Assembly, or Legislature, shall consist of the Governor,
Legislative Council, and a House of Representatives. The Legislative
Council shall consist of five members, to continue in office five
years, unless sooner removed by Congress, any three of whom to be
a quorum, and the members of the Council, shall be nominated and
appointed in the following manner, to wit: as soon as representatives
shall be elected, the Governor shall appoint a time and place for them
to meet together, and, when met, they shall nominate ten persons,
residents in the district, and each possessed of a freehold in five
hundred acres of land, and return their names to Congress, five of
whom Congress shall appoint and commission to serve as aforesaid; and
whenever a vacancy shall happen in the Council, by death or removal
from office, the House of Representatives shall nominate two persons
qualified as aforesaid, for each vacancy, and return their names to
Congress, one of whom Congress shall appoint and commission for the
residue of the term; and every five years, four months at least before
the expiration of the time of service of the Council, the said House
shall nominate ten persons qualified as aforesaid, and return their
names to Congress, five of whom Congress shall appoint and commission
to serve as members of the Council five years, unless sooner removed.
And the Governor, Legislative Council, and House of Representatives,
shall have authority to make laws in all cases for the good government
of the district, not repugnant to the principles and articles in this
ordinance established and declared. And all bills having passed by
a majority in the House, and by a majority in the Council, shall be
referred to the Governor for his assent; but no bill or legislative act
whatever, shall be of any force without his assent. The Governor shall
have power to convene, prorogue, and dissolve the assembly, when in his
opinion it shall be expedient.

The Governor, Judges, Legislative Council, Secretary, and such other
officers as Congress shall appoint in the district, shall take an oath
or affirmation of fidelity, and of office—the Governor before the
President of Congress, and all other officers before the Governor. As
soon as a Legislature shall be formed in the District, the Council and
House, assembled in one room, shall have authority, by joint ballot,
to elect a delegate to Congress, who shall have a seat in Congress,
with the right of debating, but not of voting, during this temporary
government.

And for extending the fundamental principles of civil and religious
liberty, which form the basis whereon these republics, their laws and
constitutions, are elected; _to fix and establish those principles as
the basis of all laws, constitutions, and governments, which_ FOREVER
_hereafter shall be formed in the said Territory_; to provide also for
the establishment of States, and for their admission to a share in the
Federal Council on an equal footing with the original States, at as
early periods as may be consistent with the general interest:

_It is hereby ordained and declared_, by the authority aforesaid, that
the following articles shall be considered as articles of compact
between the original States and the people and States in the said
Territory, and forever remain unalterable, unless by common consent;
viz.:

ARTICLE I. No person, demeaning himself in a peaceable and orderly
manner, shall ever be molested on account of his mode of worship or
religious sentiments in the said Territory.

ART. II. The inhabitants of the said Territory shall always be entitled
to the benefit of the writ of _habeas corpus_ and of the trial by jury;
of a proportionate representation of the people in the Legislature,
and of judicial proceedings according to the course of the common law;
all persons shall be bailable unless for capital offenses, where the
proof shall be evident, or the presumption great; all fines shall be
moderate, and no cruel or unusual punishments shall be inflicted; no
man shall be deprived of his liberty or property but by the judgment of
his peers or the law of the land; and should the public exigencies make
it necessary for the common preservation to take any person’s property,
or to demand his particular services, full compensation shall be made
for the same; and, in the just preservation of rights and property,
it is understood and declared, that no law ought ever to be made, or
have force in the said territory, that shall, in any manner whatever,
interfere with or affect private contracts or engagements, _bona fide_,
and, without fraud, previously formed.

ART. III. Religion, morality, and knowledge being necessary to good
government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of
education shall forever be encouraged. The utmost good faith shall
always be observed toward the Indians; their lands and property shall
never be taken from them without their consent; and in their property,
rights, and liberty, they never shall be invaded or disturbed, unless
in just and lawful wars authorized by Congress; but laws founded in
justice and humanity shall, from time to time, be made, for preventing
wrongs being done to them, and for preserving peace and friendship with
them.

ART. IV. The said Territory, and the States which may be formed
therein, shall forever remain a part of this Confederacy of the United
States of America; subject to the Articles of Confederation,[2] and to
such alterations therein as shall be constitutionally made; and to all
the acts and ordinances of the United States in Congress assembled,
conformable thereto. The inhabitants and settlers in the said Territory
shall be subject to pay a part of the Federal debts contracted, or to
be contracted, and a proportional part of the expenses of government,
to be apportioned on them by Congress, according to the same common
rule and measure by which apportionments thereof shall be made on
the other States; and the taxes for paying their proportion shall be
laid and levied by the authority and direction of the Legislatures
of the District, or Districts, or new States, as in the original
States, within the time agreed upon by the United States in Congress
assembled. The Legislatures of those Districts, or new States, shall
never interfere with the primary disposal of the soil by the United
States in Congress assembled, nor with any regulations Congress may
find necessary for securing the title in such soil to the _bona fide_
purchasers. No tax shall be imposed on lands the property of the United
States; and in no case shall non-resident proprietors be taxed higher
than residents. The navigable waters leading into the Mississippi and
St. Lawrence, and the carrying places between the same, shall be common
highways, and forever free, as well to the inhabitants of the said
Territory as to the citizens of the United States, and those of any
other States that may be admitted into the confederacy, without any
tax, impost, or duty therefor.

[2] This ordinance was drawn up before the Constitution was formed.

ART. V. There shall be formed in the said Territory not less than
three, nor more than five States; and the boundaries of the States,
as soon as Virginia shall alter her act of session and consent to
the same, shall become fixed and established as follows, to wit: The
western State shall be bounded by the Mississippi, the Ohio, and Wabash
Rivers; a direct line drawn from the Wabash and Post Vincents due north
to the territorial line between the United States and Canada, and by
the said territorial line to the Lake of the Woods and Mississippi.
The middle State shall be bounded by the said direct line, the Wabash
from Post Vincents to the Ohio, by the Ohio, by direct line drawn due
north from the mouth of the Great Miami to the said territorial line,
and by said territorial line. The eastern State shall be bounded by
the last mentioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said
territorial line; _Provided_, however, and it is further understood and
declared, that the boundaries of these three States shall be subject so
far to be altered, and, if Congress shall hereafter find it expedient,
they shall have authority to form one or two States in that part of the
said Territory which lies north of an east and west line drawn through
the southerly bend or extreme of Lake Michigan; and whenever any of
the said States shall have sixty thousand free inhabitants therein,
such States shall be admitted, by their delegates, into the Congress
of the United States, on an equal footing with the original States in
all respects whatsoever; and shall be at liberty to form a permanent
constitution and State government; _Provided_, the constitution and
government so to be formed shall be republican, and in conformity to
the principles contained in these articles; and, so far as it can be
consistent with the general interest of the confederacy, such admission
shall be allowed at an earlier period, and when there may be a less
number of free inhabitants in the State than sixty thousand.

ART. VI. There shall be neither slavery nor involuntary servitude in
the said Territory, otherwise than in the punishment of crimes whereof
the party shall have been duly convicted; _Provided_, always, that any
person escaping into the same, from whom labor or service is lawfully
claimed in any of the original States, such fugitive may be lawfully
reclaimed and conveyed to the person claiming his or her labor or
service as aforesaid.

_Be it ordained_, by the authority aforesaid, that the resolutions of
the 23d of April, 1784, relative to the subject of this ordinance, be,
and the same are hereby repealed, and declared null and void.

    NOTE.—By this ordinance, Virginia ceded to the
        United States the territory now composing the States of
        Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Michigan, making
        the ordinance the fundamental law of these States.




AMNESTY PROCLAMATION.


_By the President of the United Slates of America_:

WHEREAS, The President of the United States, on the 8th day of
December, 1863, and on the 26th day of March, 1864, did, with the
object of suppressing the existing rebellion, to induce all persons
to return to their loyalty and to restore the authority of the United
States, issued Proclamations offering amnesty and pardon to certain
persons who had directly or by implication engaged in said rebellion,
and

WHEREAS, Many persons who had so engaged in the said rebellion, have,
since the issue of said Proclamation, failed or neglected to take the
benefits offered thereby; and whereas, many persons who have been
justly deprived of all claim to amnesty and pardon thereunder by reason
of their participation directly or by implication in said rebellion,
and continued hostile to the Government of the United States since the
date of said Proclamation, now desire to apply for and obtain amnesty
and pardon; to the end, therefore, that the authority of the Government
of the United States may be restored, and that peace, order, and
freedom may be established.

I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, do proclaim
and declare that I hereby grant to all persons who have directly
or indirectly participated in the existing rebellion, except as
hereinafter excepted, amnesty and pardon, with the restoration of all
the rights of property, except as to slaves, except in cases where
legal proceedings under the laws of the United States, providing for
the confiscation of property of persons engaged in the rebellion,
have been instituted; but on the condition, nevertheless, that every
such person shall take and subscribe the following oath, which shall
be registered for permanent preservation, and shall be the tenor and
effect of the following, to wit:

“I do solemnly swear or affirm, in the presence of Almighty God, that
I will henceforth faithfully defend the Constitution of the United
States and the Union of the States thereunder; and that I will in like
manner abide by and faithfully support all laws and proclamations which
have been made during the existing rebellion, with reference to the
emancipation of slavery, so help me God.”

The following classes of persons are excepted from the benefits of this
proclamation:

_First_—All who are, or shall have been, pretended civil or diplomatic
officers or otherwise, domestic or foreign agents of the pretended
Confederate Government.

_Second_—All who left judicial stations under the United States to aid
the rebellion.

_Third_—All who shall have been military or naval officers of said
pretended Confederate Government above the rank of Colonel in the Army,
or Lieutenant in the Navy.

_Fourth_—All who left seats in the Congress of the United States to aid
the rebellion.

_Fifth_—All who resigned or tendered the resignation of their
commissions in the Army or Navy of the United States, to evade the duty
in resisting the rebellion.

_Sixth_—All who have engaged in any way in treating otherwise than
lawfully as prisoners of war, persons found in the United States
service, as officers, soldiers, seamen, or in other capacities.

_Seventh_—All persons who have been or are absentees from the United
States for the purpose of aiding the rebellion.

_Eighth_—All military or naval officers in the rebel service who were
educated by the Government in the military academy at West Point, or in
the United States Naval Academy.

_Ninth_—All persons who hold the pretended offices of Governors of
States in insurrection against the United States.

_Tenth_—All persons who left their homes within the jurisdiction and
protection of the United States and passed beyond the Federal military
lines into the so-called Confederate States for the purpose of aiding
the rebellion.

_Eleventh_—All persons who have engaged in the destruction of the
commerce of the United States upon the high seas, and all persons who
have made raids into the United States from Canada, or been engaged in
destroying the commerce of the United States upon the lakes and rivers
that separate the British Provinces from the United States.

_Twelfth_—All persons who, at the time when they seek to obtain the
benefits hereof, by taking the oath prescribed, are in military, naval
or civil confinement or custody, or under bond of the military or naval
authorities, or agents of the United States, as prisoners of war, or
persons detailed for offenses of any kind, either before or after the
conviction.

_Thirteenth_—All persons who have voluntarily participated in said
rebellion, and the estimate value of whose taxable property is over
$20,000.

_Fourteenth_—All persons who have taken the oath of Amnesty as
prescribed in the President’s Proclamation, December 28th, 1863, or
the Oath of Allegiance to the Government of the United States since
the date of said Proclamation, and who have not thenceforward kept and
maintained the same inviolate. Provided that special application may
be made to the President for pardon by any person belonging to the
excepted class, and such clemency will be liberally extended as may
be consistent with the facts, and the peace and dignity of the United
States. The Secretary of State will establish rules and regulations
for administering and recording said Amnesty Oath, so as to insure its
benefits to the people, and guard the Government against fraud.

[Illustration: SEAL]

IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal
of the United States to be affixed. Done at the City of Washington,
this 29th day of May, A. D. 1865, and of the Independence of the United
States, the eighty-ninth. (Signed.)

       By the President:                    ANDREW JOHNSON.
    W. H. SEWARD, _Secretary of State_.




PROPOSED CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE.


At the commencement of the Congressional session of 1860, the
portentous clouds of civil war, gathering and blackening in the
southern horizon of our national sky, filled the hearts of the stoutest
patriots with the most gloomy apprehensions, and cast a melancholy
shadow over every Union-loving soul throughout the country, somewhat
akin to that which hovers over an affectionate son or daughter, upon
the approaching dissolution of a cherished, devoted mother. The
following compromise, offered by Senator Crittenden, December 19, 1860,
is one of the many measures proposed in Congress for adjusting the
difficulties of that period:

_Resolved, By the Senate and House of Representatives_, That the
following articles be proposed and submitted as an amendment to the
Constitution, which shall be valid as a part of the Constitution, when
ratified by the conventions of three-fourths of the people of the
States:

1st. In all the territory now or hereafter acquired, north of 36° 30′,
slavery, or involuntary servitude, except for the punishment of crime,
is prohibited; while in all the territory south of that, slavery is
hereby recognized as existing, and shall not be interfered with by
Congress, but shall be protected as property by all the departments of
the territorial government during its continuance. All the territory
north or south of said line, within such boundaries as Congress may
prescribe, when it contains a population necessary for a member of
Congress, with a Republican form of government, shall be admitted into
the Union on an equality with the original States, with or without
slavery, as the Constitution of the State shall prescribe.

2d. Congress shall have no power to abolish slavery in the State
permitting it.

3d. Congress shall have no power to abolish slavery in the District
of Columbia while ′t exists in Virginia and Maryland, or either; nor
shall Congress at any time prohibit the officers of Government, or
members of Congress, whose duties require them to live in the District
of Columbia, bringing slaves there and using them as such.

4th. Congress shall have no power to hinder the transportation of
slaves from one State to another, whether by land, navigable river, or
sea.

5th. Congress shall have the power, by law, to pay any owner the
full value of any fugitive slave, in all cases where the marshal is
prevented from discharging his duty by force or rescue, made after
arrest. In all such cases the owner shall have the power to sue the
county in which the rescue or violence was made; and the county shall
have the right to sue the individuals who committed the wrong, in the
same manner as the owner would sue.

6th. No future amendment or amendments shall affect the preceding
article; and Congress shall never have power to interfere with slavery
within the States where it is permitted.




EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.


_Whereas_, On the twenty-second day of September, in the year of our
Lord, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-two, a proclamation was
issued by the President of the United States, containing among other
things the following, to wit:

That, on the first day of January, in the year of our Lord, one
thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, all persons held as slaves
within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof
shall then be in rebellion against the United States, shall be then,
thenceforth and forever free, and the Executive Government of the
United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof,
will recognize and maintain the freedom of such persons, or any of
them, in any efforts they may make for their actual freedom.

That the Executive will, on the first day of January aforesaid, by
proclamation, designate the States and parts of States, if any, in
which the people therein respectively shall then be in rebellion
against the United States, and the fact that any State, or the people
thereof, shall on that day be in good faith represented in the
Congress of the United States by members chosen thereto, at elections
wherein a majority of the qualified voters of such States shall have
participated, shall, in the absence of strong countervailing testimony,
be deemed conclusive evidence that such State and the people thereof
are not then in rebellion against the United States.

Now, therefore, I, Abraham Lincoln, President of the United States,
by virtue of the power in me vested as Commander-in-Chief of the Army
and Navy of the United States, in time of actual armed rebellion
against the authority and Government of the United States, and as a
fit necessary war measure for suppressing said rebellion, do, on this
first day of January, in the year of our Lord, one thousand eight
hundred and sixty-three, and in accordance with my purpose so to do,
publicly proclaimed for the full period of one hundred days from the
day of the first above-mentioned order, and designate, as the States
and parts of States wherein the people thereof respectively are this
day in rebellion against the United States, the following, to wit:
Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, except the parishes of St. Bernard,
Plaquemines, Jefferson, St. John, St. Charles, St. James, Ascension,
Assumption, Terre Bonne, Lafourche, St. Mary, St. Martin and Orleans,
including the city of New Orleans. Mississippi, Alabama, Florida,
Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, and Virginia, except the
forty-eight counties designated as West Virginia, and also the counties
of Berkeley, Accomac, Northampton, Elizabeth City, York, Princess
Ann, and Norfolk, including the cities of Norfolk and Portsmouth, and
which excepted parts are, for the present, left precisely as if this
proclamation were not issued.

And by virtue of the power, and for the purpose aforesaid, I do order
and declare that all persons held as slaves within said designated
States and parts of States are, and henceforward, shall be free; and
that the Executive Government of the United States, including the
military and naval authorities thereof, will recognize and maintain the
freedom of said persons.

And I hereby enjoin upon the people so declared to be free to abstain
from all violence, unless in necessary self-defense; and I recommend
to them that, in all cases, when allowed, they labor faithfully for
reasonable wages.

And I further declare and make known that such persons of suitable
condition will be received into the armed service of the United States,
to garrison forts, positions, stations, and other places, and to man
vessels of all sorts in said service.

And upon this, sincerely believed to be an act of justice, warranted
by the Constitution upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate
judgment of mankind and the gracious favor of Almighty God.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of
the United States to be affixed.

[Illustration: SEAL]

Done at the City of Washington, this first day of January, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the
Independence of the United States of America the eighty-seventh.

    By the President:        ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
                             WILLIAM H. SEWARD, _Secretary of State_.

             LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT EXPLAINING THE
                    EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION.

The following letter, written in August, 1863, in answer to an
invitation to attend a meeting of unconditional Union men held in
Illinois, gives at length the President’s views at that time on his
Emancipation Proclamation:

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, August 26th, 1863.

MY DEAR SIR: Your letter inviting me to attend a mass-meeting of
unconditional Union men, to be held at the capitol of Illinois on the
third day of September, has been received. It would be very agreeable
to me to thus meet my old friends at my own home, but I can not just
now be absent from this city so long as a visit there would require.
The meeting is to be of all those who maintain unconditional devotion
to the Union; and I am sure my old political friends will thank me for
tendering, as I do, the nation’s gratitude to those other noble men
whom no partisan malice or partisan hope can make false to the nation’s
life. There are those who are dissatisfied with me. To such I would
say, You desire peace, and you blame me that you do not have it. But
how can we attain it? There are but three conceivable ways: First, to
suppress the rebellion by force of arms. This I am trying to do. Are
you for it? If you are, so far we are agreed. If you are not for it,
a second way is to give up the Union. I am against this. If you are,
you should say so, plainly. If you are not for force, nor yet for
dissolution, there only remains some imaginable compromise. I do not
believe that any compromise, embracing the maintenance of the Union, is
now possible. All that I learn leads to a directly opposite belief. The
strength of the rebellion is its military—its army. The army dominates
all the country and all the people within its range. Any offer of
any terms made by any man or men within that range, in opposition to
that army, is simply nothing for the present, because such man or men
have no power whatever to enforce their side of a compromise, if one
were made with them. To illustrate: Suppose refugees from the South
and peace men of the North get together in convention, and frame
and proclaim a compromise embracing a restoration of the Union; in
what way can that compromise be used to keep General Lee’s army out
of Pennsylvania? General Meade’s army can keep Lee’s army out of
Pennsylvania, and, I think, can ultimately drive it out of existence.
But no paper compromise, to which the controllers of Lee’s army are not
agreed, can at all affect that army. In an effort at such compromise we
would waste time, which the enemy would improve to our disadvantage,
and that would be all. A compromise, to be effective, must be made
either with those who control the rebel army, or with the people, first
liberated from the domination of that army by the success of our army.
Now, allow me to assure you that no word or intimation from the rebel
army, or from any of the men controlling it, in relation to any peace
compromise, has ever come to my knowledge or belief. All charges and
intimations to the contrary are deceptive and groundless. And I promise
you that if any such proposition shall hereafter come, it shall not be
rejected and kept secret from you. I freely acknowledge myself to be
the servant of the people, according to the bond of service, the United
States Constitution, and that, as such, I am responsible to them.
But, to be plain: You are dissatisfied with me about the negro. Quite
likely there is a difference of opinion between you and myself upon
that subject. I certainly wish that all men could be free, while you,
I suppose, do not. Yet I have neither adopted nor proposed any measure
which is not consistent with even your view, provided you are for the
Union. I suggested compensated emancipation; to which you replied that
you wished not to be taxed to buy negroes. But I have not asked you to
be taxed to buy negroes, except in such way as to save you from greater
taxation, to save the Union exclusively by other means.

You dislike the Emancipation Proclamation, and perhaps would have it
retracted. You say it is unconstitutional. I think differently: I think
that the Constitution invests the Commander-in-Chief with the law of
war in time of war. The most that can be said, if so much, is, that the
slaves are property. Is there—has there ever been—any question that,
by the law of war, property, both of enemies and friends, may be taken
when needed? And is it not needed whenever taking it helps us, or hurts
the enemy? Armies, the world over, destroy enemies’ property when they
can not use it; and even destroy their own to keep it from the enemy.
Civilized belligerents do all in their power to help themselves or hurt
the enemy, except a few things regarded as barbarous or cruel. Among
the exceptions are the massacre of vanquished foes and non-combatants,
male and female. But the proclamation, as law, is valid, or is not
valid. If it is not valid, it needs no retraction; if it is valid,
it can not be retracted, any more than the dead can be brought to
life. Some of you profess to think that its retraction would operate
favorably for the Union. Why better after the retraction than before
the issue? There was more than a year and a half of trial to suppress
the rebellion before the proclamation was issued, the last one hundred
days of which passed under an explicit notice that it was coming,
unless averted by those in revolt returning to their allegiance. The
war has certainly progressed as favorably for us since the issue of the
proclamation as before. I know as fully as one can know the opinion of
others, that some of the commanders of our armies in the field, who
have given us our most important victories, believe the emancipation
policy and the aid of colored troops to be the heaviest blows yet
dealt to the rebellion, and that at least one of these important
successes could not have been achieved when it was but for the aid of
black soldiers. Among the commanders holding these views are some
who have never had any affinity with what is called abolitionism or
with “Republican party politics,” but who hold them purely as military
opinions. I submit their opinions as being entitled to some weight
against the objections often urged, that emancipation and arming the
blacks are unwise as military measures, and were not adopted as such
in good faith. You say that you will not fight to free negroes. Some
of them seem to be willing to fight for you—but no matter. Fight
you, then, exclusively, to save the Union. I issued the proclamation
on purpose to aid you in saving the Union. Whenever you shall have
conquered all resistance to the Union, if I shall urge you to continue
fighting, it will be an apt time then for you to declare that you will
not fight to free negroes. I thought that, in your struggle for the
Union, to whatever extent the negroes should cease helping the enemy,
to that extent it weakened the enemy in his resistance to you. Do you
think differently? I thought that whatever negroes can be got to do as
soldiers, leaves just so much less for white soldiers to do in saving
the Union. Does it appear otherwise to you? But negroes, like other
people, act upon motives. Why should they do any thing for us if we
will not do any thing for them? If they stake their lives for us, they
must be prompted by the strongest motive, even the promise of freedom.
And, the promise being made, must be kept. The signs look better. The
Father of Waters again goes unvexed to the sea. Thanks to the great
North-west for it. Not yet wholly to them. Three hundred miles up they
met New England, Empire, Keystone, and Jersey, hewing their way right
and left. The Sunny South, too, in more colors than one, also lent a
hand. On the spot, their part of the history was jotted down in black
and white. The job was a great national one, and let none be blamed who
bore an honorable part in it; and, while those who have cleared the
great river may well be proud, even that is not all. It is hard to say
that any thing has been more bravely or better done than at Antietam,
Murfreesboro, Gettysburg, and on many fields of less note. Nor must
Uncle Sam’s web-fleet be forgotten. At all the waters’ margins they
have been present—not only on the deep sea, the broad bay, and the
rapid river, but also up the narrow, muddy bayou; and, wherever the
ground was a little damp, they have been, and made their tracks. Thanks
to all. For the great republic—for the principles by which it lives and
keeps alive—for man’s vast future—thanks to all. Peace does not appear
so far distant as it did. I hope it will come soon, and come to stay;
and so come as to be worth keeping in all future time. It will then
have proved that among freemen there can be no successful appeal from
the ballot to the bullet, and that they who take such appeal are sure
to lose their case and pay the cost. And then there will be some black
men who can remember that, with silent tongue, and clenched teeth, and
steady eye, and well-poised bayonet, they have helped mankind on to
this great consummation; while I fear that there will be some white
men unable to forget that, with malignant heart and deceitful speech,
they have striven to hinder it. Still, let us not be over-sanguine of
a speedy final triumph. Let us be quite sober. Let us diligently apply
the means, never doubting that a just God, in His own good time, will
give us the rightful result.

    Yours, very truly,            A. LINCOLN.




PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON.


_The President of the United States to the nullifiers of South
Carolina_:

WHEREAS, A convention assembled in the State of South Carolina have
passed an ordinance, by which they declare, “that the several acts
and parts of acts of the Congress of the United States, purporting to
be laws for the imposing of duties and imposts on the importation of
foreign commodities, and now having actual operation and effect within
the United States, and more especially,” two acts for the same purposes
passed on the 29th of May, 1828, and on the 14th of July, 1832, “are
unauthorized by the Constitution of the United States, and violate the
true meaning and intent thereof, and are null and void, and no law,”
nor binding on the citizens of that State or its officers; and by the
said ordinance, it is further declared to be unlawful for any of the
constituted authorities of the State or of the United States to enforce
the payment of the duties imposed by the said acts with the same State,
and that it is the duty of the Legislature to pass such laws as may be
necessary to give full effect to the said ordinance:

AND, WHEREAS, By the said ordinance, it is further ordained that in
no case of law or equity decided in the courts of said State, wherein
shall be drawn in question the validity of the said ordinance, or of
the acts of the Legislature that may be passed to give it effect, or of
the said laws of the United States, no appeal shall be allowed to the
Supreme Court of the United States, nor shall any copy of the record be
permitted or allowed for that purpose; and that any person attempting
to take such appeal shall be punished as for a contempt of court:

And, finally, the said ordinance declares that the people of South
Carolina will maintain the said ordinance at every hazard; and that
they will consider the passage of any act, by Congress, abolishing or
closing the ports of the said State, or otherwise obstructing the free
ingress or egress of vessels to and from the said ports, or any other
act of the Federal Government to coerce the State, shut up her ports,
destroy or harass her commerce, or to enforce the said act otherwise
than through the civil tribunals of the country, as inconsistent with
the longer continuance of South Carolina in the Union, and that the
people of the said State will thenceforth hold themselves absolved
from all further obligation to maintain or preserve their political
connection with the people of the other States, and will forthwith
proceed to organize a separate government and do all other acts and
things which sovereign and independent States may of right do.

AND, WHEREAS, The said ordinance prescribes to the people of South
Carolina a course of conduct in direct violation of their duty as
citizens of the United States, contrary to the laws of their country,
subversive of its Constitution, and having for its object the
destruction of the Union—that Union, which, coeval with our political
existence, led our fathers, without any other ties to unite them
than those of patriotism and a common cause, through a sanguinary
struggle to a glorious independence—that sacred Union, hitherto
inviolate, which, perfected by our happy Constitution, has brought
us, by the favor of Heaven, to a state of prosperity at home, and
high consideration abroad, rarely, if ever, equaled in the history
of nations. To preserve this bond of our political existence from
destruction, to maintain inviolate this state of national honor and
prosperity, and to justify the confidence my fellow-citizens have
reposed in me, I, ANDREW JACKSON, President of the United States, have
thought proper to issue this, my PROCLAMATION, stating my views of
the Constitution and laws applicable to the measures adopted by the
Convention of South Carolina, and to the reasons they have put forth
to sustain them, declaring the course which duty will require me to
pursue, and, appealing to the understanding and patriotism of the
people, warn them of the consequences that must inevitably result from
an observance of the dictates of the convention.

Strict duty would require of me nothing more than the exercise of
those powers with which I am now, or may hereafter be invested, for
preserving the peace of the Union, and for the execution of the laws.
But the imposing aspect which opposition has assumed in this case, by
clothing itself with State authority, and the deep interest which the
people of the United States must all feel in preventing a resort to
stronger measures, while there is a hope that any thing will be yielded
to reasoning and remonstrance, perhaps demand, and will certainly
justify, a full exposition to South Carolina and the nation of the
views I entertain of this important question, as well as a distinct
enunciation of the course which my sense of duty will require me to
pursue.

The ordinance is founded, not on the indefeasible right of resisting
acts which are plainly unconstitutional, and too oppressive to be
endured; but on the strange position that any one State may not only
declare an act void, but prohibit its execution—that they may do this
consistently with the Constitution—that the true construction of that
instrument permits a State to retain its place in the Union, and yet be
bound by no other of its laws than those it may choose to consider as
constitutional. It is true, they add, that to justify this abrogation
of law, it must be palpably contrary to the Constitution; but it is
evident, that to give the right of resisting laws of that description,
coupled with the uncontrolled right to decide what laws deserve that
character, is to give the power of resisting all laws. For, as by the
theory, there is no appeal, the reasons alleged by the State, good
or bad, must prevail. If it should be said that public opinion is a
sufficient check against the abuse of this power, it may be asked why
it is not deemed a sufficient guard against an unconstitutional act
of Congress? There is, however, a restraint in this last case, which
makes the assumed power of a State more indefensible, and which does
not exist in the other. There are two appeals from an unconstitutional
act passed by Congress—one to the judiciary, the other to the people
and the States. There is no appeal from the State decision in theory,
and the practical illustration shows that the courts are closed against
an application to review it, both judges and jurors being sworn to
decide in its favor. But reasoning on this subject is superfluous,
when our social compact, in express terms, declares that the laws of
the United States, its Constitution, and treaties made under it, are
the supreme law of the land; and, for the greater caution, adds “that
the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any thing in the
Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.”
And it may be asserted, without fear of refutation, that no Federal
Government could exist without a similar provision. Look for a
moment to the consequence. If South Carolina considers the revenues
unconstitutional, and has a right to prevent their execution in the
port of Charleston, there would be a clear constitutional objection to
their collection in every other port, and no revenue could be collected
anywhere; for all imposts must be equal. It is no answer to repeat,
that an unconstitutional law is no law, so long as the question of its
legality is to be decided by the State itself; for every law operating
injuriously upon any local interest will be, perhaps, thought, and
certainly represented, as unconstitutional; and, as has been shown,
there is no appeal.

[Illustration: JOHN QUINCY ADAMS.]

If this doctrine had been established at an earlier day, the
Union would have been dissolved in its infancy. The excise law in
Pennsylvania, the embargo and non-intercourse law in the eastern
States, the carriage tax in Virginia, were all deemed unconstitutional,
and were more unequal in their operation than any of the laws now
complained of; but fortunately none of those States discovered that
they had the right now claimed by South Carolina. The war into which we
were forced to support the dignity of the nation and the rights of our
citizens, might have ended in defeat and disgrace instead of victory
and honor, if the States who supposed it a ruinous and unconstitutional
measure, had thought they possessed the right of nullifying the act by
which it was declared, and denying supplies for its prosecution. Hardly
and unequally as those measures bore upon several members of the Union,
to the legislatures of none did this efficient and peaceable remedy, as
it is called, suggest itself. The discovery of this important feature
in our Constitution was reserved to the present day. To the statesmen
of South Carolina belongs the invention, and upon the citizens of that
State will unfortunately fall the evils of reducing it to practice.

If the doctrine of a State veto upon the laws of the Union carries with
it internal evidence of its impracticable absurdity, our constitutional
history will also afford abundant proof that it would have been
repudiated with indignation had it been proposed to form a feature in
our Government.

In our colonial state, although dependent on another power, we very
early considered ourselves as connected by common interest with
each other. Leagues were formed for common defense, and, before the
Declaration of Independence, we were known in our aggregate character
as the United Colonies of America. That decisive and important step
was taken jointly. We declared ourselves a nation by a joint, not by
several acts, and when the terms of our Confederation were reduced to
form, it was that of a solemn league of several States, by which they
agreed that they would collectively form one nation for the purpose of
conducting some certain domestic concerns and all foreign relations. In
the instrument forming that Union is found an article which declares
that “every State shall abide by the determination of Congress on all
questions which, by that Confederation, should be submitted to them.”

Under the Confederation, then, no State could legally annul a decision
of the Congress, or refuse to submit to its execution; but no provision
was made to enforce these decisions. Congress made requisitions, but
they were not complied with. The Government could not operate on
individuals. They had no judiciary, no means of collecting revenue.

But the defects of the Confederation need not be detailed. Under
its operation we could scarcely be called a nation. We had neither
prosperity at home nor consideration abroad. This state of things
could not be endured, and our present happy Constitution was formed,
but formed in vain, if this fatal doctrine prevails. It was formed
for important objects that are announced in the preamble made in the
name and by the authority of the people of the United States, whose
delegates framed, and whose conventions approved it. The most important
among those objects, that which is placed first in rank, on which all
others rest, is, “to form a more perfect Union.” Now, is it possible
that even if there were no express provision giving supremacy to the
Constitution and laws of the United States—can it be conceived, that an
instrument made for the purpose of “forming a more perfect Union” than
that of the Confederation, could be so constructed by the assembled
wisdom of our country as to substitute for that Confederation a form of
government dependent for its existence on the local interest, the party
spirit of a State, or of a prevailing faction in a State? Every man of
plain, unsophisticated understanding, who hears the question, will give
such an answer as will preserve the Union. Metaphysical subtlety, in
pursuit of an impracticable theory, could alone have devised one that
is calculated to destroy it.

I consider, then, the power to annul a law of the United States,
assumed by one State, incompatible with the existence of the Union,
contradicted expressly by the letter of the Constitution, unauthorized
by its spirit, inconsistent with every principle on which it was
founded, and destructive of the great object for which it was formed.

After this general view of the leading principle, we must examine the
particular application of it which is made in the ordinance.

The preamble rests its justification on these grounds: It assumes,
as a fact, that the obnoxious laws, although they purport to be laws
for raising revenue, were in reality intended for the protection of
manufactures, which purpose it asserts to be unconstitutional; that the
operation of these laws is unequal; that the amount raised by them is
greater than is required by the wants of the Government; and, finally,
that the proceeds are to be applied to objects unauthorized by the
Constitution. These are the only causes alleged to justify an open
opposition to the laws of the country, and a threat of seceding from
the Union, if any attempt should be made to enforce them. The first
virtually acknowledges that the law in question was passed under a
power expressly given by the Constitution to lay and collect imposts;
but its constitutionality is drawn in question from the motives of
those who passed it. However apparent this purpose may be in the
present case, nothing can be more dangerous than to admit the position
that an unconstitutional purpose, entertained by the members who assent
to a law enacted under constitutional power, shall make the law void:
for how is that purpose to be ascertained? How often may bad purposes
be falsely imputed—in how many cases are they concealed by false
professions—in how many is no declaration of motive made? Admit this
doctrine, and you give to the States an uncontrolled right to decide,
and every law may be annulled under this pretext. If, therefore, the
absurd and dangerous doctrine should be admitted, that a State may
annul an unconstitutional law, or one that it deems such, it will not
apply to the present case.

The next objection is, that the laws in question operate unequally.
This objection may be made with truth to every law that has been or
may be passed. The wisdom of man never yet contrived a system of
taxation that would operate with perfect equality. If the unequal
operation of a law makes it unconstitutional, and if all laws of that
description may be abrogated by any State for that cause, then indeed
is the Federal Constitution unworthy the slightest effort for its
preservation. We have hitherto relied on it as the perpetual bond of
our Union. We have received it as the work of the assembled wisdom of
the nation. We have trusted to it as the sheet anchor of our safety in
the stormy times of conflict with a foreign or domestic foe. We have
looked to it with sacred awe as the palladium of our liberties, and
with all the solemnities of religion have pledged to each other our
lives and fortunes here, and our hopes of happiness hereafter, in its
defense and support. Were we mistaken, my countrymen, in attaching
this importance to the Constitution of our country? Was our devotion
paid to the wretched, inefficient, clumsy, contrivance which this new
doctrine would make it? Did we pledge ourselves to the support of an
airy nothing—a bubble, that must be blown away by the first breath
of dissatisfaction? Was this self-destroying, visionary theory, the
work of the profound statesmen, the exalted patriots, to whom the task
of constitutional reform was intrusted? Did the name of Washington
sanction, did the States deliberately ratify such an anamoly in the
history of fundamental legislation? No. We were not mistaken. The
letter of this great instrument is free from this radical fault; its
language directly contradicts the imputation; its spirit—its evident
intent, contradicts it. No, we did not err! Our Constitution does not
contain the absurdity of giving power to make laws, and another power
to resist them. The sages whose memory will always be reverenced, have
given us a practical, and, as they hoped, a permanent constitutional
compact. The Father of his Country did not affix his revered name to
so palpable an absurdity. Nor did the States, when they severally
ratified it, do so under the impression that a veto on the laws of the
United States, was reserved to them, or that they could exercise it by
implication. Search the debates in all their conventions, examine the
speeches of the most zealous opposers of federal authority, look at
the amendments that were proposed; they are all silent—not a syllable
uttered, not a vote given, not a motion made, to correct the explicit
supremacy given to the laws of the Union over those of the States, or
to show that implication, as is now contended, could defeat it. No, we
have not erred! The Constitution is still the object of our reverence,
the bond of our Union, our defense in danger, the source of our
prosperity in peace; it shall descend as we received it, uncorrupted,
by sophistical construction, to our posterity, and the sacrifices of
local interest, of State prejudices, of personal animosities, that were
made to bring it into existence, will again be patriotically offered
for its support.

The two remaining objections made by the ordinance to these laws,
are that the sums intended to be raised by them are greater than are
required, and that the proceeds will be unconstitutionally employed.

The Constitution has given, expressly, to Congress the right of raising
revenue, and of determining the sum the public exigencies will require.
The States have no control over the exercise of this right, other than
that which results from the power of changing the representatives who
abuse it, and thus procure redress. Congress may, undoubtedly, abuse
this discretionary power; but the same may be said of others with
which they are vested. Yet this discretion must exist somewhere. The
Constitution has given it to the representatives of all the people,
checked by the representatives of the States and by the executive
power. The South Carolina construction gives it to the legislature
or the convention of a single State, where neither the people of the
different States, nor the States in their separate capacity, nor the
chief magistrate elected by the people, have any representation.
Which is the most discreet disposition of the power? I do not ask
you, fellow-citizens, which is the constitutional disposition; that
instrument speaks a language not to be misunderstood. But if you were
assembled in general convention, which would you think the safest
depository of this discretionary power in the last resort? Would you
add a clause giving it to each of the States, or would you sanction
the wise provisions already made by your Constitution? If this should
be the result of your deliberations when providing for the future, are
you, can you be ready to risk all that we hold dear to establish, for
a temporary and a local purpose, that which you must acknowledge to be
destructive, and even absurd, as a general provision? Carry out the
consequences of this right vested in the different States, and you must
perceive that the crisis your conduct presents at this day would recur
whenever any law of the United States displeased any of the States, and
that we should soon cease to be a nation.

The ordinance, with the same knowledge of the future that characterizes
a former objection, tells you that the proceeds of the tax will
be unconstitutionally applied. If this could be ascertained with
certainty, the objection would, with more propriety, be reserved for
the law so applying the proceeds, but surely can not be urged against
the laws levying the duty.

These are the allegations contained in the ordinance. Examine them
seriously, my fellow-citizens; judge for yourselves. I appeal to you
to determine whether they are so clear, so convincing, as to leave
no doubt of their correctness; and even if you should come to this
conclusion, how far they justify the reckless, destructive course
which you are directed to pursue. Review these objections, and the
conclusions drawn from them, once more. What are they? Every law, then,
for raising revenue, according to the South Carolina ordinance, may be
rightfully annulled, unless it be so framed as no law ever will or can
be framed. Congress has the right to pass laws for raising a revenue,
and each State has a right to oppose their execution—two rights
directly opposed to each other; and yet is this absurdity supposed
to be contained in an instrument drawn for the express purpose of
avoiding collisions between the States and the General Government, by
an assembly of the most enlightened statesmen and purest patriots ever
embodied for a similar purpose.

In vain have these sages declared that Congress shall have power to
lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts, and excises; in vain have
they provided that they shall have power to pass laws which shall be
necessary and proper to carry those powers into execution; that those
laws and that Constitution shall be the “supreme law of the land, and
that the judges in every State shall be bound thereby, any thing in the
Constitution or laws of any State to the contrary notwithstanding.”
In vain have the people of the several States solemnly sanctified
these provisions, made them their paramount law, and individually
sworn to support them whenever they were called on to execute any
office. Vain provision! ineffectual restrictions! vile profanation
of oaths! miserable mockery of legislation! if the bare majority of
the voters in any one State may, on a real or supposed knowledge of
the intent with which a law has been passed, declare themselves free
from its operation—say here it gives too little, there too much, and
operates unequally—here it suffers articles to be free that ought
to be taxed—there it taxes those that ought to be free—in this case
the proceeds are intended to be applied to purposes which we do not
approve—in that the amount raised is more than is wanted. Congress, it
is true, is invested by the Constitution with the right of deciding
these questions according to their sound discretion; Congress is
composed of the representatives of all the States, and of all the
people of all the States; but we, part of the people of one State, to
whom the Constitution has given no power on the subject, from whom it
has expressly taken it away—we, who have solemnly agreed that this
Constitution shall be our law—we, most of whom have sworn to support
it—we now abrogate this law, and swear, and force others to swear that
it shall not be obeyed; and we do this, not because Congress have no
right to pass such laws—this we do not allege—but because they have
passed them with improper views. They are unconstitutional from the
motives of those who passed them, which we can never with certainty
know; from their unequal operation, although it is impossible,
from the nature of things, that they should be equal; and from the
disposition which we presume may be made of their proceeds, although
that disposition has not been declared. This is the plain meaning of
the ordinance, in relation to laws which it abrogates for alleged
unconstitutionality. But it does not stop there. It repeals, in
express terms, an important part of the Constitution itself, and of
laws passed to give it effect, which have never been alleged to be
unconstitutional. The Constitution declares that the judicial powers
of the United States extend to cases arising under the laws of the
United States; and that such laws, the Constitution and treaties, shall
be paramount to the State Constitutions and laws. The judiciary act
prescribes the mode by which the case may be brought before a court of
the United States by appeal, when a State tribunal shall decide against
this provision of the Constitution. The ordinance declares that there
shall be no appeal, makes the State law paramount to the Constitution
and laws of the United States, forces judges and jurors to swear that
they will disregard their provisions, and even makes it penal in a suit
to attempt relief by appeal. It further declares that it shall not be
lawful for the authorities of the United States, or of that State, to
enforce the payment of duties imposed by the revenue laws within its
limits.

Here is a law of the United States, not even pretended to be
unconstitutional, repealed by the authority of a small majority of the
voters of a single State. Here is a provision of the Constitution,
which is solemnly abrogated by the same authority.

On such expositions and reasonings, the ordinance grounds not only an
assertion of the right to annul the laws, of which it complains, but to
enforce it by a threat of seceding from the Union, if any attempt is
made to execute them.

This right to secede is deduced from the nature of the Constitution,
which they say is a compact between sovereign States, who have
preserved their whole sovereignty, and therefore are subject to no
superior; that because they made the compact, they can break it, when,
in their opinion, it has been departed from by other States. Fallacious
as this course of reasoning is, it enlists State pride, and finds
advocates in the honest prejudices of those who have not studied the
nature of our government sufficiently to see the radical error on which
it rests.

The people of the United States formed the Constitution, acting through
the State Legislatures in forming the compact, to meet and discuss
its provisions, and acting in separate conventions when they ratified
those provisions; but the terms used in its construction show it to
be a government in which the people of all the States collectively
are represented. We are _one people_ in the choice of President and
Vice-President. Here the States have no other agency than to direct
the mode in which the votes shall be given. The candidates having a
majority of all the votes are chosen. The electors of a majority of
States may have given their votes for one candidate, and yet another
may be chosen. The people, then, and not the States, are represented in
the executive branch.

In the House of Representatives there is this difference: that
the people of one State do not, as in the case of President and
Vice-President, all vote for the same officers. The people of all
the States do not vote for all the members, each State electing only
its own Representatives. But this creates no national distinction.
When chosen, they are all Representatives of the United States,
not representatives of the particular State from whence they
come. They are paid by the United States, not by the State; nor
are they accountable to it for any act done in the performance of
their legislative functions; and however they may, in practice, as
it is their duty to do, consult and prefer the interests of their
particular constituents, when they come in conflict with any other
partial or local interest, yet it is the first and highest duty of a
Representative of the United States to promote the general good.

The Constitution of the United States, then, forms a _government_, not
a league; and whether it be formed by compact between the States, or
in any other manner, its character is the same. It is a government in
which all the people are represented, which operates directly on the
people individually, not upon the States; they retained all the power
they did not grant. But each State having expressly parted with so many
powers, as to constitute jointly with the other States a single nation,
can not, from that period, possess any right to secede, because such
secession does not break a league, but destroys the unity of a nation;
and any injury to that unity is not only a breach, which would result
from the contravention of a compact, but it is an offense against the
whole Union. To say that any State may at pleasure secede from the
Union, is to say that the United States are not a nation; because
it would be a solecism to contend, that any part of a nation might
dissolve its connection with the other parts, to their injury or ruin,
without committing any offense. Secession, like any other revolutionary
act, may be morally justified by the extremity of oppression; but
to call it a constitutional right is confounding the meaning of the
terms; and can only be done through gross error, or to deceive those
who are willing to assert a right, but would pause before they made a
revolution, or incur the penalties consequent on a failure.

Because the Union was formed by compact, it is said the parties to that
compact may, when they feel themselves aggrieved, depart from it; but
it is precisely because it is a compact that they can not. A compact
is an agreement or binding obligation. It may, by its terms, have
a sanction or penalty for its breach, or it may not. If it contains
no sanction, it may be broken, with no other consequences than moral
guilt; if it have a sanction, then the breach incurs the designated or
implied penalty. A league between independent nations generally has no
sanction other than a moral one; or, if it should contain a penalty,
as there is no common superior, it can not be enforced. A government,
on the contrary, always has a sanction, express or implied; and, in
our case, it is both necessarily implied and expressly given. An
attempt, by force of arms, to destroy a government, is an offense, by
whatever means the constitutional compact may have been formed; and
such government has the right, by the law of self-defense, to pass acts
for punishing the offender, unless that right is modified, restrained,
or resumed by the constitutional act. In our system, although it is
modified in the case of treason, yet authority is expressly given to
pass all laws necessary to carry its powers into effect; and, under
this grant, provision has been made for punishing acts which obstruct
the due administration of the laws.

It would seem superfluous to add any thing to show the nature of that
Union which connects us; but as erroneous opinions on this subject
are the foundation of doctrines the most destructive to our peace, I
must give further development to my views on this subject. No one,
fellow-citizens, has a higher reverence for the reserved rights of the
States than the magistrate who now addresses you; no one would make
greater personal sacrifices or official exertion to defend them from
violation; but equal care must be taken to prevent, on their part, an
improper interference with, or resumption of, the rights they have
vested in the nation. The line has not been so distinctly drawn as to
avoid doubts, in some cases, of the exercise of power. Men of the best
intentions and soundest views may differ in their construction of some
parts of the Constitution; but there are others on which dispassionate
reflection can leave no doubt. Of this nature appears to be the assumed
right of secession. It rests, as we have seen, on the alleged undivided
sovereignty of the States, and on their having formed, in this
sovereign capacity, a compact, which is called the Constitution, from
which, because they made it, they have the right to secede. Both of
these positions are erroneous, and some of the arguments to prove them
so have been anticipated.

The States severally have not retained their entire sovereignty. It
has been shown that, in becoming parts of a nation, not members of a
league, they surrendered many of their essential parts of sovereignty.
The right to make treaties, declare war, levy taxes, exercise exclusive
judicial and legislative powers, were, all of them, functions of
sovereign power. The States, then, for all these purposes, were no
longer sovereign. The allegiance of their citizens was transferred,
in the first instance, to the Government of the United States; they
became American citizens, and owed obedience to the Constitution of the
United States, and to laws made in conformity with the powers it vested
in Congress. This last position has not been, and can not be, denied.
How, then, can that State be said to be sovereign and independent whose
citizens owe obedience to laws not made by it, and whose magistrates
are sworn to disregard those laws when they come in conflict with
those passed by another? What shows conclusively that the States can
not be said to have reserved an undivided sovereignty is, that they
expressly ceded the right to punish treason—not treason against their
separate power, but treason against the United States. Treason is an
offense against sovereignty, and sovereignty must reside with the
power to punish it. But the reserved rights of the States are not less
sacred because they have, for their common interest, made the General
Government the depository of these powers.

The unity of our political character (as has been shown for another
purpose) commenced with its very existence. Under the royal government
we had no separate character; our opposition to its oppressions
began as _united colonies_. We were the United States, under the
Confederation, and the name was perpetuated, and the Union rendered
more perfect by the Federal Constitution. In none of these stages did
we consider ourselves in any other light than as forming one nation.
Treaties and alliances were made in the name of all. Troops were raised
for the joint defense. How, then, with all these proofs, that, under
all changes of our position, we had, for designated purposes, and with
defined powers, created national governments; how is it that the most
perfect of those several modes of union should now be considered as a
mere league, that may be dissolved at pleasure? It is from an abuse
of terms. “Compact” is used as synonymous with “league,” although the
true term is not employed, because it would at once show the fallacy of
the reasoning. It would not do to say that our Constitution was only a
league; but it is labored to prove it a compact (which in one sense it
is), and then to argue that, as a league is a compact, every compact
between nations must, of course, be a league, and that from such an
engagement every sovereign power has a right to recede. But it has been
shown that, in this sense, the States are not sovereign, and that even
if they were, and the national Constitution had been formed by compact,
there would be no right in any one State to exonerate itself from its
obligations.

So obvious are the reasons which forbid this secession, that it is
necessary only to allude to them. The Union was formed for the benefit
of all. It was produced by mutual sacrifices of interests and opinions.
Can those sacrifices be recalled? Can the States, who magnanimously
surrender their title to the territories in the West, recall the grant?
Will the inhabitants of the inland States agree to pay the duties that
may be imposed, without their assent, by those on the Atlantic or the
Gulf for their own benefit? Shall there be a free port in one State,
and onerous duties in another? No one believes that any right exists,
in a single State, to involve the others in these and countless other
evils contrary to the engagements solemnly made. Every one must see
that the other States, in self-defense, must oppose it, at all hazards.

These are the alternatives that are presented by the convention: A
repeal of all the acts for raising revenue, leaving the Government
without the means of support, or an acquiescence in the dissolution
of our Union by the secession of one of its members. When the first
was proposed, it was known that it could not be listened to for a
moment. It was known, if force was applied to oppose the execution
of the laws, that it must be repelled by force; that Congress could
not, without involving itself in disgrace and the country in ruin,
accede to the proposition; and yet, if this is not done on a given
day, or if any attempt is made to execute the laws, the State is,
by the ordinance, declared to be out of the Union. The majority of
a convention, assembled for the purpose, have dictated these terms,
or rather this rejection of all terms, in the name of the people of
South Carolina. It is true that the Governor of the State speaks of
the submission of their grievances to a convention of all the States,
which, he says, they “sincerely and anxiously seek and desire.” Yet
this obvious and constitutional mode of obtaining the sense of the
other States, on the construction of the Federal compact, and amending
it if necessary, has never been attempted by those who have urged the
State on to this destructive measure. The State might have proposed to
call for a general convention of the other States; and Congress, if
a sufficient number of them concurred, must have called it. But the
first magistrate of South Carolina, when he expressed a hope that, “on
a review by Congress and the functionaries of the General Government
of the merits of the controversy,” such a convention will be accorded
to them, must have known that neither Congress, nor any functionary
of the General Government, has authority to call such a convention,
unless it be demanded by two-thirds of the States. This suggestion,
then, is another instance of the reckless inattention to the provisions
of the Constitution with which this crisis has been madly hurried on;
or of the attempt to persuade the people that a constitutional remedy
has been sought and refused. If the Legislature of South Carolina
“anxiously desire” a general convention to consider their complaints,
why have they not made application for it in the way the Constitution
points out? The assertion that they “earnestly seek” it is completely
negatived by the omission.

This, then, is the position in which we stand. A small majority of the
citizens of one State in the Union have elected delegates to a State
convention; that convention has ordained that all the revenue laws
of the United States must be repealed, or that they are no longer a
member of this Union. The Governor of that State has recommended to
the Legislature the raising of an army to carry the secession into
effect, and that he may be empowered to give clearances to vessels in
the name of the State. No act of violent opposition to the laws has
yet been committed, but such a state of things is hourly apprehended;
and it is the intent of this instrument to proclaim, not only that
the duty imposed on me by the Constitution “to take care that the
laws be faithfully executed,” shall be performed to the extent of the
powers already vested in me by law, or of such others as the wisdom
of Congress shall devise and intrust to me for that purpose, but to
warn the citizens of South Carolina, who have been deluded into an
opposition to the laws, of the danger they will incur by obedience
to the illegal and disorganizing ordinance of the convention; to
exhort those who have refused to support it to persevere in their
determination to uphold the Constitution and laws of their country; and
to point out to all the perilous situation into which the good people
of that State have been led, and that the course they are urged to
pursue is one of ruin and disgrace to the very State whose rights they
affect to support.

Fellow-citizens of my native State, let me not only admonish you, as
the First Magistrate of our common country, not to incur the penalty of
its laws, but use the influence that a father would over his children
whom he saw rushing to certain ruin. In that paternal language, with
that paternal feeling, let me tell you, my countrymen, that you are
deluded by men who are either deceived themselves, or wish to deceive
you. Mark under what pretenses you have been led on to the brink of
insurrection and treason, and on which you stand! First, a diminution
of the value of your staple commodity, lowered by over-production in
other quarters, and the consequent diminution in the value of your
lands, were the sole effect of the tariff laws.

The effect of those laws was confessedly injurious, but the evil
was greatly exaggerated by the unfounded theory you were taught to
believe, that its burdens were in proportion to your exports, not to
your consumption of imported articles. Your pride was roused by the
assertion that a submission to those laws was a state of vassalage,
and that resistance to them was equal, in patriotic merit, to the
opposition our fathers offered to the oppressive laws of Great Britain.
You were told that this opposition might be peaceably—might be
constitutionally made; that you might enjoy all the advantages of the
Union, and bear none of its burdens. Eloquent appeals to your passions,
to your State pride, to your native courage, to your sense of real
injury, were used, to prepare you for the period when the mask, which
concealed the hideous features of disunion, should be taken off. It
fell, and you were made to look with complacency on objects which, not
long since, you would have regarded with horror. Look back to the arts
which have brought you to this state—look forward to the consequences
to which it must inevitably lead! Look back to what was first told
you as an inducement to enter into this dangerous course. The great
political truth was repeated to you, that you had the revolutionary
right of resisting all laws that were palpably unconstitutional and
intolerably oppressive; it was added that the right to nullify a law
rested on the same principle, but that it was a peaceable remedy!
This character which was given to it, made you receive, with too much
confidence, the assertions that were made of the unconstitutionality
of the law and its oppressive effects. Mark, my fellow-citizens, that,
by the admission of your leaders, the unconstitutionality must be
_palpable_, or it will not justify either resistance or nullification!
What is the meaning of the word _palpable_, in the sense in which it is
here used? that which is apparent to every one; that which no man of
ordinary intellect will fail to perceive. Is the unconstitutionality
of these laws of that description? Let those among your leaders who
once approved and advocated the principle of protective duties, answer
the question; and let them choose whether they will be considered as
incapable, then, of perceiving that which must have been apparent to
every man of common understanding, or as imposing on your confidence,
and endeavoring to mislead you now. In either case, they are unsafe
guides in the perilous path they urge you to tread. Ponder well on
this circumstance, and you will know how to appreciate the exaggerated
language they address to you. They are not champions of liberty,
emulating the fame of our revolutionary fathers; nor are you an
oppressed people, contending, as they repeat to you, against worse than
colonial vassalage.

You are free members of a flourishing and happy Union. There is no
settled design to oppress you. You have, indeed, felt the unequal
operation of laws which may have been unwisely, not unconstitutionally
passed; but that inequality must necessarily be removed. At the very
moment when you were madly urged on to the unfortunate course you
have begun, a change in public opinion had commenced. The nearly
approaching payment of the public debt, and the consequent necessity
of a diminution of duties, had already produced a considerable
reduction, and that, too, on some articles of general consumption in
your State. The importance of this change was underrated, and you are
authoritatively told that no further alleviation of your burdens were
to be expected at the very time when the condition of the country
imperiously demanded such a modification of the duties as should
reduce them to a just and equitable scale. But, as if apprehensive
of the effect of this change in allaying your discontents, you were
precipitated into the fearful state in which you now find yourselves.

I have urged you to look back to the means that were used to hurry
you on to the position you have now assumed, and forward to the
consequences it will produce. Something more is necessary. Contemplate
the condition of that country of which you still form an important
part. Consider its Government, uniting in one bond of common interest
and general protection so many different States—giving to all their
inhabitants the proud title of American citizens; protecting their
commerce; securing their literature and their arts; facilitating their
intercommunication; defending their frontiers, and making their names
respected in the remotest parts of the earth. Consider the extent of
its territory; its increasing and happy population; its advance in
arts, which render life agreeable; and the sciences, which elevate
the mind! See education spreading the lights of religion, morality,
and general information into every cottage in this wide extent of our
Territories and States! Behold it as the asylum where the wretched
and the oppressed find a refuge and support! Look on this picture of
happiness and honor, and say: “_We, too, are citizens of America!_
Carolina is one of these proud States—her arms have defended—her
best blood has cemented this happy Union!” And then add, if you can,
without horror and remorse, “this happy Union we will dissolve; this
picture of peace and prosperity we will deface; this free intercourse
we will interrupt; these fertile fields we will deluge with blood;
the protection of that glorious flag we renounce; the very name of
Americans we discard.” And for what, mistaken men—for what do you
throw away these inestimable blessings? for what would you exchange
your share in the advantages and honor of the Union? For the dream of
separate independence—a dream interrupted by bloody conflicts with
your neighbors, and a vile dependence on a foreign power. If your
leaders could succeed in establishing a separation, what would be your
situation? Are you united at home—are you free from the apprehension of
civil discord, with all its fearful consequences? Do our neighboring
republics, every day suffering some new revolution, or contending with
some new insurrection—do they excite your envy? But the dictates of a
high duty obliges me solemnly to announce that you can not succeed. The
laws of the United States must be executed. I have no discretionary
power on the subject—my duty is emphatically pronounced in the
Constitution. Those who told you that you might peaceably prevent their
execution, deceived you—they could not have been deceived themselves.
They know that a forcible opposition could alone prevent the execution
of the laws, and they know that such opposition must be repelled.
Their object is disunion; but be not deceived by names; disunion, by
armed force, is _treason_. Are you really ready to incur its guilt?
If you are, on the heads of the instigators of the act be the dreadful
consequences—on their heads be the dishonor, but on yours may fall
the punishment; on your unhappy State will inevitably fall all the
evils of the conflict you force upon the government of your country.
It can not accede to the mad project of disunion, of which you would
be the first victims—its First Magistrate can not, if he would, avoid
the performance of his duty; the consequences must be fearful to you,
distressing to your fellow-citizens here, and to the friends of good
government throughout the world. Its enemies have beheld our prosperity
with a vexation they could not conceal—it was a standing refutation of
their slavish doctrines, and they will point to our discord with the
triumph of malignant joy. It is yet in your power to disappoint them.
There is yet time to show that the descendants of the Pinckneys, the
Sumters, the Rutledges, and of the thousand other names, which adorn
the pages of your revolutionary history, will not abandon that Union,
to support which so many of them fought, and bled, and died.

I adjure you, as you honor their memory—as you love the cause of
freedom, to which they dedicated their lives—as you prize the peace of
your country, the lives of its best citizens, and your own fair fame,
to retrace your steps. Snatch from the archives of your State the
disorganizing edict of its convention—bid its members to re-assemble,
and promulgate the decided expressions of your will to remain in the
path which alone can conduct you to safety, prosperity, and honor.
Tell them that, compared to disunion, all other evils are light,
because that brings with it an accumulation of all. Declare that you
will never take the field unless the star-spangled banner of your
country shall float over you; that you will not be stigmatized when
dead, and dishonored and scorned while you live, as the authors of the
first attack on the Constitution of your country. Its destroyers you
can not be. You may disturb its peace—you may interrupt the course of
its prosperity—you may cloud its reputation for stability; but its
tranquillity will be restored, its prosperity will return, and the
stain upon its national character will be transferred, and remain an
eternal blot on the memory of those who caused the disorder.

Fellow-citizens of the United States! The threat of unhallowed
disunion—the names of those once respected, by whom it is uttered—the
array of military force to support it—denotes the approach of a crisis
in our affairs, on which the continuance of our unexampled prosperity,
our political existence, and perhaps that of all free governments,
may depend. The conjuncture demanded a free, a full, and explicit
enunciation, not only of my intentions, but of my principles of action:
and as the claim was asserted of a right by a State to annul the
laws of the Union, and even to secede from it at pleasure, a frank
exposition of my opinions in relation to the origin and form of our
government, and the construction I give to the instrument by which it
was created, seemed to be proper. Having the fullest confidence in the
justness of the legal and constitutional opinion of my duties, which
has been expressed, I rely, with equal confidence, on your undivided
support in my determination to execute the laws—to preserve the Union
by all constitutional means—to arrest, if possible, by moderate but
firm measures, the necessity of a recourse to force; and, if it be the
will of Heaven, that the recurrence of its primeval curse on man for
the shedding of a brother’s blood should fall upon our land, that it be
not called down by any offensive act on the part of the United States.

Fellow-citizens! the momentous case is before you. On your undivided
support of your Government depends the decision of the great question
it involves, whether your sacred Union will be preserved, and the
blessings it secures to us as one people shall be perpetuated. No
one can doubt that the unanimity with which that decision will be
expressed, will be such as to inspire new confidence in republican
institutions, and that the prudence, the wisdom, and the courage which
it will bring to their defense will transmit them unimpaired and
invigorated to our children.

May the Great Ruler of Nations grant that the signal blessings with
which He has favored ours, may not, by the madness of party or personal
ambition, be disregarded and lost; and may His wise providence bring
those who have produced this crisis to see their folly, before they
feel the misery of civil strife, and inspire a returning veneration
for that Union, which, if we may dare to penetrate His designs, He has
chosen as the only means of attaining the high destinies to which we
may reasonably aspire.

In testimony whereof, I have caused the seal of the United States to be
hereunto affixed, having signed the same with my hand.

Done at the city of Washington, this 10th day of December, in the year
of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, and of the
Independence of the United States the fifty-seventh.

    By the President:        ANDREW JACKSON.
                             EDWD. LIVINGSTON, _Secretary of State_.




HISTORY OF THE STATES.


VIRGINIA.

“The Old Dominion,” so distinguished as being the native State of
the Father of American Liberty, and the “Mother of Presidents,”
really seemed at one time, to be peculiarly favorable to the birth
and development of statesmen. It has furnished no less than five
Presidents, among whom are Washington, Monroe, Madison, and Jefferson.
It was the first Colony, on the Continent, settled by the English. In
1607, a company formed under the patronage of James I, obtained a grant
to make settlements in America, between the 34th and 38th degrees of
north latitude. In May, 1607, a colony of one hundred and five persons,
under direction of this company, arrived off the coast of South
Virginia. Their intention had been to form a settlement on Roanoke,
now in North Carolina; but being driven north by a violent storm, they
discovered and entered the mouth of Chesapeake Bay. Passing up this
bay they named its capes—Henry and Charles—in honor of the king’s two
sons. They were commanded by Capt. Christopher Newport, an experienced
and distinguished navigator. Passing up James River, they arrived at a
peninsula, upon which they landed and established Jamestown.

After promulgating a code of laws which had been formed by the London
company, Capt. Newport sailed for England, leaving the colony under the
care of Capt. John Smith, whose subsequent relations to the settlement
became so important, and without whose efforts the enterprise would
doubtless have proved a failure. The colonists seem to have been very
poorly adapted to the labor required at their hands. Too many of them
were _gentlemen_, and came, it appears, only to enrich themselves by
gathering gold, which, they had heard, was very abundant.

Through a series of difficulties, which it is rarely the lot of man
to encounter, this colony progressed; the settlers awhile quarreling
among themselves, and awhile contending against savages and famine, for
bare existence, until the period of the Revolution, in which it was
one of the first colonies to take active part, furnishing to the young
republic many of its most efficient military chieftains and statesmen.
It ratified the Constitution June 26, 1788. After the Revolution its
course was for many years one of great prosperity. But, unfortunately,
the year 1861 found the majority of its statesmen arrayed against the
Government, on the side of secession, and on the 15th of April, 1861,
she seceded from the Union. On the 17th of June, 1861, all the counties
lying between the Alleghany Mountains and the Ohio River, were, by a
convention held at Wheeling, declared independent of the old State
government, and were organized into a new State, called West Virginia,
which remains loyal. The capital of the old State was selected as the
seat of government of the so-called Confederate States of America.


MASSACHUSETTS.

Massachusetts was settled in the year 1620, by the Puritans. These
people, having been severely persecuted in England, had previously
taken refuge in Holland; but for various reasons they determined,
after remaining in Holland a season, to emigrate to the New World.
Unfortunately, they started at a very unpropitious season of the year,
arriving at New England in the winter. The severity of the climate,
their scarcity of food at times, operated seriously against their
comfort and progress. It is said that they were frequently threatened
with starvation. At one time the entire company had but one pint of
Indian corn, which being divided equally among them, allowed to each
person eight grains. But, unlike the early settlers of Virginia,
they were all working men, and good economists. From the time of the
landing at Plymouth, up to 1691, this first settlement was known as the
Plymouth Colony. Meantime, another settlement had been formed, styled
the Massachusetts Colony. Both were for some years under the control
of a London company. In 1691, Massachusetts and Plymouth Colonies
were united, and thenceforward their history is one. The people of
Massachusetts were, during the early part of their colonial existence,
sorely vexed, at times, by the Indians, especially by the Pequods.
They, unfortunately, had imbibed, during their own persecutions, too
much of the spirit of conscription, and, although themselves refugees
from religious bigotry, sullied much of their history prior to the
Revolution by punishing what they called heresy in the Quakers and
Baptists. During 1774 and 1775, Massachusetts took a very prominent
part in favor of colonial rights, and was the first State to manifest
the spirit of resentment toward Great Britain. Its history during the
War for Independence is one of glory. It adopted the Constitution June
6, 1788.


NEW HAMPSHIRE.

This State was a part of Massachusetts up to the year 1680. It was,
however, settled in 1624, the first settlement being formed at Dover
by the English. In 1680, it was erected into a separate colony, and
its first legislative assembly met this year. John Mason was its first
Governor. It suffered severely from Indian wars, and its progress,
during the first years of its existence, was slow. In 1742 it contained
only six hundred persons liable to taxation. Its first Constitution
was formed in 1683. It suffered from the effects of an insurrection
in 1686, although prior and subsequent to this affair, it seems to
have been one of the most peaceful and quiet of the colonies. It
is distinguished for its excellent pastures, towering hills, and
fine cattle. The White Mountains are the highest in New England.
It took a prominent and active part in the Revolution. It ratified
the Constitution June 21, 1788, since which time it has been highly
prosperous. Its present population is 326,073. Its course during the
rebellion has been highly commendable.

[Illustration: ANDREW JACKSON.]


MARYLAND.

In 1632, Sir George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) visited America, explored
a tract of country lying on the Chesapeake Bay, belonging to what was
then called South Virginia, and returned to England to procure a grant
for it. But before the patent was made out, he died, and it was given
to his son Cecil. The province was named by King Charles I, in the
patent, in honor of his Queen, Henrietta Maria. A part of the province
appears to have been included in the grant made some time afterward to
William Penn, and to have caused much contention between the successors
of Penn and Baltimore.

In March, 1634, Leonard Calvert, the brother of Cecil, arrived at the
mouth of the Potomac River, bringing with him two hundred emigrants,
most of whom were Roman Catholic gentlemen. Leaving the vessel, he
ascended in a pinnace as far as Piskataqua, an Indian village nearly
opposite Mount Vernon. The Indian Sachem gave him full liberty
to settle there if he chose; but not deeming it safe, he began a
settlement lower down on a branch of the Potomac, at the Indian town of
Yoacomoco. The settlement was called St. Mary’s.

Maryland made a very fortunate beginning. The colonists arrived in time
to make a crop for that year. Their neighbors in Virginia supplied them
with cattle, and protected them in great part from the Indians, while
their own kind and consistent course materially promoted their happy
relations with the savages.

The charter which had been granted them was very liberal—ceding to
them the full power of legislation, without any interference on the
part of the Crown. In 1635, they made laws for their government, which
were somewhat modified in 1639. In 1650, they had an upper and lower
legislative assembly, as had their Virginia neighbors.

Ten or twelve years after its settlement, Maryland was disturbed by an
insurrection, headed by one Clayborne; but this difficulty was soon
settled. It played a conspicuous part in the Revolution, and adopted
the Constitution April 28, 1788. Its progress has been fair, its
present population being 687,049. Its geographical position and the
mixed political character of its people caused it to assume a rather
dubious attitude at the commencement of the rebellion of 1861. Some of
its best statesmen, however, were among the most uncompromising friends
of the Union.


NEW YORK.

Captain Henry Hudson, the famous voyager, discovered what is now New
York, together with a considerable extent of territory contiguous to
it, in the year 1609. Although an Englishman by nativity, Hudson was
at this time employed by the Dutch, (Hollanders) who, consequently,
claimed the territory. Meantime the English set up a claim to it, as
being part of North Virginia. They also claimed it on account of Hudson
being an Englishman. The Dutch, however, determined to hold it, and in
1610 opened a trade with the natives at Manhattan Island, on the spot
where the city of New York now stands. They erected a fort on or near
the site of Albany, named the country in general, New Netherlands, and
the station at Manhattan, New Amsterdam. The Dutch retained the country
until the year 1664.

It seems that, up to this time, they claimed not only the present
territory of New York, but also that of Connecticut and New Jersey.
The liberal governments of the surrounding colonies stood in great
contrast with the despotic one imposed by the Dutch Government upon
their American colonists. And when, in 1664, the English squadron
dispatched by James, Duke of York, with instructions to take possession
of the province of New Netherlands, appeared before New Amsterdam,
the inhabitants were willing to capitulate without resistance. Peter
Stuyvesant, their Governor, and an able executive, made vain efforts
to rouse them to defense, and was forced to surrender. The English
Government was now acknowledged over the whole of New Netherlands, the
capital receiving the name of New York, as well as the province. From
this time forward to the Revolutionary War, New York remained in the
hands of the English, and was under the control of a very arbitrary
succession of Governors. The progress of the colony was steady, in
numbers, wealth, and civilization. It took an active part in the
Revolution, and adopted its Constitution July 26, 1788. After this it
outstripped every other State in the Union in every thing pertaining
to wealth and greatness, save education, in which matter no State can
compare with Massachusetts. At the commencement of the great Rebellion,
this noble State showed herself truly worthy to be ranked as the Empire
State. She has furnished the Government more money than any other
State. Her population is 3,880,735.


