The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-02
portion Of the territory he was willing to give

what portion Of the territory he was willing TO give
Of Wisconsin. Laughter.) he went on to argue
that the appropriation OF $1,000 600 was but the be-
CLAIMING q IL ana that ssso that was the that
that sum-for the money would have TO be bor-
rowed; and In the next place, there the expense
thousand dollars annually, and to that must be
added at least two millions year for the purpose Of
taking care OF the Indians. He asked whether this
government had not Indians enough on It's hands
now to take care OF. This the time say TO all
parties that money wrung by taxation FROM the
estate speculatons or for any other purpose except
the representatives Of the people decide il TO be for
the interest Of the country and In accordance with
the constitution. He would let Russia take back her
timber, her mines, her fisheries If they remained
main till the last echo OF the trump OF time had
faded away among the hills OF eternity. (Laughter).
row and limited view the objections against the pnr
chase OF Alaska had considerable weight. The time
was not ripe ior TINS ACQUISITION The question now
dent and the Senator lie believed House had full
power TO make or refuse the appropriation, and
Judgment OF the House into voting an appropriation
because 1t is one of the necessary steps in the expan
sion or our nation over the whole North American
Continent The territories and the people OF the Con
tnent are gravitating toward us, inevitably drawn
by our increasing greatness, the bengniy OF in
stttutions and the prosperity of people. Our form
OF government Ia adapted to civze man everywhere.
1t will eventually spread to the thread OF land the
Isthmus OF Darien on the one hand to the eXremest
limit OF human babitation on the other Tie Gulf
stream of the Pacific extends up this coast modifying
The climate. There was no reason why populations
as hardy and industrious AZ those OF Scotland Swe-
den and Norway should not exist on those coasts
and islands The acquisition OF this country would
compel the annexation OF Western British Amer
lea, the finest region OF agricultural land left
unsettled on the Continent. The valley OF the Sas-
katchewan river Will sustain population as dense
as that oil Northern Germany. We must embrace the
entire Continent We are yet In the days OF small
Pacific Railroad with the 400 900 people of China
and with the vast populations OF India and Japan,
Our flag Is there now. 1t must recede. The en-
tire Pacific coast, fronting India. China and Japan
must be under the flag Of nation, whose destiny
1t is to grasp the commerce Of the seas and the
sceptre OF the world,
Mr.; sHELLABARGER, (rep.l Of Ohio, argued against
acquiring tendencies and the destines Of the people
of the United States and the friendship that existed
nGtwe cen tme tnied Sttes anu Russia IN dealing
construed by the very utmost stretch OF con-
structon or OF imagination into an unfriendy
act; therefore he approached the matter under the
enormous pressure which the feeling that the re-
fusal to pass this bill might be deemed unfrendly
first example in history of the government where it
had sought to acquire territory that contigu
policy he was afraid that the country would be en-
tering upon the policy OF those nations In the far
past tat mao gone aow1 under tnas system OF
were those that were compact-compact In
territory, compact in the homogeneousness OF
their institutions compact In their language, COM
pact in their laws and compact their love Of
Try. Somebody had said, rather facetiously, that
this country was so large already that he could not
love half of II at time. There was philosophy at
the bottom OF that remark. He went to argue
against the bill, and expressed his conviction that
as original question the purchase OF Alaska would
not receive twenty votes on the republican eide Of
the House.
the bill He said he should not make q speech, as he
too much exhausted for that, and at all events
the very learned and eloquent speech of the gentle
man from Massachusetts (Mr. Banks) yesterday had
exhausted the subject, so that nothing could be
a reason why he should vote for the bill II had
been asked what was the utility OF this acquisition?
lie would answer that question by saying that ages
ago, when this country was first settled, every kind
Of fish that the ocean produces, from the whale to
the herring, swarmed along ITS coasts and that the
hardy people Of tile country had found these fisheries
then, as they always had been found, OF very great
utility Gentlemen who asked the question now
and who sneercd at the value of The fisheries had
better go back ana ask their hardy ancestors az 10
the utility OF the sea animals that swarmed
frst Inhabited These fisheries had now ' become
almost extinct; the fish had lied to other regions
Tor refuge and now fishermen, II they wish to pur-
sue the whale, had to 60 around the Cape and take
their harpoons high up in the ATTITUDES Of the Pacific
Ocean. Almost the whole Of the whale and other
fisheries were to be found now between Puget Sound,
the North Pole and the mouth OF the AmoOr river,
where the United states does not own one foot Of
soil ana where no American can go TO catch and
cure his fish. He thought II blushing shame that
up to this time our government had not procured q
footing In that region. lie asked whether II was o.
no service have place I'm those regions where tho
hardy sons OF Nantucket could have the right TO y
|
IL had been said, and with truth he did not doubt
that every OF the hundred islands In that vas
archipelago as wen as on the main peninsula o
| ship timber In the world. IL might seem strange
but II was nevertheless true, that the sweetest pas
| ture anywhere to be found IN that region.
| A saubrous breeze coming from the Pacific
| Ocean, together with tho ten thousand boiling
! springs, 80 modi1es the air as TO make that
region one OF the most comfortable places TO live in.
All that American fishermen would have to do
would he to turn out the live stock that they had on
hand on these islands, and I'm two three years
they would not need to transport an ounce OF food
20 their hands when they wished TO use it, lie sub
mitted whether IL was statesmanke or becoming
the representatives OF great people to refuse TO
make this acquisition at the small expense OF
100000. To show the incredible wealth OF these
waters he would relate fish story which he had
heard first ten years ago, and which he laughed at
at that time Out which he was assured within the
last year actual fact:-Two schoOners from
the mainland had gone into Behring Strait, which
IN thrtytwo miles wide, and had found the behring's
packed one upon the other, from the bottom OF the
os One ~ the cspns tier to rum e%
down and ran his vessel upon them and broke Its
back. g.sughier.) Members might laugh. lie had
heard the story ten years ago. and last year he saw
Of the captains, who vouched for the fact which
he himself did not believe before II was said that
Alaska was a barren country. II was not half SO
barren as members tried to make out; not half so
barren their brains were I'm arguing against the
BIZ. CI.sughterl When farmer had a large tract
because he had TO pay taxes upon 1t;
to pay no taxes II was encumbrance.
There was nothing which 50 exalted the glory Of q
nation an Its vastness. What gave such glory to
Rome but that she could say that her territory
bounded by the Ultima Thule and by Persia? But
II was argued that II the United states acquire this
territory IL might acquire all creation. We'll, he
would not much n IL did acquire all creation
cheap as this. although Just at present, with the
rebels on hand, he would hardly know how TO take
of 10. II there was anything for which he gave
credit To the Secretary OF State active minded as he
anew him TO be, IL was the effort he had made TO en-
large the boundaries Of the country Had he sue
cccded In his efforts In the other archipelago and OBJ
tanned the Bay OF SANTANA, he (Mr, Steyens) would
have forgiven him all his sins and given him fair
certificate 10 the place where he hoped they would
all 60 (Laughter.l But yet the clamors OF the pe0
pie had driven him nom acquiring that possesson-a
bay which would have held all the navies Of the world
Ia conclusion he said he should vote for this bill,
rHE BRiD0H BETWEEN BOSTON AND EAST BOSTON.
The committee rose, and Mr.. Cook, lrep.) Of ILL.,,