in Toronto, on the 2d of February. The Wesleyan, Primitive, Methodist Episcopal, and New Connection Churches were represented. No delegate was present from the Bible Christians, but it was understood that that body was favorably disposed. A free and friendly discussion of the subject, and a comparison of views, were had. Another meeting was held on the 28th and 29th of March, at which general recommendations were adopted and referred to the conferences. Many of the conferences approved of the recommendations. MEXICO. A federal republic in America. President, Benito Juarez, declared himself Constitutional President on February 11, 1858; elected President in June, 1861; reelected in December, 1867, for a term of four years; again reëlected in October, 1871, for the term from 1871 to 1875. Area 761,663 square miles. Population in 1868, 9,173,052. The budget for 1869-70 fixes the revenue at $14,420,576, and the expenditures at $13,046,742. The number of vessels entering the Mexican ports in the year 1869 to 1870 was 648; aggregate tonnage, 542,045. The following railroads were in operation: from Mexico to Puebla, from Vera Cruz to Paso del Macho, from Vera Cruz to Medellin, from Vera Cruz to Homa Alta, and several roads from Mexico to neighboring places. Total length of Mexican railroads in 1871, 215 miles; total length of telegraph-lines in 1870, 2,975 miles. Early in January, 1871, Minister Lerdo de Tejada, who was a candidate for the office of President of the republic in the coming election, resigned, and again assumed the position of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. The United States steamer Nipsic, conveying the engineers of the railway company, arrived at Minatitlan, at the mouth of the Coatzacoalcos River, on the 6th of January, and the ceremony of breaking ground took place on the 9th, the United States naval officers, Mexican commissioners, and local authorities, taking part in the formalities of the occasion. The proceedings were afterward duly certified and approved by the Government of Mexico. Much excitement prevailed, however, in the district, in consequence of conspiracies against the lives and property of foreigners. Many fled with their families, in order to save their lives, leaving their property behind. Posters were affixed to the houses of foreigners, threatening the inmates with assassination. Among the principal persons threatened was Mr. Wolf, the United States consul. The Mexican Congress met in extra session on March 8th, when 157 deputies were present. In consequence of the coalition of the supporters of Lerdo de Tejada and Porfirio Diaz, Zamacona, a Diaz partisan, was elected President, while 73 votes were given to Mancera. Lemus, a supporter of Lerdo, was chosen Vice-President by 84 votes to 71, which Valle, the candidate of the Juarist party, re ceived. President Juarez, in his message, which was sent in on March 10th, stated that the republic was tranquil, except a small district in the State of Guerrero. The relations with foreign Governments were amicable, although with some they continued interrupted. Señor Zamacona, in the House, replied to the message, and complained that the Government was interfering with freedom of election. The extra session closed on March 31st, after adopting a new electoral law. Soon after the meeting of Congress, President Juarez reconstructed his Cabinet, which now was composed as follows (the first three being new members): Señor Ignacio Mariscal, Foreign Relations; Señor Savedra, State; Sefor Castillo, Justice; Señor Velasco, Government; Señor Romero, Treasury; Señor Ignacio Mejia, War and Marine; Señor Balcarcel, Interior. Minister Savedra resigned on April 25th, and Minister Velasco on April 28th; the latter, however, consented to remain temporarily, when 74 deputies petitioned him to take back his resignation. The regular session of the national Congress began on the 1st of April. Señor Hernandez, President of the Chamber, in his opening speech, alluded to the fears expressed by many of direct intervention by some officious agents of foreign powers in the coming election for President, and to muttered threats heard everywhere of refusal to accept the decision of the people at the polls. He deprecated such expressions, as foreboding evil to the country. Minister Romero submitted to Congress a scheme for the consolidation of the national debt at a rate of interest beginning with half of one per cent. per annum, and increasing half of one per cent. semi-annually until it reaches three per cent. He stated that the debt of Mexico was domestic, not foreign; its foreign creditors were merely private parties. Mexico had never contracted a public loan. He was impeached and tried before the Supreme Court, but acquitted. On his motion, a commission was named to fix the limits of the republic bordering on Guatemala; and also to survey the coasts and harbors of the State of Chiapas, in order to facilitate the development of that rich but almost unknown State. The session was closed on May 31st. Its last hours were employed in considering the appropriation bill, which, with some amendments, was passed. On May 24 the garrison of Tampico, consisting of 400 men of the Federal army, revolted under the leadership of