The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1904-12-15

/ the present war there has been no voice
| to which Russia had listened as closely
/ as she did TO the responsible and au-
thentic voice OF the United States. and
certa inly, II we have a spirit OF gratitude
we should be fair I'm our judgment OF her
| I'm this war, for Russia was our true
friend IN the supreme trial of this nation.
You know IL from tradition, l know II
| from the archives.
A FRIEND IN NEED.
"You know that In the time of the
civil war the Russian fleet sailed into
the harbor OF New York. / know the
reason and the inspiration which lay
behind that act. Louis Napoleon was
then on the throne OF France. He wrote
an autograph letter 10 the Russian en-
peror. Alexander III and said that the time
had come In the judgment OF the Eng
lish and French governments tof course
you know that at the beginning OF the
civil war they had an understanding TO
act Jointly; that Is, there were certain
elements in the English government
which were hostile 10 us, but the good
queen and the common people were with
us). for them 10 intervene between the
north and the south IN this nations bat
ties.
"He asked Alexander 10 intervene with
Great Britain and France. or. II he did
not want TO take that action. 10 pledge
himself 10 keep out OF the affair wholly.
Alexander would not reply by his own
hand. but word was returned that the
people of the United States were lighting
10 preserve their Union and that Russia's
emperor not only refused 10 pledge him.
self to take no hand. but held himself
ready TO act as his judgment directed,
and he needed our need. for the Russian
oh vi
shotted guns came into New York harbor.
Louis Napoleon and all the world knew
what that meant and there was no inter
Nention."
You remember II was said that the
admiral OF that fleet carried sealed orders.
Mr.. Seward has told me that that Is true
and that the instructions to>the admiral
were I'm case of the threateSed inter-
vention coming 10 pass 10 break the seal
and when the seal was broken he would
have found that the order was prac-
tically TO report 10 President Abraham
Lincoln for further orders
BELIEVES JAPAN RIGHT.
with all that It is only the truth
for me TO say that my sympathy is with
the japanese I'm this war believe Rus
sia was wrong TO retain her hold upon
Manchuria beyPhd the time OF agreement
believe that Japan is right In insisting
that Corea be held as a bulwark TO pro-
tect her Islands. In view. however, OF
the signal service Russia rendered 10 us
We should be fair and recognize that
friendship. which began with Catherine
when Russia epforced the rights OF
neutrals IN the period of our Revolu-
tionary war against the express orders
OF Great Britain.
1--WE have had little opportunity 10
reciprocate, but one chance came 10 us
while | was there. II was the prompt
American response 10 call for aid for the
famne-stricken Russia, and our five ship
loads, sent across. 10 relieve. the starving
made all Eurone sit -up and -lnnk NTH
hmazemcnt.
For the first time the strains OF the
Star Spangled Banner were then heard
In Russian Inland districts and the trains
laden with the ships cargoes were deco
rated with the American and Russian
flags intertwined. In our time OF war
Russia sent n feet OF warships To aid us.
and I'm her time of distress we sent fleet
OF white-winged messengers OF mercy"
The speaker. In referring to the per-
sonality of the car OF Russia, spoke OF
the almost universal belief in this country