CONNECTICUT.

In the year 1633, the Puritans of Massachusetts, having heard very
flattering reports of the valley of Connecticut, resolved to make an
effort to settle it. Accordingly, a company of them sailed for the
Connecticut River, taking with them the frame of a house. Meantime the
Dutch, claiming the territory as theirs, built a fort on the river
where Hartford now stands, to prevent the emigrants from passing up.
The Yankees, however, with that steady perseverance which has always
marked their course, proceeded on their way, paying no attention to
the Dutch fort, whose only demonstration was an unexecuted threat to
fire on the emigrants if they passed it. Landing where Farmington
River enters the Connecticut, they founded the town of Windsor. Other
settlements were subsequently formed at Westerfield, Hartford, and
Watertown. The first general court was held at Hartford, in the year
1636. The province suffered severely from the depredations of the
Pequod Indians, with which tribe a great and decisive battle was
ultimately fought on the river Mystic, in the year 1636.[3] During
this year the towns of Windsor, Hartford, and Wethersfield, met in
convention and formed a Government, electing John Haynes the first
Governor of the colony.

[3] This battle resulted in the destruction of the Pequod tribe.

Its course from this period forward was one of great prosperity. It
stood in the front rank during the war for Independence, and in no case
was ever known to flinch from duty. It ratified the Constitution June
9, 1788. Its present population is 460,147.

At the commencement of the Rebellion, in 1861, its voice was for the
Union and the Government of the Fathers. Its aid in behalf of freedom
has been earnest and efficient.


RHODE ISLAND.

In June, 1636, Roger Williams, an earnest, enthusiastic advocate of
religious liberty in the broadest sense, having been banished by the
Puritans of Massachusetts from that colony, went to what is now known
as Rhode Island, purchased the present site of Providence of the
Narragansett Indians, and founded a colony, of which he was at once
pastor, teacher, and father. He donated land to any whom he thought
worthy, and Providence Plantation, as it was long called, became an
asylum for persecuted Christians of all denominations, especially the
Baptists. The first settlement in Rhode Island proper, was formed
by William Codington, in the year 1636. Up to 1640, the citizens of
Rhode Island made their own laws in general convention. But, in 1644,
Roger Williams, with the aid of Gov. Vane, of Massachusetts, procured
a charter for two settlements, under the name of Rhode Island and
Providence Plantations. The Constitution framed under this charter
was a good one; and lasted until the year 1818. For many years the
legislative assembly of this colony met twice a year.

Rhode Island is distinguished as the smallest State in the Union. It
did noble service in the war for Independence, but did not, for some
reason, adopt the Constitution till the 29th of May, 1790. It has been
a highly prosperous State; is distinguished for its good schools and
large manufactories.

At the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, it stepped nobly forward
in defense of the Government, sending its own Governor to Washington at
the head of a regiment of volunteers. Its population is 174,620.


NEW JERSEY,

At first, formed a part of the Dutch province of New Netherlands.
But soon after the latter came into the hands of the English, the
Territory of New Jersey was transferred to Lord Berkley and Sir George
Carteret, by the Duke of York. The first permanent settlement was
formed at Elizabethtown, in 1664, by emigrants from Long Island. Philip
Carteret arrived in the colony in 1665, and became its first Governor.
The province had very little trouble with the Indians. Many emigrants
from New England and New York soon arrived, and for a series of years
the colony advanced in prosperity. It enjoyed the blessings flowing
from a liberal form of government.

In the year 1685, the Duke of York became the King of England, under
the title of James II, and disregarding his former pledges, assumed,
in 1688, the government of New Jersey, placing it under the control of
Sir Edmund Andros, whom he had already made Governor of New York and
New England. This state of things was terminated by the revolution in
England, but left New Jersey for years in a very precarious condition.
In 1702, its proprietors having resigned their claims, it became a
royal province, and was united to New York. In 1738 it became again
a separate province, and so continued until the Revolution, in which
it took a very active part in favor of liberty. It ratified the
Constitution December 18, 1787. Thenceforward its career has been
a highly prosperous one. Its strength has been put forth to aid in
crushing the great Rebellion. Population 672,075.


DELAWARE.

Gustavus Adolphus, King of Sweden, formed a plan of establishing
colonies in America as early as the year 1626. But as he died on the
field of Leutzen, during the German war in 1633, without carrying
his scheme into effect, his minister took it up, and employed Peter
Minuets, the first Governor of New Netherlands, to carry it into
effect. In 1638, a small Swedish colony arrived under the direction
of Minuets, and settled on Christian Creek, near the present town of
Wilmington. Notwithstanding the remonstrances of the Dutch Government
of New Netherlands, who claimed the territory, the Swedes continued
to extend their settlements from this time until they preëmpted all
the territory from Cape Henlopen to the falls of the Delaware. At this
time the colony was called New Sweden. In 1651, Governor Stuyvesant,
to check the aggressive movements of the Swedes, built a fort near the
present site of New Castle, of which the Swedes afterward obtained
possession by stratagem. Enraged at this movement, the Government of
Holland ordered Stuyvesant to reduce the Swedes to submission, which
he speedily accomplished with six hundred men, in 1655. The province
was soon after annexed to New Netherlands. Delaware was, after it fell
into the hands of the English, included in the grant made to William
Penn, in 1692. It remained attached to Pennsylvania till 1691, when
it was allowed a separate government. It was reunited to Pennsylvania
in 1692. In 1703, it was again separated, having its own legislature,
though the same Governor presided over both colonies. The ancient forms
of the government were preserved through the revolutionary struggle. It
ratified the Constitution December 7, 1787.

Its position, at the commencement of the rebellion of 1861, was
somewhat dubious. It being a northerly slave State, was somewhat
divided as to where its interests lay. It, however, finally came out
somewhat decidedly for the Union, although its entire strength has not
been exerted against the rebellion. Its population is 112,216.


THE CAROLINAS.

In the year 1563, the coast of Carolina was explored, and named after
Charles IX, of France. The first attempt to settle it was made by the
celebrated and accomplished Sir Walter Raleigh, in 1585, twenty-two
years before the settlement of Jamestown, and thirty-five years before
the Puritans landed at Plymouth. This effort failed, on account of the
incapacity of the Governor appointed by Raleigh, and the ill-behavior
of the colonists toward the natives.

The first successful attempt was made sometime between 1640 and 1650,
under the direction of Governor Berkley. The settlement was made in
Albemarle County, by a few Virginia planters. In 1663, a large tract
of land, lying between the 30th and 36th degrees of north latitude,
having the Atlantic Ocean for its eastern boundary, was conveyed by
Charles II, to Lord Clarendon and associates, under whose auspices a
settlement was made near the mouth of Cape Fear River, in the year
1665, by emigrants from Barbadoes. Sir James Yeomans was appointed
Governor. A settlement was made at Port Royal, South Carolina, in
1670; and in 1671, a few persons located at what was then called Old
Charleston, which place was abandoned in 1680, and the foundation of
the present city of Charleston laid, several miles nearer the sea.

All the various settlements here mentioned went under the general name
of Carolina, until 1571, when a division was made, and the northern
and southern portions were called by their distinctive names, North
and South Carolina. These States were the scenes of many revolutionary
tragedies. South Carolina, in particular, although the home of Sumter,
and Marion, and Rutledge, was replete with tories, (royalists) who
spared no efforts to annoy the infant Republic, and play into the hands
of the British Government. South Carolina ratified the Constitution
May 23, 1788, but threatened to break the compact in 1832, and was
only prevented by the stern will of President Jackson. After this the
State did nothing worthy of note until December 20, 1860, when it
seceded from the Union, taking the lead in the great Rebellion. Present
population 703,708.

North Carolina ratified the Constitution November 21, 1789, and seceded
from the Union May 21, 1861. Population 992,622.


PENNSYLVANIA.

The Old Keystone State, and one of the most wealthy and prosperous
in the Union, was settled by the Quakers, under the direction of Wm.
Penn, at Philadelphia, in the year 1682. The founder of this colony
showed himself a philosopher, a philanthropist, a thorough political
economist, at the very commencement of his labors. He put the province
under the government of a Council of Three and a House of Delegates,
chosen by the freemen, who, according to his arrangement, were all
those who acknowledged the existence of one God. He pursued such a
course with the natives as won their confidence and esteem. No Quaker
was ever murdered by an Indian; and to this day the “sons of Wm. Penn”
are everywhere respected by the savage. The treaty Penn made with
the Indians was never violated. In framing the colonial government,
he provided for the largest religious liberty, allowing every one
to worship according to the dictates of his own conscience. Up to
1684, Delaware, as before mentioned, was included in Penn’s grant.
But about this time he procured a new charter, more strictly defining
the rights and limits of Pennsylvania, and Delaware was detached.
For seventy years prosperity smiled upon this colony, during much
of which time Penn was, according to the historian, its governor,
magistrate, preacher and teacher. It was troubled with no Indian wars
till 1754, when Penn’s example and teachings began to be forgotten. The
population, owing to a considerable influx from Sweden, Germany, and
some other countries, began, at a later date, to assume a more varied
aspect; and when the colonies rebelled against the mother country,
Pennsylvania contained sufficient “fighting” material to lend valuable
assistance to the cause of liberty.

She adopted the Constitution December 12th, 1787, since which time her
increase in wealth, and advancement in general improvement has been
almost without a parallel. Her vast coal fields and rich iron mines
constitute a source of eternal wealth. Upon the breaking out of the
rebellion of 1861, her position in favor of the Union was well defined.

Her population is 2,906,115.


GEORGIA.

General James Oglethorpe, and a company of twenty-one others, received,
in the year 1732, from George II, of England, a grant for all the land
between the Savannah and the Altamaha Rivers. In January, 1733, a
company of one hundred and fourteen men, women, and children, arrived
at Charleston, S. C., destined for Georgia. They were kindly treated
by the Charlestonians, and were greatly assisted by them in their
labor of forming a colony. The first laws made for the province by the
twenty-two grantees, prohibited the importation of rum, trade with
the Indians, and the use of negroes. They also provided that lands
should go back to the original owners in case the purchaser had no
male heirs. Although the first, second, and third of these provisions
were undoubtedly wholesome, the fourth was highly objectionable, and
tended very much to retard the progress of the colony. In the year
1740, General Oglethorpe, as commander-in-chief of the forces in
Georgia, at the head of two thousand men, invaded Florida with the
intention of forcibly annexing it to Georgia; but he was soon repelled
from the territory, and returned home bootless. The Spanish, in turn,
with two sail of vessels and three thousand men, invaded Georgia in
1742, and were likewise forced to return home thwarted. The progress
of this colony was for many years very slow; the people manifesting
that indolence and indifference which is still too prominent a
characteristic of Georgians. It was mainly on the side of freedom
during the revolution.

It ratified the Constitution January 9th, 1788. Since the Revolution,
the State has manifested but little life as compared with its sisters,
and its secession from the Union, May 19th, 1861, was followed by
speedy ruin.


VERMONT.

The territory of which this State is composed began to be settled in
the year 1731, but was for some years considered as a part of New
Hampshire. It was also claimed at one time by New York, and a contest
arose between that State and New Hampshire, which was adjusted by the
King of England in a manner by no means satisfactory to the settlers.
The result was a quarrel between Vermont and the Crown, in which the
Green Mountain Boys, led by Col. Ethan Allen, resisted the officers
of justice, as well as the New York militia, who were called out to
sustain them.

The province appears not to have had even a territorial government
until 1777, at which time a convention of delegates met at Westminster,
and declared themselves an independent State, under the name of New
Connecticut. Previous to this time, however, they had rendered material
aid to the Revolution. In May, 1755, Col. Allen, at the head of two
hundred and seventy men, reduced Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point,
and thus became complete masters of Lake Champlain. During the whole
period of the Revolution the State did good service in the cause of
liberty, although it remained independent. Some time subsequent to its
declaration of independence its name was changed to Vermont. As it was
not one of the original States, it did not ratify the Constitution,
but, upon application, was admitted to the Union during the second
session of Congress, in the year 1791. It has been a highly prosperous
State, and added much to the luster of the Union in its palmy days
of peace. It fully sustained its Revolutionary reputation at the
commencement of the Rebellion of 1861. Its population is 315,098.


KENTUCKY

Was settled, in the year 1775, by Daniel Boone and a number of
associates from North Carolina. The trials and adventures of these
hardy pioneers, and especially those of Boone, constitute one of
the most romantic leaves in the history of the West. For over two
years, previous to 1775, Boone was busily employed in surveying
Kentucky, building roads and forts. One of the latter he erected at
Boonesborough; to which place he removed his family, in 1775. Boone
said that his wife and daughter were the first white women who ever
stood on the banks of the Kentucky River. For a number of years after
Boone’s settlement, he and his associates experienced many difficulties
with the natives—Boone’s daughter being at one time captured by
the Indians, though shortly afterward rescued by her father. But,
notwithstanding the difficulties with the savages, the young territory
grew rapidly in population and wealth, and on June 1st, 1792, was
admitted to the Union. Having a fertile soil, and affording excellent
pasturage, she has far outstripped most of her slaveholding sisters in
general improvement.

Her position for some time after the commencement of the Rebellion
was by no means promotive of her prosperity. Owing to her attempt
to observe strict neutrality, she became the scene of many guerrilla
outrages, and has suffered, perhaps, more than any other State during
the struggle.

Her population is 1,115,684.


TENNESSEE.

Was, for some time, a part of North Carolina. It was made a territorial
government in the year 1790, and was admitted into the Union in 1796.
The first permanent white inhabitants of Tennessee went there, in
the year 1775, and built Fort Louden, now in Blount County. They
were, in 1760, attacked by the savages, and two hundred persons were
massacred. But, in 1767, the natives were reduced to submission by
Colonel Grant, and a treaty was made with them, which encouraged
emigration. Settlements were formed on Holston River in 1765, which,
although frequently attacked by the Indians, made very fair progress.
Colonel John Sevier, with the Tennessee militia and a few Virginia
soldiers, gained a decisive victory over the savages, and, from this
time forward, though more or less harassed by the Indians, the progress
of the State, in population and improvement, was rapid. North Carolina
gave up the Territory in 1789, and, in 1790, Congress recognized it
as a separate province. It has great extent of territory, and, up to
1861, was considered as among the greatest of the agricultural States.
At this time, however, it was seduced by the voice of the siren,
Secession, and on the 24th of June, 1861, formally seceded from the
Union. It should be stated, however, in justice to the State, that the
eastern portion of it was generally loyal, and was only dragged out of
the Union by force. It has, since the Rebellion, been readmitted into
the Union.


OHIO.

Ohio was admitted to the Union on the 29th of November, 1802, the
State containing, at the time, 72,000 inhabitants—2,000 more than
was required in order to its admission. It was settled in the spring
of 1788, one year after it, with a vast additional extent of
North-western territory, had been ceded, by Virginia, to the United
States.

The year 1788 was a famous year for emigration. It witnessed the
passage of no less than 20,000 persons down the Ohio River. The company
which settled Ohio consisted of forty persons, under General Rufus
Putnam. They built a stockade fort at Marietta, of sufficient strength
to resist the attacks of the natives, cleared several acres of ground,
and planted a crop. They were joined by twenty additional families in
the autumn. Both these companies were New England people.

For a number of years they were not troubled by the savages, nor
did any of their number trouble the Indians, except in one or two
instances. The earliest settlers of Cincinnati arrived there, about
twenty in number in 1790. Until the year 1795, the attempts made to
settle most parts of Ohio were attended with great difficulties,
on account of Indian wars. Marietta, however, formed an exception
to this rule. After the great victory which General Wayne achieved
over the savages during Washington’s administration, the population
increased rapidly. Unembarrassed by any centralizing or aristocratic
institutions, possessed of the finest natural resources, and vitalized
by an enterprising population, Ohio, after its admission into the
Union, made an advancement of which any State might well be proud. In
population it is the third State in the Union, numbering 2,390,502.

At the breaking out of the Rebellion, Ohio took its position staunchly
for the Union, and has done much during the war for the restoration of
the authority of the Government over the seceded States.


LOUISIANA.

Was ceded by Spain to France in the year 1802, and was bought by the
United States of the latter power, in 1803, at a cost of $15,000,000.
Governor Clayborne took possession of it the same year. It was settled
by the French, at Iberville, in 1699, and was admitted into the Union
April 8th, 1812. It is an important State, in that it holds the keys
of entrance to the mouth of the Mississippi. In the year 1860, nearly
one-half of its population was slave. It seceded from the Union on the
26th of January, 1861. Its population in 1860 was 708,002. It has been
a very forward State in the great Rebellion.


INDIANA.

About the year 1690, a French settlement, the first in Indiana, was
made at Vincennes, that place being within the territory claimed, at
that time, by the French, upon priority of discovery by La Salle.
Indiana was long the residence of various Indian tribes, and the
theater of Indian wars. By the terms of the treaty of the peace of
1763, it, with the rest of the North-western Territory, was ceded to
Great Britain. It was still claimed by the Indians, but, by various
treaties, extensive tracts were obtained for settlement. The Indians,
however, retained possession of many parts of the State up to the year
1812, and to that portion known as the Indian Reserve, even later. It
was erected into a Territory in 1809, and on the 11th of December,
1816, was admitted into the Union. Its population—1,350,428, in the
year 1860—is an indication of its progress. In the matter of education,
Indiana is somewhat behind some of her Western sisters, but her efforts
in behalf of the Government during the great Rebellion shall halo her
future with glory.


MISSISSIPPI.

The territory comprising the present States of Mississippi and Alabama
having been divided, that portion lying next the river was, in 1817,
admitted into the Union as a State, under the name Mississippi, while
the eastern portion was organized as a Territory, and named Alabama.
The whole of this territory was explored, first by Ferdinand De Soto,
and afterward by La Salle. It suffered greatly during the wars of the
Natchez Indians. The Choctaws, for a long time, retained possession
of the northern portion of it, and were, to some extent, civilized.
Mississippi was settled by the French, in 1716, at Natchez. Its
population—791,305—shows fair progress. On the 9th of January, 1861, it
went the way of the seceding States, since which time, its course, like
theirs, has been downward.


ILLINOIS.

This most thriving and prosperous State came into the Union on the 3d
of December, 1818. Until 1809 it was a part of Indiana, at which time
it became a separate territory, and so remained till received into
the Union. This State has been little disturbed by civil divisions or
by Indian wars. Its most serious troubles arose from the appearance,
within its borders, of the Mormons, in 1838, and from attempts made to
curb their irregularities. This singular people, believing themselves
to be ill-treated, assembled to the number of 700, under their leaders,
in a remote part of the State, and proposed fighting for their rights.
But a body of three hundred troops marched against and captured them.
The whole sect was ultimately reduced to submission, and banished
the State. It was explored by La Salle, and settled by the French at
Kaskaskia,[4] in 1720. Its growth has been immense. Its population, in
1860, was 1,711,951. Its history has been one of the most glorious of
the loyal States during the great Rebellion.

[4] Kaskaskia, the first capital of Illinois, is located on Kaskaskia
River, and is the present site of Vandalia.


ALABAMA

Was admitted to the Union on the 14th of December, 1819. It has a deep,
rich soil, and in many places a healthful climate. It remained till
the Revolution a mere hunting-ground of the savages. From the peace
of 1783 to 1802 it was claimed by Georgia, and lands were sold to
settlers and speculators accordingly. In the year 1802, Georgia ceded
all her western territory to the United States for $1,250,000. In 1800,
the present State of Alabama became a part of Mississippi Territory,
from which it was separated when Mississippi became a State. It
was settled, in 1711, at Mobile, by the French, being a part of the
territory explored by La Salle in his Mississippi tour. It formally
seceded from the Union, January 11, 1861.


MAINE.

In the year 1638, the same year in which New Haven was settled,
Ferdinand Gorges procured a charter of the King of England for all
the lands from the borders of New Hampshire, on the south-west, to
Sagadahoc, on the Kennebeck River, on the north-east, under the name
of the Province of Maine. It remained a separate province till 1652,
when it became a part of Massachusetts. Various attempts were made,
between 1785 and 1802 to form it into an independent State; but these
efforts failed. In 1819 a large majority of the people were in favor of
separating from Massachusetts. A convention was called, a Constitution
prepared and adopted, and, in 1820, Maine was received into the Union.
It is, by no means, an agricultural State, but its extensive fisheries
and great lumber trade have greatly enriched it, and its progress in
morality has, perhaps, been superior to that of any other State. It is
the only State in the Union that has an efficient prohibitory liquor
law. It proved itself true to the Government in 1861, and there is no
danger of its ever ceasing to be so.

It was settled in 1625, at Bristol, by the English. Its population is
628,279.


MISSOURI.

This great, though crippled, State was admitted into the Union on the
10th of August, 1821. It, with all the territory then belonging to the
United States, west of the Mississippi, was included in the purchase of
Louisiana, made in 1803. Louisiana afterward was divided into Orleans
Territory, Louisiana proper, and Missouri Territory. In 1819, Missouri
Territory was divided into Arkansas, on the south, and Missouri on the
north; and it was about this time that the latter took the requisite
steps toward framing a State Constitution. It will be remembered that
this is the State, the discussion of the propriety of the admission of
which raised such a storm in Congress in 1820.

Being a border slave State, it was nearly equally divided on the
question of secession in 1861, and thus, like Kentucky, has been
overrun by both Southern and Northern troops during the Rebellion, and
has been the scene of much bloodshed and ruin. It was settled in 1764,
at St. Louis, by the French. Its population is 1,182,012.


FLORIDA.

The Peninsular States, discovered and explored by Ponce de Leon, a
voyager with Columbus, and whose name was suggested to the discoverer
by the abundance and beauty of its wild flora, was, from 1512 to 1819,
with the exception of the interval between 1763 and 1783, a province
of Spain. The first attempt to settle it was made in the year 1565,
at St. Augustine, which is said to be the oldest town in America, by
the Spaniards. This effort was attended with many difficulties, the
colonists contending, for the first few years, alternately with the
horrors of savage warfare and famine, at times being forced to subsist
on roots and acorns. In 1819 it was transferred to the United States
by treaty, which treaty was, after much delay, ratified by Spain, and
with still more delay by the United States. Possession of the colony
was granted the Government in July, 1821. The territory contained, in
1840, a population of 54,477, and on the 3d of March, 1845, became a
State, and was received into the Union. Florida was the theater of the
Seminole war, which cost the United States so much blood and treasure.
It went the way of the seceding States, January 7th, 1861. Florida,
like the Indian’s gun, has “cost more than she has come to.” Her
population in 1860, was 140,425.


ARKANSAS.

This State lies South of Missouri, and was once attached to it. It
has a fine climate and prolific soil. The first settlement of whites
within its limits was made at Arkansas Post, in the year 1685. The
earlier inhabitants were French. Its progress, for many years, was very
slow. It was not till about the year 1829 that the tide of emigration
began to flow from the Atlantic States in that direction. Little Rock,
the early seat of government and the present capital, was laid out
in the year 1820, during which year the first steamboat ascended the
Arkansas River. The boat was eight days in going from New Orleans to
the village of Arkansas—a distance of scarcely one hundred miles above
the mouth of the Arkansas River. The State once contained the remnants
of several powerful tribes of Indians. By a treaty made between the
Cherokees and the United States, the former agreed to give up all
their lands east of the Mississippi River, and to retire to a region
guaranteed to them in the present State of Arkansas.

The State was admitted into the Union on the 15th of June, 1836. It
seceded May 6th, 1861, and has since been the retreat of guerrillas,
and the scene of some sanguinary battles.


MICHIGAN.

Was admitted into the Union January 26th, 1837. It had the requisite
population (60,000) before this, but there were some difficulties
in the way of its admission. In 1837 it contained 200,000; in 1840,
212,267, and in 1850, 851,470. The territory, when first discovered by
the whites, contained a tribe of Indians called Hurons by the French,
and Iroquois by the Indians themselves. Many of them were converted to
Christianity, by the untiring labors of Catholic missionaries, as early
as 1648. It was not, however, till 1670 that the French took possession
of the territory. It was a portion of the extensive tract explored by
the assiduous, daring La Salle. Its progress, while it belonged to the
French, was very slow. It was not until 1763, when, by treaty, it was
ceded to Great Britain, that much was done in the way of civilizing
and improving it. Comparatively little, in fact, was done until 1783,
when the territory was ceded by England to the United States. Until
1800 it was, for purposes of Government, considered a part of the
Great North-western Territory. After Ohio, Indiana, and Illinois had
been severally detached, the remainder, in 1805, became a distinct
territory, the first Governor of which was General Hull, by appointment
of President Jefferson. Michigan suffered much from the war of 1812.
For about two years nearly the whole territory was the theater of
sanguinary conflicts. It was exposed to the barbarity of the enemy and
their Indian allies. Since then, however, its enterprising inhabitants
have brought it up to a degree of improvement which few States of its
age can boast. Its strength was offered the Government in 1861, and it
continues as well as it began. Its population, in 1860, was 749,113.


IOWA.

This State derives its name from the Indians. It was included in the
Louisiana purchase. It was first settled at Dubuque, by the French,
in the year 1686. This settlement, however, does not seem to have
been permanent, nor productive of any real good to the territory. In
1833 Burlington was settled by emigrants from the eastern States. It
formed a part of Missouri from 1804 to 1821, when it was included in
Michigan Territory. It subsequently belonged to Wisconsin Territory. It
was admitted into the Union March 3d, 1845. It is a highly prosperous
State, having a vast extent of rich soil and excellent pasturage.
It is faithful to the Union; placed itself in the front rank at the
commencement of the Rebellion.


TEXAS.

The territory of Texas was explored by Ponce de Leon and La Salle.
After Mexico became independent of Spain, a grant which had been
made to Moses Austin, a native of Connecticut, comprising a large
tract of this province, was confirmed by the new Republic; and, being
transferred by Moses Austin, at his death, to his son, Stephen, was
subsequently enlarged by a further grant. Emigration from the United
States was encouraged, and in 1830 nearly ten thousand Americans
were settled in Texas. The prosperity of these inhabitants excited
the jealousy of Mexico, and under the administration of Santa Anna,
an unjust, oppressive policy was adopted toward Texas. Remonstrance
proving useless, the people of the territory declared themselves
independent. The revolution began in 1835, by a battle at Gonzales, in
which five hundred Texans defeated over one thousand Mexicans. Other
engagements followed, the result of which was the dispersion of the
Mexican army. Santa Anna now redoubled his efforts, and appearing in
March, 1835, with a force of eight thousand men, several bloody battles
followed. On the 21st of April, having under his immediate command one
thousand and five hundred men, he was met by General Sam. Houston,
with eight hundred men, and totally defeated, on the banks of the San
Jacinto. Santa Anna himself was captured the next day in the woods,
when he acknowledged the independence of Texas, though the Mexican
Congress refused to ratify the act. Active hostilities, however, were
now abandoned, and the independence of Texas was acknowledged by the
United States, Great Britain, and other European countries. It was in
this condition of things that Texas was annexed to the United States.
On the 24th of December, 1845, it was admitted into the Union, which
act was ratified by the Texan Legislature, July 4th, 1846. But Mexico,
still regarding Texas as a revolted province, refused to acknowledge
the validity of this measure. The result was a war between Mexico and
the United States, which terminated on the 2d of February, 1848, in a
treaty by which the latter power, in consideration of the payment of a
debt of $3,500,000, due from Mexico to the citizens of Texas, acquired
New Mexico, Texas, and California. The progress of Texas from this time
till the eve of the great Rebellion, was almost unprecedented, no less
than twenty-five thousand Germans having emigrated to that State in
five years’ time. These, however, owing to the jealousy aroused against
them by their having demonstrated the superiority of free labor,
even in a slave State, were obliged to migrate to Mexico in the year
1860. By this and other oppressive acts on the part of the advocates
of slavery, Texas, purchased by the blood and treasure of the United
States, was driven into the whirlpool of secession, March 4th, 1861.
Its population, in 1860, was 604,215. The first settlement within its
borders was made by the Spaniards, at St. Antonia de Bexar, in 1690.


WISCONSIN.

Was admitted into the Union May 29th, 1848. It was a part of the
extensive territory ceded by France to Great Britain in the treaty of
1763. At the close of the Revolution it was given up by Great Britain
to the United States. It was erected into a territory in 1836, the
portion now forming the State of Iowa being detached in 1838. Its
natural resources are extraordinary, the climate being very healthful,
and the soil unsurpassed in fertility. It was settled in the year 1669,
at Green Bay, by the French. It is thoroughly loyal to the Union. In
1860, it had a population of 775,881.


MINNESOTA.

Lies north of Iowa, and extends to the Canadian boundary. On the
north-east it touches Lake Superior, and, to the west, is bounded by
Dakotah Territory. It comprises the head waters of the Mississippi,
and abounds in rivers and lakes, teeming with fish. Its soil is highly
prolific, and its forests are among the finest in the world. Its name
is derived from Minnisotah, the Indian name of St. Peter’s River.
Primarily discovered by La Salle, it, for some years, belonged to the
French, and at a very early period was traversed by their traders and
soldiers. It was ceded to Great Britain by the treaty of 1763, and
to the United States at the peace of 1783. It received a territorial
government in 1849, and was admitted into the Union in May, 1858. It
has still, within its borders, several bands of the Chippewas, with
whom considerable trouble has been experienced since the breaking out
of the rebellion. It is, however, a thrifty, growing State, and is
thoroughly loyal. It was settled in 1846, at St. Paul, by emigrants
from the eastern States.


OREGON.

Was admitted into the Union in the year 1859. It, primarily, included
Washington Territory, and, with the latter, comprised the extensive
tract lying between the British Possessions, on the north, and
California, on the south; the Rocky Mountains, on the east, and the
Pacific Ocean, on the west. The coasts of this region were discovered
by the Spaniards in the 16th century. In 1792, Capt. Grey, of Boston,
discovered and entered the Columbia River, and thus the United States
acquired the right of sovereignty over the territory. The exploration
of the country from the Missouri to the Columbia, by Lewis and Clark,
government appointees, in 1804-5-6, strengthened this claim. The
British, however, laid claim to the northern part of the territory,
which gave rise to a threatening dispute between Great Britain and
the United States. But the difficulty was adjusted by a treaty in
1846, establishing the boundary of 49°, north latitude. The State
still contains the Flathead, Pend Oreille, Spokane, Shoshane, and
other tribes of Indians, who are, for the most part, in the savage
state, though the Christian missionaries have done much in the way of
civilizing a portion of them. The furs of this region, those of the
badger, beaver, bear, fisher-fox, lynx, martin, mink, muskrat, etc.,
have long been a great source of revenue.

The American fur companies established trading posts in Oregon at an
early period, that of Astoria being founded in 1810, under the auspices
of the late John Jacob Astor, of New York. It was settled, at Astoria,
by emigrants from the Eastern States, in the year 1811. Its population
amounted to 52,465 in 1860.


KANSAS.

About the development of this young State cluster some of the most
important events of American history. Its territorial organization,
by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, in 1854, reopened the
agitation of the slavery question, which seeming to have acquired fresh
vigor and virulence from the sleep it had enjoyed under the Missouri
Compromise, thoroughly aroused the old animosities between the pro
and antislavery elements of our national politics. From 1854 to 1857
it was the theater of political tragedies, the bare mention of which
may well put the blush of shame upon even the most fool-hardy partisan;
and the historian has well said that these dire afflictions might have
been expected when the bill organizing Kansas Territory was passed.
No sooner was it decided that this territory was open alike to the
abolitionist and the slave-holder, than the Emigrant Aid Societies
of New England and the pro-slavery organizations of the South began
pouring streams of settlers into it of opposite political views,
entertaining the most hostile feelings, each party toward the other;
and, as the legitimate result, came a civil war, which lasted about
two years, and which, in some of its incidents would have shamed even
savages.

The Territory made application to Congress, in 1857, for a place in
the Union, but the Constitution under which it asked admission (the
one framed at Lecompton) was known to be a fraudulent affair, and
hence Kansas was rejected. The discussion of this Constitution caused
a permanent division of the Democratic party. The Constitution was
rejected by the people of Kansas by a majority of 10,000. Kansas
was, however received into the Union, in 1861, under a free State
Constitution, formed at Topeka.


CALIFORNIA.

Was admitted into the Union on the 7th of September, 1850. The alarming
discussion which occurred upon the question of admission was what gave
rise to the compromise measures of 1850, popularly styled the _Omnibus
Bill_. The measures are presented in detail in another part of this
work.

General Fremont, with a small but dauntless band of rangers, conquered
California in 1846, having defeated, on frequent occasions, vastly
superior forces of Mexicans. Its resources as a farming country early
attracted attention. But when, in February, 1848, it was published
that gold in quantities had been found on a branch of the Sacramento,
the swarm of emigrants which rushed in, comprising representatives
from every State in the Union, and from nearly all the nations of
Europe, was almost incalculable. From a small village, San Francisco
was rapidly inflated to a large city. In many places towns sprang up
like mushrooms. Owing to the fact that its population had been thrown
hastily together, from so many places, and in consequence of the want
of a government, California was, for some time, the scene of many dark
crimes and hideous outrages. Never was the want of wholesome legal
restraint more keenly felt than here. The Constitution of California
was framed by a convention of delegates in 1849. It took a firm stand
for the Union in 1861. The first settlement, within its limits, was
made at San Diego, by the Spanish, in 1764. It furnishes annually to
the Government, seventy to eighty millions of dollars in gold.


WEST VIRGINIA.

On Virginia’s passing the ordinance of secession, mass meetings were
immediately held in West Virginia, to take into consideration the best
means of preserving their allegiance to the United States. A convention
of nearly five hundred delegates assembled there early in May, 1861,
which declared the ordinance of secession to be null and void, and
elected delegates to a general convention, to meet at Wheeling, to
devise such measures as the welfare of the people might demand. On the
20th of August, 1861, the convention passed an ordinance to provide
for the formation of a new State out of a portion of the territory of
Virginia. In compliance with its provisions, delegates were elected
to a constitutional convention, which assembled at Wheeling, November
26, 1861, which proceeded to draft a Constitution, which was submitted
to the people on the first Thursday of April, 1862. The vote in favor
was 18,862; that against 514. On the 31st of December, 1862, Congress
passed an act admitting West Virginia into the Union on an equal
footing with the original States, in all respects whatever, allowing
them three members in the House of Representatives of the United
States. On the 1st of November, 1862, the State had furnished to the
Federal Army nearly 20,000 men.


NEVADA.

This Territory having formed a State Constitution, under an enabling
act previously passed by Congress, was admitted as a member of the
Federal Union, on an equal footing with the original States. The
State convention was held at so late a period of the year, that it
was necessary to telegraph the Constitution to Washington, in order
that it might be received there in time to secure the admission of
the State previous to the Presidential election. Immediately upon its
reception, President Lincoln issued a proclamation, dated October
31st, A. D. 1864, in which he “declared and proclaimed that the said
State of Nevada is admitted into the Union, on an equal footing with
the original States,” etc. The vote of the State at the Presidential
election, in 1864, was 16,420—of which Mr. Lincoln received 9,826,
and General McClellan 6,594. Majority for Mr. Lincoln, 3,232. This
new State is probably the richest in the Union in respect to mineral
resources. No region in the world is richer in argentiferous leads.
Her silver mines are her great source of wealth. The Washoe region
maintains the preëminence in these mineral resources.


NEBRASKA.

Nebraska was organized into a Territory in 1850. The first settlers
were Americans. In the last few years it has increased in wealth
and population more rapidly than any of the adjoining States or
Territories. Probably the chief cause of this has been occasioned by
the Pacific Railroad passing directly through the State from east to
west. It is impossible, at the present time, to estimate the advantage
it will be to the State in developing its resources. The value of its
minerals in the western portion of the State is incalculable. It has
fair prospects of becoming one of the richest mineral and agricultural
States in the Union. Omaha, the capital, is a city of considerable
commercial importance, being located at the junction of the Missouri
River and the Pacific Railroad. In 1866, the Territory applied for
admission into the Union, but, on account of the word “white” being
used in its Constitution, it was rejected. The word was then stricken
out, after which it was admitted, February, 1867—the bill for admission
having been passed over the President’s veto.

[Illustration: MARTIN VAN BUREN.]




GEORGE WASHINGTON,

THE FIRST PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.


The most exemplary character, perhaps, that ever adorned any era in
history, and who received in his life-time the noble appellations of
“the Founder of a Republic,” and “the Father of his Country,” was
born in the county of Westmoreland, Virginia, on the 22d of February,
1732. His early instruction was domestic and scanty, but full of good
discipline and sound principles; and as his father died when he was
only ten years old, he had no subsequent opportunities for acquiring
a thorough literary or scientific education. However, as his mind
was naturally mathematical and philosophical, he prepared himself
to be useful to his fellow-citizens as a civil engineer; and as the
country was wild, and much of it then unsurveyed, he occasionally
found agreeable and profitable employment in surveying different parts
of his native State. He also directed much of his attention to the
science of arms, in the use of which every young man was instructed,
in order to repel the incursions of the Indians, who were often led on
by skillful Frenchmen. At the age of nineteen, he was appointed one of
the adjutant-generals of Virginia, which gave him the rank of major,
and soon after he was advanced to a colonelcy, and sent by Governor
Dinwiddie to the Ohio with dispatches to the French commander, who was
erecting fortifications from Canada to New Orleans, in violation of
existing treaties. The Governor was so much pleased with the faithful
discharge of this duty, that he ordered his journal, which extended
to only eighty days, to be printed; but, small as it was, it afforded
evidence of great sagacity, fortitude, and a sound judgment, and firmly
laid the foundation of his future fame.

In the spring of 1755, Washington was persuaded to accompany General
Braddock as an aid, with the rank of Colonel, in his disastrous
expedition against Fort Du Quesne; and had his advice been followed on
that occasion, the result would have been different.

                   ELECTORAL VOTES FOR
    PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.

_Election for the First Term, commencing March 4, 1789, and terminating
March 3, 1793._

      ===+====================+====+====+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+===
         |                    |    |    |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
       A |     STATES.        |  B | C  | D| E| F| G| H| J| K| L| M| N
         |                    |    |    |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
      ---+--------------------+----+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+---
       5 | New Hampshire      |  5 |  5 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
      10 | Massachusetts      | 10 | 10 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
       7 | Connecticut        |  7 |  5 | 2|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
       6 | New Jersey         |  6 |  1 |  | 5|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
      10 | Pennsylvania       | 10 |  8 |  |  | 2|  |  |  |  |  |  |
       3 | Delaware           |  3 |    |  | 3|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
       6 | Maryland           |  6 |    |  |  |  | 6|  |  |  |  |  |
      10 | Virginia           | 10 |  5 |  | 1| 1|  | 3|  |  |  |  |
       7 | South Carolina     |  7 |    |  |  | 1|  |  | 6|  |  |  |
       5 | Georgia            |  5 |    |  |  |  |  |  |  | 2| 1| 1| 1
     ----+--------------------+----+----+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+----
      69 | Whole No. Electors | 69 | 34 | 2| 9| 4| 6| 3| 6| 2| 1| 1| 1
         | Majority        35 |    |    |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
     ====+====================+====+====+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+==+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
      (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
      (B) = George Washington, of Virginia.
      (C) = John Adams, of Massachusetts.
      (D) = Samuel Huntington, of Connecticut.
      (E) = John Jay, of New York.
      (F) = John Hancock, of Massachusetts.
      (G) = F R. H. Harrison, Maryland.
      (H) = George Clinton, of New York.
      (J) = John Rutledge, of South Carolina.
      (K) = John Milton, of Georgia.
      (L) = James Armstrong, of Georgia.
      (M) = Edward Telfair, of Georgia.
      (N) = Benjamin Lincoln, of Massachusetts.

The first Congress under the Constitution was convened at the “Federal
Hall,” situated at the head of Broad, fronting on Wall street, (where
the Custom House now stands,) in the city of New York, on the first
Wednesday, being March 4, 1789—Senators and Representatives having been
elected from the eleven States which had ratified the Constitution;
but, owing to the absence of a quorum, the House was not organized till
the 1st of April, and, for a like reason, the Senate was not organized
till the 6th; when the latter body “proceeded by ballot to the choice
of a President, for the sole purpose of opening and counting the
[electoral] votes for President of the United States.” John Langdon,
of New Hampshire, was chosen President _pro tem._ of the Senate, and
Samuel Alyne Otis, of Massachusetts, Secretary; after which, proper
measures were taken to notify the successful individuals of their
election.

George Washington took the oath of office, as President, and entered
upon his duties April 30, 1789.

(For his Inaugural Address, see p. 41.)

John Adams, Vice-President, entered upon his duties in the Senate April
21, 1789, and took the oath of office June 3, 1789.

_Election for the Second Term, commencing March 4, 1793, and
terminating March 3, 1797._

      ===+=========================+=====+=====+=====+=====+===
         |                         |     |     |     |     |
       A |                         |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  | F
         |                         |     |     |     |     |
         |          STATES.        |     |     |     |     |
      ---+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+---
       6 | New Hampshire           |   6 |   6 |     |     |
      16 | Massachusetts           |  16 |  16 |     |     |
       4 | Rhode Island            |   4 |   4 |     |     |
       9 | Connecticut             |   9 |   9 |     |     |
       3 | Vermont                 |   3 |   3 |     |     |
      12 | New York                |  12 |     |  12 |     |
       7 | New Jersey              |   7 |   7 |     |     |
      15 | Pennsylvania            |  15 |  14 |   1 |     |
       3 | Delaware                |   3 |   3 |     |     |
       8 | Maryland                |   8 |   8 |     |     |
      21 | Virginia                |  21 |     |  21 |     |
       4 | Kentucky                |   4 |     |     |   4 |
      12 | North Carolina          |  12 |     |  12 |     |
       8 | South Carolina          |   8 |   7 |     |     | 1
       4 | Georgia                 |   4 |     |   4 |     |
     ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+---
     132 | Whole No. of Electors   | 132 |  77 |  50 |   4 | 1
         | Majority             67 |     |     |     |     |
      ===+=========================+=====+=====+=====+====+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
      (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
      (B) = George Washington, of Virginia.
      (C) = John Adams, of Massachusetts.
      (D) = George Clinton, of New York.
      (E) = Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia.
      (F) = Aaron Burr, of New York.

George Washington, re-elected President, took the oath of office for a
second term, and entered upon his duties March 4, 1793.

John Adams, re-elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties in the Senate December 2, 1793.

After the expiration of his second Presidential term, Washington
retired to the tranquil shades of Mount Vernon, fondly indulging the
hope that the remainder of his days would be peacefully enjoyed in his
much cherished home; but these pleasing anticipations were not allowed
to remain long undisturbed. In 1798 the conduct of the French Directory
and its emissaries led to frequent difficulties with this country,
which were calculated to provoke a war; and the opinion was universally
entertained that he who had formerly so well acquitted himself, must
be again called to the command of our armies. Accordingly, early in
July, the rank and title of “Lieutenant-General and Commander-in-Chief
of all the armies raised, or to be raised, in the United States,” was
conferred upon him; and the Secretary of War, Mr. McHenry, immediately
waited upon him to tender the commission. In a letter to President
Adams, accepting this “new proof of public confidence”, he makes a
reservation that he shall not be called into the field until the army
is in a situation to require his presence, and adds: “I take the
liberty also to mention, that I must decline having my acceptance
considered as drawing after it any immediate charge upon the public,
and that I cannot receive any emoluments annexed to the appointment,
before entering into a situation to incur expense.”

Three years afterward (1758) Washington commanded the Virginians in
another expedition against the fort, which terminated successfully. At
the close of this campaign he left the army, and was soon after married
to Mrs. Martha Custis (the widow of Colonel Daniel Parke Custis), whose
maiden name was Dandridge, and whose intelligent and patriotic conduct,
as wife and widow, will ever be gratefully remembered in American
annals.

In 1759, he was elected to the House of Burgesses, and continued to
be returned to that body, with the exception of occasional intervals,
until 1774, when he was sent to represent Virginia in the Continental
Congress. His well-tempered zeal and military skill, which enabled him
to suggest the most proper means for national defense, if the country
were urged to extremities, soon fixed all eyes upon him, as one well
qualified to direct in the hour of peril; and accordingly, after the
first scene of the revolutionary drama was opened at Lexington and
Concord, and an army had concentrated at Cambridge, he was, on the 15th
of June, 1775, unanimously appointed Commander-in-Chief of the American
forces. The self-sacrificing spirit which governed his future course is
too well known to require any elucidation.

After bringing the war to a successful termination, he hastened to
Annapolis, where Congress was then in session, and on the 23d of
December, 1783, formally resigned his commission.

In May, 1787, he was elected to the Convention which met at
Philadelphia for the purpose of forming a Constitution, and was at once
called upon to preside over its deliberations. After that admirable
instrument was adopted by the people, he was unanimously elected the
first President of the United States for four years; at the expiration
of which he was unanimously reëlected for a second term.

On the 12th of December, 1799, he was seized with an inflammation in
the throat, which grew worse the next day, and terminated his life on
the 14th, in the 68th year of his age.




JOHN ADAMS,

THE SECOND PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


And whose fame as a patriot and statesman is imperishable, was born
at Braintree, Massachusetts, October 19, 1735. He early displayed
superior capacity for learning, and graduated at Cambridge College with
great credit. After qualifying himself for the legal profession, he
was admitted to practice in 1761, and soon attained that distinction
to which his talents were entitled. From the commencement of the
troubles with Great Britain, in 1769, he was among the most active
in securing the freedom of his country. Being elected to the first
Continental Congress, he took a prominent part in all the war measures
that were then originated, and, subsequently, suggested the appointment
of Washington as commander-in-chief of the army. He was one of the
committee which reported the Declaration of Independence, in 1776, and
the next year visited France, as commissioner, to form a treaty of
alliance and commerce with that country. Although the object had been
accomplished before his arrival, his visit had, otherwise, a favorable
effect on the existing position of affairs; and he was afterward
appointed to negotiate a treaty of peace with Great Britain, which,
after many laborious and fruitless efforts, was finally accomplished
in 1783. In 1785, he was sent to England as the first minister from
this country, and, on his return, was elected first Vice-President, in
which office he served two terms, and was then, in 1797, elected to
succeed Washington as President. Many occurrences tended to embarrass
his administration and to render it unpopular; but it is now generally
admitted to have been characterized by patriotism and vigor equal
to the emergencies which then existed. His political opponents,
however, managed to defeat his reëlection, and he was succeeded in
the Presidency by Mr. Jefferson, in 1801; after which he retired to
his farm at Quincy, where his declining years were passed in the
gratification of his unabated love for reading and contemplation,
and where he was constantly cheered by an interesting circle of
friendship and affection. The semi-centennial anniversary of American
Independence (July 4, 1826) was remarkable, not merely for the event
which it commemorated, but for the decease of two of the most active
participants in the measures by which independence was achieved. On
that day, Adams and Jefferson were both gathered to their fathers,
within about four hours of each other, “cheered by the benediction of
their country, to whom they left the inheritance of their fame and the
memory of their bright example.”

_Election for the Third Term, commencing March 4, 1797, and terminating
March 3, 1801._

    ===+================+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+==+==+==
       |                |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
     A |                |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
       |    STATES.     | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | J | K | L | M| N| O
    ---+----------------+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+--
     6 |New Hampshire   | 6 |   |   |   |   |  6|   |   |   |   |  |  |
    16 |Massachusetts   |16 |   | 13|   |   |  1|   |   |  2|   |  |  |
     4 |Rhode Island    | 4 |   |   |   |   |  4|   |   |   |   |  |  |
     9 |Connecticut     | 9 |   |  4|   |   |   |  5|   |   |   |  |  |
     4 |Vermont         | 4 |   |  4|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
    12 |New York        |12 |   | 12|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
     7 |New Jersey      | 7 |   |  7|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
    15 |Pennsylvania    | 1 | 14|  2| 13|   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
     3 |Delaware        | 3 |   |  3|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
    11 |Maryland        | 7 |  4|  4|  3|   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  | 2
    21 |Virginia        | 1 | 20|  1|  1| 15|   |   |  3|   |   | 1|  |
     4 |Kentucky        |   |  4|   |  4|   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
    12 |North Carolina  | 1 | 11|  1|  6|   |   |   |   |   |  3| 1|  |
     8 |South Carolina  |   |  8|  8|   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  | 1|
     4 |Georgia         |   |  4|   |   |   |   |   |  4|   |   |  |  |
     3 |Tennessee       |   |  3|   |  3|   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
    ---|----------------+---+---+---+-------+---+---+---+---+---+--+--+--
    139|No. of Electors.| 71| 68| 59| 30| 15| 11|  5|  7|  2|  3| 2| 1| 2
       |Majority     70 |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |  |  |
    ===+================+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+===+==+==+==

       COLUMN HEADINGS:
         (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
         (B) = John Adams, of Massachusetts.
         (C) = Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia.
         (D) = Thos. Pinckney, of South Carolina.
         (E) = Aaron Burr, of New York.
         (F) = Samuel Adams, of Massachusetts.
         (G) = Oliver Ellsworth, of Connecticut.
         (H) = John Jay, of New York.
         (J) = George Clinton, of New York.
         (K) = S. Johnston, of North Carolina.
         (L) = James Iredell, of North Carolina.
         (M) = Geo. Washington, of Virginia.
         (N) = C. C. Pinckney, of South Carolina.
         (O) = John Henry, of Maryland.

John Adams, elected President, took the oath of office, and entered
upon his duties, March 4, 1797.

Thomas Jefferson, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties in the Senate, March 4, 1797.

The administration of Mr. Adams encountered the most virulent
opposition, both domestic and foreign. France, still in the confusion
following her revolution, made improper demands on our country, which
not being complied with, she commenced seizing American property on
the high seas. Our people, taking different sides, were about equally
divided—some approving and others deprecating the course pursued by
France. Letters of marque and reprisal were issued by our government,
and a navy was raised with surprising promptitude. This had the desired
effect, peace being thereby secured; and the aggressor was taught that
the Americans were friends in peace, but were not fearful of war when
it could not be honorably averted.

The Indians on our western frontiers also caused much trouble; but at
length, being severely chastised by General Wayne, they sued for peace,
which was granted in 1795.

In 1800 the seat of government was removed from Philadelphia to
Washington City, which had been designated by Washington, under a law
of Congress, as the most central situation.

As has been noticed elsewhere, Mr. Adams deemed it prudent, in the
early part of his administration, when impending difficulties with
France seemed to render war inevitable, to offer Washington the
commission of Lieutenant-General and Commander-in-Chief of the army,
which he accepted as a matter of duty, and held until his death, but
fortunately never found it necessary to take the field.




THOMAS JEFFERSON,

THE THIRD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born at Shadwell, Albemarle County, Virginia (near Monticello, the
seat where he died), April 13, 1743. He was educated at William and
Mary’s College, and graduated with distinction when quite young. He
was a great lover of learning, and particularly of natural philosophy.
With the celebrated George Wythe, he commenced the study of the law,
and became a favorite pupil. Mr. Jefferson was never distinguished as
an advocate, but was considered a good lawyer. Soon after he came to
the bar he was elected a member of the House of Burgesses, and, in that
body, was duly appreciated for his learning and aptitude for business.
He at once took fire at British oppression, and, in 1774, he employed
his pen in discussing the whole course of the British ministry. The
work was admired, and made a text book by his countrymen. In June,
1775, he took his seat in the Continental Congress, from Virginia.
In that body he soon became conspicuous, and was considered a firm
friend of American liberty. In 1776, he was chosen chairman of the
committee that drafted the Declaration of Independence. This instrument
is nearly all his own, and was sanctioned by his coadjutors, with
few alterations. In 1778, Mr. Jefferson was appointed embassador to
France, to form a treaty with that government, but ill-health prevented
his accepting this office. He succeeded Patrick Henry, in 1779, as
Governor of Virginia, and continued in that station two years. In 1781
he composed his notes on Virginia. In 1783 he was sent to France to
join the ministers of our country, Mr. Adams and Dr. Franklin. In 1785
he succeeded Dr. Franklin as embassador, and continued performing the
duties of that office for two years, when he retired, and returned
home. In 1789 he was made Secretary of State, under Washington, in
which situation he was highly distinguished for his talents. This
station he resigned in 1793, and retired to private life. In 1797 he
was elected Vice-President of the United States, and took his seat as
President of the Senate, on the following 4th of March. In 1801, he
was President of the United States, which office he held for eight
years. After completing his second term, he retired to private life,
in which he spent his days in philosophical pursuits, until the 4th
of July, 1826, when he expired, just fifty years after penning the
Declaration of Independence. His course was one of his own. Never lived
there a politician who did more than Thomas Jefferson to bring his
fellow-citizens to his own opinions.

_Election for the Fourth Term, commencing March 4, 1801, and
terminating March 3, 1805._

    ====+===================+=====+=====+=====+=====+====
     A  |    STATES.        |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  |  F
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----
      6 | New Hampshire     |     |     |   6 |   6 |
     16 | Massachusetts     |     |     |  16 |  16 |
      4 | Rhode Island      |     |     |   4 |   3 |  1
      9 | Connecticut       |     |     |   9 |   9 |
      4 | Vermont           |     |     |   4 |   4 |
     12 | New York          |  12 |  12 |     |     |
      7 | New Jersey        |     |     |   7 |   7 |
     15 | Pennsylvania      |   8 |   8 |   7 |   7 |
      3 | Delaware          |     |     |   3 |   3 |
     10 | Maryland          |   5 |   5 |   5 |   5 |
     21 | Virginia          |  21 |  21 |     |     |
      4 | Kentucky          |   4 |   4 |     |     |
     12 | North Carolina    |   8 |   8 |   4 |   4 |
      3 | Tennessee         |   3 |   3 |     |     |
      8 | South Carolina    |   8 |   8 |     |     |
      4 | Georgia           |   4 |   4 |     |     |
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----
    138 | No. of Electors   |  73 |  73 |  65 |  64 |  1
        | Majority       70 |     |     |     |     |
    ====+===================+=====+=====+=====+=====+====

      COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia.
        (C) = Aaron Burr, of New York.
        (D) = John Adams, of Massachusetts.
        (E) = C. C. Pinckney, of South Carolina.
        (F) = John Jay, of New York.

The electoral vote for Thos. Jefferson and Aaron Burr being equal, no
choice was made by the people, and on the 11th of February, 1801, the
House of Representatives proceeded to the choice of President in the
manner prescribed by the Constitution. On the first ballot eight States
voted for Thos. Jefferson, six for Aaron Burr, and the votes of two
States were divided. The balloting continued till the 17th of February,
when the thirty-fifth ballot, as had all previously, resulted the same
as the first. After the thirty-sixth ballot, the Speaker declared that
the votes of ten States had been given for Thos. Jefferson, the votes
of four States for Aaron Burr, and the votes of two States in blank;
and that, consequently, Thomas Jefferson had been elected for the term
of four years.

Thomas Jefferson, thus elected President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties, March 4, 1801.

In his inaugural address, Mr. Jefferson used the following memorable
expression: “We have called by different names brethren of the same
principle. We are all republicans: we are all federalists. If there
be any among us who would wish to dissolve this Union, or to change
its republican form, let them stand, undisturbed, as monuments of the
safety with which ERROR OF OPINION MAY BE TOLERATED, WHERE REASON IS
LEFT FREE TO COMBAT IT.”

Aaron Burr, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties in the Senate, March 4, 1801.

_Election for the Fifth Term, commencing March 4, 1805, and terminating
March 3, 1809._

    ====+=========================+===========+===========
        |                         | PRESID’T. | V. PRES’T.
      A |       STATES.           +-----+-----+-----+-----
        |                         |  A  |  B  |  C  |  D
    ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
      7 | New Hampshire           |   7 |     |   7 |
     19 | Massachusetts           |  19 |     |  19 |
      4 | Rhode Island            |   4 |     |   4 |
      9 | Connecticut             |     |   9 |     |   9
      6 | Vermont                 |   6 |     |   6 |
     19 | New York                |  19 |     |  19 |
      8 | New Jersey              |   8 |     |   8 |
     20 | Pennsylvania            |  20 |     |  20 |
      3 | Delaware                |     |   3 |     |   3
     11 | Maryland                |   9 |   2 |   9 |   2
     24 | Virginia                |  24 |     |  24 |
     14 | North Carolina          |  14 |     |  14 |
     10 | South Carolina          |  10 |     |  10 |
      6 | Georgia                 |   6 |     |   6 |
      5 | Tennessee               |   5 |     |   5 |
      8 | Kentucky                |   8 |     |   8 |
      3 | Ohio                    |   3 |     |   3 |
    ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
    176 | Whole No. of Electors   | 162 |  14 | 162 | 14
        | Majority             89 |     |     |     |
    ====+=========================+=====+=====+=====+=====

      COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Thomas Jefferson, of Virginia.
        (C) = Charles C. Pinckney, of South Carolina.
        (D) = George Clinton, of New York.
        (E) = Rufus King, of New York.

Thomas Jefferson, elected President, took the oath of office for a
second term, and entered upon his duties March 4, 1805.

George Clinton, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties in the Senate, March 4, 1805.

Among the most important acts of Mr. Jefferson’s administration was the
purchase of Louisiana from France for $15,000,000, which territory was
surrendered to our Government in December, 1803.

In November, 1808, the celebrated “ORDERS IN COUNCIL” were issued
by the British Government, which prohibited all trade with France
and her allies; and, as a retaliatory measure, in December following
Bonaparte issued his “MILAN DECREE,” interdicting all trade with
England and her colonies—thus subjecting almost every American vessel
on the ocean to capture. In requital for these tyrannous proceedings,
and that England and France might both feel their injustice, Congress
decreed an embargo; but as this failed to obtain from either power an
acknowledgment of our rights, and was also ruinous to our commerce with
other nations, it was repealed in March, 1809.




JAMES MADISON,

THE FOURTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born in Orange County, Virginia, March 16, 1751. His studies,
preparatory to entering Princeton College, were pursued under the most
favorable circumstances, he being provided with the most accomplished
instructors, and he graduated with high honor in 1771. On returning
to Virginia, he zealously commenced the study of the law, which he
subsequently abandoned for political life.

In 1776, he was elected to the General Assembly of Virginia, and from
this period, for more than forty years, he was continually in office,
serving his State and his country in various capacities, from that of a
State Legislator to that of President.

In 1778, he was elected by the Legislature to the executive council
of the State, where he rendered important aid to Henry and Jefferson,
Governors of Virginia, during the time he held a seat in the council;
and by his probity of character, faithfulness in the discharge of duty,
and amiableness of deportment, he won the approbation of these great
men. In the winter of 1779-80, he took his seat in the Continental
Congress, and became immediately an active and leading member, as the
journal of that body abundantly testifies.

In 1784-5-6, he was a member of the Legislature of Virginia. In
1787, he became a member of the Convention held in Philadelphia, for
the purpose of preparing a Constitution for the Government of the
United States. Perhaps no member of that body had more to do with the
formation of that noble instrument, the Constitution of the United
States of America, than Mr. Madison.

It was during the recess between the proposition of the Constitution
by the Convention of 1787, and its adoption by the States, that that
celebrated work, “The Federalist,” made its appearance. This is known
to be the joint production of Alexander Hamilton, John Jay, and James
Madison. The same year he was elected to Congress, and held his seat
until the Continental Congress passed away among the things that were.
He was a member of the State Convention of Virginia which met to adopt
the Constitution, and on the establishment of the new Congress under
the Constitution, he was chosen a member, retaining his seat until the
close of Washington’s administration.

In 1801, as one of the presidential electors, he had the gratification
of voting for his illustrious friend Jefferson, who immediately
offered him a place in his cabinet, which was accepted. Accordingly,
he entered on the discharge of his duties as Secretary of State, which
duties he continued to perform during the whole of Mr. Jefferson’s
administration, and on the retirement of that great statesman, in 1809,
he succeeded to the Presidency, in which office he served two terms.

Mr. Madison then retired to his peaceful home in Virginia, where he
passed the remainder of his days in favorite pastimes, loved by the
many and respected by all, until the 28th of June, 1826, when the
last survivor of the framers of our Constitution was gathered to his
fathers, full of years and glory.

_Election for the Sixth Term, commencing March 4, 1809, and terminating
March 3, 1813._

    ===+=========================+==============+=======================
       |                         |  PRESIDENT.  |    VICE-PRESIDENT.
     A |      STATES.            +----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---
       |                         | B  |  C |  D |  E |  F |  G |  H | J
    ---+-------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---
      7| New Hampshire           |    |    |  7 |    |    |    |    |  7
     19| Massachusetts           |    |    | 19 |    |    |    |    | 19
      4| Rhode Island            |    |    |  4 |    |    |    |    |  4
      9| Connecticut             |    |    |  9 |    |    |    |    |  9
      6| Vermont                 |  6 |    |    |    |    |    |  6 |
     19| New York                | 13 |  6 |    | 13 |  3 |  3 |    |
      8| New Jersey              |  8 |    |    |  8 |    |    |    |
     20| Pennsylvania            | 20 |    |    | 20 |    |    |    |
      3| Delaware                |    |    |  3 |    |    |    |    |  3
     11| Maryland                |  9 |    |  2 |  9 |    |    |    |  2
     24| Virginia                | 24 |    |    | 24 |    |    |    |
     14| North Carolina          | 11 |    |  3 | 11 |    |    |    |  3
     10| South Carolina          | 10 |    |    | 10 |    |    |    |
      6| Georgia                 |  6 |    |    |  6 |    |    |    |
      7| Kentucky                |  7 |    |    |  7 |    |    |    |
      5| Tennessee               |  5 |    |    |  5 |    |    |    |
      3| Ohio                    |  3 |    |    |    |    |    |  3 |
    ---+-------------------------+----+----+----+----+----+----+----+---
    175| Whole No. of Electors   |122 |  6 | 47 |113 |  3 |  3 |  9 | 47
       | Majority             88 |    |    |    |    |    |    |    |
    ====================================================================

      COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = James Madison, of Virginia.
        (C) = George Clinton, of New York.
        (D) = C. C. Pinckney, of South Carolina.
        (E) = George Clinton, of New York.
        (F) = James Madison, of Virginia.
        (G) = James Monroe, of Virginia.
        (H) = John Langdon, of New Hampshire.
        (J) = Rufus King, of New York.

James Madison took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon
his duties March 4, 1809.

George Clinton, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and
attended in the Senate, March 4, 1809.

Our national position, especially in regard to England and France,
was certainly a very perplexing one when Mr. Madison came to the
Presidency. We were not only threatened by enemies abroad, but were
harassed by a savage foe on our western frontier, probably urged on by
British influence, and led by the famous chief Tecumseh and his brother
the Prophet. These last were finally subdued in 1811; but our European
foes were more troublesome. After all peaceful means had failed to
check the aggressions of England, and when at length “patience had
ceased to be a virtue,” war was declared against that country, June 19,
1812. The events of that war it is not within our province to record;
and it is sufficient to say, that they greatly elevated the American
character in the estimation of both friends and enemies.

_Election for the Seventh Term, commencing March 4, 1813, and
terminating March 3, 1817._

    ====+=========================+===========+===========
        |                         | PRESID’T. | V. PRES’T.
     A  |       STATES.           +-----+-----+-----+-----
        |                         |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E
    ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+----+------
      8 | New Hampshire           |     |   8 |   1 |   7
     22 | Massachusetts           |     |  22 |   2 |  20
      4 | Rhode Island            |     |   4 |     |   4
      9 | Connecticut             |     |   9 |     |   9
      8 | Vermont                 |   8 |     |   8 |
     29 | New York                |     |  29 |     |  29
      8 | New Jersey              |     |   8 |     |   8
     25 | Pennsylvania            |  25 |     |  25 |
      4 | Delaware                |     |   4 |     |   4
     11 | Maryland                |   6 |   5 |   6 |   5
     25 | Virginia                |  25 |     |  25 |
     15 | North Carolina          |  15 |     |  15 |
     11 | South Carolina          |  11 |     |  11 |
      8 | Georgia                 |   8 |     |   8 |
     12 | Kentucky                |  12 |     |  12 |
      8 | Tennessee               |   8 |     |   8 |
      7 | Ohio                    |   7 |     |   7 |
      3 | Louisiana               |   3 |     |   3 |
    ----+-------------------------+-----|-----|-----|-----
    217 | Whole No. of Electors   | 128 |  89 | 131 |  86
        | Majority            109 |     |     |     |
    ====+=========================+=====+=====+=====+=====

      COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = James Madison, of Virginia.
        (C) = De Witt Clinton, of New York.
        (D) = Elbridge Gerry, of Massachusetts.
        (E) = Jared Ingersoll, of Pennsylvania.

James Madison, elected President for a second term. [There is no notice
on the Journals of Congress of his having taken the oath.]

Elbridge Gerry, elected Vice-President, attended in the Senate on the
24th of May, 1813, and exhibited a certificate of his having taken the
oath of office prescribed by law, which was read.

The war into which the country had been forced was brought to a close
by the treaty of Ghent, which was signed December 24, 1814; but this
treaty had scarcely been ratified, when it became necessary to commence
another war for the protection of American commerce and seamen against
Algerine piracies. In May, 1815, a squadron under Commodore Decatur
sailed for the Mediterranean, where the naval force of Algiers was
cruising for American vessels. After capturing two of the enemy’s
best frigates in that sea, Decatur proceeded to the Bay of Algiers,
and there dictated a treaty which secured the United States from any
further molestation from that quarter. Similar treaties were also
concluded with the other Barbary powers.




JAMES MONROE,

THE FIFTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


One of the few exalted characters that served his country in both a
civil and military capacity, was born in Westmoreland county, Virginia,
April 26, 1758, and was educated at William and Mary’s College, whence
he graduated in 1776, and commenced the study of the law. Anxious
to aid in the struggle for independence, which had then just began,
he abandoned his studies, and entered the army as a cadet—joining a
corps under the gallant General Mercer. He soon distinguished himself
in several well-fought battles, and rapid promotion followed, until
he reached the rank of captain. He was at Harlem Heights, and White
Plains, and shared the perils and fatigues of the distressing retreat
of Washington through New Jersey, as well as the glory of the victory
over the Hessians at Trenton, where he received a musket-ball in the
shoulder; notwithstanding which, he valiantly “fought out the fight.”
He subsequently accepted the post of an aid to Lord Stirling, with
the rank of Major, in which position he saw much hard service—being
engaged in almost every conflict for the two succeeding campaigns,
and displaying great courage and coolness at the bloody battles of
Brandywine, Germantown, and Monmouth.

Aspiring to a separate command, he obtained permission to raise a
regiment in his native State; for which purpose he left the army, and
returned to Virginia, where he encountered so many unexpected and
discouraging obstacles, that he finally relinquished the enterprise,
and resumed his law studies in the office of Mr. Jefferson.

In 1780, he was elected to the Virginia Legislature, and in the
following year was made one of Governor Jefferson’s council, in which
he continued until 1783, when, at the age of twenty-four years, he
became a member of the Continental Congress. After serving three years
in that body, he was again returned to the State Legislature.

In 1788, while a member of the Convention to decide upon the adoption
of the new Constitution, he voted in the minority against that
instrument; but this vote did not at all affect his popularity. Two
years afterward he was elected United States Senator, and in 1794 he
was sent envoy extraordinary and minister plenipotentiary to the Court
of Versailles. After settling the cession of Louisiana to the United
States, he went to England to succeed Mr. King as minister at the court
of St. James. The affair of the frigate Chesapeake placing him in an
uncomfortable situation, he returned to the United States, and, in
1810, was once more elected to the Virginia Legislature. He was soon
after chosen Governor of that State, in which office he remained until
Mr. Madison called him to assume the duties of Secretary of State in
his cabinet. In 1817, he was elected President of the United States,
and in 1821 was unanimously reëlected, with the exception of a single
vote in New Hampshire. His administration was a prosperous and quiet
one.

He united with Jefferson and Madison in founding the University of
Virginia; and when the convention was formed for the revision of the
Constitution of his State, he was called to preside over its action.
Not long after this, he went to reside with a beloved daughter (the
wife of Samuel L. Gouverneur, Esq.) in New York City, where he lived
until the anniversary of Independence, in 1831, when, “amidst the
pealing joy and congratulations of that proud day, he passed quietly
and in glory away.”

_Election for the Eighth Term, commencing March 4, 1817, and
terminating March 3, 1821._

    ====+========================+===========+========================
        |                        | PRESID’T. |    VICE-PRESIDENT.
      A |       STATES.          +-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----
        |                        |  B  |  C  |  D |  E |  F |  G | H
    ----+------------------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----
      8 | New Hampshire          |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
     22 | Massachusetts          |     |  22 |    | 22 |    |    |
      4 | Rhode Island           |   4 |     |  4 |    |    |    |
      9 | Connecticut            |     |   9 |    |    |  5 |  4 |
      8 | Vermont                |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
     29 | New York               |  29 |     | 29 |    |    |    |
      8 | New Jersey             |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
     25 | Pennsylvania           |  25 |     | 25 |    |    |    |
      3 | Delaware               |     |   3 |    |    |    |    | 3
      8 | Maryland               |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
     25 | Virginia               |  25 |     | 25 |    |    |    |
     15 | North Carolina         |  15 |     | 15 |    |    |    |
     11 | South Carolina         |  11 |     | 11 |    |    |    |
      8 | Georgia                |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
     12 | Kentucky               |  12 |     | 12 |    |    |    |
      8 | Tennessee              |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
      8 | Ohio                   |   8 |     |  8 |    |    |    |
      3 | Louisiana              |   3 |     |  3 |    |    |    |
      3 | Indiana                |   3 |     |  3 |    |    |    |
    ----+------------------------+-----+-----+----+----+----+----+----
    217 | Whole No. of Electors  | 183 |  34 | 83 | 22 |  5 |  4 |  3
        | Majority           109 |     |     |    |    |    |    |
    ====+========================+=====+=====+====+====+====+====+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = James Monroe, of Virginia.
        (C) = Rufus King, of New York.
        (D) = D. D. Tompkins, of New York.
        (E) = John E. Howard, of Maryland.
        (F) = James Ross, of Pennsylvania.
        (G) = John Marshall, of Virginia.
        (H) = Rob’t G. Harper, of Maryland.

James Monroe took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon
his duties March 4, 1817.

Daniel D. Tompkins, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office,
and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1817.

The Seminole and a few of the Creek Indians commenced depredations on
the frontiers of Georgia and Alabama towards the close of 1817, for
which they were severely chastised by a force under General Jackson,
and gladly sued for peace.

In February, 1819, a treaty was negotiated at Washington, by which
Spain ceded to the United States East and West Florida and the adjacent
Islands. In the same year the southern portion of Missouri Territory
was set off under the name of Arkansas, for which a territorial
government was formed; and Alabama was constituted a State, and
admitted into the Union.

Early in 1820 the province of Maine, which had been connected with
Massachusetts since 1652, was separated from it and was admitted into
the Union as an independent State.

