The Wallace miner. [volume] (Wallace, Idaho) 1907-current, 1915-06-03

The purchase of Alaska was COM
pleted by the act of July "a 1868.
which appropriated the amount agreed
upon in the treaty Of March 80 1867
negotiated by Mr. Seward ON behalf
of the United States. and by Baron
Stoeckle representing the Empire of
all the Russias The Russian govern
ment had initiated the matter, and de-
sired to sell much more earnestly than
the United States desired to buy. There
is little doubt that a like offer from
any other European government would
have been rejected, The pressure OF
our financial troubles. the fact that
gold was still at high premium. sug-
gested the absolute necessity of econ
omy in every form in which it could
be exercised; and in the general iudg
ment of the people the last thing we
needed was additional territory There
was, however, feeling of marked
kindness toward Russia; and this, no
doubt, had great weight with Mr.. Sc
ward when he assented to the obvious
WISHES nI LIldI bUNtIHliSil'
But while there was no special diff
Guilty in securing the ratification Of the
treaty by the senate. a more serious
question arose when the house was
asked to appropriate the necessary
amount to fulfil the obligation Sever
million two hundred thousand dollars
in gold represented at that time NOR"
thap ten million dollars in the currency
of the government. and many repuh-
leans felt, on the eve. or rather in the
midst of presidential canvass, thar
it was a hazardous political ste..
deeply in debt as the government
was. and with its paper still at heavy
discountl to embark in the speculation
Of acquiring vast area of "rocks and
Ice" as Alaska was termed in the
popular and derisive description o,
Mr.. Stewards purchase.
When the bin came before the house,
General Banks, as chairman Of the
committee on foreign affairs, urged
the appropriation with great earnest
1PSS. iltH llIFI'iN btNft llfat VI nv 'pift0
ton imposed upon the government b..
the fraatvX which he ably presented;
mot merely by reason of the intrinsic
value of the territory which he ahunG-
antly demonstrated; but especially on
account of the fact that Russia was
the other party to the treaty, and had
for nearly a century shown most
cordial disposition toward the Un'tec
States. General Banks maintained
that at every step of our history from
1870 70 the moment when he was
snaakne. Russia had been our frienc.
"In the darkest hour of our peril" sale
he. during the rebellion, when we
were enarting a history which no man
vet thoroughly comprehends when
France and England were contemplat-
ing the recognition of the confederacY, r
the whole world wAs thrilled by the
appearance in San Francisco of fleet
of Russian war-vessels, and nearly at
the same time. whether by accident or
design. a second Russian fleet appear
ed in the harbor of New York. Who
knew how many more there were on
their voyage here? From that hour
France. on the one hand, and England
on the other. receded. and the Ameri-
can government regained its position
and its power
Mr.. Cadwalader c. Washburn an
swered the speech of General Banks
on 1he succeeding day DULY !, 1859. ,
He proposed to demonstrate to the sat
i,factian of the house Eve distinct pro-
positions: First that at the time the ,
treaty for Alaska was negotiated, not ,
a soul in the whole United States I
+; sloa for 1t. second that 1t was Sc Z
cretly negotiated and in manner to
prevent the representatives Of the peo-
pie from being heard: third that by 6
right that is of any value to us. with
out the responsibility and reverend ;,
ing expense of governing a nation of 9
savages: fourth, that the country |,
coded is absolutely without value
fifth that it is the right and duty Of \
the house to INQUIRE into the treaty :
and to vote or not vote the money, ac-
cordirg o its best judgment" Mr. 6
washburn made an able speech In r
support of his radical propositions.
General Butler sustained Mr.. Wash L
burns position in a characteristic c
speech, especially answering General $
Banks argument that we should pay 6
this amount from a spirit Of friendship t
for Russia. "If," said General Butler >
1--WE are to pay this price as usury on Y
the friendship of Russia, we are pay +
ing for It very dear indeed. If we are Il
to paw for her friendship, / desire to
give her the seven million two hundred d
thousand dollars in cash, and let her Il
keep Alaska. because I think 1t may he c
q small sum to give for the friendship (
If we could only get rid Of the land. or r
rather the ice. which we are to get nv 9
paying for It," He maintained that II '
was in evidence before the house ottic- n
iallv 'that for ten years the entire (
product Of the whole country Of Alaska t
did not exceed three million dollars +
NJ, Do4aro nf Maiua prono,1n9ed the n