The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-05-23 00:00:00

tOe ,tourbribge (obscrim.

SATURDAY, MAY 23, 1R74.
THE VISIT OF THE CZAR.

Thirty years ago an Emperor of Russia
visited this country, and in some respects the
recent sojourn of the Czar in our midst
pr..sented a parallel to the history of 1844.
Then, as now, Queen Victoria was the reign-
ing Sovereign, and a Conservative Govern-
ment was in power, supported by a majority
of the nation. The Emperor Alexander has
just come amongst us. and although little or
no poltical significance, is to be attached to
such an event, he has had a cordial welcome.
His daughter has already made herself
poll'ular in her adopted home, and her pleasant
smile and winmng manner have served to
dissipate much of the prejneice which many
people of tins country unaccountably enter-
tained towards anything essentially Russian.
'• Can any good thing come out of St. Peters-
burg %.• has been frequently asked in effect
by more than one class of the community.
Well, a Russian Grand Duchess has lately be-
come an English Princess, and the- great
autocrat of the North himself has now been
moving about in our capital ; and instead if
being a traditionally ferocious personage, as
the Russian Czar has often been represented,
he hag been pronounced a genial-looking
gentleman, who might in any company have
passed as an Englishman. There is, indeed,
a great difference between the reigning Em-
peror tel his predecessors. The contrast be-
tween him and his father, the late Czar Nicho-
las, is in many respects remarkable. Nicho-
las wits looked upon OS the incarnation of
military despotism, with a stern and unbent!-
big will, who acknowledged no principle of
government, and was capricious in his rule.
His son and successor has, on the contrary,
used much of his vast and uncheeked power .
for the benefit of his people. During his
father's lifetime, when millions of Russians
wen, held in slavery by unsernpuliins task-
masters, Alexander's mildness of temper and
kindliness of disposithm were matt em of
notoriety in his own country. Wherever he
went he commanded the esteem and the
affection of those with whimi he was 111.1.40•
I • if( . It often happens that the heir to a
throne exercises cc emisitlerable political influ-
ence, either directly or indirectly, in the
Councils of the State over whose destinies
it is known that he will in all human proba-
bility preside. But influence of any kind
upon the late Czar the present hunt none.
Nicholas predicted all manner of evil from
his son's humane instincts, yet it is very well
known that the sympathies which Alexander's
little kindnesses called forth in his early years
were of material assistance to him in carry-
ing out those reforms which, although they
roused the opposition of the old nobility, se-
cured for the new ruler the support of the
younger generation. The Czar was deter-
mined that justice to the serfs should lx,
done, and it was done. A man of less firm-
ness and resolution would have given way
liefore the menacing attitude of the nobles.
fir it was a patrician conspiracy which, in a
hit vitals reign had cost the Czar his life.
After the present Emperor of Russia had
liberated the serfs, he devoted himself to
earrying out administrative reforms, tending
gradually to supplant barbarism with civi-
Bz.ttion. The sources of law and jnstice
were purified ; the wholesale bribery which
had previously existed was abolished ; trial
by jury was introduced ; and a stop was put
to the system of official plunder which had
pret iously existed. The severity of military
discipline was relaxed, and the knout was
disestablished as an instrument of torture.
An acute writer, who well knows the Russian
Court, has described Alexander as every inch
a well-bred nobleman; rich, good natured.
affectionate to his children, fond of a good
dinner, of shooting and hunting, and of mak-
ing every one comfortable as long its he is
permitted the pleasure of feeling that he is
doing it voluntarily. Although Russia is an
unknown land to us, and intercourse between
the two countries is rare and uncommon,
there is little doubt that the collossal north-
ern empire has witnessed an enormous devel-
opment in its prosperity within the past
twenty years. instead of organizing vast
*limes of conquest, and gathering together
his armies to Isittle, the Czar lots encounigeil
the arts of peace. Occupying a lofty and
almost unique position amongst European
itentates, his present elevation of character
has won for hint the homage of his own
people, and the esteem of other nations. As
the irresponsible ruler of seventy millions of

souls, no one eau doubt that Ile has nobly
employed his unlimited powers. History

