The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-09
WASHINGTON.
The Rnssian Trentv.
Fron "a ". y. Trtbtlne.

RUSSIA f>WneO Ill America was not only Vdlue-
less to HIS Government, but was an expense and
trouble which the Gar would gladly be rid OF,
and assured him that Russia would be willing
to cede the territory to the United States as II
gift If 1t we're desirable to the Repdblic. This is
certain. 1t is equally certain that Secretary
Seward knew of the fact. Unfortunately for
our Treasury and our taxpayers, there is no
diplomatic glory to be got out of accepting
gift. To make reputation out OF an acqusi-
tion of territory ready to be handed over to us
as a sheer measure of relief TO the Russian eX-
chequer, Mr.. Seward had to negotiate for 1t,
throw away 10000, 600 for it, mysteriouly
wrap up the transaction in secret
treaty, and suddenly appear in the Senate,
after the expiration OF the regular ses'
sion of Congress, and urge the Immediate
approval OF the treaty on the grounds,
FIRST, That the region to be acquired was rela-
lively as valuable to Russia as Ireland is to
England; that 10 climate and the natural
wealth OF timber, grain, lands, fur-bearing aui-
mails, and fisheries, and probably coal and
gold, and silver, it was enormously valuable.
Second, That If we did not i'm medately take it,
we should lose the opportunity, and 1T would
become the property OF some other nation
Third, That the treaty must be ratified
within ninety days or fail, and that if 1t failed
every Government In Europe would eXult over
its miscarriage, and our friendly relations
with the powerful Russian empire would be
imperilled by the modification to which we had
subjected it throughout the world. There are
Senators who wish that we had some form OF
official responsibility by which a Secretary of
State could be suitably punished for secretly
and unadvisedly, and of his own reckless folly
and wasteiulness, using the diplomatic machi-
merry of the Government to get the country into
such fix as he is now begging the Senate to get
it out of. There are other Senators who laugh
at the Secretary's representation of the neces-
sity of prompt action, and indeed, of any action
who know that the CZar does not care button
whether the treaty is ratified or not, and that
the whole scheme has been cooked up between
Mr.. Seward and the Russian Minister, for rea-
sons purely personal to each. The treaty has
clause in IL binding us to exercise jurisdiction
over the territory, and giving government to
the forty thousand inhabitants that are now
crawling over it on snow-shoes. Some of these
are savage Indians OF the most dangerous char
acter. Such on the coast murdered two boats
crews under the command of Behring, who was
himself buried on the strait that bears
his name. What will the Government
of this iee-covered desert cost? 1t was
stated at the War Department yesterday that it
would require regiment of infantry, It costs
Sl100 year to maintain single soldier in
Washington. 1t would cost twice as much in
Stewards desert. 1t costs ST, 100000 year to
keep man. .ofWar at sea. We should have to
have at least six on the 5000 miles of Stewards
coast, as naval men say here We should have
wouldn't that cost? Indian wars would inevi-
tabiy follow. They could not be avoided. On
the Nebraska plains 1t now costs us $4,000 to
kill one Indian. 1t would cost $780, 900
head to kill Stewards Indians. There is not, in
the history of diplomacy, such insensate
folly as this treaty; and yet there is
danger that the scheme to run 1T through
the Senate, without pub blicity and without con-
slderation, is going to be crowned with imme-
diate success. 1t was not under debate to-day,
but yet was up, in Parliamentary phrase, Long
documents about it from Mr.. Seward, all
rhetorical and abounding in his glitterlng gene
| ralities, were read at tedious length Trouble
| some questions were put by practical Senators,
| to which no answer could be got Nobody
| knew anything about the country, about the
! savages, how many months in the year the
! larger part of the region was in darkness, how
! human life could be sustained there by civilized
| men-nothing was known, but there was
deplorable impatience on the part of
| too many Senators to get to a vote, so
| as to get to their homes, Among too many of
| them prevailed the idea, served up and swal-
| lowed with the treaty roast and the treaty
| boiled at Mr.. Stewards dinner table, that it is
| fatal for a public man In America to vote
| against an acquisition of territory. Even the
| motion, it is SAID, which will be made tomorro W
to remove the injunction of secresy, and to
! debate the treaty in open Senate, will fail. Mr..
| Seward has etfectually cloaked both the debate
| and the vote, but he intends that the ratidca-
tion of the treaty shall uncloak him, and let
| him out OF the obscurity which for two years
! has covered him as with the pail of death, into
glorious territorial extension splendor.
| Another dinner party to Esqulmaux Senators
! was given tonight by the Secretary of State,
and the little entertainments will be continued
until the bird is picked. How long the delay in
the Senate will render the expense of these ele-
| CANT DINNERS necessary on the part Of the hos
pitable Secretary is yet impossible to surmlse.
A step was taken which will assist in his relief
to-day. Senator Sumner, as Chairman of the
Foreign Affairs Committee, reported, as unani-
mously instructed by the Committee, In favor
| of ratifying the Russian treaty, and he
made forcible and eloquent speech OF
| three hours and half duration in support
of the recommendation of the Committee. A
proposition was made to debate the subject in
open session, but Doolittle objected. The
Senate will meet an hour earlier tomorrow for
| the purpose of concluding the action at once
the "EsquimauX ring" well knowing that delay
is dangerous i'll such delicate matters. Con
sidering that the whole matter has not beer
before the public more than eight or ten days
and that the purchase money will be but tithC
of the sustenanCe to which this gOur
mand will lay claim, the ''ring" has good reason
for mutual CongratulatiOn upon the ease auC
facility with which they have thus far succeeded
in advancing their expensive pr0tege and hood
winklng well-meaning Senators.
Ma1imiliRn and His Followers Saved
from Punishment.
From The ". Y. Herald.
WASHINGTON, April 8.-The latest develop
ments here about the Mexican complication
consist OF correspondence of an importan
character as to the proclaimed extreme measures
to be adopted by the JuareZ party in their treat
ment Of Imperial prisoners. On the 9th inst
Count Wydenbruck, the Austrian Minister, ad
dressed q communication TO Mr., Seward an
nouncing that he had Just received instruc
tons from his Government to represent to the
Government of the United States that the Em
peror Macmillan was at the present time sur
rounded by the Liberal forces under JuareE al
Queretaro, and there was some probability o.
his falling into the hands of the Liberals, In
which case the Emperor of Austria entertained
fears for the safety of the lite of his royal bro
ther. After the manner in which the Liberals
had oenaVed towards the Imperial prisoners al
Aacatecas, his sovereign had instructed him tC
, request the interference of the United States
government in case the Emperor MaXimiliaI