, 1869-02-05

the minister of foreign affairs, through Mr..
George H. Yeaman, our Minister at Copenha-
gen, who seems 10 have entered INFO Mr.. Sew
ards spirit from the first, and who conducted
the negotiation in such a manner as to win from
the Secretary warm praise.
/ have been thus particular in detailing the
initial steps relating to this treaty in order to
show how 10th the Danes were to trade, how
Mr. Seward had to persuade them into negotia-
tion, how reluctant they were to part with the
islands. The subsequent history of the bargain
made can be told in a few words.
The formal offer of Mr.. Seward was, [ believe,
laid before the Danish Cabinet in November,
1866. They seem to have taken it as apart of
what We call a game of bluff-they said the
proposal "was regarded as pro forma only )"
that "the terms mentioned are out Of the quts-
ton, as Mr.. Seward very we'll underStan IS"
and that "if it Was&ldicated, even approximate
ly, what sum might be expected, a conclusion
could be had much sooner" All this winter
and through the spring of 1867, Mr.. Seward
vas pressing the trade most vigorously. In
January, 1867, he telegraphed to Mr.. Yeaman,
''Haste is important" In March he demands
1--WE want yes or nay, now" In April he
complains of the delay, and tells Mr., Ycaman
to get an answer "within a short time"
The Danes did not want to sell. They had
a good deal of love for the little colony off our
coast. . Some members Of he ministry were 50
bitterly opposed to the business, that a rupture
of the Cabinet was threatened. General RaaS-
loft said in March, 1867, che idea of the sale is
an unpleasant things" also, ''that there are diff
culties and objections to be overcome y and
that '';he smallness of the price offered is an
objection TO opening negotiations" The rela-
tiOnS of Denmark to France and Prussia were
on tender ~footmg-theSe countries were getting
ready for war if hostilities broke out what
should Denmark do ! 1t was believed in Cnpen-
hagen that England, France and Spain would
protest against the sale of the islands, if it be-
came known that Denmark was consider ny a
proposition from us to purchase. The sale
would offend those powers-hoW far could Den
mark rely upon the United States if she gol into
trouble =? The correspondence of the early part
of 1867 shows most clearly that nothing but
Mr.. Stewards steady determination could have
brought about the treaty.
The Danes were more ready any day to drop
the business than to go on with it and it was
the middle of May before the combined efforts
of Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Yeaman could bring the
Danish Ministry to commit itself to paper
more than two years and four months after we
preached the question.
On the 18th of May, 1867, the Danish Min
lister of Foreign Affairs said the three Islands
would be sold for SIS, 900, 600 ST. Thomas and
st. John would be sold for $4,000 900, Santa
Cruz for SIS, 900, 900, subject to the approval of
France that the consent of the people of the
islands must be had before any transfer is made.
Five months were occupied in reaching a con-
c%lusion, and the treaty was signed October 25,
1867. We bought only St. Thomas and st.
~John-paying therefore 81, SOC, 900.
The correspondence is voluminous a great
deal of it has never yet been shown outside the
State Department. The noticeable thing in it
all is that the Danish Government never Wanted