o new
disorders. General Carrera, on August 15, declared for the plan of Ayutla
and proclaimed himself Vice-President. Funds were raised by a forced loan
from the clerical orders. Several provinces of Mexico refused to recognize
Carrera. Within a month he had to abdicate. He was succeeded at first by
General Diaz de la Vavaga, and then by Juan Alvarez, the leader of the
Puros. While he tried to establish his rule, General Vidini in the north
strove to wrest the States of Cohauila, Tamaulipas and Nuego Leon from
Mexico, to form an independent republic under the name of Sierra Madre.
Before the close of the year Alvarez likewise found his position untenable
and resigned. General Comonfort seized the reins of power as substitute
president--the thirty-sixth President within forty years, the fifth within
four months. He fell heir to the serious international complication with
Spain resulting from the unpaid dividends of Mexico's original debt of
indemnity to that country.

[Sidenote: Growth of Taiping movement]

In China, the Taiping rebels still holding Lintsing were beset by the
imperial troops. They were expelled from the province of Shantung during
the spring, but on the other hand carried their arms up the Yangtse-Kiang
as far as Ichang, and eastward from Nanking to the sea. The establishment
of the Taiping power at Nanking attracted the attention of Europeans. At
length a ruthless system of capital executions, by which nearly one hundred
thousand victims are believed to have perished, terrorized China.

1856

In America, the increasing virulence of the long controversy over slavery
was brought home to the people by a cowardly assault committed by one
Albert Rust upon Horace Greeley, the editor of the New York "Tribune," and
one of the leaders of the agitation against slavery.

[Sidenote: Buford in Kansas]

[Sidenote: The "Kansas War"]

At a Territorial election in Kansas on January 15 a Legislature was chosen,
and Robinson was elected Governor under the Free State Constitution.
January 26, President Pierce recognized the pro-slavery Legislature in
Kansas, and, on February 11, by proclamation ordered the dispersion of
armed invaders of Kansas. The Legislature met at Topeka, March 4, and
inaugurated Robinson. Congress appointed a committee to investigate the
Kansas troubles. On May 5, the Grand Jury of Douglas County found
indictments against Reeder, Robinson and Lane, the Free State leaders. In
the sprin