t never, if England secures Alaska."

--Mr. Higby of California answered the objections relating to climate.
"I do not know," said he, "whether the people of the East yet believe
what has been so often declared, that our winters 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, I have seen a plant growing in the earth green through
all the months from October to April."

--Mr. Shellabarger opposed the purchase. He said those nation which
had been compact and solid had been the most enduring, while those
which had the most extended territory lasted the least space of time.

--Mr. Price of Iowa thought that it was "far better to expend the
$7,200,000 in improving the Mississippi River, in order that
bread-stuffs may be transported cheaply from the West to the seaboard."
He had no faith in the value of the territory proposed to be purchased.

--Mr. McCarthy of New York rejected the plea that we should purchase
Alaska because Russia is a friendly power. "I ask this House," said
he, "whence this friendship comes. It comes from self-interest. She
is the absorbing power of the Eastern continent, and she recognizes
us as the absorbing power of the western continent; and through
friendship for us she desires to override and overbalance the
governments of Europe which are between her and us."

--General Butler moved a proviso, that "the payment of $500,000 of said
appropriation be withheld until the Imperial Government of Russia shall
signify its willingness to refer to an impartial tribunal all such
claims by American citizens against the Imperial Government as have
been investigated by the State Department of the United States and
declared to be just, and the amounts so awarded to be paid from said
$500,000 so withheld."

--General Garfield, presiding at the time over the Committee of the
Whole, ruled it out of order, and on an appeal being taken the decision
was sustained by _ayes_ 93, _noes_ 27. After dilatory motions and the
offer of various amendments, which were rejected, the bill was passed
by _ayes_ 113, _noes_ 43.

--The House prefaced the bill by a preamble, asserting in effect that
"the subjects embraced in the treaty are among those which by the
Constitution are submitted to the power of Congress, and over which
Congress has jurisdiction; and for these reasons, it is necessary that
the c