_Election for the Ninth Term, commencing March 4, 1821, and terminating
March 3, 1825._

    ====+===================+===========+===========================
        |                   | PRESID’T. |    VICE-PRESIDENT.
     A  |     STATES.       +-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---
        |                   |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  |  F  |  G  | H
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---
      8 | New Hampshire     |   7 |   1 |   7 |     |     |   1 |
     15 | Massachusetts     |  15 |     |   7 |   8 |     |     |
      4 | Rhode Island      |   4 |     |   4 |     |     |     |
      9 | Connecticut       |   9 |     |   9 |     |     |     |
      8 | Vermont           |   8 |     |   8 |     |     |     |
     29 | New York          |  29 |     |  29 |     |     |     |
      8 | New Jersey        |   8 |     |   8 |     |     |     |
     25 | Pennsylvania      |  24 |     |  24 |     |     |     |
      4 | Delaware          |   4 |     |     |     |     |     | 4
     11 | Maryland          |  11 |     |  10 |     |   1 |     |
     25 | Virginia          |  25 |     |  25 |     |     |     |
     15 | North Carolina    |  15 |     |  15 |     |     |     |
     11 | South Carolina    |  11 |     |  11 |     |     |     |
      8 | Georgia           |   8 |     |   8 |     |     |     |
     12 | Kentucky          |  12 |     |  12 |     |     |     |
      7 | Tennessee         |   7 |     |   7 |     |     |     |
      8 | Ohio              |   8 |     |   8 |     |     |     |
      3 | Louisiana         |   3 |     |   3 |     |     |     |
      3 | Indiana           |   3 |     |   3 |     |     |     |
      2 | Mississippi       |   2 |     |   2 |     |     |     |
      3 | Illinois          |   3 |     |   3 |     |     |     |
      3 | Alabama           |   3 |     |   3 |     |     |     |
      9 | Maine             |   9 |     |   9 |     |     |     |
      3 | Missouri          |   3 |     |   3 |     |     |     |
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+---
    236 | No. of Electors   | 231 |   1 | 218 |   8 |   1 |   1 | 4
        | Majority      118 |     |     |     |     |     |     |
    ====+===================+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+=====+===

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = James Monroe, of Virginia.
        (C) = John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts.
        (D) = Daniel D. Tompkins, of New York.
        (E) = Richard Stockton, of New Jersey.
        (F) = Robert C. Harper, of Maryland.
        (G) = Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania.
        (H) = Daniel Rodney, of Delaware.

James Monroe was re-elected President, but there is no notice on the
Journals of Congress that he again took the oath of office.

Daniel D. Tompkins was re-elected Vice-President, but there is no
record of his having taken the oath of office.

Public attention was much occupied in 1824-5 by a visit from the
venerable General Lafayette, who, after the lapse of nearly half a
century from the period of his military career, was again welcomed with
every token of respect that could be devised for honoring the “Nation’s
Guest.” He landed in New York in August, 1824, and after remaining
there a short time, set out on a tour through all the States. Upwards
of a year was taken up in accomplishing this gratifying object; and in
September, 1825, he sailed from Washington in the frigate Brandywine
for his native home.




JOHN QUINCY ADAMS,

THE SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born at Quincy, Massachusetts, July 11, 1767, and received the
advantages of a pretty thorough education before entering Harvard
College, which was not until the year 1786. After graduating with
marked credit, he commenced the study of law at Newburyport, in the
office of the Hon. Theophilus Parsons, for many years Chief Justice
of Massachusetts. While pursuing his studies he found leisure to
write several newspaper essays, which attracted much attention, and
displayed a maturity of taste and judgment seldom attained so early in
life. In 1794, Washington appointed him minister to the Netherlands,
and subsequently transferred him to Portugal. He was afterward, at
different periods, minister to Prussia, Russia, and England; and was
one of the commissioners who negotiated the treaty of peace with Great
Britain, at Ghent, in 1815. In 1817, he was appointed Secretary of
State, in which office he continued during Mr. Monroe’s administration,
eight years; when he was elected by the House of Representatives
President of the United States—the people having failed in making a
choice. Like his father, he encountered strong opposition, and only
served one term in this office, being defeated in a reëlection by
General Jackson. He then retired to his farm at Quincy, but did not
remain long in private life; for, two years afterward, he was chosen
Representative in Congress, and continued to be reëlected until his
death, which occurred in the Capitol, at Washington, February 23,
1848. Two days previous to this sad event, while engaged in his duties
in the House of Representatives, he received a paralytic stroke,
which apparently deprived him of all consciousness. He was borne to
the Speaker’s room, where he received every attention that could be
bestowed by anxious and devoted friends, but all in vain—his hour was
come. The last words he was heard to utter were, “This is the last of
earth.”

Mr. Adams was a man of rare gifts and rich acquisitions. A diligent
student, and economical of his time, he found opportunity, amid all his
public cares, to cultivate his tastes for literature and the sciences.
He was one of the finest classical and belles-lettres scholars of his
time, and filled the chair of Professor of Rhetoric and Belles-lettres
in Harvard College for several years. Even in his old age, he often
astonished his hearers with the elegant classical allusions and
rhetorical tropes with which he enriched and embellished his own
productions.

_Election for the Tenth Term, commencing March 4, 1825, and terminating
March 3, 1829._

    ====================================================================
        |                       |   PRESIDENT.   |    VICE-PRESIDENT.
      A |        STATES.        +---+---+---+----+---+---+---+---+---+--
        |                       | B | C | D |  E | F | G | H | J | K | L
    ----+-----------------------+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+---+---+--
      8 | New Hampshire         |   |  8|   |    |  7|   |   |  1|   |
     15 | Massachusetts         |   | 15|   |    | 15|   |   |   |   |
      4 | Rhode Island          |   |  4|   |    |  4|   |   |   |   |
      8 | Connecticut           |   |  8|   |    |   |   |   |  8|   |
      7 | Vermont               |   |  7|   |    |  7|   |   |   |   |
     36 | New York              |  1| 26|  5|   4| 29|  7|   |   |   |
      8 | New Jersey            |  8|   |   |    |  8|   |   |   |   |
     28 | Pennsylvania          | 28|   |   |    | 28|   |   |   |   |
      3 | Delaware              |   |  1|  2|    |  1|   |   |   |   | 2
     11 | Maryland              |  7|  3|  1|    | 10|   |   |  1|   |
     24 | Virginia              |   |   | 24|    |   |   | 24|   |   |
     15 | North Carolina        | 15|   |   |    | 15|   |   |   |   |
     11 | South Carolina        | 11|   |   |    | 11|   |   |   |   |
      9 | Georgia               |   |   |  9|    |   |   |   |   |  9|
     14 | Kentucky              |   |   |   |  14|  7|  7|   |   |   |
     11 | Tennessee             | 11|   |   |    | 11|   |   |   |   |
     16 | Ohio                  |   |   |   |  16|   | 16|   |   |   |
      5 | Louisiana             |  3|  2|   |    |  5|   |   |   |   |
      5 | Indiana               |  5|   |   |    |  5|   |   |   |   |
      3 | Mississippi           |  3|   |   |    |  3|   |   |   |   |
      3 | Illinois              |  2|  1|   |    |  3|   |   |   |   |
      5 | Alabama               |  5|   |   |    |  5|   |   |   |   |
      9 | Maine                 |   |  9|   |    |  9|   |   |   |   |
      3 | Missouri              |   |   |   |   3|   |   |   |  3|   |
    ----+-----------------------+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+---+---+--
    261 | Whole No. of Electors | 99| 84| 41|  37|183| 30| 24| 13|  9| 2
        | Majority          131 |   |   |   |    |   |   |   |   |   |
    ====================================================================

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee.
        (C) = John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts.
        (D) = Wm. H. Crawford, of Georgia.
        (E) = Henry Clay, of Kentucky.
        (F) = John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina.
        (G) = Nathan Sanford, of New York.
        (H) = Nathaniel Macon, of North Carolina.
        (J) = Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee.
        (K) = Henry Clay, of Kentucky.
        (L) = Martin Van Buren, of New York.

Neither candidate for the Presidency having received a majority of
the electoral votes, it devolved upon the House of Representatives to
choose a President from the three highest on the list of those voted
for, which three were Andrew Jackson, John Quincy Adams, and William
H. Crawford. Twenty-four tellers (one member from each State) were
appointed, who, after examining the ballots, announced that the votes
of thirteen States had been given for John Quincy Adams; the votes
of seven States for Andrew Jackson; and the votes of four States for
William H. Crawford. The Speaker then declared that John Quincy Adams,
having received a majority of the votes of all the States, was duly
elected President of the United States for four years, commencing on
the 4th of March, 1825; on which day Mr. Adams took the oath of office,
and entered upon his duties.

John C. Calhoun, having been elected Vice-President, took the oath of
office, and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1825.




ANDREW JACKSON,

THE SEVENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


A statesman of rare integrity, and a general of invincible skill
and courage, was born at Waxhaw, Lancaster County, South Carolina,
in 1767, and while yet a mere lad, did something toward achieving
the independence of his country. It is said that he commenced his
military career at the age of fourteen years, and was soon after taken
prisoner, together with an elder brother. During his captivity, he was
ordered by a British officer to perform some menial service, which he
promptly refused, and for this refusal was “severely wounded with the
sword which the Englishman disgraced.” He was educated for the bar,
and commenced practice at Nashville, Tennessee, but relinquished his
legal pursuits to “gain a name in arms.” In the early part of the war
of 1812, Congress, having voted to accept fifty thousand volunteers,
General Jackson appealed to the militia of Tennessee, when twenty-five
hundred enrolled their names, and presented themselves to Congress,
with General Jackson at their head. They were accepted, and ordered to
Natchez, to watch the operations of the British in lower Mississippi.
Not long after, he received orders from headquarters to disband his men
and send them to their homes. To obey, he foresaw, would be an act of
great injustice to his command, and reflect disgrace on the country,
and he resolved to disobey. He accordingly broke up his camp, and
returned to Nashville, bringing all his sick with him, whose wants on
the way he relieved with his private means, and there disbanded his
troops in the midst of their homes.

He was soon called to the field once more, and his commission marked
out his course of duty on the field of Indian warfare. Here for years
he labored, and fought, and diplomatized, with the most consummate
wisdom and undaunted courage. It was about this time that the treaty of
the “Hickory Ground” occurred, which gave him the familiar sobriquet of
“Old Hickory.”

The crowning glory of his whole military career was the battle of New
Orleans; which will ever occupy one of the brightest pages in American
history.

At the close of the war he returned to his home in Nashville; but in
1818 was again called on by his country to render his military services
in the expulsion of the Seminoles. His conduct during this campaign has
been both bitterly condemned and highly applauded. An attempt in the
House of Representatives to inflict a censure on the old hero for the
irregularities of this campaign, after a long and bitter debate, was
defeated by a large majority.

In 1828, and again in 1832, General Jackson was elected to fill the
Presidential chair; thus occupying that elevated position for eight
successive years. He then retired to his hospitable mansion (“the
Hermitage”), near Nashville, “loaded with wealth and honors bravely
won,” where he continued to realize all the enjoyments that are
inseparable from a well-spent life, until death translated him to those
higher rewards, which “earth can neither give nor take away.” He died
June 8, 1845, and his last hours were soothed by a trustful reliance on
the Savior of the world for salvation.

[Illustration: WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.]

_Election for the Eleventh Term, commencing March 4, 1829, and
terminating March 3, 1833._

    ========+=========================+===========+================
            |                         | PRESID’T. | VICE PRESID’T.
            |                         +-----+-----+-----+-----+----
          A |        STATES.          |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  | F
        ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----
          9 | Maine                   |   1 |   8 |   1 |   8 |
          8 | New Hampshire           |     |   8 |     |   8 |
         15 | Massachusetts           |     |  15 |     |  15 |
          4 | Rhode Island            |     |   4 |     |   4 |
          8 | Connecticut             |     |   8 |     |   8 |
          7 | Vermont                 |     |   7 |     |   7 |
         36 | New York                |  20 |  16 |  20 |  16 |
          8 | New Jersey              |     |   8 |     |   8 |
         28 | Pennsylvania            |  28 |     |  28 |     |
          3 | Delaware                |     |   3 |     |   3 |
         11 | Maryland                |   5 |   6 |   5 |   6 |
         24 | Virginia                |  24 |     |  24 |     |
         15 | North Carolina          |  15 |     |  15 |     |
         11 | South Carolina          |  11 |     |  11 |     |
          9 | Georgia                 |   9 |     |   2 |     | 7
         14 | Kentucky                |  14 |     |  14 |     |
         11 | Tennessee               |  11 |     |  11 |     |
         16 | Ohio                    |  16 |     |  16 |     |
          5 | Louisiana               |   5 |     |   5 |     |
          3 | Mississippi             |   3 |     |   3 |     |
          5 | Indiana                 |   5 |     |   5 |     |
          3 | Illinois                |   3 |     |   3 |     |
          5 | Alabama                 |   5 |     |   5 |     |
          3 | Missouri                |   3 |     |   3 |     |
        ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----
        261 | Whole No. of Electors   | 178 |  83 | 171 |  83 | 7
            | Majority            131 |     |     |     |     |
        ====+=========================+=====+=====+=====+=====+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee.
        (C) = John Quincy Adams, of Massachusetts.
        (D) = John C. Calhoun, of South Carolina.
        (E) = Richard Rush, of Pennsylvania.
        (F) = William Smith, of South Carolina.

Andrew Jackson took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon
his duties March 4, 1829.

John C. Calhoun took the oath of office, as Vice-President, and
presided in the Senate March 4, 1829.

A series of unfortunate political and social occurrences soon led to a
rupture of that cordiality which had formerly existed between these two
distinguished individuals, the consequences of which were peculiarly
disastrous to the political aspirations of Mr. Calhoun, who was never
afterwards regarded with much favor beyond the immediate limits of his
own State.

NOTE.—It was during this administration that the doctrine of State’s
rights was so strongly urged by Calhoun, and to this period may be
dated the origin of the great rebellion of 1861.

_Election for the Twelfth Term, commencing March 4, 1833, and
terminating March 3, 1837._

    ====+=======================+================+=====================
        |                       |    PRESIDENT.  |   VICE-PRESIDENT.
      A |        STATES.        +----+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+----
        |                       | B  | C | D | E | F  | G | H | J | K
    ----+-----------------------+----+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+----
     10 | Maine                 |  10|   |   |   |  10|   |   |   |
      7 | New Hampshire         |   7|   |   |   |   7|   |   |   |
     14 | Massachusetts         |    | 14|   |   |    | 14|   |   |
      4 | Rhode Island          |    |  4|   |   |    |  4|   |   |
      8 | Connecticut           |    |  8|   |   |    |  8|   |   |
      7 | Vermont               |    |   |   | 7 |    |   |   |   | 7
     42 | New York              |  42|   |   |   |  42|   |   |   |
      8 | New Jersey            |   8|   |   |   |   8|   |   |   |
     30 | Pennsylvania          |  30|   |   |   |    |   | 30|   |
      3 | Delaware              |    |  3|   |   |    |  3|   |   |
     10 | Maryland              |   5|  5|   |   |   5|  5|   |   |
     23 | Virginia              |  23|   |   |   |  23|   |   |   |
     15 | North Carolina        |  15|   |   |   |  15|   |   |   |
     11 | South Carolina        |    |   | 11|   |    |   |   | 11|
     11 | Georgia               |  11|   |   |   |  11|   |   |   |
     15 | Kentucky              |    | 15|   |   |    | 15|   |   |
     15 | Tennessee             |  15|   |   |   |  15|   |   |   |
     21 | Ohio                  |  21|   |   |   |  21|   |   |   |
      5 | Louisiana             |   5|   |   |   |   5|   |   |   |
      4 | Mississippi           |   4|   |   |   |   4|   |   |   |
      9 | Indiana               |   9|   |   |   |   9|   |   |   |
      5 | Illinois              |   5|   |   |   |   5|   |   |   |
      7 | Alabama               |   7|   |   |   |   7|   |   |   |
      4 | Missouri              |   4|   |   |   |   4|   |   |   |
    ----+-----------------------+----+---+---+---+----+---+---+---+----
    288 |Whole No. of Electors  | 221| 49| 11| 7 | 191| 49| 30| 11| 7
        |Majority          145  |    |   |   |   |    |   |   |   |
    ====+=======================+====+===+===+===+====+===+===+===+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Andrew Jackson, of Tennessee.
        (C) = Henry Clay, of Kentucky.
        (D) = John Floyd, of Virginia.
        (E) = William Wirt, of Maryland.
        (F) = Martin Van Buren, of New York.
        (G) = John Sergeant, of Pennsylvania.
        (H) = William Wilkins, of Pennsylvania.
        (J) = Henry Lee, of Massachusetts.
        (K) = Amos Ellmaker, of Pennsylvania.

Andrew Jackson, re-elected President, took the oath of office, and
continued his duties, March 4, 1833.

Martin Van Buren, having been elected Vice-President, took the oath of
office, and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1833.

Early in June, 1833, the President left Washington on a tour through
the Northern States, and was everywhere received with an enthusiasm
that evinced the cordial approval of his administration by the people.
One of his first measures, on returning to the seat of government, was
the removal of the public moneys from the United States Bank, for which
act he encountered the most virulent hostility of a small majority
of the Senate, who passed resolutions censuring his course. But this
injustice has not been perpetuated; for on the 16th of January, 1837,
these partisan resolutions were expunged from the records by order of a
handsome majority.




MARTIN VAN BUREN,

THE EIGHTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born in the flourishing town of Kinderhook, New York, September
5, 1782, and early received the best education that could then be
obtained in the schools in his immediate vicinity. Having sufficiently
prepared himself for the study of law, he entered the office of Francis
Sylvester, in his native town, where he remained about six years. But
law did not engross his whole time: he found leisure occasionally to
peer into the mysteries of political economy, and finally arrived at
the conclusion that his chances for fame and fortune were at least
equal in the arena of politics to any thing he might accomplish by a
strict adherence to legal pursuits. Fully impressed with this idea, he
early set about cultivating what little popularity could be gained in
his limited sphere, and so won upon the confidence of his neighbors and
friends as to be appointed, while yet in his _teens_, a delegate to a
convention in his native county, in which important political measures
were to be acted upon.

In 1808, he was appointed Surrogate of Columbia County, the first
public office he ever held; and in 1812 and 1816 he was elected to the
State Senate, in which body he became a distinguished leader of the
Madison party, and one of its most eloquent supporters.

In 1821, he was elected to the United States Senate, in which he held
his seat for nearly eight years, and became remarkable not only for his
close attention to business, but also for his devotion to the great
principles of the Democratic party.

In 1828, he was elected Governor of his native State, and entered
upon the duties of that office, on the first of January, 1829; but
he filled the gubernatorial chair for only a few weeks. In March
following, when General Jackson was elevated to the Presidency, he
tendered Mr. Van Buren the post of Secretary of State, which was
accepted. At the expiration of two years he resigned his seat in the
Cabinet, and was immediately appointed minister to England; but when
his nomination was submitted to the Senate (June 25, 1831) it was
rejected by the casting vote of the Vice-President (Mr. Calhoun), and,
of course, he was recalled. As his friends attributed his rejection
to personal and political rancor, it only served to raise Mr. Van
Buren in the estimation of his political adherents, and the result was
that, in May following, he was nominated, with great unanimity, for
the Vice-Presidency, by the Democratic Convention, at Baltimore. His
triumphant election was regarded not merely as a high compliment to
himself, but as a wholesome rebuke to his opponents.

In 1836, he was put in nomination for the chief magistracy, to which
he was elected, by a large majority, over General Harrison; but, at
the next Presidential election, the tables were turned, and he only
received sixty votes out of two hundred and ninety-four.

After his defeat, he returned to Kinderhook, where he remained some
time, and then visited Europe, with one of his sons, whose restoration
to health was the principal object of his journey. Not long after his
return he consented to become once more a candidate for the Presidency,
and, in 1848, received the nomination of the Free-soil party, but did
not secure a single electoral vote.

_Election for the Thirteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1837, and
terminating March 3, 1841._


     ===========================+==================+====================
        |                       |    PRESIDENT.    |  VICE-PRESIDENT.
      A |       STATES.         +----+---+---+--+--+------+----+----+---
        |                       |  B | C | D | E| F|   G  | H  | J  | K
     ---+-----------------------+----+---+---+--+--+------+----+----+---
     10 | Maine                 | 10 |   |   |  |  |   10 |    |    |
      7 | New Hampshire         |  7 |   |   |  |  |    7 |    |    |
     14 | Massachusetts         |    |   |   |14|  |      | 14 |    |
      4 | Rhode Island          |  4 |   |   |  |  |    4 |    |    |
      8 | Connecticut           |  8 |   |   |  |  |    8 |    |    |
      7 | Vermont               |    |  7|   |  |  |      |  7 |    |
     42 | New York              | 42 |   |   |  |  |   42 |    |    |
      8 | New Jersey            |    |  8|   |  |  |      |  8 |    |
     30 | Pennsylvania          | 30 |   |   |  |  |   30 |    |    |
      3 | Delaware              |    |  3|   |  |  |      |  3 |    |
     10 | Maryland              |    | 10|   |  |  |      |    | 10 |
     23 | Virginia              | 23 |   |   |  |  |      |    |    | 23
     15 | North Carolina        | 15 |   |   |  |  |   15 |    |    |
     11 | South Carolina        |    |   |   |  |11|      |    | 11 |
     11 | Georgia               |    |   | 11|  |  |      |    | 11 |
     15 | Kentucky              |    | 15|   |  |  |      | 15 |    |
     15 | Tennessee             |    |   | 15|  |  |      |    | 15 |
     21 | Ohio                  |    | 21|   |  |  |      | 21 |    |
      5 | Louisiana             |  5 |   |   |  |  |    5 |    |    |
      4 | Mississippi           |  4 |   |   |  |  |    4 |    |    |
      9 | Indiana               |    |  9|   |  |  |      |  9 |    |
      5 | Illinois              |  5 |   |   |  |  |    5 |    |    |
      7 | Alabama               |  7 |   |   |  |  |    7 |    |    |
      4 | Missouri              |  4 |   |   |  |  |    4 |    |    |
      3 | Arkansas              |  3 |   |   |  |  |    3 |    |    |
      3 | Michigan              |  3 |   |   |  |  |    3 |    |    |
     ---+-----------------------+----+---+---+--+--+------+----+----+---
    294 |Whole No. of Electors  |170 | 73| 26|14|11|147[5]| 77 | 47 | 23
        |Majority          148  |    |   |   |  |  |      |    |    |
     ===========================+====+===+===+==+==+======+====+====+===

     COLUMN HEADINGS:
         (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
         (B) = Martin Van Buren, of New York.
         (C) = Wm. H. Harrison, of Ohio.
         (D) = Hugh L. White, of Tennessee.
         (E) = Daniel Webster, of Massachusetts.
         (F) = Willie P. Mangum, of North Carolina.
         (G) = Rich’d M. Johnson, of Kentucky.
         (H) = Francis Granger, of New York.
         (J) = John Tyler, of Virginia.
         (K) = William Smith, of Alabama.

[5] Elected by the Senate.

Martin Van Buren, elected President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties, March 4, 1837.

Richard M. Johnson, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office,
and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1837.

Urged by the unprecedented financial embarrassments which were
experienced in every branch of industry, and especially by the
mercantile class, Mr. Van Buren’s first measure was to convene a
special meeting of Congress early in September, ’37, which continued
in session forty days, but accomplished very little. A bill
authorizing the issue of $10,000,000 in treasury notes was passed;
but the Independent Treasury bill (the great financial measure of
the administration) was then rejected, although afterwards (in 1840)
adopted.




WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON,

THE NINTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born in Charles City County, Virginia, February 9, 1773, and was
educated for the medical profession at Hampden Sydney College. He
graduated at a time when our north-western frontier was suffering
much from the neighboring Indians, and, believing that he could be of
greater service in repelling the savage invaders than in pursuing his
studies, he accepted an ensign’s commission from President Washington,
and joined the army. He was promoted to a lieutenancy in 1792, and his
skill and bravery were highly commended by General Wayne, under whose
command he was engaged in several actions. After the bloody battle of
Miami Rapids, he was rewarded with the rank of captain, and immediately
placed in command of Fort Washington. In 1797, he resigned his
commission for the purpose of accepting the office of Secretary of the
North-west Territory, from which he was elected a delegate to Congress
in 1799.

When a territorial government was formed for Indiana, he was
appointed the first Governor, and continued in that office till 1813.
To his civil and military duties he added those of Commissioner
and Superintendent of Indian Affairs; and, in the course of his
administration, he concluded thirteen important treaties with the
different tribes. On the 7th of November, 1811, he gained the
celebrated battle of Tippecanoe, the news of which was received
throughout the country with a burst of enthusiasm. During the war of
1812, he was made commander of the North-western army of the United
States, and he bore a conspicuous part in the leading events in the
campaign of 1812-13—the defense of Fort Meigs, and the victory of the
Thames. In 1814, he was appointed, in conjunction with his companions
in arms, Governor Shelby and General Cass, to treat with the Indians
in the North-west, at Greenville; and, in the following year, he
was placed at the head of a commission to treat with various other
important tribes.

In 1816, he was elected a member of Congress from Ohio, and, in 1828,
he was sent minister plenipotentiary to the republic of Colombia.
On his return, he took up his residence at North Bend, on the Ohio,
where he lived upon his farm, in comparative retirement, till 1836,
when he became a candidate for the Presidency; and, although defeated
on the first trial, four years afterward he was elected by a large
majority, and inaugurated in 1841. But he did not long survive this
crowning honor, as he died on the 4th of April, just one month after
entering upon his duties. His funeral obsequies were performed on the
7th, and an immense concourse assembled to pay their testimony of
respect. Funeral services and processions also took place in most of
the principal cities throughout the country. As General Harrison was
the first President who died while in office, his successor, Mr. Tyler,
recommended that the 14th of May be observed as a day of fasting and
prayer, and accordingly it was so observed.

_Election for the Fourteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1841, and
terminating March 3, 1845._

    ====+===================+===========+=====================
        |                   | PRESID’T. |  VICE-PRESID’T.
      A |      STATES.      +-----+-----+-----+-----+----+----
        |                   |  B  |   C |  D  |  E  | F  | G
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+----
     10 | Maine             |  10 |     |  10 |     |    |
      7 | New Hampshire     |     |   7 |     |   7 |    |
     14 | Massachusetts     |  14 |     |  14 |     |    |
      4 | Rhode Island      |   4 |     |   4 |     |    |
      8 | Connecticut       |   8 |     |   8 |     |    |
      7 | Vermont           |   7 |     |   7 |     |    |
     42 | New York          |  42 |     |  42 |     |    |
      8 | New Jersey        |   8 |     |   8 |     |    |
     30 | Pennsylvania      |  30 |     |  30 |     |    |
      3 | Delaware          |   3 |     |   3 |     |    |
     10 | Maryland          |  10 |     |  10 |     |    |
     23 | Virginia          |     |  23 |     |  22 |    | 1
     15 | North Carolina    |  15 |     |  15 |     |    |
     11 | South Carolina    |     |  11 |     |     | 11 |
     11 | Georgia           |  11 |     |  11 |     |    |
     15 | Kentucky          |  15 |     |  15 |     |    |
     15 | Tennessee         |  15 |     |  15 |     |    |
     21 | Ohio              |  21 |     |  21 |     |    |
      5 | Louisiana         |   5 |     |   5 |     |    |
      4 | Mississippi       |   4 |     |   4 |     |    |
      9 | Indiana           |   9 |     |   9 |     |    |
      5 | Illinois          |     |   5 |     |   5 |    |
      7 | Alabama           |     |   7 |     |   7 |    |
      4 | Missouri          |     |   4 |     |   4 |    |
      3 | Arkansas          |     |   3 |     |   3 |    |
      3 | Michigan          |   3 |     |   3 |     |    |
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+----+----
    294 |No. of Electors    | 234 |  60 | 234 |  48 | 11 | 1
        |Majority       148 |     |     |     |     |    |
    ====+===================+=====+=====+=====+=====+====+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Wm. H. Harrison, of Ohio.
        (C) = Martin Van Buren, of New York.
        (D) = John Tyler, of Virginia.
        (E) = Rich’d M. Johnson, of Kentucky.
        (F) = L. W. Tazewell, of Virginia.
        (G) = James K. Polk, of Tennessee.

William H. Harrison, elected President, took the oath of office, and
entered upon his duties, March 4, 1841.

John Tyler, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and
attended in the Senate, March 4, 1841.

Soon after his inauguration, President Harrison issued a proclamation,
convening Congress for an extra session on the 31st of May, to consider
“sundry weighty and important matters, chiefly growing out of the state
of the revenue and finances of the country.” But he did not live to
submit his remedial plans—dying, after a very brief illness, on the
4th of April, exactly one month after coming into office. He was the
first President who had died during his official term, and a messenger
was immediately dispatched with a letter, signed by all the members
of the Cabinet, conveying the melancholy intelligence to the Vice
President, then at Williamsburg, Va. By extraordinary means he reached
Washington at five o’clock on the morning of the 6th, and at twelve
o’clock the Heads of Departments waited upon him, to pay their official
and personal respects. After signifying his deep feeling of the public
calamity sustained by the death of President Harrison, and expressing
his profound sensibility of the heavy responsibilities so suddenly
devolved upon himself, he made known his wishes that the several Heads
of Departments would continue to till the places which they then
respectively occupied, and his confidence that they would afford all
the aid in their power to enable him to carry on the administration of
the government successfully. Mr. Tyler afterwards took and subscribed
the following oath of office:

    “I do solemnly swear, that I will faithfully execute the
    office of President of the United States, and will, to
    the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and defend the
    Constitution of the United States.
                                               JOHN TYLER.
       “APRIL 6, 1841.”

Pursuant to the proclamation of President Harrison, Congress met on the
31st of May, and continued in session until the 13th of September. On
the 27th of July a bill for the establishment of “The Fiscal Bank of
the United States,” passed the Senate by a vote of 26 to 23, and was
concurred in by the House of Representatives on the 6th of August—128
to 91. President Tyler, however, returned the bill on the 16th, with
his objections, and it was lost for lack of a constitutional majority.
But the friends of a national bank were not to be deterred from their
purpose by a single repulse: another bill (about the same in substance)
was immediately hurried through both Houses, under the title of “The
Fiscal Corporation of the United States,” but this shared the fate of
its predecessor.

A Senate bill for the establishment of a uniform system of bankruptcy
throughout the United States, was concurred in by the House on the
18th of August, and became a law; but, meeting with very general
condemnation, it was soon after repealed.

A bill was also passed at this extra session for the distribution of
the proceeds of the sales of the public lands among the several States,
in proportion to population.

In 1842 an important treaty, adjusting the north-eastern boundary of
the United States, was negotiated at Washington between Mr. Webster,
on the part of this country, and Lord Ashburton, on the part of Great
Britain.

During the last year of Mr. Tyler’s administration much excitement
prevailed on the proposed annexation of Texas to the Union, which
was strongly resisted at the North, on the ground that the South
and southern institutions would thereby gain increased power in the
national councils. A treaty of annexation, signed by the President,
was rejected by the Senate, but measures were taken by which Texas was
admitted the year following.




JOHN TYLER,

THE SUCCESSOR OF GENERAL HARRISON AS PRESIDENT,


Was born at Williamsburg, Virginia, March 29, 1790, and at the age of
twelve years entered William and Mary’s College, where he graduated
with distinguished merit five years afterward. Few have commenced life
at so early a period as Mr. Tyler—he having been admitted to the bar
when only nineteen, and elected to the Virginia Legislature before
attaining his twenty-second year. In 1816, he was sent to Congress; in
1825, elected Governor of Virginia; and in 1827, became United States
Senator; in which capacity he firmly supported the administration of
General Jackson—voting against the tariff bill of 1828, and against
rechartering the United States Bank. Notwithstanding this last vote,
the friends of the bank, presuming upon his well-known conservatism, at
the special session of Congress called by his predecessor, introduced a
bill for the establishment of the “Fiscal Bank of the United States,”
which passed both Houses by small majorities, and which Mr. Tyler
felt bound to veto. But this did not dishearten the friends of the
measure, who modified and rechristened their financial plan, which,
under the name of “Fiscal Corporation of the United States,” again
passed both houses of Congress, and was again vetoed by the President.
Of course, a large portion of the party that elected him were greatly
dissatisfied with his course, and their denunciation of his alleged
faithlessness were “loud and deep.” To add to the embarrassments which
were accumulating around him, all the members of his Cabinet, with the
exception of Mr. Webster, resigned their places; but even this implied
rebuke did not shake his integrity of purpose. An equally efficient
phalanx of talent was called to his aid, and he had the satisfaction
of seeing that his views were indorsed by a large number of leading
statesmen. It has often been asserted that Mr. T. had pledged himself
to sustain the financial schemes of the bank and its friends; but
this has always been denied, and circumstances certainly warrant
the conclusion that the assertion is unfounded. So gross and bitter
were the assaults made upon him, that he felt called upon to defend
himself from their violence; and, after declaring his determination
to do his duty, regardless of party ties, he said, “I appeal from
the vituperation of the present day to the pen of impartial history,
in confidence that neither my motives nor my acts will bear the
interpretation which, for sinister motives, has been placed upon them.”
On the expiration of his official term, he retired to his estate at
Williamsburg.




JAMES KNOX POLK,

THE TENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born at Mecklenberg, North Carolina, November 2, 1795, and there
received the rudiments of his early education. In 1806, his father
removed to Nashville, Tennessee, taking his family with him, and
here it was that Mr. Polk pursued those preliminary studies which
were requisite to qualify him for the legal profession. After due
preparation, he entered the office of Hon. Felix Grundy, under whose
able instruction he made such rapid progress, that he was admitted
to practice in 1820. His duties at the bar did not prevent him from
taking part in the political affairs of the day; and in this sphere his
comprehensive views and zealous devotion to Democracy soon secured him
a widely-extended popularity, which resulted in his election to the
Legislature of Tennessee, in 1823. In 1825, while yet in his thirtieth
year, he was chosen a member of Congress, in which body he remained
fourteen years—being honored with the Speakership for several sessions.
So well satisfied were his constituents with his congressional course,
that he was elected Governor by a large majority, but some questions of
local policy subsequently defeated his reëlection.

In 1844, he was unexpectedly nominated for the office of President
of the United States by the Democratic Convention at Baltimore;
and, having received sixty-five electoral votes more than his rival
candidate, Mr. Clay, he was inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1845.

Soon after Mr. Polk assumed the reins of government, the country
became involved in a war with Mexico, which was little more than a
series of victories wherever the American banner was displayed, and
which resulted in important territorial acquisitions. The ostensible
ground for this war, on the part of Mexico, was the admission of
Texas into the Union, which was one of the first acts of Mr. Polk’s
administration. The Mexicans, however, paid dearly for asserting their
frivolous claim to Texas as a revolted province, and the prompt and
energetic course pursued by Mr.Polk was sanctioned and sustained by a
large majority of the people.

[Illustration: JOHN TYLER.]

But notwithstanding the advantageous issue of the war, the acquisition
of Texas, and the satisfactory settlement of several vexed questions
of long standing, Mr. Polk was not nominated for a second term—various
extraneous matters leading to the selection of another candidate.
Perhaps it was fortunate for the country and for himself that he was
permitted to retire to the more congenial enjoyment of private life;
for his health had become very much impaired, and he did not long
survive after reaching his home in Nashville. He died June 15, 1849.

_Election for the Fifteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1845, and
terminating March 3, 1849._

     ===+=======================+===========+===========
        |                       |   PRES’T. | V. PRES’T.
      A |       STATES.         +-----+-----+-----+----
        |                       |   B |  C  |  D  | E
     ---+-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+----
      9 | Maine                 |   9 |     |  9  |
      6 | New Hampshire         |   6 |     |  6  |
     12 | Massachusetts         |     |  12 |     |  12
      4 | Rhode Island          |     |   4 |     |   4
      6 | Connecticut           |     |   6 |     |   6
      6 | Vermont               |     |   6 |     |   6
     36 | New York              |  36 |     | 36  |
      7 | New Jersey            |     |   7 |     |   7
     26 | Pennsylvania          |  26 |     |  26 |
      3 | Delaware              |     |   3 |     |   3
      8 | Maryland              |     |   8 |     |   8
     17 | Virginia              |  17 |     |  17 |
     11 | North Carolina        |     |  11 |     |  11
      9 | South Carolina        |   9 |     |   9 |
     10 | Georgia               |  10 |     |  10 |
     12 | Kentucky              |     |  12 |     |  12
     13 | Tennessee             |     |  13 |     |  13
     23 | Ohio                  |     |  23 |     |  23
      6 | Louisiana             |   6 |     |   6 |
      6 | Mississippi           |   6 |     |   6 |
     12 | Indiana               |  12 |     |  12 |
      9 | Illinois              |   9 |     |   9 |
      9 | Alabama               |   9 |     |   9 |
      7 | Missouri              |   7 |     |   7 |
      3 | Arkansas              |   3 |     |   3 |
      5 | Michigan              |   5 |     |   5 |
     ---+-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+----
    275 | Whole No. of Electors | 170 | 105 | 170 | 105
        | Majority          138 |     |     |     |
     ===+=======================+=====+=====+=====+====

     COLUMN HEADINGS:
         (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
         (B) = James K. Polk, of Tennessee.
         (C) = Henry Clay, of Kentucky.
         (D) = George M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania.
         (E) = T. Frelinghuysen, of New Jersey.

James K. Polk took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon
his duties March 4, 1845.

George M. Dallas took the oath of office, as Vice-President, and
attended in the Senate, March 4, 1845.

The most important incidents of Mr. Polk’s administration were the
admission of Texas and the consequent war with Mexico, the latter of
which resulted in extending our territorial boundaries to the Pacific
Ocean, embracing regions of incalculable value.




ZACHARY TAYLOR,

THE ELEVENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born in Orange County, Virginia, November 24, 1790, and, after
receiving an indifferent education, passed a considerable portion of
his boyhood amid the stirring scenes which were being enacted at that
time on our western border. In 1808, he was appointed a lieutenant
in the United States infantry, and subsequently was promoted to a
captaincy for his efficient services against the Indians. Soon after
the declaration of war, in 1812, he was placed in command of Fort
Harrison, which he so gallantly defended with a handful of men against
the attack of a large body of savages, as to win the brevet rank of
major. So familiar did he become with the Indian character, and with
the mode of warfare of that wily foe, that his services at the West
and South were deemed indispensable in the subjugation and removal
of several hostile tribes. While effecting these desirable objects,
he was occasionally rewarded for his toils and sacrifices by gradual
promotion, and in 1840 attained the rank of brigadier-general. At the
commencement of the troubles with Mexico, in 1845, he was ordered to
occupy a position on the American side of the Rio Grande, but not to
cross that river unless attacked by the Mexicans. He was not, however,
allowed to remain long in repose: the enemy, by attacking Fort Brown,
which he had built on the Rio Grande, opposite Matamoras, soon afforded
him an opportunity to display his skill and valor, and gloriously
did he improve it. The brilliant battles of Palo Alto and Resaca
de la Palma, where he contended successfully against fearful odds,
were precursors to a series of victories which have few parallels in
military annals. The attack on Matamoras, the storming of Monterey,
the sanguinary contest at Buena Vista, and the numerous skirmishes in
which he was engaged, excited universal admiration; and on his return
home, after so signally aiding to “conquer a peace” with Mexico, he was
everywhere received with the most gratifying demonstrations of respect
and affection. In 1848, General Taylor received the nomination of the
Whig party for the office of President of the United States, and,
being elected, was inaugurated the year following. But the cares and
responsibilities of this position were greater than his constitution
could endure, hardened as it had been both in Indian and civilized
warfare. After the lapse of little more than a year from the time he
entered upon his new career, he sunk under its complicated trials, and
his noble spirit sought refuge in a more congenial sphere, July 9, 1850.

_Election for the Sixteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1849, and
terminating March 3, 1851._


     ===+=======================+===========+===========
        |                       |   PRES’T. | V. PRES’T.
      A |       STATES.         +-----+-----+-----+-----
        |                       |   B |  C  |  D  |  E
     ---+-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
      9 | Maine                 |     |   9 |     |   9
      6 | New Hampshire         |     |   6 |     |   6
     12 | Massachusetts         |  12 |     |  12 |
      4 | Rhode Island          |   4 |     |   4 |
      6 | Connecticut           |   6 |     |   6 |
      6 | Vermont               |   6 |     |   6 |
     36 | New York              |  36 |     |  36 |
      7 | New Jersey            |   7 |     |   7 |
     26 | Pennsylvania          |  26 |     |  26 |
      3 | Delaware              |   3 |     |   3 |
      8 | Maryland              |   8 |     |   8 |
     17 | Virginia              |     |  17 |     |  17
     11 | North Carolina        |  11 |     |  11 |
      9 | South Carolina        |     |   9 |     |   9
     10 | Georgia               |  10 |     |  10 |
     12 | Kentucky              |  12 |     |  12 |
     13 | Tennessee             |  13 |     |  13 |
     23 | Ohio                  |     |  23 |     |  23
      6 | Louisiana             |   6 |     |   6 |
      6 | Mississippi           |     |   6 |     |   6
     12 | Indiana               |     |  12 |     |  12
      9 | Illinois              |     |   9 |     |   9
      9 | Alabama               |     |   9 |     |   9
      7 | Missouri              |     |   7 |     |   7
      3 | Arkansas              |     |   3 |     |   3
      5 | Michigan              |     |   5 |     |   5
      3 | Florida               |  3  |     |  3  |
      4 | Texas                 |     |   4 |     |   4
      4 | Iowa                  |     |   4 |     |   4
      4 | Wisconsin             |     |   4 |     |   4
     ---+-----------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
    290 | Whole No. of Electors | 163 | 127 | 163 | 127
        | Majority          146 |     |     |     |
     ===+=======================+=====+=====+=====+=====

     COLUMN HEADINGS:
         (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
         (B) = Zachary Taylor, of Louisiana.
         (C) = Lewis Cass, of Michigan.
         (D) = Millard Fillmore, of New York.
         (E) = William O. Butler, of Kentucky.

Zachary Taylor took the oath of office, as President, and entered
upon his duties March 4, 1849. He did not, however, long enjoy his
honors—death suddenly closing his earthly career, July 9, 1850.

Millard Fillmore took the oath of office, as Vice-President, and
entered upon his duties March 4, 1849. Congress being in session at
the time President Taylor died, the Vice-President sent a message to
both houses on the 10th of July, in which he feelingly announced the
melancholy event. On the same day he took the requisite oath, and
entered on the execution of the office of President.

Willie P. Mangum, of N. C., President _pro tem_ of the Senate, acted as
Vice-President, _ex officio_, the remainder of the term.




MILLARD FILLMORE,

THE SUCCESSOR OF GENERAL TAYLOR AS PRESIDENT,


Was born at Summer Hill, Cayuga County, New York, January 7, 1800,
and did not enjoy the advantages of any other education than what he
derived from the then inefficient common schools of the county. At an
early age he was sent into the wilds of Livingston County to learn a
trade, and here he soon attracted the attention of a friend, who placed
him in a lawyer’s office—thus opening a new, and what was destined to
be a most honorable and distinguished career. In 1827, he was admitted
as an attorney, and two years afterward as counselor in the Supreme
Court. Soon attracting attention, he established himself at Buffalo,
where his talents and business habits secured him an extended practice.

His first entrance into public life was in January, 1829, when he took
his seat as a member of the Assembly from Erie County. At this time
he distinguished himself for his untiring opposition to imprisonment
for debt, and to this are the people indebted in a great degree for
the expunging of this relic of barbarism from the statute book. Having
gained a high reputation for legislative capacity, in 1833, he was
elected a member of the National House of Representatives; and on the
assembling of the Twenty-seventh Congress, to which he was reëlected by
a larger majority than was ever given to any person in his district, he
was placed in the arduous position of Chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means. The measures which he brought forward and sustained with
matchless ability, speedily relieved the government from its existing
pecuniary embarrassments. In 1847, he was elected Comptroller of the
State of New York by a larger majority than had ever been given to any
State officer for many years. In 1848, he was selected as a candidate
for Vice-President, General Taylor heading the ticket. On his election
to that high office, he resigned his position as Comptroller, and
entered upon his duties as President of the United States Senate. The
courtesy, ability, and dignity exhibited by him, while presiding over
the deliberations of that body, received general commendation. Upon
the sudden death of Gen. Taylor, he became President, and promptly
selected a cabinet, distinguished for its ability, patriotism, and
devotion to the Union, and possessing, in an eminent degree, the
confidence of the country.

After serving out the constitutional term, Mr. Fillmore returned to
Buffalo, and again resumed those pursuits which had prepared the way to
the elevated position from which he had just retired. He was welcomed
home by troops of friends, with whom he still continues to enjoy an
unabated popularity.

It should be borne in mind by every aspiring young man, that Mr.
Fillmore is entirely indebted to his own exertions for his success
in life. From a very humble origin, he attained the highest office
in the world, climbing the rugged steep of fame step by step, with
indefatigable industry and untiring perseverance, until he at length
gained the summit, where he is long likely to enjoy his well-earned
position.




FRANKLIN PIERCE,

THE TWELFTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born at Hillsborough, N. H., November 23, 1804, and early received
the advantage of a liberal education. After going through a regular
collegiate course at Bowdoin College, which he entered at the age of
sixteen, he became a law student in the office of Judge Woodbury, at
Portsmouth, whence he was transferred to the law school at Northampton,
where he remained two years, and then finished his studies with Judge
Parker, at Amherst. Although his rise at the bar was not rapid, by
degrees he attained the highest rank as a lawyer and advocate.

In 1829, he was elected to represent his native town in the State
Legislature, where he served four years, during the two last of which
he held the speakership, and discharged the duties of the office with
universal satisfaction.

From 1833 to 1837, he represented his State in Congress, and was
then elected to the United States Senate, having barely reached the
requisite age to qualify him for a seat in that body.

In 1834, he married Miss Jane Means, daughter of the Rev. Dr. Appleton,
formerly President of Bowdoin College, soon after which he removed to
Concord, where he still holds a residence. He was reëlected at the
expiration of his senatorial term, but resigned his seat the year
following, for the purpose of devoting himself exclusively to his legal
business, which had become so extensive as to require all his attention.

In 1846, he declined the office of Attorney-General, tendered him by
President Polk; but when the war with Mexico broke out, he was active
in raising the New England regiments of volunteers; and afterward
accepted the commission of Brigadier-General, with which he at once
repaired to the field of operations, where he distinguished himself
in several hard-fought battles. At Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec he
displayed an ardor in his country’s cause which extorted praise from
his most inveterate political opponents; and on his return home he was
everywhere received with gratifying evidences that his services were
held in grateful remembrance by the people.

At the Democratic Convention, held in Baltimore in 1852, after trying
in vain to concentrate their votes on a more prominent candidate, that
body unexpectedly nominated General Pierce for the office of President
of the United States, to which he was elected by an unprecedented
majority over his rival, General Scott—receiving 254 votes out of
296. He was duly inaugurated on the 4th of March, 1853, and his
administration was more remarkable for its futile attempts to reconcile
conflicting interests, than for the achievement of any particular
measure of great public utility. However, it will better become his
future than his present biographer to “speak of him as he is; nor aught
extenuate, nor aught set down in malice.”

_Election for the Seventeenth Term, commencing March 4, 1853, and
terminating March 3, 1857._

    ====+=========================+===========+===========
        |                         |  PRES’T.  | V. PRES’T.
     A  |        STATES.          +-----+-----+-----+-----
        |                         |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E
    ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
      8 | Maine                   |   8 |     |   8 |
      5 | New Hampshire           |   5 |     |   5 |
     13 | Massachusetts           |     |  13 |     | 13
      4 | Rhode Island            |   4 |     |   4 |
      6 | Connecticut             |   6 |     |   6 |
      5 | Vermont                 |     |   5 |     |  5
     35 | New York                |  35 |     |  35 |
      7 | New Jersey              |   7 |     |   7 |
     27 | Pennsylvania            |  27 |     |  27 |
      3 | Delaware                |   3 |     |   3 |
      8 | Maryland                |   8 |     |   8 |
     15 | Virginia                |  15 |     |  15 |
     10 | North Carolina          |  10 |     |  10 |
      8 | South Carolina          |   8 |     |   8 |
     10 | Georgia                 |  10 |     |  10 |
     12 | Kentucky                |     |  12 |     | 12
     12 | Tennessee               |     |  12 |     | 12
     23 | Ohio                    |  23 |     |  23 |
      6 | Louisiana               |   6 |     |   6 |
      7 | Mississippi             |   7 |     |   7 |
     13 | Indiana                 |  13 |     |  13 |
     11 | Illinois                |  11 |     |  11 |
      9 | Alabama                 |   9 |     |   9 |
      9 | Missouri                |   9 |     |   9 |
      4 | Arkansas                |   4 |     |   4 |
      6 | Michigan                |   6 |     |   6 |
      3 | Florida                 |   3 |     |   3 |
      4 | Texas                   |   4 |     |   4 |
      4 | Iowa                    |   4 |     |   4 |
      5 | Wisconsin               |   5 |     |   5 |
      4 | California              |   4 |     |   4 |
    ----+-------------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----
    296 | Whole No. of Electors   | 254 |  42 | 254 | 42
        | Majority            149 |     |     |     |
    ====+=========================+=====+=====+=====+=====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Franklin Pierce, of New Hampshire.
        (C) = Winfield Scott, of New Jersey.
        (D) = William R. King, of Alabama.
        (E) = Wm. A. Graham, of North Carolina.

Franklin Pierce took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon
his duties March 4, 1853.

The oath of office was administered to William R. King by a commission
while he was on a visit to Cuba for the benefit of his health; but he
died soon after his return home, and Jesse D. Bright, of Indiana, then
President of the Senate, acted as Vice-President, _ex officio_, during
the remainder of the term.

John P. Hale, of N. H., and George W. Julian, of Ind., were nominated
by the “Free Democracy” for President and Vice-President, but they did
not receive a single electoral vote.




JAMES BUCHANAN,

THIRTEENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES.


For the high position he so long maintained in the political affairs
of this country, Mr. Buchanan is not alone indebted to his early and
thorough education, but his entire devotion to whatever he undertook,
and his perseverance in surmounting obstacles which would have
intimidated less determined minds, had a large share in promoting his
advancement. He is of Irish parentage, and was born at Stony Batter,
Franklin County, Pennsylvania, April 23, 1791. At the age of seven
years, he removed with his father’s family to Mercersburg, and there
received an education that fitted him for entering Dickinson College,
in 1805, where he graduated two years afterward with the highest
honors. He then studied law with James Hopkins, of Lancaster, and in
1812 was admitted to the bar, at which he attained a high rank and
commanded an extensive practice.

In 1814, he commenced political life as a member of the Pennsylvania
State Legislature, and in 1820 was sent as a Representative to
Congress, where he remained for ten years—at the expiration of which he
declined a re-nomination.

In 1831, he was appointed minister to Russia by President Jackson,
of whom he was always the consistent friend and supporter, and he
negotiated a commercial treaty which proved of great advantage to
American commerce.

In December, 1834, having been elected to the United States Senate, he
took his seat in that body, and continued one of its most efficient
members until 1845, when he accepted the office of Secretary of State,
under Mr. Polk. He held this responsible place until the expiration of
Mr. Polk’s term of service, when he returned home to repose awhile. But
he did not, by any means, become an idle spectator in passing events;
his letters and speeches show that he was no less vigilant as a private
citizen, than as a counselor in the Cabinet, or a Representative and
Senator in Congress.

On the accession of Mr. Pierce to the Presidency, in 1853, Mr. Buchanan
was appointed minister to England, with which country questions were
then pending that required great prudence and discrimination for
their satisfactory adjustment. In his intercourse with the British
diplomatists he was not only discreet, but displayed sound sense,
courtly forbearance, a just assertion of our rights, and the true
dignity of the American character. So entirely unexceptionable was
his whole course while abroad, that, on his return to this country,
in April, 1856—he landed in New York on the sixty-fifth anniversary
of his birthday—he was received with an enthusiasm seldom accorded to
political men.

In June, 1856, Mr. Buchanan was nominated by the Democratic Convention
at Cincinnati, as a candidate for the Presidency; and although there
were powerful political elements arrayed against him in the succeeding
campaign, he was triumphantly elected to that responsible and honorable
office.

His administration was attended with unusual difficulties—difficulties
which it would seem he was not fully able to meet. The troubles in
Kansas, arising from the repeal of the Missouri Compromise, and the
opposition made to his views touching the admission of Kansas with
the Lecompton Constitution, by the Douglas wing of the Democratic
party, were matters of sore vexation to him, and tended greatly to
unpopularize the latter part of his public life. But these were
considerations of small moment as compared to the embarrassment which
the Government suffered in consequence of the treacherous intrigues of
some of the members of his Cabinet. His Secretary of War and Secretary
of the Treasury, afterward so conspicuous in the great Rebellion, were
particularly instrumental in crippling the pecuniary and military
resources of the country, and turning them to the benefit of the South.
When treason began to assume a threatening attitude, Buchanan declared
against the right of secession, but at the same time denied the right
of coercion by the Government. This, perhaps, is the most inconsistent,
inexplicable position ever taken by any of the nation’s chief rulers.
On the 4th of March, 1861, Mr. Buchanan retired from the Presidency,
leaving to his successor the highly perplexing task of setting to right
the machinery of a government crippled and weakened in all its parts,
and fully ripe for the most gigantic civil war known to history.

[Illustration: JAMES KNOX POLK.]

It was, at one time, presumed by many that Mr. Buchanan was not only
encouraging the rebellion by his weak, indecisive policy toward armed
traitors, and by winking at the thieving proceedings of some of his
Cabinet officers, but that he was himself leagued with the leaders of
the secession movement, and secretly acted in unison with them.

While it is true that the unhindered appropriation of millions of
treasure to the furtherance of rebellious schemes, and the large
deposit of choice arms made in Southern arsenals, would indicate an
affiliation of the President with the chief rebels of the South, yet
there has never been adduced any direct proof of such affiliation; and
nothing said or done by Mr. Buchanan since his retirement shows active
sympathy with the Rebellion. There is, however, evidence on every
hand of weakness—an element of character he never manifested prior to
his executive career—of that negative disposition which will, under
circumstances such as surrounded him during the latter part of his
administration, wholly unfit a man for the performance of his duties.

The subject of the present sketch would, doubtless, have been a
very good executive at a period when the country was undisturbed
by sectional agitation; at a time when there were no conflicting
local interests to stir up and embitter South against North. But the
exigencies of the period during which he sat at the helm of state
demanded a man who could take hold with a strong hand; a man of
Jacksonian character, who, with the loftiest political integrity and
most devoted loyalty, combined a Napoleonic will; a man who, foreseeing
the certain results of the pursuits of a conciliatory course with
rebellion, would have given it a decisive blow in its very infancy.

But it seems that Mr. Buchanan proposed to deal with secessionists as
an over-fond, weak-minded mother deals with a spoiled child—scolding
and coaxing alternately, satisfied to exhibit her authority by the
former, and confident that she can reform her fondling by the latter.
Perhaps he may be partially excused by some in consideration of the
debt of gratitude he felt he owed to the Southern States, for the
valuable services they had rendered him in his election. But a truly
great executive never allows his feelings to interfere with the
performance of duty. The life of the nation was in jeopardy; that grand
superstructure, the American Government, whose foundation stones had
been cemented by the sacred blood of the Revolutionary sires, whose
columns had been reared by the wisest, purest statesmen the world ever
saw, and about whose lofty dome the brightest seraphs of Heaven chanted
their sweetest lays—that great temple around which clustered the hopes
of the liberty-loving world, was threatened with destruction, and there
can hardly be any excuse for him who, having the power to save, refused
to adopt such decisive measures as were essential to salvation.

It is true that the Southern people had acted a very important part
in the election of Mr. Buchanan, but it is very far from being true
that a majority of these people were in favor of secession. The great
Democratic party was not a party of traitors, either North or South.
The masses of the people of the Southern States were by no means
desirous of severing their connection with the Government of the United
States, as was amply testified in the overwhelming Union majorities
given in North Carolina, Tennessee, and other Southern States, even
after South Carolina had sloughed off, and all the preliminary steps
had been taken by the leading secessionists toward the formation of
a Southern Confederacy. And there is no doubt that had Mr. Buchanan
taken hold of the rebellion, while it was in the larva, with that
determination to crush it which the great Jackson exhibited when South
Carolina proposed her scheme of nullification, it had never seen its
winged existence.

Buchanan’s administration, in one respect, may possibly yet be
productive of good, in that it may serve to impress the people with the
importance of selecting a man for the chief magistracy who loves the
right and dares to do it.

He only survived the close of the war about three years, as he died on
the 1st of June, 1868, in the 77th year of his age.

_Election for the Eighteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1857, and
terminating March 3, 1861._

    ====+===================+==============+===================
        |                   |  PRESIDENT.  | VICE-PRES’T.
      A |     STATES.       +-----+-----+--+--+-----+----+-----
        |                   |  B  |  C  |  D  |  E  |  F  |  G
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----
      8 | Maine             |     |   8 |     |     |   8 |
      5 | New Hampshire     |     |   5 |     |     |   5 |
     13 | Massachusetts     |     |  13 |     |     |  13 |
      4 | Rhode Island      |     |   4 |     |     |   4 |
      6 | Connecticut       |     |   6 |     |     |   6 |
      5 | Vermont           |     |   5 |     |     |   5 |
     35 | New York          |     |  35 |     |     |  35 |
      7 | New Jersey        |   7 |     |     |   7 |     |
     27 | Pennsylvania      |  27 |     |     |  27 |     |
      3 | Delaware          |   3 |     |     |   3 |     |
      8 | Maryland          |     |     |   8 |     |     |  8
     15 | Virginia          |  15 |     |     |  15 |     |
     10 | North Carolina    |  10 |     |     |  10 |     |
      8 | South Carolina    |   8 |     |     |   8 |     |
     10 | Georgia           |  10 |     |     |  10 |     |
     12 | Kentucky          |  12 |     |     |  12 |     |
     12 | Tennessee         |  12 |     |     |  12 |     |
     23 | Ohio              |     |  23 |     |     |  23 |
      6 | Louisiana         |   6 |     |     |   6 |     |
      7 | Mississippi       |   7 |     |     |   7 |     |
     13 | Indiana           |  13 |     |     |  13 |     |
     11 | Illinois          |  11 |     |     |  11 |     |
      9 | Alabama           |   9 |     |     |   9 |     |
      9 | Missouri          |   9 |     |     |   9 |     |
      4 | Arkansas          |   4 |     |     |   4 |     |
      6 | Michigan          |     |   6 |     |     |   6 |
      3 | Florida           |   3 |     |     |   3 |     |
      4 | Texas             |   4 |     |     |   4 |     |
      4 | Iowa              |     |   4 |     |     |   4 |
      5 | Wisconsin[6]      |     |   5 |     |     |   5 |
      4 | California        |   4 |     |     |   4 |     |
    ----+-------------------+-----+-----+-----+-----+-----+----
    296 |No. of Electors    | 174 | 114 |   8 | 174 | 114 |  8
        |Majority       149 |     |     |     |     |     |
    ====+===================+====+====+====+====+====+====+====

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania.
        (C) = John C. Fremont, of New York.
        (D) = Millard Fillmore, of New York.
        (E) = John C. Breckenridge, of Kentucky.
        (F) = William L. Dayton, of New Jersey.
        (G) = Andrew J. Donelson, of Tennessee.

[6] When the Electoral votes were being counted, in Joint Convention
of the Senate and House of Representatives, objections were made to
including the votes of Wisconsin, because the electors did not meet
until the day after that prescribed by law. The President of the
Convention stated that he merely announced that James Buchanan had been
elected President of the United States, without any reference to the
contested votes, and declined expressing an opinion on the subject.

James Buchanan took the oath of office, as President, and entered upon
his duties, March 4, 1857.

John C. Breckenridge took the oath of office, as Vice-President, and
entered upon his duties, March 4, 1857.




ABRAHAM LINCOLN,

THE FOURTEENTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES,


Was born in Hardin County, Kentucky, February 12th, 1809. The record of
his boyhood and youth, so far as we have been able to trace it, is not
distinguished by any thing more remarkable than the usual experience
of children of pioneers in a new country. In 1816, he removed with
his parents to what is now Spencer County, Indiana. Here he enjoyed
the advantages of a little schooling—less than a year, however, in
all. Whatever else he afterward learned from books was without the
aid of the school-master—the result of his own energy and indomitable
perseverance.

In 1832, he served in the Black Hawk war, and, on his return from that
service, was nominated for the Illinois Legislature from the county of
Macon. In 1834, he was elected to the Legislature, and reëlected in
1836, 1838, and 1840. While in the Legislature, he placed himself on
record against slavery; and it is but just to say that the principles
which actuated him then are the moving principles of the great party he
to-day represents as the executive of the nation.

For many years Mr. Lincoln was a prominent leader of the Whig party
in Illinois, and was on the electoral ticket in several Presidential
campaigns. In 1844, he canvassed the entire State for Henry Clay, of
whom he was a sincere and enthusiastic friend, and exerted himself
powerfully for the favorite of his party. In 1846, he was elected to
Congress, and took his seat on the first Monday in December, 1847, the
only Whig Representative from his State.

In November, 1860, he was elected President of the United States by the
party known as Republicans.

On the 11th of February, 1861, he left his home in Springfield,
Illinois, and proceeded to Washington, passing _en route_ the cities of
Toledo, Indianapolis, Cincinnati, Columbus, Steubenville, Pittsburgh,
Cleveland, Buffalo, Albany, Poughkeepsie, New York, Trenton,
Philadelphia, Harrisburg, and Baltimore—at all of which places, except
the last, he was received with great cordiality, and addressed the
people. At Baltimore a plot had been formed to assassinate him; and, in
this affair, it seems that some of the most prominent citizens of that
place were implicated. But Mr. Lincoln, by prompt, shrewd management,
reached Washington uninjured, and on the 4th of March, 1861, was
duly inaugurated, and proceeded upon the duties of his office,
notwithstanding the threats of Baltimoreans that he never should
be installed. In his inaugural address, in view of the threatening
attitude assumed by some of the Southern States, in consequence of
the accession of a Republican administration, after declaring that
there never had been any just cause for the apprehension that such
an administration would encroach upon the constitutional rights of
any State, he said that he had “no purpose, directly or indirectly,
to interfere with the institution of slavery in the States where it
existed; that he, as well as every Member of Congress, was sworn to
support the whole Constitution, one of the provisions of which is,
that ‘no person held to service or labor in one State, under the laws
thereof, escaping into another State, shall, in consequence of any law
or regulation therein, be discharged from such service or labor, but
shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service or
labor may be due;’ that he took his oath to support the Constitution,
without any mental reservation; that while he did not then choose to
specify particular acts of Congress as proper to be enforced, he did
suggest that it would be much safer for all, both in official and
private stations, to conform to and abide by all those acts which stand
unrepealed than to violate any of them, trusting to find impunity in
having them held to be unconstitutional; that he held that, in the
contemplation of universal law and of the Constitution, the union
of the States is perpetual; that no State could, upon its own mere
motion, get out of the Union; that acts of violence within any State or
States against the authority of the United States are insurrectionary
or revolutionary, and that he should, as the Constitution expressly
enjoined upon him, take care that the laws of the Union should be
executed in all the States; that while he should perform this duty
perfectly, so far as practicable, unless restrained by his rightful
masters, the American people, he trusted the declaration so to do
would not be regarded as a menace, but only as the express purpose of
the Union to maintain itself.”

The inaugural address, while considered as clear and explicit by
many, was regarded as very obscure and unsatisfactory by others
(the people of the South), and, on the 13th of April, 1861, Messrs.
Preston, Stuart, and Randolph, appointed by the Virginia Convention,
were formally received by the President, and presented resolutions
requesting that, inasmuch as “great uncertainty prevailed in the public
mind as to the policy” to be pursued by the Federal Executive, he
should communicate to the Convention the course he intended to take in
regard to the “Confederate States.”

To this request the President replied that, while he was sorry that
dangerous uncertainty should exist respecting his mode of procedure
with the seceded States, he could give no clearer exposition of his
policy than was given in his inaugural address, a careful consideration
of which he recommended to the Virginia Convention.

Two days after this, Fort Sumter having been reduced by the Confederate
Government, and other demonstrations of a revolutionary character
having been made, the President issued a proclamation calling for
75,000 volunteers, for three months, to suppress the rebellion, and
summoned Congress to assemble in extraordinary session. The call was
heartily responded to, and, in a few days, a vastly greater number
than had been requested offered themselves to their country. Meantime
Washington was placed in a state of defense. Shortly after the
commencement of hostilities, a blockade of all the Southern ports was
declared. This was directly followed by a blockade of Virginia and
North Carolina. On the 3d of May, 1861, the President issued a call
for 42,034 additional volunteers for the term of three years. Congress
having assembled, he addressed a message to that body, asking that at
least 400,000 men and $400,000,000 be placed at his control, that the
work of crushing the rebellion might be expedited. Congress readily
complied, granting more men and money than had been asked.

On the 16th of August, 1861, the President issued a proclamation
prohibiting all commercial intercourse between the loyal and seceded
States. In the latter part of August, he modified a proclamation
issued by General Fremont, which declared martial law in the State
of Missouri, ordering the confiscation of the property of disloyal
persons, and declaring their slaves free. The two latter of these
measures Mr. Lincoln declared void. For this act he was blamed by many
of his own party at the time.

Passing some other acts of less importance, we next notice the message
addressed to Congress on the 6th of March, 1862, by the President,
recommending that the Government coöperate with any State desiring a
gradual emancipation of the slaves, by affording it such pecuniary aid
as would enable it to “compensate for the inconveniences, public and
private, produced by such change of system.” This message was hailed
by the radical antislavery party of the country as the initiatory
step toward a final and total abolition of slavery; by conservative
Union men, with indifference; and by the secessionists as a hostile
encroachment upon State rights.

On the 11th of March, 1862, Mr. Lincoln assumed command of the Army and
Navy of the United States, ordering a general movement of both, and
confining General McClellan to the command of the Department of the
Potomac.

April 16th, 1862, he approved and signed an act of Congress, abolishing
the institution of slavery in the District of Columbia, which act
“recognized and practically applied” the principles of compensation and
colonization.

During the month of May, the President issued two proclamations, the
one declaring the ports of Port Royal, Beaufort, and New Orleans
open for trade, the other repudiating an order issued by General
Hunter, emancipating all the slaves in Georgia, Florida, and South
Carolina. This act also produced some dissatisfaction. During the
years 1862-1863, Mr. Lincoln was actively employed in calling out and
furnishing troops, and making important changes in the organization of
the army. It was also during this period that he issued his general
emancipation proclamations—the first on the 22d day of September,
1862, declaring that all slaves held in any State, or part of a State
found in actual rebellion against the authority of the United States
on the 1st day of January, 1863, should then and forever thereafter
be free; the second, on the 1st of January, 1863, declaring that, in
accordance with the first proclamation, slavery is abolished in all the
States and counties then in armed rebellion against the Government.

These measures, while they greatly unpopularized the President with
certain parties in the Northern and Southern border States, were
regarded as the exponents of the true policy by the radicals. His
suspension of the writ of _habeas corpus_, in certain cases, September
15th, 1863, also produced considerable stir in political circles.

At the Republican Convention which met at Baltimore, in January,
1864, Mr. Lincoln was re-nominated for the Presidency of the United
States—was elected November 8th, and duly inaugurated March 4th, 1865.

The following note of his inaugural address is from an English journal.
It speaks for itself:

“On the 4th instant, the day of inaugurating his second term, President
Lincoln read a short State paper, which for political weight, moral
dignity, and unaffected solemnity has had no equal in our time. His
presidency began, he says, with the efforts of both parties to avoid
war. ‘To strengthen, perpetuate, and extend the slave interest was the
object for which the insurgents would rend the Union by war, while
the Government claimed the right to do no more than restrict the
territorial enlargement of it.’ Both parties ‘read the same Bible and
pray to the same God.’

“The prayer of both can not be answered, that of neither has been
answered fully, for the Almighty has his own purposes. Mr. Lincoln
goes on to confess for the North its partnership in the original guilt
of slavery: ‘Woe unto the world because of its offenses, for it must
needs be that offenses come; but woe unto that man by whom the offenses
cometh! If we shall suppose American slavery one of the offenses which
in the providence of God must needs come, but which, having continued
through His appointed time, He now wills to remove, and that He gives
to both North and South this terrible war, as was due to those by whom
the offense came, we will not discern that there is any departure
from those divine attributes which believers in the living God always
ascribe to Him. Fondly do we hope, fervently do we pray, that this
mighty scourge of war may speedily pass away. Yet, if it be God’s will
that it continue till the wealth piled by bondsmen by two hundred and
fifty years’ unrequited toil shall be sunk, and till every drop of
blood drawn with the lash shall be repaid by another drawn with the
sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said
that the judgments of the Lord are true and righteous altogether. With
malice toward none, with charity for all, with firmness in the right,
as God gives us to see the light, let us strive on to finish the work
we are in, to bind up the nation’s wounds, to care for those who have
borne the battle, and for their widows and orphans. And with all this
let us strive after a just and lasting peace among ourselves and with
all nations.’ No statesman ever uttered words stamped at once with
the seal of so deep a wisdom and so true a simplicity. The ‘village
attorney,’ of whom Sir G. C. Lewis and many other wise men wrote with
so much scorn, in 1861, seems destined to be one of those ‘foolish
things of the world’ which are destined to confound the wise, one of
those weak things which shall ‘confound the things that are mighty.’”

The rebel General Lee had surrendered. The war was apparently at an
end. Abraham Lincoln, the honored and the great, looked forward to
a speedy restoration of the Union. But while the storm lulled, the
assassin did his work. J. Wilkes Booth shot Abraham Lincoln on the
night of the 13th, and he died April 14th, 1865, honored and lamented
by every true American. The world never before beheld such universal
sorrow. A nation not merely mourned but was clad in the deepest
mourning.

