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times； with childish care to keep the strokes straight and the
spaces regular。 My account of this having led the princess to ask
me to take her and her friend to the library and to show them
some of these things； I gladly agreed； wrote the director；
secured an appointment for a certain afternoon； and when the time
came called for the ladies。 But a curious contretemps arose。 I
had met； the day before； two bright American ladies； and on their
asking me about the things best worth seeing； I had especially
recommended them to visit the Imperial Library。 On arriving at
the door with the princess and the duchess； I was surprised to
find that no preparations had been made to meet us；in fact；
that our coming seemed to be a matter of surprise； and a
considerable time elapsed before the director and other officials
came to us。 Then I learned what the difficulty was。 The two
American ladies； in perfectly good faith； had visited the library
a few hours before； and； on their saying that the American
minister had recommended them to come； it had been taken for
granted at once that THEY were the princess and the duchess； and
they had been shown everything with almost regal honors； the
officials never discovering the mistake until our arrival。
The American colony at St。 Petersburg was very small。 Interesting
compatriots came from time to time on various errands； and I was
glad to see them； but one whose visits were most heartily
welcomed was a former consul； Mr。 Prince； an original； shrewd
〃down…easter；〃 and his reminiscences of some of my predecessors
were full of interest to me。
One especially dwells in my mind。 It had reference to a former
senator of the United States who； about the year 1840； was sent
to Russia as minister。 There were various evidences in the
archives of the legation that sobriety was not this gentleman's
especial virtue； and among them very many copies of notes in
which the minister； through the secretary of legation； excused
himself from keeping engagements at the Foreign Office on the
ground of 〃sudden indisposition。〃
Mr。 Prince told me that one day this minister's valet； who was an
Irishman； came to the consulate and said： 〃Oi 'll not stay wid
his igsillincy anny longer； Oi 've done wid him。〃
〃What 's the trouble now？' said Mr。 Prince。
〃Well；〃 said the man； 〃this morning Oi thought it was toime to
get his igsillincy out of bed； for he had been dhrunk about a
week and in bed most of the toime； and so Oi went to him； and
says Oi； gentle…loike； 'Would your igsillincy have a cup of
coffee？' whin he rose up and shtruck me in the face。 On that Oi
took him by the collar； lifted him out of bed； took him acrass
the room； showed him his ugly face in the glass； and Oi said to
him； says Oi； 'Is thim the eyes of an invoy extraorr…rrdinarry
and ministher plinipotentiarry？' 〃
Among interesting reminders of my predecessors was a letter in
the archives； written about the year 1832 by Mr。 Buchanan；
afterward senator； minister in London； Secretary of State； and
President of the United States。 It was a friendly missive to an
official personage in our country； and went on somewhat as
follows： 〃I feel almost ashamed to tell you that your letters to
me； mine to you； and； indeed； everything that has come and gone
between us by mail； has been read by other eyes than ours。 This
was true of your last letter to me； and； without doubt； it will
be true of this letter。 Can you imagine it？ Think of the moral
turpitude of a creature employed to break open private letters
and to read them！ Can you imagine work more degrading？ What a
dirty dog he must be！ how despicable； indeed； he must seem to
himself！〃 And so Mr。 Buchanan went on until he wound up as
follows： 〃Not only does this person read private letters； but he
is a forger： he forges seals； and I regret to say that his
imitation of the eagle on our legation seal is a VERY SORRY
BIRD。〃 Whether this dose had any salutary effect on the official
concerned I never learned。
The troubles of an American representative at St。 Petersburg are
many； and they generally begin with the search for an apartment。
It is very difficult indeed in that capital to find a properly
furnished suite of rooms for a minister； and since the American
representative has been made an ambassador this difficulty is
greater than ever。 In my own case； by especial luck and large
outlay； I was able to surmount it； but many others had not been
so fortunate； and the result had generally been that； whereas
nearly every other power owned or held on long lease a house or
apartment for its representative；simple； decent； dignified； and
known to the entire city；the American representative had lived
wherever circumstances compelled him：sometimes on the
ground…floor and sometimes in a sky…parlor； with the natural
result that Russians could hardly regard the American Legation as
on the same footing with that of other countries。
As I write； word comes that the present ambassador has been
unable to find suitable quarters save at a rent higher than his
entire salary； that the proprietors have combined； and agreed to
stand by each other in holding their apartments at an enormous
figure； their understanding being that Americans are rich and can
be made to pay any price demanded。 Nothing can be more
short…sighted than the policy of our government in this respect；
and I shall touch upon it again。
The diplomatic questions between the United States and Russia
were many and troublesome； for； in addition to that regarding the
Behring Sea fisheries； there were required additional
interpretations of the Buchanan treaty as to the rights of
Americans to hold real estate and to do business in Russia；
arrangements for the participation of Russians in the Chicago
Exposition； the protection of various American citizens of
Russian birth； and especially of Israelites who had returned to
Russia； care for the great American life…insurance interests in
the empire； the adjustment of questions arising out of Russian
religious relations with Alaska and the islands of the Northern
Pacific； and last； but not least； the completion of the
extradition treaty between the two nations by the incorporation
of safeguards which would prevent its use against purely
political offenders。
Especial attention to Israelite cases was also required。 Some of
these excited my deep sympathy； and； having made a very careful
study of the subject； I wrote to Secretary Gresham a despatch
upon it in obedience to his special request。 It was the longest
despatch I have ever written； and； in my apology to the secretary
for its length I stated that it was prepared with no expectation
that he would find time to read it； but with the idea that it
might be of use at the State Department for reference。 In due
time I received a very kind answer stating that he had read every
word of it； and thanked me most heartily forit。 The whole
subject is exceedingly difficult； but it is clear that Russia has
made； and is making； a fearful mistake in her way of dealing with
it。 There are more Israelites in Russia than in all the remainder
of the world； and they are crowded together； under most
exasperating regulations； in a narrow district just inside her
western frontier； mainly extending through what was formerly
Poland； with the result that fanaticismChristian on one side
and Jewish on the otherhas developed enormously。 The Talmudic
rabbis are there at their worst； and the consequences are evil；
not only for Russia； but for our own country。 The immigration
which comes to us from these regions is among the very worst that
we receive from any part of the world。 It is； in fact； an
immigration of the unfittest； and； although noble efforts have
been made by patriotic Israelites in the United States to meet
the difficulty； the results have been far from satisfactory。
There were； of course； the usual adventurous Americans in
political difficulties； enterprising Americans in business
difficulties； and pretended Americans attempting to secure
immunity under the Stars and Stripes。 The same ingenious efforts
to prostitute American citizenship which I had seen during my
former stay in Germany were just as constant in Russia。 It was
the same old story。 Emigrants from the Russian Empire； most of
them extremely undesira