NEBRASKA. 



NETHERLANDS, THE. 



539 



many are exceedingly nutritions and admirably 

 adapted to the raising of sheep and cattle. 

 Cultivated grasses, as the blue-grass of Ken- 

 tucky and timothy, are raised with great suc- 

 cess. Large numbers of cattle are brought from 

 Texas and Kansas to be fattened on the grasses 

 of Nebraska, preparatory to sale. The grazing 

 region comprises about 23,000,000 acres, and 

 is generally well watered. Wood is of free, 

 natural growth only on the bluffs and river 

 banks, but the species are numerous. Cotton- 

 wood is the most common ; oak, elm, maple, 

 black walnut, cedar, hickory, and hackberry 

 are also found. Planted timber grows rapidly 

 on the prairie. Forests of pine are reported to 

 exist in the northwest part of the State. 



The climate is dry and exhilarating ; the 

 mean temperature in winter is about 22, and 

 in summer about 70. The heat of the sum- 

 mer is tempered by the prairie winds, and the 

 nights are generally cool. The Territory of 

 Nebraska was formed in 1854, embracing 351,- 

 558 square miles, extending from latitude 40 

 north to the national boundary, and from the 

 Missouri River west to the crest of the Rocky 

 Mountains. In 1861, 16,035 square miles were 

 set off to the Territory of Colorado, and 2,228,- 

 907 to Dakota. In 1863, a part was taken for 

 the formation of Idaho Territory, and Nebras- 

 ka was reduced to its. present limits. In 1860 

 the question of forming a State government 

 was submitted to the people and disapproved. 

 In 1864 an enabling act was passed by Con- 

 gress providing for the admission of Nebraska 

 into the Union ; but the necessary action for 

 admission was not taken at that time by the 

 Territory. Early in 1866 the Territorial Leg- 

 islature framed a constitution which was rati- 

 fied by the people on June 21st. The first Leg- 

 islature under the new government assembled 

 July 4th. On the 28th a bill for the admission 

 of Nebraska as a State was passed by Congress, 

 but did not receive the signature of the Presi- 

 dent. In January, 1867, another bill for this 

 purpose was passed, but was vetoed by the 

 President, on the ground that it embraced con- 

 ditions not contained in the enabling act, that 

 the proceedings attending the formation of the 

 constitution were different from those pre- 

 scribed, and that the population of the Terri- 

 tory did not justify its becoming a State. The 

 bill, however, was passed over the Executive 

 veto. The act was not to take effect except 

 upon the fundamental condition that, within 

 the State of Nebraska, there shall be no denial 

 of the elective franchise, or of any other right, 

 to any person by reason of race or color, "ex- 

 cept Indians not taxed ; and upon the further 

 fundamental condition that the Legislature of 

 said State, by a solemn public act, shall declare 

 the assent of said State to the said fundamental 

 condition." This act was ratified by the Leg- 

 islature, the State was admitted into the Union, 

 and Lincoln was chosen as the seat of govern- 

 ment. A new constitution was framed in 1871, 

 but was rejected by the people. In 1875 a new 



constitution was adopted. For its provisions 

 see ANNUAL CYCLOPEDIA for 1875. 



NEPOKOITCHITZKY, General ABTHCR 

 ADAMOVITCH, chief of the general staff of the 

 Russian Army of the Danube, is of Polish de- 

 scent, and was born at Sluztk, in the government 

 of Minsk, in 1813. After receiving a full military 

 education, he entered the active service in 1841, 

 in the Army of the Caucasus, where he served 

 for seven years in the campaigns against Simmy 1 , 

 receiving several promotions and decorations 

 for his gallantry. In 1848 he was appointed 

 chief of the general staff of the Russian con- 

 tingent which assisted Austria against the 

 Hungarian revolution, and was present at the 

 storming of the pass of the Rothenthurm, and 

 the capture of Hermannstadt and Cronotadt. 

 For his services in this campaign the Emperor 

 of Austria awarded him a decoration, and his 

 own sovereign made him a major-general. 

 During the Crimean War he served at first in 

 the Army of the Danube, with which he par- 

 ticipated in the operations at Braila, Matchin, 

 and Silistriu, and was afterward, having be- 

 come a lieutenant-general, chief of staff at 

 Sebastopol. He was appointed president of 

 the Military Council in 1864, and has since 

 been busily engaged in matters pertaining to 

 the reorganization which has been effected in 

 the Russian army. The plans of the later 

 campaigns in Central Asia were arranged by 

 him. More recently, he has served as presi- 

 dent of the Commission of Military Codification 

 which has been occupied with the digesting and 

 arrangement of all the military laws and regu- 

 lations of the empire. He is described as a 

 *' short, square-set, active-looking man, hale 

 and hearty, in spite of his seventy years," and 

 appearing as fit to make a campaign as if he 

 were twenty years younger. His name means 

 " the unquiet or restless man," but expresses 

 the opposite of his character, which is one of re- 

 markable sobriety and placidity. He baa been 

 called, in the Russian newspapers, the Moltke 

 of Russia. 



NETHERLANDS, THE, a kingdom in En- 

 rope. King, William III., born February 19, 

 1817; succeeded his father, March 17, 1849. 

 Sons : 1. William, Prince of Orange, and heir- 

 apparent to the throne, born September 4, 

 1840; 2. Alexander, born August 25, 1861. 

 Brother of the King : Henry, governor of the 

 grand-duchy of Luxemburg. The area of the 

 kingdom is 12,679 square miles.* 



The population was, in December, 1876, of- 

 ficially estimated at 8,865,456. A census is 

 taken every ten years. The last census WM 

 taken in 1869, according to which the popula- 

 tion was 8,579,529, showing an increase of 

 285,927. The following table gives the popn- 

 lation of the several provinces in 1876, and 

 the percentage of Protestants and Catholic*, 

 leaving out of account the Israelites end the 

 minor sects : 



For the *rea of the Trri prortoew, M AuwtrAt OTOM* 

 F.KDIA for 1572. 