_Election for the Nineteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1861, and
terminating March 3, 1865._

    ====+======================+===================+====================
        |                      |    PRESIDENT.     |  VICE-PRESIDENT.
     A  |                      +-----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+---
        |       STATES.        |  B  |  C |  D |  E |  F  |  G |  H | J
    ----+----------------------+-----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+---
      8 | Maine                |   8 |    |    |    |   8 |    |    |
      5 | New Hampshire        |   5 |    |    |    |   5 |    |    |
     13 | Massachusetts        |  13 |    |    |    |  13 |    |    |
      4 | Rhode Island         |   4 |    |    |    |   4 |    |    |
      6 | Connecticut          |   6 |    |    |    |   6 |    |    |
      5 | Vermont              |   5 |    |    |    |   5 |    |    |
     35 | New York             |  35 |    |    |    |  35 |    |    |
      7 | New Jersey           |   4 |    |    |  3 |   4 |    |    |  3
     27 | Pennsylvania         |  27 |    |    |    |  27 |    |    |
      3 | Delaware             |     |  3 |    |    |     |  3 |    |
      8 | Maryland             |     |  8 |    |    |     |  8 |    |
     15 | Virginia             |     |    | 15 |    |     |    | 15 |
     10 | North Carolina       |     | 10 |    |    |     | 10 |    |
      8 | South Carolina       |     |  8 |    |    |     |  8 |    |
     10 | Georgia              |     | 10 |    |    |     | 10 |    |
     12 | Kentucky             |     |    | 12 |    |     |    | 12 |
     12 | Tennessee            |     |    | 12 |    |     |    | 12 |
     23 | Ohio                 |  23 |    |    |    |  23 |    |    |
      6 | Louisiana            |     |  6 |    |    |     |  6 |    |
      7 | Mississippi          |     |  7 |    |    |     |  7 |    |
     13 | Indiana              |  13 |    |    |    |  13 |    |    |
     11 | Illinois             |  11 |    |    |    |  11 |    |    |
      9 | Alabama              |     |  9 |    |    |     |  9 |    |
      9 | Missouri             |     |    |    |  9 |     |    |    |  9
      4 | Arkansas             |     |  4 |    |    |     |  4 |    |
      6 | Michigan             |   6 |    |    |    |   6 |    |    |
      3 | Florida              |     |  3 |    |    |     |  3 |    |
      4 | Texas                |     |  4 |    |    |     |  4 |    |
      4 | Iowa                 |   4 |    |    |    |   4 |    |    |
      5 | Wisconsin            |   5 |    |    |    |   5 |    |    |
      4 | California           |   4 |    |    |    |   4 |    |    |
      4 | Minnesota            |   4 |    |    |    |   4 |    |    |
      3 | Oregon               |   3 |    |    |    |   3 |    |    |
    ----+----------------------+-----+----+----+----+-----+----+----+---
    315 | Whole No. of Electors| 180 | 72 | 39 | 12 | 180 | 72 | 39 | 12
        | Majority          157|     |    |    |    |     |    |    |
    ====+======================+=====+====+====+====+=====+====+====+===

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois.
        (C) = John C. Breckenridge, of Kentucky.
        (D) = John Bell, of Tennessee.
        (E) = Stephen A. Douglas, of Illinois.
        (F) = Hannibal Hamlin, of Maine.
        (G) = Joseph Lane, of Texas.
        (H) = Edward Everett, of Massachusetts.
        (J) = Herschel V. Johnson, of Georgia.

Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office as President, and entered upon
his duties, March 4th, 1861. Hannibal Hamlin took the oath of office as
Vice-President, and attended in the Senate as its President, on the 4th
of March, 1861. The accession of Mr. Lincoln to the Presidency was made
the pretext for the great rebellion of 1861.

_Election for the Twentieth Term, commencing March 4, 1865, and
terminating March 3, 1869._

    ===+================+==========+======+==============
       |                     | PRESIDENT. | V. PRESIDENT.
     A |    STATES.          +------+-----+-------+------
       |                     |   B  |  C  |   D   |  E
    ---+---------------------+------+-----+-------+------
      7 | Maine              |    7 |     |     7 |
      5 | New Hampshire      |    5 |     |     5 |
     12 | Massachusetts      |   12 |     |    12 |
      4 | Rhode Island       |    4 |     |     4 |
      6 | Connecticut        |    6 |     |     6 |
      5 | Vermont            |    5 |     |     5 |
     33 | New York           |   33 |     |    33 |
      7 | New Jersey         |      |   7 |       |   7
     26 | Pennsylvania       |   26 |     |    26 |
      3 | Delaware           |      |   3 |       |   3
      7 | Maryland           |    7 |     |     7 |
     15 | Virginia           |      |     |       |
      5 | Western Virginia   |    5 |     |     5 |
      8 | South Carolina     |      |     |       |
     10 | North Carolina     |      |     |       |
     10 | Georgia            |      |     |       |
     11 | Kentucky           |      |  11 |       |  11
     12 | Tennessee          |      |     |       |
     21 | Ohio               |   21 |     |    21 |
      6 | Louisiana          |      |     |       |
      7 | Mississippi        |      |     |       |
     13 | Indiana            |   13 |     |    13 |
     15 | Illinois           |   15 |     |    15 |
      9 | Alabama            |      |     |       |
     11 | Missouri           |   11 |     |    11 |
      4 | Arkansas           |      |     |       |
      8 | Michigan           |    8 |     |     8 |
      3 | Florida            |      |     |       |
      4 | Texas              |      |     |       |
      8 | Iowa               |    8 |     |     8 |
      8 | Wisconsin          |    8 |     |     8 |
      5 | California         |    5 |     |     5 |
      4 | Minnesota          |    4 |     |     4 |
      3 | Oregon             |    3 |     |     3 |
      3 | Nevada             |    3 |     |     3 |
      3 | Kansas             |    3 |     |     3 |
    ----+--------------------+------+-----+-------+------
    331 |                    |  212 |  21 |   212 |   21
    ====+====================+======+=====+=======+======

    COLUMN HEADINGS:
        (A) = No. of Electors from each State.
        (B) = Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois.
        (C) = Geo. B. McClellan, of Ohio.
        (D) = Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee.
        (E) = Geo. H. Pendleton, of Ohio.

Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee,
Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida and Texas, being in
rebellion, did not vote for President and Vice-President.

Whole number of Electoral votes cast were 233—for Lincoln and Johnson,
212; for McClellan and Pendleton, 21. Lincoln and Johnson’s majority
191, the greatest majority attained since the organization of the
Government.

Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office as President and entered upon
his duties March 4, 1865.

Andrew Johnson took the oath of office as Vice-President, and attended
in the Senate as its President March 4, 1865.




ANDREW JOHNSON


Was born at Raleigh, North Carolina, December 29th, 1808, and is now in
his sixtieth year. He lost his father when only four years old. At the
age of ten he was apprenticed to a tailor in Raleigh, and served with
him an apprenticeship of seven years. His mother was poor, and had been
unable to give him any educational advantages; but young Andy, whose
unconquerable spirit was not to be restrained by any disadvantages,
became stimulated with a desire for knowledge. He acquired the alphabet
with no other instructions than those obtained from the journeymen with
whom he worked. He learned to read from an old volume of speeches,
loaned him by a friend, and thenceforward, after ten hours’ work with
his goose, needle, and scissors, applied himself with vigor to study
for three or four hours each evening. In 1824, having completed his
apprenticeship, he went to Laurens Court house, South Carolina, where
he worked as journeyman for two years. In 1826, he set out for the
West, taking his mother, whom already, at his early age, and with
his scanty wages, he was supporting. He made his home at Greenville,
Tennessee, where he remained, and commenced business, and where he
became a thriving and popular man. With the indefatigable thirst for
knowledge which had characterized his early career, he still pursued
his studies, and, in the evenings which followed a day of labor, with
his wife as instructress, pushed on in the road to knowledge.

He entered early into political life, being elected to the first office
he ever held—that of Alderman of the village of Greenville—in 1828.
He was reëlected to the same office in 1829. In 1830, he was elected
Mayor, and retained that position for three years. In 1835, he was sent
to the Legislature, where he chiefly distinguished himself by taking
strong grounds against a scheme of internal improvements, which, he
argued, was extravagant and useless. The measure was popular, however,
and he was defeated in 1837. In 1838, he was a candidate again, and
was this time successful. In 1840, he served as Presidential elector
for the State at large on the Democratic ticket, and during the
campaign rendered efficient service to the party as a stump speaker.
In 1841, he was elected to the State Senate, and, in 1843, at the
age of thirty-five, he was elected to Congress, where he held his
seat, being four times reëlected, until 1853. During this time he was
thoroughly identified with the old Democratic party, and supported all
the party measures. In 1853, he was elected Governor, after a very
exciting contest, over Gustavus A. Henry. He was reëlected in 1855,
over Meredith P. Gentry, the Whig candidate. At the expiration of his
Gubernatorial term, in 1857, he was chosen United States Senator by a
Democratic majority in the Legislature of Tennessee. In that body he
commanded the respect of all his compeers, as an able, eloquent, and
patriotic statesman. At the breaking out of the rebellion, Senator
Andrew Johnson still proclaimed his allegiance to the United States,
and continued to hold his seat in the Senate, though his course
subjected him to much unpopularity, and even danger.

When, in the spring of 1862, our army had penetrated Tennessee to
Nashville, and the northern and central portions of the State were
wrested from rebel control, the President desired the services of a
wise and sagacious man, of unquestionable loyalty, to act as Military
Governor of that State; and he did not have long to look—Andrew
Johnson was at once recognized as the man for the place, and, being
commissioned a Brigadier-General, he repaired to Nashville, where he
for two years discharged the delicate and responsible duty of his
charge with a degree of wisdom and efficiency which challenged general
admiration. Under his administration, the rebellion had steadily been
losing its hold in Tennessee, and loyalty was as constantly cultivated
and developed.

He was nominated for the Vice-Presidency by the Union Convention at
Baltimore, June 8th, 1864, and was elected November 8, 1864, and was
sworn into office March 4th, 1865.

President Lincoln died April 15. Andrew Johnson was sworn into office
as President of the United States, on the same day, by Chief Justice
Chase.

Soon after entering upon the duties of his office, he vetoed the Civil
Rights Bill, the Constitutional Amendment, the Military Government
Bill, and all the important bills passed by Congress; also suspended
Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War, from office, during the recess of
Congress; on the assembling of which, he sent them his reasons for
so doing. Upon considering which, they reinstated Secretary Stanton.
Whereupon the President issued an order removing him, and ordering
Major-General Thomas, Adjutant-General of the army, to act as Secretary
_ad interim_—the same being done without the consent or advice of the
Senate—for which and many other acts committed by him, and by Congress
deemed unconstitutional, the House did, on the 25th of February, 1868,
impeach Andrew Johnson of high crimes and misdemeanors; and he was
accordingly tried for the same by the Senate—the result of which trial
will be found in the Impeachment Act, on another page.




CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD OF THE REBELLION.


NOVEMBER, 1860—PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION.

NOV. 6.—Each of the four political parties presented its candidate
for the Presidency, and the same number for the Vice-Presidency. The
Republican party supported Abraham Lincoln, of Illinois, and Hannibal
Hamlin, of Maine. One wing of the Democratic party supported S. A.
Douglas, of Illinois, and H. V. Johnson, of Georgia; the other wing
sustained John C. Breckenridge, of Kentucky, and Joseph Lane, of
Oregon. The Old Line Whigs and Know Nothings supported John Bell, of
Tennessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts. The result of the
popular vote was as follows:

Lincoln and Hamlin received 1,857,610; Douglas and Johnson, 1,365,976;
Breckenridge and Lane, 847,553; Bell and Everett, 590,631.

NOV. 7.—The news of Mr. Lincoln’s election received at Charleston,
South Carolina, with cheers for a Southern Confederacy. The “Palmetto
Flag” hoisted on the vessels in the harbor.

NOV. 9.—An attempt to seize the arms in Fort Moultrie.

NOV. 10.—A bill was introduced into the South Carolina Legislature to
raise and equip 10,000 men. The Legislature also ordered the election
of a convention, to consider the question of secession. Jas. Chester,
United States Senator from South Carolina, resigned.

NOV. 11.—Senator Hammond, of South Carolina, resigned.

NOV. 15.—Governor Letcher, of Virginia, called an extra session of the
Legislature.

NOV. 18.—Georgia Legislature appropriated $1,000,000 to arm the State.
Major Anderson sent to Fort Moultrie to relieve Colonel Gardner.

NOV. 19.—Governor Moore called an extra session of the Louisiana
Legislature.

DECEMBER, 1860.

DEC. 1.—Florida Legislature ordered the election of a convention. Great
secession meeting in Memphis.

DEC. 3.—Congress met. The President denied the right of a State to
secede, and asserted the right of the General Government to coerce a
seceding State.

DEC. 5.—Election of delegates to South Carolina Convention took place.
The successful candidates were secessionists.

DEC. 10.—Howell Cobb, Secretary of the Treasury, resigned. Senator
Clay, of Alabama, resigned. The Louisiana Legislature ordered the
election of a convention, and appropriated $500,000 to arm the State.

DEC. 13.—An extra session of the Cabinet was held to consider the
question of reinforcing Fort Moultrie; the President opposed it, and
reinforcements were not sent.

DEC. 14.—General Cass, Secretary of State, resigned.

DEC. 17.—South Carolina Convention assembled.

DEC. 18.—The Crittenden Compromise introduced in the United States
Senate.

DEC. 19.—Governor Hicks, of Maryland, refused to receive the
Mississippi Commissioner.

DEC. 20.—South Carolina Convention adopted a secession ordinance; the
vote unanimous.

DEC. 22.—The Crittenden Compromise voted down in the Senate committee
of Thirteen.

DEC. 24.—The people of Pittsburg stop the shipment of ordnance from
the arsenal at that place to Southern forts. Governor Moore called an
extra session of the Alabama Legislature.—Election of members of the
Alabama Convention took place; the majority for secession was over
50,000.—South Carolina members of Congress resigned.

DEC. 26.—Major Anderson left Fort Moultrie and took possession of Fort
Sumter. He had with him only 111 men. South Carolina Commissioners
arrived in Washington. The President refused to receive them.

DEC. 27.—Revenue cutter, William Aiken, surrendered to the South
Carolina authorities.

DEC. 28.—South Carolina seized the Government property in Charleston,
took possession of Castle Pinckney and Fort Moultrie.

DEC. 29.—John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, resigned.

DEC. 31.—South Carolina sent Commissioners to the slave States to make
arrangements for a Southern Confederacy.

JANUARY, 1861.

JAN. 2.—Governor Ellis, of North Carolina, took possession of Fort
Macon. Georgia troops seized Forts Pulaski and Jackson, and the United
States arsenal at Savannah.

JAN. 4.—Governor Moore, of Alabama, seized Fort Morgan, and the United
States arsenal at Mobile. Fast-day, by proclamation of the President.

JAN. 7.—State Conventions of Alabama and Mississippi, Legislatures of
Virginia and Tennessee, assembled.

JAN. 8.—Jacob Thompson, Secretary of the Interior, resigned. Fort
Johnson at Wilmington, and Caswell at Oak Island, seized by North
Carolina.

JAN. 9.—The steamer Star of the West fired on by rebel batteries in
Charleston harbor, and driven back. Mississippi Convention passed
secession ordinance by vote of 84 to 15.

JAN. 10.—Florida Convention adopted an ordinance of secession by a vote
of 62 to 7. Florida seized Fort McRae.

JAN. 11.—Alabama seceded; vote in Convention, ayes, 61; noes, 39. P. B.
Thomas, Secretary of the Treasury, resigned, and was succeeded by John
A. Dix, of New York. The Governor of Louisiana seized Forts Phillip
and Jackson, on the Mississippi below New Orleans, the United States
arsenal at Baton Rouge, and Forts Pike and Macomb, on Lake Ponchartrain.

JAN. 13.—Florida troops took possession of the Pensacola Navy Yard and
Fort Barancas. Lieutenant Slemmer, in command of Fort Pickens, refused
to obey Commodore Armstrong’s order to surrender the fort to the
Florida troops, and thus saved that important place to the Union.

JAN. 16.—The Legislature of Arkansas called a convention. Colonel
Hayne, of South Carolina, demanded of the President the surrender of
Fort Sumter, which was refused. The Missouri Legislature voted to hold
a convention.

JAN. 18.—The Legislature of Virginia appropriated $1,000,000 for the
defense of the State.

JAN. 19.—Georgia adopted a secession ordinance by vote of 208 to 89.

JAN. 21.—Members of Congress from Alabama resigned. Jefferson Davis
resigned his place in the Senate.

JAN. 23.—Georgia members of Congress resigned.

JAN. 24.—The rebels seized the U. S. arsenal at Augusta Georgia.

JAN. 26.—Louisiana Legislature passed secession ordinance by vote of
113 to 17.

JAN. 30.—North Carolina Legislature submitted the convention question
to the people. This was the first instance of the will of the people
being consulted in regard to the question of secession. The revenue
cutters Cass, at Mobile, and McLelland, at New Orleans, surrendered to
the rebel authorities.

FEBRUARY, 1861.

FEB. 1.—Texas Convention passed an ordinance of secession by vote of
166 to 7, to be submitted to the people. The Louisiana authorities
seized the Mint and Custom House at New Orleans.

FEB. 4.—Delegates from the seceded States met at Montgomery, Alabama,
to organize a Confederate Government. Peace Congress met at Washington;
Ex-President Tyler was chosen President.

FEB. 8.—The U. S. arsenal at Little Rock surrendered to Arkansas.

FEB. 9.—Jefferson Davis and A. H. Stephens elected Provisional
President and Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy.

FEB. 13.—The electoral vote counted. Abraham Lincoln received 180
votes, Stephen A. Douglas 12, John C. Breckenridge 72, and John Bell 39.

FEB. 19.—Fort Kearney, Kansas, seized by the rebels.

FEB. 23.—General Twiggs surrendered government property in Texas,
valued at $1,200,000, to the rebels.

MARCH, 1861.

MARCH 1.—General Twiggs expelled from the army. Peace Congress
adjourned.

MARCH 2.—Revenue cutter Dodge surrendered to the rebels at Galveston,
Texas.

MARCH 4.—The ordinance of secession passed by the Texas Convention and
submitted to the people, having been adopted by a majority of about
40,000, the Convention declared the State out of the Union.

MARCH 5.—General Beauregard took command of the troops at Charleston.

MARCH 6.—Fort Brown, on the Rio Grande, was surrendered by special
agreement. The Federal troops evacuated the fort and sailed for Key
West and Tortugas.

MARCH 28.—Vote of Louisiana on secession made public. For secession,
20,448; against it, 17,926.

MARCH 30.—Mississippi Convention ratified the Confederate Constitution
by a vote of 78 to 70.


APRIL, 1861.

APRIL 3.—South Carolina Convention ratified the Confederate
Constitution by a vote of 114 to 16.

APRIL 4.—Virginia Convention, by a vote of 89 to 45, refused to submit
an ordinance of secession to the people.

APRIL 7.—All intercourse between Fort Sumter and Charleston stopped by
order of Beauregard. The steamer Atlantic sailed from New York with
troops and supplies.

APRIL 8.—The Federal Government notified the South Carolina authorities
that provisions would be sent to Major Anderson by force, if necessary.
The State Department refused to recognize the Confederate States
Commissioners.

APRIL 11.—Troops are stationed in Washington, and the oath of fidelity
administered to the men. The rebel Commissioners left Washington.
General Beauregard demanded the surrender of Fort Sumter. Major
Anderson refused.

BOMBARDMENT OF FORT SUMTER.

APRIL 12.—The rebels had constructed batteries on Morris Island,
Sullivan Island and Cumming’s Point, besides occupying Fort Moultrie;
they had also built a powerful floating battery, all of which were
employed in the attack on Sumter. Fort Moultrie opened fire at four
o’clock in the morning. Fort Sumter did not reply until seven o’clock.
The fire was kept up with vigor by both sides. Major Anderson had
under his command 111 men, including officers, musicians and laborers.
The Legislature appropriated $500,000 to arm the State. Fort Pickens
reinforced.

APRIL 13.—The bombardment of Fort Sumter continued; early in the day
the officers’ quarters were fired by a shell; by noon most of the
wood work was on fire; Sumter’s fire was almost silenced when General
Wigfall came with a flag of truce, and arrangements were made for
evacuating the fort. The terms were that the garrison should take all
its individual and company property, that they should march out with
their side arms in their own way, at their own time, and that they
should salute their flag and take it with them.

APRIL 14.—Major Anderson and his men sailed for New York. Governor
Yates, of Illinois, called an extra session of the Legislature, to meet
April 22.

APRIL 15.—The President issued a proclamation commanding all persons
in arms against the Government to disperse within twenty days; also
calling for 75,000 volunteers. The New York Legislature authorized the
raising of $3,000,000 for their equipment and support. The President
called an extra session of Congress, to meet July 4th.

APRIL 16.—The Governors of Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee and Missouri,
refused to furnish troops Under the President’s proclamation.—The
Confederate Government called for 32,000 men.

APRIL 17.—Virginia Convention adopted secession ordinance in secret
session by a vote of 60 to 53, to be submitted to the people on the
fourth Thursday of May. Forces were sent to seize the U. S. Arsenal at
Harper’s Ferry, and the Gosport Navy Yard. All the military power of
the State was placed under the control of the President of the Southern
Confederacy. Jefferson Davis issued a proclamation, offering letters of
marque and reprisal to all who wished to engage in privateering.

APRIL 18.—U. S. Arsenal at Harper’s Ferry destroyed by Lieutenant
Jones, to prevent it falling into the hands of the enemy. Colonel Cake,
with 400 men of the 25th Pennsylvania regiment, arrived in Washington.
These were the first troops to enter the city for its defense.

APRIL 19.—Steamer Star of the West seized by the rebels at Indianola,
Texas. The 6th Massachusetts regiment, while passing through Baltimore,
was attacked by a mob; two soldiers were wounded. The troops fired
upon the mob, killing eleven and wounding many. President Lincoln
issued a proclamation declaring the ports of South Carolina, Florida,
Georgia, Mississippi, Louisiana and Texas, in a state of blockade.
Maryland, Delaware and Pennsylvania, added to the military department
of Washington, and placed under the command of General Patterson. City
Council of Philadelphia appropriated $1,000,000 to equip the volunteers
and support their families.

APRIL 20.—The Governor of North Carolina seized the Branch Mint at
Charlotte. Several bridges on the Northern Pennsylvania Railroad
destroyed by Maryland rebels, to prevent the passage of troops
to Washington. The U. S. Arsenal at Liberty, Mo., seized by the
secessionists and the arms distributed among the surrounding counties.
The Gosport Navy Yard destroyed by General McCauley, to keep it
from the rebels; the war vessels Delaware, Pennsylvania, Columbia,
Germantown, Merrimac, Raritan, Dolphin and United States, were
scuttled and set on fire; the Cumberland was towed out. The 4th
Massachusetts regiment arrived at Fortress Monroe. A special meeting of
the Pennsylvania Legislature called for the 30th, by proclamation of
Governor Curtin.

APRIL 21.—Federal Government took possession of the Philadelphia and
Baltimore Railroad. Senator Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, mobbed at
Lynchburg, Va.

APRIL 22.—U. S. Arsenal at Fayetteville, N. C., seized by the rebels.
Arkansas seized the Arsenal at Napoleon.

APRIL 24.—Fort Smith, Arkansas, seized by the rebels under Senator
Boland. Cairo, Illinois, occupied by Union troops.

APRIL 25.—Major Sibly surrendered 450 U. S. troops to the rebel Colonel
Van Dorn, at Saluria, Texas. A company of Illinois volunteers, acting
under the authority of the Government, removed 22,000 stand of arms
from the Arsenal at St. Louis to Springfield, Illinois. Governor
Letcher proclaims Virginia a member of the Southern Confederacy.

APRIL 27.—The steamer Aelmick, loaded with powder and munitions of war
for the South, seized at Cairo. The blockade extended to the ports of
North Carolina and Virginia. All officers of the army were required to
take the oath of allegiance.

APRIL 29.—The Indiana Legislature appropriated $500,000 to arm the
State. The Maryland House of Delegates voted against secession, 63
to 13. Governor Harris, of Tennessee, seized bonds and money in the
Collector’s hands at Nashville, belonging to the Federal Government.
Three steamships seized at New Orleans by order of Governor Moore, of
Louisiana.

MAY, 1861.

MAY 1.—North Carolina Legislature passed a bill calling a State
Convention, to meet on the 20th of May. The Legislature of Tennessee
passed an act, in secret session, authorizing the Governor to form a
league with the Southern Confederacy.

MAY 3.—Governor Letcher called out the militia to defend Virginia.
President Lincoln called for 42,000 three years’ volunteers; 22,000
troops for the regular army, and 18,000 seamen. Fourteen companies
of Kentucky volunteers offered their services to the Secretary of
War, notwithstanding the Governor’s refusal. Connecticut Legislature
appropriated $2,000,000 for military purposes.

MAY 4.—General McClellan placed in command of the Department of Ohio,
comprising the States of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. Union meetings
were held in Preston county, Va., and at Wheeling, Va.

MAY 5.—General Butler took possession of the Relay House, Maryland.

MAY 6.—Arkansas Convention passed an ordinance of secession, by vote of
69 to 1. Tennessee Legislature adopted secession ordinance in secret
session, to be submitted to a vote of the people on the 8th of June.

MAY 10.—A mob attacked the Home Guard at St. Louis; the Guard fired on
the rioters, killing seven. A rebel force of 800 men, under Gen. Frost,
surrendered to Captain (afterwards General) Lyon, at St. Louis.

MAY 11.—The mob made another attack on the Home Guard in St. Louis.
Blockade of Charleston, S. C., established by the steamer Niagara.

MAY 13.—A Convention composed of delegates from 35 counties, met at
Wheeling, Virginia, to consider the policy of forming a new State.

MAY 14.—A schooner loaded with arms for the rebels, also a large number
of guns in Baltimore, seized by the forces under General Butler. The
ship Argo, with a cargo of tobacco valued at $150,000, captured by the
U. S. gunboat Quaker City.

MAY 16.—A bridge on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad destroyed. General
Scott ordered the fortification of Arlington Heights.

MAY 17.—Secession spies arrested in Washington by order of General
Scott. Adams Express Company prohibited from carrying packages or
letters south of Washington. Rebels commence fortifying Harper’s Ferry.

MAY 18.—Military Department of Virginia created, comprising Eastern
Virginia, North and South Carolina; headquarters at Fortress Monroe,
commander General Butler.

MAY 19.—Rebel batteries at Sewell’s Point attacked by U. S. steamers.
Two schooners with rebel troops on board captured by the U. S. steamer
Freeborn.

MAY 20.—Telegraphic dispatches throughout the North seized by order of
the Government. North Carolina secession ordinance adopted. Governor
Magoffin proclaimed the neutrality of Kentucky.

MAY 22.—Fortifications of Ship Island destroyed to keep them from the
enemy.

MAY 24.—Thirteen thousand troops crossed the Potomac into Virginia.
Alexandria occupied by Federal troops. Colonel Ellsworth shot by
Jackson; the murderer was instantly killed. Arlington Heights occupied
by Union troops.

MAY 25.—Union troops destroyed seven bridges and five miles of railroad
from Alexandria to Leesburg.

MAY 26.—Western Virginia gave a large majority in favor of the Union.
The port of New Orleans was blockaded by the sloop of war Brooklyn. All
postal service in the seceded States suspended.

MAY 31.—The steamers Freeborn and Anacosta engage the rebel batteries
at Acquia Creek.

JUNE, 1861.

JUNE 1.—Lieutenant Tompkins, with 47 men, attacked the rebels at
Fairfax Court House, killing Captain Marr and several others. Union
loss two killed. The steamers Freeborn and Anacosta engage the
batteries at Acquia Creek the second time. Skirmish at Williamsport,
Maryland, between the rebels and a company of Home Guards.

JUNE 3.—Colonel Kelly defeated the rebels at Phillippi, Va.,
killing 15; Colonel Kelly was severely wounded. Hon. S. A. Douglas
died at Chicago. General Beauregard arrived and assumed command
of the Confederate forces at Manassas Junction, Va. The voluntary
contributions in the Northern States to carry on the war amounted to
over $32,000,000.

JUNE 6.—Harriet Lane attacked the batteries at Pig Point, near Fortress
Monroe. A company of rebel cavalry, captured at Alexandria, Va., take
the oath of allegiance.

BATTLE OF BIG BETHEL.

JUNE 10.—Three regiments of Union troops, under the command of General
Pierce, were defeated with a loss of 16 killed, among them Major
Winthrop, and 41 wounded.

JUNE 11.—Skirmish at Romney, Va. Wheeling Convention met.

JUNE 14.—Rebels evacuated Harper’s Ferry, after destroying all
available property; the armory machinery was taken to Richmond.

JUNE 15.—Brig Perry arrived at New York with the privateer Savannah,
captured June 4th.

JUNE 17.—Wheeling Convention unanimously declared Western Virginia
independent of the rebel portion of the State. A train of cars with 275
Ohio volunteers, under the command of Colonel Schenck, was fired into
from a masked battery near Vienna, Va,; 8 were killed and 12 wounded.
General Lyon defeated the rebels at Boonville, Mo., with a loss of
about 30 killed and 50 wounded; Union loss 2 killed and 9 wounded.

JUNE 10.—A skirmish took place at Cole Camp, Mo., between a body of
secessionists and a company of Home Guards; the latter were defeated
with a loss of 10 killed, 20 wounded and 30 prisoners. A detachment
of U. S. Regulars captured a number of rebels with their arms and
ammunition, at Liberty, Mo.

JUNE 20.—Union Convention elected Frank D. Pierpont Governor of
Virginia. General McClellan assumed command in person of the army in
Western Virginia.

JUNE 23.—Forty-eight locomotives belonging to the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad, valued at $400,000, were destroyed by the rebels.

JUNE 24.—The U. S. gunboat Pawnee attacked the rebel battery at Mathias
Point. A spy arrested at Washington with a full detail of the number of
the troops and batteries, and the best plan of attack on the city.

JUNE 26.—The President acknowledged the Wheeling government of Virginia.

JUNE 27.—George P. Kane, Marshal of Baltimore police, arrested by
General Banks and sent to Fort McHenry. The steamers Pawnee, Resolute
and Freeborn, made a second attack on the rebel battery at Mathias
Point; Captain Ward, commanding the Federal force, was killed.

JUNE 29.—The rebel privateer Sumter escaped from New Orleans. The
rebels made a dash at Harper’s Ferry, destroying several boats and a
railroad bridge.

JULY, 1861.

JULY 2.—General Patterson defeated the Confederates at Falling Water,
Va.; Union loss 3 killed and 10 wounded.

JULY 3.—A rebel company of 94 men captured at Neosho, Missouri.

JULY 4.—Rebels seized the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Congress
met in extra session

BATTLE OF CARTHAGE, MO.

JULY 5.—Confederates were commanded by Governor Jackson, the Federal
troops, numbering 1,600, by Colonel Sigel. Colonel Sigel retreated to
Springfield; Union loss 13 killed and 31 wounded.

[Illustration: ZACHARY TAYLOR.]

JULY 6.—General Fremont appointed to the command of the Western
Department, consisting of the State of Illinois, and the States and
territories west of the Mississippi, and east of the Rocky Mountains.
Headquarters at St. Louis. 45 men belonging to the 3d Ohio regiment,
cut their way through an ambuscade near Buchanan, Virginia.

JULY 10.—Skirmish at Laurel Hill, Virginia, rebels defeated. Union
loss, 2 killed and 2 wounded.

JULY 11.—The following Senators were expelled from the U. S. Senate: J.
M. Mason, R. M. Hunter, of Virginia; T. L. Clingham and Thomas Bragg,
of North Carolina; L. T. Wigfall and J. U. Hemphill, of Texas; C. B.
Mitchell and W. K. Sebastian, of Arkansas; and A. O. F. Nicholson, of
Tennessee.

BATTLE OF RICH MOUNTAIN.

JULY 12.—The Federal troops, under command of Colonel Rosecrans,
defeated the enemy under Colonel Pegram. The rebels lost their wagons,
guns, camp equipage, and about 800 prisoners, besides 150 killed and
wounded.

JULY 13.—-The Confederates under General Garnett were defeated at
Carrick’s Ford, Virginia. The rebel General Garnett was killed. Union
loss was 2 killed and 10 wounded.

BATTLE OF SCREYTOWN, VA.—The Federals under Colonel Lowe, were defeated
with a loss of 9 killed and 40 wounded and missing.

JULY 15.—Skirmish at Bunker Hill, Virginia. The rebel cavalry under
Colonel Stuart, made the attack, but were defeated.

JULY 16.—Skirmish at Millville, Missouri, and at Barboursville,
Virginia. Tilgham, a negro, killed three of a rebel prize crew on the
S. J. Warring, and brought the vessel into New York. President Lincoln
authorized to call the militia and accept the services of 500,000 men.

FIGHT AT BLACKBURN FORD.

JULY 18.—The Federal troops under command of General Tyler made
the attack, but after three hours’ fighting were ordered back to
Centerville; their loss was 19 killed and 64 wounded and missing. The
Department of Maryland created, and General John A. Dix placed in
command. Headquarters at Baltimore.

JULY 19.—General Banks superceded General Patterson. Headquarters in
the field.

JULY 20.—The Confederate Congress met at Richmond.

BATTLE OF BULL RUN.

JULY 21.—The Army of the Potomac, 45,000 strong, under the command
of Brigadier-General McDowell, left its camp near Washington, July
17. The army was formed in five divisions. General Tyler commanded
the 1st division, Colonel Hunter the 2d, Colonel Heintzelman the 3d,
Colonel Runyon the 4th, and Colonel Miles the 5th. Colonel Runyon’s
division remained in the rear, between Centerville and Fairfax, and
took no part in the battle. The enemy, in numbers about equal to the
attacking force, occupied a position at Manassas naturally strong, and
made doubly so by art. The battle was commenced on Sunday morning by
the Union troops and was fought skilfully and bravely; the enemy were
driven from a portion of their works, and the chances were decidedly
in favor of the Federals; but the arrival of the rebel General Johnson
with large reinforcements, turned the scale; at the same time a panic
seized upon the troops, and they commenced a shameful and disorderly
retreat towards Washington. The Federal loss was 481 killed, 104
wounded, and 1,216 missing. The rebel loss, according to General
Beauregard, was 269 killed, and 1,483 wounded.

JULY 22.—General McClellan took command of the Army of the Potomac.
Three Months Volunteers began to return home.

JULY 24.—Fort Fillmore, New Mexico, treacherously surrendered to the
enemy by Major Lynde, U. S. A. All the arms and supplies were delivered
up, and the soldiers released on parole.

JULY 25.—General Rosecrans assumed command of the army in Western
Virginia.

JULY 31.—City Council of Cincinnati appropriated $23,000 to aid in
relieving the families of volunteers from Hamilton county, Ohio.

AUGUST, 1861.

AUG. 1.—The rebels retreated from Harper’s Ferry to Leesburg.

AUG. 2.—General Lyon defeated the Confederates at Dug Spring, Missouri.
Union loss was 8 killed at 30 wounded. The vessels engaged in a
contraband trade with the rebels of Virginia and North Carolina were
destroyed in Pocomoke Sound

AUG. 3.—Congress passed a bill for raising $20,000,000 by direct
taxation and the Confiscation bill.

AUG. 5.—Commodore Alden bombarded Galveston, Texas.

AUG. 6.—The extra session of Congress closed.

AUG. 7.—The village of Hampton, Virginia, destroyed by the rebels. The
privateer York burned by the U. S. Gunboat Union, crew taken prisoners.

BATTLE OF WILSON CREEK, MO.

AUG. 10.—General Lyon, with 5,000 Missouri, Iowa and Kansas troops,
attacked a Confederate force double that of his own at Wilson Creek,
near Springfield, Missouri. After a hard fight of six hours, General
Lyon being killed, the Union troops, under the command of Colonel Sigel
and Major Sturgis, retired to Springfield. The enemy did not pursue.
Union loss was 223 killed, and 1,012 wounded and missing. General
McCulloch, commanding the rebels, reported 265 killed, and 800 wounded.

AUG. 12.—President Lincoln appointed the 30th of September as a fast
day.

AUG. 14.—General Fremont declared martial law in St. Louis.

AUG. 15.—Jefferson Davis ordered all Northern men to leave the South in
forty days.

AUG. 16.—General Wool took command at Fortress Monroe.

AUG. 21.—Colonel Doherty with 300 Illinois troops, dispersed a rebel
force at Charleston, Missouri. Union loss 1 killed and 6 wounded.

AUG. 26.—The 7th Ohio regiment, 900 strong, were surprised at
Summerville, Virginia, while at breakfast, by the rebels, under General
Floyd, but fought their way out, with a loss of 6 officers. The
Hatteras expedition sailed.

AUG. 28.—Fort Clark, on the coast of North Carolina, captured.

AUG. 29.—Fort Hatteras surrendered to the Union forces. Rebel loss was
48 killed, 51 wounded, and 691 prisoners. The Federals lost none.

AUG. 30.—Fort Morgan, at Ocracoke Inlet, abandoned by the Confederates.

SEPTEMBER, 1861.

SEPT. 1.—Kentucky Legislature met. Union majority in the Senate, 16; in
the House, 52. Fight at Boonville, Virginia; the rebels were defeated
and the town destroyed. Union loss 6 wounded.

SEPT. 4.—Confederates under General Polk, took possession of Columbus,
Kentucky. The rebels attempted to cross the Potomac at Great Falls, but
were repulsed.

SEPT. 6.—General Grant took possession of Paducah, Ky.

BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERRY.

SEPT. 10.—General Rosecrans with 4,500 troops, attacked the rebels
under Floyd, in their intrenched camp at Gauley river, near Carnifex
Ferry. After several hours’ fighting, darkness put an end to the
contest. During the night Floyd retreated, burning the bridge over
Gauley river. The Federal loss was 15 killed and 70 wounded. A naval
engagement took place on the Mississippi between the U. S. gunboats
Conestoga and Lexington, and two Confederate boats, assisted by a
battery at Lucas Bend. The battery was silenced, and the boats driven
to Columbus.

SEPT. 11.—President Lincoln modified General Fremont’s emancipation
proclamation.

SEPT. 12.—Fight at Cheat Mountain. Colonel J. A. Washington, proprietor
of Mount Vernon, was killed. Union loss, 9 killed and 12 wounded.

SEPT. 17.—Accident on the Ohio and Mississippi railroad, near
Huron, Indiana. About 100 of the 19th Illinois regiment were killed
or wounded. Skirmish between the 3d Iowa regiment and a band of
Confederates at Blue Mills, Missouri. The Federal troops were compelled
to fall back, but receiving reinforcements, rallied, when the rebels
retreated. Union loss, 12 killed and 85 wounded.

SEPT. 18.—Colonel Frank Blair arrested by order of General Fremont.
Maryland Legislature closed by Provost Marshal. Secession members sent
to Fort McHenry.

SEPT. 19.—Governor Morehead, Rueben Merrit, and M. A. Barr, arrested in
Louisville, Kentucky, for treason.

BATTLE OF LEXINGTON, MO.

SEPT. 20.—Colonel Mulligan, with 2,460 men, occupying the town of
Lexington, Missouri, was attacked by a greatly superior force of the
enemy, and after four days was compelled to surrender. During the siege
the whole Union loss was 39 killed and 120 wounded.

SEPT. 21.—John C. Breckinridge fled from Frankfort, Kentucky, and
joined the rebels. General Lane defeated a rebel force at Papinsville,
Missouri. Federal loss 17 killed.

OCTOBER, 1861.

OCT. 1.—The propeller Fanny captured by the rebels at Chicamacomico.

OCT. 2.—Fight at Chapmanville, Virginia, between Colonel Enyartz,
Kentucky volunteers, and a party of Confederates. The latter were
defeated and 47 of them taken prisoners. Union loss 4 killed and 8
wounded.

OCT. 3.—General Reynolds made an armed reconnaissance of the enemy’s
position at Greenbriar. After driving in the rebel pickets and
capturing three cannon, General Reynolds returned to Cheat Mountain,
having lost 8 killed and 32 wounded. The Confederates evacuated
Lexington, Missouri.

OCT. 4.—A large force of rebels under Colonel Barlow attacked the
20th Indiana regiment in their camp at Chicamacomico. The Federals
retreated, leaving the wounded in the hands of the enemy.

OCT. 5.—The steamer Monticello shelled the rebels under Bartow, and
drove them to their boats.

OCT. 6.—Fight at Flemington, Kentucky, between the Home Guard and a
band of rebels. The latter were defeated.

OCT. 7.—The rebel iron-clad steamer, Merrimac, made its first
appearance within sight of Fortress Monroe.

OCT. 9.—Confederates made an attack on Santa Rosa Island, but were
defeated. Union loss was 13 killed and 21 wounded. Colonel Geary, with
400 Pennsylvania troops, crossed the Potomac at Harper’s Ferry, and
captured 21,000 bushels of wheat.

OCT. 11.—Rebel steamer Theodore escaped from Charleston, South
Carolina, with Mason and Slidell on board.

OCT. 15.—Jeff. Thompson, with a force of 600 men, captured a guard of
50, stationed at Big River Bridge, near Potosi, Missouri, and destroyed
the bridge.

OCT. 16.—A small Union force under Major White recaptured Lexington,
Missouri.

OCT. 21.—Fight at Fredericktown, Missouri. The Confederates defeated.
Union loss 6 killed and about 60 wounded.

BATTLE OF BALL’S BLUFF.

OCT. 21.—Union forces engaged numbered 1,900, commanded by Colonel
Baker. General Stone failed to cross the Potomac to support Colonel
Baker. After a severe fight, in which Colonel Baker was killed, the
Federals retreated. Union loss was 223 killed, 266 wounded, and 455
prisoners, including 100 wounded.

BATTLE OF WILD CAT, KY.

OCT. 21.—General Zollicoffer, with 6,000 Confederates, attacked the
Unionists at Camp Wild Cat, Laurel county, Kentucky, and was repulsed
by the forces under General Schoep. Union loss 4 killed and 21 wounded.

OCT. 22.—Skirmish at Buffalo Mills, Missouri. Rebels lost 17 killed and
90 prisoners.

OCT. 25.—General Kelley defeated the enemy, at Romney, Virginia.

OCT. 26.—Gallant charge of Major Zagoni, with 150 of Fremont’s body
guard on a large force of rebels near Springfield, Missouri. The enemy
was routed with a loss of 106 killed and 27 prisoners. Union loss 52
killed and wounded.

OCT. 26.—General Lane captured a rebel transportation train near
Butler, Missouri.

OCT. 29.—The second naval expedition, consisting of 80 vessels, and
15,000 men, sailed from Fortress Monroe. The naval force was commanded
by Commodore Dupont; the land forces were commanded by General Sherman.

NOVEMBER, 1861.

NOV. 1.—General Scott resigned as commander-in-chief of the armies
of the United States. General McClellan was appointed in his place.
General Benham defeated the rebels at Gauley Bridge, Virginia.

NOV. 2.—General Hunter superceded John C. Fremont in the command of the
Western Department. The Confederate schooner Bermuda ran the blockade
at Savannah.

PORT ROYAL.

NOV. 7.—The naval and military forces under the command of Commodore
Dupont and General Sherman, captured Forts Walker and Beauregard, at
Port Royal entrance. They also took possession of the town of Beaufort
and Hilton Island. The Union loss was 8 killed and 25 wounded.

BATTLE OF BELMONT.

General Grant, with a force of 2,800, attacked a rebel camp at Belmont,
Missouri, driving the enemy out and destroying the camp, and taking a
quantity of arms; but reinforcements arriving at Columbus, the Federals
were compelled to retreat; their loss was 84 killed, 288 wounded, and
235 missing.

NOV. 8.—Five rebel boats made an attack on Fort Hatteras, but were
repulsed.

NOV. 10.—The rebels attack the town Guyandotte, Virginia, killing some
of the Union men, but were driven off.

NOV. 11.—Guyandotte burned by the Unionists. General Halleck takes
command of the Western Department.

NOV. 15.—The United States Frigate San Jacinto arrived at Fortress
Monroe with Mason and Slidell, the rebel commissioners to Europe.

NOV. 18.—Confederate Congress met.

NOV. 21.—The United States vessel Santee captured the privateer Royal
Yacht, off Galveston, Texas.

NOV. 23.—Fort Pickens and the U. S. war vessels Niagara and Colorado,
bombarded the rebel fortifications at Pensacola. Port of Warrenton
burnt.

NOV. 26.—Sharp skirmish at Hunter’s Hill, Virginia. Union loss 28
killed and wounded.

NOV. 27.—General McClellan directed the observance of the Sabbath in
all the camps of the U. S. Army.

NOV. 29.—Skirmish at Warsaw, Missouri; a portion of the town destroyed.

NOV. 30.—Fight at Salem, Missouri. Rebels defeated with a loss of 39
killed and wounded.

DECEMBER, 1861.

DEC. 3.—Congress met.

DEC. 4.—John C. Breckinridge expelled from the United States Senate.

DEC. 5.—Engagement between the rebel gunboats and the Federal vessels,
at Cape Hatteras. According to the reports of the Secretaries of War
and Navy, the Union forces numbered 640,537 volunteers, 20,334 regular
soldiers, and 22,000 seamen.

DEC. 9.—The Confederate Congress passed a bill admitting Kentucky into
the Southern Confederacy. Freestone Point, Virginia, shelled by the
National gunboats; the rebel batteries were silenced, and the buildings
containing stores were destroyed.

DEC. 13.—Engagement at Camp Alleghany, Virginia, in which General
Milroy defeated the rebels under Colonel Johnson. Union loss, 21 killed
and 107 wounded.

FIGHT AT MUNFORDSVILLE, KY.

DEC. 17.—The Union force engaged was a portion of the 32d Indiana
(German) regiment; the Confederates were commanded by General Hindman;
battle drawn. Union loss 10 killed and 17 wounded. General Pope
captured 360 secessionists at Osceola, Missouri.

DEC. 18.—General Pope captured 1,300 rebels, a number of horses and
wagons, and 1,000 stand of arms, at Millford, Missouri. Union loss 2
killed and 17 wounded. Stone fleet sunk in Charleston harbor.

DEC. 20.—Battle of Drainsville, Virginia, in which the rebels were
defeated by the Union troops under General McCall. Union loss 7 killed
and 61 wounded.

DEC. 27.—Mason and Slidell surrendered to the British Minister.

DEC. 28.—A fight took place at Mount Zion, Boone county, Missouri. The
Confederates were dispersed with considerable loss in killed, wounded
and prisoners. Union loss 3 killed and 11 wounded.

JANUARY, 1862.

JAN. 1.—Mason and Slidell left Fort Warren, for England, in the British
steamer Rinaldo. Cannon fight at Fort Pickens. General Stevens advances
from Beaufort to the mainland, and with the assistance of the gunboats,
captured the Coosaw batteries. Union loss 2 killed and 8 wounded.

JAN. 4.—General Milroy defeated the rebels at Huntersville, Virginia,
and captured $80,000 worth of stores.

JAN. 7.—Rebels defeated at Romney. A force of 300 Union troops sent by
General Milroy, captured a large quantity of stores in Tucker county,
Virginia.

JAN. 8.—General Palmer defeated the rebels at Silver Creek, Missouri.
Union loss 4 killed and 18 wounded.

JAN. 10.—Colonel Garfield defeated the rebels under Humphrey Marshall,
at Prestonburg, Ky.

JAN. 11.—The Burnside expedition sailed from Fortress Monroe. Naval
engagement on the Mississippi between the Union steamers Essex and
St. Louis, and four rebel boats; the latter were compelled to seek
protection under the batteries at Columbus. Simon Cameron resigned his
position as Secretary of War, and E. M. Stanton appointed in his place.

MILL SPRING, KY.

JAN. 19.—This battle was fought between 3,000 Union troops under
General Schoep, and rebels under General Zollicoffer. The enemy were
defeated and General Zollicoffer killed. Union loss, 39 killed and 127
wounded.

FEBRUARY, 1862.

FEB. 3.—The Federal Government decided that the crews of the captured
privateers were to be considered as prisoners of war.

FEB. 5.—Jesse D. Bright expelled from the United States Senate.

FEB. 6.—Commodore Foote, with 7 gunboats, attacked Fort Henry, on
the Tennessee river. After fighting an hour and a half, the rebel
commander, General Tilghman, made an unconditional surrender.

FEB. 7.—The expedition under General Burnside and Commodore
Goldsborough reached Roanoke Island, and commenced the attack on the
rebel fortifications.

ROANOKE ISLAND.

FEB. 8.—General Burnside captured the six forts on Roanoke Island,
taking about 3,000 small arms and destroying all the Confederate fleet,
except two vessels. Union loss was 50 killed and 212 wounded. 2,500
prisoners and a large quantity of ammunition were captured.

FEB. 9.—General C. P. Stone arrested and sent to Fort Lafayette.

FEB. 10.—Elizabeth City, N. C., surrendered to General Burnside. The
Federal gunboats ascended the Tennessee river as far as Florence,
Alabama, capturing three and destroying six rebel boats.

FORT DONELSON.

FEB. 13.—General Curtis took possession of Springfield, Mo. Fort
Donelson invested, and the bombardment commenced.

FEB. 14.—Commodore Foote attacked Fort Donelson with the gunboats, but
was compelled to withdraw.

FEB. 15.—The attack on Fort Donelson renewed by the land forces under
General Grant, numbering 40,000. Bowling Green evacuated by the rebels.

FEB. 16.—General Buckner made an unconditional surrender of Fort
Donelson and the troops under his command. Between 12,000 and 15,000
prisoners, 40 cannon, and a large amount of stores were captured.
Union loss was 321 killed, 1,046 wounded and 150 missing. Skirmish at
Independence, Mo.

FEB. 18.—General Curtis drove the rebels across the Arkansas line,
capturing a number of prisoners and army stores.

FEB. 21.—The Union troops occupied Clarksville, Tennessee. Desperate
fight at Fort Craig, New Mexico, between the Union troops under Colonel
Canby, and the Texans. The Federals were defeated with a loss of 62
killed and 162 wounded.

FEB. 22.—Jefferson Davis inaugurated President, and A. H. Stephens
Vice-President of the Southern Confederacy.

FEB. 24.—Nashville, Tennessee, occupied by the Union troops.

FEB. 27.—Columbus evacuated by the Confederates.

MARCH, 1862.

MARCH 1.—Fight at Pittsburgh Landing between two Union gunboats and a
rebel battery.

MARCH 4.—Brunswick, Ga., Fort Clinch, Fernandina and St. Mary’s, Fla.,
were captured by Commodore Dupont. Andrew Johnson appointed Military
Governor of Tennessee.

BATTLE OF PEA RIDGE.

MARCH 6.—The Confederates under Van Dorn, Price, and McCulloch,
attacked General Curtis at Pea Ridge, Arkansas. The Union army numbered
about 12,000.

MARCH 7.—The battle of Pea Ridge renewed, lasting all day.

MARCH 8.—The battle of Pea Ridge ended in the total defeat of the
enemy. Union loss was 212 killed and 926 wounded. The rebel steamers
Merrimac, Jamestown and Yorktown, attacked the Federal fleet at Hampton
Roads, destroying the Cumberland and the Congress, and damaging several
other vessels. The Federal loss, in addition to the vessels, was 201
killed and 108 wounded.

MARCH 9.—Duel of the Ironsides in Hampton Roads. After three hours’
fighting the Merrimac was towed under the protection of the battery
at Sewall’s Point, and never renewed the contest. The Monitor was
uninjured.

MARCH 11.—General McClellan took command of the Army of the Potomac;
General Fremont of the Mountain Department, and General Halleck of the
Department of the Mississippi. Manassas occupied by Union troops.

MARCH 12.—Commodore Dupont took possession of Jacksonville, Florida.
The rebels driven from their works at Paris, Tennessee.

MARCH 13.—The Confederates evacuated their works at New Madrid, Mo., in
such haste as to leave 25 pieces of artillery, and a large quantity of
military stores, valued at $1,000,000.

MARCH 14.—General Burnside attacked the rebels in their fortifications
at Newbern, N. C. After a fight of four hours, the enemy retreated,
leaving a large quantity of ammunition, provisions and stores in the
hands of the victors. The Union loss was 91 killed and 466 wounded.

MARCH 16.—Commodore Foote commenced the attack on Island No. 10. Rebels
defeated at Cumberland Mountain, Ky.

MARCH 18.—Rebel fortifications at Acquia Creek evacuated. Confederates
defeated at Salem, Ark.

BATTLE OF WINCHESTER, VA.

MARCH 23.—The Union force engaged was a part of General Shield’s army,
and numbered about 8,000, commanded by Colonel Kimball. The fight
commenced at ten o’clock in the morning, and lasted until three o’clock
in the afternoon. The rebels were finally defeated, and retreated to
Strasburgh, leaving their dead and wounded upon the field. The Union
loss was 103 killed and 440 wounded.

MARCH 28.—Fight at Pigeon Ranch, New Mexico, between 3,000 Union troops
under Colonel Hough, and 1,100 Texans. The battle was a drawn one.

MARCH 31.—Colonel Buford dispersed the rebels at Union City, Tennessee.

APRIL, 1862.

APRIL 6.—The rebels under Generals Johnson and Beauregard, attacked
General Grant’s army at Pittsburgh Landing. The Union forces were
driven back to the river and a number of prisoners captured.

APRIL 7.—The battle of Shiloh renewed. General Buell arrived during
the night with reinforcements. The battle lasted throughout the day
with varied success, but the rebels were finally defeated and driven
to their fortifications at Corinth. The Federal loss was 1,614 killed,
7,721 wounded and 3,956 missing. The rebel General Johnson was killed.

APRIL 8.—Island No. 10 captured, 5,000 prisoners, 100 siege guns, 24
pieces of field artillery, 5,000 stands of small arms, 2,000 hogsheads
of sugar and a large quantity of clothing, tents and ammunition.

APRIL 11.—Fort Pulaski, commanding the entrance to Savannah,
surrendered after a bombardment of thirty hours. General Mitchell
occupied Huntsville, Ala., taking 200 prisoners, 15 locomotives and a
large number of cars. The rebel iron-clad Merrimac makes her second
appearance in Hampton Roads, destroying three small vessels. Congress
passed the bill abolishing slavery in the District of Columbia.

APRIL 12.—The enemy attacked General Milroy at Monterey, Virginia, but
were repulsed. General Mitchell captured 2,000 prisoners at Chattanooga.

APRIL 18.—The rebels attacked General Smith’s division at Yorktown,
but were repulsed. Bombardment of Forts Jackson and Phillip, on the
Mississippi below New Orleans, commenced.

APRIL 19.—Fight between General Burnside’s troops and the enemy, near
Elizabeth City, N. C. The latter were defeated. Union loss 11 killed.
General Reno, with 2,000 Union troops, defeated the enemy at Camden, N.
C. Union loss 14 killed and 99 wounded.

APRIL 24.—The Union fleet having removed the obstructions in the
Mississippi, passed Forts Jackson and St. Phillip on its way to New
Orleans.

APRIL 25.—Commodore Farragut arrived at New Orleans and took possession
of the city. Fort Macon, Georgia, surrendered after a bombardment of
eleven hours. General C. F. Smith died at Savannah, Tenn.

APRIL 28.—Forts Jackson and St. Phillip surrendered. In the capture of
New Orleans the rebels lost, in addition to the forts, 13 gunboats,
among them the ram Manassas and the iron-clad Louisiana.

APRIL 29.—General Mitchell defeated the rebels at Bridgeport, Alabama.

MAY, 1862.

MAY 3.—The rebels evacuated Yorktown, Jamestown, and Mulberry and
Gloucester Islands, leaving ammunition, camp equipage and 100 guns
behind.

BATTLE OF WILLIAMSBURGH, VA.

MAY 5.—The troops were commanded by Generals Hancock and Hooker. The
rebels were defeated, and retreated in the night toward Richmond. Union
loss 200 killed and 700 wounded. General Dumont attacked Morgan’s
cavalry at Lebanon, Tenn., killed 66 and took 183 prisoners. Union loss
10 killed, and 26 wounded and missing.

WEST POINT, VA.

MAY 7.—Generals Franklin and Sedgewick, with a force of 20,000 men,
were attacked by General Lee. The rebels were defeated. Union loss
about 300 killed and wounded.

MAY 8.—General Milroy attacked the enemy at McDowell’s, Va. After a
fight of five hours General Milroy was forced to withdraw. Federal loss
29 killed and about 200 wounded.

MAY 9.—The rebels evacuated Pensacola, and destroyed the Navy Yard.

MAY 10.—The Federal forces took possession of Norfolk, Va. The result
of this movement was the destruction of the iron-clad Merrimac and the
capture of a number of guns and a large amount of ammunition. Gosport
Navy Yard destroyed by the rebels. Gunboat fight on the Mississippi,
near Fort Wright; the rebels were repulsed, losing two vessels.

MAY 12.—Natchez, Mississippi, surrendered to Commodore Farragut.

MAY 16.—The Union gunboats repulsed at Fort Darling.

MAY 17.—Rebels driven across the Chickahominy, at Bottom Bridge.

MAY 23.—The rebel Colonel Heath attacked the Federal troops at
Lewisburgh, Va. After an hour’s fighting the rebels were defeated.
Union loss 14 killed and wounded.

MAY 24.—Colonel Kenley, commanding the Federal troops at Front Royal,
Va., was attacked by a large force of the enemy and defeated with a
heavy loss.

MAY 25.—General Banks defeated at Winchester, Va., and driven across
the Potomac.

MAY 27.—Confederates defeated at Hanover, Va. Union loss 35 killed and
220 wounded.

MAY 29.—Rebels evacuated Corinth, Miss.

MAY 30.—Union troops took possession of Corinth.

BATTLE OF FAIR OAKS.

MAY 31.—The rebels, under General Johnson, attacked the left wing of
the Army of the Potomac, commanded by General Casey, at Fair Oaks.
Union forces were driven back.

JUNE, 1862.

JUNE 1.—Battle of Fair Oaks was renewed, resulting in the repulse of
the rebels. Union loss 890 killed and 4,844 wounded.

JUNE 4.—Confederates abandoned their works at Fort Wright, on the
Mississippi.

JUNE 6.—Gunboat engagement on the Mississippi, near Memphis. Seven
rebel boats were destroyed or captured. After the naval battle Memphis
surrendered to the Union troops. Skirmish near Harrisonburg, Virginia;
the rebel General Ashby killed.

JUNE 8.—Battle of Cross Keys, Va., between General Fremont’s army and
the Confederate army, commanded by General Jackson. The latter were
defeated.

JUNE 16.—Fight on James Island, near Charleston, S. C. Federals
defeated with a loss of 85 killed, 172 wounded and 128 missing.

JUNE 17.—Colonel Fitch destroyed a rebel battery at St. Charles, Ark.
125 were killed by an explosion on one of the Federal gunboats.

JUNE 18.—Union troops occupied Cumberland Gap.

RICHMOND, VA.

JUNE 26.—General Pope assigned to the command of the Army of Virginia.
Commencement of the six days’ fight before Richmond. The rebels
attacked McClellan’s right wing at Mechanicsville. The day closed,
battle undecided.

JUNE 27.—Bombardment of Vicksburg commenced. General Fremont relieved
of his command. Battle before Richmond renewed; the Federals were
driven back; loss heavy on both sides. White House evacuated by the
Union troops.

JUNE 28.—Incessant fighting all day between the right wing of the Union
army on the Chickahominy, and the left wing of the rebels; the enemy
were repulsed. In the evening the Unionists were ordered to fall back.

JUNE 29.—Battle before Richmond renewed by an attack on the Union
forces at Peach Orchard; the rebels were driven back, but late in the
evening made another attack at Savage’s Station. The fight continued
until nine at night. The Union wounded fell into the hands of the enemy.

JUNE 30.—Battle of White Oak Swamp; heavy loss on both sides. General
McClellan continues his retreat towards James river. In the afternoon
the gunboats opened fire on the enemy, who were also subsequently
charged by General Heintzelman’s corps and routed, leaving 2,000
prisoners in the hands of the Unionists.

JULY, 1862.

JULY 1.—Battle of Malvern Hill, and last of the Richmond battles.
The rebels were repulsed at every point. The Union loss during the
six days’ fighting before Richmond was 1,561 killed, 7,701 wounded
and 5,958 missing. President Lincoln calls for 300,000 additional
volunteers.

JULY 7.—Skirmish at Bayou Cache, Ark., between a portion of General
Curtis’s army and the rebels under General Pike; the latter were
defeated. Skirmish at Jasper, Ala.; Federals defeated.

JULY 9.—Hamilton, North Carolina, captured by the Federal troops.

JULY 11.—The rebel General Morgan entered Glasgow, Kentucky, and issued
a proclamation calling upon the Kentuckians to rise. General Halleck
appointed commander of all the land forces of the United States.

JULY 13.—Fight at Murfreesboro, Tenn.; Union troops surrendered;
$30,000 worth of commissary stores captured, and a number of prisoners
taken. General Morgan captured Lebanon, Ky., burned part of the town
and robbed the Bank.

JULY 17.—The rebels under Morgan captured Cynthiana, Ky., and burned
several railroad bridges.

JULY 18.—A band of rebels entered the town of Newburgh, Ind., and
destroyed some hospital stores, took 250 stand of arms and retreated
across the Ohio. The traitor, General Twiggs, died.

JULY 19.—Severe skirmish at Memphis, Tenn.; Union loss 6 killed and 32
wounded.

JULY 21.—John S. Phelps appointed Military Governor of Arkansas.

JULY 22.—The siege of Vicksburg abandoned. The rebels destroyed a
quantity of commissary stores at Florence, Ala., and burned all the
cotton in the place.

JULY 28.—Rebels defeated at Moore’s Hill, Mo.; Union loss 10 killed and
30 wounded.

AUGUST, 1862.

AUG. 3.—The rebel General Jeff. Thompson defeated near Memphis, Tenn.
General Halleck ordered General McClellan to evacuate the Peninsula of
Virginia.

AUG. 4.—The Secretary of War ordered a draft of 300,000 men. The rebel
ram Arkansas destroyed by her crew.

AUG. 5.—General Robert McCook murdered by the rebels, while wounded and
riding in an ambulance. The Confederate General J. C. Breckinridge made
an unsuccessful attack on Baton Rouge, La. Union loss was 56 killed and
175 wounded and missing.

BATTLE OF CEDAR MOUNTAIN.

AUG. 10.—Confederates under General Jackson crossed the Rapidan river,
and attacked General Banks at Cedar Mountain. The contest was short
but severe. General Banks held his position, while the enemy fell back
two miles, and did not renew the fight. The Union army numbered 7,000;
their loss was 450 killed, 660 wounded, and 290 prisoners.

AUG. 16.—General McClellan evacuated Harrison’s Landing.

AUG. 19.—General Wright placed in command of the Department of the
Ohio. Colonel Rodney Mason surrendered Clarksville, Tenn., to an
inferior force, without firing a gun.

AUG. 25.—Confederates made an unsuccessful attack on Fort Donelson.

AUG. 26.—The rebel General Ewell drove the Union troops from Manassas.

AUG. 27.—General Pope finding his right turned by General Ewell,
fell back towards Warrenton, when he was joined by General Hooker;
overtaking the rebels under Ewell at Haymarket a severe fight ensued,
terminating in the defeat of the enemy. The Federal gunboats destroy
the rebel works at City Point, Va.

BATTLE OF GAINSVILLE, OR GROVETON, VA.

AUG. 29.—The battle was opened by General Sigel early in the morning.
At 10 A. M. both wings of the Union army were hard pressed and the
situation became very critical, when Generals Reno and Kearney arrived
with reinforcements. The fight continued until 6 P. M., when the enemy
retired.

BATTLE OF RICHMOND, KY.

AUG. 30.—The Confederates made the attack at 6 A. M. The Union troops
under General Manson were defeated with a loss of about 200 killed,
700 wounded, and 2,000 prisoners. Rebels defeated at Bolivar, Tenn.

SECOND BATTLE OF BULL RUN.

AUG. 30.—The Federal forces under General Pope defeated.

AUG. 31.—Bayou Sara, La., destroyed by the U. S. gunboat Essex.

SEPTEMBER, 1862.

SEPT. 1.—Fight at Britton’s Lane, Tenn.; rebels retired leaving their
dead on the field. Union loss 5 killed, 78 wounded, and 92 missing.

FIGHT AT CHANTILLY, VA.

SEPT. 1.—The Union troops were commanded by Generals Hooker, Reno
and Kearney. The rebels retired leaving their dead and wounded on
the field. This was the last fight in which General Pope’s army
was engaged. In the five battles fought since August 26, the Army
of Virginia had lost about 1,000 killed, 6,000 wounded, and 2,000
prisoners. The Union troops evacuated Lexington, Ky.

SEPT. 2.—General McClellan appointed to the command of the troops for
the defense of Washington.

SEPT. 5.—Confederates began crossing the Potomac into Maryland.

SEPT. 6.—The rebels made an attack on the Union garrison at Washington,
N. C.; were repulsed. Union loss 8 killed and 36 wounded. Colonel Lowe
recaptured Clarksville, Tenn.

SEPT. 7.—General Banks assigned to the command of the fortifications in
and around Washington. General McClellan took the field at the head of
the Army of the Potomac.

SEPT. 12.—Fight at Middletown, Md. Union loss, 80 killed and wounded.

BATTLE OF SOUTH MOUNTAIN, MD.

SEPT. 14.—General McClellan overtook the enemy at South Mountain, Md.
A general engagement took place. The fight was severe and the loss
heavy on both sides, the Unionists losing 443 killed and 1,806 wounded.
General Reno was among the killed. The rebels retreated towards the
Potomac.

SEPT. 15.—Harper’s Ferry surrendered, after two days’ fighting, to
the enemy, with all the garrison, consisting of 8,000 men. The rebels
attempted to destroy the Green river bridge, on the Louisville and
Nashville R. R., but were defeated.

SEPT. 16.—Munfordsville, Ky., captured by the rebels; about 4,000 taken
prisoners.

BATTLE OF ANTIETAM, MD.

SEPT. 17.—The battle was fought on Antietam Creek, near Sharpsburg,
Md., and began early in the morning and continued until evening. Armies
each numbering nearly 100,000 men. The battle was fought with great
determination. During the night the Confederates retreated, leaving
3,500 prisoners, 39 stand of colors, and 13 guns in the hands of the
victors. The Union loss was 2,010 killed, 9,416 wounded, and 1,043
missing. Cumberland Gap evacuated by the Federals.

SEPT. 18.—Confederates recrossed the Potomac into Virginia, having been
in Maryland two weeks. The rebels evacuated Harper’s Ferry.

SEPT. 19.—General Rosecrans commenced an attack on the rebel forces at
Iuka, Miss.

SEPT. 20.—Confederates evacuated the place during the night. The Union
loss was 135 killed and 527 wounded.

SEPT. 21.—General McCook recaptured Munfordsville, Ky.

SEPT. 22.—President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation issued.

SEPT. 27.—Fight at Augusta, Ky. The Union garrison, 120 strong,
surrendered after a gallant defense. Their loss was 9 killed, 15
wounded and the rest prisoners.

SEPT. 29.—General Nelson was shot by General Jeff. C. Davis at
Louisville, Ky.

OCTOBER, 1862.

BATTLE OF CORINTH, MISS.

OCT. 3.—The rebels under Price and Van Dorn attacked the Union troops
and drove them into the town.

OCT. 4.—Battle of Corinth renewed. The Confederates were defeated with
heavy loss. The Union loss was 315 killed and 1,802 wounded.

OCT. 6.—The Confederates attacked General Palmer’s brigade at
Lavergne, Tenn., but were defeated. Union loss, 5 killed and 13
wounded and missing.


BATTLE OF PERRYVILLE, KY.

OCT. 8.—The advance of Buell’s army was attacked at Perryville, Ky.,
by a superior force of the enemy under Generals Jackson and Perrell.
The Confederates retreated during the night. Union loss was over 3,000
killed and wounded.

OCT. 10.—The rebel cavalry under General Stuart entered Chambersburg,
Penn., and captured a quantity of small arms and clothing.

OCT. 18.—The rebel General Morgan occupied Lexington, Kentucky.

OCT. 19.—The Confederate General Forrest defeated near Gallatin, Tenn.

OCT. 22.—Rebel salt works in Florida destroyed. General Blunt defeated
the rebels at Maysville, Ark., capturing all their artillery. Fight
at Pocotaligo, S. C. The Federals attempted to gain possession of the
Charleston and Savannah railroad, but were repulsed with a loss of 30
killed and 180 wounded.

OCT. 27.—Fight at Labadieville, La.; rebels defeated; Union loss, 17
killed and 74 wounded.

OCT. 28.—General Herron defeated the rebels near Fayetteville, Arkansas.

OCT. 30.—General Rosecrans assumed command of the Army of the
Cumberland. General Mitchell died at Port Royal, South Carolina.

NOVEMBER, 1862.

NOV. 5.—General McClellan relieved of the command of the Army of the
Potomac, and General Burnside put in his place.

NOV. 11.—General Ransom defeated the rebels under Woodward, near
Garrettsburg, Kentucky. Under the cartel the following officers
were exchanged: U. S. officers—Brigadier Generals, 3, Colonels, 18,
Lieutenant Colonels, 19, Captains, 431, Lieutenants, 545; Confederate
officers—Colonels, 27, Lieutenant Colonels, 17, Captains, 467,
Lieutenants, 1,085. About 24,000 privates were also exchanged, leaving
a balance due the United States of 6,000 privates.

NOV. 16.—President Lincoln enjoined on the United States forces the
orderly observance of the Sabbath.

NOV. 17.—A cavalry fight took place near Kingston, North Carolina. The
enemy was driven from his position and his barracks destroyed.

NOV. 22.—All political State prisoners released.

BATTLE OF CANE HILL, ARK.

NOV. 28.—The Union army, numbering 1,000 men, was commanded by General
Blunt. The rebels were defeated, with a heavy loss, and retreated to
Van Buren.

DECEMBER, 1862.

DEC. 1.—An expedition sent from Suffolk, Va., recaptured the Pittsburg
Battery, which had been taken from the Union army on the Peninsula.

DEC. 2.—Skirmish near Charleston, Va. Rebels defeated, losing 70 killed
and wounded and 145 prisoners.

DEC. 6.—General Banks’ expedition sailed for New Orleans.


BATTLE OF PRAIRIE GROVE, ARK.

DEC. 7.—The Union army was commanded by Generals Blunt and Herron. The
rebels were defeated with heavy loss, and retreated during the night.
The Union loss was 495 killed and 500 wounded. The rebel General Morgan
captured the 104th Illinois, the 106th and 108th Ohio, and a number of
the 2d Indiana cavalry, at Hartsville, Tenn. Unionists lost, besides
prisoners, 55 killed.

DEC. 11.—The city of Fredericksburg bombarded by the Union troops,
under cover of which they crossed the Rappahannock.

BATTLE OF FREDERICKSBURG, VA.

DEC. 13.—Confederate works were attacked by the Union troops in three
divisions, under Sumner, Hooker and Franklin, but were repulsed.
Federals lost 1,512 killed, 6,000 wounded, and 100 prisoners. General
Foster left Newbern, N. C., for the purpose of destroying the railroad
at Goldsboro’. He came up with the enemy at Southwest creek; after
a short engagement, they retired to Kingston, where they were again
attacked and driven from their position with a loss of 11 pieces of
artillery and 400 prisoners. Severe skirmish at Zuric, Va.; rebels
defeated and part of their force captured. An expedition under
Commodore Parker destroyed the rebel salt works, also five schooners
and two sloops in Mob Jack Bay.

DEC. 16.—General Burnside’s army removed to the north side of the
Rappahannock. General Foster defeated the rebels at White Hall, N. C.