- -
has told us what an iron despotism means
when placed in tnisompulous hands. Alex-
ander 118 i shown us what an autocrat CBll
do when he is kindly and peaceably disposed.
The man who gave freedom to the slave, was
certain of a cordial welcome amongst a people
win. have a national detestation of slavery.
This act, it is true, was accomplished many
yells ago, but there is no doubt that the later
domestic policy of the Czar has fulfilled the
prom:set; of his earlier days. and that his
reign has been marked by a steady improve-
ment in the material welfare of his su
the result of an enlightened and beneficent
rule. Some of the Emperor's critics do not

hesitate to deelare that. with such immense
mmort unities he might have accomplished
more. anti hial he liven all 1.116-iishi minarcli
liea.. ye dime b:f. BUL si•lne

•• Istto List Ire Matte for place and ctn.:uta-
st ,nee. Alexander found Itmsi•, steeped in
barbarism, the density of winch has nod pre-
vailed in England for centuries ; he had to
combat opposition, and over-bear prejudice
of which we can fttrm but little idea. It
was impossible for him apply- all at once
to such a land the civilising influences of
western refinement, but lie. has endeavoured
to do SO gradually, add will certainly leave
Russia It much better country than he found

T II E I Li, 0 N It A I) E.

VGLVERHAINT4IN, \WEDNESDAY.

There was but a Slllan attendance on
'Cletnge at Wolverhampton on Wednesday,
mid literally no business was transacted.
There is, in beet, no pnaepect ofany improve-
noted being made until the settlement of the
cod trade. whicle. it s hoped, will not last
much lon..fer. There is but a quiet demand
for pig iron c.disequently there is but little
doing. Prices at present are as follows,
Hot lust fettle] Li; 1.) tt; 1,,5. per ton, and
cold blast £7 54.t0 C 7 los. per ton. Out of
1:t1 Idast furnaces situate in the district.
Only 1 arc at pre-tent in operation. This is
invite!: not SO ie,wli to a wa t of fuel as the
scarcity ortlic demand for pig iron, fir it is
understood that plenty of coal and coke is
ready to be brought into this district from
Wales. Respecting the void trade, there is
it prospeet of Op•nitions being renewed in
some parts of the district. The prices of
finished iron at present range [rein £l4 Is.
64. (bars) down to .£l2 per ton, the last
neenti“ned quotation Leidy, that of the make
of Messrs. Thorneyeroft, Messrs. Bagnall,
and other leading firms in the district. The
quality of iron usnally supplied to mer-
e haute; have, in one or tut, inAtanceA. been
-chaueed for Ott p.a. ton. The price of
min tee have re-enii :Iv ci tel luring
tL..: Fist toe,.gl,t quetatienb have gone up
fully 10e.

There was very little business done on
'Change at Birmingham on Thursday, and
there was a thin attendance of both makers
and merchants. Trade, however, had
slightly improved as compared with last
Thursday, and somewhat better prices were
obtainable. Orders in more than one instance.
were declined, in the hope of realising better
prices next month, nod in one case a substan-
tial order for sheets at an advance of 10s.
per ton upon recent quotations was refused.
On the other hand many merchants will only
purchase in small quantities, as they hold a
very different opinion to that of makers as
regards the future prospects of the trade, so
that business on the whole is in an unsettled
and unsatisfactory state. There are good
grounds for supposing that the colliers will
resume work at the full drop soon after the
Whitsuntide holidays, and in many of the
collieries operations have already been com-
menced, and, whether by union or non-union
men, large quantities of coal are being brought
to the surface. Pig makers as well as fin-
ished iron makers show adisposition to retain
their iron until next month rather than sell
it at present prices. There is a better feel-
ing throughout the district as to the com-
mercial stability that exists, and the recent
panic has weeded out most of the firms that
were considered shaky. The fact of the
panic passing so lightly over is due in a great
measure to the method now adopted of con-
ducting financial operations in the iron trade
of South Staffordshire. Recently four
months' bills have been the exception, where-
as during the panics of 1857 aqd 1866 they
were the rule. The change in this respect
has had a very beneficial effect, and, with the
settlement of the miners' dispute, the future
prospects of trade in Staffordshire are be-
coining bright a:.(1. encouraging.