CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY GIFT OF Susan H. Douglass Cornell University Library JK2253 1868 .H62 The voter's text book olfn 3 1924 030 481 638 The original of this book is in the Cornell University Library. There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text. http://www.archive.org/details/cu31924030481638 GEORGE WASHINGTON* THE VOTER'S TEXT BOOK, COMPRISING A COLLECTION OP THE MOST IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS AND STATISTICS, CONNECTED WITH THE POLITICAL HISTORY OF AMERICA, COMPILED FEOM OJTICIAL RECORDS, WITH BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL SKETCHES. By JAMES M. HIATT. INDIANAPOLIS, IND.: A8HEE, ADAMS & HIGGINS. 1868. . J, , \ s 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 FOTJNDKT, CINCINNATI. CONTENTS, FAOK. 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 1 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 159 Life of John Adams 161 Electoral Votes for 3d term 163 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 8lh 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 COttTENtS. PAGE. Life of Van Buren 1S3 Electoral Votes for 13th term 185 Life of Harrison.. : 186 EleotoralVotes 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 tern 207 Life of Lincoln 208 Electoral Votes for 19th and 20th terms 214 •Life of Johnson 216 Chronological Reeord of the Rebellion 219 Pay of Officers of the United States, Civil and Military 269 Schedule of Stamp Duty .• 280 The Civil Rights Bm 289 ConstitutionSfAmendment (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 as- sembled 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 Independ- ent 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, "Ar- ticles of Confederation and Perpetual Union pf 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 9 th 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 Feb- ruary, 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 wel- fare, and executed certain powers so far as they were permit- ted 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. (5~) 6 POPULATION UNITED STATES. Henry Laurens, South Carolina 1st Nov., 1777. John Jay, New York 10th Dec, 1778. Samuel Huntingdon, Connecticut 28th Sept. , 1 779. Thomas McKean, Delaware 10th July, 1781. John Hanson, Maryland.: 5th Nov., 1781. Elias Boudinot, New Jersey „...4th " 1782. Thomas Mifflin, Pennsylvania 3d " 1783. Eichard 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 Phil- adelphia, Pa., March 4, 1777; at Lancaster, Pa., September 27, 1777 ; at York, Pa., September 30, 1777 ; at Philadel- phia, 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 requi- site number of States, went into operation. POPULATION OF THE HOTTED STATES AT DECENNIAL PEEI0DS. Cens's White Persons. Colored" Persons. Total Years. Free. Slave. Total. Population. 1790... 1800... 1810... 1820... 1830... 1840... 1850... 1860... 3,172,464 4,304,489 5;862,004 7,861,937 10,537,378 14,195,695 19,553,068 -26,964,930 59,466 108,395 186,446 238,156 319,599 386,303 434,495 487,970 697,897 893,041 1,191,364 1,538,038 2,009,043 2,487,455 3,204,313 3,953,760 757,363 1,001,436 1,377,810 1,776 N 194 2,328,642 2,873,758 3,638,808 4,441,730 3,929,827 5,305,925 7,239,814 9,638,131 12,866,020 17,069,453 23,191,876 31,443,322 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 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 fur- ther 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 Jeffer- son, Franklin, John Adams, Sherman, and R. R. Livingston.) The Declaration being read, was agreed to, as follows : A DECLARATION BY THE REPRESENTATIVES OP THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, IN CONGRESS ASSEMBLED. When, in the course of human events, it becomes neces- sary 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 G-od 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, lib- erty, 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 abol- ish it, and to institute a new government, laying its founda- tion on such principles, and organizing its powers in such (7) 8 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their safety and happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that gov- 'ernments 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 abso- lute 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 con- strains them to alter their former systems of government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a his- tory 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 imme- diate 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 accommoda- tion 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 un- usual, 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 pow- ers, incapable of annihilation, have returned to the people DECLARATION OP INDEPENDENCE. 9 at large for their exercise, the State remaining, in the mean- time, 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 natural- ization 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 re- fusing 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 jurisdic- tion foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws ; giving his assent to their acts of pretended legis- lation : 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 neigh- boring province, establishing therein an arbitary govern- ment, and enlarging its boundaries, so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into thes*e colonies; For taking away our charters, abolishing Qur most valu- 10 DECLABATION OF INDEPENDENCE. able laws, and altering, fundamentally, the powers of our governments ; For suspending our own legislature, and declaring them- selves 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 de- fine 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 at- tempts made by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the cir- cumstances 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 inter- rupt 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 man- kind, enemies in war — in peace, friends. DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. 11 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, Fees 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, conolude peace, contract alli- ances, 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, en- grossed, and signed by the following members : JOHN HANCOCK.- New Hampshire. Rhode Island. Josiah Bartlett, Stephen Hopkins, William Whipple, William Ellert. New York. Matthew Thobnton. Massachusetts Bay. William Floyd, Samuel Adams, Philip Livingston, John Adams, Fbanoi3 Lewis, Robert Teeat Payne, Lewis Morris. Elbridge Gerry. Connecticut. New Jersey. Richard Stockton, Roger Sherman, John Witheespoon, Samuel Huntington, Francis Hofkinson, William Williams, John Hart, Oliver Wolcott. Abraham Olark. 12 DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE. Pennsylvania. Robert Morris, Benjamin Rush, Benjamin Franklin, John Morton, George Clymer, James Smith, George Taylor, James Wilson, George Boss. Delaware * C^sar Rodney, George Read, Thomas M'Kean. Maryland. Samuel Chase, William Paoa, Thomas Stone, Charles Carroll, of Carroll' n. Virginia. George Wtthe, 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, Jan., Arthur Middleton. Georgia. Button Gwinnett, Lyman Hall, George Walton. ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION AND PERPETUAL UNION BETWEEN THE STATES. The Articles of Confederation reported July 12, 70, 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 I. '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 Tear of the Independence of America, agree to certain Articles of Con- federation and Perpetual Union between the States of New Hampshire, Massachusetts Bay, Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, Connecticut, New York, New Jer- sey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia, in the words follow- ing, 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 com- as') 14 ARTICLES OP CONFEDERATION. mon defense, the security of- their liberties, and their mu- tual 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 ex- cepted — 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, imposi- tions, and restrictions, as the inhabitants thereof respect- ively, 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 in- habitant; provided, also, that no imposition, duties or re- striction 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 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. 15 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 meet- ing of the States, and while they act as members of the Committee of the States. In determining questions in the United States, in Con- gress 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 Con- gress, 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 Con- gress, 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 what- ever 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, con- federation or alliance whatever between them, without the consent of the United States in Congress assembled, speci- fying 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 in- terfere 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 anv State eycept 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 16 ARTICLES OP CONFEDERATION. 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 gar- rison the forts necessary for the defense of such State ; but every State shall always keep up a well regulated and dis- ciplined 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 quan- tity 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 cer- tain advice of a resolution being formed by some nation of Indians to invade such a State, and the danger is so immi- nent as not to admit of a delay, till the United States in Congress assembled can b.e consulted : nor shall any State grant commissions to any ships or vessels of war, nor let- ters 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 <5f 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 de- termine 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 appoint- ment. 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 as- sembled, 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 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. 17 for any person, as such land and the buildings and improve- ments 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 pro- portion shall be laid and levied by the authority and direc- tion 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 deter- mining on peace and war, except in the cases mentioned in the 6th article — of sending and receiving embassadors — en- tering 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 im- portation of any species of goods or commodities whatso- ever — of establishing rules for deciding in all cases what captures on land or water shall be legal, and in what man- ner prizes taken by land or naval forces in the service of the United States shall be divided or appropriated — of grant- ing letters of marque and reprisal in times of peace — ap- pointing courts for the trial of piracies and felonies com- mitted 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 mat- ter in question, and praying for a hearing, notice thereof shall be given by order of Congress, to the legislative or execu- tive authority of the other State in controversy, and a day as- signed for the appearance of the parties by their lawful agents, who shall then be directed to appoint, by joint consent, com- 18 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. missioners or judges to constitute a court for hearing and de- termining 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 num ber not less than seven, nor more than nine names, as Con gress shall direct, shall in the presence of Congress be drawr out by lot, and the personswhose 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 neg- lect 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 conclu- sive ; 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, th« court shall, nevertheless, proceed to pronounce sentence or judgment, which shall in like manner be final and decisive, the judgment or sentence and other proceed- ings 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 St#te 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 orig- ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. 19 inated antecedent to such settlement of jurisdiction, stall, 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 respect- ing territorial jurisdiction between different States. The United States in Congress assembled shall also have tfca 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 — es- tablishing or regulating post-ofiices 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 of- ficers 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 gov- ernment and regulation of the said land and naval forces, and directing their operations. The United States in Congress assembled shall have au- thority to appoint a committee,' to sit in the recess of Con- gress, 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 ap- ply the same for defraying the public expenses — to borrow money, or emit bills on the credit of the United States, trans- mitting 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 pro- 20 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. portion to the number of white inhabitants in such State ; which requisition shall be binding; and thereupon the leg- islatures 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 circum- stances, 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, offi- cered, 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 Con- gress assembled. The United States in Congress assembled shall never en- gage 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 bor- row money on the credit of the United States, nor appro- priate 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 ARTICLES OP CONFEDERATION. 21 publish the journal of their proceedings monthly, except such parts thereof relating to treaties, alliances, or military operations, as in their judgment require seoresy; and the yeas and nays of the delegates of each State on any ques- tion 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 Con- gress, 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 ; pro- vided 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 ad- mitted 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 bor- rowed, 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 determina- tions of the United States in Congress assembled on all ques- tions 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 Con- gress of the United States, and be afterward confirmed by the legislatures of every State. And Whereas, It hath pleased the Great Governor of the 22 ARTICLES OF CONFEDERATION. World to incline the hearts of the legislatures we respect- ively represent in Congress, to approve of and to authorize us to ratify the said Articles of Confederation and perpet- ual union. Know Ye that we, the undersigned delegates, by virtue of the power and authority to us given for that pur- pose, do, by these presents, in the name and in behalf 'of our respective constituents, fully and entirely ratify and con- firm 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 per- petual. 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 OP 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 com- posed 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 . C23-) 24 THE CONSTITUTION. 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 Rep- resentative ; and until such enumeration shall be made, the State of New Hampshire shall be entitled to choose three, Massachusetts eight, Rhode Island and Providence Planta- tions onej 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 theredf 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 im- peachment. ■ Seo. 3. The Senate of the United States shall be com- posed of two Senators from each State, chosen by the Leg- islature 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 Presi- dent of the Senate, but shall have no vote, unless they be equally divided. THE CONSTITUTION. 25 The Senate shall choose their other officers, and also a President pro tempore, in the absence of the Vice-Presi- dent, or when he shall exercise the office of President of the United States. The Senate shall have the sole power to try all impeach- ments. 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 per- son shall be convicted without the concurrence of two- thirds of the members present. Judgment in cases of impeachment shall not extend fur- ther 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 elec- tions 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, ex- cept 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 Decem- ber, unless they shall by law appoint a different day. Seo. 5. Each House shall be the judge of the elections, returns, and qualifications of its own members, and a ma- jority of each shall constitute a quorum to do business ; but a smaller number may adjourn from day to day, and maybe authorized to compel the attendance of absent mem- bers, 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. 2 26 THE CONSTITUTION. 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 of Eepresentative 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 in- creased 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 Repre- sentatives and the Senate, shall, before it becomes a law, be presented to the President of the United States : If he ap- prove, he shall sign it ; but if not, he shall return it, with his objections, to that House in which it shall have orig- inated, who shall enter the objections at large on their Journal, and proceed to reconsider it. If, after such re- consideration, two-thirds of that House Bhall 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 be- come a law. But in all such cases the votes of both Houses shall be determined by yeas and nays, 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 THE CONSTITUTION. 27 same shall be a law, in like manner as if he had signed it unless the Congress, by their adjournment, prevent its ro- turn, 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 neces- sary (except on a question of adjournment) shall be pre- sented 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 gen- eral welfare of the United States ; but all Duties, Im- posts 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 uni- form 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 secu- rities 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 ex- clusive 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 ; 28 THE CONSTITUTION. 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 inva- sions ; To provide for organizing," arming, and disciplining the militia, and for governing such part of them as may be em ployed 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 com- merce or revenue to the ports of one State over those of THE CONSTITUTION. 29 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 con- sequence 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 what- ever, from any king, prince, or foreign State. Seo. 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 obliga- tion 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 Con- gress. 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 Legis- lature thereof may direct, a number of electors equal to 30 THE CONSTITUTION. 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 pake 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 Gov- ernment of the United States, directed to the President of the Senate. The President of the Senate shall, in the pres- ence of the Senate and House of Eepresentatives, 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 num- ber 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 immedi- ately 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 hav- ing 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 per- son 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.*] 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 Con- stitution, shall be eligible to the office of President ; nei- * This clause has been repealed and anuuled by the 12th amendment. THE CONSTITUTION, 31 ther shall 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. pow- ers 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 ac- cordingly until the disability be removed, or a President shall be elected. The President shall, at stated times, receive for his serv- ices 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." Seo. 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 Execu- tive 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 con- sent 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 32 THE CONSTITUTION. provided for, and which shall be established by law; but the Congress may by law vest the appointment of such in- ferior 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 grant- ing 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 neces- sary 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 offi- cers 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 infe- rior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the Supreme and in- ferior courts, shall hold their offices during good behavior, and shall, at stated times, receive for their services a com- pensation, which shall not be diminished during their con- tinuance 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 Embas- sadors^ 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 THE CONSTITUTION. between two or more States; between a State and citizens of another State ; between citizens of different States ; be- tween 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 ail cases affecting Embassadors, other public Minis- ters 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 en- emies, giving them aid and comfort. No person shall be convicted of treason unless on the testimony of two wit- nesses to the same overt act, or on. confession in open ' Court. The Congress shall have power to declare the punish- ment 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 »ther crime, who shall flee from justice, and be found in mother State, shall, on demand of the executive authority 34 THE CONSTITUTION. of the State from which he fled, be delivered up, to be Temoved to the State having jurisdiction of the crime. No person field to service or labor in one State, under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in conse- quence 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 project each of them against invasion ; and on applica- tion of the Legislature, or of the Executive (when the Leg- islature 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 Consti- tution, or, on the application of the Legislatures of two- thirds of the several States, shall call a convention for pro- posing 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. THE CONSTITUTION. 35 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 notwith- standing. The Senators and ^Representatives before mentioned, and the members of the several State Legislatures, and all ex- ecutive 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 be- tween 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 here- unto subscribed our names. GEO. "WASHINGTON, Pre&H and Deputy from, Virginia. New Hampshire. John Langdon, Nicholas Gilman. Massachusetts. Nathaniel Gobham, Kufus Kino. Connecticut Wm. Saml. Johnson, Roger Shekman. 36 THE CONSTITUTION. New York. Alexander Hamilton. Wil. Livingston, Wm. Paterson, B. Franklin, Robt. Morkis, Tho. Fitzsimons, James Wilson, Geo. Bead, John Dickinson, Jaco. Broom, James M 1 Henry, Danl. Caeeoll, John Blair, Wm. Blount, Hu. Williamson, J. Kutledge, Charles Pinckney, William Pew, Attest: New Jersey. Datid Beearley, jona. dayton. Pennsylvania. Thomas Mifflin, Geo. . Clymee, Jabed Ingersoll, Gouv. Moeeis. Delaware. Gunning Bedford, Jun'b,. Riohaed Bassett. Maryland. Dan. of St.. Thos. Jenifer. Virginia. James Madison, Jr. North Carolina. Rich'd Dobbs Spaiqht. South Gorolina. Charles Cotesworth Pinoknet, Pierce Butlee. Georgia. Abe. Baldwin. WILLIAM JACKSON, Secretary THOMAS JEFFERSON. THE CONSTITUTION. 37 ARTICLES, In addition to, and amendment of, the Constitution of the United States of America, proposed by Congress, and ratified by the Legis- latures of the several States, pursuant to the fifth article of the orig- inal 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 n. 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 affirm- ation, 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 other- wise infamous crime, unless on a presentment of 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 sub- ject for the same offense to be twice put in jeopardy of life or limb ; nor shall be compelled in any criminal case to be 38 THE CONSTITUTION. 