Under the leadership of Brigham Young the Mormons took up arms and prepared to dispute the entrance of the troops into the Territory. They declared that their settlement and civilization of Utah had given them the sole right to the Territory, and that they owed no allegiance to the United States. Their resistance was so formidable that the force under General Harney was largely increased, and the command was conferred upon Brigadier-General Albert Sidney Johnston, who was considered the most efficient officer in the service. General Johnston joined his troops at Fort Bridger, about one hundred miles from Salt Lake City, in September, 1857. The Mormons in heavy force occupied

the passes leading to the valley of the Great Salt lake. The season was so far advanced at the time of his arrival that General Johnston concluded to pass the winter at Fort Bridger. The Mormons were very active during the winter in cutting off the trains of the federal troops.

It was General Johnston's intention to move upon Salt Lake City immediately upon the opening of the spring, but before that season arrived the matter was settled through the efforts of a Mr. Kane, of Philadelphia. He was sent out to Salt Lake City by the government, and succeeded in inducing the Mormons to lay down their arms and submit. Governor

Cumming and the federal officers then entered Salt Lake City and assumed the offices to which they had been appointed, and a force of federal troops was encamped near the city to render them such assistance as should be found necessary. President Buchanan then issued a proclamation granting a free pardon "to all, for the seditions and treasons by them committed."

In the fall of 1857 the general business of the country was thrown into confusion by a sudden financial panic, which seriously embarrassed all commercial and industrial enterprises and caused general distress. On the 26th of September the banks of Philadelphia suspended specie payments; and their example was followed by the banks of New York on the 13th of October, and by those of Boston on the 14th. The

BRIGHAM YOUNG'S RESIDENCES, SALT LAKE CITY.

failures in the United States for the year ending December 6th, 1857, are said to have reached the enormous aggregate of $291,750,000. The Western States suffered in a marked degree from the effects of this "crisis;" but the south was comparatively unharmed by it. Various causes were assigned for the panic, the principal of which were the large speculations in western lands and a heavy fall in the value of railway stocks. The New York banks resumed specie payments on the 12th of December, 1857; the Boston banks on the 14th of December of that year; and those of Philadelphia in April, 1858. Specie payments were gradually resumed in other parts of the country, but the depression of business continued until during the course of the year 1859.

In 1858 occurred an event second only in importance to the invention of the electric telegraph. For some years it had been believed possible to

connect the shores of Europe with those of America by means of a submarine telegraphic cable across the Atlantic. In 1857 an unsuccessful effort was made by a company of American and English capitalists to accomplish this object. The attempt was renewed in 1858. Two war steamers were furnished for the work of laying the cable-the "Niagara" by the United States, and the "Agamemnon" by Great Britain. The two vessels met in mid ocean, and sailed each to its own country, paying out the cable as they proceeded on their way. On the 5th of August, 1858, the "Niagara" entered Trinity bay, in Newfoundland, and made fast her end of the cable to the shore, and on the same day the "Agamemnon" reached Valentia bay in Ireland, having successfully accomplished her part of the work. The great work was thus ended, and on the 16th of August a message was received through the wires from the queen of Great Britain and Ireland addressed to the president of the United States, who at once returned a suitable reply. Other messages were exchanged between the two continents, and the practicability of the scheme was fully demonstrated. On the first of September the laying of the cable was celebrated with

L'ETOILE

imposing ceremonies in New York, and rejoicings were held in other cities. The hopes aroused by the successful accomplishment of the great enterprise were soon disappointed, for after a short time the wires ceased to work, and no effort could re-establish the communication between the two ends of the line. The feasibility of the undertaking had been practically demonstrated, however, and the determined men who had carried it through to success were convinced that a new effort would be attended with more satisfactory results.

On the 11th of May, 1858, the Territory of Minnesota was admitted into the Union as a State.

In the autumn of 1859 a dispute arose between the United States and Great Britain as to the ownership of the large island of San Juan lying in the strait which separates Vancouver's island from the territory of the United States. General Harney, commanding the American troops in the northwest, took possession of the island. Governor Douglass of British Columbia protested against this occupation, and for a while there was danger that the two parties would come to blows. The general government despatched General Scott to the scene of the controversy, and he succeeded in bringing about an adjustment of the quarrel.

On the 14th of February, 1859, Oregon was admitted into the Union as a State, the Territory of Washington being separated from it.

During the whole of Mr. Buchanan's administration the question of slavery in the Territories continued to engross the attention of the people. The struggle in Kansas went on with increased bitterness. In the summer of 1857 an election was ordered by the legislature of Kansas for delegates to a convention for the purpose of framing a constitution, and care was taken to arrange the matter so that a majority of Pro-slavery delegates should be chosen. For this reason, and others of equal force, the Free Soil men refused to take any part in the election, which consequently resulted in the choice of a Pro-slavery convention. The Free Soil party thereupon issued an address to the people of the United States, relating the wrongs they had suffered, and were still enduring.

Governor Geary now resigned his position, and President Buchanan appointed, as governor of Kansas, Robert J. Walker, a man of great eminence and ability, who was in sentiment opposed to slavery. Mr. Walker sincerely desired to effect a settlement of the quarrel, and succeeded in inducing the Free Soil party to vote at the coming election for members of the territorial legislature and a delegate to Congress. They did so, and a fair election was held, which resulted in the choice of the Free Soil candidates by overwhelming majorities.

In the autumn of 1857 the convention elected, as we have seen, assembled at Lecompton, and framed a State constitution. This instrument contained a clause adopting slavery, and the convention submitted this clause only to the people of the Territory for ratification or rejection at the polls. The remainder of the constitution was withheld from the popular vote. The convention also ordered that all whose votes were challenged at the polls should be required "to take an oath to support the constitution if adopted," before being allowed to deposit their ballot. The Free State men refused to take part in the vote on the ratification of this constitution, and consequently all the votes cast were in favor of it. It was declared adopted, and was sent to Congress for the approval of that body.

The discussion of the Lecompton constitution in Congress was marked by great bitterness. It was supported by the Democratic party and the administration, and was opposed with determination by the Republicans. The latter took the strong ground that the Lecompton constitution was not the work of the people of Kansas, but of a mere faction, and was distasteful to the majority of the citizens of that Territory, who were