Lieutenant-Colonels Molina and Colleja. They repudiated President Juarez, and demanded that his place should be occupied by the Vice-President, Sefor Lerdo, until the new election took place. They held as prisoners General Lopez, the military commander, Don Francisco Rojas, the administrator of the custom-house, and several other Federal officers. The Chief of the Artillery, Don Juan Garcia, escaped to was 147, the whole number in Congress being 227. The meeting resulted favorably for Juarez; the President of the temporary organization and the committee on credentials were Juarezists, being chosen by a vote of 79 to 68. At the permanent organization of Congress, Gabriel Mancera was elected President and Francisco Lerdo Tejada Vice-President. Even before the reëlection of Juarez had been officially declared, new insurrectionary attempts were made by the adherents of Diaz and Lerdo de Tejada, in different parts of the country. On October 1st, the city of Mexico itself was the scene of a sanguinary insurrection. A corps of gendarmes, and part of the Thirteenth Regiment of cavalry, numbering in all four hundred men, surprised the citadel, and fortified themselves therein by the aid of eight hundred prisoners whom they had released from the jail. The leaders of the revolt were Generals Negrete, Toledo, Riveras, and Echavarria. The remainder of the city garrison proved loyal, and, under command of Generals Rocha, Alatorre, and Alejandro Garcia, promptly attacked the insurgents, and at midnight the national troops, under General Rocha, carried the citadel by assault. The four lead Pueblo Viejo, whence, on the 3d, he informed the national Government by telegraph of what had occurred; and he, in company with some other escaped officials, immediately commenced to organize National Guards to counteract the revolutionary movement. Also, General Corella, Second Chief of the Third Division, happened to be in Altamira, seven leagues from Tampico, with his escort, on leave of absence; he instantly collected some rural police, and interposed them between Tampico and the bar. In this manner the communications of the revolutionists were cut off by a few men. General Ceballos disembarked three hundred men from Vera Cruz on January 8th, with which the positions taken up by Corella were immediately reenforced, just in time to assist in repulsing a sally of two hundred of the revolutionists against General Corella in Puente Blanco. The sortie was a vigorous one, for General Corella, Commander Amally, and Lieutenant Carrillo, of the Government forces, were among the wounded; but it was repulsed, and the revolutionists, in their retreat, left a mountain-gun, their dead and wounded, and fourteen prisoners. On the following day, Ceballos disembarked the remainder of his force, and on the morning of the 9th the rev-ers of the revolt had left before the attack, olutionists endeavored to surprise an advanced force at Andonegni, but were repulsed, leaving several dead on the ground. General Rocha, with a brigade, rapidly advanced on Tampico from San Luis Potosi, and took command of the besieging army. A decree of President Juarez closed the port of Tampico while the revolutionists were in possession of the city, meanwhile opening the port of Puerto Viejo to both the foreign and domestic shipping. The siege of the city lasted until June 11th, when it was taken by assault. General Rocha, the commander of the Federal troops, telegraphed to his Government that all the officers of the insurgents were killed. Rocha himself, with two of his generals, Ceballos and Alcantara, was wounded. The presidential election, which had kept the country for many months in extraordinary excitement, began on June 25th, when the primary elections were held. A large plurality of the electors chosen was in favor of the reelection of President Juarez, but, as he did not receive an absolute majority, the election devolved upon Congress, which on October 12th reelected Juarez President of the republic in accordance with the general expectation. The voting was as follows: 108 for Juarez, 3 for Diaz, 5 blanks; 53 members abstained from voting. In the name of the latter, Roberto Esteva protested against the validity of the election, on the ground that the Government had interfered with the freedom of the primary and secondary elections. The sixth national Congress, which had been elected in July, met in September. At the preliminary meeting, which took place on September 1st, the number of members present and escaped. All the officers and sergeants of the insurgent force were killed, and also the ringleaders of the released prisoners. Up to ten o'clock the next morning no less than two hundred and fifty insurgents had been shot. Governor Castro was killed by Rivera, whom he was pursuing. The insurrectionary movements assumed a much more formidable aspect when, at the close of September, General Trevino, the Governor of Nuevo Leon, in union with Pedro Martinez, the imperialist General Quiroga, General Naranjo, and others, declared against Juarez. He left Monterey in the last days of September for a suburb six miles distant. On the day following an official followed him, and announced the arrest of all the Federal officials in Monterey, and the smaller