The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-08-10
SHENr AND PORTSMOUTH.
Some Observations On tbe Ruesaas Czsrs
Part IN Our Pence 81 1914.

l 00m6 OOvOTNotbOtuu VI w. ~s~-
Fart IN our Peace 81 1914.
To THE EDITOR OF TIE suN-Sh: very
little lees than one hundred years aeo there
was a second war between the United States
and Great Britain. which from its deolara-
ton by Con yress on June 10, 1912. to tho
treaty OF peace concluded on Dec. ~. 1914,
was wased for more than two years and
half. The battle Of New Orleans was mos
fought and won by jackson TIL fifteen days
later and after the treaty had been s!sred.
| There are incidents of that war--oircum-
stances In which tho United States had been
placed when the treaty Of peaoe waa nsso-
tiated, the little regard paid By other nations
to the meeting Of tho plenipotentlaries from
WashlnSton and I.ondon-whioh make In.
terestirR a comparison between the United
States then and Russia now. between the
little International interest dispisysd m
Client then and the great interest In PorA-
mouth now. and between what the Emperor
OF Russia did for the United States then and
what the President Of the United States has
done and IL doing for Russla now.
The comparative condition OF the united
States. growing out Of the war. at the begin
ming OF Nadison's second term and OF Russia
now u an attractive thsms for those who
have time and facts needed for the display
Of 1t. American foreign trade had been
a!most destroyed. Exports were less By
Observation-Disclosures In 1914 than In 1907.
Fourteen hundred American wsrships and
merchantmen with 7o.eei seamen had been
captured. An American loan. issued IN
1914. Of only ss.ooo. ooo stsnslly failed. In
November Of that year the national Govern
ment defaulted In interest on its loans, and
on the first days of the next year the per
cents we're at only so to 90. Secession. sedi-
ton and rebellion were formidable In Now
England. Tho South. whose representatives
pushed Congress into the war. was tired OF II.
Virginia quite hunked. In how much worse
condition. comparatively. 10 Russia nowf
In March. 1918. camo . ray OF hope for the
United States. and 1t came from Russia.
whose Emperor proposed himself ~ media
tor; that Is, In diplomatic meaning. to give
his advice and assistance In the way OF arbt-
tratioh. after examining the causes Of the
controversy, leaving the acceptance OF the
offer TO the free win Of the parties. Several
times has Russia rendered similar good ofhces
to the United States. President Roosevelt
did not propose ~ much TO Russia and Japan.
President Madison made haste to eooept
Russia's offer. and on April Is. 1913, tried 70
send Bayard, Gallatin and Adams to st.
Petersburg With instructions to conclude .
peace; but Great Britain had rejected Rus
sias offer. - the American commissioners
discovered In st. Petersburg. whore they
were Welcomed with hospitality.
When the United States declared war Ma
poleon was beginning hts invasion Of Russa;
England was taxed almost to her utmost
In resisting France; perhaps and probably
Russia was thinking a. much of>herself and
England as Of America when she proposed
her mediation. At any rate. IL was an act
of great benefit to the United States. - tho
result proved. .
England finally proposed direct negotiation
and proposed London or Gottenburg 10 tho
place. President Madison aoquiesoed. but
Bayard proposed Client and England &C.
Quiesoed.
Thither the new American commission
abdicated. the Continental war had ended
and England was free to punish the United
States.
The American commissioners wsr1 all In
Client on July 9. 1914. but the Englishmen
kept them waiting two days moro than q
month before they came. The bu-shers
Of Client were polite and hospitable TO tho
nation did nothing then, and all was 40 unlike
the American reception to and supervision
of the Russians and japanese In 1906.
Three days after the Britons arrived the
negotiations began. and exhibited the sims
qua non Of pesce. such - Russia 10 now await
ing from Japan. The British terms came
very near requiring surrender Of American
independence. They demanded that large
part of our Northwest. on the east Of the
great river. be set apart for the Indians.
under British protection; that the United
States never keep an armed force on the Great
Lake.. and that Great Britain have . right
to navigate tho Mississippi. None Of the
American demands respecting improvements
and blookades would be tolerated.
The situation was so bad and critical for
the Americans that two months later 6ecre-
tary of State Monroe modified previous
instructions and In effect ordered the COM
missioners to make peace on any terms that
saved imperiled American Independence.
Not till some thirty or forty years ago was
made public the text Of that note Of Oct. 4.
1914, authorizing khe American nssotistors to
agree to the status quo 1nis bell1m - tho
basis OF negotiation" II. treaty was finally
concluded on that basis.
VIII japan demand and ut harsher terms
from Russiaf
Precisely why Great Britain withdrew
from her first pretensions u yet somewhat
Of a mystery. Perhaps she feared they
would reunite the Americans TO continue
the war: perhaps she was uneasy over the
situation In Europe and the Vienna confer
ence; perhaps, - 20 many think. the Emperor
Of Russia interposed In aid Of America.
At any rate the negotiations ct Client. to |
end little war. consumed i've weary months. |
How many will be consumed at Portsmouthi
sraAg.aaAy 4ASz.
PoRTsMoUTH, Aus. 7.
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