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 ascer- tained 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 wit- nesses 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 other- wise 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 re- served to the States respectively, or to the people. article XI. The judicial power of the United States shall not be con- strued to extend to any suit in law or equity, commenced or prosecuted against one of the United States by citizens THE CONSTITUTION. 39 of another State, or by citizens or subjects of any foreign State. ARTICLE XII. The Electors shall meet in their respective States, and rote 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 trans- mit 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 num- ber be a majority of the whole number of Electors ap- pointed; 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 hav- ing 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, be- fore 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-Pres- ident, 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-Pres- ident ; a quorum for the purpose shalt consist of two-thirds 40 THE CONSTITUTION. of the whole number of Senators, and a majority of the whole number shall be necessary to a choice. But no per- son 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 Res- olution 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 Khode Island ." . . .29th May,- 1790 (( (! (( (1 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 elev- enth, on the 8th January, 1798; and the twelfth, on the 25 th September, 1804: and the thirteenth, on the , IS6- ' 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 in- estimable legacy, which can not be too frequently conned by every American who values his birthright. WASHINGTON'S ELECTION AS COMilANDER-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, ters 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 there- for. 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 soqn 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 Wa- bash 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 ana 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 ORDINANCE OF 1787. 93 line. The eastern State shall be bounded by the last men- tioned direct line, the Ohio, Pennsylvania, and the said territorial line; Provided, however, and it is further un- derstood and declared, that the boundaries of these three States shall be subject so far to be altered, and, if Con- gress 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. Alfr VI. There shall be neither slavery nor involun- tary 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 escap- ing 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 res- olutions 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 State* the territory now composing the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wis- consin, and Michigan, making the ordinance the fundamentai,Jaw of these States AMNESTY PROCLAMATION. By the President of the United States 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 persona who have been justly deprived of all claim to amnesty and pardon thereunder by reason of their partici- pation directly or by implication in said rebellion, and con- tinued 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 estab- lished. I, Andrew Johnson, President of the United Slates, do proclaim and declare that I hereby grant to all persons who have directly or indirectly participated in the existing re- bellion, 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 in- stituted ; 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 : (94) AMNESTY" PROCLAMATION. 96 " I do solemnly swear or affirm, in the presence of Al- mighty God, that I will henceforth faithfully defend the Con- stitution 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 sf 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 other- wise 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 acad- emy at- West Point t or in the United States Naval Acad- emy. 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 juris- diction and protection of the United States and passed be- yond the Federal military lines into the So-called Confed- erate States for the purpose of aiding the rebellion. Eleventh— All persons who have engaged in the destruc- 96 AMNESTY PROCLAMATION. tion of the commerce of the United States ujym the high seas, and all persons who have made raids idio the United States from Canada, or been engaged in destroying the com- merce 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 un- der 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 con- viction. 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 Am- nesty as prescribed in the President's Proclamation, Decem- ber 28th, 18613, 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 re- cording said Amnesty Oath, so as to insure its benefits to the people, and guard the Government against fraud. In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the Seal of the United States to be af- ^-r=^. fixed. Done at the City of "Washington, this (seal\ 29th day of May, A. D. 1865, and of the Inde- ^HT^ pendence of the United States, the eighty-ninth. (Signed.) By the President: Andrew Johnson. W. H. SewarDj Secretary of State. PROPOSED CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE. At the commencement of the Congressional session of I860, 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 ap- prehensions, 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 terri- tory 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 terri- torial government during its continuance. All the territory north or south of said line, within such boundaries as Con- gress may prescribe, when it contains a population neces- sary 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 5 t (97) 98 PROPOSED CRITTENDEN COMPROMISE. Maryland, or either; nor shall Congress at any time pro- hibit the officers of Government, or members of Congress, whose duties require them to live in the District of Colum- bia, bringing slaves there and using them as such. 4th. Congress shall have no power to hinder the- trans- portation of slaves from one State to another, whether by land, navigable river, 6r 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 per- mitted. 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 per- sons held as slaves within any State, or designated part of a State, the people whereof shall then be in rebellion against the UBited States, shall be then, thenceforth and forever free, and the Executive Government of the United States, including the military and naval authorities thereof, will rec- ognize 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 coun- tervailing 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 Com- mander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, in time of actual armed rebellion against the au- thority and Government of the United States, and as a fit (99) 100 EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. 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 afore- said, 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 Gov- ernment 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 per- sons 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 jus- tice, warranted by the Constitution upon military necessity, I invoke the considerate judgment of mankind and the gra- cious favor of Almighty God. EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. 101 In witness 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 first day of Jan- _ uary, in the year of our Lord one thousand /g^XiT\ eight hundred and sixty-three, and of the In- V£7~o"^/ dependence 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. Ml Bear 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 na- tion'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 102 EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. that any compromise, embracing the maintenance of the Union, is now possible. All that I learn leads to a di- rectly opposite belief. The strength of the rebellion is its military — its army. The army dominates all the coun- try and all the people within its range. Any offer of any terms made by any man or men within that range, in op- position to that army, is simply nothing for the present, because such man or men have no power whatever to en- force 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 restor- ation 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 Penn- sylvania, and, I think, can ultimately drive it but of ex- istence. But no paper compromise, to which the controll- ers 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 domi- nation 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, ac- cording to the bond of service, the United States Consti- tution, 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 hot consistent with even your view, provided you are for EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. 103 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 ene- mies and friends, may be taken when needed? And is it not needed whenever taking it helps us, or hurts the en- emy? Armies, the world over, destroy enemies' properly 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 be- fore 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 104 EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. holding these views are some who have never had any affinity with what is called abolitionism or with "Repub- lican party politics," but who hold them purely as mili- itary 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 mat- ter. 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 re- sistance to the Union, if I shall urge you to continue fight- ing, 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 weak- ened 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 sol- diers to do in saving the Union. Does it appear other- wise 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, Key- stone, 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 forgot- EMANCIPATION PROCLAMATION. 105 ten. 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 maglignant 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 : "^Vhereas, 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 com- modities, 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 Consti- tution 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 neces- sary to give full effect to the said ordinance : And, whereas, By the said ordinance, it is further or- dained 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 bo 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 pur- pose ; 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 (106) PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 107 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 Caro- lina in the Union, and that the people of the said State will thenceforth hold themselves absolved from all further obli- gation 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 peo- ple of South Carolina a course of conduct in direct viola- tion 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 Consti- tution, 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, appeal- ing 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. 108 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. Strict duty would require of me nothing more than the exercise of those powers with which I am now, or may here- after 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 peo- ple 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 de- mand, 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 pur- sue. The ordinance is founded, not on the indefeasible right of resisting acts which are plainly unconstitutional, and too op- pressive 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 Con- stitution — that the true construction of that instrument per- mits 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 Con- stitution ; but it is evident, that to give the right of resist- ing 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 opin- ion 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, JOHN QUINCY ADAMS. PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 109 both judges and jurors being sworn to decide in its favor. But reasoning on this subject is superfluous, when our so- cial 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 cau 1 tion, 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 reve- nues unconstitutional, and has a right to prevent their ex- ecution 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 unconstitu- tional; and, as has been shown, there is no appeal. 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 kerned unconstitutional, and were more unequal in their operation than any of the laws now complained of ; but for- tunately 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 dis- grace instead of victory and honor, if the States who sup- posed it a ruinous and unconstitutional measure, had thought they possessed the right of nullifying the act by which if 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 diir Constitution was reserved to the present day. To the statesmen of South 110 PBOCLAMATION OP ANDBEW JACKSON. Carolina belongs the invention, and upon the citizens of that State will unfortunately fall the evils of reducing it to prac- tice. 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 abund- ant proof that it would have been repudiated with indigna- tion had it been proposed to form a feature in our Gov- ernment. 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 Inde- pendence, we were known in our aggregate character as the United Colonies of America. That decisive and im- portant 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 pur- pose 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 de- cisions. Congress made requisitions, but they were not . complied with. The Government could not operate on in- dividuals. They had no judiciary, no means of collecting revenue. But the defects of the Confederation need not be de- tailed. Under its operation we could scarcely b'e called a nation. We had neither prosperity at home nor consid- eration 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 PROCLAMATION OP ANDREW JACKSON. Ill in the name and by the authority of the people of the ■United States, whose delegates framed, and whose conven- tions approved it. The most important among those ob- jects, that which is placed first in rank, on which all others rest, is, "to form a more perfect Union." Now, is it pos- sible 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 as- sembled wisdom of our country as to substitute for that Confederation a form of government dependent for its ex- istence 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. Meta- physical 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 exist- ence 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 destruc- tive 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 in- tended 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 un- authorized 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 112 PROCLAMATION Or ANDREW JACKSON. 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. How- ever 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 mem- bers who assent to a law enacted under constitutional power, shall make the law void : for how is that purpose to be as- certained? How often may bad purposes be falsely im- puted — in how many cases are they concealed by false pro- ■ fessions — in how many is no declaration of motive made? Admit this doctrine, and you give .to the States an uncon- trolled right to decide, and every law may be annulled under this pretext. If, therefore, the absurd and danger- ous 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 re- lied 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 for- tunes 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, ineffi- cient, 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 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 113 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 im- putation; its spirit — its evident intent, contradicts it. No, we did not err I Our Constitution does not contain the ab- surdity 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 con- tended, could defeat it. No, we have not erred 1 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, un- corrupted, by sophistical construction, to our posterity, and the sacrifices of local interest, of State prejudices, of per- sonal 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 con- lit PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. trol oyer 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 Constitu- tion 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 pur- pose, 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 pre- sents at this day would recur whenever any law of the United States displeased any of the States, and that we Bhould 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. Ex- amine them seriously, my fellow-citizens; judge for your- PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 115 selves. I appeal to you to determine whether they, are so clear, so convincing, as to leave no doubt of their correct- ness ; and even if you should come to this conclusion, how far they justify the reckless, destructive course which you are directed_ to pursue. Keview 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 Constitu- tion 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 not- withstanding." 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 I ineffectual restrictions 1 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 ap- prove — in that the amount raised is more than is wanted. Congress, it is true, is invested by the Constitution with 116 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 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 Constitu- tion 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 thisj 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 unconstitu- tional 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 ab- rogates 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 Con- stitution 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 author* ities 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 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 117 to be unconstitutional, repealed by the authority of a small majority of the voters of a single State. Here is a provis- ion 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 tl. in. 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 ad- vocates 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 Constitu- tion, 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 gov- ernment in which the people of all the States collectively are represented. We are one people in the choice of Pres- ident 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 differ- ence : 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 Represent- atives. Rut this creates no national distinction. When chosen, they are all Representatives of the United States, not representatives of the particular State from whence 118 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 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 how- ever they may, in practice, as it is their duty to do, con- sult 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 Repre- sentative 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 alljhe 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 se- cession 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 constitu- tional 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 them- selves aggrieved, depart from it; but it is precisely be- cause it is a compact that they can not. A compact is an agreement .or binding obligation. It may, by its terms, PROCLAMATION OP ANDKEW JACKSON. 119 have a sanction or penalty for its breaeh, 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 sanc- tion 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 Belf-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 mod- ified 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 beeen made for pun- ishing 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 de- velopment to my vi^ws 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 exer- tion to defend them from violation ; but equal care must be taken to prevent, on their part, an improper interfer- ence 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 al- leged undivided sovereignty of the States, and on their 120 PKOCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. having formed, in this sovereign capacity, a compact, which is called the Constitution, from which, because they made it, they have the right to secedej 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 sov- ereignty. 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 sov- ereign power. ' The States, then, for all these purposes, were no longer sovereign. The allegiance of their citi- zens was transferred, in the first instance, to the Govern- ment of the United States; they became American citi- zens, 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 pun- ish 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 charac- ter ; our opposition to its oppressions began as united col- onies. 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 form- PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 121 ing 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,"- al- though 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 ex- onerate 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 as- sent, by those on the Atlantic or the Gulf for their own benefit? Shall there be a free port in one State, and on- erous 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 6 122 PROCLAMATION OP ANDREW JACKSON. secession of one of its members. When the first was pro- posed, 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 propo- sition ; 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 ma- jority 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 Fed- ' ral 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, sufiicient 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 ac- corded to them, must have, known that neither Congress, nor any functionary of the General Government, has au- thority 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 pro- visions of the Constitution with which this crisis has been madly hurried on ; or of the attempt to persuade the peo- ple that a constitutional remedy has been sought and re- fused. 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 "earn- estly seek" it is completely negatived by the omission. This, then, is the position in which we stand. A small PROCLAMATION OP ANDREW JACKSON. 123 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 seces- sion 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 ex- tent 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 situ- ation 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 ad- monish you, as the First Magistrate of our common coun- try, not to incur the penalty of its laws, but use the influ- ence 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 them- selves, or wish to deceive you. Mark under what pretenses you have been led on to the brink of insurrection and trea- son, and on which you stand! First, a diminution of the "value of your staple commodity, lowered by over-produc- tion in other quarters, and the consequent diminution in the value of your lands, were the sole effect of the tariff laws. 124 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 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 pro- portion to your exports, not to your consumption of im- ported 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 1 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 nul- lify a law rested on the same principle, but that it was a peaceable remedy 1 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 nulli- fication ! What is the meaning of the word palpable, in the sense in which it is here used? that which is appa- rent 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 cho^e whether they will be considered as incapable, then, < perceiving PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 125 that which must have been apparent to every man of com- mon 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 colo- nial vassalage. You are free members of a flourishing and happy Union. There is no settled design to oppress you. You have, in- deed,, felt the unequal operation of laws which may have been unwisely, not unconstitutionally passed ; but that in-"- equality must necessarily be removed. At the very mo- ment 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 pub- lic 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- pre- cipitated into the fearful state in which you now find your- selves. I have urged you to look back to the means that were used to hurry you on to the position you have now as- sumed, 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 litera- ture and their arts ; facilitating their intercommunication ; 126 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 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 ad- vance 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 op- pressed 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 inesti- mable 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 establish- ing a separation, what would be your situation? Are you united at' home — are you free from the apprehension of civil discord, ^gjth all its fearful consequences? Do our neighboring republics, every day suffering some new revo- lutio'n, 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 emphatic- ally 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 ex- ecution 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. PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 127 Are you really ready to incur its guilt? If you are, on the heads of the instigators of the act be the dreadful con- sequences — on their heads be the dishonor, but on yours may fall the punishment; on your unhappy State will in- evitably 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 vic- tims — 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 de- scendants of the Finckneys, 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 dis- union, all other evils are light, because that brings with it an accumulation of all. Declare that you will never talce 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 dis- turb its peace — you may interrupt the course of its pros- perity—you may cloud its reputation for stability ; but its tranquillity will be restored, its prosperity will return, and 128 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. the stain upon its national character will be transferred, arid remain an eternal blot on the memory of those who caused the disorder. Fellow-citizens of the United States ! The threat of unhal- lowed disunion — the names of those once respected, by whom it is uttered — the array of military force to support it — de- notes the approaoh of a crisis in our affairs, on which the continuance of our unexampled prosperity, our political ex- istence, and perhaps that of all free governments, may de- pend. 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 re- lation to the origin and form of our government, and the construction I give to the instrument, by which it was cre- ated, 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 confi- dence, on your undivided support in my determination to execute the laws— to preserve the Union by all constitution- al means — to arrest, if possible, by moderate but firm meas- ures, 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 de- cision 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 in- stitutions, and that the prudence, the wisdom, and the cour- age 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 PROCLAMATION OF ANDREW JACKSON. 129 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 De- cember, 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 Jacksqjj. 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 states- men. 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, un- der 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 New- port, 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 im- portant, and without whose efforts the enterprise would doubt- less 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. (130) HISTOBY OF THE STATES, 131 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 pe- riod of the Revolution, in which it was one of the first col- onies 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 Rev- olution its course was for many years one of ^reat prosper- ity. 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 se- ceded 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 re- mains 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 Puri- tans. 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, ar- riving 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. Mean- time, another settlement had been formed, styled the Mas- sachusetts Colony. Both were for some years under the 132 HISTORY OV THE STATES. control of a London company. In 1691, Massachusetts and Plymouth Colonies were united, and thenceforward their his- tory 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, unfor- tunately, had imbibed, during their own persecutions, too much of the spirit of conscription, and, although them- selves 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 fa- vor 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 assem- bly 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 con- tained 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 sub- sequent 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 commend- able. MARYLAND. In 1632, Sir George Calvert (Lord Baltimore) visited ANDREW JACKSON. HISTORY OF THE STATES. 133 America, explored a tract of country lying on the Chesa- peake Bay, belonging to what was then called South Vir- ginia, 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 in- cluded in the grant made some time afterward to William Peon, and to have caused much contention between the suc- cessors 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 op- posite 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 Po- tomac, at the Indian town of Yoacomoco. The settlement was called St. Mary's. Maryland made a very fortunate beginning. The colo- nists arrived in time to make a crop for that year. Their neighbors in Virginia supplied them with cattle, and pro- tected 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 lib- eral — 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 popula- tion 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 re- 134 HISTORY OF THE STATES. bellion 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 ex- tent of territory contiguous to it, in the year 1609. Al- though an Englishman by nativity, Hudson was at this time employed by the Dutch, (Hollanders) who, conse- quently, 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 English- man. 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 Connecti- cut and New Jersey. The liberal governments of the sur- rounding colonies stood in great contrast with the despotic one. imposed by the Dutch Government upon their Ameri- can colonists. And when, in 1664, the English squadron dis- patched 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 ca- pitulate without resistance. Peter Stuyvesant, their Gov- ernor, and an able executive, made vain efforts to rouse them to defense, and was forced to surrender. The Eng- lish 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 arbi- trary 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 Consti- HISTORY Off THE STATES. 135 tution 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 oan compare with Massachusetts. At th« com- mencement 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 tlu> year 1633, the Puritans of Massachusetts, having heard vei y flattering reports of the valley of Connecticut, resolved t - make an effort to settle it. Accordingly, a com- pany of tl em sailed for the Connecticut River, taking with them the r ame of a house. Meantime the Dutch, claiming the territo y as theirs, built a fort on the river where Hart- ford now s ands, to prevent the emigrants from passing up. The Tanki.es, however, with that steady perseverance which has always marked their course, proceeded on their way, paying no attention to the Dutch fort, whose only demon- stration w« s an unexecuted threat to fire on the emigrants if they parsed it. Landing where Farmington River en- ters 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 B irtford, 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.* 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. 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 pres- ent population is 460,147. «• ♦ This battle resulted In the destruction of the Pequod tribe. 136 HISTORY OF THE STATES. 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, pur- chased the present site of Providence of the Narragansett Indians, and founded a colony, of which he was at once pas- tor, 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 settle- ment 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 Planta- tions. 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 man- ufactories. 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 Neth- erlands. But soon after the latter came into the hands of HISTOKY OF THE STATES. 137 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 Eliza- bethtown, 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. Thencefor- ward its career has been a highly prosperous one. Its strength has been put forth to aid in crushing the great Re- bellion. 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 settle- 138 HISTORY OF THE STATES. ments from this time until they preempted all the territory from Cape Henlopen to the falls of the Delaware. At this time the colony was called New Sweden. -In 1651, Gov- ernor 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 strat- agem. Enraged at this movement, the Government of Holland ordered Stuyvesant to reduce the Swedes to sub- mission, 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 re- united to Pennsylvania in 1692. In 1703, it was again sep- arated, having its own legislature, though the same Gov- ernor 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 set- tlement of Jamestown, and thirty -five years before the Puri- tans 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 HISTORY OF THE STAGES. 139 between the 30th and 36th degrees of north latitude, hav- ing the Atlantic Ocean for its eastern boundary, was con- veyed by Charles II, to Lord Clarendon and associates, un- der 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 trag- edies. 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 Repub- lic, 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 pre- vented 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. Popu- lation 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 phil- osopher, 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 ar- 140 HISTORY OF THE STATES. rangement, 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 mur- dered by an Indian ; and to this day the " sons of Wm. Penn" are every-where respected by the savage. The treaty Penn made with the Indians was never violated. In fram- ing 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 de- tached. For seventy years prosperity smiled upon this col- ony, 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 popula- tion, 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 suf- ficient " 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 gen- eral 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. GEOEGIA. General James Oglethorpe, and a company of twenty-one others, received, in the year 1732, from George II, of Eng- land, a grant for all the land between the Savannah and the Altamaha Rivers. In January, 1733, a company ef 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 HISTORY OF THE STATES. 141 them in their labor of forming a colony. The first laws made for the province by the twenty-two grantees, prohib- ited 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 Ogle- thorpe, 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 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 man- ifesting that indolence and indifference which is still too prom- inent 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 com- pared 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 consid- ered 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 set- tlers. 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 del- egates met at Westminster, and declared themselves an in- 142 HISTORY OF THE STATES. dependent State, under the name of New Connecticut. _ Pre- vious 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 Revolu- tion the State did good service in the cause of liberty, al- though 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 ad- mitted 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 -popula- tion is 315,098. KENTUCKY Was settled, in the year 1775, by Daniel Boone and a num- ber of associates from North Carolina. The trials and ad- ventures 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, build- ing roads and forts. One of the latter he erected at Boons- borough ; 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 Indi- ans, 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 slave-holding sisters in general improvement. . Her position for some time after the commencement of the Rebellion was by no means promotive of her prosperity. HISTOET OF THE STATES. 143 Owing to her attempt to observe striot neutrality, she be- came 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 inhab- itants 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 mere mas- sacred. But, in 1767, the natives were reduced to submis- sion by Colonel Grant, and a treaty was made with them, which encouraged emigration. Settlements were formed on Holston Kiver in 1765, which, although frequently attacked by the Indians, made very fair progress. Colonel John Se- vier, 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 con- sidered as among the greatest of the agricultural States. At this time, however, it was seduced by the voice of the s.iren, 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 Novem- ber, 1802, the State containing, at the time, 72,000 inhab- itants — 2,000 more than was required in order to its admis- sion. It was settled in the spring of 1788, one year after 144 HISTORY OP THE STATES. 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 wit- nessed 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 administra- tion, the population increased rapidly. Unembarrassed by any centralizing or aristocratic institutions, possessed of the finest natural resources, and vitalized by an enterprising pop- ulation, 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 po- sition staunchly for the Union, and has done much during the war for the restoration of the authority of the Govern- ment 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 posses- sion 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 HISTOET OP THE STATES. 145 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 for- ward 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 pri- ority of discovery by La Salle. Indiana was long the resi- dence 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 Ter- ritory in 1809, and on the 11th of December, 1816, was ad- mitted 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 West- ern sisters, but her efforts in behalf of the Government dur- ing 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 TerritoTy, and named Alabama. The whole of this territorry 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 7 146 HISTORY OE THE STATES. 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 terri- tory, and so remained till received into the Union. This State has been little disturbed by civil divisions or by In- dian wars. Its most serious troubles arose from the ap- pearance, within its borders, of the Mormons, in 1838, and from attempts made to curb their irregularities. This sin- gular 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 submis- sion, and banished the State. It was explored by La Salle, and settled by the French at Kaskaskia,* 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. ALABAMA Was admitted to the Union on the 14th of December, 1819. It has a deep, rich soil, and in many places a healthful cli- mate. 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 be- came a part of Mississippi Territory, from which it was * Kaskaskia, the first capital of Illinois, Is located on Kaskaskia River, and is the present site of Vandalia. HISTORY OF THE STATES. 147 separated when Mississippi became a State. It was set- tled, 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. Vari- ous 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 sep- arating 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 agri- cultural State, but its extensive fisheries and great lumber trade have greatly enriched it, and its progress in morality hag, perhaps, been superior to that of any other State. It is the only State in the Union that has an efficient pro- hibitory liquor law. It proved itself- true to the Govern- ment 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 ter- ritory 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 Or- leans 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 148 HISTORT OF THE STATES. 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 Ken-' tucky, 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 excep- tion 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 popula- tion 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 se- ceding States, January 7th, 1861. Florida, like the In- dian'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 set- HISTORY OP THE STATES. 149 tlement 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 emigra- tion began to flow from the Atlantic States in that direc- tion. Little Rock, the_ early seat of government and the present capital, was laid out in the year 1820, during which year the first Bteamboat ascended the Arkansas Eiver. The boat was eight days in going from New Orleans to the vil- lage 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 In- dians. 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 guar- anteed 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, con- tained 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 Cath- olic 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 as- siduous, 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. Compar- atively little, in fact, was done until 1783, when the terri- tory was ceded by England to the United States. Until 1800 it was, for purposes of Government, considered a part 150 HISTOKY OF THE STATES. of the Great North-western Territory. After Ohio, Indi- ana, and Illinois had been severally detached, the remain-, der, 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 bar- barity 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 set- tlement, 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 be- - longed 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 sub- sequently enlarged by a further grant. Immigration from the United States was encouraged, and in 1830 nearly ten thousand Americans were settled in Texas. The prosperity HISTORY OF THE STATES. 151 of these inhabitants excited the jealousy of Mexico, and under the administration of Santa Anna, an unjust, op- pressive policy was adopted toward Texas. Remonstrance proving useless, the people of the territory declared them- selves 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 un- der his immediate command one thousand and five hundred men, he was met by General Sam. Houston, with eight hun- dred 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 re- garding Texas as a revolted province, refused to acknowl- edge 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, ac- quired 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 thou- sand 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 mi- grate to. Mexico in the year 1860. By this and other op- pressive acts on the part of the advocates of slavery, Texas, purchased by the blood and treasure of the United States, 152 HISTORY OF THE 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 Revolu- tion it was given up by Great Britain to the United States. It was erected into a territory in 1836, the portion now form- ing the State of Iowa being detached in 1838. Its natural resources are extraordinary, the climate being very health- ful, and the soil unsurpassed in fertility. It was settled in the year 1669, at Green Bay, by the French. It is thor- oughly loyal to the Union. In 1860, it had a population of 775,881. MINNESOTA Lies north of Iowa, and extends to the Canadian bound- ary. 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 gov- ernment 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 experi- enced since the breaking out of the rebellion. It isj however, a thrifty, growing State, and is thoroughly loyal. It was set- tled in 1846, at St". Paul, by emigrants from the eastern States. HISTORY OF THE STATES. 153 OREGON Was admitted into the Union in the year 1859. It, prim- arily, included Washington Territory, and, with the latter, comprised the extensive tract lying hetween the British Pos- sessions, on the north, and California, on the south; the Rooky Mountains, on 'the east, and the Pacific Ocean, on the west. The coasts of this region were discovered by the Span- iards 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 ter- ritory. 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, how- ever, 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 civ- ilizing 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 ter- ritorial organization, by the passage of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill, in 1854, re-opened the agitation of the slavery ques- tion, which seeming to have acquired fresh vigor and viru- lence from the sleep it had enjoyed under the Missouri Com- 154 HISTORY OP THE STATES. promise, 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 ex- pected 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 organ- izations of the South began pouring streams.of settlers into it of opposite political views, entertaining the most hostile feel- ings, 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 di- vision of the Democratic party. The Constitution was re- jected 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 occured 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 ran- gers, conquered California in 1846, having defeated, on fre- quent 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 rep- resentatives from every State in the Union, and from nearly HISTOKT OF THE STATES. 155 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 has- tily together, from so many places, and in coasequence 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 VIKGINIA. 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 alle- giance 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 peo- • pie might demand. On the 20th of August, 1861, the con- vention 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, No- vember 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 Noting with the original States, in all respects whatever, allowing them three members in the House of Kepresenta- tives of the United States. On the 1st of November, 1862, the State had furnished to the Federal Army nearly 20,000 men. ** 156 HISTORY OF THE STATES. 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 re- ceived 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 pro- claimed 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 Gen- eral 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 preeminence 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 incal- culable. It has fair prospects of becoming one of the rich- est 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 ad- mission 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. MARTIN VAN BUREN. GEOKGE WASHINGTON, THE FIBST PBESIDENT 03T 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 "West- moreland, 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 opportu- nities for acquiring a thorough literary or scientific educa- tion. However, as his mind ^as 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 in- cursions 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 treat- ■ ies. 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 fu- ture fame. In the spring of 1755, Washington was persuaded to ac- company General Braddock as an aid, with the rank of Colonel, in his disastrous expedition against Fort DriQuesne ; and had his advice been followed on that occasion, the re- sult would have been different. Three years afterward (1758) Washington commanded the (157) 158 GEORGE WASHINGTON Virginians in another expedition against the fort, which ter- minated successfully. At the close of this campaign he left the army, and was soon after married to Mrs. Martha Cus- tis (the widow of Colonel Daniel Parke Custis), whoso maiden name was Dandridge, and whose intelligent and pat- riotic conduct, as wife and widow, will ever be gratefully re- membered 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 interval until 1774, when he was sent to rep- resent Virginia in the Continental Congress. His well-tem- pered 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 ac- cordingly, 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 gov- erned his future course is too well known to require any elucidation. After, bringing the war to a successful termination, he has- tened to Annapolis, where Congress was then in session, and on the 23d of December, 1783, formally resigned his com- mission. 