1867 | Political Events
Political Events
Prussia's Count von Bismarck organizes a North German Confederation under Prussian leadership. The socialist chairman of German workingmen's unions August Babel, 27, wins election to the Confederation's Reichstag.
The Austro-Hungarian dual monarchy that will continue until 1918 has its beginnings February 8 in a compromise (Ausgleich) engineered by Hungarian statesman Ferencz Deak, 63, who has gained restoration of the Hungarian constitution from the Austrian emperor Franz Josef, who will rule as king of Hungary until his death in 1916. Having ruled with absolute power since 1848, the king-emperor has no sympathy for the constitutional government under which he will now be constrained. The Austrian and Hungarian people have had no say in the matter, but the Ausgleich comes into force in March following its passage as constitutional law by the Hungarian parliament, and Austria's Reichsrat is permitted only to confirm it without amendments (German liberals dominate its membership and receive some concessions, including a genuinely impartial jury, security of individual rights, and guarantees of religious and educational freedom). Austria-Hungary's ministers are responsible to the emperor, not to the Reichsrat.
Greek statesman Dimitríos Kallérgis dies at Athens January 24 at age 63; Crimean War general Prince Aleksandr S. Menshikov at St. Petersburg May 1 at age 79; former Greek king Otto at Bamberg, Bavaria, July 26 at age 52.
Willem III of the Netherlands incorporates Limburg into his realm; he tries to sell his sovereignty over Luxembourg to France (see 1839), but winds up acceding to Prussian demands that Luxembourg be established as an independent duchy. The Treaty of London signed May 11 reaffirms Luxembourg's territorial integrity and the political autonomy she has enjoyed since the 1839 treaty, declaring her to be perpetually neutral (see 1890).
Former Spanish prime minister Leopoldo O'Donnell, duque de Tetuán, dies at Biarritz November 6 at age 58, having suppressed two insurrections last year before being dismissed by Isabella II (see 1868). Former governor of Cuba Francisco Serrano y Domínguez, 56, succeeds O'Donnell as head of the Liberal Union Party.
Irish Fenians attempt to seize Chester in February and attack police barracks December 13, kill six people who include a 7-year-old girl while trying to blow up London's Clerkenwell Prison. The revolutionary movement founded among Irish-Americans by James Stephens in 1858 spread to Ireland 2 years ago but will dissolve next year as differences arise between Stephens and more radical leaders.
Japan's figurehead emperor Komei dies February 3 and a movement to restore the power of the emperor gains strength under the leadership of the Mito clan in the north and the Satchō Dohi group (Satsuma, Chōshu, Tosa, and Hizen clans) in the west. Revolutionary Shinsaku Takasugi dies of tuberculosis at Shimonoseki May 17 at age 26, having dramatically altered the balance of power between the shōgunate and the feudal lords; the new shōgun Yoshinobu is virtually imprisoned in his Kyoto palace and resigns November 9, ending the feudal military government that has ruled Japan since 1185 (see 1868).
Former French military governor of Cochinchina Louis-Adolphe Bonard dies at Amiens March 31 at age 62. France annexes that part of what she calls Cochinchina not included under terms of the 1862 Treaty of Saigon (see 1864). Vietnamese diplomat Phan Thanh Gian feels he has betrayed his people and commits suicide at Vinh Long August 4 at age 71 to protest French use of force in a cause which the French cannot morally justify (see 1873).
The Straits Settlements on the Strait of Malacca becomes a separate crown colony April 1, bringing Malacca, Penang, and Singapore under the direct control of Britain's Colonial Office (see 1826; 1942).
