The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-04-09
DAILY PRESS.
Tuesday Morning, April 9, 1867,
Weekly Provincial Record.
.ORI'LAND

The Provincial press los the past week has
had a new subject for consideration, and quite
as much for the amusement as for the instIuc-
ton of our readers, we copy some of its re-
Elections upon the
RUSSIAN AMERICAN TREATY.
The Montreal JJifness considers the event
of the year thus far, the cession Of Russian
America to the United States, and adds:
This will not, so far as we can see, affect
british America in any degree, unless it slim
tiaoe the United States to efforts to connect
their separate dominions. British Columbia
and vancouver Island have about six degrees
OF latitude, or 400 miles of coast including the
principal rivers that fall into the Pacific from
the interior, north OF the Columbia River. An
ill-detined boundary line may lead to disputes.
not only between fur hunters and cold seekers
but between the British and American Gov
ernments it is, however, needless to anticipate
evil. The III. b. Company will not be jubilant
over the change of ownership, which will prob
ably result in a much keener competition in
the fur trade of the region in question.
1t is, however, to be observed that the United
States has never yet sought or accepted the
sovereignty of any territory not adjoining its
own; and if Russian America is accepted now
that act will inaueurate a change of Doliey
ing a distant dependency that Russia is seek
ing to get rid of.
The st. John Globe makes this new treaty
the occasion of letting fly shot at John Bul
for his readiness to confederate the colonies
1t says: o
This cession of territory is one of the mos
remarkable signs of the times. European
Governments do not care about holding lant
on this continent. France thought the trou
bles in the United States afforded her gOOt
opportunity to get large slice of Mexico, bu
the war was settled in way she never expect
ed, and she withdrew as quickly as she could
Russia has, it appears, been willing to sell, a.
soon as she could get purchaser. And it i:
evident that Great Britain would do the same
She is quite willing that the colonists them
selves should be the purchasers; and run" the
country on their own hook. Or they might
enter into partnership with the United States
and run it between them. She would never
send man or fire a gun to prevent it.
The Toronto Globe, with evident i'll humor
after copying the telegram in relation to the
treaty, says:
The sole object of the United States Govern
ment, in striving to obtain possession of Rus
sian America, is the miserable advantage srig-
gested in the above telegram of shutting of
the Northern portion of British Columbia from
direct access to the Pacific Ocean. The Terri
tory ceded, so far as known, is of very little
value to anybody. Mount st. Elias lies close
to the Pacific coast in the Goth degree of north
latitude; and from that point mere strip OF
| Russian territory runs down some 400 miles
| along the coast to Fort Simpson, and immedi
| ately opposite Queen Charlotte's Island-cut
| ting off British Columbia from the Pacific fol
| that whole distance.
With the foam all white upon its mouth
the Globe, in tone of affected humor, adds
The idea of anybody getting excited abou
| this affair, is simply ridiculous 1t may affor,
| our Republican neighbors an opportunity o
extending their Japanese system, and maxim:
| themselves as disagi eeable as possible to th'
bold pioneers who penetrate the northern re
coins OF British Columbia. But the acguisi
ton of 4S1 ZIG square miles OF ice, with pop
ulation, all told, of 5000 Cossacks and 5000
savages, is hardly an investment to be covete,
| by anybody not afflicted with an insatiab
craving for useless territory.
| The London Free Press takes sober pc
ltical view Of this proposed transfer iron
Russia TO the United States. 1t says:
| The cession of large tract of territory lyin
in what has been known as Russia Americ:
| to the United States Government, is an occul
rnece not without its significance. CONNER
| cally speaking, the territory cannot be said {
be very valuable, though modern discover
may yet prove it to be of no little consequence,
IS But, however this may be, it is froI
/ political and territorial aspect that the mat
! ter becomes of great Importance. The acqui
| sition of possession having coast line of iii
| teen hundred miles, and running into the in
| terror for a distance of one thousand miles i
some places, in all nine hundred thousan
square miles in close proximity to the Britis
| territory, is an event which indicates forecas
| of no little moment. So long as the immens
! tract, sixteen times as large as England, wa
held by Russia, the British possessions had TO
| neighb,r Power not likely to agitate 10
| engagements in that direction. A kind o
balance of power was maintained between tn,
| three occupants; but if the occasion is con
| cluded of which there seems no doubt, tn
| United States will have an overwhelming pre-
| ponderance. Every foot of grOun,
| gained by the States is menace to other ma
| tons, but the most SO to the only power tina
| now holds considerable tarritory on this cont
| nent besides hemselves-England. Frame
| and the other European nations have a NOR,
| remote interest in the matter, but even to then
the rapid accumulation Of territory and powe
by the States must have its warning voice.
| The downfall of French influence in Mexico j
an affair due to the Vaccinations at Washing
ton, and in a few months the world may see
| protectorate over Mexico, on the part of til
| United States, which will be but the immed
| ate prelude to to occupation and annexation.-
| This accomplished, and it will be seen grasI
ing in its gigantic embrace the whole of til
| North American continent save that which
| comprised in Canada and the North West ter
| ritory. To what this result may lead it is no
easy tOpredict. H .t... /
| @. -tcr .tAMIABILITY RESTORED. ~