796 



VAN BUKEN, MARTIN. 



Sisters under 16 years of age of such deceased 

 persons dependent on the latter, wholly or in 

 part, for support, provided there are no right- 

 ful claimants of either of the three last preced- 

 ing classes. 



No class of persons is provided for by the 

 pension law except the abovenamed five. 



The soldier disabled by sickness is as much 

 entitled to a pension as though he were wound- 

 ed. Pensions will be granted as soon after 

 they are applied for as the necessary proof can 

 be made, and the .necessary examination gone 

 through with, if the claim is properly pre- 

 pared. For other important acts see CONGRESS, 

 U.S. 



A treaty was negotiated with Great Britain 

 and ratified unanimously by the Senate for the 

 suppression of the slave trade. It defined and 

 settled within specified limits the right of 

 search, which had been a fruitful source of 

 vexation between the two countries for many 

 years. A similar treaty for the same object 

 was once negotiated with Great Britain by Mr. 

 John Q. Adams, and confirmed by the Ameri- 

 can Senate with a single amendment, striking 

 out the privilege of search in American waters. 

 This was not acceded to by England, and that 

 treaty failed. Since that time various efforts to 

 adjust the question have been made, but it has 

 remained open one party frequently exercising 

 the right of visit, if not of search, the other re- 

 sisting and complaining of it as an insult and 

 aggression, often threatening serious misunder- 

 standing between the two nations. In the 

 present instance Great Britain accedes to the 

 exception, and also confines the exercise of the 

 search to particular vessels, stated in the treaty. 

 See PUBLIC DOCUMENTS. 



On the 21st of February the first execution 

 under the Federal laws for the suppression of 



the slave trade took place in New York. The 

 victim was Nathaniel Gordon, captain of the 

 slaver Erie. He was a native of the State 

 of Maine. 



During the year diplomatic relations were 

 opened with Hayti and St. Domingo, in com- 

 pliance with an act -of Congress. 



At the close of the year but one sentiment 

 animated the people of the Federal States 

 that was the restoration of the Union and the 

 preservation of the integrity of the country. 

 However much some portions of the citizens 

 might differ from the Administration on minor 

 questions growing out of the existing circum- 

 stances, yet such was the patriotism and the 

 devotion of all to these leading objects, that 

 the treasure expended and the lives sacrificed 

 would be regarded as a drop compared with 

 what would be expended if required to suc- 

 ceed. 



Nothing had, however, taken place up to that 

 time of the year which indicated any such 

 change of views as would allow of an amicable 

 agreement between the people and Government 

 of the Confederate States and Hie people and 

 Government of the Federal States on the great 

 question at issue between them that of negro 

 slavery. To the North no prospect was 

 presented of a close of the war and perma- 

 nent peace, except by so far destroying the 

 Southern people as to make further resistance 

 an impossibility; to the South there was 

 no prospect of achieving their independence 

 through the weariness or exhaustion of the 

 North, nor any inducement voluntarily to re- 

 turn to the Union, arising out of a change 

 of views or a disposition to concession on 

 the part of the Federal Government. The 

 year 1863 began with fiery Mars in the ascen- 

 dant. 



V 



VAN BTTREN, MARTIN, ex-President of the 

 United States, born at Kinderhook, Columbia 

 co., N. Y., Dec. 5, 1782, died at his residence, 

 Lindenwald, in the same town, July 24, 1862. 

 He commenced the study of law at the age of 

 14, was admitted to the bar of Columbia county 

 in 1803, and appointed surrogate of that county 

 in 1808. In 1812, having been for some years 

 prominent as a member of the democratic party, 

 he was elected to the State Senate, where he 

 gave a hearty support to the war with Great 

 Britain. He was elected in 1814 attorney-gen- 

 eral of the State, and in 1816 reflected to the 

 State Senate. In 1818 he effected a new organ- 

 ization of the democratic party of the State, 

 known for many years afterward as the Albany 

 Eegency, in opposition to De Witt Clinton, 

 whom he formerly supported. The next year 

 he was removed from the attorney-generalship. 

 In 1821 he was elected to the United States 



Senate, and the same year was chosen a mem- 

 ber of the State Constitutional Convention. In 

 1827 he was again elected to the Senate, but 

 resigned in 1828 on being chosen governor of 

 New York, after the death of Governor Clin- 

 ton. In March, 1829, he became a member of 

 Gen. Jackson's Cabinet, as Secretary of State, 

 and in April, 1831, was appointed minister to 

 England, and entered upon his duties, but the 

 Senate, in its next session (Dec. 1831), by the 

 casting vote of John C. Calhoun, then Vice- 

 President, rejected his nomination ; he returned 

 in 1832, and was elected the same year Vice- 

 President. In 1836 he was chosen President 

 by a large' majority over Gen. Harrison. 

 The period of his administration was one of 

 great financial embarrassment to the country, 

 the great commercial crisis of 1837 occurring 

 at its very commencement. The passage of 

 the Independent Treasury Bill, which he strong- 



