GRISWOLD, JOHN A. 



GUATEMALA. 



1822; died in Troy, N. Y., October 31, 1872. 

 He was descended from an old American fam- 

 ily which was largely represented in the "War 

 for Independence. When seventeen years of 

 age he went to Troy and entered a hardware 

 establishment, but at the expiration of a year 

 accepted the position of book-keeper in a house 

 engaged in the cotton-trade. During this pe- 

 riod of his life he lived in the family of his 

 uncle, Major-General Wool, enjoying the influ- 

 ence of refined and cultivated society. In a 

 few years Mr. Griswold engaged in business 

 on his own account in a wholesale and retail 

 drug establishment. He subsequently became 

 interested in the manufacture of iron as a part- 

 ner in the Rensselaer Iron Company. In this 

 field of enterprise he was eminently success 

 ful. His business expanded from year to year, 

 until, not many years ago, by the consolidation 

 of his works with those of Mr. Corning, he 

 became the principal partner in one of the 

 largest iron establishments of the country, 

 owning a rolling-mill and Bessemer steel- works 

 in Troy, and blast-furnaces at Fort Edward, 

 and on the Hudson* He was also, with his 

 partners, the owner of an iron-mine at Lake 

 Champlain, and, besides, was largely interested 

 in several local companies. In 1855 he was 

 elected mayor of the city of Troy, and gave 

 general satisfaction in the discharge of his 

 duties. At the outbreak of the war he at 

 mee arrayed himself among the supporters of 

 he Union. He aided in raising the Second 

 Regiment New York State Volunteers. He 

 was also instrumental in raising the Thirtieth, 

 One Hundred and Twenty-fifth, and One Hun- 

 Ired and Sixty-ninth Regiments of New 

 York Volunteers, as well as the Black Horse 

 Oavalry, and the Twenty-first New York or 

 1 Griswold Light Cavalry." Mr. Griswold also 

 endered effective aid to the Union cause by 

 milding, at great pecuniary risk, the celebrated 

 Monitor, which rendered such effective ser- 

 vice in its conflict with the Merrimac in Hamp- 

 on Roads. In October, 1863, Mr. Griswold, 

 it that time a Democrat, was nominated as a 

 andidate for Representative in Congress, and, 

 ilthough the district (the XVth) was strongly 

 republican, he was elected by a majority of 

 ,287 votes. He soon afterward joined the Re- 

 'iiblican party, and was reflected by large ma- 

 orities in 1864 and 1866. In the House, Mr. 

 jriswold was an ardent supporter of the war 

 neasures of the Government, and labored ear- 

 estly to promote the industrial interests ot 

 lie country. He was never an extreme parti- 

 an, but by a genial, agreeable disposition se- 

 ared the esteem of prominent men in both 

 olitical parties. In July, 1868, Mr. Griswold 

 as nominated by the Republican State Con- 

 _ention for the office of Governor of New 

 ork. In the laborious and exciting canvass 

 hich followed in that presidential year, Mr. 

 riswold was unanimously supporte'd by the 

 epublicans, and proved a very popular can- 

 idate. His opponent, Governor Hoffman, 



however, was elected, and henceforth he was 

 not prominently known in State politics. Mr. 

 Griswold was held in great esteem by his fel- 

 low-citizens in Troy. He was a liberal em- 

 ployer, providing generously for aged work- 

 men, and shielding the young and inexperi- 

 enced from ill-treatment or neglect. He con- 

 tributed liberally to the charities of the city, 

 irrespective of sectarian considerations, and 

 took a warm interest in all measures calculated 

 to advance the prosperity of Troy. 



GUATEMALA (REP^BLICA DE GUATEMALA), 

 an independent state of Central America, ex- 

 tending from latitude 13 40' to 18 20 north, 

 and from longitude 88 17' to 93 17' west. It is 

 bounded north by Mexico ; east by Belize and 

 the gulf of Honduras; south by Honduras, 

 San Salvador, and the Pacific ; and west by 

 the same ocean. The area of the republic is 

 about 40,777 square miles, and the popula- 

 tion 1,180,000. The capital, Guatemala la 

 Nueva, has probably 40,000 inhabitants. 



Provisional President, Miguel Garica Grana- 

 dos ; Minister of Foreign Affairs. Minister 

 of the Interior, of Justice, Instruction, and 

 Worship, J. M. Samagoa; Minister of War, 

 General G. de Solares (September, 1872) ; Min- 

 ister of Finance. Metropolitan Archbishop, 

 B. Pifiol ; coadjutor, M. F. Barrutia y Croquer, 

 Bishop of Caristo in part. 



The standing army is composed of 3,200 

 men, and the militia of 13,000. 



The value of the exports, in 1871, to the 

 following countries were : 



England $662,254 



France 16,621 



Germany 561,822 



United States of America 828.961 



California 374,391 



South America 33,106 



Central America 128.800 



Panama . . . 33,181 



Belize 108,648 



Total $2,747,784 



The following table gives the total exports 

 for the five years 1867-'71 : 



18675.297 tons, valued at $1,972.950 43 



18687.192 " 2,141,998 75 



18697.536 " 2,497,127 34 



18708.407 " 2,391,41385 



18718,916 . 2,657,715 84 



The export of money is not included. 

 The value of the cochineal exported in the 

 same period was : 



1867.... ,. $1.068.04740 



1868 891,513 70 



1869 1,266,613 56 



1870 865,414 20 



1871 876,025 20 



And that of coffee : 



1867 $415,878 00 



1868 788.035 71 



1869 790,227 57 



1870 1,132,298 20 



1871 1,312,129 30 



It was learned that the crop of cochineal 

 would be small ; and prices were greatly affect- 

 ed by the nature of the crops in the Canaries. 



The following were, in 1869, the sources of 

 the national revenue : 



