Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1888-06-14
A Secret of the War.

An interesting chapter in the history
Of the war and one which we never re-
to have seen in print until it
was recently given in an extensive sum-
mary of what purported to be talk
with General Sherman, has just come
to light.
1t will be recollected with what as
constituent the purchase of Alaska was
by the people of this Nation
in 1867. The Nation was enormously
in debt and was burdened almost be-
yond its strength to meet the debt, and
it seemed unnece ssary and unwise to
spend 100000 for wild region, al
most unknown and from which no pos
sible profit was thought obtainable.
The facts in the case seem to be that
the money was not paid for Alaska at
all but for an entirely different pur-
pose.
There was, as is well-known, at one
time imminent danger that England
and France would unite in recognizing
the Confederacy and in raising our
blockade of Southern ports. Our navy
being so small and armed vessels being
unobtainable on short notice, the Gov
eminent contracted with Russia for a
large fleet of war vessels which ap-
peared off our eastern coast, being dis
tributed where there seemed most need
of them.
At last they departed as mysterious
ly as they came, and the much specu-
lation which their appearance had
caused died out. The exigency of the
time had passed away and there was
no further use for them.
But the contract with Russia re-
manned to be met. The expense of
maintaining such a feet in idleness
was heavy. The whole bill amounted
to S7,200,000. Russia wanted the
money.
The situation was very embarrassing.
Mr.. Lincoln had been obliged to assume
immense and unauthorized powers,
and to make enormous purchases,
which Congress had afterward cheer
fully Endorsed. But it was not safe to
acknowledge to the country that SO
large sum as the bill for this feet was
wanted for "a dead horse'-a danger
which had been feared, but had passed
away. The enemies of the administra-
ton would have made the land ring
with their complaints at such extrava-
gance.
Finally it was agreed that bill
should be urged through Congress, not
to meet the bill for the fleet, but to
purchase Alaska for the amount of the
Russian claim. There was as much
querying among Senators and members
touching the odd S20O, 900, as there had
been among the people of the Atlantic
coast touching the errand of the fleet
itself. Why the amount should not be
a round number of millions no one
understood. Probably $7,200,000 was
not the exact amount of the original
claim. But had it descended, when
brought before Congress, into any
smaller denomination than the 5000, O0O
the whole secret would have been dis
closed. The bill was passed, and the
treaty for the transfer of the territory
to the United States was signed June
20, 1867. Alaska, therefore, virtually,
was thrown ia, at the settlement for a
debt contracted for a totally different
purpose.
These facts were learned by Gen.
Sherman from high officials of the Rus
sian Government, upon his visit to that
country at the close Of the war, and he
now gives them the public as an i'm
portant addition to the history of the
darkest period in our Nations life.