A

A. B. Plot.-William H. Crawford, of Georgia,
was a prominent Democratic-Republican
candidate for the Presidency in 1824. Dur-
ing the early part of that year a series of let-
ters signed "A. B. " appeared in a Washington
newspaper charging him with malfeasance in
office as Secretary of the Treasury. They
were written by Ninian Edwards, of Illinois,
who had just been appointed minister to Mex-
ico, and who acknowledged their authorship.
Apr. 19, 1824, Edwards presented a memorial
to the House of Representatives making spe-
cific charges. These he failed to sustain,
and Crawford was exonerated.
Abaco Island, negotiations for cession of lands
on, for erection of light-houses, II, 276.
Abandoned Lands. (See Freedmen's Bureau.)
Abbot, Henry L., member of Gun Foundry
Board, VIII, 161.

Aberdeen, Lord, mentioned, IV, 229, 316.
Abert, James W., expedition of, on Arkansas
River referred to, IV, 450.

Abert, John J., map of Texas compiled under
direction of, IV, 313.

Ableman vs. Booth.- An important Supreme
Court case maintaining the constitutionality
of the fugitive-slave law of 1850. Booth was
tried before a commissioner appointed by the
United States district court of Wisconsin for
violation of the fugitive-slave law, and or-
dered to appear before the district court.
Failing to do so, he was imprisoned by Able-
man, the United States marshal for the dis-
trict, but was released by the supreme court
of the State on a writ of habeas corpus. Later
he was indicted before the United States dis-
trict court, but was again released by the
State supreme court. In 1858 the case came
before the United States Supreme Court.
Booth had pleaded the unconstitutionality of
the law. The court upheld the law and re-
versed the decision of the State supreme
court.

Abnaki or Tarrateen Indians.- A confeder-
acy of tribes of the Algonquian stock of In-
dians, who originally inhabited the northeast-
ern part of the United States, including the
present State of Maine and parts of adjoin-
ing States, and a portion of Canada. The
Abnaki included the Penobscot, the Passa-
maquoddy, and the Amalicite tribes. They
assisted the French in their wars with the
English and were expatriated by the latter.
The name is interpreted as meaning "the
whitening sky at daybreak"-i. e., Eastern
people.

Abolition. (See Slavery.)
Abolitionists.-A term applied during and
preceding the Civil War to the members of
the New England Anti-Slavery Society and
those who held with them that "immediate
unconditional emancipation without expatri-
ation was the right of every slave and could
not be withheld by his master an hour with-
out sin." Jan. 1, 1831, William Lloyd Garri-
son commenced the publication in Boston of
a paper called The Liberator, which advoca-
ted the immediate liberation of slaves, re-
gardless of all laws or constitutional provi-
sions to the contrary. At the beginning of the
following year he organized the above named
society, with the foregoing as its chief doc-
trine. Near the close of 1833 a similar society
was formed in Philadelphia. From this time
the question assumed national importance.
In consequence of his uncompromising utter-
ances Garrison was indicted by grand juries
in several Southern States and rewards were
offered for his conviction. The New York
Weekly Emancipator was another organ of
the Abolitionists. Some strong pamphlets
on the subject were: Justice and Expediency;
or, Slavery Considered with a View to its
Rightful and Effectual Remedy- Abolition,
by John G. Whittier, Haverhill, Mass.; Ap-
peal in Behalf of that Class of Americans
Called Africans, by Lydia Maria Child; and
The Sin of Slavery and Its Remedy, by Eli-
zur Wright, a professor in the Western Re-
serve College. Abolition sentiments were
not confined solely to the Northern States.
Aborigines. A word used to designate the
earliest inhabitants of a country. In Amer-
ica the term is applied generally to the In-
dians found by the early settlers.

Absaroka Forest Reserve, proclaimed, X,
516.

Absentee Shawnee Indians, agreement be-
tween Cherokee Commission and, IX, 79.
Proclaimed, IX, 156.

Abyssinia, an empire in Africa, bounded on
the north by Eritrea, on the east by Danakil
country and Somaliland, on the south and
west by British East Africa, and on the
northwest by the Sudan. It is the direct de-
scendant of the ancient Ethiopia, possesses
an ancient and interesting national Christian
church which owes allegiance to the Coptic
Patriarch of Alexandria, and has a code of
laws based upon that of Justinian. The po-
litical institutions are feudal in character,
bearing a marked likeness to those of medi-
æval Europe. The chief exports are coffee,
gum, wax, gold, ivory and civet. The area is

( 1 )

Controversies between American consul at,
and Mexican authorities, V, 159.
Imprisonment of American citizens in, V,
184, 301, 304.

Acapulco, The, seizure and killing of Gen.
Barrundia on, and action of American min-
ister to Guatemala, discussed, IX, 109.
Conduct of commander Reiter regarding,
referred to, IX, 134.

