Alert, The, convention between Nicaragua and Costa Rica signed on, X, 100. (See also Greely, A. W.) Aleutian Islands.- A chain of about 150 islands extending from the western extremity of Alaska to near the continent of Asia. The area is about 6,000 square miles. The inhabitants, a half-civilized and declining race, about two thousand in number, are variously regarded as of Asiatic or American origin. Their trade is chiefly in fish and furs. The islands belong principally to the United States by reason of the acquisition of Alaska. They were discovered by the Russians about the middle of the eighteenth Act incorporating church in, vetoed, I, 489. Blockade of port of, removed by proclamation, VI, 170. British retreat from, I, 547. Property in, destroyed by British forces, I, 545, 547. Alexandria County, D. C.: Court-house in, unsafe and new one recommended, III, 404. Jail erected in, II, 364. Retrocession of, to Virginia by proclamation, Alfonso XII, The, mentioned, X, 53. Alger, R. A., thanks of President tendered Algeria. A country on the north coast of Africa, about 154.000 miles in area and containing a population of about 4,774,042. The chief native people are Berbers and Arabs. Its capital and principal city is Algiers. It comprises the ancient country of Numidia and a portion of Mauritania. For many centuries it was a nest of corsairs, who haunted the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean as far as the North Sea, preying upon the commerce of all nations which refused to pay them tribute. To pay this tribute was deemed wiser by many European powers than to wage war against them. Following the examples of other nations, the United States signed a treaty in 1795 agree. ing to pay the Dey $1,000,000 for the ransom of American captives and promising an annual tribute (I, 123, 182). Algeria made war against the United States in 1815. Commodore Decatur, with 10 vessels, sailed against the Dey and met with such success that he was enabled to exact indemnity from the Dey himself, and also a treaty renouncing all claim to tribute, presents, or ransom, and a promise not to reduce prisoners of war to slavery (I, 562). France has since reduced Algeria to the dominion of her Government, organizing it as a colonial possession in 1834, of which it is now the most important. The chief resource of the country is agriculture. Since 1870 there have been a number of extended revolts; and in recent years the country has suffered from serious anti-Jewish agitations. Algeria : Consuls of United States in, I, 177, 392, 521. Change in pay of, III, 99. Powers of, should be increased, I, 248. Declaration of war against, recommended, Hostile attitude of, toward United States, I, Imprisonment of American citizens in, I, 88, Payment of, 1, 337. War with United States. (See Algerine Algerine War (see also Algeria): Declaration of war by Congress recom. mended, I, 554 Dey of Algiers commences war against Information of amicable settlement, I, 440 Threatened by Algiers, I, 575. Treaty of peace concluded, I, 569; II, 110. Algonquin Indians.-A tribe of the Algonquian stock of Indians. At the time of the advent of white settlers into America the Algonquian linguistic division occupied by far the largest area of any of the Indian nations. The name means "those on the other side of the river"-that is, the river St. Lawrence. They were spread over the territory from Labrador to the Rocky Mountains and from Hudsons Bay to Pamlico Sound. Though this territory was not exclusively peopled by Algonquian Indians, some of their tribes had wandered to the west and south through hostile nations and established their family beyond the limits of the present stock. The Cheyennes and Arapahoes had strayed westward to the Black Hills and finally into Colorado, and the Shawnees had penetrated into South Carolina and Tennessee. There were hundreds of divisions of these Indians into tribes and confederacies, the principal of which were the Abnaki, Illinois. Pennacook, Powhatan, and Siksika confederacies and the Cheyenne, Arapaho, Sac, Fox, Conoy, Cree, Delaware, Kickapoo, Mahican, Massachuset, Menominee, Miami, Micmac, Misisaga, Mohegan, Montagnais, Montauk, Munsee, Nanticoke, Narraganset, Nauset, Nipmuc, Ojibwa, Ottawa, Pamlico, Pequot, Piankishaw, Pottawotomi, Shawano, Wampanoag, Wappinger, and Algonquin tribes. The latter tribe, from which the stock takes its name, occupied the basin of the St. Lawrence and its northern tributaries in Canada. They allied themselves with the French in the early wars. About 5,000 of this tribe are now located in the Provinces of Quebec and Ontario. The Algonquian stock numbers about 95,000 at this time, of whom some 60,000 are in Canada and the remainder in the United States. Alien and Sedition Laws.