DEC. 17.—The Union troops occupied Baton Rouge, La. General Foster
defeated the rebels at Goldsboro’, N. C. destroying the railroad bridge.

DEC. 19.—The rebels recaptured Holly Springs, Miss., taking the
garrison prisoners, and destroying a large quantity of ammunition,
commissary stores and cotton.

DEC. 21.—General Carter left Kentucky for the purpose of destroying
two important railroad bridges in East Tennessee. The expedition was
successful.

DEC. 23.—The Confederates attacked General Sigel at Dumfries, Va., but
were repulsed.

SECOND ATTACK ON VICKSBURG.

DEC. 27.—General Sherman attacked the advanced works of the enemy about
6 miles from Vicksburg, at the same time the gunboats attacked the
rebel batteries on Haines’ Bluff.

DEC. 28.—The Federals drive the rebels from the first and second lines
of defense and advanced to within two and a half miles of Vicksburg.
General Blunt entered Van Buren, Ark., capturing four steamboats laden
with provisions.

DEC. 29.—The Confederates attacked General Sherman with their whole
force, and drove him back to the first lines of defense.

BATTLE OF MURFREESBORO’, OR STONE RIVER.

DEC. 31.—Skirmishing had been going on for two days, but to-day the
engagement became general. The Union army numbered 45,000 men, under
General Rosecrans. The main attack of the rebels was made on General
Rosecrans’ right, commanded by General McCook. The division was driven
back four miles, and lost 26 guns; but reinforcements being sent from
the left and center, the enemy was in turn repulsed and the lost ground
regained. The iron-clad steamer, Monitor, foundered on the coast of
South Carolina. West Virginia admitted into the Union as a State.

JANUARY, 1863.

JAN. 1.—General Sullivan defeated the rebels under Van Dorn, at Hunt’s
Cross Roads, near Lexington, Tenn. Early in the morning of January 1st
a rebel force of 3,000 men under the command of General Magruder, made
an attack on the Union troops numbering 300, at Galveston, Texas. At
the same time the rebel batteries and two rebel steamers attacked the
blockading fleet. The fight lasted several hours, resulting in the
capture of the troops on land and the steamer Harriet Lane. The U. S.
vessel Westfield got aground, and was destroyed to prevent its falling
into the hands of the enemy. The explosion took place prematurely,
before Commodore Renshaw had left, and he perished with his vessel.

JAN. 3.—Since the hard battle of December 31st, fighting had been going
on between the two armies at Murfreesboro’. The Confederates made an
attack on the Federal lines Jan. 1st, and another Jan. 2d, but were
repulsed in both cases. On the night of Jan. 3d, they commenced their
retreat. The following is the official statement of the Union loss
at the battle of Stone River: killed 1,697, wounded 6,425, and 3,550
missing. The Federal army withdrew from before Vicksburg. The Union
loss in the second attack on Vicksburg was about 600 killed, 1,500
wounded and 1,000 missing.

JAN. 7.—The Confederates made an attack on Springfield, Mo., where a
large quantity of army stores had been deposited. The place was bravely
defended by General Brown and the rebels defeated. Union loss 17 killed.

ARKANSAS POST.

JAN. 10.—The attack was commenced Saturday night by the Mississippi
Squadron, under Admiral Porter. On the following day the land forces
under General McClernand, joined in the fight, and before night all the
fortifications were taken. About 7,000 prisoners, and a large quantity
of ammunition were captured. The Union loss was about 200 killed and
wounded. Two rebel iron-clad vessels made an attack on the blockading
fleet at Charleston, South Carolina. The Mercedita and Keystone were
severely injured, and the inner line of blockaders driven off for a
time, but the outer line of vessels were not disturbed and the blockade
was not interrupted.

JAN. 12.—Three Federal transports on the Cumberland river were captured
by the enemy. The gunboat Slidel, which was in company surrendered
without firing a gun.

JAN. 14.—Fight at Bayou Teche, La., a number of rebels were captured,
and the rebel gunboat Cotton, destroyed.

JAN. 20.—The Morning Light and Velocity, blockading Sabine City,
Texas, were both captured by the rebels. A few days after, the Morning
Light was destroyed to prevent its recapture by the Federals.

THIRD ATTACK ON VICKSBURG.

JAN. 22.—After the capture of Arkansas Post, General McClernand
returned to Vicksburg and resumed the siege of that place. Work was
also resumed on the canal across the point opposite Vicksburg.

JAN. 27.—The iron-clad Montauk, and three wooden gunboats, made an
attack on Fort McAllister, at the mouth of the Ogeechee river near
Savannah, Ga., but failed.

JAN. 28.—General Burnside relieved of the command of the army of the
Potomac, and General Hooker appointed in his place. General Sumner and
General Franklin were relieved from duty in the army of the Potomac.

JAN. 31.—The Confederate General Pryor made an attack on the Union
troops under General Peck, at Blackwater, Va. The rebels were repulsed.
The fighting resulted in a Union loss of 24 killed and 80 wounded.
Skirmish at Rover, Tenn., rebels were defeated with a loss of 12 killed
and 300 wounded.

FEBRUARY, 1863.

FEB. 1.—The gunboats made another attack on Fort McAllister, but were
unsuccessful.

FEB. 2.—The Federal ram Queen of the West, ran the blockade at
Vicksburg, but was captured a few days after by the rebels. Stokes’
Tennessee cavalry and one Kentucky regiment attacked a rebel camp near
Middletown, Tenn., dispersing the enemy and captured the camp.

FEB. 13.—The iron-clad Indianola ran the blockade at Vicksburg, and was
captured by the rebels.

FEB. 18.—The gunboats commenced the bombardment of Vicksburg, but
without accomplishing anything.

FEB. 26.—A train of 28 cars on the L. & N. R. R., captured by the
rebels at Woodburn, Ky., and destroyed.

FEB. 27.—The rebel steamer Nashville, while attempting to run the
blockade, got aground near Fort McAllister, and was destroyed by the
blockading fleet.

MARCH, 1863.

MARCH 5.—Five regiments of infantry, two of cavalry, and one battery,
under the command of Colonel Coburn, were attacked by a superior force
of rebels under Van Dorn, at Thompson’s Station, near Franklin, Tenn.
The unequal contest resulted unfortunately to the Union cause. The
Federal loss was 120 killed, and 1,206 taken prisoners.

MARCH 7.—General Minty attacked a rebel cavalry force at Unionville,
Tenn., capturing their wagons, horses and tents, and about 60 prisoners.

MARCH 9.—A band of rebel cavalry passed through the Union lines,
entered Fairfax, Va., and captured General Stoughton and a few privates.

MARCH 13.—The Confederates made an unsuccessful attempt to recapture
Newbern, N. C. Commodore Farragut’s fleet attempted to pass the rebel
batteries at Port Hudson, but only a part of the vessels succeeded. The
Mississippi got aground and was destroyed.

MARCH 17.—Two hundred cavalry under command of General Averill, crossed
the Rappahannock, near Kelly’s Ford, where but a single horseman could
cross at once, and in the face of a most terrible fire from rifle pits
and sharpshooters, charged the rebels in their intrenchments, killing
or capturing nearly the whole force. They then encountered Stuart’s
cavalry, and after a desperate hand-to-hand encounter, of five hours,
routed them with great slaughter, capturing 80 prisoners.

MARCH 20.—John Morgan with 4,000 men was totally defeated near Milton,
Tenn., by Colonel Hall, with 1,400 mounted men. The negro brigade took
Jacksonville, Florida. Major-General Burnside appointed to command the
Department of the Ohio.

MARCH 22.—Rebels under Clarke, captured Mt. Sterling, Ky.

MARCH 28.—The rebel steamer Iris, captured by the U. S. steamer Stellin
30 miles north of Charleston, S. C.

APRIL, 1863.

APRIL 1.—Two hundred and fifty of Jenkins’ rebel cavalry attacked
Point Pleasant. An expedition from Murfreesboro’ under General Hazen,
attacked a rebel camp near Woodbury, killing and wounding 20, capturing
30 prisoners, 50 horses and a lot of mules and wagons; the rebels were
600 strong, and under the command of Colonel Smith.

APRIL 6.—General Mitchell with 300 cavalry dashed into a rebel camp
near Nashville, on a sabre charge, capturing 5, killing 15, and
capturing all their tents, arms, horses and equipments.

[Illustration: MILLARD FILLMORE.]

ATTACK ON CHARLESTON.

APRIL 7.—The Federal fleet was composed of nine iron-clad vessels,
under the command of Commodore Dupont. The fight began in the afternoon
of April 7th, and lasted about two hours. Keokuk was so badly damaged
that she sunk in a few hours. Several other vessels were temporarily
disabled. The fleet was then withdrawn.

APRIL 10.—General Van Dorn’s forces attacked General Granger at
Franklin, Tenn., and were driven back with loss.

APRIL 17.—General Banks’ command left Baton Rouge, fought three
battles, two on land and one on Grand Lake, capturing 2,000 prisoners.
Our loss was 700. Six vessels of Porter’s fleet ran by the rebel
batteries at Vicksburg.

APRIL 18.—Fayetteville, Ark., attacked by 3,000 rebels, with four
pieces of artillery; Union forces numbered but 2,000. The rebels were
repulsed. Our loss was 5 killed and 17 wounded.

APRIL 22.—The ram Queen of the West, was captured in Grand Lake, with
Captain Fuller and all her officers and crew, numbering 90. General
McClellan’s staff disbanded. A small mounted force under Colonel
Wilder, attacked McMinnville, Tenn., at 1 o’clock, A. M., surprised the
rebel force under Grigsby, destroyed the railroad depot and bridges,
and an immense quantity of cotton and army supplies, capturing 300
prisoners. Banks occupied Opelousas and Washington, Miss. The Baltimore
and Ohio R. R. destroyed between Cumberland and Grafton. The advance
guard of Marmaduke’s army, under command of Colonel Newton, was
surprised—the entire regiment being either killed or captured by the
Union forces under Vandever.

APRIL 30.—Colonel Mulligan repulsed by the rebels at Fairmont, Western
Virginia, and the B. & O. R. R. bridges blown up at Fairmont and Cheat
river.

MAY, 1863.

MAY 1.—General Carter with 5,000 men crossed the Cumberland, below
Somerset, Ky., and attacked the rebel forces at Monticello, under
Pegram, driving them from the field. Rebels lost 66 men. Marmaduke’s
forces driven out of Missouri by Vandever.

BATTLE OF PORT GIBSON.

Grant defeated General Bowen with a loss of 1,550 men and 5 pieces of
artillery.

GRIERSON’S RAID.

MAY 2.—On the morning of the 17th of April, 1863, the 6th and 7th
Illinois cavalry, 900 strong, under command of Colonel Grierson, of
the 6th Illinois, (together with 6 pieces of artillery,) set out from
Lagrange, Tennessee, and pursuing in the main a Southerly course,
marched through the center of Mississippi, destroying as they went,
railroads, bridges, cars, locomotives, and stores of all kinds,
belonging to the rebels, in immense quantities. Traveling on an average
40 miles a day, they reached Baton Rouge, Louisiana, on the evening
of the 2d of May. They had traveled nearly 800 miles in 16 days, and
traversed 17 counties. At several points the enemy made great attempts
to capture them but failed. They brought into Baton Rouge over 1,000
horses and a large number of cattle; 500 negroes followed them.

FREDERICKSBURG.

MAY 3.—The second attempt to capture the rebel fortifications at
Fredericksburg, Va., was made by the Army of the Potomac, under General
Hooker, and failed. The army commenced marching April 27th, the main
body crossing the Rappahannock at Kelley’s Ford, about 20 miles
north-west of Fredericksburg, then marching south, crossed the Rapidan,
and took their position at Chancellorville, about 10 miles west of
Fredericksburg. Severe skirmishing took place on Friday and Saturday,
May 1st and 2d; but the main battle was fought on Sunday, May 3d,
resulting in the defeat of the Federal troops. In the meantime General
Sedgwick had crossed the Rappahannock and occupied Fredericksburg. He,
too, was defeated, and compelled to retire to the northern bank of the
river. Hooker’s army recrossed the river on the night of May 5th. The
loss on each side was about 15,000 killed, wounded and prisoners.

STONEMAN’S RAID.

While the fight was going on near Fredericksburg, General Stoneman,
with a large cavalry force, crossed the Rapidan east of Orange
Court House, and made a bold and partially successful raid into the
enemy’s country. A portion of the railroad between Gordonsville
and Charlottsville was destroyed, and considerable damage done to
the Virginia Central, and Richmond and Fredericksburg R. R. Large
quantities of provisions were destroyed at different points.

MAY 5.—Vallandigham arrested by order of General Burnside, at his
residence in Dayton, Ohio. Office of the Dayton Journal destroyed
by the mob. Suffolk, Va., abandoned by the rebel troops, and
fortifications destroyed. Alexandria, La., captured by Admiral Porter.
100 prominent secessionists of St. Louis sent South.

MAY 8.—Colonel Streight’s command of 1,700 men captured by Forrest’s
cavalry, two miles from Cedar Bluff, Ga., after severe fighting. The
rebel General Van Dorn killed by Dr. Peters, in Manny county, Tennessee.

MAY 9.—Colonel Jacobs, with Kentucky cavalry, attacked and routed a
guerrilla force near Horse Shoe Bend, on the Cumberland river; killed a
number, took 8 prisoners and destroyed their camp.

MAY 10.—The rebel General Stonewall Jackson died at Richmond, Va., of
wounds and pneumonia.

MAY 11.—The Buell Court of Inquiry adjourned, after a session of 165
days.

MAY 12.—General McPherson, of Grant’s command, attacked Raymond, Miss.,
and took the town after a hard fight of two hours. The enemy lost 76
killed, 639 wounded, and 186 prisoners.

BATTLE OF JACKSON, MISS.

MAY 13.—Grant defeated Joseph S. Johnson and captured Jackson, Miss.,
with 7 cannon, and large quantities of military stores, besides 400
prisoners. The State Capitol was destroyed by fire. Colonel W. K.
Breckenridge, with only 55 men of the 1st Union Tennessee cavalry,
attacked twice their number of rebels at Linden, Tennessee, and
captured 43 officers and privates, 50 horses, and a quantity of other
property.

MAY 15.—A severe fight near Suffolk, Va., in which the rebel detachment
was defeated. Faulkner’s rebel cavalry defeated near Holly Springs,
Miss.

BATTLE OF BAKER’S CREEK, MISS.

Between the rebel army under Lieut. General Pemberton, and the Union
forces under General Grant, occurred at Baker’s Creek, Miss., on the
15th of May. About 25,000 men were engaged upon each side. The rebels
met with a disastrous defeat, losing 2,600 in killed and wounded, 2,000
men prisoners, and 29 pieces of artillery.

BATTLE OF BIG BLACK RIVER.

MAY 17.—Grant again attacked Pemberton at Big Black River bridge, and
defeated him with a total loss of 2,600 men and 17 cannon.

MAY 24.—Austin, Mississippi, burned by Colonel Ellet’s Marine brigade.

MAY 25.—Vallandigham delivered to the rebels at Murfreesboro’, Tenn.
Rebel Navy Yard destroyed at Yazoo City.

MAY 28.—The gunboat Cincinnati sunk by the rebel batteries near
Vicksburg. She went down with her flag flying. 25 men were killed and
wounded, and 15 drowned.

MAY 29.—An immense train consisting of 600 wagons, 3,000 horses and
mules, 1,500 head of cattle, and 6,000 negroes, arrived from the Teche
country, within General Banks’ lines.

JUNE, 1863.

JUNE 1.—General Hunter removed from the command of the Department of
the South. General Gilmore succeeds him.

JUNE 3.—Colonel Montgomery, of the 2d South Carolina (colored)
regiment, made a most brilliant raid at the head of 200 men. He passed
up the Coosaw river, landing in full view of two rebel regiments, who
fled from the spot. He then penetrated 25 miles into the interior, and
on his return brought away 725 negroes, a fine lot of blooded horses
and other property, valued at $600,000.

JUNE 11.—Forrest with 5,000 cavalry and two batteries of artillery,
attacked the Union cavalry at Triune, Tenn., under command of Colonel
R. B. Mitchell. The rebels were defeated, losing 21 killed and 70
wounded and prisoners. Six of Mitchell’s men were killed. The notorious
blockade runner, Herald, was sunk at midnight by a broadside from our
blockading fleet off Charleston.

JUNE 14.—General Ewell defeated General Milroy at Winchester, Virginia,
with a loss of 2,000 men, and drove him to Harper’s Ferry.

JUNE 17.—The rebel ram, Atlanta, was decoyed into Wilmington Waters,
off the coast of South Carolina, and captured after a brief fight, by
the Weehawken, commanded by Captain John Rodgers. A division of our
cavalry under Colonel Kilpatrick, encountered General Fitzhugh Lee’s
cavalry brigade, consisting of five regiments, with artillery, near
Aldie, Va., and a desperate hand-to-hand encounter followed, ending in
a hasty retreat on the part of the rebel forces. 100 prisoners were
captured.

JUNE 21.—General McClernand removed by Grant, and General Ord put in
his place.

JUNE 23.—Rebels under Johnston attacked Osterhaus’ division on Big
Black River, Mississippi, and were defeated with great slaughter.

JUNE 24.—Rosecrans advanced from Murfreesboro’. Liberty Gap taken by
Willich’s brigade, with a loss of 75 killed and wounded. Hoover’s Gap
taken by Colonel Wilder’s mounted brigade, with a loss of 53 killed and
wounded.

JUNE 25.—Another fight at Liberty Gap, between a rebel division under
Claiborne, and Willich, Wilder and Carter’s brigades. Our loss, 40
killed and 100 wounded, that of the rebels much greater. The rebels
fled in disorder.

JUNE 26.—Rear Admiral Foote died in New York City. Colonel Wilder’s
brigade destroyed the Deckert bridge, in the rear of Bragg, between
Tullahoma and Chattanooga.

JUNE 28.—General Hooker was relieved of his command of the Army of the
Potomac, at his own request, and General Meade succeeds him.

JULY, 1863. BATTLE OF GETTYSBURG, PENN.

JULY 1.—In the latter part of June the rebel army, under General Lee,
invaded Pennsylvania. On the 1st of July they were attacked by General
Meade near Gettysburg, and after a three days’ battle, driven from the
field, leaving 5,000 killed and wounded in our hands. Meade took 20,000
prisoners. Missouri passed the Ordinance of Emancipation. Rosecrans
drove Bragg from Tullahoma.

JULY 4.—General Prentice, with 3,500 men, defeated 18,000 rebels under
Holmes at Helena, Ark. Union loss less than 100; that of the rebels
2,400, including 1,600 prisoners.

VICKSBURG.

JULY 4.—The siege of Vicksburg by the Union army under Grant, commenced
May 18, and was pressed forward with almost unprecedented vigor until
July 4, when Pemberton surrendered to General Grant 27,000 prisoners,
132 cannon, and 50,000 stand of arms.

JULY 5.—John Morgan captured Lebanon, Kentucky, with 100 prisoners.

PORT HUDSON.

JULY 8.—In the month of May General Banks invested Port Hudson. Two
grand attacks were made by land and water on the 27th of May and 14th
of June, in which portions of the enemy’s works were taken. At last, on
the 8th of July, the commander, Major-General Gardner, surrendered with
7,000 prisoners, 60 cannon, and 10,000 stand of arms.

MORGAN’S RAID.

JULY 8.— Morgan, with 5,000 cavalry and 4 pieces of artillery, crossed
the Ohio river into Harrison county, Indiana, and marched rapidly
through the southern part of the State into Ohio, committing numerous
depredations. On the 18th he was overtaken by the troops under Colonels
Hobson and Judah, near Pomeroy, who captured all his artillery and
1,300 prisoners. With a mere fragment of his command he retreated
to Columbiana county, where, on the 20th, he surrendered to General
Shackleford.

JULY 17.—General Sherman attacked Jackson, Miss., routed Johnson and
occupied the city. Large stores were captured, and also 40 locomotives,
and all the rolling stock of the 3 railroads. General Ransom occupied
Natchez. A large quantity of ammunition, 13 cannon, 2,000 head of
cattle, and 4,000 hogsheads of sugar fell into his hands. A severe
fight occurred on Elk creek, Ark., between General Blunt with 2,400
Union troops, and General Tooper, with 5,000 rebels, in which the
former were victorious. Union loss 40, that of the rebels 184.

JULY 20.—A cavalry expedition sent out by General Foster, struck the
Wilmington and Weldon railroad at Rocky Mount, N. C., burnt the long
bridge over Tar river, tore up two miles of track, destroyed the depot,
a large cotton factory, a valuable supply train, and 5,000 bales of
rebel cotton. A cavalry force under Colonel Tolland, of the 34th Ohio
mounted infantry, burned Wytheville, Va., after a severe fight, taking
3 cannon, 700 stand of arms, and 120 prisoners. Our loss was 65,
including the brave Colonel Tolland; that of the rebels 75 killed and
many wounded.

JULY 22.—Colonel Wilder, of Rosecrans’ advance, shelled Chattanooga.
Brashear City, La., recaptured by the Union gunboat Sachem.

JULY 23.—A gallant fight occurred near Manassas Gap, in which 800 men
of General Spinola’s brigade, utterly routed twice their number of
Georgia and North Carolina troops, with 17 cannon.

JULY 23.—Kentucky again invaded. A small detachment of Union troops at
Richmond, under Colonel Sanders, badly cut up by 2,000 rebels under
Colonel Pegram, and compelled to retreat to Lexington. Kit Carson, with
a part of the 1st New Mexico regiment, defeated the Navajoe Indians in
a severe fight beyond Fort Canby.

JULY 31.—The Union forces in Kentucky, under Colonel Saunders,
thoroughly routed the rebel troops under Scott and Pegram.

AUGUST, 1863.

AUGUST 2.—A severe though indecisive cavalry fight occurred at
Culpeper, Va., between Buford and Stuart, in which 100 prisoners were
captured by the Union troops.

AUGUST 17.—The rebels having collected an immense quantity of stores at
Grenada, Mississippi, General Hurlbut sent out an expedition under the
command of Lieut. Col. Phillips, of the 9th Illinois Mounted Infantry,
to destroy them. Leaving Lagrange, Tenn., on the 13th, Col. Phillips
attacked the rebel forces at Grenada, consisting of 2,000 men, under
command of General Slimmer, and drove them in confusion from the place.
He then destroyed all the ordnance and commissary stores, burnt the
depot and machine shop, tore up the railroad track and destroyed 57
locomotives, and more than 400 cars.

AUGUST 20.—The town of Lawrence, Kansas, was surprised in the middle
of the night by 300 guerillas, who had collected in Cass county,
Mo., under the leadership of Quantrill. The town was set on fire and
182 buildings burned to the ground, and $2,000,000 worth of property
destroyed. 191 persons were killed, many of whom were helpless women
and children; 581 were wounded, many of them mortally. After the
departure of the guerillas, the citizens organized under General James
H. Lane and pursued them to their headquarters at Grand River, Mo.,
where they scattered in various directions. About 80 of the murderers
were killed.

AUGUST 22.—Colonel Woodson’s cavalry made a successful onslaught upon
numerous guerilla bands in Arkansas, capturing Jeff. Thompson with his
entire staff. General Blunt, with 4,500 men, attacked General Cooper,
with 11,000 rebel troops, in the Indian Territory, and compelled him to
retreat to Red River.

AUGUST 29.—The rebel army in Arkansas, under General Price, severely
pushed by the Union forces under General Steele. Steele’s advance,
under General Davidson, drove 3,000 rebels, under Marmaduke, out of
Brownsville, and across the Arkansas river.

SEPTEMBER, 1863.

SEPT. 1.—General Blunt defeated the rebel forces in Arkansas under
Cooper and Cobell, and captured Fort Smith. The rebels evacuated Little
Rock.

SEPT. 4.—Burnside occupied Knoxville, Tenn., and was hailed with
delight by the inhabitants.

SEPT. 8.—A land and naval force under the command of General Franklin,
made an attack on the rebel fortifications at Sabine City, Texas, but
were repulsed with a loss of two small boats.

SEPT. 9.—General Crittenden’s Division of Rosecrans’ army, entered
Chattanooga.

SEPT. 10.—General Burnside captured Cumberland Gap, with 2,000
prisoners and 14 pieces of artillery, under the command of
Major-General Frazer. General Steele took possession of Little Rock,
Ark.

CHICKAMAUGA.

SEPT. 19.—The battle was commenced by General Bragg in the morning
and continued all day.—At night both armies occupied nearly the same
position that they did in the morning. On the next day the battle
was renewed by the rebels and lasted until dark. The Union army was
defeated and driven back to Chattanooga. The Federal loss was about
1,800 killed and 9,500 wounded, and 2,500 prisoners.

OCTOBER, 1863.

OCT. 9.—Wheeler’s rebel cavalry, which had come north of the Tennessee
river, for the purpose of cutting Rosecrans’ communications, was
defeated with considerable loss, at Farmington, Tenn., and again near
Shelbyville.

OCT. 20.—The Departments of the Cumberland and Mississippi were
consolidated and placed under the command of General Grant. General
Rosecrans removed and General Thomas appointed in his place.

NOVEMBER, 1863—CHATTANOOGA.

NOV. 25.—The rebel army under Bragg was badly whipped near Chattanooga,
losing about 6,000 prisoners, and 52 guns. The Union loss was between
3,000 and 4,000 in killed and wounded.

DECEMBER, 1863.

DEC. 4.—General Longstreet commenced the siege of Knoxville, November
17th. On the 29th there was a severe fight, in which the Confederates
were defeated. This, with the defeat of Bragg, at Chattanooga,
compelled Longstreet to raise the siege. He retreated toward Virginia,
pursued by Burnside’s forces; while another army under General Foster,
started from Cumberland Gap to cut off their retreat.

FEBRUARY, 1864.

FEB. 1.—The Union outposts near Newburn were attacked by a strong force
and fell back in good order, with but little loss.

FEB. 9.—A large number of prisoners, including Colonel Streight,
escaped from Libby Prison, Richmond.

FEB. 15.—General W. T. Sherman, with his command, arrived at Meridian,
Miss., on his great raid into the heart of the enemy’s country. After
accomplishing his object in destroying railroads and stores, he
returned to Vicksburg with immense booty.

FEB. 20.—The advance into Florida of the Union forces, about 5,000
strong, under General Seymour, was repulsed near Olustee, with a loss
of 1,200. Rebel loss about the same.

FEB. 22.—A heavy reconnoitering force sent out from Chattanooga by
General Grant, met and defeated the enemy at Tunnel Hill.

MARCH, 1864.

MARCH 8.—General Grant was formally presented, by the President, with
his commission as Lieutenant-General, and on the 12th was assigned to
the command of the armies of the United States.

MARCH 15.—The Union forces under General A. J. Smith, captured Fort De
Russey, La., on Red river, with 325 prisoners, 12 pieces of artillery,
2,000 barrels of powder, with an immense amount of ammunition and
stores.

MARCH 25.—About 5,000 rebels under Forrester, captured Paducah, Ky.,
and fired the place. Union loss, 12 killed and 40 wounded; rebel loss,
150 killed.

MARCH 28.—The 54th Illinois regiment attacked by Coles county
copperheads, at Charleston, Ill.

APRIL, 1864.

APRIL 8.—The advance of General Banks’ expedition up Red river, under
the direction of General Stone, was repulsed near Shreveport, La.; but
on the following day our men defeated the enemy. Our loss was about
2,000 and the enemy’s the same.

APRIL 12.—General Forrest overpowered the Union forces at Fort
Pillow, compelled them to surrender, and immediately after commenced
an indiscriminate massacre of our wounded soldiers, both colored and
white—not excepting women and children who had taken refuge in the fort.

APRIL 17 and 18.—At Plymouth, N. C., the rebel ram and a battery sunk
three Union gunboats.

APRIL 23.—The Governors of Ohio, Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana
offer to raise for the General Government 85,000 men for one hundred
days.

APRIL 26.—Government accept service of one hundred day men, and
appropriated $20,000,000 for their payment.

MAY, 1864.

MAY 5.—Draft ordered in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota,
Kentucky and Maryland.

MAY 6.—General Grant crossed the Rapidan, and Lee fell back toward
Richmond.

MAY 7.—Grant still advances driving Lee’s forces before him.

MAY 8.—Sherman occupied Dalton.

MAY 9.—After 3 days’ hard fighting Lee’s forces retreated, leaving
3,000 killed and 10,000 wounded on the field, in possession of the
Union army.

BATTLE AT SPOTTSYLVANIA COURT HOUSE.

MAY 12.—Union troops victorious. They capture 4,000 prisoners and 25
pieces of artillery.

MAY 13.—General Sheridan, with cavalry, reached the rear of the enemy,
near Hanover Junction, breaking two railroads, capturing several
locomotives, and destroying Lee’s depot for supplies at Beaver Dam,
containing over 1,000,000 rations.

MAY 15.—Sherman forced Johnson to evacuate Resaca, after two days’
fighting.

MAY 23.—Army of the Potomac flanked the rebels, under Lee, and forced
them to evacuate their fortifications near Spottsylvania Court House.
John Morgan enters Kentucky with 4,000 men.

MAY 27.—Grant crossed the Pamunkey, and occupied Hanovertown.

MAY 30.—Grant reached Mechanicsville.

JUNE, 1864.—BATTLE OF COAL HARBOR.

JUNE 3.—In which the rebels are routed with heavy loss.

JUNE 5.—Sherman flanked Johnson and captured Ackworth Station.

JUNE 7.—General Hunter defeats the rebel General Jones, near Staunton,
Va.

UNION CONVENTION AT BALTIMORE.

JUNE 8.—Abraham Lincoln and Governor Andrew Johnson were nominated for
President and Vice-President. Morgan defeated by General Burbridge,
near Lexington, Ky.

JUNE 11.—Morgan demanded of Governor Bramlette the surrender of
Frankfort, which the Governor refused.

JUNE 12.—General Hancock drove the rebels from Bottom Bridge at the
point of the bayonet.

JUNE 15.—General Smith attacked with a force of 15,000 men.

JUNE 20.—Rebels strongly reinforced by Lee.

JUNE 23.—Rebels attack Wright and Hancock, capturing 3 full regiments,
after which they are repulsed.

JUNE 27.—Sherman made an unsuccessful attack on the enemy’s position,
losing from 2,000 to 3,000 men.

JUNE 28.—Left wing of Grant’s army take possession of the Weldon
railroad.

JUNE 30.—Secretary Chase resigned, and Hon. Wm. P. Fessenden was
appointed to fill the vacancy.

JULY, 1864.

JULY 10.—Rebels invade Maryland. The Union forces under General
Wallace, defeated at the Monacacy river.

JULY 13 and 15.—The rebels under General Forrest, defeated in 5
different battles near Pontotoc, Mo.

JULY 17.—The rebel army was driven within the fortifications at Atlanta.

JULY 20.—The enemy assaulted General Sherman’s lines 3 times, but were
repulsed each time with severe loss. General Averill defeated the enemy
near Winchester, Va.

JULY 22.—A great battle was fought before Atlanta, resulting in the
complete defeat of the Confederates.

JULY 25.—General Crook overtook the rebels retreating from the Maryland
raid, and recaptured a large amount of stores. After severe fighting
on the 23d and 24th July, General Averill is compelled to fall back to
Harper’s Ferry.

JULY 30.—A mine containing 6 tons of powder, under a rebel fort at
Petersburg, was exploded, destroying the fort and garrison.

AUGUST, 1864.

AUGUST 5.—Commodore Farragut’s fleet passed Forts Morgan and Gaines.
The rebel ram Tennessee was captured, and several other vessels
destroyed. Shortly after Fort Gaines surrendered and Fort Powell was
evacuated.

AUGUST 7.—General Averill defeated the enemy at Morefield, Virginia.

AUGUST 15.—The rebel General Wheeler repulsed at Dalton, Georgia.

AUGUST 18.—The Weldon railroad seized by General Grant.

AUGUST 23.—Fort Morgan surrendered.

AUGUST 25.—General Hancock, who held the Weldon railroad south of
Reams’ station, was attacked several times, but repulsed the enemy each
time.

SEPTEMBER, 1864.

SEPT. 1.—General Sherman defeated the enemy at Jonesboro, Georgia.

SEPT. 2.—The Federal troops took possession of Atlanta.

SEPT. 5.—The rebel General John Morgan was killed near Greenville, Tenn.

SEPT. 7.—A force of 2,000 rebels defeated at Readyville, Tennessee.

SEPT. 19.—General Sheridan gained a complete victory over the enemy in
the Shenandoah valley.

SEPT. 22.—The battle at Fisher’s Hill was fought, resulting in the
defeat of the rebel army.

SEPT. 28.—General Grant advanced his lines on the north side of the
James river to within 7 miles of Richmond. The rebels under General
Price invade Missouri.

OCTOBER, 1864.

OCT. 5.—The rebels attack Allatoona, Ga., but were repulsed with severe
loss.

OCT. 7.—The pirate vessel Florida captured by the U. S. steamer
Wachusett.

OCT. 8.—The rebels in the Shenandoah valley are again defeated by
Sheridan.

OCT. 19.—General Sheridan gained his fourth victory over the rebels
under Early, at Cedar creek, Va.

OCT. 23.—The rebel General Price defeated at Blue river, Missouri.

OCT. 28.—General Blunt defeated the rebels under Price, at Neosho, Mo.

OCT. 30.—General Hood made three attacks on Decatur, Ala., but was
repulsed each time.

NOVEMBER, 1864.

NOV. 3.—The rebel ram Albemarle destroyed by Lieutenant Cushing. The
Confederate army under Hood, attempted to cross the Tennessee, but were
repulsed by the Federal army, under General Sherman.

NOV. 8.—The Presidential election took place. Lincoln and Johnson
received 212, McClellan and Pendleton 21 electoral votes.

NOV. 16.—General Sherman left Atlanta, and began his march through
Georgia, to Savannah.

NOV. 30.—The rebel army under General Hood, attacked the Union troops
under General Schofield, at Franklin, Tenn., but were repulsed with
great loss.

DECEMBER, 1864.

DEC. 13.—Fort McAllister captured by Gen. Sherman’s army.

DEC. 16.—General Thomas defeated the enemy at Nashville, Tenn., with
heavy loss, capturing a large number of guns and prisoners.

DEC. 20.—The rebels under General Breckinridge defeated in
South-Western Virginia, and the salt works destroyed.

DEC. 21.—General Sherman entered the city of Savannah, capturing 150
cannon, 30,000 bales of cotton, and a large amount of munitions of war.

DEC. 29.—Hood’s army crossed the Tennessee river, thus ending the
Tennessee campaign.

JANUARY, 1865.

JAN. 3.—Massachusetts ratified Constitutional Amendment.

JAN. 8.—General Butler removed from the command of the army of the
James, and is succeeded by General Ord.

JAN. 11.—The garrison at Beverly, Va., was attacked by a rebel force
under General Rosser. The town and a large portion of the force
defending it, were captured.

JAN. 16.—Fort Fisher, near Wilmington, N. C., captured with all its
equipments.

JAN. 20.—Rebels evacuate Corinth.

JAN. 21.—Peace rumors.

JAN. 27.—Rebel incendiaries set fire to the city of Savannah.

FEBRUARY, 1865.

FEB. 1.—Illinois ratified the Constitutional Amendment.

FEB. 2.—Maryland, Michigan, New York and Rhode Island, ratified the
Constitutional Amendment.

FEB. 4.—Illinois Black Laws repealed.

FEB. 7.—Maine ratified the Constitutional Amendment.

FEB. 12.—General Sherman occupied Branchville, S. C.

FEB. 13.—Indiana ratified the Constitutional Amendment.

FEB. 17.—Louisiana ratified the Constitutional Amendment. General
Sherman’s victorious columns entered Columbia, S. C., and burned the
city.

FEB. 18.—Charleston, S. C., evacuated and taken possession of by
General Gilmore. Great amount of valuable property destroyed, six
thousand bales of cotton. Ammunition stored in the railroad depot
exploded, and many lives were lost. General Gilmore hoisted the old
flag over Fort Sumter.

FEB. 19.—Fort Anderson, N. C. taken.

FEB. 21.—Wisconsin ratified the Constitutional Amendment. Fort
Armstrong, N. C., taken.

FEB. 22.—Wilmington captured.

MARCH, 1865.

MARCH 2.—General Sheridan fought and captured the rebel General Early,
with 1,800 men, between Staunton and Charlottesville.

MARCH 10.—General Bragg attacked General Cox near Kingston, N. C., but
was defeated. General Sherman occupied Fayetteville, N. C.

MARCH 12.—Mobile attacked.

MARCH 13.—General Schofield occupied Kingston.

MARCH 16.—Rebel General Hardee defeated at Averysboro’, North Carolina.

MARCH 17.—Rebel Congress adjourned, _sine die_.

MARCH 19.—Rebel General Johnson defeated at Bentonville, North Carolina.

MARCH 25.—Rebels attack General Grant and got soundly whipped.

APRIL, 1865.

APRIL 3.—Richmond taken.

APRIL 9.—General Lee surrendered. Mobile captured.

APRIL 12.—Salisbury, N. C., captured. Mobile captured by General Canby,
1,000 prisoners, 150 cannon, 3,000 bales of cotton. Columbus, Ga.,
captured.

APRIL 13.—Raleigh, N. C., captured. Governor Vance taken prisoner.

APRIL 14.—President Lincoln assassinated. Secretary Seward stabbed.
Arkansas ratified the Constitutional Amendment.

APRIL 15.—President Lincoln died about 7 o’clock, A. M.

APRIL 16.—Andrew Johnson took the oath and was declared President of
the United States.

APRIL 26.—General Johnson surrendered. The war is over.

APRIL 27.—Booth, the murderer of President Lincoln shot and captured.
Dead.

MAY, 1865.

MAY 8.—Subscriptions to 7-30 loan $6,183,000.

MAY 9.—Subscriptions to 7-30 loan $15,165,300.

MAY 10.—Jefferson Davis captured at Irwinville, 75 miles south-west of
Macon, Ga., by the 4th Michigan cavalry, under Colonel Pritchard, of
General Wilson’s command. Also, his wife, mother, Postmaster-general
Regan, Colonel Harrison, Private Secretary, Colonel Johnson and other
military characters. Subscription to 7-30 loan $17,410,100.

MAY 11.—Subscription to 7-30 loan $15,411,800.

MAY 12.—Subscription to 7-30 loan $13,762,100.

MAY 13.—Subscriptions to 7-30 loan $30,451,950. Total for one week
$98,000,000.

MAY 19.—Rebel Governor Watts, of Alabama, arrested.

MAY 21.—Rebel Governor Letcher, of Virginia, arrested.

MAY 24.—Grand review of General Sherman’s army at Washington. Jefferson
Davis indicted for treason.

MAY 26.—Kirby Smith surrendered. The last armed rebel organization has
succumbed.

MAY 31.—Rebel General Hood and staff surrendered.




Pay of Officers of the U. S., Civil and Military.


EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.

    President                                $25,000 per annum
        Private Secretary                      2,500  ”   ”
        Private Secretary to sign Patents      1,500  ”   ”
    Vice-President                             8,000  ”   ”


HEADS OF DEPARTMENTS.

    Secretary of State                        $8,000 per annum
    Secretary of the Treasury                  8,000  ”   ”
    Secretary of War                           8,000  ”   ”
    Secretary of the Navy                      8,000  ”   ”
    Secretary of the Interior                  8,000  ”   ”
    Postmaster-General                         8,000  ”   ”
    Attorney-General                           8,000  ”   ”


LEGISLATIVE DEPARTMENT.

    Speaker of House of Representatives,
         (mileage, 20 cents per mile.)          $8,000 per annum
    U. S. Senators, Members of Congress,         5,000  ”    ”
          and Delegates from Territories


JUDICIARY, (SUPREME COURT OF U. S.)

    Chief Justice                             $6,500 per annum
    Associate Justices, [8 in number]          6,000  ”    ”
     (Court meets first Monday in December)

    MINISTERS AND DIPLOMATIC AGENTS OF THE UNITED STATES
        IN FOREIGN COUNTRIES—ENVOYS EXTRAORDINARY AND
        MINISTERS PLENIPOTENTIARY.

    Minister to Great Britain                 $17,500 per annum
    Minister to Russia                         12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to France                         17,500  ”    ”
    Minister to Spain                          12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Prussia                        12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Austria                        12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Italy                          12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to China                          12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Mexico                         12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Brazil                         12,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Chili                          10,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Peru                           10,000  ”    ”
    Minister to Nicaragua                       7,000  ”    ”


MINISTERS RESIDENT.

    Minister in Portugal                       $7,500 per annum
    Minister in Belgium                         7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Netherlands                     7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Denmark                         7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Sweden and Norway               7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Switzerland                     7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Pontif States                   7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Turkey                          7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Japan                           7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Costa Rica                      7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Guatemala                       7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Honduras                        7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Salvador                        7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in New Granada                     7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Venezuela                       7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Ecuador                         7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Argentine Confederation         7,500  ”    ”
    Minister in Hawaiian Islands                7,500  ”    ”


WAR DEPARTMENT.

    Secretary of War                           $8,000 per annum
    Assistant Secretary of War                  3,000  ”    ”
    Second Assistant Secretary of War           3,000  ”    ”
    Commander-in-Chief                          5,340  ”    ”
    Adjutant-General                            3,594  ”    ”
    Assistant Adjutant-General                  2,532  ”    ”
    Second Assistant Adjutant-General           1,956  ”    ”
    Third Assistant Adjutant-General            1,956  ”    ”
    Fourth Assistant Adjutant-General           1,956  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk Adjutant-General’s Bureau       1,800  ”    ”
    Inspector General                           2,532  ”    ”
    Judge Advocate General                      2,532  ”    ”
    Deputy Judge Advocate                       1,956  ”    ”
    Quartermaster General                       3,594  ”    ”
    Deputy Quartermaster General                2,244  ”    ”
    Assistant Quartermaster                     2,532  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk Quartermaster’s Bureau          1,800  ”    ”
    Chief Engineer                              3,594  ”    ”
    Assistant Engineer                          1,596  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk of Engineer Bureau              1,800  ”    ”
    Provost Marshal General                       ——
    Surgeon General                             3,594  ”    ”
    Assistant Surgeon General                   2,532  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk Surgeon General’s Bureau        1,800  ”    ”
    Chief of Ordnance                           3,594  ”    ”
    Assistant Chief of Ordnance                 1,554  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk of Ordnance Bureau              1,800  ”    ”
    Paymaster General                           2,740  ”    ”
    Deputy Paymaster General                    2,144  ”    ”
    Additional Paymaster                        1,950  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk Paymaster General’s Bureau      1,800  ”    ”
    Commissary General of Subsistence           2,532  ”    ”
    Assistant Commissary General                1,956  ”    ”
    Second Assistant Commissary General         1,956  ”    ”
    Chief Clerk Commissary General’s Bureau     1,800  ”    ”


GENERAL OFFICERS.

    Lieutenant-General                          $720 00 per month
    Aids-de-camp and military secretary to
       Lieutenant-General, each                  170 00  ”    ”
    Major-General                                445 00  ”    ”
    Senior Aid-de-camp to General-in-Chief       163 00  ”    ”
    Aid-de-camp, in addition to pay, etc., of
       Lieutenant or Captain                      24 00  ”    ”
    Brigadier-General                            299 50  ”    ”
    Aid-de-camp, in addition to pay, etc., as
       Lieutenant                                 11 00  ”    ”


ADJUTANT-GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT.

    Adjutant-General—Brigadier-General         $407 50 per month
    Assistant Adjutant-General—Colonel          211 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Adjutant-General—Lt. Colonel      187 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Adjutant-General—Major            163 00  ”    ”
    Judge Advocate General—Colonel              211 00  ”    ”
    Judge Advocate—Major                        163 00  ”    ”
    Division Major                              163 00  ”    ”


INSPECTOR GENERAL’S DEPARTMENT.

    Inspector General—Colonel                  $211 00 per month
    Assistant Inspector General—Major           163 00  ”    ”


SIGNAL DEPARTMENT.

    Signal Officer—Colonel                     $211 00 per month


PAY DEPARTMENT.

    Paymaster General                           $288 33 per month
    Deputy Paymaster General                     187 00  ”    ”
    Paymaster                                    163 00  ”    ”


OFFICERS OF THE CORPS OF ENGINEERS, TOPOGRAPHICAL ENGINEERS, AND
ORDNANCE DEPARTMENT.

    Chief of Ordinance—Brigadier-General       $407 50 per month
    Colonel                                      211 00  ”    ”
    Lieutenant Colonel                           187 00  ”    ”
    Major                                        163 00  ”    ”
    Captain                                      129 50  ”    ”
    First Lieutenant                             112 83  ”    ”
    Second Lieutenant                            112 83  ”    ”
    Brevet Second Lieutenant                     112 83  ”    ”


OFFICERS OF MOUNTED DRAGOONS, CAVALRY, RIFLEMEN, AND LIGHT ARTILLERY.

    Colonel                                     $211 00 per month
    Lieutenant Colonel                           187 00  ”    ”
    Major                                        163 00  ”    ”
    Captain                                      129 50  ”    ”
    First Lieutenant                             112 83  ”    ”
    Second Lieutenant                            112 83  ”    ”
    Brevet Second Lieutenant                     112 83  ”    ”


QUARTERMASTER’S DEPARTMENT.

    Quartermaster General—Brigadier General     $407 50 per month
    Assistant Quartermaster General—Colonel      211 00  ”    ”
    Deputy Quartermaster General—Lt. Colonel     187 00  ”    ”
    Quartermaster—Major                          163 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Quartermaster—Captain              129 50  ”    ”


SUBSISTENCE DEPARTMENT.

    Commissary General of Subsistence—
        Brigadier General                        $299 50 per month
    Assistant Commissary General—Lt. Colonel     187 00  ”    ”
    Commissary of Subsistence—Major              163 00  ”    ”
    Commissary of Subsistence—Captain            129 50  ”    ”
    Assistant Commissary of Subsistence,
       in addition to pay, etc., as Lieutenant     11 00  ”    ”


MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

    Surgeon General—Brigadier General            $299 50 per month
    Assistant Surgeon General                     211 00  ”    ”
    Medical Inspector General                     211 00  ”    ”
    Medical Inspector                             187 00  ”    ”
    Surgeons of ten years’ service                199 00  ”    ”
    Surgeons of less than ten years’ service      163 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Surgeons of ten years’ service      165 50  ”    ”
    Assistant Surgeons of five years’ service     129 50  ”    ”
    Assistant Surgeons of less than five years’
      service                                     112 83  ”    ”

    Adjutant, Regimental Quartermaster, and
      Regimental Commissary, in addition to
      pay of Lieutenant, each                      10 00  ”    ”


OFFICERS OF ARTILLERY AND INFANTRY.

    Colonel                                      $194 00 per month
    Lieutenant Colonel                            170 00  ”    ”
    Major                                         151 00  ”    ”
    Captain                                       118 50  ”    ”
    First Lieutenant                              108 50  ”    ”
    Second Lieutenant                             103 50  ”    ”
    Brevet Second Lieutenant                      103 50  ”    ”
    Adjutant, in addition to pay, etc., of Lieut   10 00  ”    ”
    Regimental Quartermaster, in addition to
      pay, etc., of Lieutenant                     10 00  ”    ”


PAY OF NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS, PRIVATES, ETC.—CAVALRY.

    Sergeant-Major                                $21 00 per month
    Quartermaster Sergeant                         21 00  ”    ”
    Chief Bugler                                   21 00  ”    ”
    First Sergeant                                 20 00  ”    ”
    Sergeant                                       17 00  ”    ”
    Saddler Sergeant                               21 00  ”    ”
    Commissary Sergeant                            21 00  ”    ”
    Hospital Steward                               30 00  ”    ”
    Corporal                                       14 00  ”    ”
    Bugler, or Trumpeter                           13 00  ”    ”
    Farrier and Blacksmith                         15 00  ”    ”
    Private                                        13 00  ”    ”
    Veterinary Surgeon                             75 00  ”    ”
    African under-cooks                            10 00  ”    ”


ORDNANCE.

    Sergeant                                      $34 00 per month
    Corporal                                       20 00  ”    ”
    Wagoner                                        14 00  ”    ”
    Saddler                                        14 00  ”    ”
    Private—first class                            17 00  ”    ”
    Private—second class                           16 00  ”    ”


ARTILLERY AND INFANTRY.

    Sergeant-Major                                $21 00 per month
    Quartermaster Sergeant                         21 00  ”    ”
    Commissary Sergeant                            21 00  ”    ”
    First Sergeant                                 20 00  ”    ”
    Sergeant                                       17 00  ”    ”
    Hospital Steward                               30 00  ”    ”
    Corporal                                       14 00  ”    ”
    Artificer, Artillery                           15 00  ”    ”
    Private                                        13 00  ”    ”
    Principal Musician                             21 00  ”    ”
    Musician                                       12 00  ”    ”
    African under-cooks                            10 00  ”    ”


SAPPERS AND MINERS, AND PONTOONIERS.

    Sergeant                                      $34 00 per month
    Corporal                                       20 00  ”    ”
    Private—first class                            17 00  ”    ”
    Private—second class                           16 00  ”    ”
    Musician                                       12 00  ”    ”
    African under-cooks                            10 00  ”    ”


BRIGADE BANDS.

    Leader                                        $45 00 per month
    Four of the Band                               34 00  ”    ”
    Eight of the Band                              17 00  ”    ”
    Four of the Band                               20 00  ”    ”


MISCELLANEOUS.

    Medical Cadets                                $30 00  ”    ”
    Hospital Steward—first class                   22 00  ”    ”
    Matron                                          6 00  ”    ”
    Female nurses 40 cents per day.




PAY OF THE NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES.


REAR ADMIRALS—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                   $5,000 per annum
    When on shore duty                             4,000  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                    3,000  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                2,000  ”    ”


COMMODORES—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                      $4,000 per annum
    When on shore duty                                2,800  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                       2,100  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                   1,600  ”    ”


COMMANDERS—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                      $2,800 per annum
    When on shore duty                                2,240  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                       1,680  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                   1,400  ”    ”


LIEUTENANT COMMANDERS—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                      $2,343 per annum
    When on shore duty                                1,875  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                       1,500  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                   1,300  ”    ”


LIEUTENANTS—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                      $1,875 per annum
    When on shore duty                                1,500  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                       1,200  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                   1,000  ”    ”


MASTERS—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                      $1,500 per annum
    When on shore duty                                1,200  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                         960  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                     800  ”    ”


ENSIGNS—ACTIVE LIST.

    When at sea                                      $1,200 per annum
    When on shore duty                                  960  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                         768  ”    ”
    On Retired List                                     500  ”    ”

    Midshipmen                                          500  ”    ”
    Fleet Surgeons                                    3,300  ”    ”


SURGEONS.

    For second five years after date of commission   $2,400 per annum


RETIRED SURGEONS.

    Surgeons ranking with commanders                  $1,100 per annum
    Surgeons ranking with lieutenants                  1,000  ”   ”


RETIRED PASSED AND ASSISTANT SURGEONS.

    Passed                                              $850 per annum
    Assistant                                            650  ”   ”


PASSED ASSISTANT SURGEONS.

    On duty at sea                                    $1,500 per annum
    On other duty                                      1,400  ”   ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                        1,100  ”   ”


ASSISTANT SURGEONS.

    On duty at sea                                    $1,250 per annum
    On other duty                                      1,050  ”   ”
    On leave, or waiting orders                          800  ”   ”


PAYMASTERS.

    On duty at sea—for fourth five years after
      date of commission                              $2,900 per annum


PAYMASTERS RETIRED.

    Ranking with Captains                             $1,300 per annum
    Ranking with Commanders                            1,100  ”   ”
    Ranking with Lieutenants                           1,000  ”   ”


ASSISTANT PAYMASTERS.

    On duty at sea—after five years from date of
      commission                                      $1,500 per annum
    On leave, or waiting orders                          800  ”   ”


CHAPLAINS,

  To be paid as Lieutenants.


PROFESSORS OF MATHEMATICS.

    On duty                                           $1,800 per annum
    On leave, or waiting orders                          960  ”   ”


BOATSWAINS, GUNNERS, CARPENTERS, AND SAILMAKERS.

    On duty at sea—for first three years’
       sea service from date of appointment.          $1,000 per annum
    For twelve years’ service and upwards              1,450  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders—for twelve years’
      sea service and upwards                          1,000  ”    ”

[Illustration: FRANKLIN PIERCE.]


CHIEF ENGINEERS.

    On duty—for first five years after date of
      commission                                     $1,800 per annum
    After fifteen years from date of commission       2,600  ”    ”
    On leave, or waiting orders, after fifteen years
      from date of commission                         1,500  ”    ”


FIRST ASSISTANT ENGINEERS.

    On duty                                        $1,500 per annum
    On leave, or waiting orders                       900  ”    ”


SECOND ASSISTANT ENGINEERS.

    On duty                                        $1,000 per annum
    On leave, or waiting orders                       750  ”    ”


NAVY AGENT.

    Commission not to exceed                       $3,000 per annum
    Navy Agent at San Francisco                     4,000  ”    ”
    Temporary Navy Agents
    Naval Storekeepers

    Officers of the Navy on Foreign Stations       $1,500 per annum
    Engineer-in-Chief                               3,000  ”    ”
    Naval Constructors                              2,600  ”    ”
      ”        ”       when not on duty             1,800  ”    ”
    Secretaries to commanders of squadrons          1,500  ”    ”
    Clerks to commanders of squadrons and
       commanders of vessels                          500  ”    ”
    At Navy Yards—Boston and New York               1,200  ”    ”
    At Navy Yard—Washington                         1,200  ”    ”
    At Navy Yards—Portsmouth, N. H., and
      Philadelphia                                  1,200  ”    ”
    At Navy Yard—Mare Island                        1,500  ”    ”


YEOMEN.

    In ships-of-the-line                           $45 00 per month
    In frigates                                     40 00  ”    ”
    In sloops                                       30 00  ”    ”
    In smaller vessels                              24 00  ”    ”


ARMORERS.

    In ships-of-the-line                       $30 00 per month
    In frigates                                 25 00  ”    ”
    In sloops                                   20 00  ”    ”


MATES.

    Master’s (Acting)                          $40 00 per month
    Boatswains                                  25 00  ”    ”
    Gunners                                     25 00  ”    ”
    Carpenters                                  25 00  ”    ”
    Sailmakers                                  20 00  ”    ”
    Armorers                                    20 00  ”    ”

    Masters-at-Arms                             25 00  ”    ”
    Ship’s Corporals                            20 00  ”    ”
    Coxswains                                   24 00  ”    ”
    Quartermasters                              24 00  ”    ”
    Quarter Gunners                             20 00  ”    ”


CAPTAINS.

    Of forecastle                              $24 00 per month
    Of tops                                     20 00  ”    ”
    Of afterguard                               20 00  ”    ”
    Of hold                                     20 00  ”    ”

    Coopers                                     20 00  ”    ”
    Painters                                    20 00  ”    ”


STEWARDS.

    Ship’s                                       $30 00 per month
    Officers’                                     20 00  ”    ”
    Surgeons’, where ship’s complement is 400
      and over                                    40 00  ”    ”
    Surgeons’, where ship’s complement is 200
      and under 400                               33 00  ”    ”
    Surgeons’, where ship’s complement is under
      200                                         25 00  ”    ”
    Paymaster’s, where ship’s complement is 240
      and over                                    33 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Paymaster’s, where complement is
      100 and over                                33 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Paymaster’s, where complement is
      under 100                                   30 00  ”    ”


NURSES.

    Where complement is less than 200, one nurse   $14 00 per month
    Where complement is over 200, two nurses, each  14 00  ”    ”


COOKS.

    Ship’s                                       $24 00 per month
    Officer’s                                     20 00  ”    ”


MUSICIANS.

    Masters of the Band                          $20 00 per month
    First class                                   15 00  ”    ”
    Second class                                  12 00  ”    ”

    Seamen                                       $18 00 per month
    Ordinary Seamen                               14 00  ”    ”
    Landsmen                                      12 00  ”    ”
    Boys                                         8-9 00  ”    ”


FIREMEN.

    First class                                  $30 00 per month
    Second class                                  25 00  ”    ”
    Coal Heavers                                  18 00  ”    ”


MARINE CORPS.

    Colonel Commandant                        $3,186 00 per annum
    Paymaster, with rank of Major              2,154 00  ”    ”
    Adjutant and Inspector, with rank of
      Major                                    2,154 00  ”    ”
    Quartermaster, with rank of Major          2,154 00  ”    ”
    Assistant Quartermaster, with rank of
      Captain                                  1,752 00  ”    ”
    Colonel                                    2,529 00  ”    ”
    Lieutenant Colonel                         2,239 50  ”    ”
    Major                                      2,010 00  ”    ”

NOTE.—By a late act of Congress, the monthly pay of private soldiers
has been increased three dollars, that of non-commissioned officers
being proportionately advanced. And a tax of five per cent. was imposed
on the salaries of commissioned officers, thus, indirectly reducing
their pay.




SCHEDULE OF STAMP DUTIES.


                                                           Stamp Duties.
    _Acknowledgment_ of deeds                                    exempt.
    _Affidavit_                                                   5 cts.
         ”      in suits or legal proceedings                    exempt.
    _Agreement_ or Appraisement, (for each sheet, or piece of
                    paper on which the same is written)           5 cts.
    _Assignment_ or transfer of mortgage, lease, or policy of
                    insurance, the same duty as the original
                    instrument.
          ”      of patent right                                  5 cts.
    _Bank Checks_, drafts or orders, &c., at sight or on demand   2 cts.
    _Bills of Exchange_, (Foreign,) drawn in, but payable out
                    of, the United States, each bill of three
                    or more, must be stamped.
                  For every bill of each set, where the sum
                    made payable does not exceed one hundred
                    dollars, or the equivalent thereof in
                    any foreign currency in which such bills
                    may be expressed, according to the standard
                    of value fixed by the United States           2 cts.
                  For every additional hundred dollars, or
                    fractional part thereof in excess of one
                    hundred dollars                               2 cts.
                  (Foreign,) drawn in, but made payable out
                    of, the United States, (if drawn singly or
                    in duplicate,) pay the same duty as Inland
                    Bills of Exchange.
                  [The acceptor or acceptors of any Bill of
                    Exchange, or order for the payment of
                    any sum of money drawn, or purporting
                    to be drawn, in any foreign country, but
                    payable in the United States, must, before
                    paying or accepting the same, place
                    thereon a stamp indicating the duty.]
    _Bills of Exchange_, (Inland,) draft or order, payable
                     otherwise than at sight or on demand, and
                    any promissory note, whether payable on
                    demand or at a time designated, (except
                    bank notes issued for circulation, and
                    checks made and intended to be, and
                    which shall be, forthwith presented for
                    payment,) for a sum not exceeding one
                    hundred dollars                               5 cts.
                  For every additional $100, or fractional
                    part thereof                                  5 cts.
                  [The warrant of attorney to confess judgment
                    on a note or bond is exempt from
                    stamp duty, if the note or bond is properly
                    stamped.]
    _Bills of Lading_, of vessels for ports of the United States
                    or British North America                     exempt.
           ”       or receipt for goods, to any foreign port     10 cts.
    _Bill of Sale_ of any vessel, or part thereof, when the
                   consideration does not exceed five hundred
                   dollars                                       50 cts.
           ”       exceeding $500, and not exceeding $1,000        $1 00
           ”       exceeding $1,000, for each $500, or fractional
                     part thereof                                50 cts.
           ”      of personal property, (other than ship or
                     vessel)                                      5 cts.
    _Bond_, personal, for the payment of money. (See _Mortgage_.)
           ”      official                                         $1 00
           ”      for indemnifying any person for the payment
                    of any sum of money, where the
                    money ultimately recoverable thereupon
                    is $1,000 or less                            50 cts.
           ”      Where the money recoverable exceeds
                    $1,000, for every additional $1,000, or
                    fractional part thereof                      50 cts.
    _Bonds_—County, city, and town bonds, railroad and
                  other corporation bonds, and scrip, are
                  subject to stamp duty. (See _Mortgage_.)
          ”     of any description, other than such as are
                  required in legal proceedings, and such
                  as are not otherwise charged in this
                  Schedule                                       25 cts.
    _Certificates_ of deposit in bank, sum not exceeding one
                  hundred dollars                                 2 cts.
          ”        of deposit in bank, sum exceeding one
                  hundred dollars                                 5 cts.
          ”       of stock in an incorporated company            25 cts.
          ”       general                                         5 cts.
          ”       of record upon the instrument recorded         exempt.
          ”       of record upon the book                        exempt.
          ”       of weight or measurement of animals, coal,
                    wood, or other articles, except weighers’
                    and measurers’ returns                       exempt.
          ”       of a qualification of a Justice of the Peace,
                    Commissioner of Deeds, or Notary Public       5 cts.
          ”       of search of records                            5 cts.
          ”       that certain papers are on file                 5 cts.
          ”       that certain papers can not be found            5 cts.
          ”       of redemption of land sold for taxes            5 cts.
          ”       of birth, marriage and death                    5 cts.
          ”       of qualification of school teachers             5 cts.
          ”       of profits of an incorporated company for
                    a sum not less than $10 and not exceeding
                    $50                                          10 cts.
          ”       exceeding $50, and not exceeding $1,000        25 cts.
          ”       exceeding $1,000, for every additional
                    $1,000, or fractional part thereof           25 cts.
          ”       of damage, or otherwise, and all other certificates
                    or documents issued by any port
                    warden, marine surveyor, or other person
                    acting as such                               25 cts.
    _Certified Transcripts_ of judgments, satisfaction of
                    judgments, and all papers recorded or on file. 5 cts.
                  [N. B.—As a general rule, every certificate
                    which has, or may have, a legal value in
                    any court of law or equity, will require
                    a stamp duty of 5 cts.]
    _Charter party_, or letter, memorandum, or other writing
                    between the captain, owner, or agent of
                    any ship, vessel, or steamer, and any other
                    person, relating to the charter of the
                    same, if the registered tonnage of said
                    ship, vessel, or steamer does not exceed
                    one hundred and fifty tons                     $1 00
          ”       exceeding one hundred and fifty tons, and
                    not exceeding three hundred tons                3 00
          ”       exceeding three hundred tons, and not exceeding
                    six hundred tons                                5 00
          ”       exceeding six hundred tons                       10 00
    _Check_, draft, or order for the payment of any sum of
                    money exceeding $10, drawn upon any
                    person other than a bank, banker, or
                    trust company, at sight or on demand          2 cts.
    _Contract._ (See _Agreement_.)
          ”         Broker’s                                     16 cts.
    _Conveyance_, deed, instrument, or writing, whereby lands,
                    tenements, or other realty sold, shall be
                    conveyed, _the actual value_ of which does
                    not exceed $500                              50 cts.
           ”      exceeding $500, and not exceeding $1,000         $1 00
           ”      for every additional $500, or fractional part
                    thereof in excess of $1,000                  50 cts.
    _Endorsement_ of any negotiable instrument                   exempt.
    _Entry_ of any goods, wares, or merchandise at any custom
                    house, either for consumption or
                    warehousing, not exceeding one hundred
                    dollars in value                             25 cts.
       ”          exceeding one hundred dollars, and not exceeding
                    five hundred dollars in value                50 cts.
       ”          exceeding five hundred dollars in value          $1 00
       ”          for the withdrawal of any goods or merchandise
                    from bonded warehouse                         50 cts.
    _Gaugers’_ returns, if for quantity not exceeding 500         exempt.
                    gallons, gross
        ”         exceeding 500 gallons                             ”
    _Insurance_, (Marine, Inland, and Fire,) where the consideration
                    paid for the insurance, in
                    cash, premium notes, or both, does not
                    exceed $10                                   10 cts.
          ”       (Marine, Inland, and Fire,) exceeding $10,
                    and not exceeding $50                        25 cts.
          ”       (Marine, Inland, and Fire,) exceeding $50,     50 cts.
    _Insurance_, (Life,) when the amount insured does not exceed
                    $1,000                                       25 cts.
          ”       (Life,) exceeding $1,000, and not exceeding
                    $5,000                                       50 cts.
          ”       (Life,) exceeding $5,000                         $1 00
          ”       (Life,) limited to injury to persons while
                    traveling                                    exempt.
    _Lease_ of lands or tenements, where rent does not exceed
                    $300 per annum                               50 cts.
       ”          exceeding $300, for each additional $200,
                    or fractional part thereof in excess of
                    $300                                         50 cts.
       ”          perpetual, subject to a stamp duty as a
                    “conveyance,” the stamp duty to be
                    measured by resolving the annual rental
                    into a capital sum.
       ”          clause of guaranty of payment of rent, incorporated
                    or indorsed, five cents additional.
    _Manifest_ for custom house entry or clearance of the
                    cargo of any ship, vessel, or steamer for
                    a foreign port, if the registered tonnage
                    of such ship, vessel, or steamer does not
                    exceed 300 tons                                $1 00
        ”         exceeding 300 tons, and not exceeding 600
                    tons                                            3 00
        ”         exceeding 600 tons                                5 00
    _Measurer’s Returns_, if for quantity not exceeding one
                    thousand bushels                             exempt.
          ”       exceeding one thousand bushels                    ”
    _Mortgage_, trust deed, bill of sale, or personal bond for
                    the payment of money exceeding $100,
                    and not exceeding $500                       50 cts.
          ”       exceeding $500, for every additional $500,
                    or fractional part thereof in excess of
                    $500                                         50 cts.
    _Pawners’ Checks._                                            5 cts.
    _Pension Papers._—Powers of attorney, and all other papers
                    relating to applications for bounties,
                    arrearages of pay, or pensions, or to receipt
                    thereof                                      exempt.
    _Passage Ticket_ from the United States to a foreign port,
                    costing not more than $35                    50 cts.
         ”        from the United States to a foreign port,
                    costing more than $35, and not exceeding
                    $50                                            $1 00
         ”        for every additional $50, or fractional part
                    thereof in excess of $50                       $1 00
    _Power of Attorney_ to sell or transfer stock, or collect
                    dividends thereon                            25 cts.
         ”        to vote at election of incorporated company    10 cts.
         ”         to receive or collect rents                   25 cts.
         ”        to sell, or convey, or rent, or lease real       $1 00
         ”         estate for any purpose                        50 cts.
    _Probate of Will_, or letters of administration, where the
                    value of both real and personal estate
                    does not exceed $2,000                         $1 00
         ”        for every additional $1,000, or fractional
                    part thereof in excess of $2,000             50 cts.
         ”        bonds of executors, administrators, guardians,
                    and trustees, are each subject to
                    a stamp duty of                                $1 00
         ”        certificate of appointment                      5 cts.
    _Protest_ upon bill, note, check, or draft                   25 cts.

    _Promissory Note._—(See _Bills of Exchange_, Inland.)
           ”      deposit note to mutual insurance companies,
                    when policy is subject to duty               exempt.
           ”      renewal of, subject to same duty as an original
                    note.
    _Quit Claim Deed_, to be stamped as a conveyance, except
                    when given as a release of a mortgage
                    by the mortgagee to the mortgagor,
                    in which case it is exempt.
    _Receipt_ for the payment of any sum of money or debt
                    due exceeding $20, or for the delivery of
                    any property                                  2 cts.
        ”         for satisfaction of any mortgage or judgment
                    or decree of any court                       exempt.
    _Sheriff’s_ return on writ or other process                  exempt.
    _Trust Deed_, made to secure a debt, to be stamped as a
                    mortgage.
        ”         conveying estate to uses, to be stamped as
                    conveyance.
    _Warehouse Receipt_ for any goods, wares, or merchandise
                    not otherwise provided for, deposited or
                    stored in any public or private warehouse,
                    not exceeding $500 in value                  exempt.
         ”        exceeding $500, and not exceeding $1,000         ”
         ”        exceeding $1,000, for every additional
                    $1,000, or fractional part thereof in excess
                    of $1.000                                      ”
         ”        for any goods, &c. not otherwise provided
                    for, stored or deposited in any public or
                    private warehouse or yard                      ”
    _Writs and Legal Documents_:
                  Writ, or other original process by which
                    suit is commenced in any court of record,
                    either of law or equity                      50 cts.
                  Writ, or other original process issued by
                    a court not of record, where the amount
                    claimed is $100 or over                      50 cts.
                  Upon every confession of judgment or cognovit
                    for $100, or over, except in cases
                    where the tax for a writ has been paid       50 cts.
                  Writs, or other process on appeals from
                    justices’ courts, or other courts of inferior
                    jurisdiction, to a court of record           50 cts.
                  Warrant of distress, when the amount of
                    rent claimed does not exceed $100            25 cts.
                  Warrant of distress when amount exceeds $100   50 cts.
                  Writs, summons, and other process issued
                    by a justice of the peace, police or municipal
                    court, of no greater jurisdiction
                    than a justice of the peace in the same
                    State                                        exempt.
                  Writs, and other process in any criminal
                    or other suits commenced by the United
                    States in any State                          exempt.
                  Official documents, instruments, and papers
                    issued or used by officers of the United
                    States Government                            exempt.


GENERAL REMARKS.

Revenue stamps may be used indiscriminately upon any of the matters or
things enumerated in Schedule B, except proprietary and playing card
stamps, for which a special use has been provided.

Postage stamps can not be used in payment of the duty chargeable on
instruments.

It is the duty of the maker of an instrument to affix the stamp
thereto and to cancel the same in the manner required by law. Proper
cancellation is essential.

Under the provisions of section 158, an instrument subject to stamp
duty, but issued without a stamp or with an insufficient one, may be so
stamped by the Collector as to be as valid to all intents and purposes
(_except as against rights acquired in good faith before such stamping
and the recording of the instrument, if a record be required_) as if
properly stamped when made or issued. Such an instrument, issued at a
time when and in a place where no collection district was established,
may be stamped by the party who issued it or by any party having an
interest therein at any time prior to January 1, 1867, and the legal
effect of the stamp thus affixed will be the same as though affixed
by the Collector. When originals are lost the necessary stamps may be
affixed to copies.

Suits are commenced in many States by other process than writ, viz.:
summons, warrant, publication, petition, etc., in which cases, these,
as the original processes, severally require stamps.

The jurat of an affidavit, taken before a Justice of the Peace, Notary
Public, or other officer duly authorized to take affidavits, is held
to be a certificate, and subject to a stamp duty of five cents, except
when taken in suits or legal proceedings.

_Certificates of Loan_, in which there shall appear any written or
printed evidence of an amount of money to be paid on demand, or at a
time designated, are subject to stamp duty as “Promissory Notes.”

When two or more persons join in the execution of an instrument, the
stamp to which the instrument is liable under the law may be affixed
and cancelled by either of them; and “when more than one signature is
affixed to the same paper, one or more stamps may be affixed thereto
representing the whole amount of the stamp required for such signature.”

No stamp is required on any warrant of attorney accompanying a bond
or note when such bond or note has affixed thereto the stamp or
stamps denoting the duty required; and whenever any bond or note is
secured by mortgage, but one stamp duty is required on such papers,
such stamp duty being the highest rate required for such instruments,
or either of them. In such case a note or memorandum of the value or
denomination of the stamp affixed should be made upon the margin or in
the acknowledgment of the instrument which is not stamped.




