power, beyond present jurisdiction, as utterly inadmissible." In speaking of domestic affairs, Mr. Pierce gave his views on various points, such as, offices held under the government, the grounds of appointment and removal, and the integrity and economy expected of public men by the people; the respective rights and privileges of the federal government and the state governments, in regard to the many difficult and delicate questions which are liable to disturb the harmony and concord of the Union; the compromise measures of 1850, which are regarded as constitutional and unhesitatingly to be carried into effect; etc. The Inaugural was well received, and seemed to indicate that the new administration was to be conducted on truly national grounds, and to be guided by principles which would commend it and its acts to the consideration and support of the whole country. The oath of office was administered to Mr. Pierce, and he retired from the presence of the crowd with the good wishes of thousands, and with high hopes of a prosperous and successful career. On the 7th of March, the president sent in to the Senate, then in extra session, the names of the gentlemen whom he had selected for his cabinet. His nominations were immediately confirmed. William L. Marcy was 1853. made secretary of state; James Guthrie, secretary of the treasury; Robert McClelland, secretary of the interior; Jefferson Davis, secretary of war; James C. Dobbin, secretary of the navy; James Campbell, postmaster-general; Caleb Cushing, attorney-general. Before the adjournment of the extra session, the Senate entered upon an animated debate respecting Central Amer ican affairs (see p. 498). Mr. Clayton, secretary of state under General Tay. lor, had returned to the Senate, and he immediately undertook an elaborate vindication of the treaty concluded by himself and Mr. Bulwer. He also discussed the Monroe doctrine, and affirmed, that it had never received the sanction of the United States government in any form. This was on the 9th of March; on the 14th, Mr. Mason made a reply, and was followed by Mr. Douglas on the same side. Mr. Clayton, next day, rejoined, and Mr. Douglas took occasion to deliver a long speech on the subject. On the 21st, Mr. Everett eloquently expressed the views which he entertained on the points at issue, and urged peace and forbearance as the true policy of our country, and as the best means of attaining wide spread prosperity and power. The vice-president, William R. King, who was suffering from a pulmonary disease at the time of his election, went to Havana, in hopes that the genial climate of Cuba might afford him relief. The oath of office was administered to him there, by the United States consul, in accordance with a special act passed for the purpose. Finding no benefit from his visit, Mr. King returned to the United States early in April, and died at his planta tion in Alabama, on the 18th of April. Mr. Atchison, of Missouri, who had been elected president pro tempore of the Senate, was henceforth charged with the duties belonging to the vice president's office. 1853. CH. VIII.] + EXPEDITIONS SET ON FOOT. 501 after Sir John Franklin and his party, 1853. A large number of diplomatic appointments was made at an early day. James Buchanan was sent to England; T. H. Seymour, to Russia; Pierre A. Soulé, to Spain;* P. D. Vroom, to Prussia; H. R. Jackson, to Austria; Solon Borland, to Central America; James Gadsden, to. Mexico; etc. The mission to France was not filled so speedily as the others; John Y. Mason was, however, sent out in the course of the year. The Mexican boundary commission, early in the year, assigned the Mesilla Valley (about one hundred and seven-plored. If the northern passages were ty-five miles long by forty broad), to Mexico; whereupon, Governor Lane, of New Mexico, holding that this allotment was wholly wrong, issued a proclamation, and took possession, until the question of boundary should be settled between the United States and Mexico. He also called for the aid of the 1853. United States troops; but it was not given. The Mexican governor of Chihuahua, published a counter-proclamation, and resisted the action of Governor Lane to the extent of his power. Santa Anna, who was at the time in authority in Mexico, entertained very inimical feelings towards our country; and for a time, serious difficulty seemed likely to grow out of this matter. On the last day of May, the second expedition under the auspices of Mr. Grinnell (p. 490), to proceed in the search * Mr. Soulé, when on his way to Spain, in the au tumn, passed through New York. While there, he was waited upon by a number of Cuban exiles, who congratulated him on his appointment. Mr. Soulé replied to their address in strong language, and avowed his determination to do everything in his power which became the interests and dignity of the United States. blocked up, they intended to have recourse to dogs, using their boats as sledges, in order to make a thorough exploration of the region, in search of traces of the lost navigators. The result of this adventurous expedition, under the guidance of the noble-hearted commander, we shall take occasion