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DEATH OF JEFFERSON DAVIS

1889

railway bridge. In other parts of Virginia and Pennsylvania the freshets did enormous damage, the losses aggregating $40,000,000.

In his December message to Congress, President Harrison dealt with the surplus in American finances, showing an excess of $5,000,000 of revenue over expenditure. Congress was urged to take measures to reduce the revenues.

The wonderfully improved relations between the Northern and Southern States of North America were made clearly manifest by the universal expression of sympathy throughout the country on the death of Jefferson Davis. After the war President Davis had been imprisoned for two years at Fortress Monroe. This captivity was shared by General Joseph Wheeler, whose plans for the escape of his former leader were frustrated. President Davis was indicted for treason, but in May, 1867, he was released on bail, Horace Greeley serving as one of his bondsmen. The case never came to trial. Under President Johnson's general amnesty Jefferson Davis received a final immunity from prosecution. He lived unmolested at his home, "Beauvoir," in Mississippi, for the rest of his life.

This year Björnstjerne Björnson brought out his famous novel "In God's Way," in which he depicted the struggle between religious bigotry and liberalism. Björnson's earlier novel "Synnöve Solbakken" established his fame as a story writer. "Mellem Slagene" was his first printed drama. Björnson also wrote poetry which was essentially lyric, char acterized by an idyllic purity that has won for it a high place in the estimate of his country. One of his lyrics has become the national song of Norway. During the last two decades of the century Björnson continued to be the recognized spokesman of Norwegian republican aspirations.

Early in autumn the civil war in Haiti, which had continued for more than twelve months, ended by the surrender

1889

BRAZIL BECOMES A REPUBLIC

of General Légitime, and the occupation of Port-au-Prince by General Hippolyte. In October General Hippolyte was accordingly elected President of the Republic of Haiti.

In Brazil, in the middle of November, a revolutionary movement, of which the first open manifestation was the attempted assassination of the Minister of Marine, Baron de Ladario, broke out at Rio Janeiro. A provisional government under General Deodoro da Fonseca was formed, which abolished the Council of State and proclaimed a republic. The Emperor, who had been kept a prisoner in his palace, was banished to Europe. The Imperial Ministry had arranged with Dom Pedro to abdicate at the end of January, 1890, in favor of his daughter, the Countess d'Eu, but a feeling of disloyalty was felt among the people. A formal decree was issued declaring a federal republic, the several provinces of the late Empire constituting States, and each State arranging its own Constitution and electing its deliberative bodies and local governments. A counter revolution broke out on December 18, in Rio Janeiro. A number of soldiers, sailors, and civilians took part in it, and troops had to be ordered out to disperse them. It was not until Christmas time that the disturbance was quelled.

At the close of the year Henry M. Stanley's expedition, having effected the relief of Emin Bey in the Equatorial provinces of Egypt, marched out of the Soudan by way of Zanzibar. Emin had remained at Khartoum since the death of Gordon. The time spent in Stanley's expedition was three years, and the results accomplished were of great value to the science of geography. Stanley ended the expedition at Cairo, where he wrote a record of his journey, published simultaneously in England, America, France, and Germany, under the title "In Darkest Africa." On Stanley's return to England he was knighted, and scientific honors of all kinds were showered upon him.

EVENTS OF 1890

Deaths of German Dowager Empress and of Dr. Döllinger, Leader of the Old Catholics-Bismarck Disagrees with William II and Withdraws from Public Life-Caprivi Succeeds Him-Death of Andrassy, Hungarian Statesman-Political Agitation of Russian Students Leads to Closure of Universities-First Parliamentary Election in Japan Reveals Independent Spirit of Electorate Africa is Partitioned among the Powers-Great Britain Cedes Heligoland to GermanySultan of Zanzibar Abolishes Slavery-British Protectorate is Proclaimed-Deaths of Cardinal Newman, English Author and Prelate, and Richard Burton, Orientalist-Turkish Outrages in Armenia and Crete Salonica is Burned-Epidemic of Cholera among Pilgrims at Mecca-Federal Swiss Government Suppresses Revolution in Canton of Ticino-Federation of Central American RepublicsRevolution in Buenos Ayres Forces President Celman to Resign— General Sanchez Leads Revolution in Honduras-He is Captured and Shot-United States Makes Extradition Treaty with Great Britain-Congress Passes McKinley Protective Tariff Bill and Sherman Silver Purchase Bill-Death of Ericsson, the Inventor-Mormons Repudiate Polygamy-Device of Pneumatic Tire Causes Bicycling to Become Popular Craze-Indian Outbreaks in South Dakota are Suppressed-Death of Schliemann, the Archeologist.

