In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. PREFACE. THE present volume of the ANNUAL CYCLOPÆDIA for the year 1865 embraces the final military operations of the war in the United States, the disbandment of the armies, the reduction of the fleets, and the peaceful occupation of the Southern States. The change in the administration of the Federal Government by the shocking death of President Lincoln, and the accession of Vice-President Johnson, are described in its pages, together with the various measures to reestablish the State governments and to restore the authority of the Federal Government in all parts of the Union. The debates in Congress during the year on the relations of the Southern States to the Union, the recognition of the Louisiana government, the admission of a Senator from Virginia, etc., present the preliminary views of that body on one of the most important questions of the time. The views of Presidents Lincoln and Johnson, as expressed in their public addresses, have been included, as also their messages to Congress, the report of the Lieutenant-General, and the public documents of the Government. The achievement of emancipation by the almost universal assent of the country; the measures taken by the Federal Government relative to the freedmen; those adopted by the Conventions and Legislatures of the Southern States to raise them to a position of civil rights; and the successful adaptation of the former master and servant to the new mode of life-forming one of the most interesting chapters of human history-are presented in this volume. No less interesting was the sudden change in the aspect of the country on the disappearance of military lines; the unobstructed passage back and forth to the North and South; the reunion of belligerents as "one people, one country, one destiny." This has not been overlooked in these pages. The details of the internal affairs of the country embrace the disappearance of the armies among the citizens; the resumption of commercial inter course; the commerce of the country; the finances of the Federal Government and its banking system; the acts of State Legislatures; the results of elections; the progress of educational and charitable institutions under the care of the State governments; the debts and resources of the States; and all those political movements, the results of which are to transfer the public power from one to another portion of its citizens. The relations of the United States to foreign nations, as developed in its Diplomatic Intercourse, are fully presented; and also the civil, military, and commercial history of all the States of Europe and South America, and the more important kingdoms of Asia, with some countries of Africa, is fully brought up. The progress and peculiar features and mode of treatment of those scourges known as the Asiatic Cholera, the Cattle Disease, and the disease of Swine, with the latest investigations, have been carefully described. The advance in Astronomy, Chemistry, and many other branches of science, with the new applications to useful purposes which have been developed, have not been overlooked. Geographical explorations have been earnestly continued in all quarters of the globe, and the discoveries which have followed have been fully presented. The record of Literature is not less interesting than that of any previous year. The titles of all important works of the various classes to which they belong, are stated in detail. A notice of the principal religious denominations of the country states their branches, membership, views on civil affairs, and the progress of their distinctive opinions. The number of distinguished men who closed their career has been large. A brief tribute is paid to their memory. All important documents, messages, orders, despatches, and letters from official persons, have been inserted entire. THE ANNUAL CYCLOPÆDIA. AFRICA. The French Government were disappointed in their expectation that the insurrection of some of the native tribes in Algeria was effectually subdued at the close of the year 1864. New outbreaks occurred during the year 1865, and at its close the most formidable of the insurgent chiefs, Si Lala, was still in the field. Very alarming rumors that Si Lala, at the head of 50,000 men, held the whole south of Algeria, circulated in Paris, in November; but the Moniteur denied their correctness, and asserted that, on October 19th, he had only made his appearance in the southern districts of Algeria with 2,000 horsemen and 1,400 soldiers on foot. According to the Moniteur de l'Algérie of November 12, Si Lala, finding his efforts to be fruitless, his resources exhausted, and his cavalry fatiguing themselves in vain, decided upon retreating rapidly toward the southwest, and was actively pursued by the French forces. Gen. Lacretelle, marching from Daya, overtook and defeated, on November 8th, at Oud-bon-Lerdjem, to the west of Maia-Chott, the Hamian tribes and the fractions of the Djembas and Chafas who had joined Si Lala. Official news from Algeria reached Paris on December 15th, which stated that Col. Colomb, reenforced by the tribes recently subjected, had on several occasions beaten the tribes still in insurrection, who were seeking refuge in the desert of Sahara, that the tribes who had been defeated had asked for pardon, and Col. Sonis had cut off the retreat toward the east of Si Lala. In May the Emperor Louis Napoleon visited Algeria, where he received an enthusiastic reception on the part of many chiefs and tribes, and was met by special ambassadors from Tunis and Могоссо. On his return to France, it became known that the Emperor was preparing a pamphlet on French colonization in Algeria, but its issue was delayed until November 3d, A when it appeared in the form of a letter to Marshal McMahon. It concluded as follows: "I would turn to account the valor of the Arabs rather than bear hardly upon their poverty; render the colonists rich and prosperous rather than establish settlements of emigrants, and maintain our soldiers in healthy situations rather than to expose them to the wasting climate of the desert. By the realization of this programme we shall appease passions and satisfy interests; then Algeria will be to us no longer a burden, but a new element of strength. The Arabs, restrained and conciliated, will give us what they can best