Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1904-05-27
Alas! We Have Forgotten.

30
American people were with the yell
low race in this far eastern struggle
"a struggle in which we rightfully
owe u sympathies and moral sup
port to the people of our W lace, a
struggle in which the side Of right is
as much with the whites as with the
yellows,
Not only does it seen to US that a
sense OF decency demands that our
sympathies be with Russia in this
war, but a debt of lasting gratitude
is owing by the American people to
the Gar OF the Russians and all his
posterity.
Alas We have forgotten. 1t was
on the Sth day of June, 1861, that
Emperor Alexander ii, car Of Rus
STA, dictated to his secretary of state
that declaration of Russia's position
in regard to the United States and
what would be the stand taken dur
ing the var then in progress. That
famous document was received at
Washington when our government
was in the darkness Of the defeat of
the first battle Of Bull Run. To the
government at Washington it was
the one little spot Of sunshine that
had frightened their hopes for
months, The diplomatic correspond
ence on record at Washington also
shows that Mr.. Clay, who was charge
d'affaires at st. Petersburg, wrote to
Seward that there was but one senti-
ment in Russia, "and that all in our
favor |"
Later Russia refused to join
France and England in asking
Washington and the Confederacy to
agree TO an armistice for six months,
which armistice was only calculated
to give the Confederacy time in
which to further prepare for war.
But the real test came in 1868. At
that time our government faced the
possibility of a foreign war-a war
with England. That government
had already allowed ships to be
built for the Confederates and
equipped in her ports and then turn
sd loose under the Confederate flag
to prey upon our m The
Alabama was built by Englishmen
in English yards, armed with Eng
lish cannon, and manned by English
men. ALI hal was needed to make
it open war by England was the
English flag. And more was in store
for us. Those great shipbullders,
the Lairds, were building in their
yards two formidable ironclad
rams for the Confederacy, with
which ii vas hoped to raise the
blockade of the southern ports and to
put our northern cities in jeopardy.
Washington filed protest after pro
test, but to no avail. All the months
of hnilding ware snent by eur minis
tiers 10 trying to induce the English
government to detain these ships,
but no satisfaction was obtained.
Finally, as these ships were about
completed our government was mott
fed of a complete reversal of position
on the part of England. What was
the reasonf A large European fleet
had put to sea and England feared
that her act of wal might bring to
her more trouble than she had bar
gained for.
II was the darkest period Of the
war in 1868. True, Vicksburg and
Gettysburg had been added to our
list Of victories, but there was the
talk in the British ParliamentIof rec
ogniaing the Confederacy, practic.
ally adding England's wealth and
power to the force already organized
for accomplishing our overthrow.
But it proved to be the darkness be-
fore the dawn. On September IL,
1863, the first Of a fleet of five war
vessels arrived in New York Harbor,
fME .M
under command Of Rear Admiral
Lessoasky, and by the 10Th Of the
same month FIVE Of the best ships of
the Russian navy peacefully rode at
anchor at the gateway Of United
States During the fol-
lowing month seven Russian ships
from viadivostok passed through
the Golden Gate. No wonder Eng
land changed her mind and refused
10 commit an act Of war. The admi-
raj commanding the fleet sailed from
i Russian port under sealed orders.
H8 nNvor had occasion Us execute