26 



ARGENTINE REPUBLIC. 



only point of amendment intended was to 

 give the permission to Congress to levy duties 

 on exports. This has been done heretofore, 

 but the period has expired within which the 

 constitution permitted it. The vote stood 22 

 to 19. All the provinces were represented in 

 proportion to their representation in Congress. 

 Among other reforms aimed at is a reorganiza- 

 tion . of the common-school system. A com- 

 mission was, in 1806, engaged in examining the 

 various systems in the world, with reference to 

 thorough and radical reforms. It was regarded 

 as likely that the school system of the United 

 States would be adopted. 



The estimate for the wool-clip for the year 

 1866 is one hundred millions of pounds. The 

 export duty on wool, hides, bones, tallow, etc., 

 produces about three millions of silver dollars 

 per annum. This tax is designed chiefly to pay 

 interest and for the reduction of the public debt. 

 As the amount of exports doubles every four 

 years, this export duty must soon lift the na- 

 tion out of debt. 



The government imitated the policy of that 

 of the United States in issuing treasury notes, 

 bearing interest, for payment of government 

 dues, and to be received in payment of custom- 

 house duties. They represent silver dollars, 

 and are of the denominations of $5, $10, $20, 

 $50, and $100. 



Immigration for 1865 to the Argentine Con- 

 federation foots up to two thousand five hun- 

 dred and forty. This does not include those 

 who came by steamer, neither does it except 

 those who left the country for foreign parts, 

 of whom there have been many. The greatest 

 progress immigration has made is in the province 

 of Santa Fe, where the first colonial settle- 

 ments began ten years, ago, and where now 

 over five hundred and fifty foreigr families are 

 settled. In the Gran-Chaco a Caliiornia colony 

 has been established, which is doing very well, 

 and already has a great many acres in grain. 

 The Argentine Government look upon this col- 

 ony as one of great hope and promise. 



In consequence of the foreign immigration, 

 Protestant churches and schools are being 

 established in a number of places. The most 

 numerous Protestant body in the country is the 

 Protestant Episcopal Church. From the latest 

 report of the superintendent of the Methodist 

 mission, Rev. Dr. Goodfellow, dated October 

 10, 1866, we gather the following intelligence: 

 In the city of Buenos Ayres the Methodist con- 

 gregation has 92 members, 44 probationers ; 

 total, 136; 90 scholars in Sunday-school, and 

 19 officers and teachers. In Buenos Ayres cir- 

 cuit there are 6 regular preaching-places, and 1 

 occasional, with 11 members and 9 probation- 

 ers. In Rosario the Sunday school has about 20 

 scholars, and the day school 40. The settlement 

 of Californians on the border of the Indian terri- 

 tory would soon be visited by a missionary. Es- 

 peranza has a Protestant population of 500 souls, 

 mostly Germans. The government has agreed 

 to aid the Protestant school with $25 Bolivian 



ARKANSAS. 



currency per month, about $20 silver. San 

 Carlos has about 300 Protestant persons, and 

 the Methodist mission has a church, school, and 

 parsonage. In Villa de Urquiza there are about 

 200 Protestants, mostly German, with a school 

 taught by the Methodist missionary. In Cor- 

 dova a Sunday-school has been established. 



ARKANSAS. The government of the State 

 of Arkansas continued during the year as it 

 had been organized in 1864, with the exception 

 of the resignation of the Lieutenant-Governor. 

 An election was held, on the first Monday of 

 August, for the choice of an Auditor, Treasurer, 

 Supreme Court Judges, and members of the 

 Legislature. The total vote given for Auditor 

 was 34,407, which was divided among three 

 candidates as follows: Miller, Union, 15,241; 

 Fagan, Union, 12,690; Berry, Republican, 6,476. 



Cunningham was chosen Treasurer; and 



Clendenin and Walker, Judges of the Su- 

 preme Court. Twenty-five Union members 

 were chosen to the Senate, and seventy-nine 

 members to the House, of whom five were Re- 

 publicans. All persons' were allowed to vote 

 who were free white male citizens of the United 

 States, and had attained the age of twenty- 

 one years, and had been citizens of the State 

 during the last previous six months, without 

 taking a test oath or any other preliminary oath 

 whatever. The Legislature had attempted to 

 require a test oath to be taken by all voters in 

 the State, as a prerequisite to their right to ex- 

 ercise the elective franchise Under this au- 

 thority Governor Murphy in his first proclama- 

 tions stated that no one could be allowed to 

 vote until he had taken the oath. But in De- 

 cember, 1865, the Supreme Court of the State 

 declared the law to be unconstitutional, and all 

 oaths were abo.ndoned. 



The Legislature assembled at Little Rock, on 

 November 5th. It was the first session, in 

 which all parts of the State were represented, 

 that had been held since the reorganization in 

 1804. Its acts were confined almost entirely to 

 local interests. It accepted the lands donated 

 by Congress for agricultural colleges ; located 

 an institution for the blind at Arkadelphia, 

 with an appropriation for its support; and pre- 

 vious to its recess, near the close of the year, 

 inaugurated measures for the remission of taxes 

 for the years from 1861 to 1865; to rebuild the 

 court-houses and jails burned down; to repeal 

 the stay law ; to define the rights of persons of 

 color ; to provide for the support of wounded 

 and disabled soldiers, and the indigent children 

 of deceased soldiers, whether in the Northern 

 or Southern service ; to provide for the payment 

 of debts in instalments ; to bestow civil rights 

 on mulattoes and negroes, except the right of 

 intermarrying with whites, of voting, serving 

 on juries, mingling in public schools with whites, 

 and doing militia duty; to regulate the labor 

 system ; to encourage immigration, "etc., etc. In 

 thellouse, on November 16th, a resolution was 

 offered, setting forth that President Johnson 

 was entitled to and would receive the support 