Papers regarding, transmitted, IX, 130.
Accessory.--In law one who is guilty of a fel-
ony, not by committing the offense in person
or as a principal, nor by being present at its
commission, but by being in some other way
concerned therein, as by advising or inciting
another to commit the crime or by concealing
the offender or in any way helping him to
escape punishment. An accessory before the
fact is one who counsels or incites another to
commit a felony and who is not present when
the act is done; after the fact, one who re-
ceives and conceals or in any way assists the
offender, knowing him to have committed a
felony. The laws of different States vary as
to the punishment of accessories.
Accounts, Public, system of, should be im-
proved, II, 557.

Acheen, war with Netherlands, neutrality pre-
served by United States in, VII, 238.
Acknowledgment. - A declaration before
some authorized person of the authenticity of
an act or deed. The word is also applied to
the certificate of indorsement attached by
this person to the instrument. Judges, clerks
of courts, mayors, justices of the peace, com-
missioners of deeds, and notaries public are
authorized to take acknowledgments.
Acre Right. The share of a citizen of a New
England town in the common lands. The
value of the acre right was a fixed quantity in
each town, but varied in different towns.
10-acre lot or right in a certain town was
equivalent to 113 acres of upland and 12 acres
of meadow, and a certain exact proportion
was maintained between the acre right and
salable lands.

A

Acts of Congress. (See Bills and Acts.)
Acts, Public.-Public acts are the laws of a
State and of the United States. State records
are the registered deeds of property, journals
of legislatures, etc. Judicial proceedings are
the records of courts. Under the Constitu-
tion each State must give full faith and credit
to the public acts, records, and judicial pro-
ceedings of every other State (I, 30). The
chief value of this provision is that it pre-
vents endless lawsuits. When a case has been
decided in one State, it cannot be opened in
the courts of another State.
Adams, C. F.:

Arbitrator named by United States for Ge-
neva Tribunal, VII, 185.

Correspondence regarding publications for
Library of Congress transmitted, VI, 146.
Adams, J. H., commissioner from South Car-
olina, mentioned, V, 658.

Adams, John (second President United
States):

Annual addresses of, I, 250, 271, 289, 305.
Addresses of Senate in reply, I, 254, 275,
292, 308.

Replies of President, I, 256, 277, 293, 309.
Addresses of House in reply, 1, 257, 277.
293, 310.

Replies of President, I, 258, 280, 296, 312.
Biographical sketch of, Í, 227.

Constitutional amendment relative to post-
ponement of meeting of Congress sug-
gested by, I, 250.

Death of, announced and honors to be paid
memory of, II, 348.
Referred to, II, 364.

Death of Washington announced by, I, 297.
Addresses and replies, I, 298, 299, 300.
Division between people and government
discouraged by, I, 239.

Exequaturs issued consuls of France revoked
by, I, 270.

Finances discussed by, I, 238, 253, 262, 275,
291, 307.

Foreign policy discussed by, I, 238.
Hostile policy of France discussed by, I, 272.
Inaugural address of, I, 228.

Oath of office, notifies Congress of time and
place of taking, II, 657.

Pardons granted insurgents in Pennsylvania
by, I, 303.
Portrait of, I, 226.

Proclamations of -

Commerce with France, restraints on, re-
moved, I, 288, 302, 304.

Exequaturs of French consuls revoked, I,

270.

Extraordinary session of -
Congress, 1, 232.

Senate, I, 316; II, 657.

Foreign coins, legal tender of, I, 249,
Insurrection in Pennsylvania, I, 286.
Land for light-house designated, II, 658.
Pardons to insurgents in Pennsylvania, I,
303.

Restraints on commerce with France re-
moved by proclamation, I, 288, 302, 304.
Thanksgiving, I, 268, 284.

Property of United States in possession of,
discussed by, I, 315.

Senate requested by, to postpone adjourn
ment, I, 267.

Special session message of, I, 233.
Address of Senate in reply, I, 239.

Reply of President, I, 242.
Address of House in reply, I, 242.
Reply of President, I, 244.

Thanksgiving proclamations of, I, 268, 284.
Annual messages of, II, 299, 350, 378,407.
Astronomical observatory, establishment of,
recommended by, II, 33.

Biographical sketch of, II, 291.

Commissioner to negotiate treaty with Swe-
den, nomination of, I, 264.

Death of, announced and honors to be paid
memory of, IV, 627.

Election of, notification of, II, 292.

Reply of, II, 292.

Finances discussed by, II, 303, 357, 386, 411.
Foreign policy discussed by, II, 296, 302, 318,
329, 337, 356, 384.

Inaugural address of, II, 294.
Internal improvements discussed by, II, 416.
International congress at Panama discussed
by. (See Panama, Isthmus of.)

Minister plenipotentiary of the United States

Hanover, II, 404.

Italy, II, 376.

Extraordinary session of Senate, II, 431. Reward for apprehension of Willis Anderson, II, 377.

Secretary of State, II, 35.

Correspondence in regard to claims against
France, II, 265.

State of the Union discussed by, II, 299, 350, 378, 412.

Tariff discussed by, II, 413.

Tribute paid memory of Jefferson and Adams by, II, 364.

Adams, William N., consul to Santiago, Cuba, nomination of, V, 46.

Addison, The, impressment of seamen from, V, 239.

Adee, Alvey A.:

Acting Secretary of State, IX, 101; X, 250. Second Assistant Secretary of State, Canadian canal tolls referred to, IX, 243. (See also IX, 240.)

Adelaide, South Australia, international exhibition at, discussed, VIII, 531.

Adet, P. A., colors of France presented to United States by, on the occasion of the presentation of an address, dated October 21, 1794, by the committee of public safety, I, 189. Administration. This term is generally applied to the President and his Cabinet. The President, as chief executive officer of the nation, may direct, without consultation, the acts of any departmental chief, guided solely by the Constitution. He is authorized, however, to consult the heads of Departments. Washington consulted with his AttorneyGeneral and Secretaries of State, War, and the Treasury. When in 1798 the Navy Department was established, Benjamin Stoddert, its chief executive officer, was admitted to the President's council. The PostmastersGeneral were not called into council until 1829, during William T. Barry's incumbency. Secretaries of the Interior, of Agriculture and of Commerce and Labor were invited to seats at the council table immediately upon the establishment of their Departments. Admiral.-The title of the officer of highest rank in a navy. The rank of admiral in the United States Navy, as distinguished from vice-admiral and rear-admiral, was established by act of Congress July 25, 1866. There have been only three admirals, the first of whom was David G. Farragut, commissioned in 1866, and the next David D. Porter, commissioned in 1870, after Farragut's death. On the death of Porter, in 1891, the rank became extinct. In 1899 the rank was revived and George Dewey_commissioned. (See also Vice-Admiral and Rear-Admiral.) Admiral, revival of grade of, recommended, X, 120.

Admiral P. Tordenskiold, The, appropriation in behalf of owners of, recommended, VI, 127. Admission of States.-The Declaration of Independence declares "that these United Colonies are, and of right ought to be, free and independent States" (I, 6). Its adoption on July 4, 1776, created as such the original thirteen States of the Union, viz: Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Georgia, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Maryland, South Carolina, New Hampshire, Virginia, New York, North Carolina, and Rhode Island. Shortly before this date several of the Colonies had modified their original charters and established independent local governments. Oct. 10, 1780, the Continental Congress passed a resolution providing that western territory which might be "ceded to the United States by any particular State shall be disposed of for the common benefit of the United States and be settled and formed into distinct republican States, which shall become members of the Federal Union and have the same rights of sovereignty, freedom, and independence as the other States"; and in 1789 the Constitution made its provision for the admission of new States (see I, 30). Most of the States that have been admitted since the formation of the original Union have achieved statehood from a condition of territorial organization prescribed by Congress, although some have not gone through this process. Such territorial organization was first established by Congress in July, 1787, when it passed the ordinance providing a government for the Northwest Territory (q. v.). The method of direct admission is illustrated by Vermont, which was formed out of territory claimed by New York and New Hampshire; Texas, which was annexed; and California, which was admitted soon after the Mexican war, without waiting to be organized as a Territory. The usual steps by which a Territory becomes a State are: (1) A petition to Congress expressing the desire of the people for admission; (2) an enabling act passed by Congress stating the conditions of admission; (3) the adoption of a constitution and a form of State government by a convention of delegates chosen by the people; (4) the ratification of the constitution and the election of State officers by the people; and (5) a proclamation by the President announcing that the Territory has become a State. The first State to be joined to the original Union of thirteen States was Vermont, in 1791, and the last, Utah, in 1896.

Admission of States (see also the several States; Reconstruction; Restoration): Acts for admission of certain Southern States vetoed, VI, 648, 650.

Recommendations regarding, V, 502, 555. Admittance, The, seizure of, on coast of California, IV, 606.

Affairs, Foreign:

Expense incurred in, for which no provision was made by law, I, 116. Report on, transmitted, VIII, 615. Afghanistan, a country of Asia, lying between 30° and 38° 20′ north and 60° 30' and 74° 30' east. The surface is extremely mountainous and there are large desert tracts, but many of the valleys are of great fertility. The chief exports are cotton goods, indígo and other dyeing materials, tea, sugar, furs, shawls, carpets and horses; most of the trade being with