The Wichita daily eagle., 1904-05-08
THE DEBT TO RUSSIA MYTH.


THE DEBT TO RUSSIA MYTH.
A curious contribution TO the current
discussion of japanese and Russian
iaims upon American friendship anG
good will is made by Mr.. A. c. Drink
water, of Bralntree. Mass. who has sent
to the Boston Globe a speech made by
James G. Blaine at reunion of the FIRST
Maine Cavalry association, held some
twenty years ago in Augusta. Some of
the leading men of the Pine Tree state
were present, and nine Russian offers
were guests of teh regiment. They cana
from Russian warships then in American
waters. During the evening Mr.. Blaine.
then a United States senator, was called
on to respond to a toast, speaking for the
state of Maine. He seems to have spoken
mostly for Russia.
The speaker began by saying that the
presence of the Russian guests recalled
an incident Of diplomatic history in the
civil war which had never been published.
and could not be, until the secret annals
of three great nations were given to the
world. But Mr. Blaine did not hesitate
the truth to show what a great debt
America owed to Russia.
He proceeded TO tell his hearers that
when Napoleon III. sent an army into
Mexico he intended to induce Great Brit
ain to act with him in raising the block
ade on the ports of the confederate states,
and then push the frontier of Mexico
up to the Mississippi river, taking Louis
lana, apparently the old Louisiana of the
original purchase, as the French share of
the spoils. Mr.. Blaine said he thought
Lord Palmerston desired to unite with
the French emperor in such a scheme for
the partitioning of the United States.
Gladstone fatty contradicted, long ago
all repo, IS that Great Britain ever favor
ably considered even the recognition OF
the confederacy. and it seems almost in
credible that such a man as James @.
Blaine believed that France and England
had plan Of helping the confederacy
By taking from it some of its best and
most loyal territory, But evidently he
did believe that som8 dark design was
cherished, and would have taken solid
form if it had not been for Russia. This
part Of the strange tale ought to be read
in Mr.. Blaine's own words The remain
der of his speech, which is said to have
been greeted with great applause at its
close. was as follows:
but there was one trouble. | think.
They didn't know how Russia would view
it; and in one of the beautiful towns
on the north side of the lake of Geneva
a secret envoy from the Emperor Ma |
polean met Gortschakoff and had an in |
terview with him. and GortsChakoff told !
him that If England and France laid the
weight of a hand upon The interests of
the United States Russia would actively |
Intervene on the side of the Union; and
just after that conference q know /
never shall forget it to the last day l
live there appeared very quietly in the
Potomac river Just below WaWshington, |
steaming right along between Washing |
ton and Alexandria, five enormous Rus !
sian ships of war. Colonel Hamlin tells /
me there were eight in all the fleet.
Il am only speaking of what l saw. |
There were five ef them there, and | tell |
you we were glad to see them They |
were the most civil and polite gentlemen |
you ever saw in your life. But it was
just banner hung on the outer walls as |
a little intimation to Louis Napoleon and |
that If they attempted TO in |
tervene here they had a very heavy job /
on their hands.
Now that. I say, without any senti- /
mentality between nations-that, / say. !
entities Russia and all her citizens and |
subjects. monarch and officers, to the /
everlasting gratitude of every American |
a hot
Il do not know, being a senator of the /
United States whether l should speak Of /
matters with very great .
freedom. Still this is free talk. and 1 am
not ashamed TO say and to repeat that in /
whatever contest Russia finds herself en-
ga ged. by whatever danger she feels her
self mcnaced. the active symp2this of |
the people and the government Of the
United States will go with her to the
end
Certainly Mr.. Blaine's prophecy has
gone wide of the facts His countrymen
are against Russia. by a very large ma
iorty. and for japan. Is their feeling
Are they ingrates, as some
pro Russian writers and speakers seem /
10 think? Only a superficial or ignorant
reading of history supports any such ac
,usation.
Granting that Russia. as a government.
fesired the preservation and strengthen
nE Of the American Union. in the dark
LAYS Of the civil war. il was surely not
Tor love NJ the greatest republic on the
globe but only because America. united
might be an edsctive foll OF balance for
England. on sea and land. In the nature
II things there could he no higher motive
As for the value Of Russian good will. OF
what possible avail could a Russian fleet
nave been against an Anglo-French aIi-
.ncess Had not England and France
beaten Russia, only six years before the
,ivil war began, and swept the Russian
lavy almost completely off the seasS At
10 time during the civil war would Rus
Ma have been able 10 make resistance
worth mentioning to a FrarceB British at
ack on the ocean. on land there was no
,lace where the armies cf tho car might
trike either France or England. No pos
SESSIONS Of either power we're within
each II would have feen eaSy for Great
Britain and Franco 10 destroy Russy
commerce at sea. chase every Russian
varship into fortified harbors OF sink the
Whole Russian navy. and then he free 70
aise the blockade e the ports of tAe
Was Russia ready 10 wage
hopeless war fer love Of America
We're France ana England afraid Of a
,uny navy, mere remnant ef the one
hey had nearly destroyed . few years
'efore?
Sserily. the debt-to- Russia myth dies
lard. But it is losing Us hold On the
ceiling and imagination Of the American
.anrle II cnnnnt be revived IN is Oh