Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1892-12-02

US, Russia never did, and whoever else was
doubtful, Russia never was. Russia, then an
old government smiled on the cradle Of our
government. while yet in its earliest infancy.
Empress Catherine of Russia in 1776 or
thereabouts offered kindly interference that
our thirteen colonies might not go down ua-
der the cruelties of war.
Again, in 1918, Russia stretchs forth to-
ward us merciful hand. When our dread
full civil war was raging and the two thua-
der clonds OF northern and southern valor
clashed. Russia practically said to the ma.
tions OF Europe, "Ksep your hands off AMI
let the brave men of the north and the south
settle their own troubles" [ rehearssd
some of those scenes to the emperor last
July, saying, You were probably too
young to remember the position your father
took at that time" but with radiant smile
he responded, "Oa, yes | remember, re-
member" and there was an accentuaton of
the wor1s which demonstrated to ma that
those occurrences had often been talke1 of
in the imperial household.
l stood on New York Battery during the
war, as l suppose many of you did, looking
otf through a msgnlrving glass upon fleet
Of Russian ships. "What ara they doing
thereF' | asked. and so every one asked.
what business have the Russian warships
In our New York harborr' Word came that
San Francisco harDor. "What does this
meanW our rulers asked, but did not get inn
mediate answer. In these two American
harbors the Russian fleets seemed sound
asleep. Their great mouths of iron spike
not word, and the Russian flag, whether
floating in the air or dropping by the q ig-
staff, made no answer to our inquisitive-
ness.
William H. Seward, secretary of state
asked the Russian minister at Washin zton
the meaning of those Russian ships in Amer
lean waters and got no satisfactory re-
sponse. Admiral Farragut said to Russian
officer after dining in the home of tho em
nent politician, Thurlow Weed, that maker
aud unmaker OF presidents, What are You
doing here with those Russian vessels OF
warf Not until the war was over was it
found out that in case OF foreiga interven-
ton all the guns and tae last guu of thass
two fleets in New York and San Francisco
harbors were to open in full diapason upon
any foreign ship that should dars to inter
fere with the right OF AmericanS north aud
south. to settle their own controversy.
But for those fleets aud their presence IN
American waters thers can bs no doubt
that two OF the mightiest nations Of Europe
would have mingled in our fight. But for
those two fleets the American government
would have bsen to-day only name in his
tory. l declare before Go and the nation
that l believe Russia saved the United
States OF America. Last July | stood be
fore great throng OF Russians in the en-.
barrassing position OF speaking to au audi
ence three-fourths of which could not un'
derstand my language any mora than [
could understand theirs. But there were
two names that they thorou yhly under
stood as we'll as you understand them, aud
the utterance OF those two names brought
forth an acclamation that made the city
hall of st. Petersburg quake from fouuda-
ton stone to towers, amt those two names
were George Washington AMI Abraham
Now Is 1t not important that we shoul
feel right toward that migaty, that Goi
given friend OF moro t1an on3 hundrei
years? Yea, bacauSs it is q nation OF more
possibilities than any othe except our own.
should we cultivate its frien lsht2. There Is
a vast realm OF Russia as yet uuoccupied.
X the population OF the rest OF Europe were
poured into Russia 1t would be only partially
occupied. After awnie America will bs so
we'll populated that the Il les OF emigration
will 90 the other way, and by railroads
from Russia at Behring straits-where Asia
comes within thirty six miles OF joining
America-millions of people will pour down
through Russia and Siberia, and on down
through all the regions waiting for ths
civilization OF the next century to come,
and culture great harvssts ami build mighty
cities.
What the Unite States now are on the
western hemisphere Russia will be on the
eastern hemisphere. Not only because OF
what Russia has besn to our republic, but
because OF what she will be, let III cease the
defamation of all that pertains to that grant
empire. IL Russia can aft )rd to bo the friend
of America. America eau afr lrd TO be tn,
friend of Russia. And now | proceed 10 do
what told the emperor and the empress
and all the imperial family at the palace OF
Peterhoi would do il l ever got back to
America, and that is to answer soma OF ths
calumnies which have been announced an
reiterated aud stereotyped against Russia.
Calumny the First emperor and all
the imperial family are in perpetual dread
OF assassination. They are practically prls-
oners in the wint ar pllace, aud trenches with
dynamite have been found dug around the
winter palace. They dare not venture forth,
except prec ,ie 4 AMI followed an surround
Ell by a most elaborate military guard.
NV answer to this Is that | never saw a
face more free from worriment than the enl-
peror's face. Tne winter palace, arounl
which the trenches are said to have been
charged with dynamite and In which the
imperial family are said to be prisoners, has
family one moment since the present en-
peror has been on the throne
The winter palace has been chsngel into
a museum and picture gallery AMI placs
| of great levees. He spends his summer In
the palace at Peternof, fifteen or twenty
miles from st. Petersburg; his autumns at
| the palace at Gratschua, and his winters in
a palace at st. Petersburg, but in quite a
different part Of the city to that occupied
by the winter palace. He rides through the
streets unattended; except by the empress
at his side and the driver on the boz. There
| is not person In this audience more free
from fear OF harm than he Is. His subjects
not only admire him but almost worship
| him.
There are cranks In Russia, but have we
not had our Charles Guiteau AMI John
Wilkes Booth2 But" says some one, "did
not the Russians kill the father OF the pres.
ent EMPEROR Yes, but in the time that
Russia has had one assassination Of en-
peror America has had two presidents assas
sinated. "But Is not the emperor an auto
cratr' BY which you mean, has he not
power without restricticnf Yes, but 1t al
depends upon what use a man makes OF ht
power.
Are you an autocrat In your factory, or an
autocrat in your store, or an autocrat In
YOUR style Of busnesss 1t all depends Oh
what use you make OF your power. waathsr
to bless or to oppress, and from tho tins OF
Peter the Great--that Russian wao was tha
wonder of all time. the emperor who became
incognite a ship carpenter that he might
help ship carpenters, and mechanic tnat
he might help mechanics, AMI put on pool
mems garb that he might sympathlz' with
poor men, and who in his last words said
',Mv Lord, am dying. Oh, help my uube.
liefP--I say from that time the throne o
Russia has, for the most part, been occupie
by rulers as beneicsnt anl kind AMI sym
pathetic as they were powerful
To go no further back than Nicholas. tn
grandfather of the present emperor
Nicholas had for the dominant idea OF hi
administration the emancipation OF tn
serfs. When 1t was found that he premedi
tated the freedom OF the serfs hs receives
the following letter OF threat from deputa
tiop Of noblemen: "Your Imperial Majest
| va learn that the conncil and senate o