It was negotiated by Mr. Trist, who had been authorized by the President to make a treaty, and the Mexican commissioners. By it the Rio Grande was acknowledged as the boundary between Mexico and the United States, and New Mexico and California were ceded to the United States, who agreed to pay Mexico fifteen millions of dollars, and assume the payment of American claims for an amount not to exceed three and a quarter millions. The treaty was ratified by both governments, and proclaimed by the President of the United States July 4, 1848.

1848. THE Illinois and Michigan Canal was finished.

The work had been begun the 4th of July, 1836.

1848. A MEETING was held at Seneca Falls, New York, to inaugurate the movement for the political equality of women.

It was called by Mrs. Lucretia Mott and Mrs. E. C. Stanton. The same year another meeting for the same purpose was held at Rochester, New York, and a third at Salem, Ohio. This last was conducted entirely by women.

1848. THE New York State Agricultural Society had a trial of reapers at their fair in Buffalo.

The machines were thought to be unequal to the common scythe.

1848. ONE thousand pounds of guano were imported.

The next year over 21,000 pounds were imported, and between 1860 and 1870, 387,585 tons. The first guano imported into England consisted of twenty casks sent there in 1840. In 1841, 2000 tons were carried there. Attention had been called to the value of guano as a fertilizer by Humboldt and Sir Humphrey Davy.

1848, MARCH.-The "spirit rapping" phenomenon began in the house of John D. Fox, in Hydesville, New York.

It was on the 31st of the month that the two daughters, near whose bed the noises occurred, first attempted to have the "spirits" answer questions. Soon after, the family removed to Rochester, and there the table-tipping, &c., began, and in November, 1849, a public meeting was called to investigate the subject, at which the Misses Fox made their first public appearance.

1848. AFTER the treaty between the United States and Mexico, Santa Anna was again banished, and Herrera was appointed president.

1848, JULY. A school for the instruction of idiots was opened at Barre, Massachusetts.

Dr. Hervey B. Wilbur was the instructor. In 1851 permanent institutions were organized by the states of Massachusetts and New York, and in 1857 Ohio and Pennsylvania organized institutions.

1848, OCTOBER 25. The works for supplying Boston, Massachusetts, with water from Cochituate Lake were completed.

The aqueduct is twenty-three miles long. The works were begun in 1846.

1848.

1848.

MARYLAND resumed payment.

THE Republic appeared in Washington.

It was published as the organ of General Taylor's administration by Alexander Babbitt and John O. Sargent, but did not long survive the death of General Taylor, when the National Intelligencer was made the organ of President Fillmore.

1848, OCTOBER. A convention was held in New Mexico, and a petition sent to Congress praying that the territory should be protected against the introduction of slavery.

The provision, known as the Wilmot proviso, had been unsuccessfully introduced into Congress several times since 1846. It substantially was the extension of the ordinance of 1787 forbidding the introduction of slavery into the new territory acquired by the United States. The persistence with which it was voted down led to the introduction of anti-slavery as the basis for a new political party called the "free soil" party.

1845-1849.-TENTH administration.

President,
Vice-President,
Secretary of State,
Secretary of Treasury,
Secretary of War,

Secretaries of Navy,
Postmaster-General,

Attorneys-General,

James K. Polk, of Tennessee.

Geo. M. Dallas, of Pennsylvania.

James Buchanan, of Pennsylvania, March 5, 1845.
Robert J. Walker, of Mississippi, March 5, 1845.
William L. Marcy, of New York, March 5, 1845.
George Bancroft, of Massachusetts, March 10, 1845.

{John Y. Mason, of Virginia, September 9, 1846.

Cave Johnson, of Tennessee, March 5, 1845. (John Y. Mason, of Virginia, March 5, 1845. Nathan Clifford, of Maine, October 17, 1846.

Isaac Toucey, of Connecticut, June 21, 1848.

John W. Davis, of Indiana, Twenty-ninth Congress, 1845.

Robert C. Winthrop, of Massachusetts, Thirtieth Congress, 1847.

1849, JANUARY 1.- The public debt amounted to sixty-three millions.

1849. THE Erie Railway was completed.

1849. formed.

THE New York Associated Press Association was

There had been combinations of newspapers before for the purpose of obtaining news, but this was the most extensive and permanent one. It was composed of the Journal of Commerce, the Courier and Enquirer, the Tribune, Herald, Sun, and Express. In 1851 the Times became a member, and in 1859 the World.

1849, JANUARY 5.-The Senate confirmed a convention between Great Britain and the United States for the "improvement of the communication by post between the two countries."

It had been made on the 15th of December, 1848.

1849.

THE "Department of the Interior," or home depârtment, was created by Congress.

Its head officer had the title Secretary of the Interior, and was a member of the Cabinet.

1849, MACRH 3.- Congress added the double eagle and the dollar to the number of gold coins.

1849, MARCH 3.- Minnesota was organized as a territory, and Alexander Ramsey was appointed the first governor.

1849, MAY 10.-The Astor-Place riot took place in New York city.

The friends of Edwin Forrest, an actor, sought to prevent Macready, the English actor, from playing at the Opera House.

1849, AUGUST 11. - The President issued a proclamation forbidding the fitting out of warlike expeditions against Cuba.

The expedition which was in preparation was given up.

1849, SEPTEMBER 1.A convention met at Monterey, and formed a constitution for California.

