Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 40, Number 42, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 January 1908 — THE WEBBY HISTORIAN [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE WEBBY HISTORIAN

1546—Martin Luther preached his farewell sermon at Wittenberg. 1639 —Civil government organized* in u Connecticut with the adoption of what is said to be the first written Constitution known to history. 1666—Louis XIY. of France declared war on England. 1700 —Lemoine d’lberville took possession of the Mississippi in the name of France. 1712—Robert Walpole expelled from the House of Commons and committed, to the Tower. 1751—First colonial assembly of Georgia met. 1766—Pitt advocated in Parliament the repeal of the stamp act. 1777 Vermont declared itself a free and independent State. 1778 France recognized independence of the United States. 1781—Americans defeated the British at battle of Cowpens. 1784—American Congress ratified the treaty with Great Britain. 1789—Charles IV. proclaimed King of Spain. 1797 —Weekly mail service established between the United States and Canada. 1805 —Michigan territory formed from a part of Indiana. 1809 — English defeated the French at battle of Corunna. 1810 — Masked balls prohibited in New •York and Philadelphia.' 1813 — Americans repulsed the British at Frenchtown, on Lake Erie.... John Armstrong of New York became Secretary of War. 1814 — Thanksgiving in Great Britain for successes over Bonaparte.. .Bayonne invested by the British. 1816—The French standards taken at Waterloo deposited in the Chapel Royal, Whitehall. 1826—Phurtpore taken by the British under Lord Combermere. 1840 —Steamboat Lexington burned on Long Island sound, with loss of 141 lives. 1847- —Gov. Bent of New Mexico killed In an uprising of Mexicans. 1852 —New constitution published by Louis Napoleon of France. 1854 —William Walker, the filibuster, proclaimed the republic of Sonora in lower California. 1861 —Lola Montez, adventuress who caused abdication of Louis Charles ,of Bavaria, died in poverty in New 'York. 1871 —United States Supreme Court dedared the legal tender act of 1862 constitutional... .King William of Prussia proclaimed German Emperor. 1875 —President Grant approved the act for resuming specie payments. - 1875 —Steamer City of Columbus wrecked off Gay Head, with loss of 97 lives .... New State capitol a; Des Moines, dedicated. 1885—British force defeated the troops of the Mahdi at battle of Abu Klea. 1891—Parnell presided over meeting of Irish National League in Dublin. 1896—Capture of Coomassies and end of the Ashanti war. 1903 —Several thousand lives lost in earthquake at Andijan, Russian Turkey. 1905—Japanese entered Port Arthur.,.. Fifty-nine lives lost in avalanche at Bergen, Norway.