The Portland daily press., 1867-05-29
1he Russian Purchase.
SENATOR SUMMERS ACCOUNT OF TUE
TRANSACTION.
REASONS FOR THIS cEssIoN BY nuss1,

chapter of geographical history" On this
head Ihaye no information which is not open
TO others. But l do not i9iget tnae tne hrst
Napoleon in parting with Louisiana was con-
troiled by three several considerations: hrst,
he needed the purchase-money Tor MS treas
ury; secondly, he was unwilling 10 leave TINS
distant unguarded territory 4 prey 10 oreae
Britain in the event of hostilitses when SEEM
ed at hand; and thirdly, he was glad, accord
ing to his own II markaDle language, ito esta9-
lsh forever the power of the United states
and give to England maritime rlvai
destined to humble her PRIDE. Sueh Is ths
record of history. Perhaps similar record
may be made hereafter with regard 10 Inc
present oession. 1t is sometimes imagined that
Russia, with all her great empire, is financial
liz Door so that these few millions may not bo
unimportant to her. 1t is by foreign loans
that her railroads have been built and her
wars have been aided All, too, must
see that in those coming events" which now
more than ever east their shadows before, it
will be for her advantage not to hold outlying
possessions from which thus far she has OBJ
tained no income commensurate with the pos
sible expense for their protection, PERHAPS,
like a wrestler she now strips tor the contest
which trust sincerely may be averted. BE,
sides, L cannot doubt that her enlightened
Emperor, who has given pledges to civilization
by an unsurpassed act or Emanc patton,
would join the first Napoleon in desire to en-
hanee the maritime power Of the United
States.
In ceding possessions so little within the
sphere of her empire, embracing more than ono
hundred nations and tribes Russia gives up no
part Of herself, and even if she did the consid-
erabie price PAID, the alarm of war which be-
gins to fill our ears, and the sentiments of
friendship declared for the United States would
explain the transaction.
THE NEGOTIATION, IN ITS ORIGIN AND COMPILE
TION.
L am not able to say when the idea of this
cession first took shape. have heard that it
m istr of
POLK 1t is within my knowledge that the Rus
san Government was sounded on the subject
during the administration OF Mr.. Buchanan
This was done through Mr.. Gwin, at the time
Senator OF California, and MIR. Appleton, As
sistant Secretary OF State. For TINS purpose
the former had more than one interview with
the Russian minister at Washington some time
in December, 1859, in which, while protesting
TO speak for the President unoffcially, he rep
resented that Russia was too lar off to make
the most OF these possessions; and that We
are near, we can derive more from them" In
reply to an inquiry OF the Russian minister
Mr.. Gwin said that "the United States could 60
as high as $5,000000 for the purchase" ON which
the former made no comment Mr. Appleton,
ON another occasion, said to the minister that
1.-The President thought that the acquisition
would be very prof table to the States on the
Pacific; that he was ready to follow it up, but
wished TO know in advance if Russia was ready
to cede; that if she were, he would conier with
his Cabinet and influential members OF Con-
promptly communicated to the Russian Gov
ernment, who seem to have taken it into care
full consideration. Prince Gortschakow, in q
dispatch which reached nere early in the sum-
mer OF 1860, said that "the offer was not what
might have been expected but that it merited
mature reflection; that the Minister OF Finance
was about to inquire into the condition of these
possessions after which Russia would be in
condition to treat" The Prince added for him
self, that "he was by no means satisfied person
ally that it would be for the interest of Russia
politically to alienate these possessions; that
| the only consideration which could make the
| scale incline that way would be the prospect Of
| great financial advantages; but that the sum OF
| $1,000, 600 does not seem in any way to repre-
| sent the real value of these possessions" AID
| he concluded by asking the minister to tell Mr..
| Appleton aud Senator Gwin that the sum Oh
| fered was not considered IAN equitable equiva-
| lent" The subject was submerged by the pres
| idential election which was approaching, and
| then by the rebellion. 1t will be observed that
| this attempt was at time when politicians
| who believed in the perpetuity of slavery still
had power. Mr.. Buchanan was President, and
he employed as his intermediary aknown SYM
pathZer with slavery, who shortly atterward
became rebel Had Russia been willing it is
| doubtful if this controlling interest would have
sanctioned any acquisition too tar north for
| slavery.