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 reelected for a second term. On the 12th of December, 1799, he was seized with an in- flammation in the throat, which grew worse the next day, and terminated his life on the 14th, in the 68th year, of his ELECTORAL VOTES FOE PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT OP THE UNITED STA1ES. Election for the First Term, commencing March 4, 1789, and terminating March 3, 1793 a rf : — © o & <— ■H ■w a . STATES. Is as a 3 ^ 2 bo . §§ O & 4$ 8s 5s o •s . B o ■S a O a o li a o ■- 1« if HO *7 3 ■si •3S Is a s la ■cfa S3 O O ■d OQ O i-srH ss tfg &* o o 1-3 00 -SO HI? fi 5 F. .... TO 10 7 10' 5 1 7 2 6 h 10 10 8 2 R 3 fi 3 A r 10 10 7 6 6 1 1 1 8 7 6 5 2 1 1 i Whole No. Electors.. 69 09 34 2 9 4 6 3 6 2 1 1 i . 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 quo- rum, 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 tern, 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 Ad- dress, see p. 43. John Adams, Vice-President, entered upon his duties in th« Senate April 21, 1789, and took the oath of office June 3, 1789. (159) 160 ELECTORAL VOTES. Election for the Second Term, commencing March 4, 1793, and terminating- March 3, 1797. %. « see STATES. 5.3 1 = Is II 5 2** E-i o 5 o ® 4 n a as « o o « a a* e 11 eg 11 « 3 — a £ a — c oo o & o a a a . §1 a> » OS5 S3 II ■§5 *> S go!? s.9 $■3 a o a . 3"3 V- O S a O h art OOQ fi New Hampshire Massachusetts.. Rhode Island.. Connecticut . . . New Jersey.... Pennsylvania. . ■ 6 Iff 4 9 4 12 7 1 3 7 1 6 1 4 Ifi 13 : — 2 4 9 "ii" "i" 20 4 11 8 4 3 4 4 12 7 2 3 4 1 .... 8 5 * '.2 • • 7 ffi 13 3 11 3 1 4 6 21 15 3 i 12 North Carolina. South Carolina. 1 3 i 1 8 4 4 8 .... 3 No. of Electors. 139 71 68 69 30 IB 11 5 7 2 3 2 1 2 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 vir- alent opposition, both domestic and foreign. Prance, 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 Fiance. 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 trou- ble; 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 Philadel- phia to Washington City, which had been designated by Wash- ington, nnder a law of Congress, aa the most central situation. THOMAS JEFFEKSON, THE THIRD PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Was born at Shadwell, Albemarle County, Virginia (near Monticello, tbe seat where he died) ( April 13, 1743. He was educated at William and Mary's College, and gradu- ated 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. Jef- ferson 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 discuss- ing 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 Con- gress, from Virginia. In that body he soon became con- spicuous, and was considered a firm friend of American liberty. In 1776, he was chosen chairman of the com- mittee 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. Jef- ferson was appointed embassador to Prance, to form a treaty with that government, but ill-health prevented his accepting this office. He succeded Patrick Henry, in 1779, as Governor of Virginia,, and continued in that sta- tion two years. In 1781 he composed his notes oh Vir- ginia. In 1783 he was sent to France to join the minis- ters of our country, Mr. Adams and Dr. Franklin. In 1785 he succeeded Dr. Franklin as embassador, and con- tinued 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 sit- uation 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 fl64) THOMAS JEFFERSON. 165 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. 106 ELECTORAL VOTES. EUetion for the Fourth Term, commencing March 4, 1801, and terminating March 3, 1805. 11 Is ■si d! STATES. a o m u ® * S'g) 1$ ■«!izi ■g at * 3" ° i •S3 %3 "s . 8| ■si as- Dm I O 1 6 16 4 9 4 'T 7 3 5 "4" C5 6 16 3 9 4 *f* 7 3 5 ' i" 64 ♦ i fl 4 1? 12 12 7 15 8 8 a 10 5 21 4 8 3 8 4 73 S 21 4 8 3 8 4 73 ?T 4 lfl 3 8 4 188 1 The electoral vote for Thos. Jefferson and Aaron Burr being equal, no choice was made by the people, and on the 11th of February, 1601, the House of '^Representatives proceeded to the choice 01 President in the manner prescribed by the Constitu- tion. 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. Thomaa Jefferson, thus elected President, took the oath of office, and entered upon his duties, March 4, 1801. ' Is his inaugural address, Mr. Jefferson used the following memorable expres- sion : " 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 eeroe of opinion mat bk TOLERATED, WHBBB REASON IS LEFT FREE TO COMRA.T IT." Aaron Buir, elected Vice-President, took the oath of office, and entered upon bis duties in the Senate, March 4, 1801. ELECTORAL VOTES. 167 flection for the Fifth Term, commencing March 4, 1805, and terminating March 3, 18G9. a o is 7 19 4 9 6 19 8 20 3 11 21 14 10. « 6 8 3 "lT6 STATES. New Hampshire. Massachusetts. . . Khode Island.... Connecticut Vermont New York New Jersey Pennsylvania. ,. Delaware.... • - Maryland Virginia .' .. North Carolina. • . South Carolina... Georgia Tennessee Kentucky Ohio Whole No. of Electors. Majority a s a g St -7 10 4 19 8 162 14 162 14 Is 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 administra- tion was the purchase of Louisiana from France for $15,000,- 000, which territory was surrendered to our Government in De- cember, 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 — thua sub- jecting 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 ac- knowledgment of our rights, and was also ruinous to our com- merce with other nations, it was repealed in March, 1809. JAMES MADISON, 1 THE JWETH PBESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Was born in Orange County, Virginia, Maroh 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 Vii- finia, he zealously commenced the Study of the law, which e subsequently abandoned for political life* In 1776, he was elected to the General Assembly of Vir- ginia, 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 ex- ecutive 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 abund- antly testifies. In 1784-5-6, he was a member of the Legislature of Virginia. In 1787, he became a member of the Conven- tion held in Philadelphia, for the purpose of preparing a Constitution for the Government of the United States. Per- haps no member of that body had more to do with the formation of that noble instrument, the Constitution of the United Stated 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 pro- duction 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 (168) JAMES MADISON. 169 State Convention of Virginia which met to adopt the Con- stitution, 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 pf his duties as Secretary of State, which duties he con- tinued to perform during the whole of Mr. Jefferson's ad- ministration, 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 Vir- ginia, 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. 110 ELECTORAL TOTES. Election for the Sixth Term, commencing March 4, 1809, and terminating March 3, 1813. a o a ■a || d S5 STATES. PS o o co 1 . u> Q ESIDF <-. O a o B . ■s.a &*- ©is NT. o «;« .So *.a d"S ■ o Oca 44 O a o I* &>- 6 * c5» ; James Madison, of g I Virginia. w James Monroe, of w Virginia. . £ ° « - h B'S (*>& c S « ° • O fi-S. 8 ."i" "s' 29 8 25 8 25 15 11 8 12 8 8 3 3 183 T3 S . a B = IS i-s 2? tT a M >» & »i iS P5 4 4 > ••. . 6 4 8 29 8 25 29 8 25 ... 3 8 8 8 25 16 11 8 12 8 8 3 3 183 25 '.'.'.'. .... 13 11 8 in 1 * **•■ 8 22 5 4 8 3 3 an James Monroe took the oath of office, as 'President, -and en- tered 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 nagotiated at Washington, by which Spain ceded to the United States East and West Florida and the adjacent Islands. In the same year the southern por- tion of Missouri Territory wis set off under the name of Ar- kansas, 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 con- nected with Massachusetts since 1652, was separated from it and was admitted into the Union as an independent State. ELECTORAL VOTES. 175 Election for the Ninth Term, commencing March 4, 1821, and terminating March 3. 1825. R STATES. PEKSID'T. T1CE PRESIDENT. « 5 n a- ■- a ft- O <£ o C a li la 1 H M II >-a o 1 .s M a, ■ ig^ en a* as fi-S 7 7 4 9 8 29 8 24 a S St ■§» So © P. (0 a si o ■Si Qfi as > t- =-. eS * ■s 9 o a Si 1 o f a • * * a 7 15 4 9 8 29 8 24 4 11 26 15 11 8 12 7 8 3 3 2 3 3 . 9 3 231 4 9 4 4 i io 25 15 11 8 12 7 8 3 3 2 3 3 9 3 218 .... 1 ■ • ■ 11 IS 8 MS SO O o 9 9 S * p S* -Sis 13 !* si's So a.j .2 .a Jo O 8 . |g g © «3H O £ u &a a a mm a is £ « B'S 8 IS 4 8 7 36 8 28 3 11 24 16 11 9 14 11 16 8 16 4 8 7 26 1 3 2 1 24 9 "i" 7 15 3 7 29 8 28 1 10 15 11 • • .... t 8 .... i ■ 8 28 7 91 7 .... "24' 1 .... 15 11 9 .14 16 7 11 " T 6 3 3 6 9 7 11 16 S 6 3 2 6 2 1 9 3 Whole No. of Electors.. . 261 99 84 41 3T 182 30 24 13 9 2 Neither candidate for the Presidency having received a ma- jority of theelectoral votes, it devolved upon the House of Rep- - resentatives 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 exam- ining 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, 1826; on which day Mr. Adams took the oath of office, and entered upon his duties. John 0. Calhoun, having been elected Vies 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 some- thing 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, to- gether 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 " se- verely wounded with the sword which the Englishman dis- graced." 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 head- quarters 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 re- solved 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 com- mission marked out his course of duty on the field of In- dian warfare. Here for years he labored, and fought, and diplomatized, with the most consummate wisdom and un- daunted courage. It was about this time that the treaty of the " Hickory Gound " occurred, which gave him the fa- miliar 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, (179} 180 ANDREW JACKSON. At the close of the war he returned to his home in Nash- ville; but in 1818 was again called on by his country to render his military services in the expulsion of the Semi- noles. 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. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON.' ELECTORAL TOTES. 181 Election/or the Eleventh Term, commencing March 4, 1829, and terminating March 3, 1833. 4 3 11 24 15 11 9 14 11 16 5 3 5 3 6 3 261 STATES. Maine New Hampshire. Massachusetts. . . Rhode Island.... Connecticut Vermont New York New Jersey Pennsylvania.... Delaware Maryland Virginia North Carolina.. South Carolina.. Georgia Kentucky Tennessee........ Ohio. Louisiana.. 5 Mississippi. Indiana... Illinois ... Alabama. Missouri . Whole No. of Selectors. Majority. PftESID'T. TICK PRESID'T at Is (3 « i-°* p. ■«« 171 — °s a » c 'ft Pna 83 Andrew Jackson took the oath of office, as President, and en- tered upon his duties March 4, 1829. John C. Calhoun took the oath of offioe, as Vice President, and presided in the Senate March 4, 1 829. 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 righto was so strongly urged by Gallic. -un, and to this period may be dated the origin of the great rebellion of 1861. 182 ELECTORAL VOTES. Election for the Twelfth Term, commencing March 4, 1832, and terminating March 3, 1837. STATES. PRESIDENT. VICE PUESIDENT. ES S3 o o o o> M 6 u o 4 . s P § a* ■3 ■a ■ .2 is ft a a > o d a S - (0 O'— •-3 O Si it §1 SB. o t! gi >:.2 « a 1- a a s ® it 10 7 11 4 8 7 43 8 30 3 10 23 15 11 11 15 15 21 10 7 10 7 14 4 8 14 4 8 7 7 42 8 30 42 8 3 23 15 3 5 3 5 30 3 23 15 ii 11 11 11 15 15 15 21 6 4 9 5 7 4 15 21 5 4 9 5 7 4 4 5 7 4 288 219 49 U 7 189 49 30 11 7 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 T;he cordial approval of his adminis- tration by the people. One of his first measures, on returning to the Beat 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 BURBN, THE EIGHTH PRESIDENT OF THE ONITED STATES, Was born in the flourishing town of Kinderhook, New York, September 5, 1782, and early received the best ed- ucation 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 Syl- vester, in his native town, where he remained about six years. But law did not engross his whole time : ho 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 popu- larity 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 conven- tion 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 be- came 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 Demo- cratic 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 ac- cepted. At the expiration of two years he resigned his seat in the Cabinet, and was immediately appointed min- ister to England,- but when his nomination was submitted (188) 184 MARTIN VAN BUH.EN. 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 adher- ents, 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 trium- phant election was regarded not merely as a high compli- ment to himself, but as a wholesome rebuke to his oppo- nents. In 1836, he was put in nomination for the chief magis- tracy, 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 ob- ject 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. ELECTORAL VOTES. 185 Election for the Thirteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1837, and ierminating March 3, 1841. a 3 1! 12 O d ft STATES. PRESIDENT. TICK PRESIDENT. a i a o "C S3 » s° £"3 id . a c • IE £ as j§ s ■ojs £ d a* ft o 5 =s => e II ad 41 t- — C a p a -, 3 — c — - w P bD • 5 o .s & CM O fcf a N 3F. s a .s § 3-3 £3 10 10 7 10 7 4 8 7 14 14 14 4 4 8 8 T 7 7 12 42 S 8 30 30 3 10 3 10 23 10 23 16 15 11 n n 11 n 15 15 15 15 ?1 21 21 5 4 5 4 5 7 4 3 3 4 - 9 9 9 S 7 4 3 3 7 a 294 170 73 26 14 11 147* 77 47 ?3 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, al- though afterwards (in 1840) adopted. •Elected by the Senate. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON, THE NINTH PBE8IDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Was bom 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 dele- gate 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 thir- teen 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 compan- ions 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 com- mission 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 (186) WILLIAM HENRY HABRIBON. 187 to the republic of Colombia. On bis return, be took up bis 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, recom- mended that the 14th of May be observed as a day of fast- ing and prayer, and accordingly it was so observed. 188 ELECTORAL TOTES. Election for fhe Fourteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1841, and terminating March 3, 1845. a o a J8 8* peesib't. vice president. STATES. Hi a© Maine New Hampshire. Massachusetts. . . Rhode Island.... Connecticut Yermont New York New Jersey Pennsylvania.. . Delaware. Maryland Virginia North Carolina. . South Carolina. . Georgia Kentucky Tennessee Ohio Louisiana Mississippi Indiana Illinois Alabama Missouri Arkansas Michigan 294 No. of Electors 234 Mi jority 148 3 . si I* 10 Ht» a ; JS >-. Mo 60 234 I CD ■ S-S SB h3"S Hi g I* U 11 William II. Harrison, elected President, took the oath of of- fice, and entered upon his duties, March 4, 1841. John Tyler, elected Vice President, took the »ath of office, and attended in the Senate, March 4, 1841. Soon after his inauguration, President Harrison issued a pro- clamation, convening Congress for an extra session on the 31st of May, to consider "sundry weighty and important matters, chiefly growing oilt 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 im- mediately dispatched with a letter, signed by all the members of the Cabinet, conveying the melancholy intelligence to th« ELECTORAL VOTES. 189 Vice President, then at Williamsburg, Vo, 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 sus- tained 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 sev- eral Heads of Departments would continue to fill 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 BW6ar, that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will, to the best of my ability, preserve, protect, and de- fend the Constitution of the United States. JOHN TYLEK. "Aran. 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 objec- tions, 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, un- der 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, meet- ing 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 seve- ral States, in proportion to population. In 1842 an important treaty, adjusting the north-eastern boun- dary of the United States, was negotiated at Washington be- tween Mr. Webster, on the part of this country, and Lord Ash- burton, on flie part of Great Britain. During the last year of Mr. Tyler's administration much excite- ment prevailed on the proposed annexation of Texas to the Union, which was sn.o.Jr'v resisted at the North, on the ground that the South and soutfiern inot'tutions would thereby gain increased power in the national councils. A treaty of annexation, signed by the President, was rejected by tne Senate, but measures were taken by which Texas was admitted the year following. JOHN TTLEE, THE SUCCESSOR OF GENEEAL HAKRISON AS PRESIDENT, Was born at Williamsburg, Virginia, March 29, 1790, and at tbe 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 Legisla- ture before attaining his twenty-second year. In 1816, he was sent to Congress ; in 1825, elected Governor of Vir- ginia ; and in 1827, became United States Senator; in which oapacity 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 estab- lishment 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 Corpora- tion 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 im- plied 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 cer- tainly warrant the conclusion that the assertion is un- founded. So gross and bitter were the assaults made upon (190) JOHN TYLER. 191 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 PEESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES, Was born at Mecklenberg, North Carolina, November 2, 1795, and there received the rudiments of his early edu- cation. In 1806, his father removed to Nashville, Ten- nessee, 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 G-rundy, 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 re- sulted 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 sub- sequently* defeated his reelection. In 1844, he was unexpectedly nominated for the office of President of the United States by the Democratic Conven- tion at Baltimore; and, having received sixty -five electoral votes more than his rival candidate, Mr. Clay, he was in- augurated 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 im- portant 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 prov- ince, and the prompt and energetic course pursued by Mr. (192) JOHN TYLER; JAMES KNOX POLE. J 93 Folk was sanctioned and sustained by a large majority of the people. 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 mat- ters leading to the selection of another candidate. Per- haps 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 im- paired, and he did not long survive after reaching his home in Nashville. He died June 15, 1849. 194 ILECTORAL VOTES. Election for the Fifteenth Term, commencing March 4, 1845, and terminating March 3, 1849. a o a E o o . STATUS. pees't. T. PEES'T o lj o c a ii l! ii 9 6 '36* '26* 'if "9 10 "J" 6 12 9 9 7- 3 5 a 'w.fe a<-3 "« is « « 9 6 'l2 1 6 6 "f "3 8 'ii' '12' 13 23 12 4 36 36 7 7 26 26 ft g 17 17 11 11 1 9 10 in 13 19. 13 11 «» ?,?, fi G 6- 12' 9 9 7 3 5 6 12 9 9 7 .... 3 B 27ft 170 106 170 10f> James K. Polk took the oath of office, as President, and en- tered 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 Mex- ico, the latter of which resulted in extending our" territorial b> undaries to the Pacific Ocean, embracing regions of '.^oalcu lable value. ZACHARY TAYLOR, THE ELEVENTH FEESIDENT" 01 THE UNITED STATES, Was born in Orange County, Virginia, November 24, 1790, and, after receiving an indifferent education, passed a con- siderable 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 de- fended with a handful of men against the attack of a large body of ravages, 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 sub- jugation and removal of several hostile tribes. While effecting these .desirable objects, he was occasionally re- warded for his foils 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 at- tacked 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 Resaea de la Falma, 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 storm- ing of Monterey, the sanguinary contest at Buena Vista, and the numerous skirmishes in which he was engaged, ex- cited universal admiration ; and on his return home,' after so signally aiding to " conquer a peace " with Mexico, he was every-where received with the most gratifying demon- strations of respect and affection. In 1848, General Taylor received the nomination of the Whig party for the office (195) 106 ZAOHARY TAYLOR. of President of the United States, and, being elected, was inaugurated the year following. But the cares and re- sponsibilities of this position were greater than his con- stitution could endure, hardened as it had been both in Indian and civilized warfaTe. 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. ELECTORAL TOTES. Jg^ Election Jor the Sixteenth, Term, commencing March 4, 1849, and terminating March 3, 1851. fl STATES. FU&'T. Y.PMS'T 4! . S* sa o O S" fc- 2 S ° £•8 o J " — bo 5a 8 K a* a-s £ a . u <» 9 6 17" "sV '23' "J" 12 9 9 7 3 6 "4" 4 4 '12' 4 6 6 36 7 26 3 8 ii' '10° 12 13 "3* 9 6 6 12 4 12 4 6 6 36 7 26 3 8 c • -»• 6 •••■ 16 ■ ••• 7 • ••■ ?li • ■•■ ,1 • ••• 8 •••• 17 17 11 11 !) 9 10 10 12 13 1? • ■■■ 11 • ■*■ SIS 23 "e" 12 9 9 7 S 6 G n 6 12 9 9 7 3 r> 3 3 ♦ 4 4 4 4 4 290 163 Iffl 163 127 Zachary Taylor took the oath of offiae, as President, and entered upon his duties. March 4, 1849. He did not, however, long enjoy hig 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 mes- sage to both houses on the 10th of July, in -which he feelingly an- nounced the melancholy event. On the same day he took the requi- site oath, and entered on the execution of the office of President. Willie P. Mangum, of N. C, President pro tern of the Senate, acted as Vice President, ex officio, during the remainder of the term MILLAED FILLMORE, THE SUCCESSOR OP GENERAL TAYLOK AS PRESIDENT, Was born at Summer Hill, Cayuga County, New York, Jan- uary 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 buisness 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 expung- ing of this relio of barbarism from the statute book. Hav- ing gained a high reputation for legislative capacity, in 1833, he was elected a member of the National House of Repre- sentatives; and on the assembling of the Twenty-seventh Congress, to which he was reelected 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 Com- mittee 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 Tay- lor 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 pre- siding over the deliberations of that body, received general (198) MILLARD FILLMORE. 199 commendation. Upon the sudden death of Gen. Taylor, he became President, and promptly selected a cabinet, distin- guished 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 at- tained 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 PBESIDENT 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 Northamp- ton, 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 high- est 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 dis- charged 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 reelected at the expiration of his senatorial term, but resigned his seat the year following, for the purpose of devoting himself exclusively to his legal buisness, which had become so extensive as to require all his attention. In 1 846, he declined the office of Attorney-General, ten- dered him by President Polk ; but when the war with Mex- ico broke out, he was active in raising the New England regiments of volunteers ; and afterward accepted the com- mission of Brigadier-General, with which he at once re- paired to the field of operations, where he distinguished himself in several hard-fought battles. At Cerro Gordo and Chapultepec he • displayed an ardor in bis country's cause which extorted praise from his most inveterate pol- itical opponents ; and on his return home he was every- (200) FRAXKXIN PIEKOE. 201 where 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 ma- jority 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 extemiote, nor aught set down in malice." 202 ELECTORAL VOTES. Election for the Seventeenth Term, commencing March &, 1853, and terminating March 3, 1857. a o *«•■ H 3 STATES. t. T.mn'i »1 an - © © ■a'-a S _ ® n 3■• 10 12 12 12 "Itf • *■■ ?ft 23 23 ■ ■•• 6 6 7 6 7 T 13 13 11 13 11 11 19 9 S q 9 9 4 4 4 . • -^ 3 4 .... fi 6 6 3 3 4 •••• 4 4 4 6 4 4 3 4 5 t 3 fi 4 4 S 816 180 72 39 12 180 72 39 13 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 acces- sion of Mr. Lincoln to the Presidency was made the pretext for the great rebellion of 1861. ELECTORAL TOTES. 215 Election for the Twentieth Term, commencing March 4, 1865, and terminating March 3, 1869. STATES. PRESIDENT. T. FBESIDEXT 1 h .•a £1 J3 O O d li •«1 o 5 u a to'- 2 3"s a o h Is 1 o Pi 7 7 e 4 e 6 33 7 S 7 6 12 1 6 S 33 26 7 12 33 v 26 8 7 7 15 5 8 10 10 11 11 12 21 21 21 6 7 13 13 16 IS IS 15 19 11 11 11 4 S 3 8 8 4 B 8 8 6 4 3 3 3 8 8 fi 4 3 8 5 4 3 3 3 3 331 212 21 213 21 Virginia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Georgia, Tennessee, Louisiana, Mis- sissippi, 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 McGlellan and Pendleton, 21. Lincoln and Johnson's majority 191, the great- est majority attained since the organization of the Government. Abraham Lincoln took the oath of office as President and entered upon his du- ties March 4, 1865. Andrew Johnson took the oath of office as Vice President, and attended in the Senate as its President March 4, 1865. ANDKEW 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 ap- prenticed 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 journey- men with whom he worked. He learned to read from an old volume of speeches, loaned him by a friend, and thence- forward, 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, Ten- nessee, 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 reelected to the same office in 1829. In 1830, he was elected Mayor, and re- tained 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 im- provements, 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 (216) ANDREW JOHNSON. 217 the campaign rendered efficient service to the party as a stump speaker. In 1841, he was elected to the State Sen- ate, and, in 1843. at the age of thirty-five, he was elected to Congress, where he held his seat, being four times reelected, 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 reelected 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 unpopu- larity, and even danger. When, in the spring of 1862, our army had penetrated Tennessee to Nashville, and the northern and central por- tions of the States 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 deli- cate and responsible duty of his charge with a degree of wisdom and efficiency which challenged general admira- tion. Under his administration, the rebellion had steadily been losing its hold in Tennessee, and loyalty was as con- stantly cultivated and developed. He was nominated for the Vice-Presidency by the Union Convention at Baltimore, June 8t'h, 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 ve- 10 218 ANDREW JOHNSON. toed the Civil Eights 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 Con- gress ; on the assembling of which, he sent them his reasons for so doing. Upon considering which, they re- instated Secretary Stanton. Whereupon the President is- sued 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 com- mitted 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. CHEONOLOGIGAL EEOORD OP THE REBELLION. NOVEMBER, 1860— Presidential Election, Not. 6. — Each of the four political parties presented its candi- date 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. Breck- enridge, of Kentucky, and Joseph Lane, of Oregon. The Old Line Whigs and Know Nothings supported John Bell, of Ten- nessee, and Edward Everett, of Massachusetts. The result of the popular vote was as follows : Lincoln and Hamlin received 1,857,610; Douglas and John- son, 1,365,976; Breckenridge and Lane, 847,553; Bell and Ev- erett, 590,631. Nov. 7. — The news of Mr. Lincoln's election received at Charleston, South Carolina, with cheers for a Southern Confed- eracy. The "Palmetto Flag" hoisted on the vessels in the har- bor. Nov. 9. — An attempt to seize the arms in Port Moultrie. Nov. 10. — A bill was introduced into the South Carolina Leg- islatEre 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 Car- olina, resigned. Nov. 11. — Senator Hammond, of South Carolina, resigned. Nov. 15. — Governor Letcher, of Virginia, called an extra ses- sion of the Legislature. Nov. 18. — Georgia Legislature appropriated $1,000,000 to arm the State. Major Anderson sent to Fort Moultrie to relieve Col- onel Gardner. Nov. 19. — Governor Moore called an extra session of the Louisiana Legislature. (219) 220 CHRONOLOGICAL RKCOitD DECEMBER, 1860. Deo. 1. — Florida Legislature ordered the election of a con vention. Great secession meeting in Memphis. Dko. 3. — Congress met. The President denied the right of a State to secede, and asserted the right of the General Govern- ment to coerce a seceding State. Deo. 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 Legisla- ture 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 con- sider the question of reinforcing Fort Moultrie; the President opposed it, and reinforcements were not sent. Deo. 14.— General Cass, Secretary of State, resigned. Deo. 17. — South Carolina Convention assembled. Deo. 18. — The Crittenden Compromise introduced in the United States Senate. Dec. 19. — Governor Hicks, of Maryland, refused to receive the Mississippi Commissioner. Deo. 20. — South Carolina Convention adopted a secession or- dinance ; the vote unanimous. Deo. 22. — The Crittenden Compromise voted down in the Sen- ate committee of Thirteen. Deo. 24. — The people of Pittsburg stop the shipment of ordi- nance from the arsenal at that place to Southern forts. Govern- or 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 mem- bers of Congress resigned. Deo. 25. — Major Anderson left Fort Moultrie aad took posses- sion 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 authorites. Deo. 28. — South Carolina -seized the Government property in Charleston, took possession of Castle Pinckney and F^rt Moultrie. Deo. 29. — John B. Floyd, Secretary of War, resigned. OF THE REBELLION. 221 Deo. 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 Jacksou, 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 procla- mation of the President Jan. 7. — State Conventions of Alabama and Mississippi, Leg- islatures 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 bat- teries in Charleston harbor, and driven back. Mississippi Con- vention passed secession ordinance by vote of 84 to' 15. Jan. 10. — Florida Convention adopted an ordinance of seces- sion 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 Gov- ernor of Louisiana seized Forts Phillip and Jackson, on the Mis- sissippi below New Orleans, the United States arsenal at Batpn ltouge, 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 com- mand 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 Presiden- the surrender of Fort Sumter, which was refused. The Mist souri 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. Jef- ferson Davis resigned his place in the Senate. Jan. 23.—- Georgia members of Congress resigned. 222 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD 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 conven- tion 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 Louisi- ana authorities seized the Mint and Custom Hoube at New Or- leans. Feb. 4. — Delegates from the'seceded States met at Montgome- ry, 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 Bock surrendered to Ar- kansas. Feb. 9. — Jefferson Davis and A. H. Stephens elected-Provis- ianal President and Vice President of the Southern Confederr acy. Feb. 13. — The electoral vote counted. Abraham Lincoln re- ceived 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. Peaoe 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. OF THE REBELLION. 223 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, re- fused to submit an ordinance of secession to the people. April 7. — All intercourse between Fort Sumter and Charles- ton stopped by order of Beauregard. The steamer Atlantio Bailed from New York with troops and supplies. April 8. — The Federal Government notified the South Caro- lina authorities that provisions would be sent to Major Ander- son 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 surrend«r 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 alse built a powerful floating battery, all of which were employed in the attack od Sumter. Fort Moultrie opened fire at four o'clock in the morning. Fort Sum- ter 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 Leg- islature 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 fert. The terms were that the garrison should take all its individual and compa- ny 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. 224 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD April 14. — Major Anderson and his men sailed for New York. Goyernor Yates, of Illinois, called an extra session of the Leg- islature, 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. 8. 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. Jef- ferson Davis issued a proclamation, offering letters of marque and reprisal to all who wished to engage in privateering. Aprii, 18. — U. S. Arsenal at Harper's Ferry destroyed by Lieutenant Jones, to prevent it falling into the hands of the ene- my._ 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 Tndianola, Texas. The 6th Masssahusetts regiment, while pass- ing 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, Missis- sippi, 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 Pat- terson. 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 Pennsylva- nia Railroad destroyed by Maryland rebels, to prevent the pas- sage 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 ves- sels Delaware, Pennsylvania, Columbia, Germantown, Merrimac, OP THE REBELLION. 225' 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 Phila- delphia and Baltimore Railroad. Senator Andrew Johnson, of Tennessee, mobbed at Lynchburg, Va. April 22. — D. 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 Illi- nois 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 offi- cers 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. Mat 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. Mat 3. — Governor Letcher called out the militia to defend Virginia. President Lincoln called for 42,000 three years' vol unteers; 22,000 troops for the regular army, and 18,000 seamen. Fourteen companies of Kentucky volunteers offered their ser- vices to the Secretary of War, notwithstanding the Governor's refusal. Connecticut Legislature appropriated $2,000,000 for military purposes. Mat 4. — General McClellan placed in command of the De- partment of Ohio, comprising the States of Ohio, Indiana and 226 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD Illinois. Union meetings were held in Preston county, Va., and at Wheeling, Va. Mat 5. — General Butler took possession of the Eelay House, Maryland. Mat 6. — Arkansas Convention passed an ordinance of seces- sion, by vote of 69 to 1. Tennessee Legislature adopted seces- sion ordinance in secret session, to be submitted to a vote of the people on the 8th of June. Mat 10. — A mob attacked the Home Guard at St Louis; th« Guard fired on the rioters, killing seven. A rebel force of 800 men, under Gen. Frost, surrendered to Captain (afterwards Gen oral) Lyon, at St. Louis. Mat 11. — The mob made another attack on the Home Guard in St. Louis. Blockade of Charleston, S. C, established by the steamer Niagara. Mat 13. — A Convention composed of delegates from 35 coun- ties, met at Wheeling, Virginia, to consider the policy of form- ing a new State. Mat 14. — A schooner loaifed 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 tJ. S. gunboat Quaker City. Mat 16. — A bridge on the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad des- troyed. General Scott ordered the fortification of Arlington Hights. Mat 17. — Secession spies arrested in Washington by order of General Scott. Adams Express Company prohibited from car- rying packages or letters south of Washington. Kebels com- mence fortifying Harper's Ferry. Mat 18. — Military Department of Virginia created, compris- ing Eastern Virginia, North and South Carolina; headquarters at Portress Monroe, commander General Butler. Mat 19. — Rebel batteries at Jewell's Point attacked by U. S. steamers. Two schooners with rebel troops on board captured by the U. S. steamer Freeborn. Mat 20.— Telegraphic dispatches throughout the North seized by order of the Government. North Carolina secession ordi- nance adopted. Governor Magoffin proclaimed the neutrality of Kentucky. Mat 22. — Fortifications of Ship Island destroyed to keep them from the enemy. Mat 24. — Thirteen thousand troops crossed the Potomac into Off THE REBELLION. 227 Virginia. Alexandria occupied by Federal troops. Colonel Ellsworth shot by Jackson; the murderer was instantly killed. Arlington Mights occupied by Union troops. Mat 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. Mat 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 Anacosto 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. Doug- las 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 ^he 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 trcops, under the com- mand of General Pierce, were-defeated with a loss of 16 killed, Among them Major Winthrop, and 41 wounded. Juke 11. — Skirmish at Komney, 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 West- ern Virginia independent of the rebel portion of the State. A 228 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD train of cars with 275 Ohio volunteers, under the command of Colonel' Schenck, was fired into from a masked battery near Vi- enna, Va.; 8 were killed and 12 wounded. General Lyon de- feated the rebels at Boonville, Mo., with a loss of about 30 killed and 50 wounded ; Union loss 2 killed and 9 wounded. June 10.-r-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. Pierpcnt Gov- ernor 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- relel bat- tery 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 govern- ment of Virginia. June 27. — George P. Kane, Marshal of Baltimore police, ar- rested 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, command- ing the Federal force, was killed. June 29. — The rebel privateer Sumter escaped from New Or- leans. The rebels made a dash at Harper's Ferry, destroying several boats and a railroad bridge. JULY, 1801. .*— /ult 2 — General Patterson defeated the Confederates at Fall- ing Water, Va.; Union loss 3 killed and 10 wounded. July 3. — A rebel company of 94 men captured at Neosho, Missouri. Jult 4. — Rebels seized the Louisville and Nashville Railroad. Congress met in extra session BATTLE OF CARTHAGE, MO. July 5. — Confederates were commanded by Governor Jack- son, the Federal troops, numbering 1,600, by Colonel Sigel Colonel Sigel retreated to Springfield; Union loss 13 killed and 3 1 wounded, S^fw / ZACHARY TAYLOR. OP THE REBELLION. 229 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 belong- ing to the 3d Ohio regiment, cut their way through an ambus- cade near Buchanan, Virginia. July 10. — Skirmish at Laurel Hill, Virginia, rebels defeated. Union loss, 2 killed and 2 wounded. L 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. D. Hemphill, of Texas ; C. B. Mitehell and W. K. Sebas tian, 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 de- feated at Carriek'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 cav- alry under Colonel Stuart, made the attack, but were defeated. July 16. — Skirmish at Millville, Missouri, and at Barbours- ville, 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 ac- cept 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. uly 20.— The Confederate Congress met at Richmond. 230 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD 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 ♦•he rear, between Centerville and Fairfax, and took no part in the battle. The enemy, in numbers about equal to the attack- ing force, occupied a position at Manassas naturally strong, and made doubly so by art The battle was commenced on Sunday morning by the Unio«».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 reinforce- ments, turned the scale ; at the same time a panic seized upon the troops, and they commenced a shameful and disorderly re- treat 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 surren- dered to the enemy by Major Lynde, U. S. A. All the arms and supplies were delivered up, and the soldiers ' released on parole. Joly 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 Lees- burg. 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 Vir- ginia and North Carolina were destroyed in Pocomoke Sound Aug 3. — Congress passed a bill for raising $20,000,000 by di- rect taxation and the Confiscation bill. Aug. 5. — Commedore Alden bombarded Galveston, Texas. Aug. 6. — The extra session of Congress closed. u.' THE fiEBhLLIOS'. 231 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 OP WILSON CREEK, MO. Aug. 10. — General Lyon, with 5,000. Missouri, Iowa and Kan- sas 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. Unicfn 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. Auo. 14. — General Fremont declared martial law in St. Louia. 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 IJlinois 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, cap- tured. Aug. 29. — Port Hatteras surrendered to the Union forces. Rebel loss was 48 killed, 51 'wounded, and 691 prisoners. 'The Federals lost none. Aug. 30. — Port Morgan, at Ocracbke Inlet, abandoned by the Confederates. SEPTEMBER, 1861. Sept. 1. — Kentucky Legislature met. Union majority in the Senate, 16; in the House, 52. Fight atBoonville, Virginia; the rebels wero 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. 232 CHRONOLOGICAL EECOKD Sept. 6. — General Grant took possession of Paducah, Ky. BATTLE OF CARNIFEX FERET. 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 Lex- ington, and two Confederate boats, assisted by a battery at Lu- cas Bend. The battery was silenced, and the boats driven to Columbus. Sept. 11. — President Lincoln modified General Fremont's emancipation proclamation. Sept. 12. — Fight ai Cheat Mountain. Colonel J. A. Washing- ton, 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 er wounded. Skirmish between the 3d Iowa regi- ment and a band of Confederates at Blue Mills, Missouri. The Federal troops were compelled to fall back, but receiving rein- forcements, 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 supe- rior orce 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, Ken- tucky, and joined the rebels. General Lane defeated a rebel force at Papinsville, Missouri. Federal loss 17 killed. OCTOBER, 1861. Oct. 1. — The propeller Faarty captured by the rebels at Ohio- imacomico. OF THE REBELLION. 233 Oct. 2. — Fight at Chapmanville, Virginia, between Colonel Enyartz, Kentucky volunteers, and a party of Confederates. Tho latter were defeated and 47 of them taken prisoners. Union loss 4 killed and 8 wounded. Oct. 3. — General Reynolds made an armed reoonnoisanee 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 McAllis- ter, but were unsuccessful. Feb. 2, — The Federal ram Queen of the West, ran the block- ade 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 Vioks- burg, 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 at- 252" CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD tecked by a superior force of rebels under Van Dorn, at Thomp son's Station, near Franklin, Tenn. The unequal contest re- sulted unfortunately to the Union cause. The Federal loss was 120 killed, aod 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 priaoners. 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 a - tempted to pass the rebel batteries at Fort Hudson, but only » part of the vessels succeeded. The Mississippi got agrounJ 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 fare 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 live 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. 8 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, kill- r ng 15, and capturing all their tents, arms, horses and equip- ments. MILLARD FILLMORE. OP THE REBELLION. 253 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 Bouge, 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 hy the rebel batteries at Vicksburg. April" 18. — Fayetteville, Ark., attacked by 3.600 rebels, with four pieces of artillery; Union forces numbered but 2,000. The rebels were repulsed. ' Our less 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 im- mense 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 regi- ment being either killed or captured by the Union forces under Vandever. . April 30. — Colonel Mulligan repulsed by the rebels at Fair- mont, Western Virginia, and the B. &0. R. R. bridges blown up at Fairmont and Cheat river. MAT, 1863. Mat 1. — General Carter with 5,000 men crossed the Cumber- land, 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. 254 CHRONOLOGICAL KECOBD GRIERSON'S RAID. Mat 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 artil- lery,) set out from Lagrange, Tennesse, and pursuing in the main a Southerly course, marched through the center o"f Missis- sippi, destroying as they went, railroads, bridges, cars, locomo- tives, 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, aDd trav- ersed 17 counties. At several points the enemy made great at- tempts to capture them but failed. They brought into Baton Kouge over 1,000 horses and a large number of cattle ; 500 negroes followed them. FREDERICKSBURG. Mat 3. — The second attempt to capture the rebel fortifica- tions at Fredericksburg, Va., was made by the Army of the Potomac, 'under General Hooker, and failed. The army com- menced marching April 27th, the main body crossing the Rappa- hannock at Kelley's Ford, about 20 miles north-west of Freder- icksburg, then marching south, crossed the Rapidan, and took their position at Chancellorville, about 10 miles west of Fred ericksburg. Severe skirmishing took place on Friday and Sat- urday, May 1st and 2d; but the main battle was fought on Sun- day, 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 com- pelled 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 success- ful raid into the enemy's country. A portion of the railroad between Gordonsville and Charlottsville was destroyed, and con- siderable damage done to the Virginia Central, and Richmond and Fredericksburg R. R Large quantities of provisions were destroyed at different points. Mat 5. — Vallandigham arrested by order of General Burn- Bide, at his residence in Dayton, Ohio. Office of the Dayton OF THE REBELLION. 255 Journal destroyed by the mob. Suffolk, Va., abandoned by the rebel troops., and fortifications destroyed. Alexandria, La., oap- tured by Admiral Porter. 100 prominent secessionists of St Louis sent South. Mat 8. — Colonel Streight's command of 1,700 men captured by Forrest's cavalry, two miles from Cedar Bluff, Ga., after se- vere fighting. The rebel General Van Dorn killed by Dr. Peters, in Manny county, Tennessee. Mat 9. — Colonel Jacobs, with Kentucky cavalry, attacked and routed a guerrilla force near Horse Shoe Bend, on the Cumber- land river; killed a number, took 8 prisoners and destroyed their camp. Mat 10 — The rebel General Stonewall Jackson died at Rich- mond, Va., of wounds and pneumonia. Mat 11. — The Buell Court of Inquiry adjourned, after a ses- sion of 165 days. Mat 12. — General McPberson, 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 OP JACKSON, MISS. Mat 13. — Grant defeated Joseph S. Johnson and captured Jackson, Miss., with 7 cannon, and large quantities of military Btores, 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 pri- vates, 50 horses, and a quantity of other property. Mat 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 en- gaged 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. Mat 17. — Grant again attacked Pemberton at Big Black 256 CHBOKOLOOIOAL KBOORD River bridge, and defeated him with a total loss of 2,600 men. and 17 cannon. May 24. — Austin, Mississippi, burned by Colonel Bllet's Ma- rine -brigade. May 25. — Vallandigham delivered to the rebels at Murfrees- boro', 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, ar- rived 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 (col ored) 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 pene- trated 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 ar- tillery, attacked the Union cavalry at Triune, Tenn., under com- mand of Colonel R. B. Mitchell. The rebels were defeated, losing 21 killed and 70 wounded and prisoners. Six of Mitch- ell'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 Win- chester, Virginia, with a loss of 2,000 men, and drove him to Harper's Ferry. June 17. — The rebel ram, Atlanta, was decoyed into Wilming- ton 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 Kilpatriek, encountered General Fitztragh Lee's cavalry brigade, consisting of five regiments, with artillery, near Aldie, Va„ and a desper- ate hand to hand encounter followed, ending in a .hasty retreat on the part of the rebel forces. 