The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1867-04-04
Russian Influence Oh American
Politics.

Russian Influence on American
Politics.
That there is, and has long been
good understanding between Russia auc
the United States can scarcely be doubt
ell by any one. This is n matter 0
surprise to many persons who do no
give themselves the trouble ofcnquirin.
into the reason Of things. Russia, tn
representative Of despotism, and tn
United States, which claims to be tn
? embodiment of all that is democratic
? and liberal, arc not expected to hay,
any affinity for each otLer-and in re
atty they have not-for affinity, low
and friendship arc sentiments unknown
in the vocabulary of International af
fairs or If such terms are ever used il
the intercourse Of nations, it is only t.
deceive or at least to conceal real pur
poses, and it is too often the case tina
even principle is ignored in such inter
course. But nations, like most indi
viduals are governed solely by interest
Now let us find out where Russia an(
the United States have an interest ir
common.
The first thing to be observed in the
Investigation ofthe SUBJECTS that there
are two great powers in the world.
each Of which is ch~erishing the dream
Of universal cmpirc-each wanting to
be in the future what Rome was in the
past. These powers are Russia and
France.
Asia with her tceming millions, her
rude civilization and her vast iatem re-
sources is the prize that is tempting the
cupidity ofthose powers, and the pos
sessions Of which would make either OF
them the dominant power Of the world.
The great question Of the age is the
Eastern, around which all other ques
tons revolvc like the planets around
the sun. Italian nationality, German
unity, American unity, Mexican i'm
perialisn, and even the fate Of that
grand Hierarchy which has dominated
over the temporal and spiritual affairs
Of clristendom for more than a thou
sand years are all questions of only
secondary importance in the courts Of
Paris and st. Petersburg.
Turkey has long stood an outpost Of
the great East, but the crescent Of the
False Prophet is fast going down be-
yondthe waves of the Bosphorus; and
as sinks the Crescent so does the solu
ton Of the great question draw nigh.
Napoleon and the Gar, with eagle gaze
are watching the waning Crescent, mar
shaling their mighty hosts, and pre-
pairing for the crisis which is to de-
eide who shall DO master Of the world
in proofOf which, at least as far as Ma
poleon is concerned, it need only be
observed that he has recalled his troops
Rome, and from Mexico; and :
notwithstanding his late address" re. ,
terates chat the Empire is at peace, yet /
lc is pressing forward n most relent-
ess CONSUMPTION, and France is to-day
N Il better war footing than even be- 7
known in herhlistory.
Now for the diplomacy q
When Napoleon assembled the i'm "
'erial throne everybody expected him v
pursue an untricndly course Of pol "
y towards England, on account ofthe .
.catmcnt Of his great uncle by the +,
tier. But to the great surprise of n
cry n he Immediately made the c
ost friendly ovcrtures to the English y
'%vernment, and has continued tina, h
'licy up to the present time. Only (
c other day he wrote a letter to Lord S
God expressing regret that the mon. D
ncnt of the English soldiers who fell :.
the bate Of Toulouse should be in a q
|apidatcd condition. The English e
10 fell there, fought under Yelling Il
n, the mat who, more than any other, 5
attributed to the humiliation and !;
'wnfall of Napoleon L. Nevertheless d
lpoleon III taken upon himself, at n
3 own cost, the restoration Of those t
mbs. 1t will be seen at once that 8
CHI a course is well calculated to rem .
L him very popular with the English t,
oplc. AS a first fruit Of this policy W
conciliation, the French and English e
We already humbled the pride of Rus Il
. at S%ebastopol; and the flowers will "
It bloom and fade many times over al
graves of those who fell there be- ia
re the survivors will again be called tn
'on to meet the fierce Mortimer on u
plains of the East. 81
England is agreat naval power and as
y cooperation makes France more m
IN a match for Russia. This makes W
necessary that the latter should also ~
TX the cooperation of some great tb,
val power. The United States is the
wer, aud the opportunity for secu. so
g the friendship of the great Re- lei
bic was not long in presenting it. NC
The integrity of the American an,
was threatened, and in the war eff
resulted, the readiness with rel
oh France and England accorded '"'
igerent rights to the South created ,
-.