cities of the State. Trevino approved of the act, and issued a pronunciamiento in favor of General Diaz, declaring Juarez's election fraudulent, and his administration guilty of corruption and tyranny, and that reforms were necessary. He then returned to Monterey, and imposed a forced loan of $50,000 on the place. The American consul, Ulrich, was required to pay $1,500. He refused, and hoisted his flag, and protested in the name of the American citizens. Several Americans, including Mrs. Rankin, the missionary, publicly refused to join in the protest. General Trevino gave Consul Ulrich ten days to pay up, or else be imprisoned. The money was paid. General Trevino then recruited eight hundred men, and moved toward Saltillo, which was defended by Governor Cespada, a Juarezist, General Martinez, with two hundred cavalry, moved on Saltillo by a different route, and reached the other side of the city. When near Buena Vista he encountered five hundred Government infantry moving to the assistance of Cespada. Martinez cut off the wagons from the main body and charged the Government troops twice. The latter formed in hollow square, and repulsed him, killing many of his men and wounding him. Escobedo, who is an enemy of Trevino, remained faithful to the Government, and prevented the insurrectionists from penetrating to the interior. Cortina's forces were supporting Juarez in front of Naranjo. Canales was remaining quiet at Victoria, waiting the issue of events. Although the inhabitants of many smaller cities of Nuevo Leon pronounced against General Trevino, the latter, on December 2d, took Saltillo, which the Government troops had defended with great bravery. reestablished, and that the republic was satisfied with the reëlection of Juarez, excepting the States of Nuevo Leon and Oaxaca, and the bandits who were robbing the conductas. At the close of December, 1871, anarchy continued in many of the States, and business of all kinds was prostrated. The rebels had control of the whole or of part of the States of Durango, Coahuila, Nuevo Leon, Sonora, Oaxaca, and several others, but they were making no progress. San Luis Potosi had been declared in a state of siege. The Legislature protested against it, and the Governor abandoned the capital. General Porfirio Diaz had made the circuit of the State of La Puebla, Hidalgo, Tlaxcala, and Mexico, with fifteen hundred men. In a skirmish he had taken five hundred prisoners, and he was now pursued by General Rocha. The Government was still confident of an early triumph, but at the capital the idea of a protectorate of the United States, or of annexation to the United States, was freely discussed, and found many adherents. MICHIGAN. The only State election for the year was for Justice of the Supreme Court, and Regents of the University. The result for Justice was as follows: James V. Campbell, Republican.... Republican plurality........ 98,269 74,740 1,717 18,529 While the insurgents were gaining a firm footing in Northern Mexico, several of the Western States pronounced against the national Government under the leadership of General Porfirio Diaz. At the close of October, and in the beginning of November, pronunciamientos were made in the States of Oaxaca, Aguascalientes, Durango, Zacatecas, and Coahuila. The city of Mazatlan also declared in favor of Diaz for the presidency, and expelled the Federal officers, who had to take refuge on board of an American gunboat. The revolutionists claimed to be acting in the name of the party of progress, and installed Mateo Mazana as Governor of Sinaloa, who issued a proclamation reducing the export duty on Mexican dollars from eight to four per cent., on bullion to five per cent., and abolished light-house duties altogether. The garrison of Guaymas, in Sonora, revolted on November 20th, killing their commander, and declaring for Diaz. After levying heavy contributions on the merchants, they embarked on board two small vessels for Altata, expecting to capture that place without trouble. But Governor Pasquera, of Sonora, raised troops immediately, reoccupied Guaymas, and dispatched a force down the coast in pursuit In this amount is included the of the revolutionists. General Porfirio Diaz, who even for some time after pronunciamientos in his favor had been made, observed a profound silence as to his own intentions, published in November a manifesto, in which he Also a transfer to the War Fund undertook to justify his pronunciamiento, and to explain his plan for reconstructing the Government. Charles Rynd and Claudius B. Grant were chosen Regents of the University by nearly the same vote. In new circuits, John Moore, Theophilus C. Grier, and Birney Hoyt, were also elected Circuit Judges. On December 1st, President Juarez opened the new session of Congress, with a speech on the situation. He said the country appeared to be consuming itself in unfruitful struggles, and that the military element again opposed the standard of legality, bringing back the time when a revolution signified the change of individuals in power. He counted upon the aid of Congress to suppress the seditious movement. The Speaker of Congress replied that Congress hoped that peace would soon be The résumé of fiscal operations, as given be low, is for the ten months ending September 30, 1871, that day being, by an act of the Legislature of 1871, fixed as the time of closing the fiscal year, in place of November 30th, as prior to that date: The gross receipts of the State Treasury for income of swamp-lands ex- of $244,418 53 Showing cash receipts of... Was ........ $1,510,178 83 251,418 53 $1,258,760 30 213,099 18 Leaving, for general revenue cash receipts. $1,045,661 12 And there appears, as the amount avail able for general purposes during the ten The general revenue cash receipts for the amounts as follows: 458,307 97 $1,503,969 09 $1,045,661 12 t Aggregate.... $328,750 00 27,976 05 15,000 00 37,500 00 100,000 00 35,000 00 100,300 00 47,500 00 15,000 00 50,000 00 $757,026 05 The school statistics for the year were as follows: Number of counties reporting, 67; towns, 883; children between five and twenty years of age, 393,275; between eight and fourteen, 175,920; attending public schools, 292,466; attending school under five and over twenty, 7,644; average months, school taught, 7; stone school-houses, 77; brick, 570; frame, 4,024; log, 629; value of school buildings and lots, $7,155,995; qualified teachers employed, male, 2,971; female, 8,303; aggregate wages to males, $602,187.89; females, $926,923.69; average monthly wages of males, $49.92; of females, $27.21; volumes in district libraries, 101,760; in town' libraries, 48,470; attending select schools, 8,772; moneys on hand at beginning of year, $437,939.23; received from State two-mill tax, $409,541.20; received from primary-school fund, $182,922.25; for tuition of non-resident scholars, $26,047.40; from district taxes, $1,749,407.89; from tax on dogs, $25,608.78; from all other sources, $499,506.05; total resources of the districts for the year, $3,367,868.81; paid for buildings and repairs, $662,896.11; for all other purposes except teachers, $648,342.02; amount on hand, $527,128.52; total indebtedness of districts, $1,146,569.14; expenditures for the year, $2,840,740.29. The number of newspapers and other periodical publications in the State is 189, of which 15 are daily, 3 are German, and 3 are Dutch. Messrs. Lewis and Headley's annual statement of the business of Saginaw Valley for the year shows, 755,015 barrels of salt, being an increase of 108,599 for the year. Amount on hand, 108,294 barrels. Capital invested, $2,041, 000; this does not include the business at Port Austin and Mount Clemens, which, however, is small. Lumber manufactured in the valley, 529,682,878 feet; this is probably not far from one-third the total manufacture of the State. Of the forest-fires in October, Messrs. Lewis and Headley say: "The month of October, 1871, will be ever memorable, not only in connection with the terrible fire which decimated one of the fairest cities in the West, but as well in connection with the destruction of vast forests of pine-timber throughout this and the neighboring State of Wisconsin. In the region tributary to the Saginaw Valley, the effect of the fires was most disastrous and widely spread. To realize the extent of territory embraced in what is known as the 'burnt district,' a glance at the map of Michigan becomes necessary. Commencing at a point on Lake Huron near Lexington, a line drawn across Sanilac, Lapeer and Genesee Counties, to the south line of Saginaw County, thence in a northwesterly direction across the State to the north line of Oceana County, will mark the southern limits of the destructive fire, while all the country north of this line and east of the Saginaw Bay was involved in the conflagration. On the west side of the bay, a line drawn from the north line of Bay County, west to, and including Manistee County, and embracing all the territory south to the first given line, will give the reader a very good idea of the amount of land burned over. According to the closest estimates which can be made, an amount of timber equal to five years' cut of the valley has been destroyed; or, in round numbers, four thousand million feet. Of this vast quantity, no doubt a large amount, variously esti mated at from three hundred to five hundred million feet, has been watered during the present winter, and will be saved. The balance of the timber will probably be attacked by the insect whose destructive effects are always manifested in down timber, and, while available for coarse stuff for building purposes, will be worthless for the nicer work to which our lumber is applied; its distance from streams rendering it in its depreciated value nearly worthless. The loss in the coarser timber, particularly hemlock, the value of which is but now beginning to be appreciated, is beyond computation." Regarding the great October fires, the fol lowing information is given by Governor Baldwin in a message to the Legislature : "While the people of Michigan were engaged in the noble work of furnishing relief to the sufferers in Chicago, the same devouring element was making sad havoc in our own State. Thriving towns, farm and school houses, churches, stock, crops, and thousands of acres of valuable timber, were consumed. Nearly 3,000 families, or about 18,000 persons, were rendered houseless, and deprived of the necessaries of life. "Immediately after the fires, two State Relief |