sively, and some of them have been profitably worked. Further improvement in the method of producing and working the ores, and a greater facility of transportation, will no doubt invite a large immigration.

ΜΟΝΤΑΝΑ.

This extensive territory is bounded north by the British Possessions, east by Dakota, south by Wyoming, and south-west by Idaho. It contains 144,000 square miles, or 92,160,000 acres. This territory was organized in 1864. The executive and judicial officers are appointed by the President.

This territory is very mountainous; but the valleys are extensive, and the land in them is exceedingly fertile. Grazing lands, well adapted to stock-raising, are scattered through the territory. Irrigation is necessary over a large part of the cultivated land; but the mountain streams supply water in abundance. Timber, stone, and brick-clay for building abound everywhere. It is, however, its mineral deposits which promise great prosperity to the territory, when they are fully developed and worked. Some very rich silver lodes. have been ascertained, and expensive machinery is now working them with great success. Indications lead those who are acquainted with the subject to the belief that this territory will become one of the most productive mining regions in the country. Coal is also found, but not to any very great extent, or of any special value. Copper and lead deposits are numerous, but have not yet been largely worked. When railroad facilities for trade and intercourse are increased, this territory may well be expected to attain to great prosperity.

WYOMING.

This territory is bounded on the north by Montana, east by Dakota and Nebraska, south by Colorado and Utah, and west by Utah and Idaho. It contains 87,000 square miles, or 55,680,000

acres.

This territory was organized in 1868. The executive and judicial officers are appointed by the President: the governor, judges, and attorney for a term of four years. The council consists of nine members, chosen for two years, and their number may be increased to thirteen. The house of representatives has thirteen members, chosen for one year, and their numbers may be increased to twentyseven. The Rocky Mountains, the Big-Horn and Rattlesnake Mountains, and the Black Hills pass through this territory, and cause a larger part of it than of almost any other territory to be mountainous; but numerous valleys and some plains are well adapted to cultiva

tion. The Pacific Railroad crosses the territory. Deposits of gold have been discovered in various parts of it, which are considered of great promise; but they have not yet been largely worked.

ALASKA.

This territory consists of the Russian possessions in North America which were ceded by Russia to the United States in 1867 for $7,200,000. It is bounded south by latitude 54° 40', and east by longitude 141°, west by the Pacific and Behring Straits, and extends as far north as the continent.

It has not yet been organized as a territory; but in 1868 a collection district was established, and the laws of the United States which relate to customs, navigation, and commerce were extended over the territory. It embraces the Aleutian Islands, which extend more than one thousand miles towards Asia. The climate is very much milder than in the same latitudes on the Atlantic coast, and the richness of soil is proved by the heavy growth of timber, which covers a large part of the territory. But it has too much rain and too little sunshine to admit of much profitable cultivation. The river Yukon is one of the largest that flows into the Pacific, and is navigable for most of its length. Among its mountains are some, as Mount St. Elias and Mount Fairweather, which are believed to be among the highest in North America. It has some active

volcanoes.

This territory can never be largely peopled nor widely cultivated; but its fisheries, and the furs from the seals which resort to the islands, and from the wild animals on the continent, are immensely valuable.

There is a small group of islands in Behring Sea, upon which are the only important "rookeries" of the fur-seals now known in the world. In the Falkland Islands and elsewhere in the Antarctic seas, where they were once immensely numerous, they have been almost exterminated by a merciless and improvident destruction. But the Russians have always protected and preserved the rookeries on their islands; and there is every reason to believe that these animals come there now in their breeding seasons as numerously as ever. As Congress has adopted similar means of preserving them, it may be hoped that this important source of wealth will remain undiminished.

In 1870 these seal islands were leased for a term of twenty years to the Alaska Commercial Company of San Francisco. The provisions of the lease are well adapted to the purpose of preserving the number of seals unimpaired. The islands are placed under the

exclusive possession of the company, and constant and watchful care is taken to keep off intruders. The company is permitted to kill one hundred thousand seals in each year, which is but a small part of what might be killed, for a time, if there were no systematic preservation. For these seals the company pay to the natives who take them forty cents each, and to the government $2.50 each, which, with an annual bonus of $50,000, gives a net revenue of $300,000. The seal-skins are sent to London in an undressed state, and there sold in that condition for about $8.00 each.

INDIAN TERRITORY.

This territory is bounded north by Kansas, east by Missouri and Arkansas, and south and west by Texas. It contains about 70,000 square miles, or 44,800,000 acres.

This territory has been set apart by the United States as a permanent home for the Indians who are native to the territory, and also for those who have been removed thither from other regions. It has never been organized as a territory, and is all that remains of the Louisiana purchase not admitted as States or organized as territories. Each tribe of Indians owns the portion allotted to it by the United States. They are allowed to make their own laws, and live after their own habits and pleasure in all respects. If crimes are committed by them against white men, the Indians may be tried and punished by the United States courts sitting in the districts of the adjoining States of Arkansas and Missouri. A vast tract of country, commonly known as the great American Desert, most of which, as is now believed, can never be brought under profitable cultivation, extends over the northern and western portion of the territory; but in the remainder extensive plains, with the hills and valleys, offer abundance of cultivable land for the support of the Indians, should they become civilized and industrious. Some of the tribes have already become so to a considerable extent. They have churches, schools, and a form of government resembling those of the adjoining States. The rest of them, who adhere to their wild life as hunters, still find in the territory abundance of wild animals, although these are fewer than they were. Most of the Indians, and all in some circumstances, receive assistance from the United States.

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

This district is bounded north-east and south by Maryland, and west by Virginia. Its area is now 55 square miles, or 35,200 acres.

During the revolutionary war, and from that time until the constitution was adopted, Congress met at Philadelphia, Annapolis, Princeton, Trenton, and New York. When the government was organized under the constitution, an earnest discussion, exhibiting much strong feeling, took place in Congress as to where the national capital should be located. Each of the principal cities in the Middle States had its advocates. Perhaps it was desired to avoid giving any one of them an advantage which others claimed; and for this and other reasons it was determined to locate the capital in some new place, and then the undoubted wishes and opinions of Washton had influence in fixing the place. In 1790 an act was passed, providing, "That a district of territory on the river Potomac, at some place between the mouths of the eastern branch and the Connogacheague be, and the same is hereby accepted for the permanent seat of the government of the United States;" and that Congress should sit in Philadelphia until November, 1800, and then. should remove to the selected district. It was agreed that this district should be a square of ten miles, or one hundred square miles. Of this one hundred miles, about fifty-five miles lying to the north-east of the Potomac was ceded to the United States by Maryland, in 1788; and the next year Virginia ceded about fortyfive square miles lying on the other side of the Potomac. So the district remained nearly sixty years, when, in 1846, that part of it which lay on the Virginia side of the Potomac was ceded back to that State.

The Constitution of the United States gives to Congress exclusively control over the district, which has one delegate in ConThe judges, four in number, are appointed by the President, and hold their office for life, or during good behavior. Within the district are the cities of Washington and Georgetown, each of which has its own municipal government, that can lay taxes for municipal purposes.

The city of Washington lies at the head of the navigable portion of the Potomac, and is about three hundred miles from the ocean, by that river and Chesapeake Bay. It was believed at the time of this selection that its position on the Potomac would give it eventually an extensive commerce; but that hope has not as yet been verified. The climate is warm and damp, and parts of the district are subject to summer and autumnal fevers, and other effects of local miasma.

The city of Washington is the capital of the nation, where large expenditures are made, not only by members of Congress, but by all the officers of government residing there. It has already grown to be a considerable city, and is growing, if not rapidly, yet at a rate

which indicates a large population in the future. The city contains the Capitol, in which are rooms for each house of Congress, for the Supreme Court, and for other purposes. The entire length of this building is 751 feet, and its greatest depth is 324 feet. The district contains also the executive mansion, often spoken of as the "White House," and buildings for the several departments of government; for the patent office, the post office, and the Smithsonian Institution. There are also a national observatory, a national printing-office, a navy yard, armory, military asylum, and many other public buildings.

We here close our brief account of the States and Territories comprised within the United States of America. A learned lawyer in Virginia, in his commentary on Blackstone, said, in 1803: "The whole number of senators is at present limited to thirty-two. It is not probable that it will ever exceed fifty!" Now it is seventyfour. Let us also contrast the position which this country held among the nations of the world when the constitution was formed, with that which it holds now. At that time, Jay, Madison, and Hamilton wrote the papers which were afterwards published as "The Federalist." There could be no higher authority than that of these three men. In No. 62, this is the description of our country: "She finds that she is held in no respect by her friends; that she is the derision of her enemies; and that she is a prey to every nation which has an interest in speculating on her fluctuating councils and embarrassed affairs." Compare this with the description which would be given of her now, even by those who were least disposed to speak well of her! How much of this wonderful growth in strength and prosperity do we owe to our admirable constitution?

We cannot read the future; but of this we may be sure if we grow proud of our prosperity as if it were our own work; if the people of this country think they have the right to indulge their passions, prejudices, and fantasies, because they have the power to do so; if their liberty is corrupted into license; if different localities and different interests contend for special advantages, forgetting the equal rights of their brethren and neighbors, all the lessons of history must be false, and all the teaching of buman experience vain, if a sure and swift retribution does not overtake us, and our decline and decay tell to all coming ages a story as marvellous as that of our past progress and our present prosperity.

Let us hope for better things. Let us hope, and each one, in his place and way, strive, to do what will best secure and promote this