beginning at different points on the Mississippi. The general courses taken in the routes surveyed became those of the great railroads to the Pacific, the expeditions being under the direction of the War Department.

The great expedition for the exploration of the Pacific Ocean about Behring Strait, and between the northwest coast of the United States and China, under Captain Ringgold, sailed from Norfolk in the summer of this year. And on the last day of May the Grinnell expedition left New York under the command of Dr. Elisha K. Kane. This memorable expedition was, however, projected under the Administration of Mr. Fillmore, and its patron saint, so far as the Government was concerned, was the admirable John P. Kennedy. Through Mr. Kennedy's instrumentality the Government took part in this expedition, and early in the fall of 1852 Dr. Kane received his orders from the Secretary of the Navy, but it took its name from Mr. Henry Grinnell, a wealthy and philanthropic merchant of New York, who bore part of the expense, and was one of its originators.

As to one object of this expedition at least, the recovery of the body of Sir John Franklin, it was a failure. It returned in 1855, and poor Kane died two years afterwards, from disease contracted by hardship and exposure in the Arctic region.

President Pierce also took part this summer (July 14, 1853) in opening the "World's Fair," in the "Crystal Palace," at New York. This peaceful summer was indeed crowded with grand and inter

esting events, which must forever render memorable the introduction, of this Administration.

During this summer another event occurred to disturb the peaceful relations between the United States and Austria, temporarily, and cause the "Statesman" Hülsemann to expose himself, as he did under the former Administration, and draw upon himself a reply from a no less caustic pen than that of Daniel Webster. Martin Koszta, a Hungarian refugee to this country, who had engaged in the rebellion of 1848, and who had declared his intentions to become a citizen of the United States, made a trip to the Mediterranean to engage in trade, but under the protection of this Government, was seized while at Smyrna and carried on board an Austrian brig, to be taken to Trieste to be punished for his participation in the rebellion. Captain Ingraham, with the war-sloop St. Louis, happening at this juncture to arrive at Smyrna, and finding that Koszta had appealed in vain to the American Consul, made an inquiry into the case, and, believing that Austria had no right to Koszta, demanded his release. The request not being heeded, Ingraham cleared his vessel for action, and gave the Austrian notice of his intention to blow him up, if the Hungarian were not delivered to him in a certain time. This spirited conduct changed the state of the case, and Koszta was at once handed over, and placed in the keeping of the French Consul. He subsequently returned in safety to this country. When news of this affair reached Washington, in August, Chevalier Hülsemann

demanded an apology from this Government. Mr. Marcy replied in one of the most able of the American state papers, in the spirit which had actuated Ingraham in the port of Smyrna, and poor Hülsemann was again left to smart. The Administration and the home and abroad, by this

Nation gained, both at

spirited defense of their own and the rights of mankind; and Ingraham, for the part he took, received a sword and a vote of thanks from Congress.

CHAPTER VIII.

FIRST ANNUAL MESSAGE UNDER THE NEW ADMINISTRATION-PROSPECTS AND HOPES THE GREAT SLAVERY CONTEST BEGINS-WILLIAM R. KING.

A

T noon, Monday, December 5, 1853, the Senate met and was called to order by David R. Atchison, chosen President pro tem., on the resignation of Mr. King at the last session. This body now had sixty-two members, thirty-six Democrats, twenty Whigs, and two Free-soilers, and there were four vacancies. The following were some of the most distinguished Senators at this time, or who became distinguished in the future political history of the country: Hannibal Hamlin, Clement C. Clay, Solomon Foot, John Slidell, Judah P. Benjamin, Charles Sumner and Edward Everett, Salmon P. Chase and Benjamin F. Wade, John Bell, Wm. H. Seward and Hamilton Fish, Jesse D. Bright, Stephen A. Douglas, James A. Bayard, John M. Clayton, James Alfred Pearce, Lewis Cass, James M. Mason and R. M. T. Hunter, George E. Badger, Sam Houston, and Robert Toombs.

The House now consisted of two hundred and thirty-four members, and five Territorial delegates, Washington recently having been organized, but these delegates had no vote in the proceedings of the

House. The political division of this body was as follows: Democratics, 159, Whigs 71, and Free-soilers, 4. Among the most noteworthy or sometime famous members were Israel Washburne, Jr., of Maine; Gerrit Smith, of New York; Felix K. Zollicoffer, of Tennessee; Thomas H. Benton, of Missouri; the delegates Joseph Lane, of Oregon, and Henry M. Rice, of Minnesota, besides those mentioned heretofore as among the supporters and opponents of the Kansas-Nebraska Bill.

At 12 o'clock Monday, December 5th, Mr. Forney, the old clerk, called the House to order, when it proceeded at once to the election of a Speaker in the following vote:

James L. Orr (South Carolina State-Rights Secessionist, 4

John C. Breckinridge and two others one each, making 217 votes in all.

Mr. Boyd then made a short speech, when Joshua R. Giddings, the oldest consecutive member, administered to him the oath of office. After some delay, the vote was taken for Clerk, there being but 200 members present; and of these Mr. Forney received 121, and the others were scattered among nine candidates.