1859.

Photo-lithography is introduced for the purpose of publishing maps in colors.

The national expenses for the year amount to $83,678,643; the debt is $58,754,699; the value of imports, $338,768,130; and of exports, $356,789,641. 1860. Immediately after the holiday recess, the House resumes the slavery discussion and the contest for Speaker; Mr. Smith, of N. C., receives almost the whole democratic vote, 27 Jan., the ballot being: Sherman, 106; Smith, 112; Corwin, 4; scattering 6; Mr. Sherman withdraws his name (30), and the republicans nominate William Pennington, N. J., who receives 115 votes, on three ballots, to 113 for Mr. Sunith; the democrats substitute J. A. McClernand, Ill., for Mr. Smith (31), and the eight weeks' struggle terminates, 1 Feb., when Mr. Pennington receives the requisite number of votes, 117 to 85 for Mr. McClernand.

The main building of the Pemberton Cotton Mills, at Lawrence, Mass., suddenly falls to the ground, 10 Jan., carrying with it all the machinery and several hundred operatives; a fire breaks out in the ruins while efforts are being made to extricate the dying and wounded, throwing the city into great consternation; it is subsequently ascertained that 117 operatives were killed, and 112 severely and 200 more or less wounded, while of 89 others no tidings could be gathered.

Mr. Coode, of Penn., throws a firebrand into the House, 5 March, by introducing two resolutions for the appointment of a committee to investigate whether the President or any other officer of the Government has, by money, patronage, or other improper means, sought to influence the action of Congress or any committee thereof, for or against the passage of any law appertaining to the rights of any Territory, and also to investigate the charges of improper use of money to carry elections and the reported Post-office and Navy-yard abuses; the resolutions, after considerable opposition, are adopted, when (29) the President protests against the resolutions as violating his constitutional rights and immunities; the committee makes an elaborate report (June).

Ambassadors sent from the Emperor of Japan to ratify Commodore Perry's treaty arrive at San Francisco, in the U. S. Powhatan, 27 March; they are publicly received by the State authorities, 2 April; they proceed to Washington via New York in the U. S. S. Roanoke, and are presented to the President, to whom they deliver the treaty for formal ratification, May; after a series of brilliant receptions they return to New York, where they are escorted to their hotel by the National Guard and are honored with a grand ball at Niblo's Garden, 18 June; they embark on the U. S. S. Niagara for Japan, 29.

The Democratic National Convention assembles at Charles ton, S.C., 23 April, and organizes on the following day with Caleb Cushing, Mass., as president; several platforms are introduced, 27, and referred; the platform modified by Mr. Samuels, Iowa, is adopted, 30, whereupon the Alabama delegation report that they are instructed not to acquiesce in or submit to any "squatter sovereignty platfoorm, but to withraw from the Convention in case such a one should be adopted, and they accordingly

1860. take their leave; the delegations from Mississippi, Louisiana (except two), South Carolina, Florida, Texas, Arkansas (a part), and Georgia follow the example; after fifty-seven ballotings, in which Senator Douglas received from 145 to 152 votes, and Mr. Guthrie, of Ky., the next highest, 66, the Convention adjourns, 3 May, to meet in Baltimore, 18 June; the seceding delegates assemble in St. Andrew's Hall, and after adopting the platform reported by Mr. Avery, adjourn to meet in Richmond, 11 June.

A Constitutional Union (late American) Convention is held in Baltimore, 9 May, under the presidency of Washington Hunt, N. Y.; the platform is embraced in the resolution, that it is the part both of patriotism and of duty to recognize no political principle other than the constitution of the country, the union of the States, and the enforcement of the laws; John Bell, of Tenn., is nominated for President, with Edward Everett, of Mass., for Vice-President.

