The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1869-04-13
The &e9!iister.
MIDDLEBURI. VT.
TUESDAY, APRIL IL, 1869.


The Danish Islands Purchase.
Parton's pamphlet ON the danish
Islands" purchase, furnishes some in
formation not easily obtained elsewhere
which has an important bearing on the
question of an appropriation to meet
the terms agreed upon 10y our govern
ment with the government of Denmark.
While this information does not raise
our estimate of the services ofSecretary
Seward as Diplomatist, nor the value
we set on the services of Andrew John
son as our authorized agent, we cannot
but feel that the honor of ear nation is
compromised by their action, TO an I'M
pleasant degree; and the more so, that
Congress yielded in the case of the Alas
ka purchase, made the appropriation
demanded, though acknowledged to be
against the wishes of the people, and
thus established precedent, which was
urged with all its force by Mr.. Seward,
with the Danish government during his
negotiations for the islands st. Thomas
and st. John. The agreement between
Mr.. Seward and Christian TX was per-
fected by vote of the islands in Janu
airy, 1868, and the price agreed upon
was seven and half millions in gold.
Dissatisfaction with this bargain
throughout the country began to tell
upon Congress, and the matter was de-
layed, no action having yet been taken
Upon the question of an appropriation
to meet the provisions of the treaty.
The value of the Islands is not ques-
ton for us now to consider, though no
one can doubt that they are ofinfinitely
more value than the icebergs of Alaska
The question is upon our moral obliga-
tons. 1t appears, from the narration
of the negotiations that it was the gov
eminent of the United States that mi
tiated the negotiations for the cession of
the Islands that Denmark was at first
averse to selling to the United States ;
that in the end she deliberately chose
the closer alliance which this treaty
would effect, with the United States,
rather than England, or France; that
Denmark had no reason for supposing
that the people Of the United States
were averse to the treaty and, that
Denmark, trusting to the good faith of
the government of the United states,
has taken steps for the transfer of these
islands which cannot, in the nature OF
things, be revoked. In this respect il
is much worse than in the Alaska trea-
ty, where the question was not submit
ted to the people, and, in fact, there
were but few people to whom it could
be submitted.
After considering the whole matter
Of negotiation and precedent, we are
prepared to see force in some of the con-
illusions at which Mr.. Parton has arri-
we'd. First, that we cannot repudiate
Mr.. Stewards bargain without inflicting
very great injury upon respectable
nation, and our good friend and ally
Second, that, if, after paying for Alas.
ka, we refuse to pay for these islands
we stand dishonored before mankind
as having one rule for the strong and
another for the weak, Third, that
however erroneous may be the system
which permits the Executive to com
NIT the country to purchases of land
we have no right to hold Denmark re-
sponsible for that system, nor to reform
it at her expense.