The Express.
London, England, 1855-03-05 00:00:00

THE LAST HOURS OF THE CZAR.

The Mimilair Priissies of the 3rd publishes the
following details relative to the death of the Emperor
Nicholas:

4, A despatch received yesterday from St. Petors-
burg announce■ that his Majesty the Emperor of
Russia died yesterday (the 2nd) at 10 minutes past
12, alter a short agony. The despatches on the sub-
ject, previously addressed by Lieut.-Colonel Count
Munster to the Adjutant in the service of his Majesty
the King of Prussia, at Berlin, were as follows:

"'ST. PETERSBURG, MAacH 1, 1.25.

"'The state of the Emperor is considerably worse.
The bulletin is thus worded : ' Yesterday a strong
access of fever with inflammation of the lungs super-
vened. The fever lasted all night and prevented sleep.
The ejections contioae without obstacle. A slight
attack of the gout is remarked.' I may add
that the weakness of the august invalid is much in-
creased, and that the state of hie Majesty. according
to the opinion at least of his physicians, is very cri-
tical. Her Majesty, the Empress, keeps her health
good.

.4.TWRIITY_MINVTIS FAIT Fova, P.Y.

' The situation of his Majesty has not improved
since this morning. Her Majesty, the Empress, ex-
penences palpitations of the heart, but is otherwise
well.

HALP•PAIT NINA, P.M.

The state of his Majesty the Emperor has be-
come considtrab:y worn iu the course of the day.
The ejections take place with difficulty, sad give in-
dications that the lungs are touched. Atrophy of
the lungs is feared. Dr. Cared is very uneasy.
At the request of the physicians the Grand Duke,
the heir, has begged the Emperor to receive the
Holy decrement of the Eucharist.

4, 4 Tax o'CLocx, r.x.

The Emperor has refused to receive at present
the sacrsments for the djiog. The ceremony is
atljoutntd until to-morrow morning. The Emperor
sees no one but the Empress and the Grand Duke,
heir apparent. The Empress is cognisant of the dan-
ger, and begs me to inform his M jPsty the King of
it, and to communicate the same iuformation to her
august parent. at fitrslits.

... Mame 2, Six o'CLocx, A.m.

" The Emperor has tranquilly received the com-
munication of Dr. Mandt, that an atrophy of the lungs
is possible. He limited himself to ask ' When shall
Ibo paralysed 1' The physicians were not able to
reply with exactitude. The Emperor then asked

Di. Care When shall I stop breathing P' The
Emperor has taken the Sacraments. He has takes
leave of his wife and of hie children, whom be ban
blessed eeparately, also his grandchildren, in a AMR
voice, with full conscionsnesr, a great Wm, and soni

THE PRESENT ASPECT OF THE WAR. ,
THE death of the Emperor litmus may bai it
tendency to promote the rtoution of pesos but it
may also have the contra/ effect The most despotic
of monarchs most, after all, conform more or less to
the predominant prejudiees of those over whom he
reigns. The most self-willed sovereign must make
some concession to popular sentiment, if he would
effectually lead his people. This is the cue in au
especial manner with the Emperors of Russia, who
are all-powerlul only so long as they work in the
sensed that section of the nobles who can enlist the
fanaticism or national spirit of the populace oo their
side. The question of peace or war—in so far as
Russia is concerned—depends less upon the new
CZAR than upon the extent to which recent appeals
to Russian fanaticism have succeeded in raising the
warlike spirit of the nation. The late EMPEROR was,
in this respect, what is called " master of the posi-
tion ;" had be sincerely desired peace a tout prix, he
could have carried out his views. But will the new
CZAR possess the requisite power?
ALEXANDER is peace-loving—fond of his ease and
pleasure. But those very feelings will incline him to
fall in with the wishes—to adopt the tone of the
persons by whom he is surrounded. He will also
have to reckon with "brother CONSTANTINE," who
is fanatical, warlike, and ambitious; and who, if his
elder brother evince a distaste for crusading, may,
perchance, snatch both "fiery cross" and sceptre out
of his hands. Everything conspires to render it pro-
bable that the sew CZAR Will seek to swim with the
stream; and therefore it is to us all-important to
know what is the direction and force of the cur-
rent. _ _ .

