Year: 1867

cthcrs bat the bargain between The United States
and luss as SCI us In eur turn talking o. our fron-
tieR and priNiieg, snu wondering what sueh cession
may have IN store for us. Ii may he coacisals re-
nled, however. nat soe caaaa hia4r tie mater
n we would, ana that We Beod not II we could.
The transaction is about OF the simplest and
most rational pieces OF public economy effected
"a our time Russia, besides all her vast dominons


in Europe and Asia possesses also the norhwesternmost
angle OF the American continent. THIS bleak nhospita
Bile and irrecaimable region Is worth nothing 70 her
II could not from fs sr nac oair be ,r any ,ng TO
anybody but il has political value in the eyes OF the
United States aud Russia has taken her property 10
tho dearest Market and sold Il for seven millions of dot


lars As her title 70 the land was quite
and as sho had perfect right TO sell and the United
states perfect right 70 bay It Is evident that we hsvs
this ceded district borders upon territories Of own,
and in fact overaps them; that the change OF own.
this part Of the question also can be disposed Of very
briefly Tho utmost thai could have been asked In the
way even OF special favor was that we should have
the refusal OF the bargain Suppose now that Russia
had offered the country as the price shown to be ts
market value-&l, 400 0OO-shoud We have bought itf
just about provided By Mr. % %5srasis surplus; but Is
there the least probability that Parliament would have
sanctioned The application or the investment Would
any politician OF any party have recommended the bar
gain.


The case Ii different with the United States In making
Of the Amercam continet and promono u very cheap
rGt: Mesr Jdvoris doctrine Of nationa destiny II 10
u : ssss o s 0S1 ls anss
new designa,ion-ths value received Is almost purely
But bsadsshat have title TO interfere We could
alcgo none but speculative reasons for interfering
right privilege or advantage. d. @ % Our frontiers N re-
main exactly they were, and we have exactly the
same access-nether more nor less-to the sea- The
only real difference this that neighbors will be Of


different character The Russians held the country
cheaply and with such little interest in It, that the
whole OF their settlers did not at the last number
thousand they would certainly have encroached
upon Us, or have been In any way our rivals Tue
americans on me contrary win rePresen. an energe.,C
tory, and conscious of great political nsi9n II Is cer
tain, in Short that our coones on the Pacific would
never have been troubled by the Russians IN those parts
IT is by certain looking FAR into the future
that neighbors will be inert inoiensve.


But it is only the dim region speculation that
can descry any for 1t is probable enough
that the transaction intended hint for If not


warnings but we may take IL as il was meant and yet
not be very uneasy We are said indeed to have pro-
voked it, though the provocation certainly
contemplated. The Americans have taken umbrage at
the new oonfederacy of North American colonies,
though q people setting such extraordinary
upon Union ought not to grudge the advantage OF the
principle others They fancy they can discover the
germs Of an "empire" or great monarchy in the new
confederation, and jealous accordingly though they
purchase OF Russian America theirs and ours The
actual offence probably consists In the preparations
made Tor future empire but for the perpetual inde
pndea.e OF State which had been expected to fall
by gradual descent into the great republic. The
Monroe doctrine has been brought to imply not
only that no new European monarchical gov
eminent shall be established the North Ameri.
can continent, but that those actually established
shall be put in repair, or preserved by any
from the disintegraon aud absorption conceived to
await them The americans tooid MT Aape re0enerate
Mer.co and they do not tcani cosoida,ed Canada They
know better TO believe In their hearts auy
union OF the British Provinces could ever prove a riv
to their own, but the new confederacy may well be
stronger than previous loose bundle, imbued with
greater vitality and less likely to tumble into their lap
They only looked with liberation the fabric as it
stood and they annoyed at seeing II strengthened
repaired and lifted out for now lease of independent
life. so they reply, 1t is thought, by buying the
premises next door, and shutting up a little In u
fashion intended to DO q little omnous Nor has the
purchase been without Its effect for telegraphs have
asked in parliafncn and statements made by Ministers
with all due gravity, reserve and depreciation.


But for the ratification to be obtained from the United
States Senate the transaction has been actually CON-
government at Washington has agreed to buy 80 that
unless the Senate should refuse its consent-an
not to be anticipated-the affair Is At end 1t has
certainly been unexpected, for nobody ever gave a
as nearly out OF the world as the land beyond the
Frozen Ocean, and anybody did remember that
the Gar neghbor the North Pacific, 1t was
not to be presumed that the Russians would be
It cannot be thought surprising IL 10
decidedly good bargain for Russia aud not bad
for the United States The mere country Is dear no
doubt at the money but territory has its political
cans will get their They have got It already
at least they will think-in the sensation they have
created over here; bat .bst impression VIII mot DO long
lived very short reflection will suffice to convince
as this There not the slightest
why the Americans should not acquire th.s country by
fair purchase, il they please Possibly the acquisition
may portcnd trouble to u IN after tines but that
enough at rate 10 deal with lc matter when those
times arrive.