The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1904-11-27

we have been able to find with regard
to Americas so-called obligation To
Russia is given by Wharton Barker.
In 1878 Mr.. Barker. a resident Of Phil
adelphia, was Russia's fiscal agent in
the United States for the purpose OF
supervising the construction of four
cruisers for the Russian navy He was
called to Russia in 1879 to confer with
the government on some business mat
ters. While there he was the guest at
breakfast Of the Grand Duke Constan-
tine. brother of the Car Alexander
IL
shortly after the conclusion Of the
meal the car rode up on horseback
and Mr.. Barker was introduced to him.
A long conversation followed. During
the course OF it reference was made
to the American obligation. Mr. Bark
er quotes the language used by the
car. The ruler. according to Mr..
Barker, said:
an the autumn of 1862 the govern
ments of France and Great Britain
proposed to Russia, in a formal, but
not in an official way, the joint rec
ognition by European powers of the
independence of the Confederate States
Of America. Ny immediate answer
was: I will not cooperate in such
action; and / will not acouiesce. On
the contrary. 1 shall accept the recog-
milton of the independence of the Con-
federate states by France and Great
Britain as a casus belli for Russia.
And in order that the governments
of France and Great Britain may I'M
deTstand that this is no idle threat,
1 viii send a Pacific fleet to San Fran
cisco and an Atlantic fleet to New
York Sealed orders 10 both admirals
were given.
My fleets arrived at the American
ports; there was no recognition Of the
independence of the Confederate states
by Great Britain and France. The
American rebellion was put down. and
the great American republic still con-
tinues.
'All this l did because of love for
my own dear Russia, rather than for
love of the American republic. acted
thus because I understood that Rus
STA would have a more serious task
to perform if the American republic
with advanced Industrial development
were broken up and Great Britain
| should be left in control of most
tbrsnches of modern industrial devel-
opment"
Comment on the cars statement
! would seem to be unnecessary, for it
/ covers the ground completely Accord
ing to his own showing, there was no
special desire to benefit the United
States. However. if there was any
obligation. it was discharged when, in
1897. the United States purchased Alas
ka from Russia at what was then con-
sidered a large price. That the
purchase has since proven to be worth
many times its cost is the result more
of good fortune than good judgment.
While we are on the subject. it is
| weH, in the interest of fairness, to
cali attention to an episode of our
Revolutionary war in which Russia
figured. George III of England, desir-
ing to crush the coIonists at the earli-
est possible moment, sent to Gather
inc of Russia and tried to hire SOL
diers. His proposition was refused with
scorn, Catherine saying her soldiers
should never be used, with her con-
sent. to crush a brave people with
whom Russia had no difference.
We have been unable to find any in
stance in which Russia has broken
faith specifically with the United
States. She did break faith with this
country in regard to the evacuation
of Manchuria, but the United States
was not as much concerned in that
as the other powers. Still. it was
a clear case of pledge breaking and
must be so regarded. Had it not been
for that there would have been no
war. at least just now, between Rus
STA and Japan.