•
This knowledge, however, the jealousy with which ,
the Russian Government bas ever laboured to pre- ,
vent foreigners from spying into the secrets of the
prison-house renders very difficult of attainment. We
have every reason to believe that the mass of the
Russian population is in that rude state which en-
ables a few of the dominant caste to work effectually
upon its prejudices and superstition. If we could
ascertain the views of a few of the nobles who hold
high offices in the state, and the extent of their in-
fluence, we should have a clue to what we seek; but
unfortunately in that land of falsehood, the
Russian court, even this knowledge is denied us. All
that can be said is that the events of the last two
years would seem to indicate that at present the
Muscovite, or Solavonio party, is in the ascendant.
CONSTANTINE, it is pretty well ascertained, is the
favourite of this faction. At this moment more than
one of the most important officee.ot the state are held
by intelligent and energetic members of the party.
SINIAVIN, who, under the instructions of ?TEASEL-
RODE, has acquired much of the knowledge and tact
of his master, has long been at the head of the
Asiatic department of foreign affairs, the most nume-
rously sad effectively manned of all the departments
of the state. This man, who never mingles
with society, and whose name may be unknown
to many who have for years moved in the courtly
circles of St. Petersburg, powwows, in virtue of his
office, and of his having generally filled the place of
Count NESSELSODE during the occasional absences of
that statesman, an unequalled knowledge of all the
foreign relations of Russia, and a mastery over the
minds of the employes. Another important mem-
ber of the Sclavonic party is Count PRATASOPT,
who is at the head of the Synod. Not less
influential, from character and position, is Count
BLOL:DOPP, who, besides being President of the
Department of Lawe, and a member of the Coun-
cil for the Affairs of Poland, presided over the
second section et the late EMPEROR'S Chancel Brie,
Prices. MENTCDIKOPP, too, is Minister of Marine.
This brief and imperfect resume may suffice to indi-
/ cute to what an extent the reins of Government at
• St. Petersburg are in the hands of the Sclavonio
faction. Should ALEXANDER evince any disposition

to deviate from the policy latterly pursued by his
father, the partisans of CONSTANTINE command the
garrison of the Cabinet. Nor will it be difficult to find
a pretext for superseding the elder brother in favour
of the younger. Though it is certain that NICHOLAS
was averse to trench on the rights of his eldest born,
the idea has been broached in Russia that the
son of the EmrEaoa —the son born after his
father's accession to the throne—has a better
claim to the succession than the son born to
NICHOLAS while yet a subject. Moreover, should
CONSTANTINE or his partisans be disposed to try
to dispu'e the claims of ALEXANDER, they would
have the countenance of the clergy, with Purishrr,
the Metropolitan of Moscow, at their head ; and
however cavalierly the Russian may treat his priest
personally, be bows before him with servile and
superstitious dread when in discharge of his eccle-
siastical functions. The religion of the Russian is,
in fact, more nearly akin to a timid belief in witch-
craft than to a rational faith. It is Fetichism, not
religion.

The general panic and apprehension of internal
disturbances which this state of affairs is likely
to diffuse through Russia cannot but exercise a
paralysing influence over its movements in
regard to its foreign relations. There can be
little doubt that the commencement of negotiations
at Vienna will be postponed in consequence of the
death of the Cu.& Prince OORTCRAKOIT will
allege that he cannot proceed until he receives in-
structions from his new master—meaning thereby
until he knows who is to he his new master. The
generals in the Crimea will in like manner pause
and hesitate until they learn something definite re-
specting the arrangements at head-quarters, and the
policy of the new Court. This is no time for nego-
tiations, but for pushing on our military operations
in the Crimea with increased vigour. When there
is doubt, and uncertainty, and hesitation in
the enemy's camp, that is the time to strike
home. We know that the views here ex-
pressed are not unlikely to prove unpalatable
to many who have jumped at the conclusion
that by the death of DitcnoLts all obstacles
to the conclusion of peace have been removed. We
should be but too happy could we entertain this view,
but the circumstances detailed above convince us that
at the least it will be wise to suspend our judgment,
end to act in the interim as if all were to go on as
before. •

