834 



UNITED STATES. 



their respective competence, and the prompt 

 execution of all reforms of a nature to develop 

 the resources of the country. The result of the 

 researches and labors of the Council of Minis- 

 ters in each of these great categories, having 

 been submitted to his Majesty, had received his 

 supreme sanction. The reality and efficacy of 

 these reforms would speedily be publicly proved 

 by certain and brilliant facts. 



In November the Sultan signed a decree pro- 

 viding that from January 13, 1880, 1,350,000 

 pounds Turkish will be annually appropriated 

 to pay interest half-yearly on the home and 

 foreign debt. This interest will be guaranteed 

 by the revenues of Cyprus and Eastern Roume- 

 lia, as well as by the receipts from the duties 

 on tobacco, spirits, stamps, fish, and silk, after 

 a previous reduction from the receipts of 1,100,- 

 000 pounds to meet the claims of the Ottoman 

 Bank and other creditors secured by mortgages. 

 In case of a deficit, the Porte will undertake to 

 make it good. Besides the sum of 1,350,000 

 pounds referred to, the Turkish Government 

 cedes irrevocably to the bondholders the Bulga- 

 rian tribute and the Servian and Montenegrin 

 contributions toward the Turkish debt ; also 

 one third of the proceeds of any new taxes, es- 

 pecially in the event of increased duties, and 

 the receipts from patents ; the mode of pay- 

 ment to be arranged with the creditors. This 

 engagement is to be valid for ten years, unless 

 modified with the consent of all parties inter- 

 ested. 



The negotiations for a definite treaty of peace 

 between Russia and Turkey were begun in the 

 first days of January. A sudden end was threat- 

 ened by a clause proposed by Russia declaring 

 that the two contracting parties guarantee to 

 each other the exact fulfillment of the Treaty 

 of Berlin. This clause was opposed by Turkey, 

 and eventually dropped by Russia. The treaty 

 was finally signed on February 8th. It fixes 

 the indemnity to be paid by Turkey at 802,- 

 500,000 francs, and provides for compensation 

 to Russian subjects in Turkey for losses sus- 

 tained during the war to an amount not exceed- 

 ing 26,750,000 francs. 



The evacuation of Turkish territory by the 

 Russian troops began on March 5th. On that 

 day General Todleben departed from Adria- 

 nople, and it was immediately occupied by 

 Turkish troops. 



The negotiations with Greece for a new boun- 

 dary line continued during the year, without 

 leading to a definite result. (See GREECE.) 



On April 21st a convention was signed with 

 Austria, relative to Bosnia, Herzegovina, and 

 Novi-Bazar. (See AUSTEO-HTJNGABIAN MON- 

 AKCHY.) 



The troubles in Crete were brought to a sat- 

 isfactory close in June. Photiades Pasha, Gov- 

 ernor-General of the island, explained to the 

 Council of Ministers the modifications in the 

 organic statute desired by the Assembly, and 

 the Sultan, having found them reasonable, de- 

 termined to sanction them. 



TJ 



UNITED STATES. The only change in 

 the Cabinet of President Hayes during the 

 year consisted in the retirement of the Secre- 

 tary of War, George W. McCrary. The va- 

 cancy was filled by the appointment in Decem- 

 ber of Alexander Ramsey of Minnesota, who 

 was unanimously confirmed by the Senate 

 without a reference to a committee. Mr. 

 Ramsey was born in Dauphin County, Penn- 

 sylvania, in 1815. At the age of thirteen years 

 he became a clerk in the office of the county 

 register. He advanced from one place to an- 

 other until he became secretary of the Electo- 

 ral College of the State, and carried its vote to 

 Washington. Then he was for several years 

 Clerk of the Lower House of the State Legis- 

 lature, and was next sent to Congress for two 

 terms, from 1843 to 1847. In 1849 President 

 Taylor made him the first Governor of the 

 Territory of Minnesota. From 1849 to 1853 he 

 made several important treaties with the Sioux 

 and Chippewa Indians. Next he was Mayor 

 of St. Paul, then Governor of the State for two 

 terms. In 1862 he was elected a Senator in 

 Congress, and again in 1869. His term ex- 

 pired in 1875. 



_ Some changes were made in foreign mis- 

 sions, the most important of which was the ap- 



pointment in March of Andrew D. White, Pres- 

 ident of Cornell University, to the vacancy 

 occasioned by the death of Bayard Taylor at 

 Berlin. 



The general course of the Administration 

 was uneventful, and the assault upon it at the 

 extra session of Congress resulted in successes 

 for the Republicans at the fall elections. The 

 success of resumption and the abundant crops 

 increased the prosperity of the people, and di- 

 minished their anxiety on financial issues. 



The result of the extra session of Congress 

 consisted in the passage of the appropriation 

 bills without any provision for the payment of 

 marshals and deputy marshals. An application 

 was therefore made to Attorney-General Dev- 

 ens by the marshal at Detroit, asking whether 

 the latter should continue to serve warrants in 

 criminal cases. The Attorney-General on July 

 3d replied as follows : 



DEAR SIR : I advise you to perform the duties of 

 your office, which you are in no way forbidden to do, 

 to the extent of your power. The law prescribes those 

 duties and affixes certain fees as compensation therefor. 

 No provision for the payment of the fees of marshals 

 and their deputies has been made, nor can I make any 

 contract or promise that this provision shall hereafter 

 be made ; but your performance of your duties, so far 

 as the law contemplates that they are to be compen- 



