Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-04-07
Another story Of the car.

Isl. G. Dana writes to the New York
Herald: In the Herald Of the 18th ap-
pears d letter from the venerable Thur
low Weed regarding Russia's friendship
toward America, and referring to the
presence of Russian fleets in our waters
during the war. / think / can give
further insight into the matter. Some
years since there came to my knowledge
the following story: AT the close Of his
mission, one of our ambassadors to the
Russian Court, as he was about to leave,
called upon the Gar and Czarina to pay
his final respects. AS he was taking his
leave of her Majesty, she requested him
to bear to the American people her
warmest regards and most sincere graft
tude for the attention and kindness ex-
tended to her son while he was a visitor
among US. The ambassador called her
Majesty's attention to the President of
the United States. whom she had failed
to mention. With an exhibition of some
feeling she replied with earnestness: "To
the American people, Mr.. -
Greatly surprised and somewhat an
moved, the ambassador waited upon his
Majesty, where he received a similar
message. The attention of the Car was
called to his neglect of the President,
when he gave the same response: ITO
the American people, MI. -"
Unable to account for this strange ex-
hibition of feeling. the representative of
America waited upon the astute Gort.
chakOff, from whom he required an ex-
PLANTATION of the remarkable conduct of
their Majesties. Ordering an attache to
bring some volumes from the State ar
chives, the Minister opened one and hand
ing it to our representative babe him
read a letter. 1t was from the Foreign
Minister of France to Russia, stating
that France and England had entered
into an alliance for the purpose of rec
ognizing the belligerent rights of the
Southern States, and raising the block
ade of our ports. and end the war
by the dissolution of the States, and
requesting the Co operation of Russia.
The judicial volume was handed the
ambassador, in which he read a similar
letter from England. A third volume
was presented, in which was the reply of
Russia, dictated by the Car, and writ
ten by GortchakOf, stating that since the
United States have been an independent
government it has been a firm, friendly
ally OF Russia, and the Car saw no rea-
son why that relationship should be
changed at that hour, and most firmly
declining to join France and England in
any Of their schemes. A fourth volume
taken from the secret archives was
produced and handed to the sur
prised American. In that were two
letters of instructions from the Admi-
rally office to Russian Admirals then
in American waters. The first letter in
structed the Admirals to take their fleets
to New York and safely anchor them,
and remain until further orders, and
also instructed them that in case Eng
land and France, or any other foreign
power, attempted to interfere with the
private affairs of America, to break their
sealed orders and obey them.
The second letter, the sealed orders
referred to by Mr. Weed, instructed the
Russian Admirals to Immediately tender
their fleets to the American Government,
and tell them Russia, with all her power,
stood ready behind them.
That was the story in substance. and
having used it many times in a lecture
on ''Fhe Great Naval Battles of the Re-
belliOn, and, wishing to be sure | was
warranted in SO doing by the facts, in
1876, | think, / wrote to the ex-Embas-
sador, stating the story fully, and asking
him if it were true. In a prompt reply,
he said he did not feel at liberty to tell
what did transpire when he left st. Pc.
tersburg; that upon his return to his ma
tive land he made a full report of the
matter, which was then in the State De
partment, and as the department has
seen fit to keep the matter out of sight.
he did not feel that he had any right to
say anything. AS he in no manner de-
MED the story, | concluded, that IN the
main, it was true, and so thought a gen.
tleman to whom l showed both letters.
The son Of the Gar, when in our capt.
tai city, was snubbed by our President.
That report from the retiring Minister is
now in u State Department, and under
the sombre light of this hour it might be
very interesting reading for all the world.
Can we have it2