New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-10-02
THE EXHIBITIONS FATE.

ERNMENT's POLICY.
TO the EdftOr OF The tribune.
SIR: The explanations furnished by your Wash
ington correspondent as given by Gov jewell in
gard to the refusal of Russia to assist at our Centen-
MAJ. are both interesting and important. Gov
Jewell. as a member of the Administration. has
rightly recognized the propriety of the American
people being correctly informed of the actual rela-
tons OF the Republic with foreign countries and es-
peciay with one so long and steadfastly our friend as
Russia. With equal wisdom he recognizes the propr-
ety Of the people being correctly informed of the pol
lev adopted by the Government toward the Centen-
NAL aud of the advice givenby the President TO Tor
egn Governments in regard TO the character OF the
celebration aud his frank declarations the point
are the more valuable they viii enable the country
In decide in diligently upon the policy that is best
adaptcd To assist the prospects of the celebration
which the President, Congress, and the people are
DESTROYS should be a complete success.
Gov Jewell il seems stated that the refusal of
Russia was not caused by any change in the cor
diaty of the relations of the two countries. That
assurance. coming from envoy who Is understood
to have been entirely satisfactory to the Car, will
be- extremely gratifying to the American people as
tending 20 disconnect herefusai from the unfriendy
rumor sometimes heard II Europe that the Emperor,
while touched with the kindly reception given to
his son Alexis by American citizens, had been dis
turbed by an alleged omission during the stay of
the Grand Duke at Washington TO extend to him the
Inequalities of the Executive Mansion. Gov. jew
ellis assurances viii also tend TO dispose Of the sug-
gestion Whenever offered by the enemies Of the Re
pnblc that the ramorcd omission had not only
wounded the Emperor personally, but had FLASHED
with a custom held sacred by the Russian people,
that the meeting Of friends should be marked with
An offer Of bread and salt.
A PRIVATE CORPORATION DISTEUsTED.
e.
prise and apparently little pleasure with which Rus
sa received the urgent request Of the United states
that the Imperial Government Of the Car should
contribute 10 an exhibition that not a national
affair and that she should accept invitation from
a private corporation throws light on the question Of
the Centennial as presented by our Government on
the second occasion for the consideration of foreign
powers 1t may explain equally the refusals OF Italy,
Greece Persia and Siam, if those powers are not to
be represented, whatever the excuse given for Their
declining Il may explain, also, whatever indiiler-
ence exists on the part Of foreign governments
whatever apathy on the part of foreign manufac-
turcr,-and It seems 10 afford the key TO the fear
which is reported still 70 exist in Switzerland and
other parts of Europe that the goods Of tie Exhib
ton NAV be seized for the debts of the Centennial
Commission. Such a fear, however gTOundess under
the recent assurances of legal opinion may be easily
understood from the experience Of the foreign ex-
hibitors who thus suffered at the New-IOrk Ex-
hibitiOn of 1853, one Of whom afterward attempted
10 obtain redress by the arrest and imprisonment of
M Greeley at Paris. Russia, it seems when first
invited. during the Winter of 1874, when the in
vitation was understood by her to be national and
governmental, postponed her reply until her Com
mission TO Vienna should have settled its affairs,
costing that she could hardly afford to enter new
exhibition within three years decade being the
more convenient. But she did not for these con-
alterations decline 10 come when she supposed 1t
would be a national celebration Of our Centennial.
Her refusal given with promptness, and, it would
SEEM unusual emphasis, was based upon the opposite
ground thus stated by your correspondent:
After a long debate on the subject IN Congress the
President was instructed explain 10 foreign powers
tend ana contribute 10 Exhibition, our Government
responsible for 1t, and that IT was not national
affair MI Jewell presented letter setting forth these
facts day before he LETT ST. Petersburg to return
70 this country. He wss told IN reply that under no CIR
cumsances could Russia accept such an invitation rom
private persons or private corporation. Coy Jeweu
explains that the aut0cracy Of Russia can hardly under
stand how possible that our Government can ask
them to accept an invitation from private individual
corporation These facts were a communicated to the
state Depar ent at the time ~ Minister JeWes reSn-
Foreign Relations transmitted 10 Congress with the
Presidents message
ACTION BY CONGRESS.
IL we assume the statement TO be exact. it ap-
pears to rest upon Gov. JEWELS authority that Con-
gress had instructed the President to foreign
10 the Court Of St. Petersburg and there seems rea
son to believe that your correspondent on this point
NAV possibly have misunderstood the Governor, 1t
NAV not be amiss 20 ask when and how and in what
terms Congress gave that instruction. II is not quite
easy TO reconcile such an order by Congress with the
language used by that body in its various acts. 1t
seems rather 10 contradict the enactment Of March
g. 1871 that the exhibition should "be held
under the auspices of the Government of the
United States" 1t seems also at variance
with the appointment of the Centennial
Commission by the President to whom the Commits
zion was ordered to report and with the regulations
officially transmitted through the State Department
in pursuance of the act of Congress providing that
the privileges Of exhibitors could be granted only
10 citizens of countries whose Government had
formally accepted the invitation and had appointed
COMMISSIONS And il seems equally at variance
with the later act Of Congress of June 3, 1874,
requesting the President 70 extend, in the name OF
the United States, respectful and cordial invita-
ton to the Governments of other nations TO be repre-
sented and take part in the International Exhibition
10 be held under the auspices of the United States
But this act it NAV be observed, makes reference
10 the Centennial Commission and declares no
change in It's character.
But whether not there may be error in the state
rnent that Congress instructed the President TO ex
plain 10 foreign Powers that the Centennial Exhi-
btion would not be national affair there can beno
dout of the fact that the advice alluded to by Gov
Jewell was actually given to Russia in the name Of
the President and that Russia, when urged to con-
tribute TO the Exhibition with that explanation, ex
bibited as much surprise at the submission OF that
proposition as could be shown consistently with
diplomatic courtesy, since Gov. Jewell remarked
H.