Servia, which had concluded peace in February, again took up arms against Turkey in December. (See SERVIA.) Their main army, the Morava corps, advanced from Alexinatz toward Nissa, and arrived at this town on December 15th. On the same day they occupied Mramor, six miles west of Nissa. On the 22d the investment of Nissa was completed, and the commander of the post was notified that the town would be bombarded. Several detachments had in the mean time cleared the neighborhood of Turkish troops, and had occupied Ak Palanka on the 24th, and Pirot on the 27th. The Timok corps, under Horvatovitch, on December 16th, occupied Adlie, or Kula, about eighteen miles west of Widin. On the 19th it occupied the St. Nicholas Pass, connecting Belgradtchik in the north and Isvor in the south; and on the 23d effected a junction with the Russians, who had come from Berkovatz, forming part of the cavalry division of General Arnoldi. This division, which had originally belonged to the Army of Plevna, was sent in the beginning of November to the west of Plevna. On December 16th, Arnoldi occupied Berkovatz, and on the 25th effected a junction with the Servian Morava corps at Pirot.

After the withdrawal of the Turkish troops from Montenegro in June, Prince Nicholas proceeded very carefully to advance against the neighboring portions of Herzegovina. On July 22d, he stormed several of the outlying works of Nicsic, and on September 8th this fortress surrendered to him. Presyeka was taken on September 16th, Bilek on the 17th, and the four forts of the Duga Pass on the 18th. He had thus secured a corner of Herzegovina which could easily be maintained. The Montenegrin troops were now dismissed to their homes. In the beginning of November, Prince Nicholas again resumed operations, this time directing his attention to Albania, where Ali Saib was stationed with a few thousand troops. On November 12th, the Montenegrins stormed several of the outlying works of Antivari, took the fortress of Spizza on the 16th, and the town of Antivari shortly afterward, the Turks holding the citadel until January 10, 1878.

When Kars had fallen, Mahmoud Damad, who was supposed to be in favor of peace, and who had up to this time been all-powerful at the Turkish court, was removed from the direction of military affairs. At the same time the Council of War was abolished, and the Minister of War was clothed with full powers. Two weeks later, Mustapha Pasha was removed, and Rauf Pasha appointed Minister of War in his place. The condition of the Turkish Empire was truly terrible at the close of the year. Without money, without armies, and without friends, it was finally obliged to ask for an armistice in the first days of 1878.

The second session of the Ottoman Parliament met on December 13th. In his speech

from the throne, the Sultan reviewed the events which led to the war with Russia, by severely denouncing the Christian subjects of Turkey who had taken up arms against their Government, "in spite of the equality in the eyes of the law which all our subjects enjoy, and the immunities which secure their nationality and their language."

In Bosnia several engagements took place between the Turkish troops and the insurgents, which culminated in the defeat of the insurgents under Despotovitch, on August 4th, when the latter was forced to seek safety on Austrian territory. Other insurgent bands, under a leader named Gotub, who appeared after this, were characterized as little better than robber bands.

In Thessaly and the other Greek provinces of Turkey, a reign of terror prevailed during the year, brought about by marauding bands of Bashi-Bazouks, and even by regular troops. A revolutionary government was established, and was aided by contributions from Greece, and a few engagements with the Turkish troops took place. In Crete the same state of affairs prevailed, the Christians retreating to the mountains where the Turks could not follow them.

The war was marked by the perpetration of outrages upon non-combatants and private property, both in Asia and in Europe, for which it would be hard to find a parallel in the history of civilized nations.

TURNBULL, ROBERT, an American clergyman, born at Whiteburn, Linlithgowshire, Scotland, September 10, 1809, and died at Hartford, Conn., November 20, 1877. He graduated at Glasgow University, studied theology, preached for a short time in Scotland and England, and in 1833 settled in Danbury, Conn. In 1835 he became pastor of the Baptist Church in Detroit, in 1837 of the South Baptist Church, Hartford, Conn., in 1839 of the Boylston Street (now Harvard Street) Baptist Church in Boston, and in 1845 of the first Baptist Church in Hartford, where he continued to reside until his death. In 1851 he received the degree of D. D. from Madison University. He published "The Theatre " (Boston, 1840); Olympia Morata" (1842); "Vinet's Vital Christianity," translated, with an introduction and notes (1846); "The Genius of Scotland" (New York, 1847); 66 The Genius of Italy" (1849); "Theophany, or the Manifestation of God in Christ" (Hartford, 1851); "Vinet's Miscellanies (New York, 1852); "Pulpit Orators of France and Switzerland" (1853); "Christ in History, or the Central Power" (Boston, 1856); and "Life Pictures, or Sketches from a Pastor's NoteBook" (New York, 1857). He edited Sir William Hamilton's "Discussions on Philosophy," and was for several years editor of the Christian Review.

