New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-12-05
4 CLEAR CASE-ILASRA.

We are opposed 10 fishing investigations by
Committees of Congress or n State Legislature.
To send forth five or seven men, armed with
induisitorial powers, TO see if they cannot hunt
ND or smell ont some moral delinquency, seems
10 Us not conducive TO the ends Of good gov
eminent. Investigations should be ordered only
where facts of public notoriety or ayerments
Of guilt by responsible parties indicate de-
cidcd probability that wrong exists which re-
CURES ventilation and may justify punishment.
Such, it seems TO us. is now the case OF Alaska.
Let US give a synopsis of what Is undenable
!. Russia was the acknowledged owner of n
large tract of frozen territory, consisting of
! the northwest corner Of this continent. with
tho adjacent isles, which we have agreed to
call Alaska.
II. GOV. Seward, rs Secretary OF State, act
ing under the direction 1--WE must presume) of
President johnson. proposed TO buy, and ulti-
mately did buy this territory for the United
States, through a treaty negotiated with Baron
Stocckcl, ambassador Of the Russian Emperor,
for S7.2OO.OOO in gold.
Ill. The Senate promptly confirmed this
bargain by ratiiying the Treaty; but the House
hcstatcd 10 vote the money, and did not vote
il, till more than year had elapsed since the
Treaty was negotiated; and, though much re-
pugnance had been overcome, n respectable
minority Gall but two of them Republicans)
still voted against it,
". Meantime there was much debate on
the matter, in the journals as well as in Con-
grcss, and the influence of California was
brought to bear in favor Of paying the money.
V. The s7,2OOOOO in gold have been drawn
Il. -, for
chased ice; but it seems that only Sj.OOO,0OO
of it, the quid pro quo has really gone to Rus
sia. A London dispatch recently stated that
the Earrings (our Governments bankers in Lon
dom had RENTED to st. Petersburg 100000
sterling in payment for this territory, leaving
81 100000 to be accounted for.
VI Mr. Robert j. Walker, Secretary of the
Treasury under Polk, was quite active in ad-
yocacy of the purchase or of the payment on
the floor of the House rs well IA elsewhere.
After the money was drawn from our Treasury,
he complained to the Washington Police that
he had Just been robbed of $1,000 in gold,
which was part of this payment to Russia
for Alaska.
VI. A Washington dispatch recently stated
that $4,000 each had been paid, or at least
I''''
nails, to secure their advocacy Of or at least
their non-reslstance to, tho payment of this
$7,2O0000.
Here are the points so far as they are
known TO us. There may be more that inquiry
will develop. There may be mistakes as to
one or more of the foregoing. But here are
enough to Justify inquiry and to indicate some of
those who can shed additional light on the
transaction. Let Mr.. Walker be required to
state on oath all that he knows of the matter;
and, if there shall seem to beIany foundation
whatever for the $4,000 report, let the con
ductors of our several City journals be ex-
amincd. The truth can wrong no one, and
may decidedly cdify the public.
If anybody knows of any $4,000 in Rus
sian gold lying laround loose that belongs to
MS, We will thank him to let MS know where
it is and under what authority it is held back.
Let us have the truth if not the gold,