The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-28
AMERICAN SYMPATHY WITH RUSSIA

Ou tue part OF L0o states TO
thiZe with Russia, the least effect of which,
in the event of war, would be to increase
very largely the expenses and the response
bilities of England. If the Government of
the United States, when a difficulty occurs
between England and one or more of the
European powers proceeds at once to rein
force the fleet in European waters, in order
to satisfy the clamors of a certain part
of the population, it is obvious that
our own fleet, in such case,
would require to be proportionately
strengthened. We might have a moral
conviction that no actual alliance with our
enemies was contemplated by the American
Government; but we should find it our duty
to be prepared against the possibility of such
an event. For one friendly power to force
this additional and unnecessary responsibility
upon another in the hour of peril is in itself
an unfriendly act. We did not, and we do
not, positively affirm that the Government
of the United States were about to adopt
such a course, but we alluded to certain facts
which pointed in,thst direction, and which ad-
mitted of that construction when logically
combined.
We now read with regret in our military
contemporary, the American Army and Nagy
Journal, that, ''in the event of war, the SYM
pathies of the United States will doubtless be
on the side of Russia" We forget which of
our judges was once advised to give his deci-
sion, since it was necessary to do so, but not
to give his reasons. Our contemporary, how
ever, gives his reasons for this partiality in
favor of Russia. 'Nations have their senti-
ments as well as individuals; and just
as young men are drawn together by common
hopes and aspirations, so are America and
Russia united, and will continue united
in spite of the difference in their political
systems To speak plainly, we do not be-
lieve this alleged sympathy with Russia is so
universal in America as to be entitled to the
appellation of a national sympathy. 1t is
confined to a small section of Americans, and
the root of it is not the alleged youth of the
two powers, or anything else in the nature of
transcendental politics, but the feeling of
envy and rivalry, which does not exist be-
tween Russia and America simply because
there are no points of contact where their in
terests in collision. This is the plain
truth of the matter, and it is Just as well that
it should be recognized.
The 'youth of Russia" is a convenient
phrase; but in what respect is Russia a
younger power than England? By our con-
temporarys own showing the greatness of
England as an empire is dependent on her
possessions in the East we might Justly say,
on the great providential mission in the East,
for which it would be in vain to seek for
parallel in history. That empire, however,
is the growth of the last hundred years; and
the growth of Russia, as a great power, Is
almost coeval with it. If Russia is youthful
in any other sense the fact requires to be
demonstrated. The populations under her
sway are as old as those in England or any
other European State. Her institutions are
older, for it was only yesterday that Russia
consented to recognize those sacred rights
of man which have been the boasts of Eng
lish law for at least four hundred years. One
of the attributes of justice is her eternal
youth. Truth never grows old and sinks into
decrepitude. Let it be shown that Englsnd
haco ,,,1- into af Wi al
ism; that she still holds by the sacred rights
of kings: that her institutions are effete that
her public spirit is on the wane; that she is
not the same vigorous mother who sent her
sons into the wilderness and laid the founda-
tions of the United States of America; that
Australia. New Zealand, and Canada are like
the colonies of Spain, sunk in ruin and de-
moralized; that her House of Parliament is a
mockery and a hotbed of corruption; that her
magistrates and administrators of the law per-
vert justice; that her press is hopelessly
corrupt, and her domestic life a byword;
that her literature is no longer worthy of
those who speak the tongue which Shake
speaIe spalie; that her maidens are immod-
est and her youth effeminate; that her phi
anthropv is mere record of the past, and
her religion debasing superstition; that her
merchants have lost their honor, and her
enterprise its cunning-let these, or the half
of these things be proved against her, and
We Will aulnlt tuau EHSidHu is growing Olu,
and that America, with her purity of cleo
ton and her incorruptible public life, with
her mighty poets and her original literature,
with all her wealth of inventive skill and
vigorous enterprise, can find no worthy
companionship elsewhere than in the arms of
Russia. AS we do not ourselves admit this,
and no facts or arguments are forthcoming to
convince us of it, we decline to accept the
bare assertion that England has grown old in
her selfish greed, and that the younger and
healthier stock of the barbaric East is more
deserving than herself of the affection of her
own off spring.
with Russia, because we are jealous of her
growth, precisely as we are jealous of the
growth of America. We will not waste time
in assuring our friend that there is no such
thing as party in England jealous of the
growth of America, because we are we'll aware
that we shall not be believed. To know Eng
land is to know that this is so, however, and
that among thousand Englishmen there will
not be found ten who are not proud of the
greatness of America. We appeal to all the
well-informed in America who have lived in
England and mixed in English society. The
real point of the accusation is that we
are jealous of the growth of Russia, be-
= cause it threatens our supremacy In the
I East. We answer this 10y affirming
| that we have not the least objection to the
growth of Russia, be it East West, North, or
South; We only demand that it shall be
growth, and not a military raid on our Dor.
ders America should know by experience
hat sorO Oufh - m ha