At the Republican National Convention, which assembles in Chicago, 16 May, all the Free States and the Slave States of Delaware, Maryland, Virginia, and Missouri, the Territories of Kansas and Nebraska, and the District of Columbia are represented; George Ashmun, Mass., is chosen president; the platform declares that the maintenance of the principles promulgated in the Declaration of Independence and the Federal Constitution, is essential to the preservation of our Republican institutions, and congratulates the country that no Republican Member of Congress has uttered or countenanced the threats of disunion; the Convention decides to nominate by a majority vote, and proceeds to ballot, 18; three ballots are taken, in which William H. Seward and Abraham Lincoln receive the highest number of votes, the latter on the third ballot coming within two and a half votes of the requisite number; changes are made until Mr. Lincoln has 354 of the 466 votes, when his nomination is made unanimous; Hannibal Hamlin, Me., is nominated for Vice-President on a second ballot, receiving 367 votes to 99 for all others.

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The seceders from the Charleston Convention meet at Richmond, 11 June, and adjourn to Baltimore, holding their final meeting, 28; twenty-one States are represented; Caleb Cushing is chosen president; the Convention adopts Mr. Avery's Charleston platform, and nominates John C. Breckenridge, of Ky., for President, with Gen. Joseph Lane, Or., for Vice-President.

Pursuant to adjournment, the National Democratic Convention re-assembles in Baltimore, 18 June; Benjamin F. Butler, Mass., announces the determination of a majority of the delegates from his State to withdraw, and creates a sensation by the reason, that he will not sit in a convention where the African slave-trade is approvingly advocated; on the first ballot, Senator Douglas has 1734 votes; Guthrie, 10; Breckenridge, 5; scattering, 3; on the second, Douglas has 1814; Breckenridge, 7; and Guthrie, 5; whereupon a resolution is adopted formally nominating Douglas for President; Benjamin Fitzpatrick, Ala., is nominated for Vice-President, but subsequently declines,

1860. when the National Committee substitutes Herschel V. Johnson, Ga.

William Walker again starts with an expedition to Central America; he lands on the Island. of Ruatan, 25 June, and at Truxillo two days later; he issues a proclamation announcing his mission and prepares for an active campaign; the President of Honduras, at the head of an army of 700 men, appears, 23 Aug.; at the same time the commander of a British war-vessel in the harbor orders Walker to retire; he obeys and takes to the coast, where he is captured 3 Sep., taken to Truxillo, tried by court-martial, condemned, and shot (12 Sep.).

The famous steamship Great Eastern arrives at New York from England, 28 June, and, mooring in the North River, is open to public inspection for several weeks.

H. R. H., the Prince of Wales reaches Newfoundland, 23 July, and after making an extended tour through British America, enters the U.S. at Detroit, 21 Sep., and goes to Washington as the guest of the President (3-7 Oct.); he reaches New York City, 11, and is most enthusiastically received by the military (7000 troops) and civil authorities; a grand ball (12) and an immense torchlight procession (13) are given in his honor; he visits the West Point Academy (15), is entertained by the Governor at Albany, and by the State authorities and citizens of Massachusetts, at Boston, and takes his departure on a British man-of-war from Portland, Me., 20.

Among the other notable visitors of the summer are the Prince de Joinville, uncle of the Comte de Paris and the Duc de Chartres, and Lady Franklin, the latter coming particularly to thank the people of the U.S. for the interest they have shown for her unfortunate husband, the lost Arctic explorer.

A number of slaves are captured by U. S. naval vessels during the summer, off Cuba, and some 1700 slaves are quartered at Key West pending arrangements to send them to Liberia; the U. S. S. Mohican captures a single slaver off the coast of Africa, with over 800 slaves on board.

Central Park, New York, is thrown open to the public.

The dawn of this eventful year had found the whole country astir with the gravest political excitement. It is election year, and the choice of the next President assumes all the importance of a crisis. The destinies of America are in the balance. Political parties are strangely divided. Up to this time there had been two great parties, "Democrats " and " Republicans"; these become sub-divided into four parties. There are the "Southern Democrats' led by John C. Breckenridge; and the "Northern Democrats" with Stephen A. Douglas at their head. These two parties had quarreled because Douglas claimed that aTerritory had a right to vote that slavery should not exist within its boundaries if a majority of the people so willed it. On this, a third party arose, known as the "Union and Constitutional Party," or the " Bell-Everetts," as they were called from the names of their leaders, John Bell and Edward Everett The fourth party is the "Republican" party-the party that four years before had fought with such intense enthusiasm to place Gen. John C. Frémont, the dauntless Pathfinder of the Rocky