The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-12-31
Cur Photographic View OF the Declining
Year-The Events OF 1859.

Year-The Events OF 1859.
The old year 1859 expires to day, and to-
morrow the world enters upon q new era. The
busy term Of the declining year has crowded
into it series Of important events, vitality
affecting not alone this continent, but the en-
tire globe Political agitations have fore
Swallowed, and political changes have wrought
out, new destinies for men and nations In ac-
cordance with our usual custom, we place
upon record in our columns to-day the leading
events of the world for the past year. Our an
nual chronological tables have always been
looked for and sought after with eager interest,
and we have endeavored to give them as full
as possible in triple sheet on this, the last
day of 1859; but we find our space inadequate
to the entire task; therefore our chronology of
commercial affairs and few local matters can
not appear until next week. The leading fea-
lures Of the worlds history, however, will be
found chronicled in our columns to-day.
In the history of our own country, the year
! 1859 has been pregnant with stirring events, u
r--- -e--ls-s W,
Another State has been added to the Union,
making Oregon the thirty-third sister in the
confedaacy, while two or three Territories
have become already applicants for admission,
to increase the galaxy of stars on the national
banner.
During the past year Washington has been
| tragedies Of modern times; remarkable in the
public position occupied by the parties impi-
cated-a member of Congress and United
States official; remarkable also from the unfor-
tunate incidents out of which it arose, as well
as from the judicial results which followed it.
The murder Of Philip Barton Key by Daniel E.
Sickles, at the national capital, holds promi-
nent place among the exciting events Of 1859.
The reasonable attempt Of Brown and his
followers at Harper's Ferry upon the peace
and security of Virginia, and the whole South,
will mark this period as most remarkable
epoch in the history Of the United States,
closely connected, as it seems to be, with the
practical development Of the dangerous sec
tional feeling which prevails throughout large
| portion Of the Union. Turning from this dis
| play of hostile sentiments between two sections
of the country, we come to an event inaugu-
rating new feature of social comfort and
| prosperity in our sister city Of Brooklyn-the
introduction Of Ridgewood water, which was
hailed by popular demonstration only second
to that which welcomed our own indispensable
Croton into New York many years ago.
The San Juan difficulty, which for a time ap-
peared to threaten breach of amicable rela-
tons with England disaster which Mr.. Blu
chauan's admirable policy and the prudent ac-
ton Of General Scott happily warded off-will
1859. And at the close of the year we behold,
in Washington, Congress assembling in the very
heat of the most exciting political agitation the
country has known for years, and at once Crap
ping with the subject matter of that dangerous
agitation, the Harper's Ferry insurrection and
the Helper book, which sixty-eight of its men,
bers had endorsed, recommending an uprising
of the negroes and non slaveholding whites Of
the South against the Shareholders. But in the
midst Of political excitement, acrimony and
sectional strife, threatening, as they seem to do
the very existence of the republic, the national
progress grows apace, and, in q commercial
and social aspect prosperity almost unbounded
|
with wonderful recuperative power out Of the
financial disasters Of 1857; with the gold pro
ducts of California pouring in with increas
ing prolifcacy, and the virgin silver Of our new
Territory Of Arizona promising rich results 70,
he coming year, neither the agitation Of dema
gogues nor the reasonable designs Of politi
clans have been able to retafd the materia
prosperity of the country or the increasing com
forts Of the people.
| While such is the aspect Of affairs OF home
and such the leading events which have markei
for us the annual cycle just departing the bis
tory Of Europe has added to its pages anothe
bloody campaign, Of which-though the shocl
Of contending armies no longer disturbs tn
peace Of Italy-the end Is not yet. The Italian
war, and the hasty peace Of Villafranca which
concluded it, have left Europe disorganized
Hnlv -. LII G.,