mner assaulted]

The National Convention of the American Party virtually approved the
Fugitive Slave law and the Kansas-Nebraska act. In Congress, Sumner
delivered a philippic on "The Crime against Kansas," in which he commented
severely on Senator Butler of South Carolina. Thereupon Preston Brooks
brutally assaulted Sumner in his seat in the Senate. As a result of his
injuries Sumner was an invalid for four years.

[Sidenote: Puebla revolts]

In Mexico, President Comonfort had barely reached a temporary adjustment of
difficulties with Spain when his government was embarrassed by a serious
insurrection in Puebla. Government troops in overwhelming numbers put a
bloody end to the revolt. Orihuela, the rebel chief, was shot.

[Sidenote: Friction with Spain]

[Sidenote: Civil war in Mexico]

A new liberal Constitution in Mexico, proclaimed by President Comonfort,
did not mend matters much in that distracted republic. New troubles with
Spain arose over unpunished robberies and murders of Spanish subjects. In
March, diplomatic intercourse between the two countries was severed.
Spanish warships were ordered to the Gulf of Mexico. At the last moment,
diplomatic mediation on the part of England and France succeeded in
averting war. General Comonfort, finding himself unable to make much
headway by constitutional means, invoked the help of General Zuloaga, and
established himself once more as military dictator. When it came to
dividing the spoils, Comonfort and Zuloaga fell out, and a seven days'
conflict resulted. Comonfort's followers were routed. The defeated
President had to flee the country.

[Sidenote: Death of Heine]

[Sidenote: Heine's Muse]

Heinrich Heine, the foremost German lyric poet, died at Paris, February 18.
The last ten years of his life were clouded by ill health. Heine derived
his first poetic inspiration from A.W. Schlegel, while a student at the
University of Bonn. In the literary and artistic circle of Rachel Varnhagel
in Berlin he found further encouragement in his early literary labors. He
was a Jew, but, for the purpose of taking up the study of law, he had
himself baptized a Christian, and became a doctor of law at the University
of Goettingen. After a journey to England, he gave up law to devote himself
exclusively to the pursuit of letters. In 1827, he brought out his "Buch
der Lieder," and followed this up with the first part of his famous
"Reisebilder." Heine's lyrics, by their unwonted gra