03764nam a22004693i 4500 22264014 20250607111254.5 m |o d | cr ||||||||||| 211005s1867 xx o 000 u eng 22264014 0 ibc orignew u ncip 20 y-gencatlg LCAP batch update 2025-06-02-04:00: LCAPM-988 2021671097 (WDL)16742 DLC eng DLC eng 341 979 Senate Ratification of the Treaty on Cession of the Territory of Alaska. [place of publication not identified] : [publisher not identified], 1867-04-09. 1 online resource. text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Title devised, in English, by Library staff. Under the provisions of the U.S. Constitution relating to treaties, the U.S. Senate is required to give its advice and consent, by a two-thirds vote, for any treaty to be ratified and become law. On April 9, 1867, the Senate gave its advice and consent to the Alaska Purchase treaty by the necessary number of votes. Shown here is the notification, by John W. Forney, Chief Clerk, of the Senate's action. Secretary of State William H. Seward relied on a number of supporters within the Senate to provide the political momentum for the purchase. Prominent among these was Senator Charles Sumner of Massachusetts, who gave an impassioned speech on the floor of the Senate in support of the acquisition. In spite of his lofty rhetoric, Sumner was largely spurred by political calculation. The Russians had for years set a boundary that limited foreign fishing and whaling access to Alaskan waters. Yankee whalers sought unimpeded entry to new whaling grounds in Alaskan waters in both the Pacific and Arctic Oceans, especially since decades of intensive whaling had devastated whale stocks elsewhere. The global center of commercial whaling in the 19th century was southeastern Massachusetts, especially Nantucket and New Bedford. The whaling constituency was formidable at the state capitol on Beacon Hill in Boston and lobbied Sumner and other local politicians in support of the Alaska purchase. West coast fishing interests were also eager to gain access to the vast ocean expanses near Alaska, and this gained the votes of some Western senators. Bribery proved to be a part of the voting process as well, as the Russian ambassador in Washington paid secret kickbacks to select congressmen to secure their votes in favor of the purchase. Although pained by such corruption, Seward subsequently acknowledged its role to President Andrew Johnson. Original resource at: U.S. National Archives and Records Administration. Content in English. Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions. 1867-04-09 Alaska -- Annexation to the United States Alexander II, Emperor of Russia, 1818-1881 Foreign relations International law Politics and government Treaties United States. Congress Forney, John W. (John Wien), 1817-1881 Associated Name. McDonald, William J., circa 1815-1878 Author. United States. Congress. Senate Associated Name. Russian Federation United States of America Alaska United States of America Pennsylvania Washington gdcwdl wdl_16742 https://hdl.loc.gov/loc.wdl/wdl.16742 wdl/wdlpartner/wdlnara mtfront s-Online Electronic Resource