PASSING EVENTS.

FROM 1865

TO THE PRESENT DATE.

THE

JOHNSON'S ADMINISTRATION.*

(SEVENTEENTH PRESIDENT: 1865-1869.)

HE death of Lincoln produced no disorder, and within three hours thereafter the Vice-President, Andrew Johnson, quietly assumed the duties of the Presidency.

Disbanding of the Army.-At the close of the war, the Union army numbered 1,000,000 soldiers. Within six months, they had nearly all returned home. Thus the mightiest host ever called to the field by a republic went back without disturbance to the tranquil pursuits of civil life. In a short time, there was nothing to distinguish the soldier from the citizen, except the recollection of his bravery. Other nations prophesied that such a vast army

Questions on the Geography of the Sixth Epoch.-Locate Raleigh. Heart's Content, and St. John's, Newfoundland (see map, Epoch II.). Alaska. St. Albans, Vt. Buffalo. Mt. Pleasant, O. (map, Epoch V.). West Point. Chicago. Boston. Duluth. Puget's Sound. San Francisco. Klamath Lava Beds, Oregon.

* Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh, N. C., 1808; died, 1875. When ten years old, he was apprenticed to a tailor. Never having been at school, he yet determined to secure an education. From a fellow-workman, he learned the alphabet, and from a friend, something of spelling. Thenceforth, after working ten to twelve hours per day at his trade, he spent two or three hours every night in study. In 1826, he went west to seek his fortune, with true filial affection carrying with him his mother, who was dependent on his labor for support. After his marriage at Greenville, Tenn.,

could not be disbanded peaceably. The republic, by this final triumph of law and order, proved itself the most stable government in the world.*

Domestic Affairs.-Reconstruction Policy of the President.-Johnson recognized the State governments that, during the war, had been formed in Virginia, Tennessee, Arkansas, and Louisiana, under the protection of the Union army. In the other States, he appointed provisional governors, and authorized the calling of conventions to form loyal governments. These conventions accordingly met, repealed the ordinances of secession, repudiated the Confederate war debt, and ratified the amendment which Congress had offered abolishing slavery. On these conditions, Johnson claimed that the States, having never been legally out of the Union, should be restored to their rights in the Union. He also issued a proclamation of pardon to those who had engaged in secession, except certain classes,† on the condition of taking the oath of allegiance to the United States.

In 1868, on Christmas day-most fitting time for deeds of good-will-a UNIVERSAL AMNESTY was declared.

The Thirteenth Amendment, abolishing slavery, having been ratified by the States, was declared (December 18, 1865) duly adopted as a part of the Constitution of the United States.

he continued his studies under the instruction of his wife, pursuing his trade as before by day. His political life commenced with his election as alderman. He was successively chosen mayor, member of legislature, presidential elector, State senator, congressman, governor, and United States senator.

* A grand review of the armies of Grant and Sherman, two hundred thousand strong, took place in the presence of the President and his Cabinet. For twelve hours, this triumphal procession, thirty miles long, massed in solid column twenty men deep, rolled through the broad avenues of the Capital.

+ Many of the persons thus excluded obtained pardons from the President by personal application. One complaint against him was the readiness with which he granted such pardons.

Public Debt.-The annual interest on the debt was now (August 31, 1865) over $150,000,000. The revenue from duties on imported goods, taxes on manufactures, incomes, etc., and from the sale of revenue stamps, was $322,000,000. This provided not only for the current expenses of the government, and the payment of interest, but also for the gradual extinction of the debt. It is a striking evidence of the abundant resources of the country that, in 1866, before all the extra troops called out by the war had been discharged, the debt had been diminished $71,000,000.

Reconstruction Policy of Congress.-On the assembling of Congress, decided ground was taken against the policy of the President. It was claimed that Congress alone had power to prescribe the conditions for the admission of the seceded States. His proclamation and orders were treated as of no value. The Freedmen's Bureau, Civil Rights, and Tenure-of-Office bills* were all passed over the President's

veto.

The Seceded States Admitted.-Tennessee promptly ratified the Fourteenth Amendment, and was restored to her former position in the Union. The other provisional governments having refused to do so, a bill was passed placing those States under military rule. The generals in command caused a registry of voters to be made, and elections to be held for conventions to remodel the State constitutions. After a bitter and protracted struggle, governments were finally established in Arkansas, Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, and North and South Carolina, and their repre

*The first bill provided for the establishment of a department of the national government for the care and protection of the freedmen, i. e., the emancipated slaves, and also of the destitute whites at the South. The second bill guaranteed to the negroes the rights of citizenship. The third bill made the consent of the Senate necessary to the removal by the President of any person from a civil office.

† As a requisite demanded by Congress for holding office, every candidate was obliged to swear that he had not participated in the secession movement. Since

sentatives admitted to Congress (1868), over the President's veto, after an unrepresented period of seven years.

Impeachment of the President.-The constantly-increasing hostility between the President and Congress came to an issue when the former attempted to remove Edwin M. Stanton, Secretary of War. This being considered a violation of the Tenure-of-Office bill, the impeachment of the President was at last ordered (1868). After a tedious trial, he was acquitted, the two thirds majority necessary for conviction lacking one vote.

The Fourteenth Amendment proposed by Congress, guaranteeing equal civil rights to all, regardless of race or color, and basing representation in each State on the number of voters, was adopted (July 28, 1868).

Fenian Excitement (1866).-The Fenians, a secret society organized for the purpose of delivering Ireland from British rule, crossed the Canadian frontier at Buffalo, N. Y., and St. Albans, Vt., in large numbers. President Johnson issued a proclamation declaring the movement a violation of our neutrality, and sent thither General Meade to execute the laws. After some skirmishing with British troops, the expedition returned.

Foreign Affairs.—Purchase of Alaska (October, 1867).— Through the diplomacy of William H. Seward, Secretary of State, Alaska was purchased of Russia for $7,200,000 in gold. It contains about 500,000 square miles, and is valuable for its harbors, furs, fisheries, and rich gold fields.

The French in Mexico.-While the United States was absorbed in the Civil War, Napoleon III., Emperor of France, took advantage of the opportunity to secure a foothold in

few Southerners could take this "iron-clad oath", as it was termed, most of the representatives were Northern men who had gone south after the war, and were, therefore, called "carpet-baggers".

America. By the assistance of the French army, the imperialists of Mexico defeated the liberals, and Maximilian, Archduke of Austria, was chosen emperor. The United States government protested against the measure, but was then unable to enforce the "Monroe Doctrine". When the American people were relieved from the pressure of civil strife, they turned their attention to the Mexicans hope

LANDING THE ATLANTIC CABLE AT HEARTS CONTENT.

lessly struggling for liberty, and the United States government demanded of Napoleon the recall of the French troops. Maximilian, deprived of foreign aid, was defeated, and, falling into the hands of the Mexican liberals, was shot (June 19, 1867). This ended the dream of French dominion on this continent.

Laying of the Atlantic Cable.-While these great political events were happening, science achieved a peaceful triumph whose importance far transcended the victories of