THE

AMERICAN

ANNUAL CYCLOPÆDIA

AND

REGISTER OF IMPORTANT EVENTS

OF THE YEAR

1870.

EMBRACING POLITICAL, CIVIL, MILITARY, AND SOCIAL AFFAIRS; PUBLIC DOCUMENTS; BIOGRAPHY, STATISTICS, COMMERCE, FINANCE, LITERATURE, SCIENCE, AGRICULTURE, AND MECHANICAL INDUSTRY.

VOLUME X.

NEW YORK.

D. APPLETON AND COMPANY, I

549 & 551 BROADWAY.

1871.

PREFACE.

No recent period of time has witnessed events of so much importance to mankind generally as those which occurred in Europe during the year 1870, of which this volume of the ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA treats. The overwhelming march of the combined German forces into the heart of France, and the rapid capture of her fortified cities and surrender of her vast armies, thereby casting her down from her preeminent position, to the feet of the conqueror; the occupation of Rome by the Italian Government, and the overthrow of the temporal sovereignty of the Pope, by which liberalism and authority have been brought to a final issue before the world, are some of the chief events. The reat public questions of Europe, such as the Baltic and the Eastern, the relations of the various nationalities, such as those of race, population, military trength, financial ability, or national resources, and the new forms which public interests have begun to assume on that Continent, are herein stated and explained more fully and completely than is to be found elsewhere in any single volume.

Nor were the affairs of the United States of less interest or importance than in previous years. The census of 1870, completed during the year, for the States, counties, and principal cities of the Union, shows the rapid growth and spread of the population, and is herein contained. The new departure of he Federal Government under its National aspect has made rapid advances. All the States were restored to the Union, under constitutions approved by Congress, and the conduct of their affairs transferred to civil officers elected by the citizens. The ballot has been cast at all elections by every citizen, without distinction of race, color, or previous condition, who was exempt from the restraints imposed upon those active in the late hostilities. The progress of all the States, and especially the Southern, under the joint rule of the white and the colored man, as a citizen, a legislator, and a judicial officer, the struggles of factions, the local disturbances of citizens, with the rapid improvement of the people in general, socially and financially, are herein presented, and als-the measures adopted by Congress under the altered condition of affairs,

the debates on the same, the numerous aspects of the incidental questions raised and discussed, with the final action of that body.

The details of the internal affairs of the United States comprise the finances. of the Federal Government; its receipts and expenditures; the sources whence those receipts are obtained, and the principles upon which are based the mode and degree of taxation; the management of the public debt, and the steps taken to reduce it, or to diminish its burden; the modifications of the currency, its fluctuations; the changes in the system of taxation, with its effects upon the industrial interests and prosperity of the people; the banking system, with its expansions and contractions; the products of agriculture, and the extension of internal trade and commerce; the proceedings of the Southern States to improve and establish their social and financial affairs; the various political conventions of the year; the results of elections; the acts of State Legislatures; the rapid improvement of educational and charitable institutions under the care of the State governments; the rapid extension of the facilities for transportation, especially railroads; the resources and population of the several States, and all those facts which determine their rapid progress.

The Diplomatic Correspondence of the Federal Government, derived from the most authentic sources, is very fully presented in these pages, and the existing relations with all foreign nations clearly shown.

The progress of Mechanical Industry, although indicated by works less extensive and important than in the previous year, has been no less marked and useful.

The advance in the various branches of Astronomical, Chemical, and other sciences, with new and valuable applications to various purposes, is extensively described.

Geographical Discoveries have been actively pushed forward, in various quarters of the globe, with interesting results.

The record of Literature and Literary Progress is as interesting as during any previous year. The title of each of the more important works of various classes has been stated, with some remarks on the nature of its contents.

and The

The history of the religious denominations of the country, with the results of their conventions, their branches, membership, views on public affairs, progress of opinions, and numbers, are here given from official sources. proceedings of the Ecumenical Council at Rome are fully narrated, and all the decrees adopted previous to its suspension, inserted.

The memory of deceased persons of note, in every department of society, is briefly noticed.

All important documents, messages, orders, treaties, and letters from official persons, have been inserted entire.

An Index, at the end of this volume, contains a list of all the subjects treated in the volumes of the ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA, with a statement of the volume and page where each may be found.