What in the United States from "A History of the Nineteenth Century Year by Year" by Edwin Emerson, Jr., edited by C.A. Venturi

In January, the Territorial Commission of Kansas ordered a popular vote on calling another Constitutional Convention, which resulted in a popular majority of 3,881 votes in March. The new State Convention framed an antislavery Constitution, while restricting the suffrage to white male persons,

Daniel Webster had scornfully scouted a suggestion that New Mexico might be given to slavery. Yet the suggestion that the treaty with Mexico might "re-enact the laws of God" had scarcely died out, when that Territory proceeded to do the very thing which Webster had regarded as inconceivable.

The Territory of Oregon was admitted as a State. Gold was now found in Oregon. In August, oil was struck at Titusville, Pennsylvania, at a depth of 71 feet. It was the first American oil-well. A less welcome discovery was that of the potato beetle. Appearing in swarms in Colorado, the insects made their way eastward through Nebraska, Iowa, Illinois and Ohio to the Northeastern States in spite of all private and public precautions.

Louis Napoleon, who vies with his great uncle in his appreciation and public recognition of scientific achievements, had the French Government present Morse with an award of 80,000 francs for introducing the telegraph.

Adelina Patti, the singer, who made her debut in Santiago de Cuba, appeared for at Castle Garden in New York and took Americans by storm.

Rufus Choate died at the age of 36 on July 18, at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He quickly placed himself in the front rank and became the leader of the Massachusetts bar. In 1841, he was elected to fill the vacancy left by Daniel Webster. His speeches on the Oregon question, the tariff, the annexation of Texas gave him a national reputation as an orator and statesman. Upon Webster's re-election in 1845, he returned to the law. He was one of the foremost American advocates of his time.

Washington Irving, the American essayist and romancer, died, at the age of seventy-six, near Tarrytown. The spirit of American tales of folk-lore was infused by Irving in his charming stories "Rip Van Winkle" and "A Legend of Sleepy Hollow-" With Paulding he engaged in a serial publication entitled "Salmagundi." It was filled with clever satire upon the foibles of the day. and gave rise to the whimsical burlesque, "History of New York." His last and most elaborate work was his "Life of Washington.". He was the first of the line of literary diplomats, including Cooper, Poe and Emerson. Thus Thackeray toasted Irving as "The first Ambassador from the New World of letters sent to the Old."

Hinton R. Helper had written a book: "The Impending Crisis in the South-How to Meet it," Representative Clark of Missouri proposed a resolution asserting "that no member of the House who has, recommended it is fit to be Speaker of this House." The book had been indorsed in a circular signed by two-thirds of the Republican members of the preceding Congress. A fierce debate on this matter went on for several days, simultaneously with the discussion in the Senate on the John Brown affair.

On the night of October 16, John Brown entered Harper's Ferry with twenty-one armed followers. His avowed object was to incite an insurrection of slaves. Brown's party seized the United States Arsenal, and kidnapped several prominent residents. Not a negro rose at their summons. Under orders, Colonel Robert E. Lee, with a battalion of soldiers arrived. Meanwhile Brown, with his hostages, had barricaded himself in a stone fireengine house. During the night the marines surrounded the building. At daylight, Colonel Lee sent Lieutenant Stuart to demand their surrender. Brown refused to capitulate, but asked for an opportunity to fight in the open.

Colonel Lee gave the order to storm the arsenal yard. The incident created intense excitement throughout America. With six of his companions he was hanged on December 2, at Charlestown. The manner of his death caused Brown to be regarded as a martyr by those who sympathized with his aspirations, whereas, in the South, the raid was regarded as the work of a deliberate conspiracy of certain abolitionist leaders of Boston.

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