Unpleasantness, The Late, or Recent.-(See Late Unpleasantness, The.)

Unreconstructed, is an adjective applied to those Southerners that have not yet reconciled themselves to the results of the Civil War. The re-admission into the Union of the seceded States was called Reconstruction.

Utah, originally a part of the region acquired by the Mexican Session (see Annexations 1V.), was organized as a Territory of the United States by Act of September 9, 1850. It included land which has since been cut off and added to Nevada, Wyoming and Colorado. The capital is Salt Lake City. The population in 1880 was 143,963, and in the last census (1890) 207,905. It is often called Deseret, "the land of the honey-bee." It would probably have been admitted as a State before this but for the preponderance of Mormons in its population. (See Mormons; Governors; Legislature.)

Ute War. (See Indian Wars.)

Valuation. (See Foreign Valuation; Home Valuation.)

Van Buren, Martin, was born at Kinderhook, New York, December 5, 1782, and died at the same place July 24, 1862. By profession he was a lawyer; he was State Senator from 1813 to 1820, and United States Senator from 1821 to 1828; in 1829 he was Governor of the State, and 1829 to 1831 Secretary of State of the United States, and Minister to England 1831 to 1832; the Senate rejected this last nomination and he returned home; from 1833 to 1837 he was Vice-President, and from 1837 to 1841, President. Although nominated for a second term he was defeated. In 1844 he was a candidate for nomination, but his party (the Democratic), named Polk. In 1848 he was nominated for President by the Free Soil Party, and his candidacy drew sufficient votes from Cass, the Democratic nominee, to defeat him. As a politician Van Buren was one of the shrewdest of his time, and an excellent party manager. He and his followers were the first to bring to Washington the crafty methods of New York politics, of which the present party machines are the outgrowth. He was

Jackson's choice as the latter's successor, and belonged to the Barnburner faction of his party. The most important events of his administration were the panic of 1837 and the Canadian Rebellion.

Vermont was originally part of the colony of New York, though also claimed by New Hampshire. A convention declared it independent of both of these in 1777. Its separate existence was not formally admitted by New York till 1790. By act of Congress of February 18, 1791, to take effect on the following 4th of March, Vermont was admitted to the Union-the first State after the original thirteen. The capital is Montpelier. The population in 1880 was 332,286, and in the last, 1890, census 332,422. Vermont has two representatives in Congress and four electoral votes, and is heavily Republican in politics. Its name is of French origin, and means green mountain;" popularly it is known as the Green Mountain State. (See Governors; Legislatures.)

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Veto. A veto is the act by which the executive refuses his concurrence in a measure of the legislative body with which he is associated and thus prevents its becoming a law. The power of veto is generally given to mayors of cities and to Governors of States, the latter sometimes acting in conjunction with other officials. The veto may be overriden by a vote of the legislative body, in most of the States a two-thirds vote being necessary that purpose, while in the others a three-fifths or even a simple majority vote is sufficient. Only four of the States, namely, Rhode Island, Delaware, North Carolina, and Ohio, have refused to give the executive the power to veto. The right to veto acts of Congress is vested by Article 1, section 7, of the Constitution, in the President alone. He is required to sign every bill or return it to the house of Congress in which it originated, with his objections. The latter act constitutes a veto, and if two-thirds of each house pass the bill again it becomes a law notwithstanding the veto. If the President fails to return the bill within ten days (Sundays excepted) it becomes a law, as if he had signed it, unless " Congress by their adjournment prevent its return, in which case it shall not be a

law." If, therefore, Congress adjourn within ten days after the passage of a bill and the President has refrained from acting on the bill, it does not become a law; the disposal of a bill in this way, when the President does not choose to veto it formally, is termed a "pocket veto," a term which seems first to have been applied by the Whigs to the disposition in this way of two internal improvement bills by Jackson. The earlier Presidents of the United States seldom exercised the veto power. Up to Jackson's administration it had been used but nine times-twice by Washington, six times by Madison and once by Monroe. Jackson vetoed nine bills, and after him the exercise of the right became more frequent. Up to Johnson's administration no bill had been passed over a veto, but now a large majority in each house was opposed to the President's policy; Johnson constantly vetoed bills which were usually re-passed by the necessary two-thirds vote and became laws in spite of him. Hayes' administration shows a large number of vetoes, including those of a bill to restrict Chinese immigration and several appropriation bills with riders attached; but since 1869 Cleveland has vetoed the largest number of bills, more than all the previous Presidents collectively, but the greater number of these were private pension bills.

Vigilance Committee.-Among those who hastened to California after the discovery of gold in 1849 were many lawless characters, who soon caused a reign of terror. The Territory became a State in 1850, but the laws seemed powerless to restrain the commission of crime. To alter this condition of affairs large numbers of the best citizens, irrespective of party, banded together in San Francisco and other places in 1851, under the name of vigilance committees, took the law into their own hands, and by their vigorous actions gradually restored the country to a safe and peaceable state. In 1856 they were again forced to administer the law. They held trials and administered justice as seemed to them right. In other parts of the United States vigilance committees have been organized at different times as temporary measures of necessity, or to punish particular crimes, but their actions have often

been more entitled to the name of lynch law than those of the California vigilance committee.

Vice-President of the United States, is the officer that succeeds the President in case of the latter's removal, "death, resignation or inability." His salary is $8,000. The Vice-President is president of the Senate, but has a vote only in case of a tie. Originally each presidential elector voted for two persons, and the person receiving the highest vote was elected President, he receiving the next highest, vice-president. (Constitution, Article 2, section 1.) The Twelfth Amendment changed the method of election, separate votes now being cast for President and Vice-President. When the Vice-President is absent or performing the duties of the President, a president pro tempore of the Senate is chosen. Under the former law, in case of inability to serve of both President and Vice-President, the duties of the office devolved upon this officer; accordingly to prepare for all emergencies it was customary toward the end of a session of Congress for the Vice-President to withdraw and a president pro tempore to be elected. For the present law on that subject see Presidential Succession. Below is a list of the Vice-Presidents of the United States:

PRESIDENTS PRO TEMPORE OF THE UNITED STATES SENATE: