.263,429,720

66

29,593 58 $6,949 47

The estimated value of these is $2,107,976.44. There are no reports from the other districts. An estimate of the surveyor of the second dis

Estimated from unofficial

sources, the aggregate value of the lumber-trade of this State for the year 1867 is $3,625,135.

The election for State officers was held on the

The building for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind Asylum has been about completed. It is of stone, four stories in height, with ground dimensions of 80 by 45 feet. The grounds comprise 45 acres, presented to the State by the citizens of Faribault. The asylum is located on a bluff, overlooking the town and a magnificent vista of prairie, lake, and woodland scenery. The number of pupils in the Deaf and Dumb department is 27; in the Blind, 4.

Agriculture is the prominent interest of the State, and wheat the staple production. The crop of the year has been estimated at 8,000,000 bushels, and probably exceeds that amount. The other cereals are raised in large quantities, but there are no data for estimating the entire crop. The total area of the State is 51,479,242 acres, and the arable area 32,000,000. The total amount in the hands of settlers is 4,633,341 acres, while the balance of 27,366,659 acres is held by railroads, the State, and speculators. The increase in population is very rapid, but, without any official data, it can only be estimated. The immigration of the year is quite reliably estimated at 50,000. Add to this the natural increase, and if the estimate of the previous year be correct, 340,000, the present population cannot be much less than 400,000. The State has not yet devoted much attention to internal improvements. Several important railroads have been projected and are now in progress, that will soon establish intercommunication with all portions of the State. The total number of miles constructed in 1867 was 116, and 2163 miles were previously in operation, making in all 332 miles.

The forests of the State are very extensive, and furnish immense quantities of the finest lumber. Reports of the surveyors of logs and lumber for the first, second, and third districts, show the amount of logs scaled in 1867, as follows:

VOL. VII.-33

5th of November. Governor Marshall was reof 64,376. The vote on the impartial suffrage elected by a majority of 5,372, in a total vote

amendment was as follows:

For Amendment.
Against....

Majority against.....

27,479 .28,794

1,315

The vote to amend the constitution, on the subject of taxing national banks, was 43,093.. The majority against the proposition was 25,609. In accordance with an act of the Legislature, a vote was also taken on a proposition to provide a sinking fund to pay the holders of the State railroad bonds. Upon this question 51,698 votes were cast, and the majority against its adoption was 47,728.

The Legislature consists of 68 members, divided as follows, viz.: Senate, 22: Republicans, 15; Democrats, 7; House, 46: Republicans, 33; Democrats, 13.

MIRAMON, MIGUEL, a Mexican general and revolutionist, at one time President of Mexico, born in the city of Mexico in 1830; executed as a traitor at Queretaro, Mexico, June 19, 1867. He was the son of General Miramon, and was educated at the Military Academy of Chapultepec, which he entered at the age of sixteen. He joined the army while yet very young, and served first under Alvarez, rising to the rank of first-lieutenant. His conduct displeased his superior officer, and he left the army for a time, but subsequently joined it again, was promoted, and in 1856 made a pronunciamiento against General Comonfort, then the Liberal President. In this attempt at revolt he was unsuccessful, and fell into Comonfort's hands as prisoner, who soon pardoned him, and received him into the palace. Comonfort not long after betrayed his party to the Conservative or Church party, and was obliged to fly from the country, and Benito Juarez, Judge of the Supreme Court, became President under the Constitution. The Church party, however, had possession of the capital, and made Zuloaga President and Miramon commander of the army. The latter attacked the Liberals at Abualulco and Queretaro, and routed them, when he was appointed governor of Guadalajara. But his ambition was too great to be contented with this, and he came to Mexico, and gathering around him some malcontents, assumed the title of "Acting