100 prisoners were eaptnred. June 21. — General McGlernand removed by Grant, and Gf»- eral Ord put in his place. OF THE EEBELLION. 257 Junb 23. — Rebels under Johnston attacked Osterhaus' division on Big Black River, Mississippi, and were defeated with great slaughter. Junb 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 di- vision under Claiborne, and Willich, Wilder and Carter's brig- ades. 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. Col- onel 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 Fotomae, 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 sur- rendered to General Grant 27,000 prisoners, 132 cannon, and 50,090 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 258 CHRONOLOGICAL EECORD 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 ■;, 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 ^tate into Ohio, committing numerous depradations. On the 18th he was overtaken by the troops under Colonels Hobson and Judah, near Pomeroy, who captured all his artillery and 1,31)0 pris- oners. With a mere fragment of his command he retreated to Columbiana county, where, on the 20th, he surrendered to Gen- eral Shackle ford. Jult 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 pf the 3 rail- roads. General Ransom occupied Natchez. A large quantity of ammunition, 13 cannon, 2.000 bead of cattle, and 4,000 hogs- heads of sugar fell into his hands. A severe fight occurred on Elk creek, Ark., between General Blunt with 2,400 Union troops, and General Toope'r, 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, includ- ing 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 OF THE REBELLION. 259 to Lexington. Kit Carson, with a part of the 1st New Mexico regiment, defeated the Navajoe Indians in a severe fight be- yond Fort Canby. July 31. — The Union forces in Kentucky, under Colonel Saunders, thoroughly routed the rebel troops under Ssott and Pegram. AUGUST, 1863. August 2, — A severe though indecisive cavalry fight occurred at Culpeper, Va., between Buford and Stuart, in which 100 pris- oners were captured by the Union troops. August 17. — The rebels having collected an immense quan- tity 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 La- grange, 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 machiae shop, tore up the railroad track and de- stroyed 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. 260 . CHKOXOLOCICAL RECORD SEPTEMBER, 1863. Sept. 1. — General Blunt defeated the rebel forces in Arkansas under Cooper and Cobell, and captured Fort Smith. The rebels evacuate 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 Gen- eral 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. — Th« battle was commenced by General Bragg in the morning and continued all day. — At night both armies occu- pied 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 oi the Tennessee river, for the purpose of cutting Rosecrans' com- munications, was defeated with considerable loss, at Farm ington, Tenn., and again ne«r Shelbyville. Oct. 20. — The Departments ■ of the Cumberland and Missis- sippi were consolidated and placed under the command of Gen- eral 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 4008 in killed and wounded. OF THE REBELLION. 261 DECEMBER, 1863. Deo. 4. — General Longstreet commenced the siege of Knox- rille, 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 out 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 Strcight, escaped from Lib by Prison, Richmond. Feb. 15. — General W. T. Sherman, with his command, arrived at Meridian, Miss., on his great raid into the heart of the en- emy's country. After accomplishing his object in destroying railroads and stores, he. returned to Yicksburg with immense booty. Feb. 20. — The advance into Florida of the Union forces, about 5,000 strong, under General Seymour, was repulsed near Olus- tee, with a loss of 1,200. Rebel loss about the same. Feb. 22. — A heavy reconnoitering force sent out from Chat- tanooga by General Grant, met and defeated the enemy at Tun- nel 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 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 Forrest.er, 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, IP 262 CHRONOLOGICAL RECORD 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 th» 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 indescrimiuate massacre of our wounded Boldiers, 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. — Goverment accept service of one hundred day men, and appropriated $20,000,000 for their payment. MAT, 1864. Mat 5.— Draft ordered in Massachusetts, New Jersey, Ohio, Minnesota, Kentucky and Maryland. Mat 6.— General Grant crossed the Rapidan, and Lee fell back toward Richmond. Mat 7. — Grant still advances driving Lee's forces before him. Mat 8. — Sherman occupied Dalton. Mat 9. — After 3 days' hard fighting Lee's forces retreated, leaving 3,000 killed and 10,000 wounded on the field, in posses- sion of the Union army. BATTLE AT RPOTTSTLVANIA COURT HOUSE. Mat 12. — Union troops victorious. They capture 4,000 pris- oners and 25 pieces of artillery. • Mat 13. — General Sheridan, with cavalry, reached the rear of the enemy, near Hanover Junction, breaking two railroads, cap- turing several locomotives, and destroying Lee's depoffor sup- plies at Beaver Dam, containg over 1,000,000 rations. Mat 15. — Sherman forced Johnson to evacuate Resaca, after two days' fighting. Mat 23. — Army of the Potomac flanked the rebels, under Lee, and forced them to evacuate their fortifications near Spott- OF THE REBELLION. ' 263 sylvania Court House. John Morgan enters Kentucky with 4,000 men. Mat 27. — Grant crossed the Pamunkey, and occupied Ilan- overtown. Mat 30.— Grant reached Mechanicsville. JUNE, 1864.— BATTLE OF COAL HARBOR. June 3. — In which the rehela 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 de- feated by General Burbridge, near Lexington, Ky. June 11. — Morgan demanded of Governor Bramlette the sur- render 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 atatcked 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 en- emy'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. Wo. P. Fes- senden was appointed to fill the vacancy. JULY, 1864. Jult 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 fortifica- tions at Atlanta- 264 CHRONOLOGICAL RECOBD 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 sev- eral other vessels destroyed. Shortly after. Fort Gaines surren- dered 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 Weldoarailroad south of Reams' station, was attacked several times, but re- pulsed 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 Readyvillo, Tennessee. Sept. 19. — General Sheridan gained a complete victory ovei 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 in wide Missouri. OF THE REBELLION. 265 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 de- feated 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 President'al election took place. Lincoln and Johnson received 212, McClellan and Pendleton 21 electoral votes. Nov. 16. — General Sherman loft Atlanta, and began his march through Georgia, to Savannah. Nov. 30 — The rebel army under General Hood, attacked the Union troops under General Schoiield, at Franklin, Tenn., but were repulsed with great loss. DECEMBER, 1864 Deo 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. Deo. 20. — The rebels under General Breckinridge defeated in South- Western Virginia, and the salt works destroyed. Deo. 21. — General Sherman entered the city of Savannah, capturing 150 cannon, 30,000 bales of cotton, and a large amount of munitions of war. Deo. 29. — Hood's army crossed the Tennessee river, thus end- ing the Tennessee campaign. 12 268 CHRONOLOGICAL KGOOBD 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 Kosser. The town and a large por- tion of the force defending it, were captured. Jan. 16. — Port Fisher, near Wilmington, N. G, 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, Mchigan, 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 Amendmeni 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 valvable property de- stroyed, 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. G, 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 Char- lottsville. Makoh 10. — General Bragg attacked General Cox near Kings- OF THE REBELLION. 267 ton, N. C., but was defeated. General Sherman occupied Fay- .etteville, N. C. March 12. — Mobile attacked. March 13. — General Schofield occupied Kingston. March 1 6. — 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, 1S65. April 3. — Richmond taken. April 9. — General Lee surrendered. Mobile captured. April 12. — Salisbury, N. G, captured. Mobile captured by General Canby, 1,000 prisoners, 150 cannon, 3,000 bales of cot- ton. Columbus, Gii., captured. April 13. — Raliegh, N. C, captured. Governor Vance taken prisoner. April 14. — President Lincoln assassinated. Secretary Sew- ard stabbed. Arkansas ratified the Constitutional Amendment. April 15. — President Lincoln died about 7 o'clock, a. m. Apkil 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. Mat 9.— Subscriptions to 7-30 loan $15,165,300. Mat 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, mothar, Postmaster-general Regan, Colonel Harrison, Pri- vate 9*wrstary, Colonel Johnson and other military characters, (subscription to 7-30 loan $17,410,100. Mat 1 1.— Subscription to 7-30 loan $15,411,800. rlkr 12.— Subwsription to 7-30 loan $13,762,100. 268 CHRONOLOGICAL KECOKD. Mat 13.— Subscriptions to 7-30 loan- $30,451,950. Total for one week $98,000,000. Mat 19. — Rebel Governor "Watts, of Alabama, arrested. Mat 21. — Rebel Governor Letcher, of Virginia, arrested. Mat 24. — Grand review of General Sherman's army at Wash- ington. Jefferson Davis indicted for treason. Mat 26. — Kirby Smith surrendered. The last armed tote) organization has succumbed. Mat 31. — Rebel General Hood and staff surrendered. Pay of Officers of the U. Si, 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, (mile- age, 20 cents per mile,) $8,000 per annum U. ST Senators, Members of Congress, and Dele- gates from Territories 5,000 " " JUDICIARY, (SUPREME COURT OF U. S.) Chief Justice $6,500 per annum Associate Justices, [8 in number] (Court meets first Monday in December) 6,000 " " MINISTERS AND DIPLOMATIC AGENTS OF THE UNITED STATES TN 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 " " 269 270 PAT OP OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STALTE3. MinUter Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister Minister MINISTERS RESIDENT. n Portugal $7,500 n Belgium 7,500 n Netherlands.. 7,500 n Denmark 7,500 n Sweden and Norway 7,500 n Switzerland..... 7,500 n Pontif States 7,500 n Turkey 7,500 n Japan .* 7,500 n Costa Eica 7,500 n Guatemala 7,500 n Honduras 7,500 n Salvador ^, 7,500 n New Granada 7,500 n Venezuela. 7,500 n Ecuador 7,500 n Argentine Confederation 7,500 n Hawaiin Islands 7,500 ' oer annum it ii it ii ii ii ii ii it ii ii ii ii ii u ii II a II ii II ti II u II ii II WAR DEPARTMENT. Secretary of War. $8,000 pe 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 ■vnnoHt II II 11 .•< II II II II H It 11 II 1 1) II U fa 11 PAT OF OFFIOEKS OF THE UNITED STATES. 271 Assistant Chief of Ordnance 1.554 per annum 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 Lieu- tenant General, each 170 00 " " Major General '..... 445 00 " " Senior Aid-de-oamp 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 21100 " " Assistant Adjutant General— Lt Colonel 187 00 " " Assistant Adjutant General — Major 163 00 " " Judge Advocate General— Colonel 21100 " '' 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 PAT DEPARTMENT. Paymaster General .....$288 33 per month Deputy Paymaster General 187 00 " " Paymaster 163 00 " 272 PAY OF OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 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 L10H7 ARTILLERY. Colonel ; $211 00 per mojith 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 — Briga- dier 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 ad- dition to pay, etc., as Lieutenant. 11 00 " " MEDICAL DEPARTMENT. Surgeon General — Brigadier General $299 50 per month Assistant Surgeon General 2J1 00 " " Medical Inspector General 21100 " " Medical Inspector ; 187 00 " " Surgeons of ten years' service 199 00 " " Surgeons of less than ten years' service 163 00 " PAY OF OFFICERS OP THE VS11BD STATES. 273 Assistant Surgeons of ten yeara' service 165 50 per month 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. " " Ferrier 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 " M 274 PAT OF OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. ARTILLERY AND INFANTRY. Sergeant-Major $21 00 per month Quartermaster Serjeant 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-cooka 10 00 " " SAPPERS AND MINERS, AND F0NT00NIERS. 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. PAT OP THE NAVY OF THE UNITED STATES. REAR ADMIRALS ACUTE 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 " " PAY OF OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 27" COMMODORES — ACTIVE LIST. W*>en at sea ....$4,000 per annuo When on shore duty 2,X00 " " 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 t. 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 commis- sion $2,400 per annum 276 PAT OS OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STAT>SS. RETIRED SURGEONS. Burgeons ranking with commanders $1,100 per annum Burgeons 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 Banking 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 he paid as Lieutenants. PROFESSORS OF MATHEMATICS. On duty $1,800 per annum On leave, or waiting orders 960 " " •OAT8WAINS, GUNNERS, CARPESTERS, AND SAILMAEERS. On duty at sea — for first three years' sea ser- vice from date of appointment... $1,000 per annum FRANKLIN PIERCE. PAT OF OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 277 Fop twelve years' service and upwards 1,450 per annua On leave, or waiting orders — for twelve years' sea service and upwards 1000 " " 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 daty $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 Bngineer-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 com- manders 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 " " TEOMEN. Ir ehips-of-the-line $45 00 per mcath Inflates 40 00 " In sloops 30 00' ' In smaller vessels 24 00 278 PAT OF OFFICERS OF THK UNITED STATES. AKMOREKS. Tn 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 .7. 25 00 " " Gunners... 25 00 ". " Carpenters 25 00 " " Sailmakers 20 00 " " Armorers 20 00 " > " Masters-at-Arms 25 00 " " Ship's Corporals 20 00 " " Coxwains 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 monCk 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 " ' PAT OF OFFICERS OF THE UNITED STATES. 279 NURSES. Where complement is less than 200, one nurse.$14 00 per month Where complement is over 200, two nurses, each.... 14 qo •> u COOKS. Ship's- $24 00 per month Officers 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 cen t. 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 ots. 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 hun- dred dollars, or the equivalent thereof in any foreign currency in which such bills may be expressed, according to the stand- ard 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 ct* (Foreign,) drawn in, but made payable out of, the United States, (if drawn singly or in duplicate,) pay the same duty as In- land 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, be- fore paying or accepting the same, place thereon a stamp indicating the duty.] Bills of Exchange, (Inland,) draft or owier, payable oth- erwise than at sight or on demand, and - any promissory note, whether payable on 280 demand or at a time designated, (except SCHEDULE OF STAMP DUTIES. 281 Stamp Dntloa. bank notes issued for circulation, and cheeks made and intended to be, and which shall be, forthwith presented for Eaymont,) for a sum not exceeding one undred dollars 5 oti- For every additional $100, or fractional part thereof. 5 ^ [The warrant of attorney to confess judg- ment on a note or bond is exempt from stamp duty, if the note or bond is prop- erly 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 hun- dred dollars 50 cts. exceeding $500, and not exceeding $1,000. $100 exceeding $1,000, for each $500, or frac- tional part thereof. 50 cts. of personal property, (other than ship or vessel) ..' 5 c ts. ffthii, personal, for the payment of money. (See Mort- gage.) " official $1 00 for indemnifying any person for the pay- ment 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. Bon Authorized a loan of $21,000,000, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 6 per cent, per annum, and reimbursable within a period not beyond twenty years,, and not less than ten years, for the redemption of outstanding Treas- ury notes, and for no other purpose. Authorized an issue of $10,000,000 in Treasury notes to be redeemed after the expiration of one year from the 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. Notes of the U. S., etc., from 1811 to the Present Time. Loan of 1842 Length of Loan. 20 years Loan of 1847 20 yean When redeemable. After Deo. 31, 1862. After Dec. 31, 1867. Loan of 1848 Texas in- demnity. Old funded debt. Treaa. notes Treaa. notes Rate of interest. 6 f per annum. 6 per annum 6 f> per annum 7-30*} per > an m J 6 * per annum 6 $ per annum None. Amount Authorized. $25,000,000 22,468,100 Amount Isauod. $18,415,000 $18,415,000 00 Par, Exch'nge, ble for 7-30 Tr'y noteB 515,000,000 22,468,100 1,090,850 Amount Outstanding. 1,016,000 00 50,000,000 50,000,000 00 139,999,750 450,000,000 514,780,500 139,315,350 00 208,432 00 59,700 00 514,780,500 00 371,783,597 00 322 FINANCES, LOANS, BONDS, LEGAL TENDEK NOTES, ETC. Acts Authorizing Loans, and Synopsis of same. Act of March 3, 1863. Act of April 12, 1866. Act of Feb. 25, 1862. March 17, 1862.. July 11, 1862 Act of June 30, 1864.. Act of March 3, 1863. Act of June 30. 1864.. Act of March 3, 1S63. Act of March 3, 1864. Act of March 1. 1862. Act of March 3, 1S63. Art of July IT, 1862.. A further issue of $150,000,000, in United States notes, for the purpose of converting the Treasury notes which 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 8150,000,000, in United States notes, -which amount includes the $100,000,000 authorized by the joint resolution of Con- gress, Jan. 17, 1863. Provided, That of United States notes not more than ten millions of dollars may be retired and canceled within 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 pro- visions, except as modified by this act. Authorized a temporary loan of $25, 000,000, in United States notes, for not less than thirty days, payable after ten days' notice, at 5 per cent, interest per annum. (This was increased to $100,000,000 by the following acts.) Authorized an increase of temporary loans of $25,000,000, bearing interest at a rate not exceeding 5 per cent, per annum. Authorised a further increase of temporary loans of $50,000,- 000, making the whole amount authorized $100,000,000. Authorized the increase of temporary loans to not exceed- ing $150,000,000, at a rate not exceeding 6 per cent, per annum. Authorized a loan of $300,000,000 for this and $600,000,000 for the next fiscal year, for which could be issued bonds run- ning not less than ten, nor more than forty years, princi- pal 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 this act not to exceed the Bum of 900,000,000. And so much of this act as limits the loan to the current fiscal 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. And Treasury notes to the amount of $400 000,000, not ex- ceeding three years to run. with interest at not over 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. Authorizes the issue of bonds not exceeding $200,000,000, bearing date March 1, 1864, or any subsequent period, re- deemable 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 in- terest not exceeding 6 per cent, yearly, payable on bonds not over $100 annually, and on all other bonds semi- annually, in coin. Authorized an issue of certificates of indebtedness, payable one year from date, in settlement of audited claims against the Government. Interest 6 per oent. per an- num, payable in gold ; and by Payable in lawful currency on those issued after that date. Amount of issue not specified. Authorized an issue of notes of the fractional parts of one dollar, receivable in payment of all dues, except customs, less than five dollars, and exchangeable for United States notes in sums not less than five dollars. Amount of issue not specified. FINANCES, LOANS, BONDS, LEGAL TENDER NOTES, ETC. 328 Length of Loan. Continued. When redeemable. Tempor'y Loan. Not less than 30 days Loan of 1863. iTreasury f notes. .iold certifi- cates. Ten-for- ties. Five- twenties. After ten 4, 5, &6 days' # I»r notice. Rota or interest. Afr Jnne 30, 1681. 2 years 1 year. 10 or 40 years. 5 or SO years. 2 years af- 5 oj per terdate. annum 1 year af- 5 jt per ter date, annum On dem'd. Far. * per annum Certifica'B lyear. I of indebt- I edness. Postal cur- rency. Afr Feb. 28, 1874. Aft'r Oct. 31,1869. 1 year at' ter date. Amount authorised. tl50.000.000 Amount limed. Amonnt ouutanllag. Pre- per cent Par. Par, Par, 5£ per annum 6* per annum 6* per annum 75,000,000 400,000,000 Not speci- fled. $75,000,000 \ 211,000,000 $20,225,070 00 Par. 200,000,000 Par. Par Par Not spew Not speci- fied. 173,770,100 75,000,000 00 1,123,830 00 19,207,520 00 171,400,350 00 3,882,500 00 36,000 00 5,497,034 OS 824 FINANCES, LOANS, BONDS, LEGAL TENDER NOTES, ETC. Acta Authorizing Loans, and Synopsli of soma. Act of March 3, 1863. Act of June 30, 1S64.. Act of June 30, 1864.. Act of March 3, 1863. Act of June 30, 1864.. Aot of Jan. 25, 1865.. Act of March 3 ( 1869, Authorized an issue not exceeding $50,000,000, in fractional currency (in lieu of postage or other stamps), exchange- able 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, un- der the supervision of the Secretary. Authorized an issue in lieu of the issue under acts of July 17, 1862, and March 3, 1863, the whole amount outstanding under all these acts not to exceed $50,000,000. Authorized an issue of $400,000,000 of "bonds, redeemable at the pleasure of the Government, after any period not less than five nor more than thirty years, or, if deemed expe- dient, made payable at any period not 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 un sold, 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 cer- tificates of deposit, issued under any act of Congress. Authorizes an issue of Treasury notes, not exceeding three years to run, interest at not over 6 per cent, per annum, principal and interest payable in lawful money. Also. authorizes the issue of, and in lieu of, an equal amount of bonds authorized by the first section, and as a part of said loan, not exceeding $200,000,000, in Treasury 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 exceed- ing the rate of 7 3-10 per centum, payable in lawful money at maturity, or at the discretion of the Secre- tary, semi-annually; and such of them as shall be made Iiayable, principal and interest, at maturity, shall be a egal tender to the same extent as United States notes, for their face value, excluding interest, and may be paid to any oreditor 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 eon- • vertible, at the discretion of the Secretary of the Treas- ury, into any bonds issued under the authority of this act, and the Secretary may redeem, and cause to be can- celed 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 Treas- ury note bearing interest, issued under this act. be a legal tender, in payment or redemption of any notes is- sued by any bank, banking association, or banker, calcu- lated or intended to circulate as money. Whole amount may be issued in bonds or Treasury notes, at the discretion of the Secretary. Authorized an issue of $600,000,000 in bonds or Treasury notes ; bonds may be made payable at any period not 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 afore said , as may be expressed upon their face, and io much thereof as may be Issued in Treasury notes FIil n Treasury notes semi-annually, or annually, or at nips ™? thereof: and the principal or interest, or both w made payable i a coin or other lawful money ; if in c' n . not to exceed 6 per cent, per annum ; when not payable in coin, not to exceed 7 3-10 per cent, per annum. Bate and character to be expressed on bonds or Treasury notes. Authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury* at his discretion, to receive any Treasury notes or other obligations issued under any act of Congress, whether bearing interest or not, in exchange for any description of bonds authorized by the act to which this is an amendment ; and also to dispose of any description of bonds authorized by said act, either in the United States or elsewhere, to snch 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 may be 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 con- tained shall be construed to authorize any increase of the public debt. Bonds issued to the Union Pacific Railroad Company, in accordance with these acts. For the purpose of redeeming and retiring any compound interest notes outstanding, the Secretary of the 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, 1 ' approved Feb- ruary 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 tempo- rary 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 ana 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 tem- porary certificates at any time outstanding shall not exceed fifty millions of dollars. FINANCES, LOANS, BONDS. LEGAL TENDER NOTES, ETC. 327 Length of Loon. 7.30Tn?as. notes, 3 isBues. Five- twenties. When redeemable. Afr Ang, 14, 1S67. Afr June 14, 186&. L Afr July 14, 1868. :> or 20 years, Un. Pacific K. B. Co. bonds. Alt'r Oct 31, 1870. Afr June 30. 