APPENDIX TO COUNTER-CASE OF GREAT BRITAIN. 335 



their efforts and successes, their that hasbeen done by our bold mar- 

 losses and the dangers incurred in iners in the discovery of islands 

 the settlement of regions thereto- and coasts of America. Their ef- 

 fore unknown, the natural riches forts and successes, even their loss- 

 of which they were the first to es and dangers when settling in 

 gather in and lay before the civil- i)laceshithertounknowu, and where 

 ized world. These achievements they first extracted the riches of 

 doubtless gave us the right to look Nature for the benefit of all civil- 

 for commensurate advantages from ized mankind, have undoubtedly 

 those regions, and His Majesty's given us the right of obtaining ad- 

 Ministers will not during the pres- vantages commensurate with them, 

 ent negotiations ignore, nor have and the Ministry of His Majesty 

 they at any other time ignored, this will, neither during the present 

 point of view. But while endeav- negotiations, nor yet at any other 

 curing to preserve the advantages time, lose sight of them. But while 

 gaiued under such difficulties, and endeavouring to protect interests 

 while anxious to obtain others by laboriously established, and even 

 all legitimate means, we must not secure new advantages by all alio w- 

 for get that there may be other more able means, it must not be forgot- 

 imi)ortant public interests and re- ten that there may exist other most 

 quirements imposing other more important necessities and interests 

 important duties upon the Govern- of State which impose very grave 

 ment. duties on the Government. To you, 

 I consider it unnecessary, my Sir, as a man acquainted with 

 dear Sir, to explain to you, who are every branch of the science of gov- 

 thoroughly versed in all branches ernment, I consider it superfluous 

 of the science of government, that to explain that the greater or 

 in i^olitical negotiations we cannot smaller utility of desirable acquisi- 

 confine ourselves to weighing only tions cannot serve as a guide in 

 the greater or lesser immediate ad- political negotiations. What the 

 vantage involved in a question. Ministry of His Imperial Majesty 

 His Majesty's Ministers primarily will tenaciously follow is the prin- 

 consider the right and justice of a ciple of right, and there where it 

 question, and when right or justice cannot with accuracy be recognized 

 cannot be obtained without sacri- or defended without inordinate sac- 

 fice, they make the lesser interests rifices in its entirety, it is necessary 

 yield to the greater, and above all to take into consideration not only 

 they strive to secure the object in the degree of mutual demands, but 

 view without resort to force or also the degree of possibility of 

 embroilment with friendly Powers, attaining the objects of the same 



without any dangerous strain of 

 strength. 



Without such sentiments no Without this it is impossible to 



29 success could be exi^ected in expect success in negotiations, and 



any negotiations, and these these rules have served as guides 



principles will guide the Plenipo- for the Plenipotentiaries appointed 



tentiaries named by His Imperial by His Imperial Majesty for nego- 



Majesty to negotiate the questions tiating respecting the affairs of the 



in which the Eussian - American Eussian-American Company. By 



Company is interested. Our Cab- rights of first discovery, and by 



inet, by the right of discovery, that which is still more real, the 



first settlement, and development, first establishment of habitations 



claims sovereignty over the islands and human activity, our Cabinet 



and western coast of America from demands possession both of the 



the northernmost point to the 55th islands and the western coast of 



degree of northern latitude. Great America from the furthest north 



