Reciprocal

3941

Reconstruction

to the interior, began an irregular war upon
the Dutch settlers, and after twelve years ex-
pelled them; p. 472,000.

Reciprocal, in mathematics, is the quoti
ient obtained by dividing unity by a numbc .
The product of a quantity and its recipro-
cal is thus unity; and the reciprocal of a
fraction is obtained by interchanging numera-
tor and denominator.

Reciprocating Motion, motion to and
fro in a straight line, like that of the piston
of a steam-engine,

Reciprocity, in economic history, mutual
concessions between nations by which tar-
iff rates or commercial discriminations are
lowered, abolished, or abandoned.

Recitative, a species of music—frequently
written without key signature—much used
in the declamatory passages which constitute
an important feature in oratorios and op-
eras.

Reclamation, U. S. Bureau of, a bureau
of the Department of the Interior at Wash-
ington, organized in July, 1902, under the
Reclamation Act of June 17, 1902. It is en-
gaged in the investigation, construction, and
operation of irrigation projects in arid and
semi-arid States of the far West, and in the
establishment of settlers thereon, Among its
projects is Boulder Dam on the Colorado,
Under pi esent laws, soldiers and sailors of all
wars hat e a preference right of 90 days to
enter the public land farm unit. The Bureau's
library contains descriptions of all projects*

Reclamation of Land, the process of
making land suitable for agriculture by irri-
gation or drainage. Among the most notable
achievements in reclamation are the great
works constructed by the United States gov-
ernment to put water upon the arid public
lands in the West. Holland, by its extensive
system of dykes and sea-walls, furnishes a
notable example of land reclamation, In
1918 a bill was passed by the Dutch Parlia-
ment for reclaiming a part of the Zuidcr Zee
by building a dyke across the northern part.
The entire work will cover a period of some
35 years. Sec CONSERVATION MOVEMENT;
PUBLIC LANDS.

Recluses, the name given to men and
women who, in mediaeval times, left the
world to live a Hfo of prayer and contem-
plation; dwelling in a cell, usually attached
to a church, sometimes within the precincts
of a monastery. In modern parlance the
term is applied to anyone who mingles little
in society.

Recognizance, a bond or obligation enter-
ed into before a court of record and made a
part of the record.

Recoil, the backward movement of a gun
on being discharged.

Reconnaissance, a military term to de-
note information as to the theater of opera-
tions—the strength, position, morale, etc,, of
the different divisions of the enemy in the
field—obtained by troops or individuals after
the outbreak of hostilities.

Reconstruction, a term used in United
States history to describe the process by
which and the period in which the 'states'
that seceded in 1860 and 1861 were brought
back into the Union. The collapse of the
Confederacy found the victorious North
without a settled plan for dealing with the
seceded 'states.' Since fundamental Consti-
tutional laws had not been provided for
such a contingency there were numerous con-
flicting plans. The legal problems related
mainly to the status (i) of the Southern
'state' organizations, (2) of the Southern
people, and (3) of the negroes. Were the ne-
groes citizens or wards? Should the 'state'
or the federal government fix the status of the
ex-slave? Was the 'Union as it was' to be
restored, or had a new and more perfect
one been evolved from the war struggle ? On
Dec. 8, 1863, Lincoln by proclamation an-
nounced that he would recognize, so far as
the executive could do so, any 'state* reor-
ganized by as many as ten per cent, of the
number of voters in 1860 who should ask for
pardon and take the oath of allegiance to the
United States. Congress, however, opposed
the President's work by refusing in 1864 to
receive senators from Arkansas* and by pass-
ing in July, 1864, the Wade-Davis bill which
contained an assertion of the right of Con-
gress to undertake the work of reconstruc-
tion. President Johnson began the work of
restoring the seceded 'states' to the Union,

As directed by the President, after the con-
ventions had planned new 'state* govern-
ments, elections were held under the new con-
stitutions, the legislatures met, and, with the
exception of Mississippi, ratified f-"i proposed
Thirteenth Amendment abolishing slavery.
Senators and representatives were chosen,
and then the officials of the provisional gov-
ernment gave place to those elected by the
people. This was done in all the 'states' ex-
cept Texas before the close of 1865; and the
'restoration' was complete if Congress would
accept it by admitting the Southern sena-