Fairhaven herald. [volume] (Fairhaven, Wash.) 1890-????, 1893-03-09
What We Owe to France and Russia


The New York Sun does well to call
the attention of the American people to
the vital services both France and Rus
sia have rendered this country in times
of its extreme peril. Russian persecu-
ton Of the Jews is abhorrent. So is the
cruelty practiced on the hapless convicts
in Siberia. When contemplating atroci-
ties that have been perpetrated by Rus
sian government officials, it is hard at
times not to sympathize with even the
nihiiists. But the fact remains that our
nation owes its very existence to certain
decisive acts of the Russian government,
taken at times when our affairs were
wavering in the balance What those
acts were are set forth in the extract
from The Sun printed below.
If France helped us to gain our indie
pendence not because she loved us, but
because she hated England, that does not
lessen our obligation to her or our graf
itude In all time to come the republic
of the United States must stand by the
republic of France. The Sun says:
For years France paid, armed and clothed
the Continental forces; French and American
soldiers fought together in the trenches at
Yorktown, and Rochambeau stood by the side
Of Washington when CORVALLIS gave up his
sword. Those are things that a nation can
never forget, so long as it is worthy TO remain
a nation.
That we are under like tremendous obliga-
tions to the house Of Romanof is recognized by
every American who knows the history of his
country. Whatever may have been the mo-
tive which led Gathering ii to Join the so called
League Of Neutrals, the result Of the act was
to complete the discouragement Of the British
ministers, TO break the stubborn viii of George
Ill, and to compel the acknowledgment Of
American Independence. Whatever, again,
may have been the purpose controlling the
mind of Alexander when, Drawing the anger
of Napoleon, he refused TO enforce the Berlin
DEGREES against the American vessels thronging
the Baltic ports, there is no doubt that he res
cued from ruin our commerce. We accepted
redemption at his hands; we profted by his
protection, and it behooves us to remember it,
The services Of the house of Romanof TO the
American requisite eliminated In the stand
taken on our behalf by Alexander II at a crisis
when our national existence was at stake, the
French emperor having put forth all his infiu-
ence at Westminster to persuade the British
government TO Join him in intervening on the
side Of the southern confederacy. Then II
was that the car, who freed the Russian serfs
caused his ambassadors at Paris and London
TO announce that II France and England I'M
dertook TO assure the destruction Of the Amer
lean Union and to perpetuate the regime Of
slavery in the western hemisphere they would
find Russia arrayed against them. Nor was
the friendly interposition of Alexander II con
fined to words.
simultaneously with the utterance OF dipio-
matte warnings Russian fleet was directed
to proceed under sealed orders to the harbor
Of New York, and Russian squadron was dis
patched 10 the bay of San Francisco. For US,
for the American republic, for the consolda-
ton Of our Union, the car made known his
willingness TO fight, and there is not the shad-
ow of a doubt that his willingness averted a
catastrophe. Is it likely that Americans will
ever forget services like these7 Not so long as
our children remember with gratitude their
fathers friends; not so long as the blood of
the men Of the Revolution, Of the war Of 1872
and of the war for the Union courses through
our veins and electrifies our hearts