Underground Railroad
prior to the Civil War, a name given to a more or less systematic plan for the escape of slaves. Throughout the territory extending from the Ohio River to Canada there were many slave sympathizers who concealed slaves during the daytime and conveyed them in the night to someone farther on, who, in turn, performed a like service. Instead of forming a line direct from Kentucky to Ontario these self-appointed agents who maintained stations for the underground railway formed a sort of network. It was impossible to foretell in what direction Farmer A would send his passengers. Sometimes, to avoid pursuers who made a business of catching runaway slaves for a reward, he would send a passenger back toward Kentucky, or take him across country and leave him in another line of communication. These agents became very skillful and persistent. Once a runaway slave succeeded in reaching the haymow of an agent of the underground railway he was fairly sure of making his escape. Mrs. Stowe's Uncle Tom's Cabin gives an account of one of these conductors.
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Underwriter
one who writes his name at the foot of a policy of insurance. On some policies, only one such name appears; on others several names are added, when each party thus entering his name, is said to "take a line." The system still prevails abroad, but there are also numerous companies companies whose business it is to grant marine insurances. The underwriters of American cities do not confine their business to marine insurance, but fire-risks, etc., are now taken.
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Undine
. See Fouque ; De La Motte
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Undue Influence
in law, a phrase used specially in connection with voting or the making of a will. In the first case it consists of bribery or any force, violence, restraint, threat to inflict injury or intimidation, designed to coerce a person into voting ng for a particular candidate, or abstaining abstaining from voting at all, or as an infliction because of his having done so. The perpetrator exposes himself to a legal penalty. In case of a contested election the principal may be declared, by the court, not elected. In the case of a will, undue influence is exerted when one acquires such an ascendancy over the testator's mind as to prevent the latter from being a free agent. If he spontaneously bequeath money to one whom he esteems or loves, the esteem or affection does not constitute undue influence. Importunity does. When undue influence is proved the will becomes void.
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Unguents
There are many kinds of unguents, each with its peculiar properties. It is known that the devil compounds them in order to harm the human race. One such unguent is composed of human fat, and is used by the witches to enable them to fly through the air to the Sabbath. Many old recipes exist for unguents to induce sleep, visions, etc., and these are compounded from various strange ingredients. ( See Salverte "Les Science Occultes.")
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Uniformity
ACT OF, in English Church history, history, the Act 13 & 14 Car. II., c. 4, designed to regulate the terms of membership in the Church of England and in the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge. Both the Anglican and the Puritan parties had desired their faith to be that of the Church of England, and Charles II., who, as a step to obtaining his father's throne, wished to stand well with both parties, promised at Breda to use his influence to bring about a certain measure of comprehension. But the Parliament was in no mood to vote for such a scheme, and the Act of Uniformity required the clergy to sign the Thirty-nine Articles and to use the Book of Common Prayer. The enforcement of these regulations led to the secession from the Church of England of upward of 2,000 clergymen, and laid the foundation of modern dissent. The Act of Uniformity Amendment Act, passed July 18, 1872, somewhat modified that Charles, as the University Test Act, passed June, 1871, had done the year before.
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Union
a city of South Carolina, and the county-seat of Union co., on the Southern and the Union and Glenn Springs railroads. There are several large cotton, knitting and oil mills. The city is a commercial center of a prosperous agricultural region, cotton, fruit and other farm products being raised. There is a Carnegie library, high school, Federal building and county court house. Pep. (1910) 5,623; (1920) 6.141.
a town of New Jersey, in Hudson co., adjacent to Weehawken and West Hoboken. There are important establishments for the manufacture of silk and embroidered goods, besides other industrial establishments. Pop. (1910) 21,023; (1920) 20,651.
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Union College
an American institution of learning established in Schenectady, N. Y., in 1795 by several religious denominations, from which fact it derives its name. It was the first nonsectarian college incorporated in the United States. The movement for the founding of such an institution was inaugurated in 1779, when 500 citizens of eastern and northern New York petitioned the Legislature in its behalf. This request was refused, but an academy was started in Schenectady in 1785, which on Feb. 25, 1795, became Union College. The first president was the Rev. John Blair Smith. In 1804 the Rev. Eliphalet Nott was elected president and held the office till 1866, the longest term of service of any college president in the history of the United States. During his incumbency Union College became one of the best known educational institutions in the country. The Dudley Observatory, the Albany Law School and the Albany Medical College became parts of it in 1873. There are also separate departments in civil engineering and pharmacy. The reports for 1919 showed: Professors and instructors, 42; students, 466; president, C. A. Richmond, LL. D.
a coeducational non-sectarian institution in College View, Neb.; founded in 1891; reported at the close of 1919: Professors and instructors, 27; students, 473; president, H. A. Morrison, A. M.
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Union Jack
a national ensign of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. The national flag of England is the red cross of St. George on a white ground; that of Scotland is the white diagonal cross of St. Andrew on a blue ground; that of Ireland is the red diagonal cross of St. Patrick on a white ground. The three crosses put together form the Union Jack. The triangular portions of the background are blue. The bars representing the crosses are partly red and partly white. Its colors, therefore, are red, white, and blue. Although the American flag was adopted before the Union Jack took its present form, its colors also are derived, as is fitting, from the three flags of the United Kingdom. See Flag
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