The discovery of gold had led to an influx of emigration from all over the world. The constitution forbade any legal distinctions on religious grounds; foreigners, who are bona fide citizens, were secured the same rights as natives; wives were secured in their right to hold property independent of the husband's control; the state was forbidden to lend its credit to any corporation, or become a stockholder in any such.

1850, APRIL.-A treaty was made between the United States and Great Britain, known as the Clayton-Bulwer treaty.

By it both countries covenanted that neither would ever occupy, colonize, or exercise dominion over Nicaragua, Costa Rica, the Mosquito coast, or any part of Central America.

1850, MAY 24.- An Arctic expedition in search of Sir John Franklin sailed from New York.

99

It consisted of the "Advance and the "Rescue," under the command of Lieutenant De Haven. The ships were fitted out by the government, the expense being paid by Henry Grinnell, of New York. The expedition returned in October, 1851.

1850, JUNE 10.-"The American Bible Union" was organized in New York.

1850, JULY 9.- President Taylor died.

The next day, Vice-President Fillmore took the oath of office as President. 1850. THE Collins line of steamers began to run between New York and Liverpool.

They were an American line.

1850, JULY 31.- Utah was organized as a territory.

Salt Lake City was made the capital, and Colonel Steptoe appointed governor, Brigham Young, the Mormon leader, being deposed. The Mormons refused to submit to the authority of the government, and forced the federal judges to leave the territory.

1850.

NEW MEXICO was organized into a territory, and a bill fixing the boundaries of Texas passed by Congress.

By a proviso it was agreed that the provisions of the bill should not impair the joint resolution of 1845 for the annexation of Texas, either as regards the number of states that might be formed out of the state of Texas, or otherwise.

1850, AUGUST.-The fugitive slave bill was passed by Congress.

It imposed a fine of one thousand dollars, and six months imprisonment, on any person harboring fugitive slaves, or aiding them to escape.

1850, SEPTEMBER 9.- California was admitted into the Union. The act was passed by Congress after a long and violent debate.

1850, SEPTEMBER. The slave trade was abolished in the District of Columbia, by act of Congress.

1850, OCTOBER 19. The first national convention of the woman suffrage party was held at Worcester, Massachusetts.

It was called by Mrs. Paulina Wright Davis, who presided over it. The convention was in session two days, the 19th and 20th.

1850.-A COMPANY under Etienne Cabet settled at Nauvoo, Illinois.

They bought the houses deserted by the Mormons. They were a community. Eventually this settlement was abandoned, and a portion settled at Corning, Iowa, where they formed the Icarian community.

1850. THE act providing for the census this year fixed the number of members the House of Representatives should contain, so that the ratio of the representation of the different states had to be calculated to suit this limit.

This simple measure put an end to the disputes which had constantly arisen from the formation of the government concerning the ratios of representation. 1850. THE use of the whip on shipboard, both in the navy and the merchant service, was abolished by an act of Congress. 1850. THE manufacture of zinc was begun by the New Jersey Zinc Company.

1851, MARCH 3.- Congress added the three-cent piece to the number of silver coins.

1851. THE public debt of the United States amounted to sixty-three million three hundred thousand dollars.

1851. THE legislature of Maine passed a law prohibiting the manufacture, sale, or use of intoxicating drinks.

1851. THE Congressional Library was founded at Washington.

1851. THE State University of Wisconsin was founded.

It was established at Madison, and endowed with three hundred and fifty thousand dollars.

1851, SEPTEMBER 1.- A mob destroyed the quarantine buildings at Castleton, Staten Island, New York.

The health officers of the town had declared the Quarantine Hospital a nuisance. The island was declared in rebellion, and the governor ordered troops there. A floating hospital, about twelve miles from the shore, was subsequently arranged.

1851, SEPTEMBER 18.- The New York Times appeared in New York city.

It was published by Henry J. Raymond, George Jones, E. B. Morgan, D. B. St. John, and E. R. Wesley. The firm afterwards was styled Henry J. Raymond & Co. Henry J. Raymond was the editor. He died June 18, 1869.

1851.- THE New York Ledger appeared in New York city.

It was published by Robert Bonner, and was founded upon the Merchants' Ledger, which he had purchased. By a persistent course of advertising, it has been brought to an enormous circulation, which is said to reach nearly four hundred thousand.

1852. Ar a fair of the Ohio State Board of Agriculture a competition of reapers was held.

The judges reported there was no striking superiority in any of the machines shown. The New York State Agricultural Society had a competition of mowers and reapers at their fair at Geneva, in which nine reapers and seven mowers competed. The judges decided that, in comparison with the hand-cradle, they showed a saving of eighty-eight and three-fourth cents an acre.

1852. THE third national woman's rights convention was held at Syracuse, New York.

Susan B. Anthony first appeared publicly in this convention.

1852. ANTIOCH COLLEGE, at Yellow Springs, Ohio, was incorporated.

It was the first institution for the co-education of the sexes in the same course of study. Horace Mann, of Massachusetts was chosen its president, and continued there until his death.

1852. THE Public City Library, at Boston, Massachusetts, was founded.

1852. A MINT was established in San Francisco, California. Previously, gold dust, or coins made by private parties, had served as a

currency.

1852. THE Smithsonian Institute organized a system of volunteer reports of meteorological observations, extending all over the country.

In 1874 they were given in charge of the Signal Service Bureau.