July 3—A branch mint established at San Francisco, Cal.
Oct. 24—Daniel Webster died. These three were the ablest and most esteemed statesmen of their day.
Nov.—The seventeenth presidential election occurred. Franklin Pierce was elected. He was the Democratic nominee. Gen. Scott, Whig, was defeated.
1853.
Mar. 4—Pierce inaugurated President.
Aug. 11—Proclamation of President Pierce against the invasion of Cuba by armed Americans.
1854.
Mar. 23—An important treaty of commerce negotiated with the empire of Japan by Com. Perry, which opened a new era in the progress of that country, and of United States commerce and influence in Asia.
May 30—The failure of the compromise measures of 1850 to realize the hopes of the South from the rapid development of anti-slavery views in the North caused the subject to be again agitated, and the Missouri Compromise, which stopped the formation of slave States north of its south boundary line, was repealed; the question of the admission of slavery into Kansas and Nebraska, both being north of that line, being referred by the famous “Kansas-Nebraska Bill” to the “squatters,” or first settlers. This was called “squatter sovereignty.” This measure gave satisfaction to the South, but was strongly reprobated by many of the Northern people. Both sides prepared to renew the contest there, and civil war raged in Kansas for near three years. Each side sought to secure its end which terminated in favor of the North. The South could not compete with it in numbers nor drive the extra numbers away. This was the last hope of the South for preserving equilibrium in the general government.