noticing the death of Bishop David Edwards, which had occurred since the previous meeting of the General Conference, reviewed the growth of the Church and its enterprises during the four years. The number of members had increased from 125,658 in 1872 to 144,881 in 1876; the missionary department, church erection, and publishing interests had continued to develop; and while thirty years before the Church had not a single institution of learning, it had now ten colleges and seminaries, with not less than a thousand students in actual attendance; and the Biblical Seminary had proved its usefulness and practicability during eight years of existence. Reports were made of the operations of all the enterprises of the Church during four years. The question of the position of the Church in reference to secret societies, and the enforcement of the rules against members of the Church participating in such bodies, figured prominently in all the discussions and actions of the Conference. It came up first in the form of an appeal from the decision of the Miami Annual Conference in a case which had originated in a church in Dayton, Ohio. Two of the members of this church had been expelled for connection with secret societies; but the pastor of the church, in putting the case to vote before the congregation, had received the votes in favor of expulsion, thirteen in number, but had refused to call for votes in the negative, saying that the church could only vote affirmatively. An appeal was taken from this action to the Quarterly Conference, which sustained the pastor. An appeal was then taken to the Annual Conference, which declared the action of the pastor null and void, and decided:

1. That the class, and not the congregation, or preacher, or a minority of the class, is the expelling power in the Church of the United Brethren in

Christ.

2. That there can be no parliamentary question

which it is proper for a class, congregation, or conference, to consider and vote upon at all unless both an affirmative and a negative vote be taken. Other wise it is no vote at all.

The pastor appealed against this decision to the General Conference. The General Conference sustained the appeal of the pastor, and reviewed the action of the Annual Conference. The question came up again upon the report of the Committee on Revision of the Discipline, proposing an amendment making it the duty of a bishop "to insist upon it that all the laws of the Church are faithfully executed." An amendment was proposed prescribing to the bishop a particular and stringent method of performing this duty, which was lost by a vote of 30 yeas to 73 nays, and the provision as reported by the committee was adopted. An examination of the Annual Conferences was held to ascertain whether they had violated the laws of the Church, or countenanced violations of them, the Conferences being called in alphabetical order, the examination being confined to Conference action, and the bishop or

ence.

presiding delegate answering for his ConferNone of the Conferences having been found to have failed officially as such in the discharge of their duties, all were pronounced loyal. The Conference decided to elect five bishops, a new episcopal district being formed for the Pacific coast, and fixed the salary of the bishops at one thousand dollars each. The report adopted on the subject suggested that the bishops should visit missions and explore new fields as much as possible. Bishops Glossbrenner, Weaner, and Dicksen were reelected; the Rev. M. Wright, editor of the Religious Telescope, was chosen to fill the vacancy in the episcopal office; and the Rev. N. Carth, of Indiana, was elected the fifth bishop.

UNITED STATES. At the commencement of the year 1877, the country was in a state of great excitement respecting the result of the Presidential election. The votes of Florida, Louisiana, and South Carolina were counted by the canvassing boards with a result in favor of the Republican Presidential Electors. This result, at the canvass by Congress of all the State returns of the Presidential election, would give the Republican candidate (Mr. Hayes) one majority, and secure his election. The Democrats, however, asserted that the canvassing boards in each of the above-mentioned States had made an unjust canvass; that the popular vote in each had been in favor of the Democratic electors by a considerable majority; that legal Democratic votes in large numbers had been rejected, and that by the people the Democratic candidate for the Presidency had been elected. The certificates of the results in each State, sent to Washington under the official seal of the respective Governors, gave the election to Mr. Hayes by one vote. At all previous elections the canvass of Congress had been confined exclusively to these certificates. It was, therefore, manifest that a canvass by Congress, conducted like all previous ones, would elect the Republican candidate, or terminate in a disagreement between the two Houses. this time the Lower House was largely Democratic, the Senate Republican, and the Executive (Grant) a Republican. A disagreement between the two Houses would have terminated the canvass without a choice. Under these circumstances, an act was passed to refer all contested cases to a commission consisting of Senators, Representatives, and Judges of the Supreme Court. If it decided these according to the face of the certificates, the Republican candidate would be elected; if it decided to investigate the local proceedings in the contested States prior to the Governor's certificates, these, then, might be set aside, and the Democratic candidate be elected. The Democrats advocated the latter course, but the commission adopted the former, and Mr. Hayes was declared to be elected. (For the act, the Commission, and its proceedings, see CONGRESS, U.S.) The people acquiesced in the decision, and the new President was duly inaugurated,

At

and entered on the administration of the Government. (For the Inaugural Address, see PUBLIC DOCUMENTS.) The following comprises the Executive officers: President, Rutherford B. Hayes, of Ohio; Vice-President, William A. Wheeler, of New York; Secretary of State, William M. Evarts, of New York; Secretary of the Treasury, John Sherman, of Ohio; Secretary of War, George W. McCrary, of Iowa; Secretary of the Navy, Richard W. Thompson, of Indiana; Secretary of the Interior, Carl Schurz, of Missouri; Postmaster-General, David M. Key, of Tennessee; Attorney-General, Charles Devens, of Massachusetts.

