The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-11-21
DEFAMATION OF RUSSIA.
TALMAGB DEFENDS THE REALM
OF TIE CzAR.

psIt "a kbuCAH- W nat B6 AEhEn6Q Oh
Hie Visit
BROOKLYN, Nov. 2O.-Rev DR.. Talmage
to-day fulfilled his promise that he would
sxain speak OF his visit to Russia, aud corr
rect many wrong impressions concerning
that empire and its ruler. After an exposi-
tton Of scripture aud congregational sing
ing, ne took for his text II. Peter M., 10:
"Presumptuous as they, self-willed, they are
not afraid to speak evil OF dignities."
Amid a most reprehensible crew, Peter
here paints by one stroke the portrait OF
those who delight to slash at people in au-
thorlty. Now, we all have a right to
crlticise evil behavior whether ia high
places or low, but the fact that one Is high
up is no proof that he ought to be brouQhb
down. IL is bad streak OF human nature
now, as 1t was In the time ot the text a bad
streak OF human nature that success of any
kind excites the jealous antipathy OF
those who cannot climb the same steep.
There never was David on the throne
that there was not some Absalom who
wanted to get 1t. There never was q
Christ but the world had saw and hammer
ready TO fashion cross on which 10 assas-
sinate him. Out Of this evil spirit grow
not only individual but national and inter-
national defamation. To no country has
more injustice been done than to our own in
days that are past. Long before Martin
Chuzzlewit was printed, the literature of
the world scotfed at everything American.
Victor Hugo, as honest as he was uuequaled
in literary power, was 80 misinformed cons
cerniDR America that he wrote: "The
most singular thing is the need of whiting.
with which all Americans are possessed. IL
is such that on Sunday they give the sailors
little bits Of wood because II they did nos
they would whittle the ship. In court, at
the most critical moment, the judge, whit
tling. says: Prisoner, are You guiltyP and
the accused TRANQUILITY responds, whit
ting: 1 am not guilty." Lord
John Russell called us "A bubble
bursting nationality" But our country
has at last recovered from such caricature,
and there Is not street in any city Of
Europe or Asia where the word America
will not win Difference. But, there is a sis
ter nation on the other side OF tho seq now
going through the process Of international
defamation. There is no country on earth
so misunderstood as Russia, and no mon-
arch more mIsrepresented than its emperor
wan It not be ia the cause OF justice If try
to set right the minds OF those who compose
this august assembage and the minds of
those to whom, on both sides OF the ocean,
these words shall comet II the SANDER OF
one person Is wicked, then the slander Of
ore hundred and twelve million people II
one hundred and twelve million times more
wicked. In the name of righteous
ness and Ia behalf of civili-
zatioD, and for the encouragement of all
those good people who have been disheart-
ened by the standardization Of Russia. now
speak. But Russia is so vast a ubject that
to treat it in one discourse Is like attempts
ing to ran Niagara Falls over one mill
wheel. Do not think that the very marked
courtesies extended me last summer by the
emperor and empress, and crown prince
OF Russia have complinented me into the
advocacy OF that empire, for l shall pre-
sent you authenticated facts that will re-
verse your opinions, IL they have been an
tagonistic, as mine were reversed. | went
last summer TO Russia with as many baleful
prejudioos as would make an avalanche
from the mountain of fabrication which has
for years been heaped up against that em-
ptre. You ask how is IL possible that such
appalling misrepresentation Of Russia
could standl l account for IL by the fact
that the Russian language is to most an im-
pessable wall Malign the United States or
malign Great Britain or Germany or
France, and by the next oaDlegram the
falsehood is exposed, for we all understand
English, and many Of our people are famil-
lar with German and French. But the
Russian language, beautiful and easy to
those born TO speak it, Is to most vocal
organs an unpronounceable tongue, and il
at st. Petersburg or Moscow any anti-Rus-
sian calumny we're denied, the most OF the
world outside Of Russia would never see or
hear the denial.
What are the motives for misrepresenta-
tion Commercial interests and interna-
tional jealousy. Russia is as large as all
the rest Of Europe put together. Remem-
Der that q nation is only a man or q woman
on big scale. Go into any neighborhood
OF America and ask the physician who has
a small practice what he thinks of the ply
sician who has a large practice Ask q
lax VA uh IN has m hriafa uyh ba be ~
the lawyer who has three rooms filed with
clerks trying in vain to transact the super
abundant business that comes to him. Ask
the minister who has a very limited audi
ence what he thinks Of the minister who has
oyerfiowing audiences. Why does not Eu-
rope like Russia Because she has enough
acreage to swallow all Europe and feel she
had only half a meal. Russia is as long az
North and South America put together.
But, says some one, do you mean to
charge the authors and lecturers who have
written or spoke against Russia with false
hood r. BY no means. You can find in any
city OF nation evils innumerable If you wish
to discourse about them.
l said at st. Petersburg 10 the most emf
nent lady Of Russia outside Of the imperial
family: "Are those stories of cruelty and
outrage that have heard and read about,
truep She replied: "No doubt, some OF
them are true, but do you not in America
ever nave officers OF the law crueI ana out
ra0eous 10 their treatment OF offendersl Do
you not have instances where the police have
clubbed innocent personsl Have you no
instances where people in brief authority
act arrogantly" / replied: eyes, we do.h
Then, she said: "Why does the world hold
our government responsible for exceptional
outrageBl As soon as an official is found
to be cruel, he Immediately loses his place.
Then bethought myself. Do the people in
America hold the government at Washing
ton responsible for the Homestead riots at
Pittsburg, or for railroad Instructions, or
for the torch of the villain that
consumes block OF houses, or
for the ruffians who arrest a
rail train, making the passengers hold up
their arms until the pockets are pickedi
Why, thep, hold the Emperor OF Russia,
who is as impressive and genial n man as
have ever looked at or talked with, respon-
sibls for the wrongs enacted in a nation
with population twice as large in numbers
as the millions America7 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 domin-
ioDl Now, you must remember that Alex
aneer III. reigns over wider dominion than
all those empires put together. As a uetion