A Tenure of Office Act adopted by Congress in February prohibits the president from dismissing any officer confirmed by the Senate unless the Senate approves; the act's intent is primarily to keep President Johnson from dismissing Secretary of War Stanton, who is sympathetic to the cause of the Radical Republicans (see 1866). Congress appoints seven representatives to draw up articles of impeachment against President Johnson, whose opposition to harsh Reconstructionist policies in the South have enraged many. Former abolitionist George W. Julian, now 50, opposed the Compromise of 1850 and lost his bid for reelection that year; he was elected to Congress in 1860 as a Republican and helped to make emancipation a war aim. He now helps lead the fight to oust Johnson.
Nebraska enters the Union March 1 as the 37th state (its 76,644 square miles make it nearly 10 times the size of Massachusetts).
A U.S. naval appropriations bill enacted into law March 2 represents the first federal effort to regulate political campaign finance; it prohibits officers and government employees from soliciting funds in naval yards (see Pendelton Act, 1883).
Radical Republicans place the southern states under military rule again in March, but they fail to win a vote for impeachment in the House. President Johnson temporarily suspends Secretary of War Stanton August 12, replacing him with Civil War hero Ulysses S. Grant (see 1868).
The British North America Act signed into law March 29 unites Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia in a new Dominion of Canada with its capital at Ottawa, a town of 18,000 (see Charlottetown Conference, 1864). The law takes effect July 1 (which will be celebrated hereafter as Canada Day); the first Dominion premier is John A. (Alexander) Macdonald, 52, a Scots-Canadian who has been premier of Upper Canada and has led the federation movement; the first governor general of the new Dominion is Irish-born colonial administrator Charles Stanley, now 47, who was named governor general of British North America 6 years ago, is elevated by Queen Victoria to the peerage as 4th Viscount Monck (of Ballytrammon), and will serve until next year.
Alaska comes under U.S. ownership following ratification of a treaty signed March 30. Russia's czar Aleksandr II has accepted a suggestion from Nikolai Muravyov, Graf Amursky, that he sell the vast territory, whose 570,000 square miles of forest, glaciers, icefields, and tundra remain largely unexplored and whose population of about 30,000 is almost entirely aboriginal; U.S. minister to Russia Cassius M. Clay, now 56, has helped Secretary of State Seward arrange the $7.2 million purchase at 1.9¢ per acre, critics ridicule "Seward's icebox," but the Senate consents April 9 and the transfer takes place October 18.
Midway Island in the Pacific becomes U.S. territory August 28: Captain William Reynolds of the U.S.S. Lackawanna seizes the island.
Acting governor of Montana Territory General Thomas F. Meagher drowns accidentally in the Missouri River near Fort Benton July 1 at age 43; Rear Admiral John D. Sloat, U.S. Navy, dies on Staten Island, New York, November 28 at age 86.
Mexican resistance, pressure from the United States, and domestic criticism make France's Napoleon III decide early in the year to withdraw his troops from Mexico (see 1866). The emperor Maximilian surrenders to Mexican forces May 15 as troops under the command of Mariano Escobedo besiege the walled city of Querétaro; the French have killed thousands of Mexican guerrillas, Benito Juárez has vowed vengeance, a court martial condemns Maximilian to death, and he goes before a firing squad June 19, thus ending Napoleon III's dream of establishing an empire in Latin America (Mexican soldier-politician Miguel Miramón is executed near Querétaro the same day at age 34, having been instrumental in persuading Maximilian to continue his struggle). Juárez returns to Mexico City and in August issues a call for national elections; he also asks for a referendum on five proposed amendments to the constitution that was promulgated 10 years ago. The president is reelected, but his proposals to amend the constitution would strengthen executive power and the referendum votes are not even counted (see 1871). Revolutionary leader Juan Alvarez dies at Acapulco August 21 at age 77.
Former Peruvian president Ramón Castilla dies at Arica, Chile, May 25 at age 69.
Colombia ousts her dictatorial president Mosquera and sends him into exile for a period of 2 years (see 1865).
Paraguay's President López conscripts slaves aged 12 to 60 as smallpox and cholera kill far more on both sides than do bullets in the year's single battle (see 1866; 1868).