THE CIVIL RIGHTS BILL.

An Act to protect all persons in the United States in their civil
rights, and furnish the means of their vindication.


_Be it enacted, &c._, That all persons born in the United States and
not subject to any foreign power, excluding Indians, not taxed, are
hereby declared to be citizens of the United States; and such citizens
of every race and color, without regard to any previous condition of
slavery or involuntary servitude, except as a punishment for crime
whereof the party shall have been duly convicted, shall have the same
right in every State and Territory in the United States to make and
enforce contracts; to sue, be parties, and give evidence; to inherit,
purchase, lease, sell, hold, and convey real and personal property; and
to full and equal benefit of all laws and proceedings for the security
of person and property as is enjoyed by white citizens, and shall be
subject to like punishment, pains, and penalties, and to none other,
any law, statute ordinance, regulation, or custom, to the contrary
notwithstanding.

SEC. 2. That any person who, under color of any law, statute,
ordinance, regulation, or custom, shall subject, or cause to be
subjected, any inhabitant of any State or Territory to the deprivation
of any right secured or protected by this act, or to different
punishment, pains, or penalties on account of such person having
at any time been held in a condition of slavery or involuntary
servitude, except as a punishment for crime whereof the party shall
have been duly convicted, or by reason of his color or race, than is
prescribed for the punishment of white persons, shall be deemed guilty
of a misdemeanor, and, on conviction, shall be punished by fine not
exceeding one thousand dollars, or imprisonment not exceeding one year,
or both, in the discretion of the court.

SEC. 3. That the district courts of the United States, within their
respective districts, shall have, exclusively of the courts of the
several States, cognizance of all crimes and offences committed against
the provisions of this act, and also, concurrently with the circuit
courts of the United States, of all causes, civil and criminal,
affecting persons who are denied or cannot enforce in the courts or
judicial tribunals of the State or locality where they may be any of
the rights secured to them by the first section of this act; and if any
suit or prosecution, civil or criminal, has been or shall be commenced
in any State court against any such person, for any cause whatsoever,
or against any officer, civil or military, or other person, for any
arrest or imprisonment, trespasses, or wrongs done or committed by
virtue or under color of authority derived from this act or the act
establishing a bureau for the relief of freedmen and refugees, and all
acts amendatory thereof, or for refusing to do any act upon the ground
that it would be inconsistent with this act, such defendant shall have
the right to remove such cause for trial to the proper district or
circuit court in the manner prescribed by the “Act relating to _habeas
corpus_ and regulating judicial proceedings in certain cases,” approved
March three, eighteen hundred and sixty-three, and all acts amendatory
thereof. The jurisdiction in civil and criminal matters hereby
conferred on the district and circuit courts of the United States shall
be exercised and enforced in conformity with the laws of the United
States, so far as such laws are suitable to carry the same into effect;
but in all cases where such laws are not adapted to the object, or are
deficient in the provisions necessary to furnish suitable remedies and
punish offences against law, the common law, as modified and changed
by the constitution and statutes of the State wherein the court having
jurisdiction of the cause, civil or criminal, is held, so far as the
same is not inconsistent with the Constitution and laws of the United
States, shall be extended to and govern said courts in the trial
and disposition of such cause, and, if of a criminal nature, in the
infliction of punishment on the party found guilty.

SEC. 4. That the district attorneys, marshals, and deputy marshals of
the United States, the commissioners appointed by the circuit court
and territorial courts of the United States, with power of arresting,
imprisoning, or bailing offenders against the laws of the United
States, the officers and agents of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and every
other officer who may be specially empowered by the President of the
United States, shall be, and they are hereby, specially authorized and
required, at the expense of the United States, to institute proceedings
against all and every person who shall violate the provisions of this
act, and cause him or them to be arrested and imprisoned, or bailed,
as the case may be, for trial before such court of the United States
or territorial court as by this act has cognizance of the offence. And
with a view to affording reasonable protection to all persons in their
constitutional rights of equality before the law, without distinction
of race or color, or previous condition of slavery or involuntary
servitude, except as a punishment for crime, whereof the party shall
have been duly convicted, and to the prompt discharge of the duties
of this act, it shall be the duty of the circuit courts of the United
States and the superior courts of the Territories of the United States,
from time to time, to increase the number of commissioners, so as to
afford a speedy and convenient means for the arrest and examination of
persons charged with a violation of this act. And such commissioners
are hereby authorized and required to exercise and discharge all the
powers and duties conferred on them by this act, and the same duties
with regard to offences created by this act, as they are authorized by
law to exercise with regard to other offences against the laws of the
United States.

SEC. 5. That it shall be the duty of all marshals and deputy marshals
to obey and execute all warrants and precepts issued under the
provisions of this act, when to them directed; and should any marshal
or deputy marshal refuse to receive such warrant or other process
when tendered, or to use all proper means diligently to execute the
same, he shall, on conviction thereof, be fined in the sum of one
thousand dollars, to the use of the person upon whom the accused is
alleged to have committed the offence. And the better to enable the
said commissioners to execute their duties faithfully and efficiently,
in conformity with the Constitution of the United States and the
requirements of this act, they are hereby authorized and empowered,
within their counties respectively, to appoint, in writing, under
their hands, any one or more suitable persons, from time to time, to
execute all such warrants and other process that may be issued by them
in the lawful performance of their respective duties; and the persons
so appointed to execute any warrant or process as aforesaid shall have
authority to summon and call to their aid the bystanders or the _posse
comitatus_ of the proper county, or such portion of the land and naval
forces of the United States, or of the militia, as may be necessary
to the performance of the duty with which they are charged, and to
insure a faithful observance of the clause of the Constitution which
prohibits slavery, in conformity with the provisions of this act; and
said warrants shall run and be executed by said officers anywhere in
the State or Territory within which they are issued.

SEC. 6. That any person who shall knowingly and wilfully obstruct,
hinder or prevent any officer, or other person charged with the
execution of any warrant or process issued under the provisions of this
act, or any person or persons lawfully assisting him or them, from
arresting any person for whose apprehension such warrant or process
may have been issued, or shall rescue or attempt to rescue such person
from the custody of the officer, other person or persons, or those
lawfully assisting as aforesaid, when so arrested pursuant to the
authority herein given and declared, or shall aid, abet, or assist any
person so arrested as aforesaid, directly or indirectly, to escape
from the custody of the officer or other person legally authorized
as aforesaid, or shall harbor or conceal any person for whose arrest
a warrant or process shall have been issued as aforesaid, so as to
prevent his discovery and arrest after notice or knowledge of the fact
that a warrant has been issued for the apprehension of such person,
shall, for either of said offences, be subject to a fine not exceeding
one thousand dollars, and imprisonment not exceeding six months, by
indictment and conviction before the district court of the United
States for the district in which said offence may have been committed,
or before the proper court of criminal jurisdiction, if committed
within any one of the organized Territories of the United States.

SEC. 7. That the district attorneys, the marshals, their deputies, and
the clerks of the said district and territorial courts shall be paid
for their services the like fees as may be allowed to them for similar
services in other cases; and in all cases where the proceedings are
before a commissioner, he shall be entitled to a fee of ten dollars in
full for his services in each case, inclusive of all services incident
to such arrest and examination. The person or persons authorized to
execute the process to be issued by such commissioners for the arrest
of offenders against the provisions of this act shall be entitled to
a fee of five dollars for each person he or they may arrest and take
before any such commissioner as aforesaid, with such other fees as may
be deemed reasonable by such commissioner for such other additional
services as may be necessarily performed by him or them, such as
attending at the examination, keeping the prisoner in custody, and
providing him with food and lodging during his detention, and until the
final determination of such commissioner, and in general for performing
such other duties as may be required in the premises; such fees to be
made up in conformity with the fees usually charged by the officers of
the courts of justice within the proper district or county, as near
as may be practicable, and paid out of the treasury of the United
States on the certificate of the judge of the district within which the
arrest is made, and to be recoverable from the defendant as part of the
judgment in case of conviction.

SEC. 8. That whenever the President of the United States shall have
reason to believe that offences have been, or are likely to be
committed against the provisions of this act within any judicial
district, it shall be lawful for him, in his discretion, to direct the
judge, marshal, and district attorney of such district to attend at
such place within the district, and for such time as he may designate,
for the purpose of the more speedy arrest and trial of persons charged
with a violation of this act; and it shall be the duty of every judge
or other officer, when any such requisition shall be received by him,
to attend at the place and for the time therein designated.

SEC. 9. That it shall be lawful for the President of the United States,
or such person as he may empower for that purpose, to employ such part
of the land or naval forces of the United States, or of the militia,
as shall be necessary to prevent the violation and enforce the due
execution of this act.

SEC. 10. That upon all questions of law arising in any cause under the
provisions of this act, a final appeal may be taken to the Supreme
Court of the United States.

The Bill passed in the Senate over the President’s veto by the vote of
33 yeas to 15 nays, and in the House by 122 yeas to 41 nays.




CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT.

The Amendment proposed to the Constitution, June 8, 1866.

ARTICLE XIV.


SECTION 1. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and
subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States
and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce
any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens
of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life,
liberty, or property, without due process of law, nor deny to any
person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.

SEC. 2. Representatives shall be apportioned among the several States
according to their respective numbers, counting the whole number of
persons in each State, excluding Indians not taxed. But when the right
to vote at any election for the choice of electors for President and
Vice-President of the United States, representatives in Congress,
the executive and judicial officers of a State, or the members of
the legislature thereof, is denied to any of the male inhabitants of
such State, being twenty-one years of age, and citizens of the United
States, or in any way abridged, except for participation in rebellion
or other crime, the basis of representation therein shall be reduced in
the proportion which the number of such male citizens shall bear to the
whole number of male citizens twenty-one years of age in such State.

SEC. 3. No person shall be a senator or representative in Congress,
or elector of President and Vice-President, or hold any office, civil
or military, under the United States, or under any State, who, having
previously taken an oath, as a member of Congress, or as an officer of
the United States, or as a member of any State legislature, or as an
executive or judicial officer of any State, to support the Constitution
of the United States, shall have engaged in insurrection or rebellion
against the same, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof.
But Congress may, by a vote of two-thirds of each house, remove such
disability.

SEC. 4. The validity of the public debt of the United States,
authorized by law, including debts incurred for payment of pensions and
bounties for services in suppressing insurrection or rebellion, shall
not be questioned. But neither the United States nor any State shall
assume or pay any debt or obligation incurred in aid of insurrection
or rebellion against the United States, or any claim for the loss or
emancipation of any slave; but all such debts, obligations and claims
shall be held illegal and void.

SEC. 5. The Congress shall have power to enforce, by appropriate
legislation, the provisions of this article.

The Amendment passed the Senate by a vote of 33 yeas to 11 nays; and
the House by a vote of 138 yeas to 36 nays.




THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT BILL.

_AN ACT for the More Efficient Government of the Rebel States._


    WHEREAS, No legal State government, or
        adequate protection for life, or property, now
        exists in the rebel States of Virginia, North
        Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama,
        Louisiana, Florida, Texas, and Arkansas; and,

    WHEREAS, It is necessary that peace and good
        order should be enforced in said States until
        loyal and republican State governments can be
        established; therefore,

_Be it enacted, etc._, That said rebel States shall be divided into
military districts, and made subject to the military authority of the
United States, as hereinafter prescribed; and for that purpose Virginia
shall constitute the first district; North Carolina and South Carolina
the second district; Georgia, Alabama, and Florida the third district;
Mississippi and Arkansas the fourth district; Louisiana and Texas the
fifth district.

SEC. 2. That it shall be the duty of the President to assign to the
command of each of said districts an officer of the army, not below the
rank of brigadier-general, and to detail a sufficient military force
to enable such officer to perform his duties and enforce his authority
within the district to which he is assigned.

SEC. 3. That it shall be the duty of each officer assigned, as
aforesaid, to protect all persons in their rights of person and
property; to suppress insurrection, disorder, and violence, and to
punish, and cause to be punished, all disturbers of the public peace,
and criminals; and to this end he may allow loyal civil tribunals to
take jurisdiction of and try offenders; or, when in his judgment it
may be necessary, for the trial of offenders, he shall have power
to organize military commissions or tribunals for that purpose; and
all interference under color of State authority with the exercise of
military authority under this act shall be null and void.

SEC. 4. That all persons put under military arrest by virtue of
this act shall be tried without unnecessary delay, and no cruel or
unusual punishment shall be inflicted, and no sentence of any military
commission or tribunal, hereby authorized, affecting the life or
liberty of any person, shall be executed until it is approved by the
officer in command of the district; and the laws and regulations for
the government of the army shall not be affected by this act, except in
so far as they may conflict with its provisions.

SEC. 5. That when the people of any one of said rebel States shall
have formed a constitutional government, in conformity with the
Constitution of the United States in all respects, framed by a
convention of delegates elected by the persons who may vote upon the
ratification or rejection thereof, as hereinafter provided; and when
said constitution, so framed, shall have been ratified by a majority
of the male citizens of said State, twenty-one years old and upward,
of whatever race, color, or previous condition of servitude, who may
have been resident in said State for one year previous to the day of
voting on the question of ratifying such constitution, except such
as may be disfranchised for participating in the rebellion, or for
felony at common law; and when such constitution shall provide that
the elective franchise shall be enjoyed by all such persons that have
the qualifications herein stated, and shall have been submitted to
Congress for examination, and Congress shall have approved the same;
and when said State, by a vote of its legislature elected under said
constitution, shall have adopted the amendment to the Constitution
of the United States, proposed by the Thirty-ninth Congress, and
known as article fourteen, and when said article shall become a
part of the Constitution of the United States, such State shall be
declared entitled to representation in Congress, and senators and
representatives shall be admitted thereupon, on their taking the oath
prescribed by the law; and then and thereafter the preceding sections
of this bill shall be inoperative in said State.

SEC. 6, (proposed by Mr. Doolittle,) provides that the penalty of death
shall not be inflicted by the military power without the approval of
the President.

SEC. 7. (Shellabarger’s amendment.) That until the people of said rebel
States shall, by law, be admitted to representation in the Congress of
the United States, the civil governments that may exist therein shall
be deemed provisional only, and shall be in all respects subject to
the paramount authority of the United States, which may at any time
abolish, modify, control, and supersede the same, and in all elections
to any office under such provisional governments all persons shall be
entitled to vote, and none others, who are entitled to vote under the
provisions of the fifth section of this act, and no person shall be
eligible to any office under such provisional governments who would
be disqualified from holding office under the provisions of the third
article of said Constitutional Amendment.




SUPPLEMENT TO THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT BILL.

_Passed at the First Session of the Fortieth Congress._


    AN ACT supplementary to an act entitled, “An
        act to provide for the more efficient government of
        the rebel States,” passed March second, eighteen
        hundred and sixty-seven, and to facilitate
        restoration.

_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
States of America in Congress assembled_, That before the first day of
September, eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, the commanding general in
each district defined by an act entitled, “An act to provide for the
more efficient government of the rebel States,” passed March second,
eighteen hundred and sixty-seven, shall cause a registration to be made
of the male citizens of the United States, twenty-one years of age
and upward, resident in each county or parish in the State or States
included in his district, which registration shall include only those
persons who are qualified to vote for delegates by the act aforesaid,
and who shall have taken and subscribed the following oath or
affirmation: “I, ————, do solemnly swear, (or affirm,) in the presence
of Almighty God, that I am a citizen of the State of ————; that I have
resided in said State for ———— months next preceding this day, and now
reside in the county of ————, or the parish of ————, in said State, (as
the case may be;) that I am twenty-one years old; that I have not been
disfranchised for participation in any rebellion or civil war against
the United States, nor for felony committed against the laws of any
State or of the United States; that I have never been a member of any
State legislature, nor held any executive or judicial office in any
State, and afterward engaged in insurrection or rebellion against the
United States, or given aid or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I
have never taken an oath as a member of Congress of the United States,
or as an officer of the United States, or as a member of any State
legislature, or as an executive or judicial officer of any State, to
support the Constitution of the United States, and afterward engaged
in insurrection or rebellion against the United States, or given aid
or comfort to the enemies thereof; that I will faithfully support the
Constitution and obey the laws of the United States, and will, to the
best of my ability, encourage others so to do, so help me God;” which
oath or affirmation may be administered by any registering officer.

SEC. 2. _And be it further enacted_, That after the completion of the
registration hereby provided for in any State, at such time and places
therein as the commanding general shall appoint and direct, of which
at least thirty days’ public notice shall be given, an election shall
be held of delegates to a convention for the purpose of establishing a
constitution and civil government for such State loyal to the Union,
said convention in each State, except Virginia, to consist of the same
number of members as the most numerous branch of the State legislature
of such State in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be apportioned
among the several districts, counties, or parishes of such State by
the commanding general, giving to each representation in the ratio of
voters registered as aforesaid as nearly as may be. The convention in
Virginia shall consist of the same number of members as represented the
territory now constituting Virginia in the most numerous branch of the
legislature of said State in the year eighteen hundred and sixty, to be
apportioned as aforesaid.

SEC. 3. _And be it further enacted_, That at said election the
registered voters of each State shall vote for or against a convention
to form a constitution therefor under this act. Those voting in favor
of such a convention shall have written or printed on the ballots
by which they vote for delegates, as aforesaid, the words, “For a
convention;” and those voting against such a convention shall have
written or printed on such ballots the words, “Against a convention.”
The persons appointed to superintend said election, and to make return
of the votes given thereat, as herein provided, shall count and make
return of the votes given for and against a convention; and the
commanding general to whom the same shall have been returned shall
ascertain and declare the total vote in each State for and against
a convention. If a majority of the votes given on that question
shall be for a convention, then such convention shall be held as
hereinafter provided; but if a majority of said votes shall be against
a convention, then no such convention shall be held under this act:
_Provided_, That such convention shall not be held unless a majority of
all such registered voters shall have voted on the question of holding
such convention.

SEC. 4. _And be it further enacted_, That the commanding general of
each district shall appoint as many boards of registration as may be
necessary, consisting of three loyal officers or persons, to make and
complete the registration, superintend the election, and make return
to him of the votes, list of voters, and of the persons elected as
delegates, by a plurality of the votes cast at said election; and
upon receiving said returns, he shall open the same, ascertain the
persons elected as delegates, according to the returns of the officers
who conducted said election, and make proclamation thereof; and if a
majority of the votes given on that question shall be for a convention,
the commanding general, within sixty days from the date of election,
shall notify the delegates to assemble in convention, at a time and
place to be mentioned in the notification; and said convention, when
organized, shall proceed to frame a constitution and civil government
according to the provisions of this act, and the act to which it is
supplementary; and when the same shall have been so framed, said
constitution shall be submitted by the convention for ratification to
the persons registered under the provisions of this act, at an election
to be conducted by the officers or persons appointed or to be appointed
by the commanding general, as hereinbefore provided, and to be held
after the expiration of thirty days from the date of notice thereof, to
be given by said convention; and the returns thereof shall be made to
the commanding general of the district.

SEC. 5. _And be it further enacted_, That if, according to said
returns, the constitution shall be ratified by a majority of the votes
of the registered electors qualified as herein specified, cast at said
election, at least one-half of all the registered voters voting upon
the question of such ratification, the president of the convention
shall transmit a copy of the same, duly certified, to the President of
the United States, who shall forthwith transmit the same to Congress,
if then in session, and if not in session, then immediately upon its
next assembling; and if it shall moreover appear to Congress that the
election was one at which all the registered and qualified electors
in the State had an opportunity to vote freely and without restraint,
fear, or the influence of fraud, and if the Congress shall be satisfied
that such constitution meets the approval of a majority of all the
qualified electors in the State, and if the said constitution shall
be declared by Congress to be in conformity with the provisions of
the act to which this is supplementary, and the other provisions of
said act shall have been complied with, and the said constitution
shall be approved by Congress, the State shall be declared entitled
to representation, and senators and representatives shall be admitted
therefrom, as therein provided.

SEC. 6. _And be it further enacted_, That all elections in the States
mentioned in the said “Act to provide for the more efficient government
of the rebel States,” shall, during the operation of said act, be by
ballot; and all officers making the said registration of voters and
conducting said elections shall, before entering upon the discharge
of their duties, take and subscribe the oath prescribed by the act
approved July second, eighteen hundred and sixty-two, entitled, “An
act to prescribe an oath of office:” _Provided_, That if any person
shall knowingly and falsely take and subscribe any oath in this act
prescribed, such person so offending, and being thereof duly convicted,
shall be subject to the pains, penalties, and disabilities which by law
are provided for the punishment of the crime of willful and corrupt
perjury.

SEC. 7. _And be it further enacted_, That all expenses incurred by the
several commanding generals, or by virtue of any orders issued, or
appointments made, by them, under or by virtue of this act, shall be
paid out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

SEC. 8. _And be it further enacted_, That the convention for each State
shall prescribe the fees, salary, and compensation to be paid to all
delegates and other officers and agents herein authorized or necessary
to carry into effect the purposes of this act not herein otherwise
provided for, and shall provide for the levy and collection of such
taxes on the property in such State as may be necessary to pay the same.

SEC. 9. _And be it further enacted_, That the word “article,” in the
sixth section of the act to which this is supplementary, shall be
construed to mean “section.”

                          SCHUYLER COLFAX,
       Speaker of the House of Representatives.
                          B. F. WADE,
    President of the Senate _pro tempore_.

After the election which was held early in February, 1868, upon the
ratification of a new Constitution for the State of Alabama, the law
was so amended by Congress that a majority of the votes cast (instead
of a majority of the registered voters) should be required to ratify or
reject State constitutions in the seceded States.

[Illustration: JAMES BUCHANAN.]




HISTORY OF THE NATIONAL BANKS.

DIGEST OF THE LAW, ETC.


_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled_, That there shall be
established in the Treasury Department a separate Bureau, the chief
officer of which shall be denominated the Comptroller of the Currency,
who shall be under the general direction of the Secretary of the
Treasury.

SEC. 5. That associations for carrying on the business of banking may
be formed by any number of persons, not less in any case than five,
who shall enter into articles of association, which shall specify in
general terms the object for which the association is formed, and may
contain any other provisions, not inconsistent with the provisions of
this act, which the association may see fit to adopt for the regulation
of the business of the association and the conduct of its affairs,
which said articles shall be signed by the persons uniting to form the
association, and a copy of them forwarded to the Comptroller of the
Currency, to be filed and preserved in his office.

SEC. 6. That the persons uniting to form such an association shall,
under their hands, make an organization certificate, which shall
specify—

First. The name assumed by such association, which name shall be
subject to the approval of the Comptroller.

Second. The place where its operations of discount and deposit are to
be carried on, designating the State, Territory, or District, and also
the particular county and city, town or village.

Third. The amount of its capital stock, and the number of shares into
which the same shall be divided.

Fourth. The names and places of residence of the shareholders, and the
number of shares held by each of them.

Fifth. A declaration that said certificate is made to enable such
persons to avail themselves of the advantages of this act.

The said certificate shall be acknowledged before a judge of some
court of record or a notary public, and such certificate, with the
acknowledgment thereof authenticated by the seal of such court or
notary, shall be transmitted to the Comptroller of the Currency, who
shall record and carefully preserve the same in his office. Copies of
such certificate, duly certified by the Comptroller, and authenticated
by his seal of office, shall be legal and sufficient evidence in all
courts and places within the United States, or the jurisdiction of the
Government thereof, of the existence of such association, and of every
other matter or thing which could be proved by the production of the
original certificate.

SEC. 7. That no association shall be organized under this act, with a
less capital than one hundred thousand dollars, nor in a city whose
population exceeds fifty thousand persons, with a less capital than
two hundred thousand dollars: _Provided_, That banks with a capital
of not less than fifty thousand dollars may, with the approval of the
Secretary of the Treasury, be organized in any place, the population of
which does not exceed six thousand inhabitants.

SEC. 8. That every association formed, pursuant to the provisions of
this act, shall, from the date of the execution of its organization
certificate, be a body-corporate, but shall transact no business
except such as may be incidental to its organization and necessarily
preliminary, until authorized by the Comptroller of the Currency to
commence the business of banking. Such association shall have power
to adopt a corporate seal, and shall have succession by the name
designated in its organization certificate, for the period of twenty
years from its organization, unless sooner dissolved according to
the provisions of its articles of association, or by the act of its
shareholders owning two-thirds of its stock, or unless the franchise
shall be forfeited by a violation of this act; by such name it may
make contracts, sue and be sued, complain and defend, in any court
of law and equity as fully as natural persons; it may elect or
appoint directors, and by its board of directors appoint a president,
vice-president, cashier, and other officers, define their duties,
require bonds of them, and fix the penalty thereof, dismiss said
officers or any of them at pleasure, and appoint others to fill their
places, and exercise under this act all such incidental powers as
shall be necessary to carry on the business of banking by discounting
and negotiating promissory notes, drafts, bills of exchange, and
other evidences of debt; by receiving deposits; by buying and selling
exchange, coin, and bullion; by loaning money on personal security; by
obtaining, issuing, and circulating notes according to the provisions
of this act; and its board of directors shall also have power to define
and regulate by by-laws, not inconsistent with the provisions of this
act, the manner in which its stock shall be transferred, its directors
elected or appointed, its officers appointed, its property transferred,
its general business conducted, and all the privileges granted by
this act to associations organized under it shall be exercised and
enjoyed; and its usual business shall be transacted at an office or
banking-house located in the place specified in its organization
certificate.

SEC. 9. That the affairs of every association shall be managed by not
less than five directors, one of whom shall be the president. Every
director shall, during his whole term of service, be a citizen of the
United States; and at least three-fourths of the directors shall have
resided in the State, Territory, or District in which such association
is located one year next preceding their election as directors, and be
residents of the same during their continuance in office. Each director
shall own, in his own right, at least ten shares of the capital stock
of the association of which he is a director.

SEC. 11. That in all elections of directors, and in deciding all
questions at meetings of shareholders, each shareholder shall be
entitled to one vote on each share of stock held by him. Shareholders
may vote by proxies duly authorized in writing; but no officer, clerk,
teller, or book-keeper of such association shall act as proxy; and no
shareholders, whose liability is past due and unpaid, shall be allowed
to vote.

SEC. 12. That the capital stock of any association formed under
this act shall be divided into shares of one hundred dollars each,
and be deemed personal property and transferable on the books of
the association; and every person becoming a shareholder by such
transfer shall, in proportion to his shares, succeed to all the rights
and liabilities of the prior holder of such shares, and no change
shall be made in the articles of association by which the rights,
remedies, or security of the existing creditors of the association
shall be impaired. The shareholders of each association formed under
the provisions of this act, and of each existing bank or banking
association that may accept the provisions of this act, shall be held
individually responsible, equally and ratably, and not one for another,
for all contracts, debts, and engagements of such association to the
extent of amount of their stock therein at the par value thereof,
in addition to the amount invested in such shares; except that
shareholders of any banking association now existing under State laws,
having not less than five millions of dollars of capital actually paid
in, and a surplus of twenty per centum on hand, both to be determined
by the Comptroller of the Currency, shall be liable only to the amount
invested in their shares; and such surplus of twenty per centum shall
be kept undiminished, and be in addition to the surplus provided for
in this act; and if at any time there shall be a deficiency in said
surplus of twenty per centum, the said banking association shall not
pay any dividends to its shareholders until such deficiency shall be
made good; and in case of such deficiency, the Comptroller of the
Currency may compel said banking association to close up its business
and wind up its affairs under the provisions of this act. And the
Comptroller shall have authority to withhold from an association his
certificate authorizing the commencement of business, whenever he shall
have reason to suppose that the shareholders thereof have formed the
same for any other than the legitimate objects contemplated by this act.

SEC. 13. That it shall be lawful for any association formed under this
act, by its articles of association to provide for an increase of its
capital from time to time, as may be deemed expedient, subject to the
limitations of this act: _Provided_, That the maximum of such increase
in the articles of association shall be determined by the Comptroller
of the Currency; and no increase of capital shall be valid until the
whole amount of such increase shall be paid in, and notice thereof
shall have been transmitted to the Comptroller of the Currency, and his
certificate obtained specifying the amount of such increase of capital
stock, with his approval thereof, and that it has been duly paid in
as part of the capital of such association. And every association
shall have power, by the vote of shareholders owning two-thirds of its
capital stock, to reduce the capital of such association to any sum not
below the amount required by this act in the formation of associations:
_Provided_, That by no such reduction shall its capital be brought
below the amount required by this act for its outstanding circulation,
nor shall any such reduction be made until the amount of the proposed
reduction has been reported to the Comptroller of the Currency and his
approval thereof obtained.

SEC. 14. That at least fifty per centum of the capital stock of every
association shall be paid in before it shall be authorized to commence
business; and the remainder of the capital stock of such association
shall be paid in installments of at least ten per centum each on the
whole amount of the capital as frequently as one installment at the end
of each succeeding month from the time it shall be authorized by the
Comptroller to commence business; and the payment of each installment
shall be certified to the Comptroller, under oath, by the president or
cashier of the association.

SEC. 16. That every association, after having complied with the
provisions of this act, preliminary to the commencement of banking
business under its provisions, and before it shall be authorized to
commence business, shall transfer and deliver to the Treasurer of the
United States, any United States registered bonds bearing interest to
an amount not less than thirty thousand dollars nor less than one-third
of the capital stock paid in, which bonds shall be deposited with the
Treasurer of the United States, and by him safely kept in his office
until the same shall be otherwise disposed of, in pursuance of the
provisions of this act; and the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby
authorized to receive and cancel any United States coupon bonds, and
to issue in lieu thereof registered bonds of like amount, bearing a
like rate of interest, and having the same time to run; and the deposit
of bonds shall be, by every association, increased as its capital may
be paid up or increased, so that every association shall at all times
have on deposit with the Treasurer registered United States bonds to
the amount of at least one-third of its capital stock actually paid in:
_Provided_, That nothing in this section shall prevent an association
that may desire to reduce its capital or to close up its business and
dissolve its organization from taking up its bonds upon returning to
the Comptroller its circulating notes in the proportion hereinafter
named in this act, nor from taking up any excess of bonds beyond
one-third of its capital stock, and upon which no circulating notes
have been delivered.

SEC. 17. That whenever a certificate shall have been transmitted to
the Comptroller of the Currency, as provided in this act, and the
association transmitting the same shall notify the Comptroller that
at least fifty per centum of its capital stock has been paid in
as aforesaid, and that such association has complied with all the
provisions of this act as required to be complied with before such
association shall be authorized to commence the business of banking,
the Comptroller shall examine into the condition of such association,
ascertain especially the amount of money paid in on account of its
capital, the name and place of residence of each of the directors of
such association, and the amount of the capital stock of which each
is the bona fide owner, and generally whether such association has
complied with all the requirements of this act to entitle it to engage
in the business of banking; and shall cause to be made and attested
by the oaths of a majority of the directors and by the president or
cashier of such association, a statement of all the facts necessary
to enable the Comptroller to determine whether such association is
lawfully entitled to commence the business of banking under this act.

SEC. 19. That all transfers of United States bonds which shall be made
by any association under the provisions of this act shall be made to
the Treasurer of the United States in trust for the association, with a
memorandum written or printed on each bond, and signed by the cashier
or some other officer of the association making the deposit, a receipt
therefor to be given to said association, or by the Comptroller of the
Currency, or by a clerk appointed by him for that purpose, stating
that it is held in trust for the association on whose behalf such
transfer is made, and as a security for the redemption and payment
of any circulating notes that may have been or may be delivered to
such association. No assignment or transfer of any such bonds by the
Treasurer shall be deemed valid or of binding force and effect unless
countersigned by the Comptroller of the Currency. It shall be the
duty of the Comptroller of the Currency to keep in his office a book
in which shall be entered the name of every association from whose
accounts such transfer of bonds is made by the Treasurer, and the name
of the party to whom such transfer is made; and the par value of the
bonds so transferred shall be entered therein; and it shall be the
duty of the Comptroller, immediately upon countersigning and entering
the same, to advise by mail the association from whose account such
transfer was made of the kind and numerical designation of the bonds
and the amount thereof so transferred.

SEC. 21. That upon the transfer and delivery of bonds to the Treasurer,
as provided in the foregoing section, the association making the same
shall be entitled to receive from the Comptroller of the Currency
circulating notes of different denominations, in blank, registered
and countersigned, as hereinafter provided, equal in amount to ninety
per centum of the current market value of the United States bonds so
transferred and delivered, but not exceeding ninety per centum of the
amount of said bonds at the par value thereof, it bearing interest
at a rate not less than five per centum per annum; and the amount of
such circulating notes to be furnished to each association shall be
in proportion to its paid-up capital, as follows, and no more: To
each association whose capital shall not exceed five hundred thousand
dollars, ninety per centum of such capital; to each association whose
capital exceeds five hundred thousand dollars, but does not exceed
one million dollars, eighty per centum of such capital; to each
association whose capital exceeds one million dollars, but does not
exceed three millions of dollars, seventy-five per centum of such
capital; to each association whose capital exceeds three millions of
dollars, sixty per centum of such capital. And that one hundred and
fifty millions of dollars of the entire amount of circulating notes
authorized to be issued shall be apportioned to associations in the
States, in the District of Columbia, and in the Territories, according
to representative population, and the remainder shall be apportioned by
the Secretary of the Treasury among associations formed in the several
States, in the District of Columbia, and in the Territories, having due
regard to the existing banking capital, resources, and business of such
State, District, and Territory. (Act as amended and approved, March 3,
1865.)

SEC. 22. That the entire amount of notes for circulation to be issued
under this act shall not exceed three hundred millions of dollars. In
order to furnish suitable notes for circulation, the Comptroller of
the Currency is hereby authorized and required, under the direction
of the Secretary of the Treasury, to cause plates and dies to be
engraved, in the best manner, to guard against counterfeiting and
fraudulent alterations, and to have printed therefrom, and numbered,
such quantity of circulating notes, in blank, of the denominations of
one dollar, two dollars, three dollars, five dollars, ten dollars,
twenty dollars, fifty dollars, one hundred dollars, five hundred
dollars, and one thousand dollars, as may be required to supply,
under this act, the associations entitled to receive the same; which
notes shall express upon their face that they are secured by United
States bonds, deposited with the Treasurer of the United States by the
written or engraved signatures of the Treasurer and Register, and by
the imprint of the seal of the Treasury; and shall also express upon
their face the promise of the association receiving the same to pay on
demand, attested by the signatures of the president or vice-president
and cashier. And the said notes shall bear such devices and such
other statements, and shall be in such form as the Secretary of the
Treasury shall, by regulation, direct: _Provided_, That not more than
one-sixth part of the notes furnished to an association shall be of a
less denomination than five dollars, and that after specie payments
shall be resumed no association shall be furnished with notes of a less
denomination than five dollars.

SEC. 23. That after any such association shall have caused its
promise to pay such notes on demand to be signed by the president
or vice-president, and cashier thereof, in such manner as to make
them obligatory promissory notes, payable on demand, at its place of
business, such association is hereby authorized to issue and circulate
the same as money; and the same shall be received at par in all parts
of the United States in payment of taxes, excises, public lands, and
all other dues to the United States, except for duties on imports; and
also for all salaries and other debts and demands owing by the United
States to individuals, corporations, and associations within the United
States, except interest on the public debt, and in redemption of the
national currency. And no such association shall issue post notes or
any other notes to circulate as money than such as are authorized by
the foregoing provisions of this act.

SEC. 24. That it shall be the duty of the Comptroller of the Currency
to receive worn-out or mutilated circulating notes issued by any such
banking association, and also, on due proof of the destruction of any
such circulating notes, to deliver in place thereof to such association
other blank circulating notes to an equal amount. And such worn-out
or mutilated notes, after a memorandum shall have been entered in the
proper books, in accordance with such regulations as may be established
by the Comptroller, as well as all circulating notes which shall have
been paid or surrendered to be canceled, shall be burned to ashes in
the presence of four persons, one to be appointed by the Secretary
of the Treasury, one by the Comptroller of the Currency, one by the
Treasurer of the United States, and one by the association, under
such regulations as the Secretary of the Treasury may prescribe. And
a certificate of such burning, signed by the parties so appointed,
shall be made in the books of the Comptroller, and a duplicate thereof
forwarded to the association whose notes are thus cancelled.

SEC. 26. That the bonds transferred to and deposited with the Treasurer
of the United States, as hereinbefore provided, by any banking
association for the security of its circulating notes, shall be held
exclusively for that purpose, until such notes shall be redeemed,
except as provided in this act; but the Comptroller of the Currency
shall give to any such banking association powers of attorney to
receive and appropriate to its own use the interest on the bonds which
it shall have so transferred to the Treasurer; but such powers shall
become inoperative whenever such banking association shall fail to
redeem its circulating notes as aforesaid. Whenever the market or
cash value of any bonds deposited with the Treasurer of the United
States, as aforesaid, shall be reduced below the amount of the
circulation issued for the same, the Comptroller of the Currency is
hereby authorized to demand and receive the amount of such depreciation
in other United States bonds at cash value, or in money, from the
association receiving said bills, to be deposited with the Treasurer
of the United States as long as such depreciation continues. And
said Comptroller, upon the terms prescribed by the Secretary of the
Treasury, may permit an exchange to be made of any of the bonds
deposited with the Treasurer by an association for other bonds of
the United States authorized by this act to be received as security
for circulating notes: _Provided_, that the remaining bonds which
shall have been transferred by the banking association offering to
surrender circulating notes shall be equal to the amount required for
the circulating notes not surrendered by such banking association, and
that the amount of bonds in the hands of the Treasurer shall not be
diminished below the amount required to be kept on deposit with him by
this act: _And provided_, That there shall have been no failure by such
association to redeem its circulating notes, and no other violation by
such association of the provisions of this act, and that the market
or cash value of the remaining bonds shall not be below the amount
required for the circulation issued for the same.

SEC. 27. That it shall be unlawful for any officer acting under the
provisions of this act to countersign or deliver to any association, or
to any other company or person, any circulating notes contemplated by
this act, except as hereinbefore provided, and in accordance with the
true intent and meaning of this act.

SEC. 28. That it shall be lawful for any such association to purchase,
hold, and convey real estate as follows:

First. Such as shall be necessary for its immediate accommodation in
the transaction of its business.

Second. Such as shall be mortgaged to it in good faith by way of
security for debts previously contracted.

Third. Such as shall be conveyed to it in satisfaction of debts
previously contracted in the course of its dealings.

Fourth. Such as it shall purchase at sales under judgments, decrees, or
mortgages held by such association, or shall purchase to secure debts
due to said association.

Such association shall not purchase or hold real estate in any other
case or for any other purpose than as specified in this section. Nor
shall it hold the possession of any real estate under mortgage, or hold
the title and possession of any real estate purchased to secure any
debts due to it for a longer period than five years.

SEC. 29. That the total liabilities to any association, of any person,
or of any company, corporation, or firm for money borrowed, including
in the liabilities of a company or firm the liabilities of the several
members thereof, shall at no time exceed one-tenth part of the amount
of the capital stock of such association actually paid in: _Provided_,
That the discount of bona fide bills of exchange drawn against
actually existing values, and the discount of commercial or business
paper actually owned by the person or persons, corporation, or firm
negotiating the same shall not be considered as money borrowed.

SEC 30. That every association may take, receive, reserve, and charge
on any loan or discount made, or upon any note, bill of exchange, or
other evidences of debt, interest at the rate allowed by the laws of
the State or Territory where the bank is located, and no more, except
that where by the laws of any State a different rate is limited for
banks of issue organized under State laws, the rate so limited shall be
allowed for associations organized in any such State under this act.
And when no rate is fixed by the laws of the State or Territory, the
bank may take, receive, reserve, or charge a rate not exceeding seven
per centum, and such interest may be taken in advance, reckoning the
days for which the note, bill, or other evidence of debt has to run.
And the knowingly taking, receiving, reserving, or charging a rate of
interest greater than aforesaid shall be held and adjudged a forfeiture
of the entire interest which the note, bill, or other evidence of debt
carries with it, or which has been agreed to be paid thereon. And in
case a greater rate of interest has been paid, the person or persons
paying the same, or their legal representatives, may recover back, in
any action of debt twice the amount of the interest thus paid from the
association taking or receiving the same: _Provided_, That such action
is commenced within two years from the time the usurious transaction
occurred. But the purchase, discount, or sale of a bona fide bill of
exchange, payable at another place than the place of such purchase,
discount, or sale, at not more than the current rate of exchange for
sight drafts, in addition to the interest, shall not be considered as
taking or receiving a greater rate of interest.

SEC. 31. That every association in the cities hereinafter named
shall, at all times, have on hand, in lawful money of the United
States, an amount equal to at least twenty-five per centum of the
aggregate amount of its notes in circulation and its deposits; and
every other association shall, at all times, have on hand, in lawful
money of the United States, an amount equal to at least fifteen per
centum of the aggregate amount of its notes in circulation and of its
deposits. And whenever the lawful money of any association in any of
the cities hereinafter named shall be below the amount of twenty-five
per centum of its circulation and deposits, and whenever the lawful
money of any other association shall be below fifteen per centum of
its circulation and deposits, such association shall not increase
its liabilities by making any new loans or discounts, otherwise than
by discounting or purchasing bills of exchange payable at sight, nor
make any dividend of its profits until the required proportion between
the aggregate amount of its outstanding notes of circulation and
deposits and its lawful money of the United States shall be restored:
_Provided_, That three-fifths of said fifteen per centum may consist
of balances due to an association available for the redemption of its
circulating notes from associations approved by the Comptroller of
the Currency, organized under this act, in the cities of Saint Louis,
Louisville, Chicago, Detroit, Milwaukee, New Orleans, Cincinnati,
Cleveland, Pittsburg, Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, New York,
Albany, Leavenworth, San Francisco, and Washington City: _Provided,
also_, That clearing-house certificates, representing specie or lawful
money specially deposited for the purpose of any clearing-house
association, shall be deemed to be lawful money in the possession of
any association belonging to such clearing-house holding and owning
such certificate, and shall be considered to be a part of the lawful
money which such association is required to have under the foregoing
provisions of this section: _Provided_, That the cities of Charleston
and Richmond may be added to the list of cities in the national
associations, of which other associations may keep three-fifths of
their lawful money, whenever, in the opinion of the Comptroller of the
Currency, the condition of the Southern States will warrant it. And it
shall be competent for the Comptroller of the Currency to notify any
association, whose lawful money reserve as aforesaid shall be below
the amount to be kept on hand as aforesaid, to make good such reserve;
and if such association shall fail for thirty days thereafter, so as
to make good its reserve of lawful money of the United States, the
Comptroller may, with the concurrence of the Secretary of the Treasury,
appoint a receiver to wind up the business of such association, as
provided in this act.

SEC. 32. That each association organized in any of the cities named
in the foregoing section shall select, subject to the approval of the
Comptroller of the Currency, an association in the city of New York,
at which it will redeem its circulating notes at par. And each of such
associations may keep one-half of its lawful money reserve in cash
deposits in the city of New York. And each association, not organized
within the cities named in the preceding section, shall select, subject
to the approval of the Comptroller of the Currency, an association in
either of the cities named in the preceding section, at which it will
redeem its circulating notes at par. And every association formed or
existing under the provisions of this act shall take and receive at
par, for any debt or liability to said association, any and all notes
or bills issued by any association existing under and by virtue of this
act.

SEC. 35. That no association shall make any loan or discount on the
security of the shares of its own capital stock, nor be the purchaser
or holder of any such shares, unless such security or purchase shall
be necessary to prevent loss upon a debt previously contracted in good
faith; and stock so purchased or acquired, shall, within six months
from the time of its purchase, be sold or disposed of at public or
private sale, in default of which a receiver may be appointed to close
up the business of the association, according to the provisions of this
act.

SEC. 36. That no association shall, at any time, be indebted, or in
any way liable, to an amount exceeding its capital stock at such time
actually paid in and remaining undiminished by losses or otherwise,
except on the following accounts; that is to say:

First. On account of its notes of circulation.

Second. On account of moneys deposited with, or collected by, such
association.

Third. On account of bills of exchange or drafts drawn against money
actually on deposit to the credit of such association, or due thereto.

Fourth. On account of liabilities to its stockholders for dividends and
reserved profits.

SEC. 37. That no association shall, either directly or indirectly,
pledge or hypothecate any of its notes of circulation, for the purpose
of procuring money to be paid in on its capital stock, or to be used
in its banking operations, or otherwise; nor shall any association use
its circulating notes, or any part thereof, in any manner or form, to
create or increase its capital stock.

SEC. 38. That no association or any member thereof, shall, during the
time it shall continue its banking operations, withdraw, or permit to
be withdrawn, either in forms of dividends or otherwise, any portion
of its capital. And if losses shall at any time have been sustained by
any such association equal to or exceeding its dividend profits then on
hand, no dividend shall be made; and no dividend shall ever be made by
any association while it shall continue its banking operations, to an
amount greater than its net profits then on hand, deducting therefrom
its losses and bad debts. And all debts due to any association on which
interest is past due and unpaid for a period of six months, unless the
same shall be well secured, and shall be in process of collection,
shall be considered bad debt, within the meaning of this act:
_Provided_, That nothing in this section shall prevent the reduction of
the capital stock of the association under the thirteenth section of
this act.

SEC. 39. That no association shall at any time pay out on loans or
discounts, or in purchasing drafts or bills of exchange, or in payment
of deposits, or in any other mode pay or put in circulation the notes
of any bank or banking association which shall not, at any such time,
be receivable, at par on deposit and in payment of debts by the
association so paying out or circulating such notes, nor shall it
knowingly pay out or put in circulation any notes issued by any bank or
banking association, which, at the time of such paying out or putting
in circulation, is not redeeming its circulating notes in lawful money
of the United States.

SEC. 41. And in lieu of all existing taxes, every association shall
pay to the Treasurer of the United States, in the months of January
and July, a duty of one-half of one per centum each half year from
and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and sixty-four,
upon the average amount of its notes in circulation, and a duty of one
quarter of one per centum each half year upon the average amount of its
deposits, and a duty of one quarter of one per centum each half year,
as aforesaid, on the average amount of its capital stock beyond the
amount invested in United States bonds. And it shall be the duty of
each association, within ten days from the first days of January and
July of each year, to make a return under the oath of its president
or cashier, to the Treasurer of the United States, in such form as he
may prescribe, of the average amount of its notes in circulation, and
of the average amount of its deposits, and of the average amount of
its capital stock beyond the amount invested in United States bonds,
for the six months next preceding said first days of January and July
as aforesaid: _Provided_, That nothing in this act shall be construed
to prevent all the shares in any of the said associations, held by
any person or body-corporate from being included in the valuation of
the personal property of such person or corporation in the assessment
of taxes imposed by or under State authority at the place where such
bank is located, and not elsewhere, but not at a greater rate than is
assessed upon other moneyed capital in the hands of individual citizens
of such State: _Provided further_, That the tax so imposed under the
laws of any State upon the shares of any of the associations authorized
by this act shall not exceed the rate imposed upon the shares in any of
the banks organized under authority of the State where such association
is located: _Provided, also_, That nothing in this act shall exempt the
real estate of associations from either State, county, or municipal
taxes to the same extent, according to its value, as other real estate
is taxed.

SEC. 42. That any association may go into liquidation and be closed
by the vote of its shareholders owning two-thirds of its stock. And
whenever such vote shall be taken it shall be the duty of the board of
directors to cause notice of this fact to be certified, under the seal
of the association, by its president or cashier, to the Comptroller of
the Currency, and publication thereof to be made for a period of two
months in a newspaper, published in the city of New York, and also in
a newspaper published in a city or town in which the association is
located; and one year after that time the outstanding notes of said
association shall be redeemed at the Treasury of the United States, and
the said association and the shareholders thereof shall be discharged
from all liabilities therefor.

SEC. 44. That any bank incorporated by special law, or any banking
institution organized under a general law of any State, may, by
authority of this act, become a national association under its
provisions, by the name prescribed in its organization certificate;
and in such case the articles of association and the organization
certificate required by this act may be executed by a majority of the
directors of the bank or banking institution; and said certificate
shall declare that the owners of two-thirds of the capital stock shall
have authorized the directors to make such certificate and to change
and convert the said bank or banking institution into a national
association under this act. And a majority of the directors, after
executing said articles of association and organization certificate,
shall have power to execute all other papers, and to do whatever may be
required to make its organization perfect and complete as a national
association. The shares of any such bank may continue to be for the
same amount each as they were before said conversion, and the directors
aforesaid may be the directors of the association until others are
elected or appointed in accordance with the provisions of this act; and
any State bank which is a stockholder in any other bank, by authority
of State laws, may continue to hold its stock, although either bank, or
both, may be organized under and have accepted the provisions of this
act. When the Comptroller shall give to such association a certificate,
under his hand and official seal, that the provisions of this act have
been complied with, and that it is authorized to commence the business
of banking under it, the association shall have the same powers and
privileges, and shall be subject to the same duties, responsibilities
and rules, in all respects as are prescribed in this act for other
associations organized under it, and shall be held and regarded as
an association under this act: _Provided, however_, That no such
association shall have a less capital than the amount prescribed for
banking associations under this act.

SEC. 45. That all associations under this act, when designated for
that purpose by the Secretary of the Treasury, shall be depositaries
of public money, except receipts from customs, under such regulations
as may be prescribed by the Secretary; and they may also be employed
as financial agents of the Government; and they shall perform all such
reasonable duties, as depositaries of public moneys and financial
agents of the Government, as may be required of them. And the Secretary
of the Treasury shall require of the associations thus designated
satisfactory security, by the deposit of United States bonds and
otherwise, for the safe keeping and prompt payment of the public
money deposited with them, and for the faithful performance of their
duties as financial agents of the Government: _Provided_, That every
association which shall be selected and designated as receiver or
depositary of the public money, shall take and receive at par all of
the national currency bills, by whatever association issued, which
have been paid in to the Government for internal revenue, or for loans
or stocks.

SEC. 46. That if any such association shall at any time fail to redeem,
in the lawful money of the United States, any of its circulating notes,
when payment thereof shall be lawfully demanded during the usual hours
of business, at the office of such association, or at its place of
redemption aforesaid, the holder may cause the same to be protested,
in one package, by a notary public, unless the president or cashier
of the association, whose notes are presented for payment, or the
president or cashier of the association at the place at which they are
redeemable, shall offer to waive demand and notice of the protest, and
shall, in pursuance of such offer, make, sign, and deliver to the party
making such demand, an admission in writing, stating the time of the
demand, the amount demanded, and the fact of the non-payment thereof;
and such notary public, on making such protest, or upon receiving such
admission, shall forthwith forward such admission or notice of protest
to the Comptroller of the Currency, retaining a copy thereof. And
after such default, on examination of the facts by the Comptroller,
and notice by him to the association, it shall not be lawful for the
association suffering the same to pay out any of its notes, discount
any notes or bills, or otherwise prosecute the business of banking,
except to receive and safely keep money belonging to it, and to deliver
special deposits. _Provided_, That if satisfactory proof be produced to
such notary public, that the payment of any such notes is restrained by
order of any court of competent jurisdiction, such notary public shall
not protest the same; and when the holder of such notes shall cause
more than one note or package to be protested on the same day, he shall
not receive pay for more than one protest.

SEC. 56. That all suits and proceedings arising out of the provisions
of this act, in which the United States or its officers or agents shall
be parties, shall be conducted by the district attorneys of the several
districts, under the direction and supervision of the Solicitor of the
Treasury.

SEC. 57. That suits, actions, and proceedings against any association
under this act, may be had in any circuit, district, or territorial
court of the United States held within the district in which such
association may be established; or in any State, county, or municipal
court in the county or city in which said association is located,
having jurisdiction in similar cases: _Provided, however_, That all
proceedings to enjoin the Comptroller under this act shall be had in a
circuit, district, or territorial court of the United States, held in
the district in which the association is located.

SEC. 58. That every person who shall mutilate, cut, deface, disfigure,
or perforate with holes, or shall unite or cement together, or do
any other thing to any bank bill, draft, note, or other evidence of
debt, issued by any such association, or shall cause or procure the
same to be done, with intent to render such bank bill, draft, note,
or other evidence of debt unfit to be reissued by said association,
shall, upon conviction, forfeit fifty dollars to the association who
shall be injured thereby, to be recovered by action in any court having
jurisdiction.

SEC. 61. That it shall be the duty of the Comptroller of the Currency
to report annually to Congress at the commencement of its session—

First. A summary of the state and condition of every association from
whom reports have been received the preceding year, at the several
dates to which such reports refer, with an abstract of the whole amount
of banking capital returned by them, of the whole amount of their debts
and liabilities, the amount of circulating notes outstanding, and the
total amount of means and resources, specifying the amount of lawful
money held by them at the times of their several returns, and such,
other information in relation to said associations as, in his judgment
may be useful.

SEC. 110. That there shall be levied, collected, and paid a duty of
one twenty-fourth of one per centum each month upon the average amount
of the deposits of money, subject to payment by check or draft, or
represented by certificates of deposit or otherwise, whether payable
on demand or at some future day, with any person, bank, association,
company or corporation engaged in the business of banking; and a duty
of one twenty-fourth of one per centum each month, as aforesaid, upon
the average amount of the capital of any bank, association, company or
corporation, or person engaged in the business of banking, beyond the
amount invested in United States bonds; and a duty of one-twelfth of
one per centum each month upon the average amount of circulation issued
by any bank, association, corporation, company or person, including as
circulation all certified checks and all notes and other obligations
circulated or intended to circulate, or to be used as money, but not
including that in the vault of the bank, or redeemed and on deposit for
said bank, and an additional duty of one-sixth of one per centum each
month upon the average amount of such circulation, issued as aforesaid,
beyond the amount of ninety per centum of the capital of any such bank,
association, corporation, company or person, and upon any amount of
such circulation beyond the average amount of the circulation that had
been issued as aforesaid by any such bank, association, corporation,
company or person, for the six months preceding the first day of July,
eighteen hundred and sixty-four. And on the first Monday of August
next, and of each month thereafter, a true and accurate return of the
amount of circulation, of deposit and of capital, as aforesaid, for
the previous month, shall be made and rendered in duplicate by each
of such banks, associations, corporations, companies or persons, to
the assessor of the district in which any such bank, association,
corporation or company may be located, or in which such person may
reside, with a declaration annexed thereto, and the oath or affirmation
of such person, or the president or cashier of such bank, association,
corporation or company, in such form and manner as may be prescribed
by the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, that the same contains a true
and faithful statement of the amount of circulation, deposits, and
capital, as aforesaid, subject to duty as aforesaid, and shall transmit
the duplicate of said return to the Commissioner of Internal Revenue,
and within twenty days thereafter shall pay to the said Commissioner
of Internal Revenue the duties hereinbefore prescribed upon the said
amount of circulation, of deposits and of capital, as aforesaid.




      History of Finances, Loans, Bonds, Legal Tender
      Notes of the U. S., etc., from 1841 to the Present Time.

    ======================================================================
                        Acts Authorizing Loans, and Synopsis of same.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Acts of     |Authorized a loan of $12,000,000, bearing interest at a
       July 21, |  rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum, and
         1841,  |  reimbursable at the will of the Secretary, after six
         and    |  months’ notice, or atany time after three years from
      April 15, |  Jan. 1, 1842. The act of April 15, 1842, authorized
         1842.  |  the loan of an additional sum of $5,000,000, and made
                |  the amount obtained on the loan, after the passage of
                |  this act, reimbursable after six months’ notice, or at
                |  any time not exceeding twenty years from Jan, 1, 1843.
                |  This loan was made for the purpose of redeeming
                |  outstanding Treasury notes, and to defray any of the
                |  public expenses.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of      |Authorized the issue of $23,000,000 in Treasury notes,
       Jan. 28, |  bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 6 per cent.
         1847.  |  per annum, with authority to borrow any portion of the
                |  amount, and issue bonds therefor, bearing interest at
                |  a rate not exceeding 6 per cent. and redeemable after
                |  Dec. 31, 1867. The 13th section authorized the funding
                |  of these notes into bonds of the same description. The
                |  act limited the amount to be borrowed or issued in
                |  Treasury notes, and funded as aforesaid, to $23,000,000,
                |  but authorized the funding of Treasury notes issued
                |  under former acts beyond that amount. The excess of
                |  the $23,000,000 is made up of Treasury notes funded
                |  under the 14th section.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of      |Authorized a loan of $16,000,000, bearing interest at a
      March 31, |  rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum, and
         1848.  |  reimbursable at any time after twenty years from July
                |  1, 1848. Authority was given to the Secretary to
                |  purchase the stock at any time.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of      |Authorized the issue of $10,000,000 in bonds, bearing 5
       Sept. 9, |  per cent. interest, and redeemable at the end of
          1850. |  fourteen years, to indemnify the State of Texas for
                |  her relinquishment of all claims upon the United States
                |  for liability of the debts of Texas, and for
                |  compensation for the surrender to the United States of
                |  her ships, forts, arsenals, custom-houses, &c., which
                |  became the property of the United States at the time of
                |  annexation.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
      Old       |Consisting of unclaimed dividends upon stocks issued
    funded      |  before the year 1800, and those issued during the war
      and       |  of 1812.
    unfunded    |
      debts.    |
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
     Acts prior |Different issues of Treasury notes.
       to 1857. |
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
     Act of     |Authorized an issue of $20,000,000 in Treasury notes,
       Dec. 23, |  bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 6 per cent.
         1857.  |  per annum, and receivable in payment of all public
                |  dues, and to be redeemed after the expiration of one
                |  year from the date of said notes.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of      |Authorized a loan of $20,000,000, bearing interest at a
       June 14, |  rate not exceeding 5 per cent. per annum, and
          1858. |  reimbursable, at the option of the Government, at any
                |  time after the expiration of fifteen years from
                |  Jan. 1, 1859.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of      |Authorized a loan of $21,000,000, bearing interest at a
       June 22, |  rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum, and
          1860. |  reimbursable within a period not beyond twenty years,
                |  and not less than ten years, for the redemption of
                |  outstanding Treasury notes, and for no other purpose.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of      |Authorized an issue of $10,000,000 in Treasury notes to
       Dec. 17, |  be redeemed after the expiration of one year from the
          1860. |  date of issue, and bearing such a rate of interest as
                |  may be offered by the lowest bidders. Authority was
                |  given to issue these notes in payment of warrants in
                |  favor of public creditors at their par value, bearing
                |  six per cent. per annum.
    ------------+---------------------------------------------------------

     (A) = Rate of interest.
     (B) = Price of emission.

      ===========+=======+========+===========+=========+=========+
                 |Title. | Length |   When    |    A    |    B    |
                 |       |of Loan.|redeemable.|         |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
      Acts of    |Loan of|   20   | After Dec.|6 % per  |  Par.   |
         July 21,|  1842 | years  | 31, 1862. | annum.  |         |
           1841, |       |        |           |         |         |
           and   |       |        |           |         |         |
        April 15,|       |        |           |         |         |
           1842. |       |        |           |         |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
       Act of    |Loan of|   20   | After Dec.|6 % per  |  Par.   |
        Jan. 28, |  1847 | years  | 31, 1867. | annum.  |         |
         1847.   |       |        |           |         |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
      Act of     |Loan of|   20   | After July|6 % per  |  Par.   |
        March 31,|  1848 | years  | 1, 1868.  | annum.  |         |
         1848.   |       |        |           |         |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
      Act of     | Texas |   15   | After Dec.|5 % per  |  Par.   |
         Sept. 9,| indem-| years  | 31, 1864. | annum.  |         |
          1850.  |  nity |        |           |         |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
         Old     |  Old  |        |           |         |         |
       funded    | funded|  Dem-  | On demand | 5 & 6%. |  Par.   |
         and     |  debt.|  and   |           |         |         |
      unfunded   |       |        |           |         |         |
        debts.   |       |        |           |         |         |
      Acts prior | Treas.|   ——   | On demand | 1 m. to |  Par.   |
        to 1857. | notes |        |           |   6 %   |         |
                 |       |        |           |         |         |
       Act of    | Treas.|   1    |  1 year   | 5 to    |  Par.   |
        Dec. 23, | notes | year   |   after   |  5½%    |         |
          1857.  |       |        |   date.   |         |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
      Act of     |       |        |           |         |         |
        June 14, |Loan of|   15   |  Dec. 31, |5 % per  |  Par.   |
         1858.   |  1858 | years  |     ’73   | annum.  |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
      Act of     |       |        |           |         |         |
        June 14, |Loan of|   10   | After Dec.|5 % per  |  Par.   |
         1860.   |  1860 | years  | 31, 1870. | annum.  |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+
      Act of     |       |        |           |         |         |
        Dec. 17, | Treas.|   1    | 1 year    |6 and 12 |  Par.   |
         1860.   | notes |  year  |   after   | % per   |         |
                 |       |        |   date.   | annum.  |         |
      -----------+-------+--------+-----------+---------+---------+

      ===========+===========+==========+=============
                 |  Amount   |  Amount  |  Amount
                 |authorized.|  issued. |outstanding.
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
      Acts of    |$17,000,000|$8,000,000|   $64,768 68
         July 21,|           |          |
           1841, |           |          |
           and   |           |          |
        April 15,|           |          |
           1842. |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
       Act of    | 23,000,000|28,207,000| 7,160,200 00
        Jan. 28, |           |          |
         1847.   |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
      Act of     | 16,000,000|16,000,000| 8,020,941 80
        March 31,|           |          |
         1848.   |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
      Act of     | 10,000,000| 5,000,000|   263,000 00
         Sept. 9,|           |          |
          1850.  |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
         Old     |           |          |
       funded    |     ——    |    ——    |   113,915 48
         and     |           |          |
      unfunded   |           |          |
        debts.   |           |          |
      Acts prior |     ——    |    ——    |   104,511 64
        to 1857. |           |          |
                 |           |          |
       Act of    | 20,000,000|    ——    |     2,600 00
        Dec. 23, |           |          |
          1857.  |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
      Act of     |           |          |
        June 14, | 20,000,000|20,000,000|20,000,000 00
         1858.   |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
      Act of     |           |          |
        June 14, | 21,000,000| 7,022,000| 7,022,000 00
         1860.   |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------
      Act of     |           |          |
        Dec. 17, | 10,000,000|10,000,000|       600 00
         1860.   |           |          |
                 |           |          |
      -----------+-----------+----------+-------------

    ===================================================================
              Acts authorizing Loans, and Synopsis of same.
    -------------+-----------------------------------------------------
    Act of       |Authorized a loan of $25,000,000, bearing interest at
     Feb. 8,     |  a rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum, and
      1861.      |  reimbursable within a period not beyond twenty years,
                 |  nor less than ten years. This loan was made for the
                 |  payment of the current expenses, and was to be
                 |  awarded to the most favorable bidders.
    -------------+-----------------------------------------------------
    Act of       |Authorized a loan of $10,000,000, bearing interest at
       March 2,  |  a rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum, and
        1861.    |  reimbursable after the expiration of ten years from
                 |  July 1, 1861. In case proposals for the loan were
                 |  not acceptable, authority was given to issue the
                 |  whole amount in Treasury notes, bearing interest at
                 |  a rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum.
                 |  Authority was also given to substitute Treasury
                 |  notes for the whole or any part of the loans for
                 |  which the Secretary was by law authorized to contract
                 |  and issue bonds at the time of the passage of this
                 |  act, and such Treasury notes were to be made
                 |  receivable in payment of all public dues, and
                 |  redeemable at any time within two years from March
                 |  2, 1861.
    -------------+-----------------------------------------------------
    Act of       |Authorized an issue, should the Secretary of the
      March 2,   |  Treasury deem it expedient, of $2,800,000, in coupon
       1861.     |  bonds, bearing interest at the rate of 6 per cent.
                 |  per annum, and redeemable in twenty years, for the
                 |  payment of expenses incurred by the Territories of
                 |  Washington and Oregon in the suppression of Indian
                 |  hostilities during the years 1855 and 1856.
    -------------+-----------------------------------------------------
    Acts of      |Authorized a loan of $250,000,000, for which could be
       July 17,  |  issued bonds bearing interest at a rate not
        1861,    |  exceeding 7 per cent. per annum, irredeemable for
         and     |  twenty years, and after that redeemable at the
      August 5,  |  pleasure of the United States; Treasury notes
        1861.    |  bearing interest at the rate of 7.30 per cent. per
                 |  annum, payable three years after date, and U. S.
                 |  notes,without interest, payable on demand, to the
                 |  extent of $50,000,000 (increased by act of Feb. 12,
                 |  1862, to $60,000,000), to bonds and Treasury notes,
                 |  to be issued in such proportions of each as the
                 |  Secretary may deem advisable. The supplementary act
                 |  of Aug. 5, 1861, authorized an issue of bonds,
                 |  bearing 6 per cent. interest per annum, and payable
                 |  at the pleasure of the United States after twenty
                 |  years from date, which may be issued in exchange
                 |  for 7.30 Treasury notes, but no such bonds to be
                 |  issued for a less sum than $500; and the whole
                 |  amount of such bonds not to exceed the whole amount
                 |  of 7.30 Treasury notes issued.
    -------------+-----------------------------------------------------
    Act of       |Authorized the issue of $500,000,000, in 6 per cent.
      Feb. 25,   |  bonds, redeemable after five years, and payable
        1862.    |  twenty years from date, which may be exchanged for
                 |  United States notes. Also on
      March 3,   |Authorized the issue of not over $11,000,000
         1864.   |  additional of similar bonds, to meet subscriptions
                 |  already made and paid for.
     June 30,    |
        1864.    |On hand, unsold in the United States or Europe.
    January 28,  |
        1865.    |
    -------------+-----------------------------------------------------
    Act of       |Authorized the issue of $150,000,000, in legal-tender
     Feb. 25,    |  U. S. notes; $50,000,000 of which to be in lieu of
       1862.     |  demand notes, issued under act of July 17, 1861.
                 |
    Act of       |Authorized an additional issue of $150,000,000, in
      July 11,   |  legal-tender notes; $35,000,000 of which might be
        1862.    |  in denominations less than five dollars: $50,000,000
                 |  of this issue to be reserved to pay temporary loans
                 |  promptly in case of emergency.
    -------------+------------------------------------------------------
    Resolution   |Authorized the issue of $100,000,000, in United States
     of Congress,|  notes, for the immediate payment of the army and
      January 17,|  navy, such notes to be a part of the amount
        1863.    |  provided for in any bill that may hereafter be
                 |  passed by this Congress. (The amount in this
                 |  resolution is included in the act of March 3, 1863.)
                 |      (_Continued on p. 322._)
    -------------+------------------------------------------------------

           (A) = Rate of interest.
           (B) = Price of emission.
    =============+==============+==========+=============+=======+====+
                 |   Title.     |  Length  |    When     |  (A)  |(B) |
                 |              | of Loan. | redeemable. |       |    |
    =============+==============+==========+=============+=======+====+
    Act of       |  Loan of     | 20 years |After June 1,|6 % per|Par.|
     Feb. 8,     |Feb. 8, 1861. |          |   1881.     | annum |    |
      1861.      |              |          |             |       |    |
    -------------+--------------+----------+-------------+-------+----+
    Act of       |              |          |             |       |    |
       March 2,  |              +----------+-------------+       |    |
        1861.    | Treas’y      |2 years   |2 yrs. after |   ——  | —— |
                 |   notes.     |          |  date.      |6 % p. |Par.|
                 |              |60 days.  |  60 days    | an’m  |    |
                 |              +——————————+  after      |   ——  | —— |
                 |              |          |  date.      |       |    |
    -------------+--------------+----------+-------------+-------+----+
    Act of       |              |          |             |       |    |
      March 2,   | Oregon war   | 20 years |After July 1,|6 % per|Par.|
        1861.    |              |          |    1881.    |annum. |    |
    -------------+--------------+----------+-------------+-------+----+
     Acts of     |  20-year     | 20 years |After June   |6 % per|  — |
        July 17, |   sixes.     +——————————+  30, 1881.  |annum. |    |
         1861,   | 7-30 notes.  |    3     |After Aug.   |7-30%  |    |
          and    | (two issues) |   yrs.   |  18, 1864.  | per   |  — |
       August 5, |              +——————————+After Sept.  |annum. |    |
         1861.   |              |          |  30, 1864.  |       |    |
                 |              |          |             |       |    |
                 |   Demand     | Pay’ble  |  Demand     | None. |  — |
                 |   notes.     |on demand.|             |       |    |
                 |              |          |             |       |    |
                 |  20-year     |20 years. | After June  |6 % per|Par.|
                 |   sixes.     |          |   30, 1881. |annum. |    |
                 |              |          |             |       |    |
    -------------+--------------+----------+-------------+-------+----+
     Act of      |              |          |             |       |    |
       Feb. 25,  |              |          |             |       |    |
         1862.   |              |          |             |       |    |
                 |              |          |             |       |    |
       March 3,  |              |          |             |       |    |
          1864.  |              |          |             |       |    |
                 | Five-        |5 or 20   |After Ap’l   |6 % per|Par.|
      June 30,   | twenties.    |  years.  |  30, 1867.  |annum  |    |
         1864.   |              |          |             |       |    |
     January 28, |              |          |             |       |    |
         1865.   |              |          |             |       |    |
    -------------+--------------+----------+-------------+-------+----+
    Act of       |              |          |             |       |    |
      July 11,   |              |          |             |       |    |
        1862.    |              |          |             |       |    |
                 | U. States    |    ——    |      ——     |None.  |Par.|
                 |  notes,      |          |             |       |    |
                 | new issue.   |          |             |       |    |
    Resolution   |              |          |             |       |    |
     of Congress,|              |          |             |       |    |
      January 17,|              |          |             |       |    |
        1863.    |              |          |             |       |    |
    -------------+--------------+----------+-------------+-------+----+

    =============+===========+===========+===============
                 |  Amount   |   Amount  |  Amount
                 |authorized.|   issued. |outstanding.
    -------------+-----------+----------+----------------
    Act of       |$25,000,000|$18,415,000|$18,415,000 00
     Feb. 8,     |           |           |
      1861.      |           |           |
    -------------+-----------+-----------+----------------
    Act of       |           |           |
       March 2,  |           |           |
        1861.    | 22,468,100| 22,468,100|
                 |           |           |     3,600 00
                 |           |           |
                 | 12,896,350| 12,896,350|
                 |           |           |
    -------------+-----------+-----------+----------------
    Act of       |           |           |
    March 2,     |  2,800,000|  1,090,850|  1,016,000 00
      1861.      |           |           |
    -------------+-----------+-----------+----------------
     Acts of     |     ——    | 50,000,000| 50,000,000 00
        July 17, |           |           |
         1861,   |           |           |
          and    |     ——    |139,999,750|139,315,350 00
       August 5, |           |           |
         1861.   |           |           |
                 |           |           |
                 |     ——    | 60,000,000|    208,432 00
                 |           |           |
                 |           |           |
                 |Exch’ngeble|     ——    |     59,700 00
                 | for 7-30  |           |
                 |Tr’y notes.|           |
    -------------+-----------+-----------+----------------
     Act of      |           |           |
       Feb. 25,  |           |           |
         1862.   |           |           |
                 |           |           |
       March 3,  |           |           |
          1864.  |           |           |
                 |515,000,000|514,780,500|514,780,500 00
      June 30,   |           |           |
         1864.   |           |           |
     January 28, |           |           |
         1865.   |           |           |
    -------------+-----------+-----------+----------------
    Act of       |           |           |
      July 11,   |           |           |
        1862.    |           |           |
                 |450,000,000|    ——     |371,783,597 00
                 |           |           |
                 |           |           |
    Resolution   |           |           |
     of Congress,|           |           |
      January 17,|           |           |
        1863.    |           |           |
    -------------+-----------+-----------+----------------

     ===================================================================
               Acts authorizing Loans, and Synopsis of same.
     ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |A further issue of $150,000,000, in United States notes,
      March 3,|  for the purpose of converting the Treasury notes which
       1863.  |  may be issued under this act, and for no other purpose.
              |  And a further issue, if necessary, for the payment of
              |  the army and navy, and other creditors of the Government,
              |  of $150,000,000, in United States notes, which amount
              |  includes the $100,000,000 authorized by the joint
              |  resolution of Congress, Jan. 17, 1863.
     Act of   |Provided, That of United States notes not more than ten
      April 12|  millions of dollars may be retired and canceled within
         1866.|  six months from the passage of this act, and thereafter
              |  not more than four millions of dollars in any one month:
              |  And provided further, That the act to which this is an
              |  amendment shall continue in full force in all its
              |  provisions, except as modified by this act.
     ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |Authorized a temporary loan of $25,000,000, in United
      Feb. 25 |  States notes, for not less than thirty days, payable
        1862. |  after ten days’ notice, at 5 per cent. interest per
              |  annum. (This was increased to $100,000,000 by the
              |  following acts.)
     Act of   |
     March 17,|Authorized an increase of temporary loans of $25,000,000,
        1862. |  bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 5 per cent. per
              |  annum.
     Act of   |
     July 11, |Authorized a further increase of temporary loans of
       1862.  |  $50,000,000 making the whole amount authorized
              |  $100,000,000.
              |
     Act of   |Authorized the increase of temporary loans to not
      June 30,|  exceeding $150,000,000, at a rate not exceeding 6 per
       1864.  |  cent. per annum.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |Authorized a loan of $300,000,000 for this and $600,000,000
       March 3|  for the next fiscal year, for which could be issued
        1863. |  bonds running not less than ten, nor more than forty
              |  years, principal and interest payable in coin, bearing
              |  interest at a rate not exceeding 6 per cent. per annum,
              |  payable in bonds not exceeding $100 annually, and on
              |  all others semi-annually, the whole amount of bonds,
              |  Treasury notes, and United States notes issued under
     Act of   |  this act not to exceed the sum of 900,000,000. And so
       June 30|  much of this act as limits the to the current fiscal
        1864. |  year is repealed by act of June 30, 1864, which also
              |  repeals the authority to borrow money conferred by
              |  section 1, except so far as it may affect$75,000,000 of
              |  bonds already advertised.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |And Treasury notes to the amount of $400,000,000, not
      March 3,|  exceeding three years to run, with interest at not over
       1863.  |  6 per cent. per annum, principal and interest payable
              |  in lawful money, which may be made a legal-tender for
              |  their face value, excluding interest, or convertible
              |  into United States notes. Secretary may receive gold on
              |  deposit, and issue certificates therefor, in sums not
              |  less than twenty dollars.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |Authorizes the issue of bonds not exceeding $200,000,000,
      March 3,|  bearing date March 1, 1864, or any subsequent period,
       1864.  |  redeemable at the pleasure of the Government after any
              |  period not less than five years, and payable at any
              |  period not more than forty years from date, in coin,
              |  bearing interest not exceeding 6 per cent. yearly,
              |  payable on bonds not over $100 annually, and on all
              |  other bonds semi-annually, in coin.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |Authorized an issue of certificates of indebtedness,
       March 1|  payable one year from date, in settlement of audited
        1862. |  claims against the Government. Interest 6 per cent. per
              |  annum, payable in gold; and by
     Act of   |Payable in lawful currency on those issued after that date.
      March 3,|  Amount of issue not specified.
       1863.  |
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |Authorized an issue of notes of the fractional parts of
      July 17,|  one dollar, receivable in payment of all dues, except
       1862.  |  customs, less than five dollars, and exchangeable for
              |  United States notes in sums not less than five dollars.
              |  Amount of issue not specified.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------

            (A) = Rate of interest.
            (B) = Price of emission.
    ==========+=================+========+=============+================+
              |      Title.     | Length |    When     |   (A)   |  (B) |
              |                 |of Loan.| redeemable. |         |      |
    ==========+=================+========+=============+=========+======+
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
      March 3,|                 |        |             |         |      |
       1863.  |                 |        |             |         |      |
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
      April 12|                 |        |             |         |      |
         1866.|                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
      Feb. 25 |                 |        |             |         |      |
        1862. |                 |        |             |         |      |
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
              | Tempor’y        | Not    | After ten   | 4, 5, & |Par.  |
     March 17,|  Loan.          | less   |   days’     | 6 % per |      |
        1862. |                 | than   |  notice.    |  annum. |      |
              |                 |30 days.|             |         |      |
     July 11, |                 |        |             |         |      |
       1862.  |                 |        |             |         |      |
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
      June 30,|                 |        |             |         |      |
       1864.  |                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
       March 3|                 |        |             |         |      |
        1863. | Loan of         |   ——   |Af’r June    | 6 % per |Prem’m|
              |  1863.          |        | 30, 1881.   |  annum. |      |
              |                 |        |             |         | 4.13 |
              |                 |        |             |         | per  |
              |                 |        |             |         | cent.|
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
       June 30|                 |        |             |         |      |
        1864. |                 |        |             |         |      |
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
     Act of   | Treasury        |2 years |2 years after| 5% per  | Par. |
      March 3,|   notes.        |        |  date.      |  annum  |      |
       1863.  |                 |1 year. |1 year after | 5% per  | Par. |
              |                 |        |  date.      |  annum. |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
              |Gold certificates|   ——   |On dem’d.    |    ——   | Par. |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
      March 3,|                 |        |             |         |      |
       1864.  | Ten-forties.    |10 or 40| Af’r Feb.   |5 % per  | Par. |
              |                 | years. |  28, 1874.  |  annum. |      |
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
              |   Five-         |5 or 20 | Aft’r Oct.  |6 % per  | Par. |
              | twenties.       | years. |  31, 1869.  |  annum. |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
       March 1|                 |        |             |         |      |
        1862. |                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
     Act of   |  Certifica’s    |1 year. |1 year after | 6 % per | Par. |
      March 3,| of indebtedness.|        |  date.      |  annum. |      |
       1863.  |                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
     Act of   |                 |        |             |         |      |
      July 17,|                 |        |             |         |      |
       1862.  |                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+
              |Postal currency. |   ——   |      ——     |    ——   | Par. |
              |                 |        |             |         |      |
     ---------+-----------------+--------+-------------+---------+------+

    ==========+==============+============+============
              |    Amount    |   Amount   |  Amount
              |  authorized. |   issued.  |outstanding.
    ==========+==============+============+============
     Act of   |              |            |
      March 3,|              |            |
       1863.  |              |            |
              |              |            |
     Act of   |              |            |
      April 12|              |            |
         1866.|              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+------------
     Act of   |              |            |
      Feb. 25 |              |            |
        1862. |              |            |
              |              |            |
              |  $150,000,000|     ——     |$20,225,070 00
     March 17,|              |            |
        1862. |              |            |
              |              |            |
     July 11, |              |            |
       1862.  |              |            |
              |              |            |
     Act of   |              |            |
      June 30,|              |            |
       1864.  |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+------------
     Act of   |              |            |
       March 3|              |            |
        1863. |    75,000,000| $75,000,000| 75,000,000 00
              |              |            |
     Act of   |              |            |
       June 30|              |            |
        1864. |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+
              |              |            |
     Act of   |       ——     |            |
      March 3,|              | 211,000,000|  1,123,830 00
       1863.  |   400,000,000|            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+
              |Not specified.|     ——    | 19,207,520 00
     ---------+--------------+------------+
     Act of   |              |            |
      March 3,|              |            |
       1864.  |   200,000,000| 172,770,100|171,409,350 00
              |              |            |
              |              |            |
              |       ——     |      ——    |  3,882,500 00
              |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+
     Act of   |              |            |
       March 1|              |            |
        1862. |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+
     Act of   |Not specified.|      ——    |     36,000 00
      March 3,|              |            |
       1863.  |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+
     Act of   |              |            |
      July 17,|              |            |
       1862.  |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+
              |Not specified.|      ——    |  5,497,534 93
              |              |            |
     ---------+--------------+------------+

    ===================================================================
              Acts authorizing Loans, and Synopsis of same.
    ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of   |Authorized an issue not exceeding $50,000,000, in
     March 3,|  fractional currency (in lieu of postage or other stamps),
      1863.  |  exchangeable for United States notes in sums not less
             |  than three dollars, and receivable for any dues to the
             |  United States less than five dollars, except duties on
             |  imports. The whole amount issued, including postage and
             |  other stamps issued as currency, not to exceed
             |  $50,000,000. Authority was given to prepare it in the
             |  Treasury Department, under the supervision of the
             |  Secretary.
    Act of   |Authorized an issue in lieu of the issue under acts of
     June 30,|  July 17, 1862, and March 3, 1863, the whole amount
      1864.  |  outstanding under all these acts not to exceed
             |  $50,000,000.
    ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of   |Authorized an issue of $400,000,000 of bonds, redeemable
     June 30,|  at the pleasure of the Government, after any period not
      1864.  |  less than five nor more than thirty years, or, if deemed
             |  expedient, made payable at any period nor more than
             |  forty years from date. And said bonds shall bear an
             |  annual interest not exceeding 6 per centum, payable
             |  semi-annually in coin. And the Secretary of the Treasury
             |  may dispose of such bonds, or any part thereof, and of
             |  any bonds commonly known as five-twenties, remaining
             |  unsold, on such terms as he may deem most advisable, for
             |  lawful money of the United States, or, at his discretion,
             |  for Treasury notes, certificates of indebtedness, or
             |  certificates of deposit, issued under any act of Congress.
    ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of   |Authorizes an issue of Treasury notes, not exceeding three
     March 3,|  years to run, interest at not over 6 per cent. per annum,
      1863.  |  principal and interest payable in lawful money. Also,
             |  authorizes the issue of, and in lieu of, an equal amount
    Act of   |  of bonds authorized by the first section, and as a part
     June 30,|  of said loan, not exceeding $200,000,000, in Treasury
      1864.  |  notes of any denomination not less than ten dollars,
             |  payable at any time not exceeding three years from date,
             |  or, if thought more expedient, redeemable at any time
             |  after three years from date, and bearing interest not
             |  exceeding the rate of 7 3-10 per centum, payable in
             |  lawful money at maturity, or at the discretion of the
             |  Secretary, semi-annually; and such of them as shall be
             |  made payable, principal and interest, at maturity, shall
             |  be a legal-tender to the same extent as United States
             |  notes, for their face value excluding interest, and may
             |  be paid to any creditor of the United States, at their
             |  face value, excluding interest, or to any creditor
             |  willing to receive them at par, including interest; and
             |  any Treasury notes issued under the authority of this
             |  act, may be made convertible, at the discretion of the
             |  Secretary of the Treasury, into any bonds issued under
             |  the authority of this act, and the Secretary may redeem,
             |  and cause to be canceled and destroyed any Treasury
             |  notes or United States notes heretofore issued under
             |  authority of previous acts of Congress, and substitute
             |  in lieu thereof an equal amount of Treasury notes, such
             |  as are authorized by this act, or of other United States
             |  notes; nor shall any Treasury note bearing interest,
             |  issued under this act, be a legal-tender, in payment or
             |  redemption of any notes issued by any bank, banking
             |  association, or banker, calculatedor intended to
             |  circulate as money.
    Act of   |Whole amount may be issued in bonds or Treasury notes, at
     Jan. 28,|  the discretion of the Secretary.
      1865.  |
    ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
    Act of   |Authorized an issue of $600,000,000 in bonds or Treasury
     March 3,|  notes; bonds may be made payable at any period not
      1865.  |  more than forty years from the date of issue, or may be
             |  made redeemable at the pleasure of the Government, at
             |  or after any period not less than five years nor more
             |  than forty years from date, or may be made redeemable
             |  and payable as aforesaid, as may be expressed upon their
             |  face, and so much thereof as may be issued in Treasury

            (A) = Rate of interest.
            (B) = Price of emission.
     =======+=================+========+=============+=======+
            |   Title. | Length |    When     |   (A)   |(B) |
            |          |of Loan.| redeemable. |         |    |
     =======+==========+========+=============+=========+====+
     Act of |          |        |             |         |    |
    March 3,|          |        |             |         |    |
       1863.|          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |Fractional|   ——   |      ——     |    ——   |Par.|
            | currency.|        |             |         |    |
     Act of |          |        |             |         |    |
    June 30,|          |        |             |         |    |
       1864.|          |        |             |         |    |
     -------+----------+--------+-------------+---------+----+
     Act of |          |        |             |         |    |
    June 30,|          |        |             |         |    |
      1864. |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            | Five-    |5 or 20 |After Oct.   |6 % per  |  — |
            | twenties.| years. | 31, 1869.   | annum.  |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
     -------+----------+--------+-------------+---------+----+
    Act of  |          |        |             |         |    |
    March 3,|          |        |             |         |    +
      1863. | Treasury |3 years.|3 years after|   6 %   |Par.|
            |   notes. |        |  date.      |comp’d   |    |
     Act of |          |        |             |int’est. |    |
    June 30,|          |        |             |         |    |
      1864. | Treasury |3 years.|3 years after|   6 %   |  — |
            |   notes. |        |  date.      |comp’d   |    |
            |          |        |             |int’est. |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            | Treasury |3 years.|3 years after|   6 %   |  — |
            |   notes. |        |  date.      |comp’d   |    +
            |          |        |             |int’est. |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |    ——    |    ——  |      ——     |    ——   |  — |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
            | 7.30     |3 years.|3 years after|7.30 % p.|Par.|
            |  Treas.  |        |  August.    | annum.  |    |
            |  notes.  |        |  15, 1864.  |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |
     Act of |          |        |             |         |    |
    Jan. 28,|          |        |             |         |    |
       1865.|          |        |             |         |    |
     -------+----------+--------+-------------+---------+----+
     Act of |  _See_   |        |             |         |    |
    March 3,|  p. 327  |        |             |         |    |
       1865.|          |        |             |         |    |
            |          |        |             |         |    |

    ========+==============+============+===============
            |    Amount    |   Amount   |   Amount
            |  authorized. |   issued.  | outstanding.
    ========+==============+============+===============
     Act of |              |            |
    March 3,|              |            |
       1863.|              |            |
            |              |            |
            |  $50,000,000 |     ——     | $22,809,988 59
     Act of |              |            |
    June 30,|              |            |
       1864.|              |            |
     -------+--------------+------------+
     Act of |              |            |
    June 30,|              |            |
      1864. |              |            |
            |     ——       |     ——     | 125,561,300 00
            |              |            |
     -------+--------------+------------+---------------
    Act of  |              |            |
    March 3,|              +            |
      1863. |              | $17,250,000|
            |              |            |
     Act of |              |            |
    June 30,|              |            |
      1864. |  Substit’te  | 177,045,770| 122,394,480 00
            |   redeemed   |            |
            |  5 % notes.  |            |
            |              |            |
            |              |  22,728,390|
            |--------------+------------+---------------
            |              |            |
            |  400,000,000 |            |
            |              |            |
            |      ——      | 234,400,000|
     Act of |              |            |
    Jan. 28,|              |            |
      1865. |              |            |
     -------+--------------+------------+---------------
     Act of |              |            |
    March 3,|              |            |
      1865. |              |            |
            |              |            |

     ===================================================================
               Acts authorizing Loans, and Synopsis of same.
     ---------+---------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |  notes may be made convertible into any bonds authorized
      March 3,|  by this act, and be of such denominations, not less than
         1865,|  fifty dollars, and bear such dates, and be made
    (_Cont’d._)  redeemable or payable at such periods as the Secretary
              |  of the Treasury may deem expedient. The interest on the
              |  bonds payable semi-annually; on Treasury notes
              |  semi-annually, or annually, or at maturity thereof; and
              |  the principal or interest, or both, be made payable in
              |  coin or other lawful money; if in coin, not to exceed 6
              |  per cent. per annum; when not payable in coin, not to
              |  exceed 7 3-10 per cent. per annum. Rate and character
              |  to be expressed on bonds or Treasury notes.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Acts of  |Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury, at his
     April 12,|  discretion, to receive any Treasury notes or other
      1866,   |  obligations issued under any act of Congress, whether
              |  bearing interest or not, in exchange for any description
     amendment|  of bonds authorized by the act to which this is an
      to act  |  amendment; and also to dispose of any description of
     March 3, |  bonds authorized by said act, either in the United
      1865.   |  States or elsewhere, to such an amount, in such manner,
              |  and at such rates as he may think advisable, for lawful
              |  money of the United States, or for any Treasury notes,
              |  certificates of indebtedness, or certificates of deposit,
              |  or other representatives of value, which have been or
              |  which maybe issued under any act of Congress, the
              |  proceeds thereof to be used only for retiring Treasury
              |  notes or other obligations issued under any act of
              |  Congress: but nothing herein contained shall be
              |  construed to authorize any increase of the public debt.
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Acts of  |Bonds issued to the Union Pacific Railroad Company, in
      July 1, |  accordance with these acts.
      1862,   |
       and    |
      July 2, |
       1864.  |
     ---------+----------------------------------------------------------
     Act of   |For the purpose of redeeming and retiring any compound
      March 2,|  interest notes outstanding, the Secretary of the
       1867.  |  Treasury is authorized to issue temporary loan
              |  certificates in the manner prescribed by section four
              |  of the act entitled “An act to authorize the issue of
              |  United States notes and for the redemption or funding
              |  thereof, and for funding the floating debt of the United
              |  States,” approved February twenty-fifth, eighteen
              |  hundred and sixty-two, bearing interest at a rate not
              |  exceeding three per centum per annum, principal and
              |  interest payable in lawful money on demand; and said
              |  certificates of temporary loan may constitute and be
              |  held by any national bank holding or owning the same,
              |  as a part of the reserve provided for in sections
              |  thirty-one and thirty-two of the act entitled “An act
              |  to provide a national currency secured by a pledge of
              |  United States bonds, and to provide for the circulation
              |  and redemption thereof,” approved June three, eighteen
              |  hundred and sixty-four: _Provided_, That not less
              |  than two-fifths of the entire reserve of such bank shall
              |  consist of lawful money of the United States: _And
              |  provided further_, That the amount of such temporary
              |  certificates at any time outstanding shall not exceed
              |  fifty millions of dollars.

           (A) = Rate of interest.
           (B) = Price of emission.
    =========+===========+========+===========+========+====+
             |   Title.  | Length |   When    |  (A)   |(B) |
             |           |of Loan.|redeemable.|        |    |
    =========+===========+========+===========+========+====+
    Act of   |           |        |           |        |    |
     March 3,|           |        |           |        |    |
        1865,|           +————————+ Af’r Aug. +————————+    |
    (_Cont’d_)7.30 Treas.|   3    |  14, 1867.| 7.3-10 |Par.|
             |  notes, 3 |  yrs.  | Af’r June | per    |    |
             |  issues.  |        |  14, 1868.| cent.  |    |
             |           +————————+ Af’r July +————————+    |
             |           |        |  14, 1868.|        |    |
             |           |        |           |        |    |
             | Five-     |5 or 20 | Aft’r Oct.|6 % per |Par.|
             |twenties.  | years. |  31, 1870.|annum.  |    |
             |           |        |           |        |    |
    ---------+-----------+--------+-----------+--------+----+
    Acts of  |           |        |           |        |    |
    April 12,|      ——   |   ——   | Af’r June |6 % per |Par.|
     1866,   |           |        | 30, 1870. |annum.  |    |
    amendment|           |        |           |        |    |
     to act  |           |        |           |        |    |
    March 3, |           |        |           |        |    |
     1865.   |           |        |           |        |    |
    ---------+-----------+--------+-----------+--------+----+
    Acts of  |           |        |           |        |    |
     July 1, |Un. Pacific|30 y’rs.| Aft’r Jan.|6 % per |Par.|
     1862,   |  R. R. Co.|        | 15, 1895. |annum.  |    |
      and    |  bonds.   |        |           |        |    |
     July 2, |           |        |           |        |    |
      1864.  |           |        |           |        |    |
             |           |        |           |        |    |
    Act of   |           |        |           |        |    |
     March 2,|           |        |           |        |    |
      1867.  |           |        |           |        |    |

    =========+==============+============+==================
             |    Amount    |   Amount   |     Amount
             |  authorized. |   issued.  |   outstanding.
    =========+==============+============+==================
    Act of   |              |            |   $488,647,425 00
     March 3,|              |            |
        1865,|              |            |
    (_Cont’d_) $600,000,000 |     ——     |
             |              |            |
             |     ——       |     ——     |
             |              |            |    181,427,250 00
    ---------+--------------+------------+
    Acts of  |              |            |
    April 12,|      ——      |     ——     |    301,880,250 00
     1866,   |              |            |
    amendment|              |            |
     to act  |              |            |
    March 3, |              |            |
     1865.   |              |            |
    ---------+--------------+------------+
    Acts of  |              |            |
     July 1, |      ——      |     ——     |     14,762,000 00
     1862,   |              |            |
      and    |              |            |
     July 2, |              |            |
      1864.  |              |            |
    ---------+              |            |
    Act of   |              |            |
     March 2,|              |            |
      1867.  |              |            |
             |              |            |
             |              |            +——————————————————
             |              |            | $2,692,199,215 12

STATISTICAL VIEW OF THE STATES, ETC.

    _Showing dates of acts creating Territories, and admitting
        States—Time of holding general elections—Number
        of Representatives in Congress—Date of general
        elections in the several States, with number of
        Representatives and Senators—Terms of office—Times of
        meeting—Location of capitals, etc._

    (A) =  No. Members of Congress.
    ================+====================+=============================+
       States and   | A|    Settled.     |     Date of Act creating    |
      Territories.  |  |  By whom. |Date.|  Territory.      State.     |
    ----------------+--+-----------+-----+--------------+--------------+
    Alabama         |17|French     |1713 | Mar.  3, 1817| Mar.  2, 1819|
    Arkansas        | 2|French     |1670 | Mar.  2, 1819| June 15, 1836|
    California      | 3|Span’d     |1769 |              | Sept. 9, 1850|
    Connecticut[7]  | 4|Engl.      |1633 |              |              |
    Delaware[7]     | 1|Swedes     |1627 |              |              |
    Florida         | 1|Span’d     |1564 | Mar.  3, 1823| Mar.  3, 1845|
    Georgia[7]      | 8|Engl.      |1733 |              |              |
    Illinois        |13|French     |1749 | Feb.  3, 1809| Dec.  3, 1818|
    Indiana         |11|French     |1730 | May   7, 1800| Apr. 19, 1816|
    Iowa            | 6|Amer.      |1835 | June 12, 1838| Mar.  3, 1845|
    Kansas          | 1|Amer.      |1850 | May  30, 1854| Jan. 29, 1861|
    Kentucky        | 9|Vir’ns     |1775 |              | June 1,  1792|
    Louisiana       | 4|French     |1699 | Mar. 26, 1801| Feb. 20, 1811|
    Maine           | 5|Engl.      |1630 |              | Mar. 15, 1820|
    Maryland[7]     | 5|Engl.      |1634 |              |              |
    Massachusetts[7]|10|Engl.      |1620 |              |              |
    Michigan        | 6|French     |1670 | Jan. 11, 1805| Jan. 26, 1837|
    Minnesota       | 2|Amer.      |1817 | Mar.  3, 1849| May  14, 1858|
    Mississippi     | 5|French     |1716 | Apr.  7, 1798| Dec. 10, 1817|
    Missouri        | 9|French     |1763 | Mar.  3, 1805| Mar.  6, 1820|
    N. Hampshire[7] | 3|Engl.      |1623 |              |              |
    New Jersey[7]   | 5|Swedes     |1627 |              |              |
    New York[7]     |31|Dutch      |1613 |              |              |
    N. Carolina[7]  | 8|Engl.      |1650 |              |              |
    Nevada          | 1|Amer.      |1860 | Mar.  2, 1861| Oct. 31, 1864|
    Nebraska        | 1|Amer.      |1850 | May  30, 1854| Mar.  4, 1867|
    Ohio            |19|Va & N. Eng|1788 | July 13, 1787| Apr. 30, 1802|
    Oregon          | 1|Engl.      |1796 | Aug. 14, 1848| Feb. 12, 1859|
    Pennsylvania[7] |24|Engl.      |1682 |              |              |
    Rhode Island[7] | 2|Engl.      |1631 |              |              |
    S. Carolina[7]  | 6|Engl.      |1689 |              |              |
    Tennessee       |10|NC & Va    |1765 | May  26, 1790| June  1, 1796|
    Texas           | 2|Span’d     |1690 |              | Dec. 29, 1845|
    Vermont         | 3|Engl.      |1763 |              | Mar.  4, 1791|
    Virginia[7]     |13|Engl.      |1607 |              |              |
    West Virginia   | 3|Amer.      |—— |              | Dec. 31, 1862|
    Wisconsin       | 6|Amer.      |1831 | Apr. 30, 1836| Aug.  6, 1846|
    Colorado Ter.[8]| 1|Amer.      |1860 | Mar.  2, 1861|              |
    Dakota Ter.[8]  | 1|Amer.      |1860 | Mar.  2, 1861|              |
    New Mexico T.[8]| 1|Span’d     |1598 | Sept. 9, 1850|              |
    Utah Ter.[8]    | 1|Amer.      |1847 | Sept. 9, 1850|              |
    Washington T.[8]| 1|Amer.      |1848 | Mar.  2, 1853|              |
    Columbia, D. of |  |Md & Va    |—— | July 10, 1790|              |
    ================+==============+=====+==============+==============+=

[7] One of the original thirteen States of the Union.

[8] Delegates from Territories who may speak on Territorial questions,
but have no vote.

    (B) =  Number.
    (C) =  Term. Years.
    ================+============+=====+===========+==+==============+
       States and   |       Time of holding        | Representatives.|
      Territories.  |      general elections.      |    B    |   C   |
    ----------------+------------------------------+---------+-------+
    Alabama         |1st Mon. Aug.                 |      100|     2 |
    Arkansas        |1st Mon. Aug.                 |       75|     2 |
    California      |Tues. after 1st Mon. Sept     |       36|     1 |
    Connecticut     |1st Mon. April.               |      232|     1 |
    Delaware        |2d Tues. Nov.                 |       21|     1 |
    Florida         |1st Mon. Oct.                 |       40|     1 |
    Georgia         |1st Mon. Oct. bienn.          |      150|     2 |
    Illinois        |Tues. af. 1st Mon. Nov. bienn.|       75|     2 |
    Indiana         |2d Tues. Oct.                 |      100|     1 |
    Iowa            |2d Tues. Oct.                 |       56|     2 |
    Kansas          |2d Tues. Nov.                 |       40|     2 |
    Kentucky        |1st Mon. Aug.                 |      100|     2 |
    Louisiana       |1st Mon. Nov.                 |       88|     2 |
    Maine           |2d Mon. Sept.                 |      151|     1 |
    Maryland        |1st Wed. Nov.                 |       81|     2 |
    Massachusetts   |Tues. af. 1st Mon. Nov.       |      240|     1 |
    Michigan        |Tues. af. 1st Mon. Nov.       |       74|     2 |
    Minnesota       |2d Tues. Oct.                 |       42|     1 |
    Mississippi     |1st Mon. Oct.                 |       92|     2 |
    Missouri        |1st Mon. Aug.                 |      130|     2 |
    N. Hampshire    |2d Tues. March.               |      338|     1 |
    New Jersey      |Tues. aft. 1st Mon. Nov.      |       60|     1 |
    New York        |Tues. aft. 1st Mon. Nov.      |      128|     1 |
    N. Carolina     |1st Thurs. Aug.               |      120|     2 |
    Nevada          |1st Tu. af. 1st Mon. Nov.     |       26|     1 |
    Nebraska        |                              |       26|     1 |
    Ohio            |2d Tues. Oct.                 |      100|     2 |
    Oregon          |1st Mon. June.                |       34|     2 |
    Pennsylvania    |2d Tues. Oct.                 |      100|     1 |
    Rhode Island    |1st Wed. April.               |       72|     1 |
    S. Carolina     |2d Mon. Oct.                  |      124|     2 |
    Tennessee       |1st Thurs. Aug.               |       75|     2 |
    Texas           |1st Mon. Aug.                 |       66|     2 |
    Vermont         |1st Tues. Sept.               |      230|     1 |
    Virginia        |4th Thurs. May.               |      152|     2 |
    West Virginia   |4th Thurs. Oct.               |         |       |
    Wisconsin       |Tues. aft. 1st Mon. Nov.      |       97|     1 |
    Colorado Ter.   |                              |       26|     1 |
    Dakota Ter.     |                              |       26|     1 |
    New Mexico T.   |                              |       26|     1 |
    Utah Ter.       |                              |       26|     1 |
    Washington T.   |                              |       18|     1 |
    Columbia, D. of |                              |         |       |
    ================+==============================+=========+=======+

    (D) =  Number.
    (E) =  Term. Years.
    (F) =  Governor’s term of office. Years.
    ===============+=========+=======================+=+===============
       States and  |Senators.|  Time of Meeting of   |F|State Capitals.
      Territories. |  D  | E |    Legislatures.      | |
    ---------------+-----+---+-----------------------+-+---------------
    Alabama        |   33|  4|2d Mon. Nov. bienn.    |2|Montgomery.
    Arkansas       |   25|  4|1st Mon. Nov. bienn.   |4|Little Rock.
    California     |   16|  2|1st Mon. Jan.          |2|Sacramento.
    Connecticut    |   21|  1|1st Wed. May.          |1|Hartford.
    Delaware       |    9|  4|1st Tues. Jan. bienn.  |4|Dover.
    Florida        |   19|  4|4th Mon. Nov.    ”     |4|Tallahassee.
    Georgia        |   52|  2|1st Mon. Nov.    ”     |2|Milledgeville.
    Illinois       |   25|  4|2d Mon. Jan.     ”     |4|Springfield.
    Indiana        |   50|  4|Th. af. 1st M. Jan. ”  |4|Indianapolis.
    Iowa           |   30|  4|2d Mon. Jan. bienn.    |2|Des Moines.
    Kansas         |   25|  2|1st Wed. Jan.          |2|Lecompton.
    Kentucky       |   38|  4|1st Mon. Dec. bienn.   |4|Frankfort.
    Louisiana      |   32|  4|3d Mon. Jan.           |4|Baton Rouge.
    Maine          |   31|  1|1st Wed. Jan.          |1|Augusta.
    Maryland       |   22|  4|1st Wed. Jan. bienn.   |4|Annapolis.
    Massachusetts  |   40|  1|1st Wed. Jan.          |1|Boston.
    Michigan       |   32|  2|1st Wed. Jan. bienn.   |2|Lansing.
    Minnesota      |   21|  2|1st Tu. af. 1st M. Jan.|2|St. Paul.
    Mississippi    |   32|  4|1st Mon. Nov. bienn.   |2|Jackson.
    Missouri       |   33|  4|Last. Mon. Dec. ”      |4|Jefferson City.
    N. Hampshire   |   12|  1|1st Wed. June.         |1|Concord.
    New Jersey     |   21|  3|2d Tues. Jan.          |3|Trenton.
    New York       |   32|  2|1st Tues. Jan.         |2|Albany.
    N. Carolina    |   50|  2|3d Mon. Nov. bienn.    |2|Raleigh.
    Nevada         |   13|  2|12th Dec.              |4|Carson.
    Nebraska       |   13|  2|                       |4|Omaha.
    Ohio           |   35|  2|1st Mon. Jan. bienn.   |2|Columbus.
    Oregon         |   16|  4|2d Mon. Sept.  ”       |4|Salem.
    Pennsylvania   |   33|  3|1st Tues. Jan.         |3|Harrisburg.
    Rhode Island   |   32|  1|Last Tues. May.        |1|Providence.
    S. Carolina    |   46|  4|4th Mon. Nov.          |2|Columbia.
    Tennessee      |   25|  2|1st Mon. Oct. bienn.   |2|Nashville.
    Texas          |   21|  4|1st Mon. Dec.   ”      |2|Austin.
    Vermont        |   30|  1|2d Tues. Oct.          |1|Montpelier.
    Virginia       |   50|  4|1st Mon. Dec. bienn.   |4|Richmond.
    West Virginia  |     |   |20th June.             | |Wheeling.
    Wisconsin      |   30|  2|2d Wed. Jan.           |2|Madison.
    Colorado Ter.  |   13|  2|                       |4|Denver.
    Dakota Ter.    |   13|  2|                       |4|Yankton.
    New Mexico T.  |   13|  2|                       |4|Santa Fe.
    Utah Ter.      |   13|  2|                       |4|Gt. Salt L. City
    Washington T.  |    9|  2|                       |4|Olympia.
    Columbia, D. of|     |   |                       | |Washington.
    ===============+=====+===+=======================+=+================

    [U. S. Senators serve 6 years, and each State is entitled to two.]

    (Position of Southern States represented as they stood before
     seceding.)




PLATFORMS OF 1860-1864.


PLATFORM OF THE BRECKINRIDGE PARTY OF 1860.

_Resolved_, That the platform adopted by the Democratic party at
Cincinnati be affirmed, with the following explanatory resolutions:

1. That the government of a territory organized by an act of Congress
is provisional and temporary, and during its existence all citizens of
the United States have an equal right to settle with their property
in the territory, without their rights, either in person or property,
being destroyed by congressional or territorial legislation.

2. That it is the duty of the Federal Government, in all its
departments, to protect the rights of persons and property in the
territories, and wherever else its constitutional authority extends.

3. That when the settlers in a territory, having an adequate
population, form a State Constitution, the right of sovereignty
commences, and being consummated by their admission into the Union,
they stand on an equality with the people of other States, and a State
thus organized ought to be admitted into the Federal Union, whether its
constitution prohibits or recognizes the institution of slavery.

4. That the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition of Cuba,
on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves and just to Spain, at
the earliest practicable moment.

5. That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the faithful
execution of the Fugitive Slave Law are hostile in character,
subversive of the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.

6. That the Democracy of the United States recognize it as an
imperative duty of the government to protect the naturalized citizen in
all his rights, whether at home or in foreign lands, to the same extent
as its native born citizens.

WHEREAS, One of the greatest necessities of the age, in a political,
commercial, postal, and military point of view, is a speedy
communication between the Pacific and Atlantic coasts; therefore, be it
resolved,

7. That the National Democratic party do hereby pledge themselves to
use every means in their power to secure the passage of some bill,
to the extent of the Constitutional authority by Congress, for the
construction of a railroad to the Pacific Ocean, at the earliest
practicable moment.


PLATFORM OF THE DOUGLAS PARTY OF 1860.

_Resolved_, That we, the Democracy of the Union in Convention
assembled, hereby declare our affirmation of the resolutions
unanimously adopted and declared as a platform of principles by the
Democratic Convention at Cincinnati, in the year 1856, believing that
Democratic principles are unchangeable in their nature when applied
to the same subject matter, and we recommend as our only further
resolutions the following:

That inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in the Democratic party
as to the nature and extent of the powers of a Territorial Legislature,
and as to the powers and duties of Congress, under the Constitution of
the United States, over the institution of slavery in the territories;

_Resolved_, That the Democratic party will abide by the decision of the
Supreme Court of the United States over the institution of slavery in
the territories.

_Resolved_, That it is the duty of the United States to afford ample
and complete protection to all its citizens, at home or abroad, and
whether native or foreign born.

_Resolved_, That one of the necessities of the age, in a military,
commercial, and postal point of view, is a speedy communication between
the Atlantic and Pacific States, and the Democratic party pledge such
constitutional enactment as will insure the construction of a railroad
to the Pacific coast at the earliest practical period.

_Resolved_, That the Democratic party are in favor of the acquisition
of the Island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be honorable to ourselves
and just to Spain.

_Resolved_, That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the
faithful execution of the Fugitive Slave Law are hostile in character,
subversive to the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect.

_Resolved_, That it is in accordance with the Cincinnati Platform,
that during the existence of Territorial Governments, the measure of
restriction, whatever it may be, imposed by the Federal Constitution
on the power of the Territorial Legislature over the subject of the
domestic relations, as the same has been or shall hereafter be decided
by the Supreme Court of the United States, should be respected by all
good citizens, and enforced with promptness and fidelity by every
branch of the General Government.


THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM OF 1860.

_Resolved_, That we, the delegated representatives of the Republican
electors of the United States, in Convention assembled, in the
discharge of the duty we owe to our constituents and our country, unite
in the following resolutions:

1. That the history of the nation during the last four years has
fully established the propriety and necessity of the organization and
perpetuation of the Republican party, and that the causes which called
it into existence are permanent in their nature, and now, more than
ever, demand its peaceful and constitutional triumph.

2. That the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the
Declaration of Independence, and embodied in the Federal Constitution,
that “all men are created equal; that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain inalienable rights, among which are those of life, liberty
and the pursuit of happiness, and that Governments are instituted among
men to secure the enjoyment of these rights, deriving their just power
from the consent of the governed”—are essential to the preservation of
our republican institutions, and that the Federal Constitution, the
rights of the States, and the union of the States, must and shall be
preserved.

3. That to the union of the States this nation owes its unprecedented
increase in population, its surprising developments of material
resources; its rapid augmentation of wealth; its happiness at home and
its honor abroad; and we hold in abhorrence all schemes for disunion,
come from whatever source they may; and we congratulate the country
that no Republican member of Congress has uttered or countenanced
the threats of disunion as often made by the Democratic members of
Congress, without rebuke and with applause from their political
associates; and we denounce those threats of disunion in case of a
popular overthrow of their ascendancy, as denying the vital principles
of a free Government, and as an avowal of contemplated treason which
it is the imperative duty of an indignant people sternly to rebuke and
forever silence.

4. That the maintenance inviolate, of the rights of the States, and
especially of each State, to order and control its own domestic
institutions according to its own judgment exclusively, is essential
to that balance of power on which the perfection and endurance of our
political fabric depends; and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed
force of the soil of any State or Territory, no matter under what
pretext, as one of the gravest of crimes.

5. That the present Democratic Administration has far exceeded our
worst apprehensions in the measureless subserviency to the exactions of
a sectional interest, as especially evinced in its desperate exertions
to force the infamous Lecompton Constitution upon the protesting
people of Kansas, construing the relation between master and servant
to involve an unqualified property in persons; in its attempted
enforcement everywhere, on land and sea, through the intervention of
Congress and of the Federal Courts, of the extreme pretensions of a
purely local interest; and in its general and unvarying abuse of the
power entrusted to it by a confiding people.

6. That the people justly view with alarm the reckless extravagance
which pervades every department of the Federal Government. That a
return to right economy and accountability is indispensable to arrest
the plunder of the public treasury by favored partisans, while the
recent startling developments of frauds and corruption at the Federal
metropolis show that an entire change of administration is imperatively
demanded.

7. That the new dogma that the Constitution of its own force carries
slavery into any or all the Territories of the United States, in a
dangerous political heresy, at variance with the explicit provisions
of that instrument itself, with contemporaneous exposition, and with
legislative and judicial precedents, that it is revolutionary in its
tendency and subversive of the peace and harmony of the country.

8. That the nominal condition of all the territory of the United
States is that of freedom; that as our Republican fathers, when they
had abolished slavery in all our national territory, ordained that
no person should be deprived of life, liberty or property without
due process of law, it becomes our duty by legislation, whenever
such legislation is necessary, to maintain this provision of the
Constitution against all attempts to violate it; and we deny the
authority of Congress, or a Territorial Legislature, or of any
individual, to give legal existence to slavery in any Territory of the
United States.

9. That we brand the recent re-opening of the African Slave Trade,
under the cover of our national flag, aided by perversions of judicial
power, as a crime against humanity, and a burning shame to our country
and age; and we call upon Congress to take prompt and efficient
measures for the total and final suppression of that execrable traffic.

10. That in the recent vetoes by their Federal Governors of the acts of
the Legislatures of Kansas and Nebraska, prohibiting slavery in these
Territories, we find a practical illustration of the boasted Democratic
principles of non-intervention and Popular Sovereignty, embodied in
the Kansas-Nebraska bill, and a demonstration of the deception and
fraud involved therein.

11. That Kansas should, of right, be immediately admitted as a State
under the Constitution recently formed and adopted by her people, and
accepted by the House of Representatives.

12. That while providing revenue for the support of the General
Government, by duties upon imports, sound policy requires such an
adjustment of these imports as to encourage the development of the
industrial interests of the whole country, and we commend that policy
of National Exchange which secures to the working men liberal wages,
agriculture remunerative prices, to merchants and manufacturers an
adequate reward for their skill, labor and enterprise, and to the
nation commercial prosperity and independence.

13. That we protest against any sale or alienation to others of the
public lands held by actual settlers, and against any view of the free
homestead policy, which regards the settlers as paupers or suppliants
for public bounty, and we demand the passage by Congress of the
complete and satisfactory homestead measure which has already passed
the House.

14. That the National Republican party is opposed to any change in our
naturalization laws, or any State Legislation, by which the rights of
citizenship hitherto accorded to immigrants from foreign lands shall
be abridged or impaired, and in favor of giving a full and efficient
protection to the rights of all classes of citizens, whether native or
naturalized, both at home and abroad.

15. That appropriations by Congress for river and harbor improvements
of a national character, is required for the accommodation and security
of an existing commerce, or authorized by the Constitution and
justified by the obligation of the Government to protect the lives and
property of its citizens.

16. That a railroad to the Pacific ocean is imperatively demanded by
the interests of the whole country; and that the Federal Government
ought to render immediate and efficient aid in its construction, and
that preliminary thereto, a daily overland mail should be promptly
established.

17. Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles and
views, we invite the co-operation of all citizens, however differing in
other questions, who substantially agree with us, in their affirmance
and support.


PLATFORM OF THE NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL PARTY OF 1860.

The Union, the Constitution and the Laws.


UNION PLATFORM, ADOPTED AT BALTIMORE JUNE 8, 1864.

_Resolved_, That it is the highest duty of every American citizen to
maintain against all its enemies, the integrity of the Union, and
the paramount authority of the Constitution and laws of the United
States, and that, laying all political opinions aside, we pledge
ourselves, as Union men, animated by a common sentiment, and aiming at
a common object, to do everything in our power to aid the Government
in quelling, by force of arms, the rebellion now raging against its
authority, and bringing to the punishment due to their crimes, the
rebels and traitors arrayed against it.

_Resolved_, That we approve the determination of the Government of the
United States not to compromise with rebels, or to offer any terms of
peace, except such as may be based upon an unconditional surrender of
their hostility, &c., and a return to their just allegiance to the
Constitution and laws of the United States, and that we call upon the
Government to maintain this position, and to prosecute the war with the
utmost possible vigor to the complete suppression of the rebellion,
in full reliance upon the self-sacrifices, the patriotism, the heroic
valor, and the undying devotion of the American people to their country
and its free institutions.

_Resolved_, That slavery was the cause and now constitutes the strength
of the rebellion, and that as it must be always and everywhere hostile
to the principles of Republican Governments, justice and the national
safety demand its utter and complete extirpation from the soil of the
Republic, and that we uphold and maintain the acts and proclamations,
by which the Government, in its own defence, has aimed a death blow at
this gigantic evil. We are in favor, furthermore, of such an amendment
to the Constitution, to be made by the people in conformity with its
provisions, as shall terminate and forever prohibit the existence of
slavery within the limits of the jurisdiction of the United States.

_Resolved_, That the thanks of the American people are due to the
soldiers and sailors of the army and navy, who have periled their lives
in defence of their country, and in vindication of the honor of the
flag; that the nation owes them some permanent recognition of their
patriotism and their valor, and ample and permanent provision for those
of their survivors who have received disabling and honorable wounds
in the service of their country, and that the memories of those who
have fallen in its defense shall be held in grateful and everlasting
remembrance.

[Illustration: ABRAHAM LINCOLN.]

_Resolved_, That we approve and applaud the political wisdom, the
unselfish patriotism and unswerving fidelity to the Constitution
and the principles of American liberty with which Abraham Lincoln
has discharged, under circumstances of unparalleled difficulty, the
great duties and responsibilities of the Presidential office; that we
approve and endorse, as demanded by the emergency and essential to
the preservation of the nation, and as within the Constitution, the
measures and acts which he has adopted to defend the nation against its
open and secret foes; especially the Proclamation of Emancipation, and
the employment, as Union soldiers, of men heretofore held in slavery,
and that we have full confidence in his determination to carry these
and all other Constitutional measures, essential to the salvation of
the country, into full and complete effect.

_Resolved_, That we deem it essential to the general welfare, that
harmony should prevail in the national councils, and we regard as
worthy of public confidence and official trust those only who cordially
endorse the principle proclaimed in these resolutions, and which should
characterize the administration of the Government.

_Resolved_, That the Government owes to all men employed in its armies,
without distinction of color, the full protection of the laws of war,
and any violation of these laws and of the usages of civilized nations
in the time of war, by the rebels now in arms, should be made the
subject of full and prompt redress.

_Resolved_, That the foreign immigration, which in the past has added
so much to the wealth and development of resources and increase of
power to this nation, the asylum of the oppressed of all nations,
should be fostered and encouraged by a liberal and just policy.

_Resolved_, That we are in favor of the speedy construction of the
railroad to the Pacific.

_Resolved_, That the national faith is pledged for the redemption
of the public debt and must be kept inviolate; and that for this
purpose we recommend economy and rigid responsibilities in the public
expenditures, and a vigorous and just system of taxation; that it
is the duty of every loyal State to sustain the use of the national
currency.

_Resolved_, That we approve the position taken by the Government, that
the people of the United States can never regard with indifference the
attempt of European power to overthrow by force, or to supplant by
fraud, the institutions of any Republican government on the Western
Continent, and that they will view with extreme jealousy, as menacing
to the peace and independence of this our country, the efforts of
any such power to obtain new footholds for monarchical governments
sustained by a foreign military force in near proximity to the United
States.


FREMONT PLATFORM, ADOPTED AT CLEVELAND, MAY 31, 1864.

1. That the Federal Union must be preserved.

2. That the Constitution and laws of the United States must be observed
and obeyed.

3. That the rebellion must be suppressed by the force of arms, and
without compromise.

4. That the rights of Free Speech, Free Press, and the Habeas Corpus
must be held inviolate, save in districts where martial law has been
proclaimed.

5. That the rebellion has destroyed slavery, and the Federal
Constitution should be amended to prohibit its re-establishment.

6. That the right for asylum, except for crime, and subject to law,
is a recognized principle—a principle of American liberty; that any
violation of it must not be overlooked, and must not go unrebuked.

7. That the National policy known as the Monroe doctrine has become a
recognized principle, and that the establishment of an anti-republican
government on this continent by a foreign power can not be tolerated.

8. That the gratitude and support of the nation is due to the faithful
soldiers, and the earnest leaders of the Union army and navy, for their
heroic achievements and valor in defense of our imperiled country and
of civil liberty.

9. That the one term policy for the Presidency adopted by the people
is strengthened by the existing crisis, and shall be maintained by
constitutional amendments.

10. That the constitution shall be so amended that the President and
Vice-President shall be elected by a direct vote of the people.

11. That the reconstruction of the rebellious States belongs to the
people through their representatives in Congress, and not to the
Executive.

12. That the confiscation of the lands of the rebels and their
distribution among the soldiers and actual settlers is a measure of
justice; that integrity and economy are demanded at all times in the
measures of the government, and that now the want of this is criminal.




NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM OF 1864.


_Resolved_, That in the future, as in the past, we will adhere with
unswerving fidelity to the Union under the Constitution as the only
solid foundation of our strength, security and happiness as a people,
and as a framework of government equally conducive to the welfare and
prosperity of all the States, both Northern and Southern.

_Resolved_, That this Convention does explicitly declare, as the sense
of the American people, that after four years of failure to restore
the Union by the experiment of war, during which, under the pretense
of military necessity or war power higher than the Constitution, the
Constitution itself has been disregarded in every part, and public
liberty and private right alike trodden down, and the material
prosperity of the country essentially impaired, justice, humanity,
liberty and the public welfare demand that immediate efforts be made
for a cessation of hostilities with a view to an ultimate convention of
the States, or other peaceable means, to the end that at the earliest
practical moment peace may be restored on the basis of the Federal
Union of the States.

_Resolved_, That the direct interference of the military authorities of
the United States in the recent elections held in Kentucky, Maryland,
Missouri and Delaware was a shameful violation of the Constitution,
and a repetition of such acts in the approaching election will be held
as revolutionary, and resisted with all the means and power under our
control.

_Resolved_, That the aim and object of the Democratic party is to
preserve the Federal Union and the rights of the States unimpaired,
and they hereby declare that they consider that the administrative
usurpation of extraordinary and dangerous powers not granted by the
Constitution, the subversion of the civil by military law in States not
in insurrection, the arbitrary military arrest, imprisonment, trial and
sentence of American citizens in States where the civil law exists in
full force, the suppression of freedom of speech and of the press, the
denial of the right of asylum, the open and avowed disregard of State
rights, the employment of unusual test oaths, and the interference
with, and denial of the right of the people to bear arms in their
defense, is calculated to prevent a restoration of the Union and the
perpetuation of the Government deriving its just powers from the
consent of the governed.

_Resolved_, That the shameful disregard of the Administration to its
duty in respect to our fellow-citizens who now are, and long have
been, prisoners of war in a suffering condition, deserves the severest
reprobation on the score alike of public policy and common humanity.

_Resolved_, That the sympathy of the Democratic party is heartily and
earnestly extended to the soldiery of our army and sailors of our navy
who are and have been in the field and on the sea, under the flag of
their country, and in the event of its attaining power, they will
receive all the care, protection and regard that the brave soldiers and
sailors of the Republic have so nobly earned.




LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT,


Was born at Mount Pleasant, Clermont county, Ohio. It seems that the
only marked traits of character he exhibited in early boyhood were
energy, industry, will. His educational advantages, at this period,
were those of the common, country school—no more.

In the year 1839, at the age of seventeen, he entered the United
States Military Academy at West Point, from which he graduated on the
30th day of January, 1843. During his stay at this Institution he
manifested that untiring industry, close application and unconquerable
will which distinguished his boyhood, and which have constituted so
conspicuous an element of his military character. It appears, however,
that he was never regarded as a genius; and the grade he sustained
on the day of graduation—that of 21 in a class of about 42—would not
indicate extraordinary advancement in the studies assigned him. But it
was remarked by those who conducted him through his Academic course,
as it has been by those who have observed his military career, that
he never lost an inch of the ground gained at each successive step in
his progress. At his graduation it is said he possessed a “practical
knowledge of the use of the rifled musket, the field piece, mortar,
siege, and sea-coast guns, small sword and bayonet, as well as the
construction of field works, and the fabrication of all munitions and
_materiel_ of war.”

At the close of his Academic course, he entered the United States
regular army as a Brevet Second Lieutenant of infantry. At this time,
the United States being at peace with all nations, Grant was attached
as a Supernumerary Lieutenant to the fourth infantry, then stationed on
the frontier in Missouri and Missouri Territory, and engaged in keeping
down the Indian tribes that at that time were very troublesome to the
early settlers of that region. Here Grant had not been many months when
he was ordered, with his regiment, to join the army of General Taylor,
in Texas. Soon after this, Corpus Christi, an important port on the
Texan shore, was taken possession of by the American army as a base of
operations against the Mexicans, between whom and the United States
disputes respecting certain imaginary boundary lines were fast ripening
into a war; and it was here that Grant received his commission as full
Second Lieutenant of Infantry. This commission dated from the 30th day
of September, 1845. On the 8th day of May, 1846, he participated in the
battle of Palo Alto, and although not noticed in the official reports,
was spoken of by his comrades as having displayed great gallantry. He
was likewise engaged in the subsequent brilliant operations of General
Taylor along the banks of the Rio Grande. On the 23d of September,
1846, he took part, with great credit to himself, in the splendid
affair at Monterey. It is a noteworthy fact that, although Grant’s
conduct in every one of these engagements was highly meritorious, he
remained in the back ground, claiming no honors or promotions, but
quietly biding his time.

After the formal declaration of war by the United States, against
Mexico, he was transferred to the command of General Scott, and
subsequently (March 29, 1847,) participated in the siege of Vera Cruz.
Immediately after this affair, he was appointed the Quartermaster of
his regiment, which office he retained throughout the Mexican campaign.
He was, however, honored with the appointment, on the field, of First
Lieutenant, to date from the 8th of September, 1847, for gallant and
distinguished voluntary services rendered on that day in the famous
battle of Molino del Ray. Congress afterwards wished to confirm the
appointment as a mere brevet, but Grant refused to accept it under such
circumstances.

On the 13th of September, 1847, he was made Brevet Captain of the
regular army for gallant conduct in the battle of Chepultepec, which
battle occurred on the preceding day. On the 16th of November, 1847, he
was commissioned a First Lieutenant in the fourth regiment of regular
infantry, still retaining his brevet rank of Captain.

At the close of the Mexican war, Grant, upon the distribution of his
regiment in companies and sections among the various Northern frontier
defences, along the borders of the States of Michigan and New York,
took command of his company in one of these defences. His regiment
having been afterwards consolidated and ordered to the Department of
the Pacific, Grant, with his own and some other companies, was sent
into Oregon to Fort Dallas. He received his full promotion to Captain
of infantry, in August, 1853, and was, shortly afterwards, attached to
the Department of the West; but, not regarding military so favorable
to progress as civil life, he resigned his connection with the United
States army on the 31st day of July, 1854, after which he resided near
the city of St. Louis, Missouri, until the year 1859. Here he resided
on a small farm, occupying himself in winter by hauling wood to the
Carondelet market, and during the summer in the collection of debts,
for which latter business, it is said, he had little capacity.

In the year 1859, he embarked in the leather trade with his father,
the firm opening business in the city of Galena, Illinois. Grant
continued in the leather business, driving a prosperous trade, up to
the breaking out of the Rebellion in 1861, when he offered his services
to his country, upon the first call for volunteers, and was appointed
by Governor Yates as Commander-in-Chief of the Illinois forces and
mustering officer of Illinois volunteers. Desiring active service
in the field, he resigned his appointment as mustering officer, and
accepted the Colonelcy of the 21st regiment of Illinois volunteers,
with a commission dating from June 15, 1861. In August, 1861, Colonel
Grant was promoted to the rank of Brigadier General of volunteers, his
commission dating from May 17, 1861.

Shortly after this he was appointed commandant of the post at
Cairo—which post included the Missouri shore of the Mississippi river,
from Cape Girardeau to New Madrid, and the opposite shore, to the point
of land on which Cairo stands. This position Grant filled with great
ability, checkmating, by his adroit maneuvering, the efforts of the
rebels to occupy, permanently, southern Kentucky, and conducting those
successful expeditions against Forts Henry and Donelson, which opened
the way to the occupation of Western Tennessee.

On the 16th of February, 1862, the day after the surrender of Fort
Donelson, he was appointed Major-General of volunteers, and was placed
in command of an expedition up the Tennessee river against the rebels
in and about Corinth, under command of Johnston and Beauregard. This
expedition terminated in the great battle of Shiloh or Pittsburg
Landing—which battle, occupying two days, (April 6th and 7th, 1862,)
was one of the bloodiest of the war, and resulted in the defeat of the
rebels and their retreat upon Corinth.

For the immense slaughter which attended this battle, General Grant was
very severely censured by the people, generally, throughout the Western
States.

Soon after this, General Halleck having assumed command of the army
before Corinth, and that place having fallen into the hands of the
United States forces by evacuation, an important change took place in
the army, which resulted in the assignment of General Grant to the
District of West Tennessee, and the promotion of General Halleck to the
office of General-in-Chief. The former soon after formed the plan of
opening the Mississippi river to its mouth. Memphis having been given
up to our troops, the chief obstacle in the way of the prosecution of
the design were Vicksburg and Port Hudson.

After a series of expeditions and battles, land and naval, in which
the courage and fortitude of the Union troops were no less prominently
exhibited than the superior engineering powers and unyielding
stubbornness of General Grant, Vicksburg was reduced by siege, and was
occupied by Grant on the 4th of July, 1863; and directly after this
(July 8, 1863) followed the surrender of Port Hudson to General N. P.
Banks.

On the 16th of October, 1863, the Departments of the Ohio, of the
Cumberland, and of the Tennessee were formed into the Military
Division of the Mississippi, under the command of General Grant.
The General, however, was not long in this position until, the grade
of Lieutenant-General having been revived, he was promoted to that
office—which office gave him control of the entire forces of the
United States. This appointment was made in February, 1864, and was
immediately followed by the most active, thorough preparations for a
movement upon Richmond by the Army of the Potomac under the personal
command of General Grant, and an expedition against Atlanta under
command of General Sherman. After the battles of the Wilderness,
Spottsylvania Court House and the siege of Petersburg, Lee’s retreat
was cut off by the rapid movements which Grant instituted, and on the
9th of April, just one week after the last great battle, the army of
Northern Virginia capitulated. Soon after the rebel General Johnston
surrendered to General Sherman, on the same terms granted by Grant to
Lee, and the great civil war was ended. Grant was appointed Secretary
of War _ad interim_, August 12th, 1867, and filled the office with
distinction until January 14, 1868, at which time Secretary Stanton was
reinstated by Congress. On the 21st of May, 1868, he was unanimously
nominated for the Presidential chair by the Republican Convention,
which met at Chicago.




THE TENURE-OF-OFFICE BILL.

(PASSED MARCH 2, 1867.)


_Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled_, That every person
holding any civil office to which he has been appointed by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate, and every person who shall
hereafter be appointed to any such office, and shall become duly
qualified to act therein, is, and shall be entitled to hold such office
until a successor shall, in like manner, have been appointed and duly
qualified, except as herein otherwise provided: _Provided_, That the
Secretaries of State, of the Treasury, of War, of the Navy, and of the
Interior, the Postmaster-General, and the Attorney-General shall hold
their offices respectively for and during the term of the President
by whom they may have been appointed, and for one month thereafter,
subject to removal by and with the advice and consent of the Senate.

SEC. 2. That when any officer, appointed as aforesaid, excepting Judges
of the United States Courts, shall, during a recess of the Senate,
be shown, by evidence satisfactory to the President to be guilty
of misconduct in office, or crime, or for any reason shall become
incapable or legally disqualified to perform its duties, in such case,
and in no other, the President may suspend such officer and designate
some suitable person to perform temporarily the duties of such office
until the next meeting of the Senate, and until the case shall be acted
upon by the Senate, and such person so designated, shall take the oaths
and give the bonds required by law to be taken and given by the person
duly appointed to fill such office, and in such case it shall be the
duty of the President, within twenty days after the first day of such
next meeting of the Senate, to report to the Senate such suspension
with the evidence and reasons for his actions in the case, and the name
of the person so designated to perform the duties of such office. And
if the Senate shall concur in such suspension, and advise and consent
to the removal of such officer, they shall so certify to the President,
who may thereupon remove such officer, and by and with the advice and
consent of the Senate, appoint another person to such office. But if
the Senate shall refuse to concur in such suspension, such officer
so suspended shall forthwith resume the functions of his office, and
the powers of the person so performing its duties in his stead shall
cease, and the official salary and emoluments of such officer shall,
during such suspension, belong to the person so performing the duties
thereof, and not to the officer so suspended: _Provided, however_, That
the President in case he shall become satisfied that such suspension
was made on insufficient grounds shall be authorized at any time before
reporting such suspension to the Senate, as above provided, to revoke
such suspension and reinstate such officer in the performance of the
duties of his office.

SEC. 3. That the President shall have power to fill all vacancies
which may happen during the recess of the Senate by reason of death
or resignation, by granting commissions which shall expire at the end
of their next session thereafter. And if no appointment by and with
the advice and consent of the Senate shall be made to such office so
vacant or temporarily filled as aforesaid, during such next session of
the Senate, such office shall remain in abeyance without any salary,
fees, or emoluments attached thereto until the same shall be filled by
appointment thereto by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,
and during such time all the powers and duties belonging to such office
shall be exercised by such other officer as may by law exercise such
powers and duties in case of a vacancy in such office.

SEC. 4. That nothing in this act contained shall be construed to extend
the term of any office, the duration of which is limited by law.

SEC. 5. That if any person shall, contrary to the provisions of this
act, accept any appointment to, or employment in, any office, or shall
hold or exercise, or attempt to hold or exercise any such office or
employment, he shall be deemed, and is hereby declared to be guilty of
a high misdemeanor, and upon trial and conviction thereof, he shall be
punished therefor by a fine not exceeding ten thousand dollars, or by
imprisonment not exceeding five years, or both said punishments, in the
discretion of the court.

SEC. 6. That every removal, appointment, or employment made, had, or
exercised contrary to the provisions of this act, and the making,
signing, sealing, countersigning, or issuing of any commission or
letter of authority for or in respect to any such appointment or
employment, shall be deemed and are hereby declared to be high
misdemeanors, and upon trial and conviction thereof, every person
guilty thereof shall be punished by a fine not exceeding ten
thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding five years, or
both said punishments in the discretion of the court: _Provided_,
That the President shall have power to make out and deliver after
the adjournment of the Senate, commissions for all officers whose
appointments shall have been advised and consented to by the Senate.

SEC. 7. That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Senate, at
the close of each session thereof, to deliver to the Secretary of the
Treasury, and to each of his assistants, and to each of the auditors,
and to each of the comptrollers in the treasury, and to the treasurer
and to the register of the treasury, a full and complete list, duly
certified, of all the persons who shall have been nominated to and
rejected by the Senate during such session, and a like list of all the
offices to which nominations shall have been made and not confirmed and
filled at such session.

SEC. 8. That whenever the President shall, without the advice and
consent of the Senate, designate, authorize, or employ any person
to perform the duties of any office, he shall forthwith notify the
Secretary of the Treasury thereof, and it shall be the duty of the
Secretary of the Treasury thereupon to communicate such notice to all
the proper accounting and disbursing officers of his department.

SEC. 9. That no money shall be paid or received from the Treasury, or
paid or received from or retained out of any public moneys or funds of
the United States, whether in the Treasury or not to or by or for the
benefit of any person appointed to or authorized to act in or holding
or exercising the duties or functions of any office contrary to the
provisions of this act, nor shall any claim, account, voucher, order,
certificate, warrant, or other instrument providing for or relating to
such payment, receipt, or retention, be presented, passed, allowed,
approved, certified, or paid by any officer of the United States or by
any person exercising the functions or performing the duties of any
office or place of trust under the United States for or in respect to
such office or the exercising or performing the functions or duties
thereof; and every person who shall violate any of the provisions of
this section, shall be guilty of a high misdemeanor, and upon trial and
conviction thereof, shall be punished therefor by a fine not exceeding
ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment not exceeding ten years, or
both said punishments in the discretion of the court.




IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON.


The events which led to the impeachment of President Johnson, may be
briefly stated as follows: On the 21st of February, 1868, the President
issued an order to Mr. Stanton, removing him from office as Secretary
of War, and another to General Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant-General of
the Army, appointing him Secretary of War _ad interim_, directing the
one to surrender and the other to receive, all the books, papers, and
public property belonging to the War Department. As these orders fill
an important place in the history of the impeachment, we give them
here. The order to Mr. Stanton reads:

“By virtue of the power and authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and laws of the United States, you are hereby removed from
office as Secretary for the Department of War, and your functions as
such will terminate upon the receipt of this communication. You will
transfer to Brevet Major-General Lorenzo Thomas, Adjutant-General of
the Army, who has this day been authorized and empowered to act as
Secretary of War _ad interim_, all records, books, papers, and other
public property now in your custody and charge.”

The order to General Thomas reads:

“The Hon. Edwin M. Stanton having been this day removed from office
as Secretary for the Department of War, you are hereby authorized and
empowered to act as Secretary of War _ad interim_, and will immediately
enter upon the discharge of the duties pertaining to that office. Mr.
Stanton has been instructed to transfer to you all the records, books,
and other public property now in his custody and charge.”

These orders having been officially communicated to the Senate, that
body, after an earnest debate, passed the following resolution:

“_Resolved by the Senate of the United States_, That under the
Constitution and laws of the United States the President has no power
to remove the Secretary of War and designate any other officer to
perform the duties of that office.”

[Illustration: ANDREW JOHNSON.]

The President, upon the 24th, sent a message to the Senate, arguing
at length that not only under the Constitution, but also under the
laws as now existing, he had the right of removing Mr. Stanton and
appointing another to fill his place. The point of his argument is:
That by a special proviso in the Tenure-of-Office Bill the various
Secretaries of Departments “shall hold their offices respectively
for and during the term of the President by whom they may have been
appointed, and for one month thereafter, subject to removal by and with
the advice of the Senate.” The President affirms that Mr. Stanton was
appointed not by him, but by his predecessor, Mr. Lincoln, and held
office only by the sufferance, not the appointment, of the present
Executive; and that therefore his tenure is, by the express reading of
the law excepted from the general provision, that every person duly
appointed to office “by and with the advice and consent of the Senate,”
etc., shall be “entitled to hold office until a successor shall have
been in like manner appointed and duly qualified, except as herein
otherwise provided.” The essential point of the President’s argument,
therefore, is that, as Mr. Stanton was not appointed by him, he had,
under the Tenure-of-Office Bill, the right at any time to remove him;
the same right which his own successor would have, no matter whether
the incumbent had, by sufferance, not by appointment of the existing
Executive, held the office for weeks or even years. “If,” says the
President, “my successor would have the power to remove Mr. Stanton,
after permitting him to remain a period of two weeks, because he was
not appointed by him, I who have tolerated Mr. Stanton for more than
two years, certainly have the same right to remove him, and upon
the same ground, namely, that he was not appointed by me but by my
predecessor.”

In the meantime General Thomas presented himself at the War Department
and demanded to be placed in the position to which he had been assigned
by the President. Mr. Stanton refused to surrender his post, and
ordered General Thomas to proceed to the apartment which belonged to
him as Adjutant-General. This order was not obeyed, and so the two
claimants to the Secretaryship of War held their ground. A sort of
legal by-play then ensued. Mr. Stanton entered a formal complaint
before Judge Carter, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the District
of Columbia, charging that General Thomas had illegally exercised
and attempted to exercise the duties of Secretary of War; and had
threatened to “forcibly remove the complainant from the buildings and
apartments of the Secretary of War in the War Department, and forcibly
take possession and control thereof under his pretended appointment by
the President of the United States as Secretary of War _ad interim_;”
and praying that he might be arrested and held to answer this charge.
General Thomas was accordingly arrested, and held to bail in the sum
of $15,000 to appear before the court on the 24th. Appearing on that
day he was discharged from custody and bail; whereupon he entered an
action against Mr. Stanton for false imprisonment, laying his damages
at $150,000.

On the 22d of February the House Committee on Reconstruction, through
its Chairman, Mr. Stevens, presented a brief report, merely stating
the fact of the attempted removal by the President of Mr. Stanton, and
closing as follows:

“Upon the evidence collected by the Committee, which is hereafter
presented, and in virtue of the powers with which they have been
invested by the House, they are of the opinion that Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States, should be impeached of high crimes and
misdemeanors. They, therefore, recommend to the House the adoption of
the following resolution:

“_Resolved_, That Andrew Johnson, President of the United States be
impeached of high crimes and misdemeanors.”

After earnest debate, the question on the resolution was adopted, on
the 24th, by a vote of 126 to 47. A committee of two members—Stevens
and Bingham—were to notify the Senate of the action of the House; and
another committee of seven—Boutwell, Stevens, Bingham, Wilson, Logan,
Julian, and Ward—to prepare the articles of impeachment. On the 25th
(February) Mr. Stevens thus announced to the Senate the action which
had been taken by the House:

“In obedience to the order of the House of Representatives we have
appeared before you, and in the name of the House of Representatives
and of all the people of the United States, we do impeach Andrew
Johnson, President of the United States, of high crimes and
misdemeanors in office. And we further inform the Senate that the House
of Representatives will in due time exhibit particular articles of
impeachment against him, to make good the same; and in their name we
demand that the Senate take due order for the appearance of the said
Andrew Johnson to answer to the said impeachment.”

The Senate thereupon, by a unanimous vote, resolved that this message
from the House should be referred to a select Committee of Seven, to be
appointed by the chair, to consider the same and report thereon. This
Committee subsequently made a report laying down the rules of procedure
to be observed on the trial.

On the 29th of February the Committee of the House appointed for that
purpose presented the articles of impeachment which they had drawn up.
These, with slight modification, were accepted on the 2d of March. They
comprise nine articles, eight of which are based upon the action of the
President in ordering the removal of Mr. Stanton, and the appointment
of General Thomas as Secretary of War. The general title to the
impeachment is:

“Articles exhibited by the House of Representatives of the United
States, in the name of themselves and all the people of the United
States, against Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, as
maintenance and support of their impeachment against him for high
crimes and misdemeanors in office.”

Each of the articles commences with a preamble to the effect that the
President, “unmindful of the high duties of his office, of his oath
of office, and of the requirements of the Constitution that he should
take care that the laws be faithfully executed, did unlawfully and in
violation of the laws and Constitution of the United States, perform
the several acts specified in the articles respectively;” closing
with the declaration: “Whereby the said Andrew Johnson, President of
the United States, did then and there commit and was guilty of a high
misdemeanor in office.” The phraseology is somewhat varied. In some
cases the offense charged is designated as a “misdemeanor,” in others
as a “crime.” The whole closes thus:

“And the House of Representatives, by protestation, saving to
themselves the liberty of exhibiting at any time hereafter any further
articles or other accusation or impeachment against the said Andrew
Johnson, President of the United States, and also of replying to his
answers which he shall make to the articles herein preferred against
him, and of offering proof to the same and every part thereof, and to
all and every other article, accusation, or impeachment which shall be
exhibited by them as the case shall require, do demand that the said
Andrew Johnson may be put to answer the high crimes and misdemeanors
in office herein charged against him, and that such proceedings,
examinations, trials, and judgments may be thereupon had and given as
may be agreeable to law and justice.”

The following is a summary in brief of the points in the articles of
impeachment, legal and technical phraseology being omitted:

_Article 1._ Unlawfully ordering the removal of Mr. Stanton
as Secretary of War, in violation of the provisions of the
Tenure-of-Office Act.—_Article 2._ Unlawfully appointing General
Lorenzo Thomas as Secretary of War _ad interim_.—_Article 3_ is
substantially the same as Article 2, with the addition that there was
at the time of the appointment of General Thomas no vacancy in the
office of Secretary of War.—_Article 4_ charges the President with
“conspiring with one Lorenzo Thomas and other persons, to the House
of Representatives unknown,” to prevent, by intimidation and threats,
Mr. Stanton, the legally-appointed Secretary of War, from holding that
office.—_Article 5_ charges the President with conspiring with General
Thomas and others to hinder the execution of the Tenure-of-Office
Act; and, in pursuance of this conspiracy, attempting to prevent Mr.
Stanton from acting as Secretary of War.—_Article 6_ charges that the
President conspired with General Thomas and others to take forcible
possession of the property in the War Department.—_Article 7_ repeats
the charge, in other terms, that the President conspired with General
Thomas and others to hinder the execution of the Tenure-of-Office Act,
and to prevent Mr. Stanton from executing the office of Secretary of
War.—_Article 8_ again charges the President with conspiring with
General Thomas and others to take possession of the property in the War
Department.—_Article 9_ charges that the President called before him
General Emory, who was in command of the forces in the Department of
Washington, and declared to him that a law, passed on the 30th of June,
1867, directing that “all orders and instructions relating to military
operations, issued by the President or Secretary of War, shall be
issued through the General of the Army, and, in case of his inability,
through the next in rank,” was unconstitutional, and not binding upon
General Emory; the intent being to induce General Emory to violate the
law, and to obey orders issued directly from the President.

The foregoing articles of impeachment were adopted on the 2d of March,
the votes upon each slightly varying, the average being 125 ayes to
40 nays. The question then came up of appointment of managers on the
part of the House to conduct the impeachment before the Senate. Upon
this question the Democratic members did not vote; 118 votes were cast,
60 being necessary to a choice. The following was the result, the
number of votes cast for each elected manager being given: Stevens, of
Penn., 105; Butler, of Mass., 108; Bingham, of Ohio, 114; Boutwell,
of Mass., 113; Wilson, of Iowa, 112; Williams, of Penn., 107; Logan,
of Ill., 106. The foregoing seven Representatives were, therefore,
duly chosen as Managers of the Bill of Impeachment. The great body of
the Democratic members of the House entered a formal protest against
the whole course of proceedings involved in the impeachment of the
President. They claimed to represent “directly or in principle more
than one-half of the people of the United States.” This protest was
signed by forty-five Representatives.

On the 3d the Board of Managers presented two additional articles of
impeachment, which were adopted by the House. The first charges, in
substance, that

“The President, unmindful of the high duties of his office and of
the harmony and courtesies which ought to be maintained between the
executive and legislative branches of the Government of the United
States, designing to set aside the rightful authority and powers of
Congress, did attempt to bring into disgrace the Congress of the United
States and the several branches thereof, to impair and destroy the
regard and respect of all the good people of the United States for the
Congress and legislative power thereof, and to excite the odium and
resentment of all the good people of the United States against Congress
and the laws by it enacted; and in pursuance of his said design openly
and publicly, and before divers assemblages convened in divers parts
thereof to meet and receive said Andrew Johnson as the Chief Magistrate
of the United States, did on the 18th day of August, in the year of
our Lord 1866, and on divers other days and times, as well before as
afterward, make and deliver with a loud voice certain intemperate,
inflammatory, and scandalous harangues, and did therein utter loud
threats and bitter menaces as well against Congress as the laws of the
United States duly enacted thereby.”

To this article are appended copious extracts from speeches of Mr.
Johnson. The second article is substantially as follows:

[Illustration: GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT.]

“The President did, on the 18th day of August, 1866, at the City of
Washington, by public speech, declare and affirm in substance that the
Thirty-ninth Congress of the United States was not a Congress of the
United States, authorized by the Constitution to exercise legislative
power under the same, but, on the contrary, was a Congress of only
a part of the States, thereby denying and intending to deny that
the legislation of said Congress was valid or obligatory upon him,
except in so far as he saw fit to approve the same, and did devise
and contrive means by which he might prevent Edwin M. Stanton from
forthwith resuming the functions of the office of Secretary for the
Department of War; and, also, by further unlawfully devising and
contriving means to prevent the execution of an act entitled ’An act
making appropriations for the support of the army for the fiscal year
ending June 30, 1868, and for other purposes,’ approved March 2, 1867;
and also to prevent the execution of an act entitled ‘An act to provide
for the more efficient government of the rebel States,’ passed March 2,
1867, did commit and was guilty of a high misdemeanor in office.”

On the 4th of March the Senate notified the House that they were ready
to receive the Managers of the Impeachment. They appeared, and the
articles were formally read. The Senate had meanwhile adopted the rules
of procedure. Chief Justice Chase sent a communication to the Senate
to the effect that this body, when acting upon an impeachment, was
a Court presided over by the Chief Justice, and that all orders and
rules should be framed by the Court. On the 5th the Court was formally
organized. An exception was taken to the eligibility of Mr. Wade as
a member of the Court, on the ground that he was a party interested,
since, in the event of the impeachment being sustained, he, as
President of the Senate, would become Acting President of the United
States. This objection was withdrawn, and Mr. Wade was sworn as a
member of the Court. On the 7th the summons for the President to appear
was formally served upon him. On the 13th the Court was again formally
reopened. The President appeared by his counsel, Hon. Henry Stanbery,
of Ohio; Hon. Wm. M. Evarts, of New York; Hon. Wm. S. Groesbeck, of
Ohio; Hon. Benjamin R. Curtis, of Massachusetts; Hon. Thomas A. R.
Nelson, of Tennessee, who asked for forty days to prepare an answer
to the indictment. This was refused, and ten days granted; it being
ordered that the proceedings should reopen on the 23d. Upon that day
the President appeared by his counsel, and presented his answer to the
articles of impeachment. This reply was in substance as follows:

The first eight articles in the Bill of Impeachment, as briefly summed
up in our last record, are based upon the action of the President in
ordering the removal of Mr. Stanton, and the temporary appointment
of General Thomas as Secretary of War. The gist of them is contained
in the first article, charging the unlawful removal of Mr. Stanton;
for, this failing, the others would fail also. To this article a
considerable part of the President’s answer is devoted. It is mainly
an amplification of the points put forth in the Message of February
24th, in which he gave his reasons for his orders. The President
cites the laws by which this department of the administration was
created, and the rules laid down for the duties pertaining to it;
prominent among which are: that the Secretary shall “conduct the
business of the department in such manner as the President of the
United States shall from time to time order and instruct;” and that
he should “hold the office during the pleasure of the President;”
and that Congress had no legal right to deprive the President of the
power to remove the Secretary. He was, however, aware that the design
of the Tenure-of-Office Bill was to vest this power of removal, in
certain cases, jointly in the Executive and the Senate; and that,
while believing this act to be unconstitutional, yet it having been
passed over his veto by the requisite majority of two-thirds, he
considered it to be his duty to ascertain in how far the case of Mr.
Stanton came within the provisions of this law; after consideration,
he came to the conclusion that the case did not come within the
prohibitions of the law, and that, by that law he still had the right
of removing Mr. Stanton; but that, wishing to have the case decided by
the Supreme Court, he, on the 12th of August, issued the order merely
suspending, not removing, Mr. Stanton, a power expressly granted by
the Tenure-of-Office Act, and appointed General Grant Secretary of
War _ad interim_. The President then recites the subsequent action in
the case of Mr. Stanton; and, as he avers, still believing that he
had the constitutional power to remove him from office, issued the
order of February 21st, for such removal, designing to thus bring the
matter before the Supreme Court. He then proceeds formally to deny that
at this time Mr. Stanton was in lawful possession of the office of
Secretary of War; and that, consequently, the order for his removal was
in violation of the Tenure-of-Office Act; and that it was in violation
of the Constitution or of any law; or that it constituted any official
crime or misdemeanor.

In regard to the seven succeeding articles of impeachment the
President, while admitting the facts of the order appointing General
Thomas as Secretary of War _ad interim_, denies all and every of the
criminal charges therein set forth. So of the ninth article, charging
an effort to induce General Emory to violate the law, the President
denies all such intent, and calls attention to the fact that while,
for urgent reasons, he signed the bill prescribing that orders to the
army should be issued only through the General, he at the same time
declared it to be, in his judgment, unconstitutional; and affirms that
in his interview with General Emory he said no more than he had before
officially said to Congress—that is, that the law was unconstitutional.

As to the tenth article, the first of the supplementary ones, the
President, while admitting that he made certain public speeches at the
times and places specified, does not admit that the passages cited are
fair reports of his remarks; denies that he has ever been unmindful of
the courtesies which ought to be maintained between the executive and
legislative departments; but he claims the perfect right at all times
to express his views as to all public matters.

The reply to the eleventh article, the second supplementary one, is
to the same general purport, denying that he ever affirmed that the
Thirty-ninth Congress was not a valid Congress of the United States,
and its acts obligatory only as they were approved by him; and denying
that he had, as charged in the article, contrived unlawful means for
preventing Mr. Stanton from resuming the functions of Secretary of
War, or for preventing the execution of the act making appropriations
for the support of the army, or that to provide for the more efficient
government of the rebel States. In his answer to this article the
President refers to his reply to the first article, in which he sets
forth at length all the steps, and the reasons therefor, relating to
the removal of Mr. Stanton. In brief, the answer of the President to
the articles of impeachment is a general denial of each and every
criminal act charged in the articles of impeachment.

The counsel for the President then asked for a delay of thirty days
after the replication of the managers of the impeachment should
have been rendered, before the trial should formally proceed. This
was refused, and the managers of the impeachment stated that their
replication would be presented the next day: it was that,

“The Senate will commence the trial of the President upon the articles
of impeachment exhibited against him on Monday, the 30th day of March,
and proceed therein with all dispatch under the rules of the Senate,
sitting upon the trial of an impeachment.”

The replication of the House of Representatives was a simple denial of
each and every averment in the answer of the President, closing thus:

“The House of Representatives ... do say that the said Andrew Johnson,
President of the United States, is guilty of the high crimes and
misdemeanors mentioned in the said articles, and that the said House of
Representatives are ready to prove the same.”

The trial began, as appointed, on March 30. There being twenty-seven
States represented, there were fifty-four Senators, who constituted
the Court, presided over by Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase, of
Ohio. SENATORS: _California_, Cole, Conness; _Connecticut_, Dixon,
Ferry; _Delaware_, Bayard, Saulsbury; _Indiana_, Hendricks, Morton;
_Illinois_, Trumbull, Yates; _Iowa_, Grimes, Harlan; _Kansas_, Pomeroy,
Ross; _Kentucky_, Davis, McCreery; _Maine_, Fessenden, Morrill (Lot
M.); _Maryland_, Johnson, Vickers; _Massachusetts_, Sumner, Wilson;
_Michigan_, Chandler, Howard; _Minnesota_, Norton, Ramsay; _Missouri_,
Drake, Henderson; _Nebraska_, Thayer, Tipton; _Nevada_, Nye, Stewart;
_New Hampshire_, Cragin, Patterson (J. W.); _New Jersey_, Cattell,
Frelinghuysen; _New York_, Conklin, Morgan; _Ohio_, Sherman, Wade;
_Oregon_, Corbett, Williams; _Pennsylvania_, Buckalew, Cameron; _Rhode
Island_, Anthony, Sprague; _Tennessee_, Fowler, Patterson (David);
_Vermont_, Edmunds, Morrill (J. S.); _West Virginia_, Van Winkle,
Willey; _Wisconsin_, Doolittle, Howe.

_Managers for the Prosecution_: Messrs. Bingham, Boutwell, Butler,
Logan, Stevens, Williams, Wilson.

_Counsel for the President_: Messrs. Curtis, Evarts, Groesbeck, Nelson,
Stanbery.

The following was the order of procedure: The Senate convened at 11 or
12 o’clock, and was called to order by the president of that body, who,
after prayer, would leave the chair, which was immediately assumed by
the Chief Justice, who wore his official robes. The prosecution was
mainly conducted by Mr. Butler, who examined the witnesses, and, in
conjunction with the others, argued the points of law which came up.
The defense, during the early part of the trial, was mainly conducted
by Mr. Stanbery, who had resigned the office of Attorney-General for
this purpose, but, being taken suddenly ill, Mr. Evarts took his place.
According to the rule at first adopted, the trial was to be opened by
one counsel on each side, and summed up by two on each side; but this
rule was subsequently modified so as to allow as many of the managers
and counsel as chose to sum up, either orally or by filing written
arguments.


THE PROSECUTION.

The whole of the first day (March 30) was occupied by the opening
speech of Mr. Butler. After touching upon the importance of the case,
and the wisdom of the framers of the Constitution in providing for its
possible occurrence, he laid down the following proposition, supporting
it by a copious array of authorities and precedents:

“We define, therefore, an impeachable high crime or misdemeanor to be
one, in its nature or consequences, subversive of some fundamental or
essential principle of government, or highly prejudicial to the public
interest, and this may consist of a violation of the Constitution, of
law, of an official oath, or of duty, by an act committed or omitted,
or, without violating a positive law, by the abuse of discretionary
powers from improper motives, or for any improper purpose.”

He then proceeded to discuss the nature and functions of the tribunal
before which the trial is held. He asked: “Is this proceeding a trial,
as that term is understood, so far as relates to the rights and
duties of a court and jury upon an indictment for crime? Is it not
rather more in the nature of an inquest?” The Constitution, he urged,
“seems to have determined it to be the latter, because, under its
provisions, the right to retain and hold office is the only subject
to be finally adjudicated; all preliminary inquiry being carried on
solely to determine that question, and that alone.” He then proceeded
to argue that this body now sitting to determine the accusation, is
the Senate of the United States, and not a court. This question is of
consequence, he argued, because, in the latter case, it would be bound
by the rules and precedents of common law statutes; the members of the
court would be liable to challenge on many grounds; and the accused
might claim that he could only be convicted when the evidence makes the
fact clear beyond reasonable doubt, instead of by a preponderance of
the evidence. The fact that in this case the Chief Justice presides,
it was argued, does not constitute the Senate thus acting a court; for
in all cases of impeachment, save that of the President, its regular
presiding officer presides. Moreover, the procedures have no analogy
to those of an ordinary court of justice. The accused merely receives
a notice of the case pending against him. He is not required to appear
personally, and the case will go on without his presence. Mr. Butler
thus summed up his position in this regard:

“A constitutional tribunal solely, you are bound by no law, either
statute or common, which may limit your constitutional prerogative. You
consult no precedents save those of the law and custom of parliamentary
bodies. You are a law unto yourselves, bound only by the natural
principles of equity and justice, and that _salus populi suprema est
lex_.”

Mr. Butler then proceeded to consider the articles of impeachment. The
first eight, he says, “set out, in several distinct forms, the acts of
the President in removing Mr. Stanton and appointing General Thomas,
differing, in legal effect, in the purposes for which, and the intent
with which, either or both of the acts were done, and the legal duties
and rights infringed, and the Acts of Congress violated in so doing.”
In respect to all of these articles, Mr. Butler says, referring to his
former definition of what constituted an impeachable high crime:

“All the articles allege these acts to be in contravention of his oath
of office, and in disregard of the duties thereof. If they are so,
however, the President might have the power to do them under the law.
Still, being so done, they are acts of official misconduct, and, as we
have seen, impeachable. The President has the legal power to do many
acts which, if done in disregard of his duty, or for improper purposes,
then the exercise of that power is an official misdemeanor. For
example, he has the power of pardon; if exercised, in a given case, for
a corrupt motive, as for the payment of money, or wantonly pardoning
all criminals, it would be a misdemeanor.”

Mr. Butler affirmed that every fact charged in the first article,
and substantially in the seven following, is admitted in the reply
of the President; and also that the general intent to set aside the
Tenure-of-Office Act is therein admitted and justified. He then
proceeded to discuss the whole question of the power of the President
for removals from office, and especially his claim that this power was
imposed upon the President by the Constitution, and that it could not
be taken from him, or be vested jointly in him and the Senate, partly
or in whole. This, Mr. Butler affirmed, was the real question at issue
before the Senate and the American people. He said:

“Has the President, under the Constitution, the more than royal
prerogative at will to remove from office, or to suspend from office,
all executive officers of the United States, either civil, military
or naval, and to fill the vacancies, without any restraint whatever,
or possibility of restraint, by the Senate or by Congress, through
laws duly enacted? The House of Representatives, in behalf of the
people, join issue by affirming that the exercise of such powers
is a high misdemeanor in office. If the affirmative is maintained
by the respondent, then, so far as the first eight articles are
concerned—unless such corrupt purposes are shown as will of themselves
make the exercise of a legal power a crime—the respondent must go, and
ought to go, quit and free.”

This point as to the legal right of the President to make removals
from office, which constitutes the real burden of the articles of
impeachment, was argued at length. Mr. Butler assumed that the Senate,
by whom, in conjunction with the House, the Tenure-of-Office Act had
been passed over the veto of the President, would maintain the law to
be constitutional. The turning point was whether the special case of
the removal of Mr. Stanton came within the provisions of this law. This
rested upon the proviso of that law, that—

“The Secretaries shall hold their office during the term of the
President by whom they may have been appointed, and for one month
thereafter, subject to removal by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate.”

The extended argument upon this point, made by Mr. Butler, was to the
effect that Mr. Stanton having been appointed by Mr. Lincoln, whose
term of office reached to the 4th of March, 1869, that of Mr. Stanton
existed until a month later, unless he was previously removed by
the concurrent action of the President and Senate. The point of the
argument is, that Mr. Johnson is merely serving out the balance of
the term of Mr. Lincoln, cut short by his assassination, so that the
Cabinet officers appointed by Mr. Lincoln held their places, by this
very proviso, during that term and for a month thereafter; for, he
argued, if Mr. Johnson was not merely serving out the balance of Mr.
Lincoln’s term, then he is entitled to the office of President for four
full years, that being the period for which a President is elected. If,
continues the argument, Mr. Stanton’s commission was vacated by the
Tenure-of-Office Act, it ceased on the 4th of April, 1865; or, if the
act had no retroactive effect, still, if Mr. Stanton held office merely
under his commission from Mr. Lincoln, then his functions would have
ceased upon the passage of the bill, March 2, 1867; and, consequently,
Mr. Johnson, in “employing” him after that date as Secretary of War,
was guilty of a high misdemeanor, which would give ground for a new
article of impeachment.

After justifying the course of Mr. Stanton in holding on to the
secretaryship in opposition to the wish of the President, on the
ground that “to desert it now would be to imitate the treachery of
his accidental chief,” Mr. Butler proceeded to discuss the reasons
assigned by the President in his answer to the articles of impeachment
for the attempt to remove Mr. Stanton. These, in substance, were, that
the President believed the Tenure-of-Office Act was unconstitutional,
and, therefore, void and of no effect, and that he had the right to
remove him and appoint another person in his place. Mr. Butler urged
that, in all of these proceedings, the President professed to act
upon the assumption that the act was valid, and that his action was
in accordance with its provisions. He then went on to charge that the
appointment of General Thomas as Secretary of War _ad interim_, was
a separate violation of law. By the act of February 20, 1863, which
repealed all previous laws inconsistent with it, the President was
authorized, in case of the “death, resignation, absence from the seat
of Government, or sickness of the head of an executive department,”
or in any other case where these officers could not perform their
respective duties, to appoint the head of any other executive
department to fulfill the duties of the office “until a successor be
appointed, or until such absence or disability shall cease.” Now,
urged Mr. Butler, at the time of the appointment of General Thomas
as Secretary of War _ad interim_, Mr. Stanton “had neither died nor
resigned, was not sick nor absent,” and, consequently, General Thomas,
not being the head of a department, but only of a bureau of one of
them, was not eligible to this appointment, and that, therefore, his
appointment was illegal and void.

The ninth article of impeachment, wherein the President is charged
with endeavoring to induce General Emory to take orders directly from
himself, is dealt with in a rather slight manner. Mr. Butler says, “If
the transaction set forth in this article stood alone, we might well
admit that doubts might arise as to the sufficiency of the proof;” but,
he adds, the surroundings are so pointed and significant as to leave no
doubt in the mind of an impartial man as to the intents and purposes of
the President—these intents being, according to Mr. Butler, “to induce
General Emory to take orders directly from himself, and thus to hinder
the execution of the Civil Tenure Act, and to prevent Mr. Stanton from
holding his office of Secretary of War.”

As to the tenth article of impeachment, based upon various speeches of
the President, Mr. Butler undertook to show that the reports of these
speeches, as given in the article, were substantially correct; and
accepted the issue made thereupon as to whether they are “decent and
becoming the President of the United States, and do not tend to bring
the office into ridicule and disgrace.”

After having commented upon the eleventh and closing article, which
charges the President with having denied the authority of the
Thirty-ninth Congress, except so far as its acts were approved by him,
Mr. Butler summed up the purport of the articles of impeachment in
these words:

“The acts set out in the first eight articles are but the culmination
of a series of wrongs, malfeasances, and usurpations committed by the
respondent, and, therefore, need to be examined in the light of his
precedent and concomitant acts to grasp their scope and design. The
last three articles presented show the perversity and malignity with
which he acted, so that the man as he is known may be clearly spread
upon record, to be seen and known of all men hereafter.... We have
presented the facts in the constitutional manner; we have brought the
criminal to your bar, and demand judgment for his so great crimes.”

The remainder of Monday, and a portion of the following day, were
devoted to the presentation of documentary evidence as to the
proceedings involved in the order for the removal of Mr. Stanton and
the appointment of General Thomas. The prosecution then introduced
witnesses to testify to the interviews between Mr. Stanton and General
Thomas. They then brought forward a witness to show that General Thomas
had avowed his determination to take forcible possession of the War
Office. To this Mr. Stanbery, for the defense, objected. The Chief
Justice decided the testimony to be admissible. Thereupon Senator
Drake took exception to the ruling, on the ground that this question
should be decided by the Senate—not by the presiding officer. The Chief
Justice averred that, in his judgment, it was his duty to decide,
in the first instance, upon any question of evidence, and then, if
any Senator desired, to submit the decision to the Senate. Upon this
objection and appeal arose the first conflict in the Senate as to
the powers of its presiding officer. Mr. Butler argued at length in
favor of the exception. Although, in this case, the decision was in
favor of the prosecution, he objected to the power of the presiding
officer to make it. This point was argued at length by the managers
for the impeachment, who denied the right of the Chief Justice to make
such decision. It was then moved that the Senate retire for private
consultation on this point. There was a tie vote—25 ayes and 25
nays. The Chief Justice gave his casting vote in favor of the motion
for consultation. The Senate, by a vote of 31 to 19, sustained the
Chief Justice, deciding that “the presiding officer may rule on all
questions of evidence and on incidental questions, which decision
will stand as the judgment of the Senate for decision, or he may, at
his option in the first instance, submit any such question to a vote
of the members of the Senate.” In the further progress of the trial
the Chief Justice, in most important cases, submitted the question
directly to the Senate, without himself giving any decision. Next
morning (April 1) Mr. Sumner offered a resolution to the effect that
the Chief Justice, in giving a casting vote, “acted without authority
of the Constitution of the United States.” This was negatived by
a vote of 27 to 21, thus deciding that the presiding officer had the
right to give a casting vote. The witness (Mr. Burleigh, delegate from
Dakotah), who had been called to prove declarations of General Thomas,
was then asked whether, at an interview between them, General Thomas
had said any thing as “to the means by which he intended to obtain,
or was directed by the President to obtain, possession of the War
Department.” To this question Mr. Stanbery objected, on the ground that
any statements made by General Thomas could not be used as evidence
against the President. Messrs. Butler and Bingham argued that the
testimony was admissible, on the ground that there was, as charged, a
conspiracy between the President and General Thomas, and that the acts
of one conspirator were binding upon the other; and, also, that in
these acts General Thomas was the agent of the President. The Senate,
by 39 to 11, decided that the question was admissible. Mr. Burleigh
thereupon testified substantially that General Thomas informed him
that he had been directed by the President to take possession of the
War Department; that he was bound to obey his superior officer; that,
if Mr. Stanton objected, he should use force, and if he bolted the
doors they would be broken down. The witness was then asked whether
he had heard General Thomas make any statement to the clerks of the
War Office, to the effect that, when he came into control, he would
relax or rescind the rules of Mr. Stanton. To this question objection
was made by the counsel of the President on the ground of irrelevancy.
The Chief Justice was of opinion that the question was not admissible,
but, if any Senator demanded, he would submit to the Senate whether it
should be asked. The demand having been made, the Senate, by a vote
of 28 to 22, allowed the question to be put, whereupon Mr. Burleigh
testified that General Thomas, in his presence, called before him the
heads of the divisions, and told them that the rules laid down by Mr.
Stanton were arbitrary, and that he should relax them—that he should
not hold them strictly to their letters of instruction, but should
consider them as gentlemen who would do their duty—that they could come
in or go out when they chose. Mr. Burleigh further testified that,
subsequently, General Thomas had said to him that the only thing which
prevented him from taking possession of the War Department was his
arrest by the United States marshal. Other witnesses were called to
prove the declarations of General Thomas. Mr. Wilkeson testified that
General Thomas said to him that he should demand possession of the War
Department, and, in case Mr. Stanton should refuse to give it up, he
should call upon General Grant for a sufficient force to enable him
to do so, and he did not see how this could be refused. Mr. Karsener,
of Delaware, testified that he saw General Thomas at the President’s
house, told him that Delaware, of which State General Thomas is a
citizen, expected him to stand firm; to which General Thomas replied
that he was standing firm, that he would not disappoint his friends,
but that, in a few days, he would “kick that fellow out,” meaning, as
the witness supposed, Mr. Stanton.

[Illustration: SCHUYLER COLFAX.]

_Thursday, April 2d._—Various witnesses were introduced to testify to
the occurrences when General Thomas demanded possession of the War
Department. After this General Emory was called to testify to the
transactions which form the ground of the ninth article of impeachment.
His testimony was to the effect that the President, on the 22d of
February, requested him to call; that, upon so doing, the President
asked respecting any changes that had been made in the disposition of
the troops around Washington; that he informed the President that no
important changes had been made, and that none could be made without
an order from General Grant, as provided for in an order founded upon
a law sanctioned by the President. The President said that this law
was unconstitutional. Emory replied that the President had approved of
it, and that it was not the prerogative of the officers of the army
to decide upon the constitutionality of a law, and in that opinion he
was justified by the opinion of eminent counsel, and thereupon the
conversation ended.

The prosecution then endeavored to introduce testimony as to the
appointment of Mr. Edmund Cooper, the Private Secretary of the
President, as Assistant Secretary of the Treasury, in support of the
eighth and eleventh articles of impeachment, which charge the President
with an unlawful attempt to control the disposition of certain public
funds. This testimony, by a vote of 27 to 22, was ruled out.

The prosecution now, in support of the tenth and eleventh articles of
impeachment, charging the President with endeavoring to “set aside
the rightful authority of Congress,” offered a telegraphic dispatch
from the President to Mr. Parsons, at that time (January 17, 1867)
Provisional Governor of Alabama, of which the following is the
essential part:

“I do not believe the people of the whole country will sustain any set
of individuals in the attempt to change the whole character of our
Government by enabling acts in this way, I believe, on the contrary,
that they will eventually uphold all who have patriotism and courage
to stand by the Constitution, and who place their confidence in the
people. There should be no faltering on the part of those who are
honest in their determination to sustain the several coördinate
departments of the Government in accordance with its original design.”

The introduction of this was objected to by the counsel for the
President, but admitted by the Senate, the vote being 27 to 17.

The whole of Friday, and a great part of Saturday, (April 3d and
4th,) were occupied in the examination of the persons who reported
the various speeches of the President which form the basis of the
tenth article, the result being that the reports were shown to be
either substantially or verbally accurate. Then, after some testimony
relating to the forms in which commissions to office were made out, the
managers announced that the case for the prosecution was substantially
closed. The counsel for the President thereupon asked that three
working days should be granted them to prepare for the defense. This,
after some discussion, was granted by the Senate by a vote of 37 to 9,
and the trial was adjourned to Thursday, April 9th.


THE DEFENSE.

The opening speech for the defense, occupying the whole of Thursday,
and a part of Friday, was made by Mr. Curtis. Reserving, for a time, a
rejoinder to Mr. Butler’s argument as to the functions of the Senate
when sitting as a Court of Impeachment, Mr. Curtis proceeded to a
consideration of the articles of impeachment, in their order, his
purpose being “to ascertain, in the first place, what the substantial
allegations in each of them are, what is the legal proof and effect of
these allegations, and what proof is necessary to be adduced in order
to sustain them.” The speech is substantially an elaboration of and
argument for the points embraced in the answer of the President. The
main stress of the argument related to the first article, which, as
stated by Mr. Curtis, when stripped of all technical language, amounts
exactly to these things:

    “_First._ That the order set out in the article for the removal of
              Mr. Stanton, if executed, would have been a violation of
              the Tenure-of-Office Act.

    “_Second._ That it was a violation of the Tenure-of-Office Act.

    “_Third._ That it was an intentional violation of the
              Tenure-of-Office Act.

    “_Fourth._ That it was in violation of the Constitution
               of the United States.

    “_Fifth._ That it was intended by the President to be so.

“Or, to draw all these into one sentence, which I hope may be
intelligible and clear enough, I suppose the substance of this first
article is that the order for the removal of Mr. Stanton was, and was
intended to be, a violation of the Constitution of the United States.
These are the allegations which it is necessary for the honorable
managers to make out in order to support that article.”

Mr. Curtis proceeded to argue that the case of Mr. Stanton did not come
within the provisions of the Tenure-of-Office Act, being expressly
excepted by the proviso that Cabinet officers should hold their places
during the term of the President by whom they were appointed, and for
one month thereafter, unless removed by the consent of the Senate. Mr.
Stanton was appointed by Mr. Lincoln, whose term of office came to an
end by his death. He argued at length against the proposition that Mr.
Johnson was merely serving out the remainder of Mr. Lincoln’s term. The
object of this exception, he said, was evident. The Cabinet officers
were to be “the immediate confidential assistants of the President,
for whose acts he was to be responsible, and in whom he was expected
to repose the gravest honor, trust, and confidence; therefore it was
that this act has connected the tenure-of-office of these officers
with that of the President by whom they were appointed.” Mr. Curtis
gave a new interpretation to that clause in the Constitution which
prescribes that the President “may require the opinion, in writing, of
the principal officer in each of the executive departments upon any
subject relating to the duties of their several offices.” He understood
that the word “their” included the President, so that he might call
upon Cabinet officers for advice “relating to the duties of the
office of these principal officers, or relating to the duties of the
President himself.” This, at least, he affirmed, had been the practical
interpretation put upon this clause from the beginning. To confirm his
position as to the intent of the Tenure-of-Office Act in this respect,
Mr. Curtis quoted from speeches made in both houses at the time when
the act was passed. Thus, Senator Sherman said that the act, as passed—

“Would not prevent the present President from removing the Secretary
of War, the Secretary of the Navy, or the Secretary of State; and, if
I supposed that either of these gentlemen was so wanting in manhood,
in honor, as to hold his place after the politest intimation from the
President of the United States that his services were no longer needed,
I certainly, as a Senator, would consent to his removal at any time,
and so would we all.”

Mr. Curtis proceeded to argue that there was really no removal of Mr.
Stanton; he still held his place, and so there was “no case of removal
within the statute, and, therefore, no case of violation by removal.”
But, if the Senate should hold that the order for removal was, in
effect, a removal, then, unless the Tenure-of-Office Act gave Mr.
Stanton a tenure-of-office, this removal would not have been contrary
to the provisions of this act. He proceeded to argue that there was
room for grave doubt whether Mr. Stanton’s case came within the
provisions of the Tenure-of-Office Act, and that the President, upon
due consideration, and having taken the best advice within his power,
considering that it did not, and acting accordingly, did not, even if
he was mistaken, commit an act “so willful and wrong that it can be
justly and properly, and for the purposes of this prosecution, termed a
high misdemeanor.” He argued at length that the view of the President
was the correct one, and that “the Senate had nothing whatever to do
with the removal of Mr. Stanton, whether the Senate was in session or
not.”

Mr. Curtis then went on to urge that the President, being sworn to take
care that the laws be faithfully executed, must carry out any law,
even though passed over his veto, except in cases where a law which he
believed to be unconstitutional has cut off a power confided to him,
and in regard to which he alone could make an issue which would bring
the matter before a court, so as to cause “a judicial decision to come
between the two branches of the Government, to see which of them is
right.” This, said he, is what the President has done. This argument,
in effect, was an answer to the first eight articles of impeachment.

The ninth article, charging the President with endeavoring to induce
General Emory to violate the law by receiving orders directly from him,
was very briefly touched upon, it being maintained that, as shown by
the evidence, “the reason why the President sent for General Emory was
not that he might endeavor to seduce that distinguished officer from
his allegiance to the laws and Constitution of his country, but because
he wished to obtain information about military movements which might
require his personal attention.”

As to the tenth article, based upon the President’s speeches, it was
averred that they were in no way in violation of the Constitution, or
of any law existing at the time when they were made, and were not,
therefore, impeachable offenses.

The reply to the eleventh article was very brief. The managers had
“compounded it of the materials which they had previously worked up
into others,” and it “contained nothing new that needed notice.” Mr.
Curtis concluded his speech by saying that—

“This trial is and will be the most conspicuous instance that has ever
been, or even can be expected to be found, of American justice or of
American injustice; of that justice which is the great policy of all
civilized States; of that injustice which is certain to be condemned,
which makes even the wisest man mad, and which, in the fixed and
unalterable order of God’s providence, is sure to return and plague the
inventor.”

At the close of this opening speech for the defense, General Lorenzo
Thomas was brought forward as a witness. His testimony, elicited upon
examination and cross-examination, was to the effect that, having
received the order appointing him Secretary of War _ad interim_, he
presented it to Mr. Stanton, who asked, “Do you wish me to vacate the
office at once, or will you give me time to get my private property
together?” to which Thomas replied, “Act your pleasure.” Afterward
Stanton said, “I don’t know whether I will obey your instructions.”
Subsequently Thomas said that he should issue orders as Secretary of
War. Stanton said he should not do so, and afterward gave him a written
direction, not to issue any order except as Adjutant-General. During
the examination of General Thomas a question came up which, in many
ways, recurred upon the trial. He was asked to tell what occurred at
an interview between himself and the President. Objection was made by
Mr. Butler, and the point was argued. The question was submitted to the
Senate, which decided, by a vote of 42 to 10, that it was admissible.
The testimony of General Thomas, from this point, took a wide range,
and, being mainly given in response to questions of counsel, was,
apparently, somewhat contradictory. The substance was that he was
recognized by the President as Secretary of War; that, since the
impeachment, he had acted as such only in attending Cabinet meetings,
but had given no orders; that, when he reported to the President that
Mr. Stanton would not vacate the War Department, the President directed
him to “take possession of the office;” that, without orders from the
President, he had intended to do this by force, if necessary; that,
finding that this course might involve bloodshed, he had abandoned this
purpose, but that, after this, he had, in several cases, affirmed his
purpose to do so, but that these declarations were “merely boast and
brag.” On the following day General Thomas was recalled as a witness,
to enable him to correct certain points in his testimony. The first
was the date of an unimportant transaction; he had given it as taking
place on the 21st of February, whereas it should have been the 22d. The
second was that the words of the President were that he should “take
charge,” not “take possession” of the War Department. In explanation of
the fact that he had repeatedly sworn to the words “take possession,”
he said that these were “put into his mouth.” Finally, General Thomas,
in reply to a direct question from Mr. Butler, said that his testimony
on these points was “all wrong.”

Lieutenant-General Sherman was then called as a witness. After some
unimportant questions, he was asked in reference to an interview
between himself and the President which took place on the 14th of
January: “At that interview what conversation took place between
the President and you in reference to the removal of Mr. Stanton?”
To this question objection was made by Mr. Butler, and the point
was elaborately argued. The Chief Justice decided that the question
was admissible within the vote of the Senate of the previous day;
the question then was as to the admissibility of evidence as to a
conversation between the President and General Thomas; the present
question was as to a conversation between the President and General
Sherman. “Both questions,” said the Chief Justice, “are asked for the
purpose of procuring the intent of the President in the attempt to
remove Mr. Stanton.” The question being submitted to the Senate, it
was decided, by a vote of 28 to 23, that it should not be admitted.
The examination of General Sherman was continued, the question of the
conversation aforesaid being frequently brought forward, and as often
ruled out by the Senate. The only important fact elicited was that
the President had twice, on the 25th and 30th of January, tendered to
General Sherman the office of Secretary of War _ad interim_.

On Monday, April 13th, after transactions of minor importance,
the general matter of the conversations between the President and
General Sherman again came up, upon a question propounded by Senator
Johnson—“When the President tendered to you the office of Secretary
of War _ad interim_, did he, at the very time of making such tender,
state to you what his purpose in so doing was?” This was admitted by
the Senate, by a vote of 26 to 22. Senator Johnson then added to his
question, “If he did, what did he state his purpose was?” This was
admitted, by a vote of 25 to 26. The testimony of General Sherman,
relating to several interviews, was to the effect that the President
said that the relations between himself and Mr. Stanton were such that
he could not execute the office of President without making provision
to appoint a Secretary of War _ad interim_, and he offered that office
to him (General Sherman), but did not state that his purpose was to
bring the matter directly into the courts. Sherman said that, if Mr.
Stanton would retire, he might, although against his own wishes,
undertake to administer the office _ad interim_, but asked what would
be done in case Mr. Stanton would not yield. To this the President
replied, “He will make no opposition; you present the order, and he
will retire. I know him better than you do; he is cowardly.” General
Sherman asked time for reflection, and then gave a written answer,
declining to accept the appointment, but stated that his reasons were
mostly of a personal nature.

On the 14th the Senate adjourned, on account of the sudden illness
of Mr. Stanbery. It re-assembled on the 15th, but the proceedings
touched wholly upon formal points of procedure and the introduction of
unimportant documentary evidence. On the 16th Mr. Sumner moved that all
evidence not trivial or obviously irrelevant shall be admitted, the
Senate to judge of its value. This was negatived by a vote of 23 to 11.

The 17th was mainly taken up by testimony as to the reliability of
the reports of the President’s speeches. Mr. Welles, Secretary of the
Navy, was then called to testify to certain proceedings in Cabinet
Council at the time of the appointment of General Thomas. This was
objected to. The Chief Justice decided that it was admissible, and
his decision was sustained by a vote of 26 to 23. The defense then
endeavored to introduce several members of the Cabinet, to show that,
at meetings previous to the removal of Mr. Stanton, it was considered
whether it was not desirable to obtain a judicial determination of the
unconstitutionality of the Tenure-of-Office Act. This question was
raised in several shapes, and its admission, after thorough argument
on both sides, as often refused, in the last instance by a decisive
vote of 30 to 19. The defense considered this testimony of the utmost
importance, as going to show that the President had acted upon the
counsel of his constitutional advisers, while the prosecution claimed
that he could not plead in justification of a violation of the law
that he had been advised by his cabinet, or any one else, that the law
was unconstitutional. His duty was to execute the laws, and, if he
failed to do this, or violated them, he did so at his own risk of the
consequences. With the refusal of this testimony, the case, except the
final summings up and the verdict of the Senate, was virtually closed.

The case had been so fully set forth in the opening speeches of Messrs.
Butler and Curtis, and in the arguments which came up upon points of
testimony, that there remained little for the other counsel except to
restate what had before been said.

After the evidence had been closed the case was summed up, on the part
of the managers by Messrs. Boutwell, Williams, Stevens, and Bingham in
oral arguments, and Mr. Logan, who filed a written argument, and on
the part of the President by Messrs. Nelson, Groesbeck, Stanbery, and
Evarts. Many of these speeches were distinguished by great brilliancy
and power, but, as no new points were presented, we omit any summary.

The Court decided to take a vote upon the articles on Tuesday, the 12th
of May, at 12 o’clock, M. A secret session was held on Monday, during
which several Senators made short speeches, giving the grounds upon
which they expected to cast their votes. On Tuesday the Court agreed
to postpone the vote until Saturday, the 16th. Upon that day, at 12
o’clock, a vote was taken upon the eleventh article, it having been
determined to vote on that article first. The vote resulted in 35 votes
for conviction, and 19 for acquittal.

The question being put to each Senator, “How say you, is the
respondent, Andrew Johnson, President of the United States, guilty or
not guilty of a high misdemeanor as charged in the article?”—those who
responded guilty were Senators Anthony, Cameron, Cattell, Chandler,
Cole, Conkling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry,
Frelinghuysen, Harlan, Howard, Howe, Morgan, Morrill, of Vermont,
Morrill, of Maine, O. P. Morton, Nye, Patterson, N. H. Pomeroy, Ramsey,
Sherman, Sprague, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tipton, Wade, Willey,
Williams, Wilson, and Yates.

Those who responded not guilty were Senators Bayard, Buckalew, Davis,
Dixon, Doolittle, Fessenden, Fowler, Grimes, Henderson, Hendricks,
Johnson, M’Creery, Norton, Patterson, of Tennessee, Ross, Saulsbury,
Trumbull, Van Winkle, and Vickers.

The Constitution requiring a vote of two-thirds to convict, the
President was acquitted on this article. After taking this vote the
Court adjourned until Tuesday, May 26th, when votes were taken upon the
second and third articles, with precisely the same result as on the
eleventh, the vote in each case standing 35 for conviction and 19 for
acquittal. A verdict of acquittal on the second, third, and eleventh
articles was then ordered to be entered on the record, and, without
voting on the other articles, the Court adjourned _sine die_. So the
trial was ended, and the President acquitted.




THE CHICAGO PLATFORM, 1868.


The following is the platform as adopted:

“The National Republican Party of the United States, assembled in
National Convention, in the city of Chicago, on the 20th day of May,
1868, make the following declaration of principles:

“1. We congratulate the country on the assured success of the
reconstruction policy of Congress, as evinced by the adoption, in the
majority of the States lately in rebellion, of constitutions securing
equal civil and political rights to all; and it is the duty of the
Government to sustain those constitutions and to prevent the people of
such States from being remitted to a state of anarchy.

“2. The guarantee by Congress of equal suffrage to all loyal men at
the South was demanded by every consideration of public safety, of
gratitude, and of justice, and must be maintained, while the question
of suffrage in all the loyal States properly belongs to the people of
those States.

“3. We denounce all forms of repudiation as a national crime, and the
national honor requires the payment of the public indebtedness in
the utmost good faith to all creditors at home and abroad, not only
according to the letter but the spirit of the laws under which it was
contracted.

“4. It is due to the labor of the nation that taxation should be
equalized and reduced as rapidly as the national faith will permit.

“5. The national debt, contracted, as it has been, for the preservation
of the Union for all time to come, should be extended over a fair
period for redemption; and it is the duty of Congress to reduce the
rate of interest thereon whenever it can be honestly done.

“6. That the best policy to diminish our burden of debt is to so
improve our credit that capitalists will seek to loan us money at lower
rates of interest than we now pay, and must continue to pay, so long
as repudiation, partial or total, open or covert, is threatened or
suspected.

“7. The Government of the United States should be administered with the
strictest economy, and the corruptions which have been so shamefully
nursed and fostered by ANDREW JOHNSON call loudly for radical reform.

“8. We professedly deplore the untimely and tragic death of ABRAHAM
LINCOLN, and regret the accession of ANDREW JOHNSON to the Presidency,
who has acted treacherously to the people who elected him, and the
cause he was pledged to support—who has usurped high legislative and
judicial functions—who has refused to execute the laws—who has used
his high office to induce other officers to ignore and violate the
laws—who has employed his executive powers to render insecure the
property, the peace, liberty, and life of the citizen—who has abused
the pardoning power—who has denounced the National Legislature as
unconstitutional—persistently and corruptly resisted, by every measure
in his power, every proper attempt at the reconstruction of the States
lately in rebellion—who has perverted the public patronage into an
engine of wholesale corruption, and who has been justly impeached for
high crimes and misdemeanors, and properly pronounced guilty thereof by
the vote of thirty-five Senators.

“9. The doctrine of Great Britain and other European Powers, that
because a man is once a subject he is always so, must be resisted at
every hazard by the United States as a relic of the feudal times, not
authorized by the law of nations, and at war with our national honor
and independence. Naturalized citizens are entitled to be protected in
all their rights of citizenship as though they were native born; and
no citizen of the United States, native or naturalized, must be liable
to arrest and imprisonment by any foreign power for acts done or words
spoken in this country; and if so arrested and imprisoned it is the
duty of the Government to interfere in his behalf.

“10. Of all who were faithful in the trials of the late war there were
none entitled to more especial honor than the brave soldiers and seamen
who endured the hardships of campaign and cruise, and imperiled their
lives in the service of the country. The bounties and pensions provided
by the laws for these brave defenders of the nation are obligations
never to be forgotten. The widows and orphans of the gallant dead are
the wards of the people, a sacred legacy bequeathed to the nation’s
protecting care.

“11. Foreign emigration, which in the past has added so much to the
wealth, development, and resources, and increase of power to this
nation, the asylum of the oppressed of all nations, should be fostered
and encouraged by a liberal and just policy.

“12. This Convention declares itself in sympathy with all the oppressed
people which are struggling for their rights.”

The following resolutions were also adopted unanimously, and are added
to the declaration of principles:

“_Resolved_, That we highly commend the spirit of magnanimity and
forgiveness with which the men who have served in the rebellion, but
now frankly and honestly coöperate with us in restoring the peace of
the country and reconstructing the Southern State governments upon
the basis of impartial justice and equal rights, are received back
into the communion of the loyal people. And we favor the removal of
the disqualifications and restrictions placed upon the late rebels in
the same measure as the spirit of loyalty will direct, and as may be
consistent with the safety of the loyal people.

“_Resolved_, That we recognize the great principles laid down in
the immortal Declaration of Independence as the true foundation of
Democratic government: and we hail with gladness every effort toward
making these principles a living reality on every inch of American
soil.”




THE HON. SCHUYLER COLFAX.


Schuyler Colfax, the popular candidate of the National Union Republican
party for the office of Vice-President, is a native of New York City.
He was born in North Moore Street, March 23, 1823, his father having
died but a short time previous. With but limited means, his widowed
mother could afford to keep him at school but a short time, and, at
the age of ten, he was placed in a mercantile establishment, where
he remained for three years, contributing materially from his small
salary to the support of both himself and mother. In 1836, he and his
mother, in company with others, left their home in this city, and
settled in St. Joseph County, Indiana. Shortly after his arrival in
the West he was appointed Deputy County Auditor for St. Joseph County,
and employed his leisure hours in the study of State law, in which he
is said soon to have become an acknowledged expounder. He read law
pretty thoroughly during these leisure hours, but not with a view to
adopting it as a profession. He had but little idea of what great
benefit the information he was then gaining would prove to him in after
years. In 1845, he started a weekly journal at South Bend, the county
seat of St. Joseph County, called the St. Joseph Valley Register,
becoming its sole proprietor and editor. Mr. Lanman, in his Dictionary
of Congress, says “he was bred a printer.” He never was apprenticed
to the printing business, and knew nothing of the practical part of
the “art preservative of all arts” until after he had commenced the
publication of the Register. With his ready tact and quick perception,
however, and great anxiety to economize, for his means were yet very
limited, he soon mastered the art sufficiently to “help out of the
drag,” but he never attained to any great proficiency in the business,
his editorial labors, the business of the office, and other duties
soon claiming his entire attention. The Register prospered, and soon
became a source of profit to its proprietor. It was ably edited, and
was a model of courtesy and dignity. Every paragraph, however small,
seemed to have passed under the supervision of and to reflect the mind
and elevated thoughts of its editor. He continued his connection with
this paper until three or four years ago, writing a regular weekly
letter for its columns during his first two terms in Congress. It was
during the early days of the Register that Mr. Colfax was laying the
foundation for the reputation he has since attained as a debater. A
debating club was formed, which held regular weekly meetings during
the winter season, and it was a rare occurrence, indeed, to find Mr.
Colfax absent from one of these stated gatherings. Politics, the
temperance reform, and other subjects were often as ably debated in
this society as kindred questions are in many deliberate bodies of
much greater pretensions of the present day. The Hon. John D. Defrees,
now Superintendent of Government Printing, and for many years editor
and proprietor of the Indianapolis Journal, to which Mr. Colfax was
also attached as Senate reporter for some time after he commenced
the publication of the Register, was also a participant in these
debates. They were both Whigs, both ardent and sincere advocates
of and believers in the temperance reform, and were, consequently,
seldom pitted against each other in these debates. The attachment
formed at this early day between those gentlemen still continues with
unabated fervor. In 1848, Mr. Colfax was chosen as a delegate, and
elected as secretary of the convention which nominated General Taylor
for the Presidency. In 1850, he represented St. Joseph County in the
convention which framed the present Constitution of Indiana. In this
convention he opposed, with all his ability, the adoption of the clause
prohibiting free colored men from settling in the State. His opposition
to this measure was the cause of his defeat the following year, when
nominated for Congress in opposition to Dr. Fitch. But, with all the
ability, tact, and shrewdness of this old political wireworker, he
only distanced his young competitor two hundred votes in a district
which had been strongly democratic for years. In 1852, he was again a
delegate to the Whig National Convention. He took an active part in the
campaign which followed, speaking often, and writing much. In 1854, he
was re-nominated, and elected to Congress, and was, consequently, more
active than ever before. His experience as a debater, and familiarity
with State and National politics, rendered him an overmatch for his
opponents, whom he was always anxious to meet in an open and fair
discussion before the people, where he was always certain of a victory.
In 1856, he was again nominated for Congress, and reëlected by a
handsome majority. His entrance into Congress was in the midst of the
great struggle over the Lecompton Constitution. A writer says of his
maiden speech in the House: “His first speech in Congress went forth
to repel the tide of terror which was sweeping over struggling Kansas,
and clearly showed that even then he was one of the best debaters in
the lower House.” Over 500,000 copies of this speech were printed and
circulated—a compliment, perhaps, never before received by any member
of Congress. He was first chosen Speaker of the Thirty-eighth Congress,
by a vote of 101 to 81. He has been thrice elected to the same
position, each time by an increased majority. He was appointed chairman
of the Committee on Post-offices and Post-roads, on the organization
of the Thirty-seventh Congress, and did much to extend mail facilities
throughout the West. He was one of the first advocates, and is still
one of the warmest friends of the Pacific Railroad. Indeed, he takes
a warm interest in any movement looking to the development of the
boundless resources of the great West. It was, doubtless, the interest
he feels in this section of the country which induced him to take his
celebrated trip “Across the Continent.” His trip was a perilous one,
but his welcome at “the other end of the line” was so spontaneous,
truly genuine, and heart-felt that it more than repaid him for all the
dangers and hardships he passed through. This trip prepared him for
one of the most entertaining lectures ever delivered in this country.
It has been listened to with rapt attention by the people of almost
every city in the North. Pecuniarily, however, it has profited him
but little, for, with that liberality which has ever been a marked
trait in his character, the entire proceeds of a lecture have as often
been donated to some charitable object as they have found their way
into his own pocket. He has now served, in succession, fourteen years
in the House. He was urged, but he declined to accept a seat in the
United States Senate, preferring his presiding chair in the House. As a
presiding officer, he is the most popular the House has had since Henry
Clay. A writer in Putnam’s Magazine truly observes that Mr. Colfax “Has
no eccentricities, but great tact. His talents are administrative and
executive rather than deliberative. He would make good appointments,
and adopt sure policies. He would make a better President or Speaker of
the House than Senator. He knows men well, estimates them correctly,
treats them all fairly and candidly. No man will get through his
business with you in fewer minutes, and yet none is more free from the
horrid _brusqueness_ of busy men. There are heart and kindness in Mr.
Colfax’s politeness. Men leave his presence with the impression that
he is at once an able, honest, and kind man. Political opponents like
him personally, as well as his political friends. We have never heard
that he has any enemies. The breath of slander has been silent toward
his fair, spotless fame. The wife of his youth, after being for a long
time an invalid, sank to her final rest several years ago, leaving him
childless. His mother and sister preside at his receptions, which for
many years have been, not the most brilliant, but the most popular of
any given at the Capital. Socially, Mr. Colfax is frank, lively, jolly.
The everlasting I-hood and us-ness of great men are forgotten in his
presence. His manners are not quite so familiar as those of Lincoln,
but nearly so. They are gentle, natural, graceful, with a bird-like
or business-like quickness of thought and motion. But they are very
far from the high and mighty style of Sumner, or the judicial coldness
of Fessenden, Sherman, and Trumbull. Though manly, they are genial
and winning. American mothers believe in Schuyler Colfax. There are
more babies named for him than for any public man since Clay.” The
intimacy and confidential relations of Mr. Colfax with Mr. Lincoln are
well known. They labored hand in hand as brothers in the cause of
the Union, holding frequent and protracted interviews on all subjects
looking to the overthrow of the rebellion, for there were no divisions
between the executive and legislative branches of the Government then
as there are now. During the darkest hours of that bloody drama which
shall ever remain a reproach upon the people of one section of the
nation, they were ever cheerful and hopeful. Confident in the justness
of the war waged for the preservation of the Union, and placing a
Christian reliance in that Providence which guides and shapes the
destiny of nations, great reverses, which caused others to fear and
tremble, at times, almost to despair, seemed only to inspire them with
greater zeal, and a firmer belief in the ultimate triumph of our cause.

Mr. Colfax is rather under the medium height, with a form firmly and
compactly molded. His hair is brown, now slightly sprinkled with gray;
eyes blue; forehead high and arching, indicating great perceptive
faculties, and deep veneration. His face is open and frank, and as
yet unmarked by age. He possesses great vitality, and can endure an
extraordinary amount of labor with but little fatigue. This, coupled
with his temperate habits, has caused him to wear his age so well that
but few persons would place him even at forty. He is yet in the prime
and vigor of manhood, with all his cares and responsibilities, as
buoyant as most people at thirty.




DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM.


The Democratic party, in National Convention assembled, reposing its
trust in the intelligence, patriotism, and discriminating justice
of the people, standing upon the Constitution as the foundation and
limitation of the powers of the Government and the guarantee of the
liberties of the citizen, and recognizing the questions of slavery and
secession as having been settled for all time to come by the war or the
voluntary action of the Southern States in Constitutional Conventions
assembled, and never to be revived or re-agitated, do, with the return
of peace, demand:

1. The immediate restoration of all the States to their rights in the
Union under the Constitution of the civil Government and the American
people.

2. Amnesty for all past political offenses; the regulation of the
elective franchise in the States by their citizens.

3. Payment of the public debt of the United States as rapidly as
practicable, all money drawn from the people by taxation, except so
much as is requisite for the necessities of the Government economically
administered being honestly applied to such payment, and where the
obligations of the Government do not expressly state upon their face or
the law under which they were issued does not provide that they shall
be paid in coin they ought, in right and in justice, to be paid in the
lawful money of the United States.

4. Equal taxation of every species of property according to the value;
reducing Government bonds and other public securities.

5. One currency for the Government and the people, the laborer and
the office-holder, pensioner and the soldier, the producer and the
bondholder.

6. Economy in the administration of the Government; the reduction of
the standing army and navy; the abolition of the Freedmen’s Bureau, and
all political instrumentalities designed to secure negro supremacy;
simplification of the system and discontinuance of inquisitorial
modes of assessing and collecting internal revenue, that the burden
of taxation may be equalized and lessened, and the credit of the
Government and the currency made good; the repeal of all enactments for
enrolling the State militia into a national force in time of peace;
and a tariff for revenue upon foreign imports and such equal taxation
under the internal revenue laws as will afford incidental protection
to domestic manufactures as well, without impairing the revenue,
impose the least burden upon and best promote and encourage the great
industrial interests of the country.

7. Reform of abuses in the Administration; the expulsion of corrupt
men from office; the abrogation of useless offices; the restoration
of the rightful authority to and the independence of the Executive
and Judicial Departments of the Government; the subordination of the
military to the civil power, to the end that the usurpation of Congress
and the despotism of the sword may cease.

8. Equal rights and protection for naturalized and native born
citizens at home and abroad; the assertion of American nationality,
which will command the respect of foreign powers, furnish an example
and encouragement to people struggling for national integrity,
constitutional liberty, and individual rights; and the maintenance of
the rights of naturalized citizens against the absolute doctrine of
immutable allegiance and the claims of foreign powers to punish them
for alleged crimes committed beyond their jurisdiction. In demanding
these measures and reforms, we arraign the radical party for its
disregard of right and the unparalleled oppression and tyranny which
have marked its career, after the most solemn and unanimous pledge
of both houses of Congress to prosecute the war exclusively for the
maintenance of the Government and the preservation of the Union under
the Constitution. It has repeatedly violated that most sacred pledge
under which was rallied that noble volunteer army which carried our
flag to victory. Instead of restoring the Union it has, so far as it is
in its power, dissolved it, and subjected ten States in time of peace
to military despotism and negro supremacy. It has nullified there the
right of trial by jury; it has abolished the writ of habeas corpus,
that most sacred writ of liberty; it has overthrown the freedom of
speech and of the press; it has substituted arbitrary seizures and
arrests, military trials, secret star chambers and inquisitions for
constitutional tribunals; it has disregarded, in time of peace, the
right of the people to be free from search and seizure; it has entered
the post-office and telegraph office, and even the private rooms
of individuals and seized there their private papers and letters,
without any specification or notice of affidavit, as required by the
organic law. It has converted the American Capitol into a bastile;
it has established a system of spies and official espionage to which
the constitutional monarchies of Europe never dare to resort. It has
abolished the right of appeal on important constitutional questions
to the supreme judicial tribunals, and threatens to curtail or
destroy its original jurisdiction, which is irrevocably vested by the
Constitution; while the learned Chief Justice has been subjected to the
most atrocious calumnies merely because he would not prostitute his
high office to the support of the false and partisan charges against
the President. Its corruption and extravagance have exceeded any thing
known in history, and by its frauds and monopolies it has nearly
doubled the burden of the debt created during the war. It has stripped
the President of his Constitutional power of appointment even of his
own Cabinet. Under its repeated assaults the pillars of the Government
are rocking to their base; and should it succeed in November next, and
inaugurate its President, we will meet as a subjected and conquered
people amid the ruins of liberty and the scattered fragments of the
Constitution; and we do declare and resolve that ever since the people
of the United States threw off all subjection to the British crown,
the privilege and trust of suffrage have belonged to the several
States, and have been granted, regulated, and controlled exclusively
by the political power of each State respectively, and any attempt
by Congress, on any pretext whatever, to deprive any State of this
right, or interfere with this exercise, is a flagrant usurpation of
power which can find no warrant in the Constitution, and if sanctioned
by the people will subvert our form of Government, and can only end
in a single, centralized and consolidated Government, in which the
separate existence of the States will be entirely absorbed, and an
unqualified despotism then be established in place of a Federal Union
of coequal States, and that we regard the reconstruction acts so-called
of Congress such usurpations and unconstitutional, revolutionary and
void: that our soldiers and sailors who carried the flag of our country
to victory against a most gallant and determined foe must ever be
gratefully remembered, and all the guarantees given in their favor must
be faithfully carried into execution; that the public lands should be
distributed widely among the people and should be disposed of either
under the preëmption of the homestead lands and sold in reasonable
quantities, and to none but actual occupants, at the price established
by the Government. When the grants of the public lands may be allowed
necessary for the encouragement of important public improvements, the
proceeds of the sale of such lands, and not the lands themselves,
should be so applied; that the President of the United States, Andrew
Johnson, exercising the power of his high office in resisting the
aggressions of Congress on the constitutional rights of the States and
the people, is entitled to the gratitude of the whole American people,
and on behalf of the Democratic party, we tender him our thanks for his
patriotic efforts in that regard.

Upon this platform the Democratic party appeal to every patriot,
including all the conservative element, and all who desire to support
the Constitution and restore the Union, forgetting all past differences
of opinion, to unite with us in the present great struggle for the
liberties of the people; and that to all such, to whatever party they
may have heretofore belonged, we extend the right hand of fellowship,
and hail all such coöperating with us as friends and brothers.




HON. HORATIO SEYMOUR,


The nominee of the Democratic National Convention for the office of
President of the United States, is a native of the State of New York,
having been born in Onondaga County, some time during the year 1811.
He is consequently fifty-seven years of age at the present writing.
His father being a gentleman of wealth, Mr. Seymour received an
excellent education, and after his graduation engaged in the study of
the law. Upon being admitted to the bar, he commenced the practice of
his profession in the town of Utica, Oneida County, and soon became a
popular lawyer. He did not long pursue this occupation, however. The
death of his father made him successor to a large and valuable estate,
attention to the interests of which compelled him to abandon all
professional and public labors. He never after resumed practice.

[Illustration: HORATIO SEYMOUR.]

Mr. Seymour’s political predilections were, it may be said, inherited
from his ancestors, all or nearly all of whom were and had been
Democrats from the first formation of the party. To this political
organization the subject of this sketch gave in his adhesion, and has
ever since adhered to and been a prominent member of it. He first
appeared before the public as a candidate for the suffrages of his
fellow-citizens as the Democratic nominee for the office of mayor of
the city of Utica. Although that city had been one of the firmest Whig
strongholds, he was elected by a fair majority, as much owing, though,
to the feeling of dissatisfaction with the opposing candidate, as to
his personal popularity. The election took place in 1842, before he
had quite attained his thirty-first year. During the same year, he
was elected to the lower house of the State Legislature, and served
until 1845, when he declined a reëlection. His ability as a legislator
brought him considerable reputation, and had the effect of extending
his popularity, which had hitherto been confined to a rather limited
extent of territory.

From 1845 to 1850, Mr. Seymour does not appear to have held any
political office, although he took an active part in politics, stumping
the State for other candidates, and doing all that he could to
further the interests and insure the success of the Democracy. During
the latter year, however, he had attained to sufficient prominence
to warrant his nomination for the office of Governor. His opponent
was Washington Hunt, and after a very exciting contest, Mr. Hunt
was elected by a majority of 262, in a total of 428,966 votes cast.
The balance of the Democratic ticket was elected, and this fact had
the effect of temporarily obscuring Mr. Seymour’s prospects. Still,
he soon recovered from this reverse of fortune, and in 1852, was
re-nominated for the same office. As before, his competitor was Mr.
Hunt, whom he defeated, after an exciting canvass, by a majority of
24,385, in a total vote of 503,857. This victory added considerably to
his popularity, as it was believed to presage a long lease of power
to the Democratic party. His administration was distinguished by
his veto of the Maine Liquor Law bill, which had passed both houses
of the Legislature, and which action on the part of the Governor was
regarded at the time as a bold stroke of policy. But it was not fated
that the Democratic party should longer remain in power. In 1854, four
candidates for gubernatorial honors appeared in the field—Horatio
Seymour, regular Democrat; G. C. Bronson, hard shell Democrat; Myron
H. Clark, Republican, and D. Ullman, Know-Nothing. The split in the
Democratic party resulted in its defeat by a remarkably small majority.
Nearly half a million votes were cast, of which Mr. Clark and Mr.
Seymour received the highest, the former being elected by 309 majority.

After this defeat, Mr. Seymour returned to private life, nor was his
name mentioned again in connection with public offices until 1856, when
he was spoken of as one of the possible candidates of the Democracy
for the Presidency. The movement, however, came to nothing. He still
took an active part in politics, so far as a vigorous support of all
Democratic candidates was concerned. When the rebellion broke out, Mr.
Seymour took an active part in furthering its suppression, and served
as chairman of the War Committee in his county, aiding in forwarding
troops to the seat of war. In 1862, he was once more nominated by the
Democrats for the office of Governor, and was elected by a majority
of over ten thousand. During his administration he had quite an angry
controversy with the general government on the subject of the draft,
he claiming that the quota of troops from the southern portion of
the State, which gives immense Democratic majorities, was larger in
proportion to the voting population, than that of the northern or
republican sections. The matter was finally settled by a revision of
the draft list. In 1863, the draft riots broke out in New York city,
and Mr. Seymour immediately left Albany for that place. Arriving there,
he addressed the rioters, urging them to disperse and go home quietly,
and promising to do all that he could to stay the execution of the law.
At the same time he organized a force of citizens, which he armed and
kept on duty, until the arrival of troops from Pennsylvania restored
order. In 1864, he was for the fifth time nominated for the office of
Governor, and was defeated by Mr. Fenton by a majority of over eight
thousand.

Since the close of the war Mr. Seymour has taken an active part
in politics, although he has never been a candidate. In personal
appearance he is quite dignified, and is said to be a very sociable and
hospitable gentleman. As a public speaker he is fluent, eloquent, and
argumentative, and wherever he takes the stump he is always received by
large crowds. Until a late day of the Convention he positively asserted
that he would not accept the nomination of the Democracy for the
Presidency, but it is natural to suppose that he will now reconsider
this resolution after the unanimous vote by which he was nominated.




GENERAL FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR, JR.


This gentleman, the Democratic nominee for the Vice-Presidency, is a
native of Lexington, Ky., where he was born, in 1821. He received an
excellent education at Princeton College, N. J., and, after graduation,
returned to his home at St. Louis, Mo., where he soon became actively
engaged in politics. He was the political associate of Thomas Benton,
and was the first man in Missouri to denounce the institution of
slavery in his State. Being elected to the State Legislature, he soon
became distinguished for his opposition to all measures tending to
benefit slavery, and did much toward revolutionizing public sentiment
in St. Louis, where he resided. In 1856, he was elected to Congress
as a Republican, and was reëlected by increased majorities in 1858
and 1860. Throughout these years he never ceased his efforts against
slavery, and the Kansas Territory difficulty found him an earnest
advocate of free-soil doctrines. At the commencement of the Rebellion
of 1861, he was among the first to organize troops for the defense of
St. Louis and Missouri; and, in conjunction with Captain, afterward
General Lyon, raised the forces known as the Missouri Home Guards, one
of the most important Union organizations at that eventful period of
civil disturbances in that State. He was made commander of the First
Regiment, and assisted in the capture of Camp Jackson, St. Louis, on
May 10, 1861, which capture was among the first of the severe blows
struck at the Rebellion after the fall of Fort Sumter, inasmuch as it
was certainly the first important one. Colonel Blair also took part in
the battle of Boonville, under General Lyon, on June 17, 1861, during
which contest he commanded his regiment. It was at this point that the
rebels, under General Price and Governor Jackson, met with their first
decided defeat in Missouri. His regiment took a very active part in
the battle of Wilson’s Creek, where General Lyon was slain, on August
10, 1861, but, in consequence of his having to occupy his seat in the
special session of Congress, Colonel Blair was not present during that
action.

[Illustration: FRANCIS P. BLAIR, JR.]

During the sessions of Congress in 1861-2, Colonel Blair was Chairman
of the Committee on Military Affairs, and, as such, did good service
to the country. Upon the close of the session he returned to Missouri,
and commenced the organization of a regiment of artillery, and
afterward, at the request of the Secretary of War, he raised a brigade
of infantry, of which he was placed in command, and commissioned a
brigadier-general in August, 1862. The brigade became attached to the
Fourth Division of the Thirteenth Army Corps, but, subsequently,
upon a reconstruction of General Grant’s forces, was assigned to the
Fifteenth Corps, then commanded by General W. T. Sherman. While under
the command of that brilliant officer, General Blair had charge of
the First Brigade, of General Steele’s division, at the attack upon
the defenses in the rear of Vicksburg, on the 29th of December, 1862.
During the assaults upon the works, General Blair greatly distinguished
himself for his bravery, being the last to leave the heights, although
the main army had been severely repulsed. General Blair commanded his
brigade in General Sherman’s wing of McClernand’s army during the
assault upon and capture of Fort Hindman, on the Arkansas River, on
the 10th and 11th of January, 1863. For the gallantry he displayed at
these last mentioned contests he was promoted to be a major-general of
volunteers, with a commission dating from November 29, 1862. During
the month of April, 1863, Major-General Blair was placed in command
of a division of Sherman’s corps, formerly commanded by General
David Stuart, who, in consequence of his appointment not having been
confirmed by the Senate, had resigned the service. At the head of
this division, he took part in all the operations in the vicinity of
Vicksburg and in the siege, and further established his character for
bravery.

During the remainder of the war General Blair took an active and
conspicuous part in nearly all the great battles of the West. His
division gained distinction in the attack on and capture of Jackson,
Miss., and, on the 2d of October, 1863, General Sherman appointed him
to the command of the corps formerly commanded by himself. In his new
capacity he again exhibited many high traits of generalship, and, from
the advance of the army from the Mississippi to the terrible battles
of Missionary Ridge, his corps participated with distinguished valor,
and won for its commander considerable reputation. In the early part of
1864, being desirous of taking his seat in Congress, to which he had
been elected in 1862, General Blair presented his resignation to Mr.
Lincoln, at the request of that gentleman, who urged him to be present
and aid in the organization of the House. During the month of March
following, he reëntered the service, and was placed in command of the
Seventeenth Army Corps. Until the war ended he remained in the field,
serving under General Sherman in the celebrated campaign to Atlanta and
the sea, and winning fresh laurels as a military leader. On the 11th of
July, 1865, he bade farewell to his corps at Louisville and retired to
private life.

As soon as the war was over and General Blair perceived that the
people of the South were honestly disposed to abide the result of the
conflict in good faith, he urged a liberal and generous treatment
of the ex-rebels. At first he continued his connection with the
republican party, and endeavored to change its course in his State to
a policy of conservatism. The Legislature of Missouri had passed a law
disfranchising all who participated in or gave aid and comfort to the
Rebellion, and another law requiring all the citizens of the State to
take a test oath. Both of these measures were opposed by General Blair
as proscriptive and unconstitutional. He urged that, the war being
over, there was no need of any further rigor toward the men who had
engaged in rebellion, and regarded it as dangerous to the peace and
prosperity of the State to deprive them of the right to vote. With
regard to the test oath, he absolutely refused to subscribe to it,
and, upon presenting himself at the polls in St. Louis, his vote was
refused for that reason. For this act he brought a suit before the
courts for the purpose of testing the constitutionality of the law.
The case is now before the Supreme Court of the United States, and is
not yet decided. Gradually General Blair severed his connection with
the Republican party, after having been a member of that organization
from its incipiency. When the present reconstruction laws of Congress
were passed, he denounced them as despotic, revolutionary, and
unconstitutional, and declared that the people of the South would not
be in the wrong if they resisted their execution. He opposed, with
great earnestness, the policy of universal negro suffrage as a disgrace
and an outrage upon the people, and, in a recent letter, declared that
the first duty of a Democratic President, if elected, would be to
overthrow the present radical governments in the South, and restore
the States to the rule of the whites. This declaration of his has
been severely commented upon by the radical organs, while, from its
boldness, the Democratic papers have scarcely ventured to offer an
opinion.

General Blair’s military reputation has gained him considerable
popularity in the West, and particularly among the late Union soldiers
in that section of the country. His recent adhesion to the Democratic
party and his bitter opposition to negro suffrage created for a time
considerable surprise when his views were made known, they being
regarded as singular when compared with his former denunciations of
slavery and the Democracy. Indeed, nothing could more fully exemplify
what revolutions sometimes occur in politics and men’s opinions than
his unanimous and enthusiastic nomination.


*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 79072 ***