The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-12-07

ne Immediately loses his place. Then l
bethought myself. Do the people in
America hold the government of Wash
ington responsible for the Homestead
riots at Pittsburgh, or for rail-
torch of the villain that con-
sumes a block of houses, or for
the ruffians who arrest a rail
train, making the passengers hold up
their arms until the pockets are picked?
Why, then, hold the emperor of Russia,
who is as impressive and genial man
as have ever looked at or talked with,
responsible for the wrongs enacted in a
nation with population twice as large
in numbers as the millions OF America?
Suppose one monarch in Europe ruled
over England, Scotland, Ireland,
France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Austria,
Norway and Sweden. Would it be fair
to hold the monarch responsible for all
that occurred in that mighty dominion?
Now you must remember that Alexan-
der the Third rcigns over wider do
minion than all those empires put to-
gether. AS nation is only a man or
woman on big scale, let me ask, would
You individually prefer to be judged by
your faults or your virtues? All people,
except ourselves, have faults
The pessimist attempting to write
your biography, would take you my your
weaker moods, and the picture Of you
on the first page Of your biography
would be as you looked after your own
meanness had been practiced on you and
you were tearing mad. Now, as | am
an optimist, | give you fair warning
that if ever write your biography, l
will take you as you looked the day
your dividends came in 0per cent larg-
er than you ever anticipated, or the
morning on your way to business after
your first child was born, or the MORN
| ing after your conversion, when heaven
had rolled in on your soul. The IN ST
accursed homunculi Of oil the earth are
the pessimists who, whether they Judge
| individual or national character, and
whether they WELD tongue or pen, are
| filed with anathematization, and who
have more to say about the freclyles on
the cheek Of beauty than OF the sun
rises and sunsets that flush it.
1t is most important that this country
have right ideas concerning Russia, for,
among all the nations this side Of
heaven, Russia is Americas best friend.
There has not been an hour in the last
seventy-fve years that the shipwreck
of free institutions in America would
not have called forth from all the des-
potisms of Europe and Asia a shout Of
gladness wide as earth and deep as per-
dition. But whoever else failed 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 Catha-
rine of Russia in 1776 or Whereabouts
offered kindly interference that our
thirteen colonies might not go down
under the cruelties of war. Again,
in 1918, Russia stretched forth to-
ward us q merciful hand. When
our dreadful civil war was raging and
the two thunder clouds of North
ern and Southern valor clashed, Russia
practically said to the nations of Eu-
rope: Keep your hands off and let the
brave men of the north and south set
tie their own troubles" ] rehearsed
some of those scenes TO the emperor last
July, saying: you were probably too
young to remember the position that
your father took at that time" but
with radiant smile, he Responded: 80,
yes, ! remember, ] remember" and
there was an actuation of the words
which demonstrated to me that these
occurrences had often been talked OF in
the imperial household. / stood on
New York Battery during the war, as
suppose many of you did. looking off
through magnificent glass upon q
feet of Russian ships "What are
they doing there?' asked, and
so everyone asked: what business
have the Russian warships in our
New York harbor?" Word came that
another feet of Russian ships was in
San Francisco harbor. what does this
mean?" our rulers asked, but did not
get immediate answer. In these two
American harbors, the Russian feet
seemed sound asleep Their great
mouths OF iron spoke not . word, and
the Russian flag, whether floating in
the air or dropping by the Flagstaff,
made no answer to our inquisitiveness.
William II. Seward, secretary OF state,
asked the Russian minister at Washing
ton the meaning Of those Russian ships
In American waters, and got no salts
factory response. Admiral Farragut
said TO Russian officer after dining in
the home of the eminent politician,
Thurlow Weed, that maker and un-
maker of presidents: what are you
doing here with those Russian vessels
OF war;" Notunti the war was over was
it found out that in case Of foreign inter
vention all the guns and the last gun OF
these two fleets in New York and San
Francisco harbors were to open in full
diapason upon any foreign ship that
should dare to interfere with the right
of Americans, North and South, to set.
tie their own controversy. But for
those fleets and their presence in Amer
lean waters, there can be no doubt that
two Of the mightiest nations of Europe
would have mingled in our fight Blu,
for those two fleets, the American gov
eminent would have been to-day only a
name in history. / declare before God
and the nation that believe Russia
saved the United States Of America.
Last July | stood before q great throng
| Of Rnssians in the emha IRA ksinrr nnsi.