272 



FOLSOM, GEORGE. 



in the State, would be a local convenience, 

 and a relief to the treasury ; hut it should be 

 well guarded, and under such restrictions as 

 will preclude fraud and corruption." 



Much time was lost in inaugurating the new 

 system of common schools ; but, during the 

 latter half of 1869, the people became much 

 interested in the subject, and more than two 

 hundred schools were organized, and about 

 seven thousand pupils admitted. Valuable 

 aid has been received from the Freedmen's 

 Bureau at Washington, which has built many 

 fine school-houses, and furnished many com- 

 petent teachers. 



At the close of the year there were ninety- 

 four convicts in the Penitentiary. The Board 

 of Public Institutions have contracted for the 

 labor of about fifty of these for three years at 

 a price deemed advantageous. The organiza- 

 tion of the Penitentiary, as a military institu- 

 tion, is reported to be an unwise system, as 

 it requires a heavy guard, and escape is com- 

 paratively easy; and it is recommended that 

 cells and proper safeguards be introduced, in 

 order to make the institution self-sustaining, 

 and secure the confinement of criminals. 



As there are many good citizens who are of 

 opinion that the further disfranchisement of 

 those who participated in the rebellion is un- 

 necessary, Governor Reed has recommended 

 to the Legislature that " Congress be asked to 

 pass a bill relieving all citizens of this State 

 from disability on account of participation in 

 the rebellion, upon their filing with the Secre- 

 tary of State an application for such relief." 



FOLSOM, GEORGE, a diplomatist, antiqua- 

 rian, and author, born in Kennebunk, Me., 

 May 23, 1802 ; died in Rome, Italy, March 27, 

 1869. He was fitted for college at Phillips 

 Academy, Andover, and entered Harvard Col- 

 lege in 1818, graduating in 1822. After leaving 

 college, he studied law in Saco, Me. On his 

 admission to the bar, he established himself in 

 practice in Framingham, Mass. From Fra- 

 mingham he removed to "Worcester, where he 

 continued in the practice of his profession, and 

 where he soon became associated with the 

 American Antiquarian Society, and, as chair- 

 man of the committee of publication, edited 

 the second volume of its Transactions. About 

 the year 1837 he removed to New York, and 

 became a member of the New York Historical 

 Society. He was soon elected its librarian, 

 and took a leading part in the restoration 

 of that society to its original activity and use- 

 fulness. He was the principal, if not the ex- 

 clusive, editor, in 1841, of a volume of collec- 

 tions devoted to the Dutch annals of the State, 

 upon which a very high value was placed by 

 historical students. His next publication was 

 a translation of the dispatches of Hernando 

 Cortez, written in 1520 and 1526, and sent to 

 the court of Spain, from the seat of war in 

 Mexico, with a valuable introduction and 

 elaborate notes. This was the first translation 

 of these dispatches into English. Following 



FRANCE. 



upon this, he prepared for the press a small 

 volume, " The Political Condition of Mexico." 

 Mr. Folsom was elected to the Senate of New 

 York in 1844, and thus became a member, ex 

 officiOj of the Court of Errors of that State, in 

 whose discussions and decisions his early legal 

 training was turned to the best account. In 

 1850 he was appointed by General Taylor 

 charge d? affaires at the Hague, where he re- 

 mained until 1854, discharging the duties and 

 administering the hospitalities of his mission to 

 the entire satisfaction of his own Government, 

 and of the country to which he was accredited. 

 After travelling in Europe two years, he re- 

 turned to New York and renewed his relations 

 with the various literary and charitable asso- 

 ciations with which he had been previously 

 connected. He was a director of the New 

 York Institution for the Deaf and Dumb, Presi- 

 dent of the Citizens' Savings Bank, and Presi- 

 dent of the American Ethnological Society. 

 The state of his health, however, had incapaci- 

 tated him of late for any active pursuit of lit- 

 erary or historical studies, and he had repeat- 

 edly sought restoration in tours to Europe. 

 His large and valuable library was a great 

 consolation to him in his failing health. 



FRANCE, an empire in Europe. Emperor, 

 Louis Napoleon (Napoleon III.), born April 

 20, 1808 ; chosen hereditary Emperor by the 

 plebiscite of November 21 and November 22, 

 1852. Heir-apparent, Napoleon Eugene Louis 

 Jean Joseph, born March 16, 1856. The area 

 amounts to 209,428 square miles. 



The new ministry, appointed on July 17, 

 1869, consisted of the following members: 

 Keeper of the Seal, Minister of Justice and of 

 Worship, J. B. M. Duvergier ; Minister of For- 

 eign Affairs, Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne- 

 Lauraguais ; Minister of the Interior, De For- 

 cade la Roquette ; Minister of Finance, Magne, 

 Senator; Minister of the Navy and of the Col- 

 onies, Admiral Rigault de Genouilly ; Minister 

 of Public Instruction, L. O. Bourbeau, Deputy ; 

 Minister of Public Works, Gressier; Minister 

 of Agriculture and Commerce, Le Roux, vice- 

 president of the Corps L6gislatif ; Minister of 

 the Imperial House and Fine Arts, Marshal 

 Yaillant, Senator (July, 1869) ; President of 

 the Council of State, Marquis J. N. S. P. Chas- 

 seloup-Laubat, Senator ; Minister of War, Le 

 Boeuf, General of Division (August 21, 1869). 



President of the Senate, Rouher, appointed 

 1869 ; first vice-president, Boudet, appointed 

 December 23, 1865. The president and vice- 

 president of the Legislative Body are now 

 (since 1869) elected by the Legislative Body, 

 and no longer, as before, appointed by the 

 Emperor. 



At the head of the French Army were, in 

 1869, eight marshals of France, namely : Count 

 J. B. P. Vaillant (December 11, 1851) ; Count A. 

 Baraguey d'Hilliers (August 28, 1854) ; Count 

 J. L. 0. A. Randon (March 18, 1856); F. 0. 

 Canrobert (March 18, 1856) ; Count A. M. E. 

 Regnault de St. Jean d'Angely (June 5, 1859); 