Meanwhile the rebellion was brought to an
| end, and peaceful enterprise was renewed,
| which on the Pacific coast was directed to-
there wishing new facilities to obtain fish, fur
and ice sought the intervention of the rational
govern. .ment. The Legislature of Washington
| territory, in the winter OF 1866, adopted a me-
| mortal to tbs President OF the United States,
sin reference to the cod and other fisheries"
along the shores OF the Russian Possessions
This memorial on its presentation to the
President in February, 1866, was referred to
the Secretary OF State by whom 1t was COM
municatt to Mr. de Stoeckl, the Russian Min
ister, With remarks on the Importance OF some
early and comprehensive arrangement between
the two powers i'll order to prevent the growth
| of difficulties, especially from the fisheries In
that region.
| Shortly afterwards another influence was
| felt Mr. Cole, who had been recently elected
| to the Senate from California, acting In behalf
| OF certain persons in that State, sought to OBJ
| tain from tue Russian Government "a license or
franchise 10 gather iurs in q portion of its
| American possesSions. The charter Of the
Russian America,2 Company was about to ex-
| pire This company had already underlet to
| Che Hudson Bay Company all Its franchise ON
| the main land between or deg 40 min and Mt.
| st. Elias; and now 1T was proposed that An
| American company, holding direct from the
| Russian Government, should De substituted
| for the latter The mighty hudson Bay Com
| pany with its headquarters III London, was
to give way to an American Company, with
| it's headquarters in Calfornla.
| The Russian minister at W ashington whom
| Mr.. Cole saw repeatedly upon this subject, was
| terence with the Department OF State, was in
| duced to address Mr.. Clay, minister OF the
| United States at st. Petersburg, who laid the
application before the Russian Government
| This was an important step. A letter from
Mr.. Clay, dated at st. Petersburg as late as 1st
February 1867, makes the following revelation:
s,The Russian Government has already ceded
l away its rights in Russian America Tor term
of wears and the RusSO-American Company
| hos eeded the same to the Hudson Bay Com
pany This lease expires in June next, and
| the President of the Russo American Compa-
/ nv tells me that they have been in correspon-
| dence with the Hudson Bay Company about a
| renewal of the lease for another term OF twen-
ty-fye or thirty years. Until he receives
| definite answer he cannot enter into negotla-
! tons with us or your California company. My
| on nion is that il he can get OF with the Hud-
| son Ray Company he will do so, when we can
| make some arrangements with the Russo
| American Company.
some time had elapsed since the original at
| temnt of Mr. Swim, also Senator from Cali
10, MA and it is probable that the Russian Gov
| ernment had obtain,d information which en-
abled il to see its wsy m,cre clearly. IL Will DO
remembered that Prince Sortschskow had
| promised an inquiry and it Is ki.own that IN
| 1861, Captain Lieutenant Golowin, OF the Russ
| sian navy, made detailed report on these pos
| sessions. MIR. Cole had the advantage OF his
predecessor. There is reason to believe, also,
| that the administration of the fur company
had not been entirely satisfactory, so that there
Il
| the renewal of its franchise Meanwhile, in
| October, 1866, Mr.. de Stoeekl, who had long
been the Russian Minister at Washington, and
| enjoyed in a high degree the confidence OF our
Government, returned home on a leave Of abb
| sence promising his best exertions TO promote
good relations between the two countries
| While he was at st. Petersburg the applica-
| tions from the United States were under con
| sideration; but the Russian Government was
| disinclned to any minor arrangement of the
| character proposed. As Mr.. de Stoeckl was
| leaving in February to return to his post, the
Archduke Constantine the brother and chief
adviser of the emperor, handed him map
with the lines in our Treaty marked upon 1t,
| and told him he might treat tor this eession.
| The minister arrived in w Washington early III
| March negotiation was opened at once
| with our Government Final lnstruc tons
| were received by the Atlantic cable from st,
| Petershurg on the 18th OF March, and at four
] o'clock on the morning of the Both of March,
| This important treaty was signed by Mr.. Sew,
| ard on the part of the United States and by
| Mr.. Stoeck1 on the part of Russia.
Few treaties have been conceive l, initiated
| prosecuted, and completed in so simple a man
| ner without protocols or dispatches,
RATIFICATION OF THE TREATY.
Some of the obvious considerations of gem
eral character bearing on the treaty, are the
interests of the Pacific States; the extension of
the national domain the extension of republi.
can institutions; the foreclosure of adverse
British possession and the amity of Russis.-
Most OF these, ii not all, are calculated TO i'm
press the public mind but can readily under
stand difference ofopinion with regard to the
urgercy of negotiation at this hour. Some may
fhnt ha hose ,l tbaa r,,aI