The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-04-21
Peryersion of history TO the South's Disad-
vantage.

| has allowed itself to be betrayed by enc
Of its contributors into the most Has
rant misrepresentation OF masteF G.
| history which ought to be familiar TO
eveary intelligent American citizen.
In am article upon the iandward boun-
Diary Of Alaska, which processes to lie a
carefully presentation OF facts
involved IN a pending controversy be-
tween the United States and Great Erl-
tain about territorial boundary, the writer
drags in a kick at the dead non OF the
slave power. qualifying the malice - the
assault by the grossost perversion oi his
tory. He condemns tine action OF the
President and United States Senate in
assontng to the treaty with Greae Fri
tain IN 1876 for the settlement q the
Oregon boundary Inc.
lie gives Casslus NJ Clay as authority
for the very extraordinary statement
that Hon. Robert J. Walker, Secretary
Of the Treasury under Folks administra-
ton, told him I'm 1853 that the Emperor
Nicholas had shortly previous TO our war
with Mexico offered TO ccde Alaska 10
the United States If the nation would
close up It's territory TO 81 degrees ~
minutes which would shut Great Britain
out OF the Pacific ocean. But the save
interest says Clay, fearing the new
accession Of free SOIL yielded the point
We may be pardOned for entertaining
some incredulity as 10 the accuracy Of
this quotation from clay and even n &C
curate for not accepting Robert j. Wal
xer's say so, especially az the time when
he Is reported TO have said so, as the
bases Of vcritable history. But De ii so.
the length and breadth OF the offending
Of the slave power, according to the let
ter of the charge, is that the United
States Government refused to act as a
cat s paw for Russia in plunging into war
with Great Britain TO wrest from her a
portion Of her confessedly occupied ter
rit0ry, and thereby secure to the United
States a new accession" of free soil
upon the Pacific.
This writer goes on and says:
This was done in the settlement of
the oregon question in lsi6.
There are many persons now living VINO
doubtless remember that "hity-fOur-fOrty
or fight was one of the favorable cleo
pioneering notices Of the Wing party
ana the new Liberty party in the cam
paign which resulted IN the election OF
Polk"
The Bible may be quoted for the aver
ment that there is no God" by the simple
omission OF the precedent words, that the
statement has not even the merit Of par
tial truth to relieve the malignity Of its
Justification OF history.
Every person now living who IS ola
enough to remember the canvass of 1914
does remember, and there can be no man
ner Of excuse for any intelligent graduate
OF d public school not knowing, that every
Democratic banner in that year that
kissed the hreezeS Ia a8y section OF the
Union bore the inscription. Polk aud
Dallas-OregOn and Texas"
The Democratic convention which nolni-
mated Mr.. Polk committed the FOLLY OF
asserting in its platform the American
lille 10 the whole OF her disputed terri
tory up to the Alaska line OF "a degrees
~ minutes. When thereafter MIR. Folks
administration was compelled 10 recele
from this extreme claim ana accept me
boundary Of A. degrees, the only 0i.slnt-
ing voices ia the country or IN Congress
10 the treaty We're from the Democratic
ranks. Mr.. Polk was reluctantly driven
TO accept the basis OF negotiation 10y the
overwhelming voice OF the people. Great
Britain proposed the line oil 40 degrees,
though she had previously refused 10 ac-
cept it.. and it was understood 10 be the
ultlmatuin; rejection Of which involved
war Mr. Polk then asked the advice OF
the Senate, and that body by vote OF
more than twO-thirds. advised It's accept
ance, and virtually Instructed him 10 At-
gotiatc the treaty upon that basis. lie
did so, with the pronounced avowal mat
he surrendered his own judgment 10 That
OF the Senate, his constitutional co-ofdi-
mates in the treaty making power.
The truth Is, that the question OF free
and slave soil was never an element Of
consideration. Thomas ii. Benton was
the Ajax lebanon I'm debate IN support OF
the settlement. when his colleague, David
II. Atcheson who on the Kansas borders
was denounced by the Aboiitionlsts as
typical border rufiian, was upon the other
side. Daniel S. Dickinson. OF New 1ofk,
the most friendly OF all the northern
senator's 10 the South. was against the
treaty, while his colleague, John a. DIX.
approved and voted for ~. Every wing
I'm the Senate, including Webster, John
Davis. George Evans. CorWin. William l..
Dayton. who was tho frcc-soI candidate
for Vice-President. with Fremont for
President. and others. voted 10 advise the
making of the treaty and after II was
made voted for its ratification OF me
twelve senators from New England nine
were Of the forty-one affirmative votes,
The three negative votes being cast by
Fairfield. OF Maine. ana Jcnness ana Al
berton. author OF the famous Anterior
resolutions. OF New iidHiIHNlif- .AA 4f'H4-
ocrats. The minority were led 10y Lewis
Cass, of Michigan: William Allen, OF ohio,
and Edward A. HanneGan. OF Indiana.
and all OF the fourteen-includiug win
these, Jesse u. Bright. Atherton, Dicken-
son, &c, with the exception Of Simon
Cameron. Democratic senator from
Pennsylvania. who had not then devel-
oped any frec-soi rrOcivities-were
Democrats OF that pronounced stamp 10
which the Abolitionists attached the
odious appellation Of northern dough
faces.
II they. or any OF them. could rise from
their graves 10 he confronted with fhe
Green Bags version Of history, with what
emphasis would they voice from the
farther shore the reproach. How this
world is given TO lying"
The editor OF the Green Bag must he
more careful IN revising his proof sheets.
and II would be wei TO admonish his cal
lous contributors that the first requisite
for an instructor OF the public. especially
In printing an attack upon the dead. Is
some information upon the subject he Is
talkins ahaut and with that information