give, namely, soldiers, and the colony, become flourishing by the development of its territorial riches, will create a commercial movement eminently favorable to the mother country." He In accordance with the views of the Emperor, the French Government, on June 22d, brought forward the draft of a decree respecting Algeria. It provides that the native Mussulman be considered a Frenchman. will, nevertheless, continue subject to the Mussulman laws of the country, but can, on application, be admitted to the rights of French citizenship. The native Israelite also is to be considered a Frenchman. He will continue to be governed according to the peculiar statutes of the Hebrew race, but, on application, can enjoy the rights of a French citizen. Foreigners, upon proving three years' residence in the country, are entitled to the rights of citizenship. An administrative regulation will determine the conditions of admission to the public service and of advancement in the army for native Mussulmans and Israelites, and also the offices to which they can attain. This draft was adopted by the Senate without important modifications. In July, Mr. P. H. Rathbone, the President of the Liverpool Chamber of Commerce, on returning from a visit to North Africa, presented an interesting report on the commerce of Algeria. Mr. Rathbone is of opinion that Algeria might rapidly be developed into a "paying" colony if ruled by France on more sound economic principles, and if the colonists were not, as at present, subordinate to the army, and the colony to Marseilles. Mr. Rathbone also advocates the opening of the ports and the establishment of regular steam communication with Great Britain. The Arabs he denounces as dishonest and lazy, and encouraged by the laxity of the Bureau Arabe to cheat Europeans, particularly in the sale of wool. The Kabyles, he says, are both industrious and honest. With more business freedom, Algeria, he thinks, would easily produce immense quantities of good wool, cotton, wine, oil, and corn, as well as useful grass, called crin végétal, much used by upholsterers in place of horsehair. The accounts given by the Rev. Mr. Ellis, the pioneer missionary, were more favorable. He stated in a public address delivered in England, that the Government of Madagascar upheld religious toleration, that Christianity was spreading very rapidly, not only in the capital, but in the most remote parts of the country, and that there was reason to hope that the next generation would be predominantly Christian, and witness the extinction of Paganism. South Africa was throughout the year the scene of hostilities between the Orange Free State and the Basutos, which sometimes threatened the peace of the frontier of the English Colony of Natal. In reply to representations from the Governor of the Cape Colony, Moshesh, the chief of the Basutos, stated that he had met the demand of the Natal Government for invading their frontier. He also urged the governor to take possession of his country and people, alleging that they were desirous of beIn Morocco, a fresh insurrection broke out coming British subjects. The governor declined in the neighborhood of Rabat, in May, but it to take steps at the present juncture, and doubtwas soon quelled. In July, the Emperor of ed the sincerity of Moshesh, but lamented the Morocco issued an important edict commanding war, which, he said, if continued much longer, that no person, poor or rich, should be punished would cause much misery and destitution among contrary to law, and prohibiting the exaction the Basutos, and largely increase their cattle of any fines except as prescribed by law. It thieving. also forbids people to present money or other gifts to any governor or employé; and if any governor imposes fines contrary to imperial decrees, the people have the liberty of appeal to his Majesty, who promises complete satisfaction. The Emperor also appointed a day in each week for receiving, and determining the complaints of his poor subjects. The Suez Canal has made sufficient progress to enable light boats to pass from the Mediterranean to the Red Sea. The completion of the work, and its opening for navigation, the company expects to take place by the 1st of July, 1868. (See SUEZ, CANAL OF.) The English Government had not, at the close of the year, obtained from the Emperor of Abyssinia the release of Consul Cameron and other British subjects who have been kept in prison nearly two years. A parliamentary paper issued by the Government on June 20th, contains full and interesting information respecting the relations of the Emperor Theodore of Abyssinia with England and France. The Island of Madagascar continued to be agitated by internal convulsions. In October, the French Government received despatches stating that Raharia, governor of Tamatava, persisted in his refusal to pay to the commander of the French squadron on the station the sum due to the French Government as an indemnity. His refusal was approved by the Queen, and a reënforcement of 1,000 men was sent to him to guard the house where the money was deposited, thus raising the force stationed there to 3,000 men. The Government of the Hovas moreover resolved to burn the treaties in the public square of Tamatava between King Radama and the agent of the French Government. The Government of the Cape Colony proposed to the Colonial Parliament the annexation of British Kaffraria to the colony, and carried the measure, although considerable opposition was made to it. AGRICULTURE. The year 1865 was, on the whole, a favorable one for agricultural products, though the extreme moisture of May and June in some sections affected the earlier grain crops, and the extraordinary drought of the autumn in New England and portions of New York, affected the late crops, and especially the fruits, unfavorably. So vast is the extent of the country, however, and so varied its climate, that with our abundant and constantly multiplying means of communication, a deficiency of a particular crop in one section is readily made up by its excess, or at least abundance, in another. Of the cereal grains, the wheat crop is smaller both in the number of bushels and the weight of the grain than in any year since 1860. The following are the crops of this grain, according to the estimates of the Agricultural Department during six years past, omitting the crop of 1861. |