New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-02-06
GOV SEwARDrS PURCHASES or FOREIGN

GOV. SEW4RD7S PURCHASES or FOREIGN
TERRITORY
When Mr.. Jefferson, more than sixty years
ago, doubled the area and more than doubled
the productive capacity of our country by
purchasing for Fifteen Millions the vast region
then known rs Louisiana he frankly admitted
that the act was unauthorized by the COnStitu-
ton and laws of the land. He had been
chosen President expressly as Il strict con-
structiOnist-an opponent OF any stretching of
the powers of the Federal Government beyond
the limits prescribed by the plain letter OF the
ConstitutOn-yet he was great enough to do
wise, beneticent act ut the expense of his own
consistency He never sought to justify his
great purchase on any ground less capaclous
than that of an assumption of undelegated
power for the achievement of n great public
good.
1t is the inevitable penalty of such usurpa-
tons that they will be parodied i'll after years
and made to Justify or palliate assumptions
which rival their audaCity but resemble them
in nothing else. The lower Mississippi was
the natural outlet of half the country we
already possessed, and, prior to the invention
of railroads, the construction OF canals, ITS
possession was almost Indispensable to our
westward expansion. New-Orleans was the
key Of our house" even more truly than the
Dardanelles form the natural gateway of
Southern Russia. But We do not need Wal
russa-never can need tits possession can
not strengthen, but must weaken us, because
il gives us n large extension of frontiers with
no corresponding increase of internal force.
When we shall have spent millions OF dollars
to construct its harborS, and fOrtify It's coasts,
and light its headlandS, we shall be more bur
dened in peace and exposed in war than we
should be if this hard bargain had never been
imposed upon u.s. In future war with any
strong naval power, like France or England,
we must either abandon this whole region at
the outset and let the enemy make the most
of it, OF its defense will cost us millions per
annum to no good purpose whatever
Still as Russia is our most powerful friend,
and as the Senate long since ratified the treaty
by a nearly unanimous vote, we trust Congress
will vote the sum called for, less any amount
which may be found honestly due from Russia
to our citizens. France paid our citizens claims
out of the purchase money of Louisiana; and
an act of Justice which did not mar the dignity
of Napoleon |. cannot detract from that of
Alexander H. To pay over the entire purchase
money is a virtual abandonment of existing
claims against the seller: so let us have the
entire account adjusted and settled at once.
Short settlements make long friends" and we
trust Congress will vote to close out this Rus
sian business at very early day.
AS to the next purchase-that of ST. Thomas
and ST. Jan from Denmark-we hope it may
be as promptly, decisivey negatived. We do
not want these petty islands; and, if we did,
the stipulated price-over SzOOO0O0-is pre-
posterously large. Cornerlots i'll moOnshine
cities are dog cheap in comparison. Seven
Millions would thrice pay for the fee simple
of the soil of those islands, with every thing
found thereon If we are doomed to buy for
eign territory i'll spite of ourselves we must
endeavor to keep the market less rampant than
this figure implies. One Million Dollars would
be a large price for those petty islets and,
even at that price, we would prefer not to
take them. To pay such sum as Seven
Millions for them is to bull the market beyond
all possibility of advantageous transactions in
future.
But Congress ought TO act. The treaty has
been made, though not ratified on our part.
The people of st. Thomas have voted in favor
of annexation. The Danish legislature has rat
fed the treaty. Everything has been done to
force the Senate to ratify, and Congress to
vote the money yet the Senate will not ratify,
and the money will not be voted. Hence, it is
most important that the truth should be
promptly as well as clearly made known. Not
another week should be suffered to pass be-
fore Denmark is cOnclusively advised that we
disavow the purchase and will not take the
goods.
AS to the Bay of SANTANA, trust we are
not so far complicated; but in no case should
the purchase be made. When we have settled
that mans color shall no longer subject him
to prescription and degradation under our
Government, we may have the whole island of
Hayti without paying dime for it. 1t will come
into our Union as the States of Hayti and of
Dominica, and find therein security, tranquility,
and rapid development, without dreaming that
we ought to pay anything therefor-as, indeed,
we should not. 1t will grayitate to us as Canada
will, and be ready for incorporation with our
Union quite as soon as we shall be ready to
receive it, SO will Cuba, whose native people
would nearly ali jump for joy at the first
chance to vote themselves into the United
States. And their ardent wishes, though they
NAV for time be 0veIruled are certain to
prevail in the end.
Protesting against any payment OF money for