Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-03-24

time as this when everything looked
gloomy enough to the union soldier
and citizen that one day late In Sep
TENDER a bright star of hope in the
east suddenly appeared to us in the
horizon off New York harbor, not the
cross of st. George but the cross of st.
Andrew, Admiral Lissoffski, with a
fleet of five men-of-war. Backed by
the power of the strongest nation on
earth our stanch old friend always, the
Russian empire, came. sailing majesti-
cally up into the harbor of New York
for the first time that a Russian war
vessel ever appeared in American
waters. The newspapers all over the
land promptly announced the cheerful
news to the army and people, and in
splred new hope in us ALL 1t was not
only signal of action, friendship and
encouragement, but an assurance of
protection against foreign interference
the issues of the civil war We're pend
ing. The admiral carried sealed or
ders from st. Petersburg, and the five
best war vessels of the Russian navy
cast anchor and stayed there until all
danger of interference from foreign
foe was ended; while a like fleet lay in
the offing at the Golden Gate under
similar orders. No such reception,
ovation and welcome have been given
to the ocers of a foreign nation as was
given by the city of New York to these
Russian officers as an evidence of the
gratitude of our nation and it gave
fresh hope and encouragem to the
army of the Union, especially to the
army Of Potomac, which needed 1t so
much.
ut is unbecoming of Henry Clews at
this late date, at a time when our
friend has troubles of his own, to be-
little either the object or Importance of
this friendly act of Russia, and it will
not be accepted by any grateful Ameri-
can who is well acquainted with that
period of our national history. Some
of our people seem doubtful as to what
was contained in the sealed orders of
the Russian admiral, but Governor
Curtin, the great war governor of
Pennsylvania, and warm friend Of Lin
coin. has set this matter forever at rest.
He was our ambassador at the court of
ST. Petersburg after the war and put
this question direct to the prime min
lister, Prince Gortschakoff: What was
contained in the sealed orders of Adj
miral LssoffskF2 and he was shown
the official record, which was: Place
your fleet and equipment at the dis
posal and service Sof the government at
Washington $50
"And also the prime minister's never
to be forgotten message to our govern
ment: Russia alone has stood by you
from the beginning, and will be with
you to the end While as a people we
are sometimes unmindful or forgetful,
let it never be said that we are I'M
grateful. For search, if you please,
the pages of history, religious or pro-
fame, modern, medieval or ancient,
and you will fail to find anywhere of
such long continued, unselfish, unalloy-
ed, helpful friendship, as has been so
cheerfully shown us an every occasion
by that powerful and large hearted
faithful old Muscovite friend of ours.
It stands unequalled in any age and
could have it's origin only in the hearts
of people who believes in the prin-
ciples of Christian religion, and who
practice the Christian virtues.
"'Bleak are our shores in the blasts of
December,
Fettered and chill is the rivulet's
flow,
But throbbing and warm are the hearts
that remember,
Who was our friend when the world
was our foe.
Fires of the north in eternal COM
munion,
Blend your broad flashes with even
ings bright star;
| God bless the empire that stood by our
Union,
Strength to her people-long live the
car