The first important official action of the new Administration, in accord with the inaugural address, tending to produce a settlement of affairs in South Carolina, was an invitation to the two rival Governors, Hampton and Chamberlain, to a conference at Washington. The letter of invitation to Governor Chamberlain was as follows:

EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C.,
March 23, 1877.

SIR: I am instructed by the President to bring to your attention his purpose to take into immediate consideration the position of affairs in South Carolina, with a view of determining the course which, under the Constitution and laws of the United States, it may be his duty to take in reference to the situation in that State as he finds it upon succeeding to the Presidency. It would give the President great pleasure to confer with you in person, if you shall find it convenient to visit Washington, and shall concur with him in thinking such a conference the readiest and best mode of placing your views as to the political situation in your State before him. He would greatly prefer this direct communication of opinion and information to any other method of ascertaining your views upon the present condition and immediate prospect of public interests in South Carolina. If reasons of weight with you should discourage this course, the President will be glad to receive any communication from you in writing, or through any delegate possessing your confidence, that will convey to him your views of the impediments to the peaceful and orderly organization of a single and undisputed State Government in South Carolina, and of the best method of removing them. It is the earnest desire of the President to be able to put an end, as speedily as possible, to all appearance of intervention of the military authority of the United States in the political derangements which affect the Government and afflict the people of South Carolina. In this desire the President cannot doubt that he truly represents the patriotic feeling of the great body of the people of the United States. It is impossible that protracted disorder in the domestic government of any State can or should ever fail to be a matter of lively interest and solicitude to the people of the whole country, In furtherance of the prompt and safe execution of this general purpose he invites a full communication of your opinions on the whole subject in such one of the proposed forms as may seem to you most useful. By the direction of the President, I have addressed to the Hon. Wade Hampton a duplicate of this letter. I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant,

W. K. RODGERS, Private Secretary. To the Hon. DANIEL H. CHAMBERLAIN.

The result was that the Federal troops were soon withdrawn from the State, the Republican officials retired, and the administration of affairs passed into the hands of Governor Hampton.

(For the details of these proceedings, see SOUTH CAROLINA.)

In the case of Louisiana, some delay intervened, but on April 20th the following instructions were issued to the Secretary of War: EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON, D. C., April 20, 1877.

dency there had been stationed by my predecessor, SIR: Prior to entering upon the duties of the Presiin the immediate vicinity of the building used as a State House in New Orleans, La., and known as Mechanics' Institute, a detachment of United States infantry. Finding them in that place I have thought proper to delay a decision of the question of their removal until I could determine whether the condition of affairs is now such as to either require or justify continued military intervention of the National Government in the affairs of the State. In my opinion there does not now exist in Louisiana such domestic the ground upon which the military power of the Naviolence as is contemplated by the Constitution as tional Government may be invoked for the defense of the State. The disputes which exist as to the right of certain claimants to the chief executive office of that State are to be settled and determined, not by the Executive of the United States, but by such orderly and peaceable methods as may be provided for by the constitution and laws of the State. Having the assurance that no resort to violence is contemplated, but that on the contrary disputes in question are to be settled by peaceful methods, under and in accordance with law, I deem it proper to take action in accordance with the principles announced when I entered upon the duties of the Presidency. You are, therefore, directed to see that proper orders are issued for the removal of said troops at an early date from their present position to such regular barracks in the vicinity as may be selected for their occupation. R. B. HAYES. To Hon. GEORGE W. MCCRARY, Secretary of War. Commander of the Army: The Secretary thereupon thus addressed the

WAR DEPARTMENT, WASHINGTON, D. C., }

April 20, 1877. General WILLIAM T. SHERMAN, commanding United States Army. GENERAL: I have the honor to inclose herewith a copy of a communication from the President of the United States, in which he directs that the detachment of the United States troops now stationed in the vicinity of the Mechanics' Institute, in the city of New Orleans, La., be withdrawn to such convenient barracks as may be selected for their occupation. You are hereby charged with the execution of this order, and will cause the withdrawal to take place on Tuesday next, the 24th of April, at 12 o'clock meridian.

Very respectfully, your obedient servant,

GEORGE W. MCCRARY, Secretary of War.

The removal of the troops was followed by the complete establishment of the authority of the Democratic Governor. (See LOUISIANA.)

The course thus pursued with these States by the President caused much dissatisfaction to many of the members of the Republican party, but was warmly approved by the rest of the people.

An effort was also made by the Administration to effect a reform in the civil service by the appointment to office of persons of the best character and attainments, with less regard to political influence. Public officers were also required to abstain from interference in elections. The following brief letter was also published: