The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-06-03
The Purchase of Alaska
BY James G. Blaine in "Twenty Years Of Congress-.

and pay US two or three millions fo
the bargain"
General Schenck thought the pur.
chase in itself highly Objectionable
but was willing to vote the money be.
cause the treaty has been made win
a friendly power; one OF those tina
stood by us--alnost the only one tina
stood by US when all the rest of III,
powers Of the world seemed to be turn
ing away from us in our recent
troubles"
] Mr.. Stevens supported the measure
ION the ground that ii WAS a valuable
lacouisition to the wealth and power OF
the country. He argued also In favo,
of the right of the senate to make the
treaty
Mr. Leonard Myers was sure that II
we dlI not acquire Alaska II would he
transferred to Great Britain "Tbe
nation" said he, (which struggled SO
hard for Vancouver and her present
Pacific boundary, and which sin In :
sists on having the little island of San
Juan, will never let such an emporium
1ty slip. Canada, as matters now
stand, would become ours some iay
could her people learn to be Ameri-
cans; but never, If England secures
Alaska"
Mr.. Highly, of California, answered
the objections relating to climate. 81
do not know" said he. whether the
people of the east yet believe what has
been so often declared, that our win
tiers on the Pacific are nearly as mild
as our summers, and yet such Is the
fact. In my own little village, situated
over fourteen hundred feet above the
level of the ocean. have seen a plant
growing in the earth green through all
the months from October to April"
Mr.. Schellabarger opposed the pur-
chase. He said those nations which
had been compact and solid had bee.,
the most enduring while those which
had the most extended territory lasted
the least space OF time.
General Butler moved a proviso, that
"the payment of 100000 of said APP
preparation be withheld until the I'm
perial government of Russia shall sig
nifty its willingness to refer to an i'm
partial tribunal all such claims by
American citizens against the Imper-
io1 oof,H n iYnu
gated by the state department of the
United States and declared to be Just
and the amount so awarded to be paid
from said 100000 so withheld"
General Garfield presiding at the
time over the committee of the whole
ruled 1t out of order, and on an appeal
being taken the decision was sustained
by ayes SO, noes 81. After dilatory
and the offer of various
which We're rejected, the
bill was passed by ayes 113, noes 43.
The house prefaced the bill by pre-
ambIe, asserting in effect that "the
subjects embraced in the treaty are
among those which by the constitution
are submitted to the power Of con-
gress. and over which congress has
and for these reasons. it
is necessary that the consent of con-
gress should be given to the said stipu-
lations before the same can have full
ton of the senate's ratification. merely
a reference to the fact that "the presi
dent has entered into treaty with the
of Russia, and has agreed tn
pay him the sum of seven million two
hundred thousand dollars in coin" The
house by this preamble evidently
claimed that its consent to the treaty
was just as essential as the consent Of
the senate-that 1t was, in short, q
subject for the consideration of con-
yress.
The senate was unwilling to admit
such pretension, especially when put
'orth by the house in this bald form,
md therefore rejected it unanimously.
The matter was sent to conference, I
md by changing the preamble a COM
promise was promptly effected, which |
preserved the rank and dignity Of both |
branches. IT declared that whereas |
he president had entered into treaty
With the emperor Of Russia, and the
senate thereafter gives it's advice and Z
consent to said treaty 49,. ami |
whereas said stipulation can not be |
,arried into full force and effect, ex-
,ept bv legislation to which the con- /
tent of both houses of congress Is nee
,ssary. therefore be It enacted that 1
here be appropriated the sum o.
Il. 200. 600 for the purpose named. I
With this compromise the bill was !
.eadily passed, and became law bv +
he presidents approval July o. 1858. |
The important transaction was not 1
,losed without feeling of resentment I
n congress against Mr.. Seward, be- ,
,ause of his going so far in the nego- 4
iation without reserving any iudg-
nent for other departments Of the
government The treaty with Russia i
vas absolute in it's terms. There WAS |
10 qualifying clause making its fu'-
ilment dependent upon the appropria-
ion of the monev by congress. BY the 1
ime congress had the subject under I
Russia had removed her I