-Two important acts of Congress passed by the Federalists in 1798. Their importance consists not so much in their essential character and the fact that they largely caused the downfall of the Federalist party as in their position in American history as a landmark beyond which it is unsafe for the law-making power to go. During the French Revolution American feeling was high and bitter. Many public speakers and writers openly advocated intervention by the United States in favor of the one side or the other, denounced the neutral attitude of the Government as cowardly and ungrateful, and heaped invectives upon the Administration. The fact that many of the newspapers in which the Government was so bitterly assailed were in the hands of foreigners had much to do with the passage of the alien act. This law authorized the President to order out of this country all such aliens as he might judge to be dangerous to the peace and safety of the United States or engaged in plotting against them. The sedition act provided heavy fines and imprisonment for any person who should conspire to oppose the United States Government or laws, or who should print or publish any false, scandalous or malicious writings against the Government, Congress, or the President intended to bring disrepute or hatred upon them or to stir up sedition. These laws were regarded by the Republican party of that day as unconstitutional and were denounced by the Kentucky and Virginia resolutions as subversive of the liberty of speech and the press. They expired in 1800 and 1801 respectively. (See also Kentucky and Virginia Resolutions.) Alien Contract Law, amendment of, recommended, X, 123, 230. Alien Laborers discussed IX, 633. Aliens in United States (See also Naturalized Citizens): Abduction of foreigners claiming protection of United States should be made a crime, V, 12. Allegiance of, to Government discussed and orders regarding, VI, 117. Claims of, court to try, recommended, VII, 237, 289, 343, 406. Liability of, to perform military duty- Proclaimed, VI, 168. Number of, employed in Executive Departments, report on, transmitted, IX, 670. Offenses against treaty rights of, should be cognizable in Federal courts, IX, 183. Allabach, Nancy G., act granting pension to, vetoed, IX, 671. Allatoona (Ga.), Battle of.-In the hope of drawing Gen. Sherman's army out of Georgia, the Confederates, 36,000 strong, under Gen. Hood, threatened his railroad communications with Nashville. Oct. 5, 1864, a division of Hood's infantry appeared before Allatoona Pass, where were stored about 1,500,000 rations. The post was held by Col. Tourtelotte, who was reenforced by Gen. Corse, thus increasing the Union force to 1.944 men. The attack was made on the 6th. The conflict lasted from 8. 30 a. m. until night, when the Confederates withdrew, leaving 231 dead and 411 prisoners. Corse lost 707 men and was himself wounded. Hood crossed the Coosa Oct. 10, and Sher man's army followed him to Gaylesville by way of Rome, and then returned to Atlanta. Allegiance. According to Blackstone, allegiance is "less the tie which binds the subject to the sovereign in return for that protection which the sovereign affords the subject." Natural or implied allegiance is that obligation which one owes to the nation of which he is a natural-born citizen or subject so long as he remains such, and it does not arise from any express promise. Express allegiance is that obligation which arises from an expressed oath or promise. Local allegiance is that obedience and temporary aid due by an alien to the State or community in which he resides. Local allegiance is temporary and expires with residence. Allegiance, Oath of, army officers directed to subscribe anew, VI, 18. Allen, Andrew H., member of Board on Geographic Names, IX, 212. Allen, Ira, claims of heir of, against Great Britain, III, 49. Allen, Walter, member of Ponca Indian Commission, VII, 630. Allentown, Pa., act for erection of public building at, vetoed, VIII, 658. Allianca, The, firing upon, by Spanish vessel disavowed by Spain, discussed, IX, 636. Allotment of Lands. (See Lands, Indian.) Almirante Oquendo, The, mentioned, X, 92. Almodóvar, Duke of, communication from, regarding Spanish-American peace negotiations, X, 95. Alta Vela Island, claim of citizens of United States to guano on, VI, 629. Altamaha River, canal from Tennessee River to, referred to, II, 464. Alvarez, Manuel, acting governor of New Mexico, V, 75. Alvord, H. J., treaty with Indians concluded by, VI, 259. Amazon River: Explorations of, by officers of Navy, V, 176, 188, 229; VII, 497. Appropriation for, recommended,VII, 247. Free navigation of, desired, V, 211. Attempts to secure, unsuccessful, V, 280. Opened to commerce, VI, 578. Ambassador.-This term was long erroneously used in reference to our envoys to foreign countries. The United States did not appoint diplomatic representatives of higher rank than envoy or minister until the year 1893, when by act of Mar. 3 of that year the higher grade was established. Thomas F. Bayard was raised to the rank of ambassador to Great Britain, being the first to hold that rank. Later, ambassadors were duly accredited to France, Italy, Germany, Russia, Mexico, Japan and Austria-Hungary (IX, 442; X, 110). In ancient times ambassadors were appointed on special occasions. Mediæval republics, like Venice, both received and sent ambassadors. Ambassadors (see also Ministers): Great Britain, France, Italy, and Germany Russia to grade of, and like action of Official residences for, recommended, IX, 640, 723. Ambristie [Ambrister] and Arbuthnot, Colonial governments not responsible for un- Inquired into, II, 51. Taken by Gen. Matthews, I, 507. Unlawful expeditions to, discussed, II, 13, 21, 23, 32, 40, 51. Amen, Samuel D., mentioned, X, 800. Amendments.