T

HE German Dowager Empress Augusta died on
January 7. After her husband's succession to the

throne of Prussia, in 1861, the Queen devoted her time and energies to the reorganization of guilds of women under the Red Cross. During the campaign of 1870-71 the Red Cross Society in Germany alone established 677 general hospitals, 286 private lazarets, and innumerable stations for refreshments. A total of 25,000 men and women were enrolled. The Empress had the disposal of 18,000,000 thalers.

Dr. Döllinger, the celebrated theologian and leader of the Old Catholic Party, died on January 10, in his ninety-first year. At the Ecumenical Council of 1869-70, Dr. Döllinger became famous throughout Europe by his opposition to the doctrine of Papal infallibility. He was excommunicated in 1871 by the Archbishop of Munich. A few months later he was elected rector of the University of Munich, and, in 1873, rector of the Royal Academy of Science.

1890

RETIREMENT OF BISMARCK

Most notable in this year's events for Germany was the withdrawal from public life of Prince Bismarck. In January he tendered his resignation as Prussian Prime Minister and Chancellor of the German Empire. In February the old Chancellor rescinded his resignation, but within a month he and the young Emperor were once more at odds. On March 18 Prince Bismarck's resignation from all his public posts was definitely accepted. On his retirement from public life he was created a Field Marshal and Duke of Lauenburg, but he declined both honors. General von Caprivi de Caprera de Montecuculi was appointed as successor to Prince Bismarck. A few days later Count Herbert Bismarck's resignation as Foreign Secretary was also accepted by the German Emperor.

On February 18 the great Hungarian statesman, Count Julius Andrassy, died at Abazzia. He took part in the Revolution of 1848, and was condemned to death, but escaped and went into exile. When self-government was restored to Hungary, in 1867, he was appointed Premier, and became Imperial Minister for Foreign Affairs in 1871. He retired from public life in 1879.

In Russia Madame Tchevrikova had written a letter to the Czar, which reflected on the system of government by which the common people were oppressed. Shortly after she was arrested, on March 8, the students of the St. Petersburg University and the Academy of Agriculture demanded the reestablishment of the more liberal regulations of 1863. Five hundred students were imprisoned. In consequence of this affair the University and Technological Institute of St. Petersburg were closed on April 1 by the police. In July imperial edicts were issued throughout Russia against the Jews. They were forbidden to hold land, were directed to reside in towns, and were excluded from certain cities.

In July the first great national election to the new Par liament in Japan and the provincial assemblies was held.

PARTITION OF AFRICA

1890

Nearly eighty-five per cent of eligible voters availed themselves of the franchise. From the very start the Government found itself confronted by a powerful opposition on the floor of the new Parliament. Few of the old party leaders were chosen as standard bearers of the new faction. A new code of civil procedure and the first portion of a new civil code of laws were added to the new criminal code promulgated in the early eighties.

Africa was repartitioned among the European nations. To England was awarded the sultanate of Zanzibar and an extensive strip of territory to the north of the German West African possessions. France was placated by dominion over all the oases of the Sahara, and the northwest portion of the Soudan, extending from her possessions on the west coast as far as Lake Tchad. In return for German concessions Heligoland was ceded to Germany. A few days afterward the German Emperor, attended by his fleet, assumed sovereignty over the island. Meanwhile, in Zanzibar, the Sultan issued a decree by which slavery was practically abolished, and slave trading was made a penal offense. Three months later, on November 7, the British protectorate over Zanzibar was formally proclaimed, and the Union Jack was hoisted, together with the Sultan's flag, over his palace.

At home Englishmen were mourning the death of Cardinal John Henry Newman. That distinguished prelate died on August 13. During the early thirties he took part with Keble, Pusey, and Froude in originating the Oxford movement. He became a leader of the propaganda for High Church doctrines, and contributed largely to the celebrated "Tracts for the Times." The last of these, on the "Elasticity of the Thirty-nine Articles," was censured by the authorities of Oxford, causing Newman's resignation of his livings in 1843. Two years later he joined the Church of Rome, and was ordained a priest. In 1879 he was created a Cardinal.

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