PREFACE. 



THIS volume of the ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA, for the year 1868, presents the 

 complete restoration, as members of the Union, of all the Southern States 

 except three, and the final disappearance of all difficulties between the citizens 

 of those States and the Federal Government. The execution of the recon- 

 struction acts of Congress was commenced near the close of the previous year, 

 elections were held and delegates chosen to conventions in the several States ; 

 these conventions assembled ; constitutions were drafted, discussed, amended 

 and submitted to the people, and adopted. New and important principles, 

 working a radical change in the society of the Southern States, were thus de- 

 clared and enforced. The military rulers, quietly surrendering their authority 

 to the civil officers, withdrew, and the several States thus reorganized again 

 appeared by their representatives in the chambers of Congress and took an 

 active part in its proceedings. In these pages will be found the details of all 

 the steps taken to reach this end, such as the registration acts, and the quali- 

 fications required of voters in order to make the discrimination demanded by 

 Congress ; the orders of the military commanders, the proceedings of the con- 

 ventions, the features of the new constitutions, and their adoption ; the re- 

 organization of the State governments ; the removal of incumbents, and the 

 inauguration of new executive officers ; the assembling of the Legislatures ; 

 the cooperation of the colored men in all these proceedings ; the strifes of fac- 

 tions, and the gradual restoration of order, with the final and complete amnesty 

 proclaimed by the President. 



The details of the internal affairs of the United States comprise the revenue 

 and expenditure of the Government, the change in the nature and extent of its 

 public debt, the fluctuations of its currency, and the receipts from its system 

 of taxation, with its operation upon the industrial interests and prosperity of 

 the people ; the extent of the banking system ; the fruits of agriculture and 

 the activity of commerce ; the proceedings in the Southern States to complete 

 the reorganization of their social affairs ; the various political conventions of 



