Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 36, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 April 1904 — THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE WEEKLY HISTORIAN

One Hundred Years Ago. The Empress Josephine left France for Rome, causing a renewal of the rumors that Napoleon intended to divorce her. The port of Charleston, S. C.. was blockaded by a French cruiser, which, in its efforts to capture British ships, stopped vessels of every nationality. Russia issued a circular letter to foreign ministers announcing that the harbor of Sevastopol would be appropriated for the exclusive use of Russian warships. All the territory ceded to the United States by the State of Georgia, north of Mississippi territory and south of Tennessee, was annexed to Mississippi by act of Congress. Seventy-five Years Ago. A great fire oesurred at Augusta, Ga., in which more than 300 buildings were destroyed. v:_ Bolivia started an army of 30,000 men for an invasion of the republic of Peru. Scientists in Paris were- excited over the inventiou of a horizontal thermometer. Baron Humboldt, the celebrated traveler and philosopher, was completing his preparations to leave Germany for an exploration of Siberia. The Russian army of 400,000 crossed the Danube bound for Constantinople. Fifty Years Ago. The combined force of Americans and English, 300 in number, attacked the Chinese imperial army at Shanghai, routed 10,000 of them, and burned their forts. Capt. Adams left Japan with a new treaty of commerce and friendship with the United States. In a bloody battle with Apaches in the Embuda mountains in New Mexico sixty American soldiers under Lieut. Davidson were defeated and twenty-one killed and scalped. A new passport law was put In operation in the republic of Mexico against the protest of the representative* of the' United States. Forty Years Ago. Charles F. Anderson, a New York architect, was awarded $75,000 for his plans for the national capital dome and extension. An Idaho territory ‘vigilance’’ committee hanged eleven men at Virginia, five at Big Hole, one at Deer Lodge and seven at Brier Rat, most pf the victims being charged with murder. The Indiana militia, numbering 20,000, was ordered by Gov. Morton to prepar* for a threatened Confederate uprising in the State. The Wisconsin State Senate indulged In a fierce debate over a bill allowing railroads to haul cordwood. President Lincoln ordered the transfer of 1,000 negroes from the army to the navy, where they were to be trained as seaman. Thirty Years Ago. Henri Rochefort escaped from tha French penal colony in New Caledonia, where he had been sent for a political offense. Spanish men-of-war in Havana harbor were cleared for action because of a threatened revolutionist outbreak. “Free silver;” or currency inflation, was debated in the United States Senate on motion of Morrill (Vermont) to limit the fractional currency to $40,000,000. A mass meeting was held in New York to urge the adoption of cremation throughout the United States, the speeches declaring it “discreditable” to the earth's surface to use it as a graveyank The Roman Catholic archbishop of Bologne was arrested by the German government for an alleged violation of the ecclesiastical laws. Twenty Years Ago. Business was suspended in the House at Washington to welcome Gen. U. S. Grant, who was escorted into the chamber on crutches by Speaker Randall. Gen. “Chinese” Gordon’s position at Khartum was reported as desperate, entire command of the Nile from that city to Shcndy being in El Mahdi’s possession. The French government announced that it would invade to enforce its demand for indemnity. The bill for the redemption of the ~-jnj ’fnpu.w inanior) ’japjjs Jiudsn :un famous silver trade dolliif was passed by the House at Washingtoh after -an acrimonious debate on free silver. A filibustering Expedition against Cuba began fitting out at Key West, Fla. A battle was fought in the streets of Cincinnati, Ohio, between militia and rioters, wlio were armed with cannon. Ten Years Ago. <- The British commons adopted a resolution for the establishment of a legislature in Scotland. The Bland seigniorage bill for the creation of “fiat” money was killed in the House at Washington. The funeral of Lonis Kossuth, the Hungarian patriot, wae held at Bud*Pesth. Coxey’s “army” entered- the State of Pennsylvania at East Palestine. Eighteen persons were killed i> aa Ia» Man outbreak in Oklahoma.