to narrate further on. In the present connection, we may mention, that four other expeditions were fitted out, in accordance with the provisions of Congress, (p. 498), for prosecuting explorations and selecting the best route for railroad communica tion between the Atlantic and Pacific. The first, under Major Stevens, was to proceed from St. Paul, Minnesota, to the Great Bend of the Missouri River, thence to the most available pass in the Rocky Mountains, from the forty-ninth parallel to the head-waters of the Missouri. The second, under Lieutenant Whipple, was to proceed from the Mississippi, along the head waters of the Canadian, across the Rio Peco, entering the valley of the Rio del Norte near Albuquerque, thence through Walker's Pass in the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific, some where on the coast of southern California. The third, under Captain Gunnison, was to pass through the Rocky Mountains near the head waters of the Rio del Norte, thence westwardly along the Nicollet River of the Great Basin, thence, north to the Lake Utah. The fourth was to operate in California, in the region west of the Colorado to the Pacific, examining the passes of the Sierra Nevada, and endeavoring to ascertain the best route between Walker's Pass and the mouth of the Gila, and from that point to the Pacific at San Diego. The importance of these expeditions the reader need not be told, was very great, and very valuable results were to be expected from the efforts of the parties sent out, in respect to the geography, the soil, the productions, etc., of the vast western possessions of the United States. 1853. have given an account of the tripartie convention proposed by England and France to the United States, with reference to the guaranteeing Cuba to Spain for ever; we have also quoted some passages from Mr. Everett's letter on this subject, in which the reasons are given at length for declining to enter into the proposed convention. In the course of the summer, a letter from Lord John Russell, dated February 16th, 1853, was published in the United States. It was addressed to Mr. Crampton, the British minister at Washington, and begins by saying, that the object of the argument introduced by Mr. Everett with so much preparation, and urged with so much ability, is clearly to procure the admission of a doctrine, that the United States have an interest in Cuba, to which Great Britain and France can not pretend. If, it was urged, the object of the United States is simply to prevent Cuba from falling into the hands of any European power, the convention proposed would secure that end. But if it is intended to maintain that Great Britain and France have no interest in the maintenance of the present status of Cuba, and that the United States alone have a right to a voice in that matter, the British government at once refuses to admit such a claim. Her possessions in the West Indies, to say nothing of the interests of Mexico and other friendly states, give Great Britain an interest in the question which she can not forego: and France has similar interests which she will doubtless urge at the proper time. His lordship expended much ability in As a matter worthy of record, we may state, that the opening of the Industrial Exhibition in the Crystal Palace, New York, took place on the 14th of July. It was attended by the president of the United States, and several members of his cabinet; by the Earl of Ellesmere, Sir Charles Lyell, and other English gentlemen of eminence; and by a large concourse of citizens and visitors. The opening service were impressive and appropriate to the occasion, and the happiest results were looked for from the effects of this exhibition, not only upon our own countrymen, but also upon foreign nations and people. On a previous page (p. 493), we controverting the arguments of Mr. CH. VIII.] THE THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS. Everett, and closed his dispatch by saying, that, while fully admitting the right of the United States to reject the proposal, Great Britain must at once resume her entire liberty, and upon any occasion that may call for it, be free to act singly, or in conjunction with other powers, as to her may seem fit. This dispatch, with a similar one from the French government was read, on the 16th of April, to Mr. Marcy, the secretary of state, who promised to lay them before the president, though he intimated, that probably no further continuance of the discussion would be deemed called for. The publication of this letter called out Mr. Everett again, and in writing to Lord John Russell, he vindicated the positions he had previously taken, and replied to his lordship's objections. His reply was, as might be expected, very ably written, and attracted the attention of the people at large. We regret that our limits do not admit of quoting from this last letter of the able statesman just named. 1853. The case of Kostza, a Hungarian refugee, and the course pursued by Captain Ingraham in rescuing him from Austrian power, excited considerable attention at this date. Kostza, it ap pears, had taken the preliminary steps to become an American citizen, but was seized by the Austrian consul-general at Smyrna, as a refugee. His release was demanded by our consul, and Captain Ingraham threatened, that unless he were given up, he should fire into the Austrian brig where Kostza was confined. Mr. Marcy, in reply to Mr. Hulsemann's note, demanding satisfac 503 tion for the outrage on Austria, entered fully into the question, set forth the grounds on which the United States government is prepared to act in all similar cases, demonstrated that Austria had no cause of complaint, and justified the course of Captain Ingra ham as eminently proper under the cir cumstances. The reply of Mr. Marcy was considered conclusive, and was received every where with approbation. 1853. On Monday, the 5th of December, the thirty-third Congress commenced its first session. Senator Atchison took his seat as presiding officer in the Senate; and the Hon. Linn Boyd, of Kentucky, was chosen speaker of the House. The president's message was sent in the next day, and was read to both Houses. It was an elaborate production, and was full of matter for the consideration of the national legislature. The foreign relations of the United States were fully considered; such as, the position of questions yet unsettled with Great Britain; the state of our affairs as respected Cuba and Spain; the case of Kostza and the conduct of our officers abroad in regard to that individual; the dispute with Mexico as to the boundary line; the various matters in progress with other South American states; etc. The president also spoke of the efforts making by our commissioner to China to advance American interests, and gave intelligence of the arrival of Commodore Perry in Japan, without being able to state any particular results yet arrived at. The president's view of domestic mat ters was, on the whole, very cheering, Many and important suggestions were made by the several secretaries for the consideration of Congress. and he was of opinion, that the graver controversies as well as their causes were passing away.* In regard to the finances, it was stated, that the balance The principal work of the session in the treasury, June 30th, 1853, was, may be summed up in brief space, so $14,632,136. The amount received dur- | far as our present purpose is concerning the year was, $61,337,574; amount ed.* At the beginning of the year expended, $43,554,262; leaving a bal- 1854, Mr. Douglas, in the Senate, from ance of $32,425,447 of receipts above the committee on territories, reported expenditures. Since the 4th of March, a bill for the territorial government of there had been paid on the public debt, Nebraska, in one section of which it $12,703,329, leaving unpaid, $56,486,- was provided, that whenever the said 708. Beside recommending a reduc- territory should be admitted into the tion of the tariff, Mr. Pierce took up Union as a state or states, it should be the subject of internal improvements, with or without slavery, as the 1854. and gave his views upon the matter, constitution at the time of adwhich were substantially in accordance mission may prescribe. Another secwith those entertained by the leading tion extended the provisions of the men in the democratic ranks. Referring existing laws for the surrender of fugito the compromise measures of 1850, as tive slaves over the territory. Towards having set at rest many litigated ques- the close of the month, the same Senations, and giving some good advice as tor reported a substitute for the bill, to cultivating a fraternal spirit among providing for the establishment of two the people, and practicing rigid econ- territories, one to be called Nebraska omy and frugality in the administration and the other Kansas, and extending of public affairs, the president closed his over both the Constitution, and all laws message with announcing the death of of the United States, except the eighth the vice-president on the 18th of the section of the act for the admission of preceding April. Missouri into the Union, passed in 1820, which section was declared to have been "superseded by the principles of the legislation of 1850, commonly called the compromise measures," and was consequently inoperative. The reports of the heads of the various departments were transmitted with the message, and were full of valuable information in regard to the treasury, the navy, the army, the post-office, etc. * "Mr. Pierce," says Senator Benton, "found the country in the most happy and tranquil state; peace and prosperity at home and abroad, and slavery agitation stone-dead. Felicitating himself upon this delightful state of the country, he made it a topic of national congratulation in his first annual message, and dilated upon the happy auspices which saluted his nascent administration."-See Appendix to Benton's "Examination of the Dred Scott Case," p. 156. An animated debate, as a matter of course sprang up upon the old question. of slavery extension and limits, and the * According to the newspapers of the day, there were in the Senate, thirty-five democrats and twentytwo whigs, with five vacancies. The House was composed of one hundred and fifty-nine democrats, seventy. one whigs, and four free-soilers. |