-One of the chief defects of the original Articles of Confederation was that they could only be amended by the unanimous consent of the thirteen States. Three needful changes having failed of ratification, a convention was called in 1787 to consider amendments. The result of the deliberations of this convention is the present Constitution, which provides for amendments in the following words: "The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose amendments to this Constitution, or, on the application of the legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a convention for proposing amendments, which in either case shall be valid, to all intents and purposes, as part of this Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of three fourths of the several States or by conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other mode of ratification may be proposed by the Congress; provided," etc. (Article V: I, 31.) Many amendments to the Constitution have been proposed, but only 15 have been ratified. They relate to (1) freedom of speech, the press, and religion (1, 34); (2) right to establish State militia (1, 34); (3) quartering of troops in private houses (1, 35); (4) security against unreasonable search and seizure (I, 35); (5) capital crime (I, 35); (6) criminal prosecutions (I, 35); (7) trial by jury under common law (I, 35); (8) forbidding excessive bail or fines and cruel and unusual punishment(1,36); (9) relation of constitutional to natural rights (I, 36); (10) powers reserved to the States (1, 36); (11) suits of nonresidents against States in Federal courts (I, 36); (12) election of President and Vice-President (I, 36); (13) slavery (I, 37); (14 and 15) abridgment of the franchise, etc., by States (I, 37, 38). The first 10 of the amendments were submitted to the several State legislatures by a resolution of Congress which passed on Sept. 25, 1789, at the first session of the First Congress, and were ratified by a sufficient number of States on or before Dec. 15, 1791. The eleventh amendment was declared adopted Jan. 8, 1798; the twelfth Sept. 25, 1804; the thirteenth Dec. 18, 1865; the fourteenth July 28, 1868, and the fifteenth Mar. 30, 1870. Amendments. (See Constitution.) America. The entire Western Continent or grand division of the world, including North, Central, and South America and the adjacent islands. It was named in honor of Amerigo Vespucci, an early explorer, whose accounts of the country received wide publicity. It was visited by Norse navigators as early as about 1000 A.D., and there are myths of Chi nese and Irish discoveries, but it was not until after its discovery by Columbus in 1492 that it became generally known to Europeans. In a treatise on the new country published in 1507,called Cosmographiæ Introductio, by Waldseemüller, a teacher of ge ography in the college of St. Dié in the Vosges, the name of America was proposed. On the north the country includes the unexplored regions of the Arctic Ocean, and extending south all the land between the Atlantic and Pacific. The northern portion of America consists of a central basin divided by a watershed and marked by Hudsons Bay and its feeders on the north and drained by the Mississippi, Missouri, and Ohio rivers and their tributaries flowing into the Gulf of Mexico on the south. This great basin is separated from the ocean on each side by ranges of mountains in the general form of the let ter V, having the Rocky Mountains for one arm and the Appalachian system for the other, the latter being shortened by the depression of the St. Lawrence River, which runs transversely to the general course of other rivers of the great basin. In South America the Andes-a continuation of the Rocky Mountain system-skirts the Pacific coast, and the general course of the rivers is to the southeast, except those north of the valley of the Amazon, which run north to the Caribbean Sea, an arm of the Gulf of Mexico. All America, from the frigid zone of the north through the torrid Tropics to the icy extreme of the south, is rich in either mineral or vegetable products or the flesh and furs of native animals. The original inhabitants of the country, called Indians (q. v.), have now almost entirely disappeared in most regions before the advance of the Caucasian race. The several political divisions of America are treated under separate headings. America, Four Hundredth Anniversary of Celebration of. (See Madrid, Spain; World's Observance of, enjoined by proclamation, America, Russian. (See Alaska.) Aid furnished Cubans by, discussed, X, 59, 83 Work accomplished by, in Spanish-American War, discussed, X, 95. American Nations, Congress of. (See Panama, Isthmus of.) American Protective Association.