President," and in that capacity signed all state documents. He soon afterward marched against Vera Cruz, where Juarez had established his government; but raised the siege of that city after having taken possession of the money from the public treasury, returned to Mexico, and assumed the supreme management of affairs. Zuloaga became tired of his insubordination, and deprived him of the title of Vice-President. Miramon, however, had Zuloaga imprisoned, and prepared himself for an expedition against the Liberals in the interior; but, having no pecuniary resources, he ordered the funds in the house of the British minister to be seized, made a contract of the most fraudulent character with the French banking house of Jecker & Co., and signed the MonAlmonte treaty with Spain. These three measures of his afforded the basis on which England, France, and Spain claimed the right to enter Mexico with an armed force. After a protracted struggle with the Liberals, he was defeated on the 13th of August, 1860, at Yalulpalam, and forced to shut himself up in the city of Mexico, which he at length abandoned and retired to Spain in 1861. There he labored assiduously to engage foreign governments to interfere in Mexican affairs. Still, on the establishment of the empire it was deemed a matter of policy to keep him and Marquez abroad, owing to the characters which both had earned for high-handed measures and turbulence. After the accession of Maximilian (see MEXICO, MAXIMILIAN, EMPEROR OF), Miramon petitioned to be allowed to return, and it was finally granted, and, though not implicitly trusted by the Emperor, he was placed in high command, and did not practise any treachery toward his new master. He met his death with bravery and composure.

MISSISSIPPI. The most important measure acted upon by the Legislature of Mississippi, which had adjourned over from its session of the previous year, was the proposed amendment of the Federal Constitution, known as Section 14. After listening to an address from one of the Senators elected by them to Congress, urging the acceptance of the amendment, both branches of the Legislature voted unanimously against it.

The act of reconstruction, adopted by Congress on March 2, 1867, placed Mississippi with Arkansas in the Fourth Military Division, under command of Major-General Ord. Steps were immediately taken by Governor Humphreys to bring the question of the constitutionality of the act before Congress. For this purpose, a bill of complaint of the State of Mississippi, in behalf of herself and such other States as may be interested, against President Johnson and General E. O. C. Ord, appointed by the President, was presented in the Supreme Court of the United States by ex-Governor Sharkey and Robert J. Walker. The petition set forth at length the history of the formation of the State of Mississippi, claiming, besides protection, con

stitutional rights as a State. There are compacts, fundamental, irrevocable, and unalterable, securing forever to the State of Mississippi her rights as a State in the Union by such compacts, and the rights required under them. The petitioners believe the Court will regard it as its duty to maintain, in the same manner, at least as it would enforce between individuals, by injunction or otherwise, the specific performance of contracts. Averment is made that the Congress of the United States cannot constitutionally expel Mississippi from the Union, and that an attempt which practically does so is a nullity; and that there is no provision in the Constitution of the United States which subjects her, as a State, to any pains, penalties, or forfeitures as a consequence of such void attempt of a portion of her people to withdraw her from the Union, all powers to punish a State by expulsion or otherwise for any cause having been expressly and unmistakably refused in the convention which framed the Federal Constitution. She avers that her citizens lost none of their political rights, nor incurred any penalties except what might be inflicted on them as individuals, by due process of law, after trial by jury. She avers that she has exhibited her good faith and adhesion to the Constitution by electing Senators and Representatives to Congress, and complains that they have been wrongfully excluded, and that her people have been compelled to pay taxes and bear the burdens of the government without representation. The act to provide for a more efficient government of the rebel States, and the act supplementary thereto, utterly annihilates the State and government by assuming to Congress power to control, modify, and even abolish its government, in short, to exert sovereign power over it, and the utter destruction of the State must be the consequence, then, of its execution. The scope of power vested in the military commanders, so broad, so comprehensive, was never before vested in a military commander in any government which guards the rights of its citizens or subjects by laws.

The bill further requests that the abovementioned persons may be restrained in their action and made defendants in the case. The case was brought before the Court, and argument heard upon it, but it was regarded as a question beyond the field of its jurisdiction.

On April 6th Governor Humphreys issued a proclamation to the people of the State, saying that the act of reconstruction recognized the existing civil government of the State, and until a change was made in accordance with the provisions of the act, the relations of the State civil officers and their responsibilities to the Federal Constitution, to the State of Mississippi, and to the people, would remain unchanged, and they would be held to a strict accountability for the performance of their duties in carrying out the provisions of the laws for the maintenance of the civil govern

ment, and for the full and ample protection of all classes of inhabitants of the State, both white and black, in all of their rights of person, property, liberty, and religion.

General Ord, immediately after assuming command, proceeded to organize boards for the registration of voters. Each board had charge of the registration in one or more counties. Upon appointment, each member was required to take an oath of office declaring that he had never voluntarily borne arms against the United States nor voluntarily given aid, countenance, counsel, or encouragement to persons engaged in armed hostility thereto; that he had neither sought, nor accepted, nor attempted to exercise the functions of any office whatever, under any authority, or pretended authority, in hostility to the United States, nor yielded a voluntary support to any pretended governinent, territory, power, or constitution within the United States, hostile or inimical thereto, Each county was divided into such number of precincts as might be most suitable for complete registration and the convenience of the voters at the subsequent elections. Each registered voter was furnished with a numbered certificate of registry stating that he had been found qualified and was registered as required by the supplementary act of Congress. The

etc.

instructions to the boards further declared as follows:

Every male citizen of the United States, twenty-one years of age or over, of whatever race, color, or previous condition, who has been a resident of the State of Mississippi for one year prior to the date at which he presents himself for registration, and who has not been disfranchised by act of Congress, or for felony at common law, shall, after having taken and subscribed the oath prescribed in the first section of the act herein referred to, be entitled to be, and shall be,

registered as a legal voter.

Pending the decision of the Attorney-General of the United States upon the question as to who are disfranchised by law, registers will give the strictest interpretation to the law, and exclude from registration every person about whose qualification to vote there may be a doubt. Any person so excluded who may, under the decision of the Attorney-General, be entitled to vote, will be duly informed of such decision by the registers and be permitted to register at any time prior to the first day of September, at which time the registration of the State will be completed.

The following resolutions, adopted at a meeting of whites and blacks, at Gallatin, in Copiah County, on May 4th, express the general sentiment prevailing at this time among the more prudent and judicious citizens:

Resolved, That it is especially the duty of the white population of the South to respect fully, and protect faithfully, the freedmen in the rights and liberties

they have under the law.

2. That it is the duty of all good citizens to aid and assist the freedmen in obtaining correct notions of the elective franchise with which they are now invested.

3. That it is the judgment of this meeting, that intelligent laborers are better than ignorant ones, and that therefore it is the duty of the Legislature and the people to encourage the freedmen in their efforts to educate their children.

4. That we pledge ourselves to use all diligence in promoting peace and good-will among the races. 5. That the true interests of both races are to be greatly enhanced and permanently secured by industry, sobriety, and economy-and that we will mutually strive to develop all the resources of the country.

On the 11th of May an order was issued by General Ord designed to break up the crime of horse-stealing in certain sections of the State by adding a military cooperation to the efforts of the civil authorities.

All

Another order, designed to secure to labor its debtor and creditor from sacrifices by forced just share of the crops, and to protect alike sales in the impoverished condition of the country, was issued on June 12th. This order suspended all sales in pursuance of any execution until after December 30, 1867, where the debt was contracted prior to January 1, 1866. interferences, under color of a legal process, with the growing crops were prohibited, except in the lawful tenant in cultivating or gathering cases where the crops had been hypothecated for money, tools, etc., supplied in the cultivaWherever distilleries were tion of the land. in operation the sub-district and post commanders were ordered to ascertain if the taxes had been duly paid. Post commanders were also instructed to entertain and investigate all complaints made by citizens of persecution by the civil authorities, and to report to headquarters.

By a circular of July 29th all State and municipal officers, of whatever degree or kind, were notified of the special laws of Congress for the organization of the State governments on the basis of suffrage without regard to color, and that any attempts to render nugatory these laws by speeches or demonstrations in opposition thereto, would be regarded as a sufficient cause for summary removal from office.

On August 8th a further circular, relative to the registration of voters and the subsequent proceedings, was issued by General Ord. (See ARKANSAS, page 52.)

On the 13th an order of General Ord required all subordinates of the Freedmen's Bureau to inVestigate all charges against land-holders of driving off laborers, with a view to withhold from them their arrears of wages. The removal of all crops was forbidden until the shares of the laborers had been ascertained and assigned

to them.

An order of the 19th required supervisors, inspectors, and boards of registration, to obtain the names of suitable persons, white or colored, to act as clerks and judges of elections for delegates to a convention, etc. Only such persons as could take the oath required of registers above mentioned were to be recommended.

This order was regarded by some of the people of the State as a deviation by General Ord from the conservative course he had hitherto pursued. This view was thus presented by the Daily Herald of Vicksburg:

He authorizes the appointment of negroes as judges

and clerks of election in Mississippi and Arkansas. We hoped that this shameful humiliation would have been spared our people, at least until the freemen of Mississippi decide whether they will submit to negro equality at the ballot-box or elsewhere. We regard this order as very unfortunate and ill-timed, as we fear it will lead to collisions between the whites and

blacks, when it might have been avoided. General istration which has been highly approved by the people, but we doubt not the lovers of peace throughout the country will condemn the order as injudicious, if not insulting to that race whom God has created the superior to the black man, and whom no monarch can make his equal. The general commanding cannot surely have forgotten that the negro has no political rights conferred on him by the State of Mississippi, although he has the privilege by force of arms, under an edict from a corrupt and fragmentary Congress, of casting a ballot in the coming farce, which will be dignified by the name of "election !"'