1870. Rate of Interest. 7.3-10 per cent. Par. 6 # per annum 6 $ por annum Par. ly'rs. Aft'rJan. 15, 1895. 6# per annum Amount authorized. $600,000,000 AmoHnt issued. Amount outstanding. $468,647,425 00 181,427,250 00 301,880,250 00 14,762,000 00 $2,692,109,215 12 828 STATISTICAL VIEW OF THE STATES, ETC. o H CO m < CO H W H Ph O o H CO I— I H s •fe. I "lis •£■3 S s 4 5 a I a A *B1B3£ Mil lls||tl«il d »3ggB |.sNH37|M§«giil|| i SS§ 5- M T "*~3 a> ^3 3 3 3g3„- o . s s s'£ ill gs 3 SI s's'SS it s s § = o ='■= S S a p.". a-g" a" a'g'S'S'S 1 4S"i £££ ■nuaj; "1 II -raoq-tt ig MWHHHHNMfMNNNHNHNHNNH 001CNHOOOO'000«H^O*NNg oi2s5|3N^Ki^o«^oKia&o^;r---wo>eo S* o o fefc a a o o aa 5< s«i&o3g<§Sfc«*iteas > > ii i ssn«nac«o SaajLIs- las? £ a a a a«i asa aO t s a a a a a a g, a ag t«£05lrtr5»0' : aS£ S-a!. "5 aS Ms 4, ■ m p» £ « — *** iS O "O -a £ .2 o l. - o .©+»"£ a.g-85 ® 5 * 5 la? ° &■§ s id Q e s ^ o *2 ft SS-S S £ 5 b 5 « ffl « 2 4* 3 s i»a £ m eS o •*? » a _ 2 -s « "S O « d a. 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 reso- lutions : 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 thoir property in the territory, without their rights, either in person or property, being destroyed by congressional or ter- ritorial 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 oitizens. "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, 331 332 PLATFORMS of 1860-1864. 7. That the National Democratic party do hereby pledge them- selves 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 OP THE DOUGLAS PABTT OF 1860. Resolved, That we, the Democracy of the Union in Conven- tion assembled, hereby declare our affirmation of the resolutions unanimiously adopted and declared as a platform of principles by the Democratic Convention at Cincinnati, in the year 1856, believing that Democratic principles are unchangable in their nature when applied to the same subject matter, and we recom- mend as our only further resolutions the following : That inasmuch as differences of opinion exist in the Demo- cratic party as to the nature and extent of the powers of a Ter- ritorial Legislature, and as to the powers and duties of Con- gress, under the Constitution of the United States, over the institution of slavery in the territories ; Resolved, That the Democratic party will abide by the decis- ion of the Supreme Court of the United States over the institu- tion 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 ac- quisition of the Island of Cuba, on such terms as shall be hon- orable to ourselves and just to Spain. Resolved, That the enactments of State Legislatures to defeat the faithful execution of the Fugitive Slaye Law are hostile in character, subversive to the Constitution, and revolutionary in their effect. Resolved, That it is in accordance with the Cincinnati Plat- form, that during the existence of Territorial Governments, the measure of restriction, whatever it may be, imposed by the Fed' eral Constitution on the power of the Territorial Legislature over the subject of the domestio relations, as the same has been or shall hereafter be decided by the Supreme Court of the Uni- ted States, should be respected by all good citizens, and enforced platforms op 18G0-1864. 833 wili promptness and fidelity by evory branch of the General Uovemment, THE REPUBLICAN PLATFORM OF 1860. Mesolved, That we, the delegated representatives of the Re- pubhcan 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 organi- zation 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 con- stitutional 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 unpre- cedented increase in population, its surprising developments of material resources ; its rapid augmentation of wealth ; its hap- piness at home and its honor abroad ; and we hold in abhor- rence all schemes for disunion, come from whatever source they may; and we congratulate the country that no Republican mem- ber of Congress has uttered or countenanced the threats of dis- union 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 ascendency, 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 do- mestic institutions according to its own judgment exclusively, is essential to that balance of power on which the perfection and endurance of our political fabrio depends ; and we denounce the lawless invasion by armed for3e of the soil of any State or 334 platforms op 1860-1864. Territory, no matter under what pretext, as one of the graves! of crimes. 5. That the present Democratic Administration has far ex- ceeded 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 Consti- tution 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 ex- travagance which pervades every department of the Federal Government. That a return to right economy and accounta- bility is indispensible to arrest the plunder of the public treas- ury 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, is a dangerous political heresy, at variance with the ex- plicit provisions of that instrument itself, with cotemporaneous 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 sup- pression of that execrable traffic. 10. That in the recent vetoes by their Federal Governors of Che acts of the Legislatures of Kansas and Nebraska, prohibit- ing slavery in these Territories, we find a practical illustration of the boasted Democratic principles of non-intervention and platforms op 1860-1864. 335 Popular Sovereignty, embodied in tho Kansas-Nebraska bill, and a demonstration of the deoeption 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 Gen- eral Government, by duties upon imports, sound policy requires such an adjustment of these imports as to encourage the devel- opment of the industrial interests of the whole country, and we commend that polioy 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 pros- perity 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 im- provements of a national character, is required for the accommo- dation and security of an existing commerce, or authorized by the Constitution and justified by the obligation of the Govern- ment to protect the lives and property of its citizens. 16. That a railroad to the Pacific ocean is imperatively de- manded by the interests of the whele country ; and that the Federal Government ought to render immediate and efficient aid in its construction, and that preliminary thereto, a daily over- land mail should be promptly established. ] 7. Finally, having thus set forth our distinctive principles •ad 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 THK NATIONAL CONSTITUTIONAL PARTY OF 1860. The Union, the Constitution and the Laws. 336 PLATFORMS of 1860-1864. UNION PLATFORM, ADOPTED AT BALTIMORE JUNE 8, 18P4. Resolved, That it is the highest duty of every American citi- zen 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 com- mon 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 bring- ing to the punishment due to their crimes, the rebels and traitors arrayed against it. Resolved, That we approve the determination of the Govern- ment 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 reli- ance 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 Govern- ments, 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 amend- ment 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 tc 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 perma- nent 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 thememories of those who have fallen in its defense shall be held in grateful and everlasting remembrance Resolved, That we approve and applaud the political wisdom the unselfish patriotism and unswerving fidelity to the Consti- tution and the principles of American liberty with which .N\,".v * "\av; ABRAHAM LINCOLN. PLATFORMS OP 1860-1864 337 Abraham Lincoln has discharged, under oiroumstances of un- paralelled 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 Blayery, 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 tho 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 op- pressed 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 tax- ation; 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 Govern- ment, that the people of the United States can never regard with indifference the attempt of European power to overthrow by force, or to supplant byfraud, the institutions of any Repub- lican government on the western Continent, and that they_ will view with extreme jealousy, as menacing to the peace and inde- pendence of this our country, the efforts of any such Dower to obtain new footholds for monarchical governments sustained by n foreign military force in near proximiry to the United States. 15 388 platforms op 1860-1864. feemont platform, adopted at cleveland, mat 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 foree 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 lib- erty; 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 foreig* 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 i adopted by the people is strengthened by the existing crisis, and shall bo maintained by constitutional amendments. 10. That the constitution shall be so amended that the Presi- dent 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 iu the past, we will adhere . with unswerving fidelity to the Union under the Constitution aa the only solid foundation of our strength, security and happi ness 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 disre- garded in every part, and public liberty and private right alike trodden down, and the material prosperity of the country es- sentially 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 author- ities 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 re- sisted 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 tie Constitution, the subversion of the civil by military law in StateB 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 interfer- SUA NATIONAL DEMOCRATIC P1ATFORM. ence with, and denial of tbe 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, de- serves the severest reprobation on the score alike of public pol- icy 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 hava so nobly earned. LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. 341 . 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 Doyhood were energy, industry, will. His educational advan- tages, 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 wag 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 gradua- tion it is said he possessed a "practical knowledge of the use of the rifled musket, the field piece, mortar, siege, and sea-coast guias, small sword and bayonet, as well as the construction ot 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 set- tlers 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 Mexi- cans, 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, L846, he participated in the battle of Palo Alto, and although not noticed in the oflicial reports, was spoken of by his com- rades as having displayed great gallantry. He was likewise engaged in the subsequent brilliant operations of General Tay- lor along the banks of the Rio Grande. On the 23d of Septem- 342 LIBUTBNANT-GENBEAL ULYSSES S. GKANT. ber, 1846, he took part, with great credit to himself, in the splendid affair at Monterey. It is a noteworthy fact that, al- though 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 ap- pointed the Quartermaster of his regiment, which office he re- tained 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 distin- guished voluntary services rendered on that day in the famous battle of Molino del Kay. Congress afterwards wished to con- firm 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 Che- pultepec, which battle occurred on- the preceding day. On the 16th of November, 1847, he was commissioned a First Lieuten- ant in the fourth regiment of regular infantry, still retaining bis 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 con- solidated 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 o 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 him- self 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 volun- teers, and was appointed by Governor Yates as Commander-in Chief of the Illinois forces and mustering officer of Illinois LIEUTENANT-GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. 313 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, 186], 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 Missis- sippi river, from Cape Girardeau to New Madrid, and the oppo- site 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, perma- nently, 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 comman of Johnston and Beauregard. This expedition terminated in (he 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, Gen- eral Grant Vas very severely censured by the people, generally, throughout the Western States. Soon after this, General Halleok 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 Missis- sippi 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 pow- ers 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 344 LIEUTENANT-QENERAL ULTSSES S. GRANT. 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 expedi- tion 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 inUrim,, 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, 1807.) 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 There- after be appointed to any such office, and shall become duly quali- fied 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, an* 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 f by evidence satisfactory to the President to be guilty of misconduct in office, or crime, or for any reason shall be- come 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 de- signated, 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 per- {345) 346 THE TENURE-OF-OFFICE BILL. forming the duties thereof, and not to the officer so Suspended: Provided, however, That the President in case he shall become satis- fied thai, 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. Sbo. 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 com- mission or letter of authority for or in respect to any such appoint- ment 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 jnake out and deliver after the adjournment of the Senate, commissions for all officers whose ap. pointments shall have been advised and consented to by thr 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 com- THE TENURE-OF-OFFICE BILL. 847 plete list,, duly certified, of all the persons who shall have been nominated, to and rejected by the Senate during suoh.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 per- son 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 no- tice to all the proper accounting and disbursing officers of his department. Sec. 9. That no money shall be paid or received from the Treas- ury, 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 net 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 func- tions 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 dol'f" - *, or by imprisonment not-exceeding ten years, or both said pupishments in the discretion of the court. iMfjiAOiiMMi u* 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 his- tory of the impeachment, we give them here. The order to Mr. Stanton reads: " By virtue of the power and authority vested in me as Presi- dent 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-Gen- eral 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 au- thorized and empowered to act as Secretary of War ad interim, and will immediately enter upon the aischarge of the duties pertaining to that office. Mr. Stanton has been instructed to transfei to you all the records, books, and other public property now in his cus- tody and charge." These orders having been officially communicated to the Senate, that body, after an earnest debate, passed the following resolution : " Resohed by the Senate of the United States, That under the Con- stitution 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." 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 Tcnure-of-Office Bill the various Secretaries of Departments "shall hold their offices respectively for and during the term of the President by whom (348) ANDREW JOHNSON. IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. 849 they may have been appointed, and for one month thereafter, subject to removal by and with the advioe 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 ap- pointed to office " by and with the advice and consent of the Sen- ate," 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," Bays 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 sur- render 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 Secretary- ship of War held their ground. A sort of legal by-play then en- sued. Mr. Stanton entered a formal complaint before Judge Carter, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the. District of Colum- bia, charging that General Thomas had illegally exercised and at- tempted to exercise the duties of Secretary of War; and had threat- ened 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 cus- tody and bail; whereupon he entered an action against Mr. Stan- ton for false imprisonment, laying his damages at $160,000. 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 Presideni of Mr. Stanton, and closing as follows : " Upon the evidence collected by the Committee, which is here- ^ 350 IMrEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. after presented, and in virtue of the powers with- which they hav« 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 an- nounced 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 Rep- resentatives and of all the people of the United States, we do im- peach 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 Seyen, 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 unlaw- fully and in violation of the laws and Constitution of the United States, perform the several acts specified in the articles respec- IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. 351 tively;" 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 desig- nated 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 impeacement 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 im- peachment which shall be exhibited by them as the case. shall re- quire, 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 Sec- retary of War, in violation of the provisions of the Tenure-of-Office Act. — Article i. 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 ap- pointment of General Thomas no vacancy in the office of Secretary of War. — Article 4 charges the President with " conspiring with one LorenzoThomas 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. — Ar- ticle 6 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 Presi- dent ' conspired with General Thomas and others to take forcible possession of the property in the War Department. — Article 7 re- peats 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 Seoretary of War, shall be issued through the Gen- 352 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHN30N. eral of the Army, and, in case of Ms inability, through the next in rank," was unconstitutional, Und 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 111., 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 Presi- dent. 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 arti- cles 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. JohnBon. The second article is substantially as follows : ' " The President did, on the 18th day of August, 1866, at the City of Washington, by public speech, declare and affirm in substance • liat the Thirty-ninth Congress of the United States was not a Con- GENERAL ULYSSES S. GRANT. IMPEACHMENI OP rEESIDENT JOHNSOH. 353 gress of the United States, authorized by the Constitution to exer- cise legislative power under the same, but, on the contrary, was a Congress of only a part of the States, thereby denying and intend- ing to deny that the legislation of said Congress was valid or obli- gatory 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 Ed- win M. Stanton from forthwith resuming the functions of the office of Secretary for the Department of War ; and, also, by further un- lawfully 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 execu- tion 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 ap- peared, 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 mem- ber 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 F». Curtis, of Mas- sachusetts ; Hon. Thomas A. R. Nelson, of Tennessee, who asked for forty days to prepare an answer to the indictment. This was re- fused, 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 im- peachment. 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 tempo- rary appointment of General Thomas as Secretai-y of War. The gist of them is contained in the first article, charging the unlaw- ful 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 354 IMPEACHMENT OF FBE8IDENT JOHNSON. Ms 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 : thai the Sec- retary shall "conduct the business of the department in such man- ner 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 ba unconstitutional, yet it having been passed over his veto by the re- quisite majority of two-thirds, he considered it to be his duty to as- certain in how far the case of Mr. Stanton came within the pro- visions 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 remov- ing, 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. Stan- ton; and, as he avers, still believing that he had the constitu- tional 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 Secre- tary of War; and that, consequently, the order for his removal was in violation of the Tenure-of-Office Act; and that it was in viola- tion 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 Gen- eral Thomas as Secretary of War ad interim, denies all and every of the crimnal 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 fliat 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 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOnNSON. 