-While disclaiming to be a political party, this association, popularly known as the A. P. A., has influenced results in many localities. Its principles, as set forth in a platform adopted at Des Moines, Iowa, in 1894, are (1) protec tion of our nonsectarian free public-school system; (2) no public funds or property to be used for sectarian purposes; (3) preserving and maintaining the Constitution and Government of the United States; (4) restriction of immigration, and (5) extension of time required for naturalization. The association was organized in 1887, and soon had well-attended councils in nearly every State of the Union. American Republics, Bureau of the International Union of.-A bureau established upon the recommendation of the Pan-American Conference of October, 1889, for the American Republics, Bureau of the International Union of-Continued. prompt collection and distribution of information concerning the American Republics. Its first report was transmitted to Congress in 1891 (IX, 212). In 1902 it was reorganized and placed under the control of a governing board composed of the diplomatic representatives of the American republics, at Washington, with the Secretary of State of the United States as chairman. The Bureau publishes a Monthly Bulletin and answers questions concerning the American republics and their commercial conditions. The Bureau also established in 1902 a Latin American Library to be known as The Columbus Memorial Library. The Bureau is supported by the several republics composing it, according to their population. The information supplied by the Bureau is of much commercial value. (See also International American Conference.) American Republics, Bureau of: Bulletins of, transmitted, IX, 243, 350. Report of, transmitted, IX, 212, 334, 475, 569, 667, 751; X, 124. American Seamen. (See Seamen, American.) American Society of Mechanical Engineers, memorial of, relating to Ericsson transmitted, IX, 130. American System.-In his annual message, December, 1848, President Polk discussed what its authors and advocates called the "American system " (IV, 654). He insisted that this so-called system was founded on a departure from the earliest policy of the Government; that it depended on an enlargement of the powers of the Federal Government by construction and was not warranted by a just interpretation of the Constitution. One branch of the new system, it was claimed, was the establishment of a large national bank. The next branch was a high protective tariff, levied not to raise the revenue needed, but for protection merely; the next was a comprehensive scheme of internal improvements, and finally a plan for the distribution of the proceeds of the sales of the public lands among the States. But the term "American system," as most generally understood, is used to denote the policy of protection to home industries by means of high duties on imports. The term was probably first used by Henry Clay in the debates which preceded the enactment of the tariff law of 1824, when he called his plan of protective duties and internal improvements the "American system." American System discussed by President Polk, IV, 654. American Wood Preserving Co., purchase of machinery from, referred to, VIII, 89. Americanism, President Roosevelt defines, X, 823. Ames, Fisher: Commissioner to treat with Indians, nomination of, I, 260. On committee to conduct inaugural ceremony of President Washington, I, 47. Amin Bey, visit of, to United States referred to, V, 119. Amistad Case.-The case of the United States against the Spanish vessel Amistad. A cargo of kidnapped Africans, who had been landed near Havana, Cuba, by a Portuguese slaver, was shortly afterwards placed aboard the Spanish vessel Amistad for shipment to Puerto Principe. On the voyage the negroes took possession of the vessel and ordered the crew to return to Africa; but the sailors brought her into American waters, where, off the coast of Long Island, she was captured by a United States war vessel and carried into New London, Conn., Aug. 29, 1839. On a libel for salvage the Supreme Court of the United States held on appeal that the negroes, having been kidnapped from a foreign country, were free men, and not bound by treaties with Spain. Amistad, The: Appropriations for claimants in case of, rec- Reference to, IV, 275; V, 641. Release of, demanded by Spanish minister, Salvage due on, referred to, IV, 232. Ammunition. (See Arms and Ammunition.) Amnesty.-An act of pardon for political offenses. The effect of it is that the crimes and offenses against the State specified in the act are so obliterated that they can never again be charged against the guilty parties. When amnesty is proclaimed without restriction as to persons or localities it is called absolute. Numerous instances of qualified amnesty are found in ancient and modern history. When Thrasybulus overthrew the oligarchy at Athens he proclaimed an amnesty, excepting 30 tyrants and a few of their followers. President Lincoln's first amnesty proclamation excepted all officers or agents of the Confederate government, all army officers above the rank of colonel, all naval officers above the rank of lieutenant, all persons who left the service of the United States to participate in