Ord heretofore has exhibited a wisdom in his admin

Another order of August 22d required commanding officers of posts to cause all bar-rooms, saloons, and other places where liquor was sold, to be strictly closed for the day, on occasions of political meetings in garrisoned towns.

Under the act of Congress passed with the other reconstruction measures, which required the Clerk of the Lower House of Congress to designate certain newspapers in each sub-district to publish the laws, etc., the Vicksburg Republican, Meridian Chronicle, and Corinth Republican, were so selected.

On August 24th general court-martial orders were issued which recited the results of the trial of eight persons during the months of July and August before a military commission at Vicksburg. Seven of the parties were brought to trial on the charge of horse-stealing, and the other for "disorderly conduct," in attempting, as alleged, to deter registers from the performance of their duties under the reconstruction laws, and to induce negroes not to register, by telling them it was the design of the Government to enroll them for service in a foreign war. The thieves were sentenced to the Arkansas penitentiary, for a term of years, and the other, charged with disorderly conduct, was sentenced to the military prison at the Dry Tortugas for ninety days. There was no presentment or indictment by a grand jury, or trial by a petit jury of the county where the of

fence was committed.

On September 3d General Ord issued an order, removing the city marshal, three justices of the peace, and four members of the city council of Vicksburg. The reason for these removals is thus stated in the order: "For the purpose of insuring an equal and just administration and execution of the laws upon all alike in the city of Vicksburg, and to secure the best interests of the citizens thereof," etc. Other persons were appointed to these and other vacancies, who were required, before entering upon their duties, to take the oath of office required by the act of Congress of July 2, 1862. The progress of registration aroused the minds of the people to determine their course of action in the approaching election. A convention of

the Republicans of the State was held at Jackson on September 10th and 11th. It was composed of both whites and colored persons. During the early proceedings it was moved by Captain Pease that the word "colored" be added to the name of each colored delegate. James Lynch, colored, moved an amendment, "that the color of each delegate's hair" be also added. On motion of Mr. Newsom the original motion and the amendment were laid on the table. The following platform was adopted:

1. Resolved, That we do cordially approve all the principles of the National Republican party,

2. Resolved, That we pledge ourselves to keep step with the National Republican party in all the progressive political reforms of the age.

3. Resolved, That we heartily adopt as our own the plan laid down by Congress for the reconstruction of Mississippi.

4. Resolved, That we will spare no pains or influence in our power to give free education to every child in Mississippi, and the ballot to every man not disfraschised for crimes, including treason.

5. Resolved, That in neither education, the ballot, or other civil or political right will we ever recognize any distinction of race or color.

6. Resolved, That honest industry is in all respects honorable, and shall always be protected and encouraged.

That portion of the people who were not Republicans, but recognized the authority of the Federal Government and its power to enforce terms of reconstruction, decided to accept the plan of Congress, and vote with a view to an exact conformity to its requirements. This was expressed as "a choice of unavoidable evils."

A small convention also assembled at Jackson, of persons who disclaimed any alliance with the Republicans, but sought to pursue a middle course. Resolutions were adopted which dif fered from the Republican platform only in not pledging their support to the party in all their acts.

On September 9th an order was issued which forbade the assembling of armed organizations or bodies of citizens under any pretence whatever. Another order directed that whenever any person, indicted for a criminal offence, who should make affidavit, that during the war be was in the Federal service, and procure other evidence of the same, and should express his apprehension of an unfair trial in consequence, then the papers in the case should be transmit ted to headquarters, with the names of witnesses, etc., for trial by military commission. Overseers of the poor were also notified that every neglect to provide for colored paupers would be regarded as a dereliction of duty,

On September 10th General Ord issued an order requiring all persons within the military district who had voluntarily exiled themselves since April, 1865, and returned, to report in person or writing at his headquarters within thirty days.

The registration of voters was completed early in the month of September. The following was the result in all the counties except three: