The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1897-10-31

tween ne Rnsesar Bear ard CoIurssga.
sre maiden ~ nations. wzs brought szlls
closer tr Intimacy between the authorities
q the rVo c0vrt~sss. an underss ar1lrzg 20
act fu con-erg for the establishment OF a
Ene of telegraph b@sween s. Petersburg
end Washington through ar interocean
cable across the narrow straits Of Beyfng.
then WITHIN gsse dominion % the emperor.
70 canes wifh 4 lard service across S.
IBERIA toward the East, ard the United
Stases. TIE British ard Russian posses-
siors toward the West
IRE scheme negotiated NJ 81 Petersburg
s-d Washington vas sanctioned by the
Necessary statutory enacam@zts Of con-
gress
a Presidential Invitation.
TIE eourtsh4p continued 81 Decsnrher OF
fss4 when ire p-essasn: invited the en-
adviser. the Grand Duke Constantine. %
make q visit % the United States. 20 b
received b. she president ard people as
fheGr gueze
The CONDITION of The home affairs of the
empire alone prevented the accomplish
nent AZ that time CT this further act Of
International Friendship.
An Incident in american Politics.
In furtherance OF this profared token
OF International intimacy the American
piensyotentiary. Gen. GaAsius II. Clay, OF
Kentucky. was directed from Washing
ton 70 bring the subject 10 the personal at
fentlon of the grand duke. Tire American
pieutpotenttary was amply fortified for
sucn delicate duty he had been Presi-
dent lAnco3n's first appolrtee and had be-
come favorite at the brilliant court OF
the Car Alexander II After little over
years residence he had been summarily
displaced. with evident signs Of imperial
6lsarprobatfcn, fn order to make room for
Simon Cameron. Of Pennsylvania. This
veteran Official having become objection
able 70 the president, Abraham Lincoln,
and his cabinet. had been unceremonious-
" dispatched TO St Petersburg as plani-
potentlary. A residence OF eight months.
made irksome by the much dampened fer
vor which had hitherto existed between the
two countries, brought this incident to a
close Gen. Clay. whose admirable tact
had given him attention from the en-
peror and his surroundings were once
more established IN his old post and re-
newed the cordial relations which had
been 30 ruthlessiy interrupted.
An Overture From Washington.
II was evident from Mr.. Stewards very
obiique utterances at the time to the
writer that ne was then contemplating per-
sonal oveFtures for the acQuisscence of the
emperor In the transfer TO the United
States Of his vast possessions on the west
ern shores OF the Pacific for considera-
ton 10 be agreed upon as ample and sat
isfactory.
In this he suggested in a deeply iipio-
matte way miseonception OF the actual
conditions. which made him wish IL were
possible for the grand duke Ito come out
and spend few months Ia America"
The secretary persisted In withholding a
specification of his reasons, las they
would occur 10 the envoy as well as to
his imperial hghness," which they SEEM
ed not 10 have done when most essential
sign From the Far West
The rapid sequence OF events which
finally tended 10 the immediate negotia-
uens and contamination Of the traditional
friendship OF the ruling family OF Russia
and OF the personal good viii OF Alexan-
der III. from the throne of the Roman
offs began not In the older and more ma
ture states Of the American Union, but
in the most remote and inaccessible parts
Of the public domain.
In February, 1886. a memorial of rhe
legislature OF the territory OF Washing
& n 20 the president of the United States
Andrew Johnson, called the attention cf
the government TO the abundance of cod
flsh. halihut and salmon along the shores
OF the Russian possessions. and asking on
the part Of the government the negntfa-
ton OF arrangements which would pro-
teet them I'm the exploration of the seas
from ''cortez Bank to Behring Straits"
This memorial was made the occasion
or correspondence with NJ de Stoeckl.
the Russian envoy at Washington. by the
secretary Of state, Mr.. Seward. having
In view arrangements to enable the dar-
ing fishermea Of the Pacific coast to pene-
trate those unknown seas In pursuit of
their perilous vocation.
At the time these preliminary negotia-
tons were under way In April fS6s. an
attempt upon the life of Alexander II
was made BY one Karako5ow. This afro
cious act aroused throughout the United
States the most supreme Indignation. An
expression OF national joy upon his es-
cape was conveyed 70 the emperor by an
officer Of rank. Assistant Secretary Of the
Navy Fox. as special bearer and as a
demonstration Of friendship.
Russian Envoy Edouard stoeckI
At this Juncture. in October. the Rus
sian envoy. Edouard de Stoeckl. who had
served as Russian charge d'araires ad
int, at Washington. as early as fs49 and
again IN 1854 and was promoted 10 en-
voy and plenipotentiary near the govern
ment OF the republic In 1857 left for S.
Petersburg as part OF an UNDERSTANDING
between himself and Secretary Seward.
20 promote TIC good relations existing be-
tween the two countries.
SO erectually had the prelimlnaries
been covered that the following March.
less than FIVE months de Stoeckl was
agsin AZ his post awaiting his final in
structlons. These reaching him on the
18th Of the same month. as we have seen
before the dawn OF the day following the
Russian possessions on the North Amer
lean continent so far as the concluded
negotiations were concerned. had become
an integral part Of the American Union.
Sentiment Yields 40 Diplomacy.
We have now seen the sentimental side
OF the courtship OF two mighty nations
There was an earlier and far-reaching
motive involved. which had It's inception
IN ths unerrirE and undertaking afplo-
matte policy 81 the empire inaugurzted
by me Dukes % Klef eleven centuries be
/ fore. continued by the Dukes OF wiadi-
mir Moscow and Nuscovy. consolidated
By THE genius of Michael Fedorovitz. OF
| The house ~ RomanoT and Rmpiifed In
| tts ramihcations In the international rela-
| lions ~ tho powers q the globe today by
| his descendants
"Reminiscences Awakeps Action.
l n 1859. While returning 70 the 8irlo-
matte pose fr0rn which he had beer So
/ uncercnoniously aeposed. the re-apy,1inf-
ID American p3eHipofentlary Gen. CLAY
| had as fellow passenger on the Atlantic
steamer Wei known parsonage in pohltc
/ a1airs aurinS the administration az James
/ X Polk. The Individual referress 70 had
/ been that fuEesfonary's secretary 81 the
/ treasury in the ast half ~ the fourth
decade - the present century Ha had
I slgnaltEe6 his presence IN the Official fam
tfy 81 the presidential Tennesseean bv
/ drawing ~ ard securing the passage a.
I ore n the most wTafe@uHa and frup~s O.
/ ttrshie systems for raising revenue the
/ co&ntry Rad ever seen and mar corse-
4 Q1euce involved congress ard the uaop{e
/ Ga the utmost political turmoil This 5aIs-
! per ard hustllaS Att5e man % brains and