the insurrection, and all those who had resigned from the military or naval service and afterwards participated in rebellion; also all those who had treated colored persons or those in charge of them otherwise than as prisoners of war (VI, 213). Dec. 25, 1868, President Johnson proclaimed absolute amnesty (VI, 708). Amnesty (see also Pardons): Proclamation of President Lincoln, VI, 213. Discussed, VI, 189, 254. Persons entitled to benefits of, defined, VI, 218. Referred to, VI, 310. Proclamation of President Roosevelt, X, 496. Proclamations of President Johnson, VI, 310, 547, 655, 708. Authority for, discussed, VI, 697. Persons worth more than $20,000 to whom Referred to, VI, 461, 471, 524, 581. Recommendations of President Grant regarding, VII, 153, 255. Amphion, H. B. M. S., protects American interests, X, 587. Amphitrite, The, mentioned, X, 93. Accounts of bankers of United States in, rendered, I, 121. Loan contracted by United States with, I, 128. Anadarko, Okla., referred to, X, 489. Anarchy, legislation for suppressing, recommended, X, 419, 420. Anatolia College, partial destruction of, by mob in Turkey, and indemnity paid for, discussed, IX, 440. Anderson, Edward C., lieutenant in Navy, resignation of, referred to, V, 74, 76. Anderson, John H., appointed to Civil Service, X, 633. Anderson, Mary, act granting pension to, vetoed, VIII, 445. Anderson, Richard C., minister to Panama, nomination of, II, 320. Anderson, Robert: Commander of forts in Charleston Harbor, Dispatches of, while in command of Fort 18. Flag over Fort Sumter at evacuation of, to be raised on ruins of, by, VI, 283. Anderson, Sarah C., act granting pension to, vetoed, VIII, 712. Anderson, Willis, proclamation offering reward for, II, 377. Anderson Case.-A negro named Anderson was found wandering around the plantation of Seneca Diggs, in Missouri. He had no pass, and was arrested by Mr. Diggs as a fugitive slave. The negro plunged a knife into his captor's heart and made his escape to Canada. Upon demand he was surrendered to the Government of the United States under the extradition treaty. He was tried, but was discharged on a technical point. Anderson Case referred to, V, 668. Andrews, T. P., treaty with Indians concluded by, IV, 454. Anduaga, Don Joaquin de, letter of, regarding insults offered Spanish officers by Gen. Jackson, II, 140. Austria, VIII, 331. Belgium, IX, 524; X, 100. France, VIII, 106, 171, 202, 331, 609; IX, 110. Germany, VIII, 171, 202, 331; IX, 525, 629; X, 105. Great Britain, VII, 567; IX, 329, 746. Correspondence regarding, referred to, VIII, 394. Decrees of France regarding, IX, 82. Germany, France, Belgium, and Den- Annals of Congress.-A record of the debates and proceedings of Congress from the commencement of the First Congress, Mar. 4, 1789, to the close of the first session of the Eighteenth Congress, May 27, 1824. The Annals also contain many valuable state papers, public documents, laws, and much correspondence. (See Congressional Globe; Congressional Record; Register of Debates.) Annapolis, The, mentioned, X, 93. Annapolis, Md.: Act for erection of public building at, reasons for applying pocket veto to, VIII, 486. Naval Academy at. (See Naval Academy.) Annexation. After the adoption of the Federal Constitution the individual States ceded to the United States all territory west of the lines they established as their western boundaries. In the original charters this territory extended nominally to the Pacific Ocean, but really only to the Mississippi River, for Louisiana and Florida were Spanish possessions. In 1800 Louisiana was retroceded by Spain to France, and was acquired by the United States from the latter Apr. 30, 1803, by payment of $15,000,000. The territory embraced all of the present State of Louisiana lying west of the Mississ ippi River, together with New Orleans and the adjacent district east; Arkansas, Missouri, lowa, a portion of Idaho and Minnesota, all of the Dakotas, most of Kansas, all of Nebraska and Indian Territory, part of Colorado, most of Wyoming, and the whole of Montana, and contained 1,171,931 sq. miles. Feb. 22, 1819, Florida was ceded to the United States by Spain for $5,000,000. Texas, which had for 9 years existed as an independent Republic, was added to the United States as a State Dec. 29, 1845. As a result of the Mexican War and the payment of $18,250,000 to Mexico and $10,000,000 to Texas, territory including what are now California and Utah and portions of New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, and Colorado was added, and later the southern parts of Arizona and New Mexico were by the Gadsden treaty purchased from Mexico. Alaska was acquired in 1867 by purchase, the price being $7,200,000, and Hawaii in 1898 by treaty. By the Treaty of Paris, between the United States and Spain at the close of the Spanish-American War, December 10, 1898, the Philippine Islands; Guam, of the Ladrone Islands, Puerto Rico, and the Isle of Pines were ceded to the United States. Tutuila, Tau, Onesinga and Ofu, of the Samoan group, were acquired in 1899 by treaty with Great Britain and Germany. Wake and other small islands in the |