355 the exeoutive and legislative departments; but he olaims the perfect right at all times to express hia 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 un- lawful means for preventing Mr. Stanton from resuming the func- tions of Secretary of War, or.for preventing the execution of the act making appropriations for the support of the army, or that to pro- vide 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 rea- sons 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 dela"y 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 de- nial 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 con- stituted 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, Stew- art • 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); 356 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. Vermont,- Edmunds, Morrill (J. S.) ; West Virginia, Van Winkle, Willey ; Wisconsin, Doolittle, Howe. Managers for the Prosecution : Messrs. Bingham, Bout-well, Butler, Logan, Stevens, Williams, Wilson. Counsel for the President: Messrs. Curtis, Evarts, Groesbeck, Nel- son, 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 imme- diately assumed by the Chief Justice, who wore his official robes. The prosecution was mainly conducted by Mr. Butler, who exam- ined 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 re- signed 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 argu- ments. THE PROSECUTION. The whole of the first day (March 30) was occupied by the open- ing 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 misdemea- nor to be one, in its nature or consequences, subversive of some fundamental or essential principle of government, or highly preju- dicial 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 pro- ceeding 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 lat- ter, because, under its provisions, the right to retain and hold office is the only subject to be finally adjudicated ; all preliminary in- quiry 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 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOtlNSON. 857 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 oourt 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 be- yond reasonable doubt, instead of by a preponderance of the evi- dence. 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 an- alogy to those of an ordinary court of justice. The accused merely receives a notice of the case pending against him. .He Is not re- quired 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 idlua populi suprema est lex." Mr. Butler then proceeded to consider the articles of impeach- ment. The firBt 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 vio- lated in so doing." ' In respect to all of these articles, Mr.- Butler says, referring to his former definition of what constituted an im- peachable 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 exer- cised, in a given case, for a corrupt motive, as for the payment of money, or wantonly pardoning all criminals, it would be a misde- meanor." 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 Presi- dent 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 358 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHHSON. the Senate, partly or in -whole. This, Mr. Butler affi led, was the real question at issue before the Senate and the Am ican people. He said* " Has the President, under the Constitution, the mi.je 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 luust 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 im- peachment, was argued at length. Mr. Butler assumed that the Sen- ate, 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 provi- sions 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. Lin- coln, 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 assas- sination, 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 eleoted. 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. John- son, 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. IMPEACHMENT OP PRESIDENT JOHNSON. 359 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 impeach- ment for the attempt to remove Mr. Stanton. These, in substance, were, that the President believed the Tenure-of-Office Act. was un- constitutional, 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 G eneral Thomas as Sec- retary of War ad interim, was a separate violation of law. By the act of February 20, 1863, which repealed all previous laws incon- sistent 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 depart- ment, 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 11 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 suffi- ciency 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." Aa to the tenth article of impeachment based upon various speeches of the President, Mr. Butler undertook to show that the r =s of these speeches, as given in the article, were "*<«*££ correct- and accepted the issue made thereupon as to whether they a r r« decent and becoming the President of the United S ates, and A n not tend to bring the office into ridicule and disgrace. After having commented upon the eleventh and closmg article wht" chargea the President with having denied the authority of 360 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. the Thirty-ninth Congress, except so far as its acts were approved by him, Mr. Butler summed up the purport of the articles of im- peachment in these words : " The acts set out in the first eight articles are hut the culmina- tion of a seriffs of wrongs, malfeasances, and usurpations commit- ted 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 con- stitutional 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 in- troduced 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. \A1- jhough, in this case, the decision was in favor of the prosecution, le 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 — 26 ayes and 25 nays. The Chief Justice gave his casting vote in favor of the motion for consulta- tion. 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 mem- bers 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 SCHUYLER COLFAX IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. 361 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 JLhomas, 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, pos- session 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 admis- sible, on the ground that there was, as charged, a conspiracy be- tween 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. Bur- leigh thereupon testified substantially that General Thomas in- formed 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 wit- ness 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 posses- sion 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 Depart- ment, 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. Kar- eener, 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 die- 16 362 IMPEACHMENT OJ PRESIDENT JOHNSOH. appoint his friends, but that, in a few days, he would "kick that fellow out," meaning, as'the witness supposed, Mr. Stanton. Thursday, April 2d. — Various witnesses were introduced to tes- tify 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 arti- cle 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 bad 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 arti- cles 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 charac- ter of our Government by enabling acts in this way. I believe, on the contrary, that they will eventually uphold all who have patri- otism 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 coordinate 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 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSON. 863 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 discus- sion, was granted by the Senate by a vote of 37 to 9, and the trial wag 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. Re- serving, Cor 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 impeach- ment, 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 em- braced in the answer of the President. The main stress of the ar- gument 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 Ten- ure-of-Office Act. "Second. That it was u violation of the Tenure-of-OJEce Act. " Third. That it was an intentional violation of the Xenure-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 State's. 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. Lin- coln whose term of office came to an end by his death. He ar- Eued at length against the proposition that Mr. Johnson was merely serving out the remainder of Mr. Lincoln's term. The 364 IMPEACHMENT 07 PEESIDENT JOHNSON. 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 ex- pected to repose the gravest honor, trust, and confidence; therefore it was that this act has connected the tenure of office of these offi- cers with that of the President by whom they were appointed." Mr. Curtis gave a new interpretation to that clause in the Consti- tution which prescribes that the President " may require the opin- ion, 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 Presi- dent, so that he might call upon Cabinet officers for advice " relat- ing 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, Sena-' tor 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 re- moval was, in effect, u. 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 act- ing 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 IMPKACHSIENT OS PEESIDENT JOHHSON. 365 issue which would bring the matter before a court, so as to cause "a judicial decision to come between the two branches of the Gov- ernment, 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 main- tained that, as Shown by the evidence; " the reason why the Presi- dent 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 Consti- tution, or of any law existing at the time when they were made, ' and were not, therefore, impeachable offelises. 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 testi- mony, elicited upon examination and cross-examination, was to the effect that, having received the order appointing him Secre- tary 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 re- plied, "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 gavehim a writ- ten 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 Pres- ident. Objection was made by Mr. Butler, and the point was ar- eued. 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 866 IMPEACHMENT OF PRESIDENT JOHNSOK. mainly given in response to questions of counsel, was, apparently, somewhat contradictory. The substance was that he was recog- nized by the President as Secretary of War; that, since the im- peachment, 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 bo, 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 un- important transaction ;Jie 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 posses- sion," he said that these were "put into his mouth." Finally, Gen- eral 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 inter- view 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. Bufler, 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 evi- dence 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 ques- tion 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 offioe ' of Secretary of War ad interim, did he, at the very time of making IMPEACHMENT OF PBESIDEHT JOHNSON. .867 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 John- son 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 tes- timony of General Sherman, relating to several interviews, was to the effect that the President said that the relations between him- self 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, lie rnigbt, although against his own wishes, undertake to adminis- ter 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, declin- ing to accept the appointment, but stated that Ms reasons were mostly of a personal nature. On the 14th the Senate adjourned, on account of the sudden ill- ness of Mr. Stanbery. It re-assembled on the 15th, but the proceed- ings 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 irrel- evant 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 ad- missible, and his decision was sustained by a vote of 26 to 23. The defense then endeavored to introduce several members of the Cab- inet, 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- OfEce Act. This question was raised in several shapes, and its ad- mission, after thorough argument on both sides, as often refused, in the last instance by a decisive vote of 30 to 19. The defense con- sidered 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 iustification 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 vio- lated them, he did so at his own risk of the consequences. With the relusal'of this testimony, the case, except the final summings up and the verdict of the Senate, was virtually closed. 368 IMPEACHMENT OF PBESIDENT JOHNSON. 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 writ- ten 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, giv- ing the grounds upon which they expected to cast their vptes. 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 elev- enth 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 re- spondent, 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, Cat- tell, Chandler, Cole, Coukling, Conness, Corbett, Cragin, Drake, Edmunds, Ferry, Frelinghuysen, Harlan, Howard, Howe, -Morgan, Morrill, of Vermont, Morrill, of Maine, 0. P. Morton, Nye, Patter- son, N. H. Pomeroy, 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, Hen- dricks, Johnson, M'Creery, Norton, Patterson, of Tennessee, Ross, Saulsbury, Trumbull, Van Winkle, and Vickers. The Constitution requiring a vote of two-third's 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 Eepublican 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 re- construction 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 Gov- ernment 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 indebt- edness 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 preser- vation 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 re- duce 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 amd 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 ex- ecutive powers to render insecure the property, the peace, liberty, and life of the citizen — who has abused the pardoning power — who (369) 870 THE CHICAGO P1ATFOEM, 1868. has denounced the National Legislature' as unconstitutional — per- sistently 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 re- sisted 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 en- titled to be protected in all their rights of citizenship as though they were native born j 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 boun- ties and pensions provided by the laws for these brave defenders of the natjon are obligations never to be forgotten. The widows and orphans of the gallant dead are the wards of the people, a gacred 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 op- pressed 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- rebel- lion, but now frankly and honestly cooperate with us in restoring the peace of the country and reconstructing the Southern State gov- ernments 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 gladneBS every effort toward making these principles a living reality on every inch of American soil." THE HON. SCHUYLER COLFAX. Schttvxek 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 d ed but a short time previous. With but limited meaus, his widowed mother could afford to keep him at school but a short, tme, nnd, at the age of ten, he was placed in a mercantile establishment, where he remained for three years, con- tributing materially from his small salary to the support of both himself and mother. In 183 i, he and his mother, in comp.my 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 181-5, 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. Unman, 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 at- tention. 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 ele- vated thoughts of its editor. He continued his connection with this paper until three or four years ago, writing a regular weekly letter foF its columns during his first two terms in Congress. It was during the early days of the Register that Mr. Colfax was lay- ing the foundation for the reputation he has since attained as a de- bater. 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 gather- (371) 372 THE HON. SCHUYLER COLFAX. ings. 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 pres- ent day. The Hon. John D. Defrees, now Superintendent of Gov- ernment 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 una^ bated 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 Con- gress 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 dele- gate to the Whig National Convention. He took an_active part in the campaign which followed, speaking often, nnd 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 reelected 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 wertprinted 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 THE HON. SCHUYLER COMAX. 373 in any movement.looking to the development of the boundless re- sources of the great West. It was, doubtless, the interest he feels in this section of the country which induced him to take his cele- brated 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 peo- ple of almost every oity 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 lec- ture 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 de- clined 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 eccen- tricities, but great tact. His talents are administrative and executive rather than deliberative. He would make good appoint- ments, and adopt sure policies. He would make a better President or Speaker of the House than Senator. He knows men well, esti- mates 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 bYusqueneas 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 miglfty style of Sumner, s>t 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 pro- 874 THE HON. SCHUYLER COLFAX. tracterl 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 » firmer belief in the ultimate tri- umph of our cause. -Mr. Colfax is rather under "the medium he : ght, with a form firmly and compactly molded. His hair is brown, now slightly sprinkled with gray; eyes blue; forehead high and arching, indi- cating 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, re- posing its trust in the intelligence, patriotism, and discriminating justice of the people, standing upon the Constitution as the foun- dation 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 aB 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-agitiited, do, with the return of peace, d mand: 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 Govern- ment 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 re- duction 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 dis- continuance of inquisitorial modes of assessing and collecting in- ternal 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^tate militia into a national force in time of peace; and a tariff for revenue unon foreign imports and such equal taxation under the -internal revenue laws as will afford incidental protection to domestic manu- factures as well, without impairing the revenue, impose the least (375) 376 DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. 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 in- tegrity, constitutional liberty, and individual rights; and the maintenance of the rights of naturalized citizens against the abso- lute 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 iave 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 Con- stitution. It has repeatedly violated that most sacred pledge under which was rallied that noble volunteer army which carried our flag to victory. Io stead 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 nul- lified 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 arbi- trary 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 pri- vate 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 judi- cial 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 Presi- dent. Its corruption and extravagance have exceeded any thing HORATIO SEYMOUR. DEMOCRATIC PLATFORM. 877 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 ow» Cabinet. Under its repeated assaults the pillars of the Government are rooking 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 suf- frage 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 un- qualified 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, revo- lutionary and void : that our soldiers and sailors who carried the flag of our country to victory against a most gallant and deter- mined foe must ever be gratefully remembered, and all the guar- antees given in their favor must be faithfully carried into exe- cution ; that the public lands should be distributed widely among the people and should be disposed of either under the preemption 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 Con- gress 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 sup- port 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 cooperating 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.. Ho is consequently fifty-Beven 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 inter- ests of which compelled him to abandon all professional and public labors. He never after resumed practice. Mr. Seymour's political predilections were, it may be said, in- herited 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 adhe- sion, 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 ma- jority, 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 reelection. 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 re- verse of fortune, and in 1852, was re-nominated for the same of- fice. 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 (378) HON. HORATIO SETMOCE. 879 party. His administration was distinguised 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 re- garded 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 por- tion 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 or- ganized a force of citizens, which he armed and kept on duty, un- til the arrival of troops from Pennsylvania restored order. In 1864, he was for the fifth time nominated for the ofiice 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, elo- quent, and argumentative, and wherever he takes the stump he is always received by large crowds. Until a late day of the Conven- tion 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 182X. He re- ceived 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 revolu- tionizing public sentiment in St. Louis, where he resided. In 18S6, he was elected to Congress as a Republican, and was reelected 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 dis- turbances 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, inas- much as it was certainly the first important one. Colonel Blair also took part in the battle of Boonville, unller 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 Gov- ernor 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 conse- quence of his having to occupy his seat in the special session of Congress, Colonel Blair was not present during that action. 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 re- turned 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 com- mand, and commissioned a brigadier-general in August, 1862. The brigade became attached to the Fourth Division of the Thirteenth (380) FRANCIS P. BLAIR, JR. OBKBHAL PKANCW PRESTON BLAIR, JR. 881 Army Corps, but, subsequently, upon a reconstruction of General Grant'! forces, was assigned to th» Fifteenth Corps, then com- manded by General W. T. Sherman. While under the command of that brilliant officer, General Blair had charge of the First Bri- gade, 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, al- though the main army had been severely repulsed. General Blair commanded his brigade in General Sherman's wing of McCler- nand's army during the assault upon and capture of Fort Hind- man, or the Arkansas River, on the 10th and 11th of January, 1863. For the gallantry he displayed at these last-mentioned con- tests 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 di- vision 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 Bidge, 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 re- quest of that gentleman, who urged him to be present and aid in the organization of the House. During the month of March follow- ing, he reentered the Bervice, 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 cam- paign to' Atlanta and the sea, and winning fresh laurels as a mili- tary 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 treat- ment 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 382 GENERAL FRANCIS PRESTON BLAIR, JR. comfort to the Rebellion, and another law requiring all the citizens of (he State to take a test oath. Both of these measures were op- posed 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 abso- lutely 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 oourts for the purpose of test- ing the constitutionality of the law. The case is now before the Supreme Court of the United States,, and is not yet decided. Grad- ually 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 dec- laration of his has been severely commented upon by the radical or- gans, 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 sol- diers 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.