of Alabama, had been elected Vice President, but failing health prevented him from entering upon the office.

ADMINISTRATION OF FRANKLIN PIERCE.

THE day on which Mr. Pierce was inaugurated, March 4th, 1853, there was a bitter storm of sleet and rain, the most severe ever known in Washington, and seemed to augur a tempestuous administration. So it proved in the sequel. The first serious difficulty that arose was in regard to the boundary line between Mexico and the United States, and for a time war seemed inevitable. The Mexican army occupied the disputed territory: but the matter was amicably settled by peaceful negotiation, and friendly relations between the two republics have existed ever since.

In the early part of this administration a large exploring expedition was sent to the Pacific coast of Asia, which was of great importance in view of the establishment of numerous steamship lines between the ports of Asia and the United States. The question of connecting the Atlantic and the Pacific coasts with railways, was agitated in connection with this subject. Four explorations were sent out by the government to survey as many routes: one from the head waters of the Mississippi to Puget Sound; one from the same river to the Pacific along the thirty-sixth parallel of latitude; one by way of the Great Salt Lake to San Francisco,-which line was completed in 1869; the fourth from the lower Mississippi to Southern California. The explorations were made, and a vast amount of scientific, geographical and natural information was gained.

A world's fair of Industry and Mechanical Arts was opened in New York, in the spring of 1853 and modelled after a similar one held in Hyde Park, London, England, in 1851. This gave great encouragement to the manufacturers and the mechanical arts in America, and showed the nations of Europe what strides the young republic was making in the march of improvement.

The lull which precedes a fierce storm had fallen upon the country at the time Congress met, in December, 1853. There was an unprecedented calm in the political world, and the quiet of a settled peace rested upon the country, rippled only by a wave of trouble with Austria, which was soon smoothed. Important treaties with Mexico and the Central American States were in progress of settlement in regard to various inter-oceanic communications by railway or water. In the distant Pacific there was a kingdom whose inhab

itants had become civilized, Christianized, and established in a civil government, with a wide extent of commerce in a single generation, namely, the Sandwich Islands. The king and his people desired to unite with the American States, and took steps to bring that about. France and England at once were jealous, and charged the whole scheme upon the American missionaries. The United States Minister and the missionaries denied that they had influenced the natives. The American government denied the right of foreign governments to interfere, and a treaty for the annexation of the Sandwich Islands was in preparation when King Kamehameha died, and his successor discontinued negotiations. These were revived in 1866, by Queen Emma, when she returned from her visit to England.

The slavery question which had been so quiet for a few years, suddenly presented itself just as Congress was sitting down to work on the important matters of commerce and internal improvement. Stephen Douglass, United States Senator from Illinois, introduced a bill which aroused the people to the most intense excitement, and broke in upon the harmony of Congress. Near the centre of our continent there was a vast domain embracing onefourth of all the public land of the country. It extended from the thirtyseventh parallel of north latitude to the British possessions, and was the most fertile and best watered portion of America. The bill of Mr. Douglass provided that this domain should be organized into two territories-Kansas and Nebraska-and contained a provision to repeal the Compromise of 1820, and allow the people to decide whether or not slavery should be permitted. The thunder storm broke over the country in renewed fury, and violent discussion arose in the North and South. The bill was discussed in the Senate from January 30th to March 3d, 1854, and thousands of remonstrances poured in from all parts of the North, but it passed the Senate by the decided vote of thirty-seven to fourteen. In the House of Representatives it was shorn of its worst features by amendments, and the final defeat seemed almost certain. A bill for the construction of a railroad to the Pacific was reported to the Senate. A Homestead Act, giving one hundred and sixty acres of land from the public domain to any white male citizen who would occupy and improve the same for five years, was introduced in the House of Representatives. An amendment graduating the price of land was passed in its stead. Another victory for slavery. But the excitement quieted down till the 9th of May, when the Nebraska bill was called up again. At once the public pulse ran up to fever heat. The debate was fierce and intense; the suspense of the

people was fearful, but on the 22d of May the bill as amended passed the House, was rushed through the Senate, and signed by the President the last of May. Every barrier to the lawful spread of slavery over the public domain was now removed; but the end was not yet.

Another chapter in the controversy concerning Slavery opens at once. Spain had a cause of grievance with the United States in regard to Cuba. The American steamship Black Warrior was seized in the port of Havana by the Cuban authorities. The Spanish government justified the act when the American Minister at Madrid asked for redress. But the Cubans became alarmed and offered to give up the ship by the owners paying a fine of six thousand dollars. The owners complied under protest. The matter was amicably adjusted between Spain and the United States. The slave power used the irritation caused by this incident as a pretext for a gigantic scheme of propagating slavery.

In 1854 President Pierce appointed James Buchanan, then ambassador at London, James M. Mason, ambassador at Paris, and Mr. Soulè, ambassador at Madrid, as a commission to confer about the difficulties in Cuba, and to get possession of that island by purchase or otherwise. The famous Ostend Circular was issued by them, on the 18th of August, 1854, in which they said, "If Spain, actuated by pride and stubborn sense of honor, should refuse to sell Cuba to the United States," then, "by every law, human and divine, we shall be justified in wresting it from Spain, if we possess the power." This is the argument of the highway robber, and why it should not have been rebuked at Washington can only be understood in the light of future events. In the light of these events, we learn that the stupendous design embraced the plot of "the Golden Circle," which was to establish an empire with Havana as its centre, embracing an area of sixteen degrees of latitude and longitude, to take in the slave States, the West Indies, and a great part of Mexico and the Central American States.

We find a little relief in turning from this subject for a moment to others. The boundary line between Mexico and the United States was established upon satisfactory terms, as we have already stated. The United States was to pay ten millions of dollars, and be released from all obligation imposed in the former treaty of 1848-seven millions on the ratification of the treaty and three millions when the line should be established. These conditions were faithfully carried out.

An important reciprocity treaty was made with Great Britain, which was

of great advantage to both parties, and removed to a considerable extent the restrictions on free trade between the United States and Canada. The two governments agreed to the introduction of many articles, such as breadstuffs, coal, fish, and lumber, from one to the other, free of duty. England gave the United States the free use of the St. Lawrence, and the canals of the provinces, and in return enjoyed the right of fishing, as far as the thirty-sixth degree of north latitude, and other privileges. This treaty continued until 1866.

The attempt on the island of Cuba had failed; but there was started at once an expedition to Central America to get possession of a portion of the Golden Circle. This was organized by a warm personal friend of Jefferson Davis, Secretary of War, under the administration of Mr. Pierce. His name was William Walker. He invaded the State of Nicaragua, on what is known as the Mosquito Coast, under the pretext that the British were attempting to take this coast, in violation of the principle of the "Monroe doctrine." Many persons had emigrated hither from the Southwestern States. The guns of the United States Navy had already awakened the echoes of the tropical forests. The Mosquito King had sold a large tract of land to two British subjects, and emigrants, led by Colonel H. L. Kinney, had settled there. The attention of our Minister to the State of Nicaragua had been called to this matter, and our government could not wholly ignore the subject, but dealt with it so mildly as to leave the inference that the emigrants would not be molested by the United States. Captain William Walker went to the aid of Colonel Kinney, and with his band attempted to capture the city of Rivas, but his attack was repulsed, and he escaped to the coast.

Walker returned, with armed followers, in August, 1855, and in September the emigrants assumed the independence of Nicaragua. Walker, after gaining some victories, placed General Rivas in the Presidential chair of the independent "State of Mosquito," and drove Colonel Kinney away. He strengthened his military power, and was recognized by a British consul The other States of Central America became frightened at this display of audacity, and combined to drive Walker out of his position. Costa Rica formally declared war against this new power. Walker raised a strong band, and shamelessly proclaimed that he was there by invitation of the liberal party of Nicaragua. The army of Costa Rica came to attack him, and he overcame them. Walker then became arrogant, forced a loan from the people, and after Rivas had abdicated the presidency, Walker was elected President, by

two-thirds of the popular votes. He was inaugurated June 24th, and our government hastened to recognize the new nation. It was the opening chapter in the grand plot. He held his position for two years, and finally was obliged to surrender his army of two hundred men, and flee to New Orleans. He attempted to raise another expedition, and on the 25th of November landed at Puntas Arenas, where he was captured by Commodore Paulding, of the United States Navy, and with two hundred and thirty-two men was taken to New York. President Buchanan privately commended Commodore Pauling for the act, but for "prudential reasons" publicly censured him in a special message to Congress, January 7th, 1858. Walker was discharged, and preached a new crusade against Nicaragua all through the Southern States, collecting money to aid him in a new invasion. He sailed from New Orleans, on a third expedition, but was arrested, and tried before the United States Court, for "leaving port without a clearance," but was acquitted. Then he went to Central America, recommenced hostilities, was taken, and shot at Truxillo by the natives. Thus ended another act in the civil strife which was raging.

In 1855, there was serious trouble with the Indians in Oregon and Washington Territories, and the United States Army was sent to quell it. The barbarians overcame them, and a massacre of white families followed. In the season of 1855--6, it seemed that the combination of Indians was so strong that the settlers would have to abandon the territories named, but General Wool was sent to Oregon to organize a force against the savages, and the trouble was settled the following Summer.

A slight trouble arose between Great Britain and our government, growing out of the enlistment of men in the United States for the Crimean war. This was done under the sanction of several British consuls in this country. After some diplomatic correspondence the offending consuls were dismissed; also the British minister was sent home and his place was filled by another. The British Parliament disavowed any complicity in the matter.

The remaining events in the administration of Franklin Pierce were full of incidents having immediate reference to the great struggle going on in the country between the advocates of the spread of slavery and the advocates of free soil. The contest was most intense and bitter in Congress, and in the political canvass. Silently there were unseen and complicated moral forces at work, but none the less potent because unseen. A great party sprung into existence in the North, and found many adherents in the South. John C.