There is yet another consideration which must not
be left out of view in our attempts to conjecture what
turn events are about to take, and what ought to be
the come pursued by England. It is a matter of
&limey, but of too vital importance to be left
untouched. We cannot conceal from ourselves, if
we would, that with both of the Western Em-
perors the quarrel has been in some degree
a personal one : who can say what change in the
policy of Austria and Franco the death of the per-
sonal enemy may not bring about? It cannot be
doubted that tender appeals will be made to the sym-
pathies of the brother Emperors, on the score of the
- teii and of the broken health

readmit; and likable information from Prance Ueda
us to hellion that thin has of late been a natural of
activity and audacity among the Red Republicans,
inspired hr a hops that the Burma's departure for
the Wawa might afford them more scope for action.
We would be the last to deny the fresh sad straightfor-
ward loyalty with which the Emperor of the FILM=
has hitherto acted ; still, be is•but a man, aad there-
fore liable to be influeneekttuelf-regarding consi-
derations.

The ditty and interest of England and its Govern-
ment are clear. They cannot, consistently with the
national honour and the national safety, withdraw
from the contest until the object for which it was un-
dertaken has been attained. We have laid our hands
to the plough, and may not draw back. But the ac-
tual crisis in the affairs of Europe is one which de-
mands cool and cautious judgment and " wary
walking."—Daily New..

THE NEWSPAPER STAMP DUTY.

THE second reading of the Newspaper Postage and
Stamp Duties Bill is to be moved this evening. That
the Newspaper Stamp Duty will be repealed, and a
Postage Duty substituted does not admit of a doubt.

The national mind is made up in favour of tbe
change. But we may be allowed to remark that
there are several points—two of them of paramount
importance—for which no provision whatever is made
in the Bill. •

The first of these is registration, in the continuance
of which the Public and the Press are alike interested.
It is, indeed, a matter of secondary importance

II whether the sureties which are now required—
to an amount about equal to that which is

Irecommended as the test of the respectability
of parties hereafter applying for licenses to sell
spirits—should be continued or not. But unless
there be parties publicly rerignised as responsible
for the Paper, against whom actions may be
brought, the Public and Individuals may be put to
great inconvenience. The Printer will be the only
portion whose name is known in connexion with the
Paper; and he will be a man of no means, and there-
fore only personally liable. The evils which
now exist, even with a registration of sure-
ties, will be perpetuated—will be aggravated a hun-
dred-fold. The utility and abiding influence of
the Press depends upon its character and
respectability ; and every alteration tending
to lower these, calls for opposition. The im-
perfect securities for the respectability of the
Press, which the Public have hitherto possessed, are

doubtless withdrawn on account of the difficulty felt
by the Legislature in defining what a Newspaper is.
It is not necessary to attempt to grapple with this
difficulty. The late and the present Government
having determined that all publications professing to
give news shall be relieved from the tax to which
they have hitherto been subjected, the only practical
question remaining is, whether any, or what postal
privileges shall be granted to certain printed matter?
Registration stems to present the most obvious sad
effective means of solving this problem. Do not
make registration compulsory, but permissive ;
cause it to be sought as a privilege, not evaded as a
onrden. As the Bill now stands it is proposed to
lower the rate on all printed matter whatever, was to
bring it dArn to a limit that may approximate to the
present rate of the stamp duty on Newspapers. Let
this clause be altered. Let printed matter be still
conveyed by post at a remunerative rate ; but let
the owners of any serial publication who may register
their names, &c., be allowed postal privileges on the
terms contemplated by the Bill. If ordinary printed
matter were to be conveyed by post at the rate of
2d. for four ounces and id. for every additional two
ounces, and the owners of registered serial publi-
cations allowed postal privileges at half these
rates, the Post-office would be protected from the
losing business with which it is now threatened, and
all Papers registering would be subject to the charge
which is now proposed to be made. While on this
topic, it may be allowed us to remark, that the com-
iplaint of our contemporary, the Times, on this head
is simply ridiculous. At present the Times, and
every paper of similar size, pay a stamp duty of lid.
on every copy. It is proposed that the postal privi-
leges they now enjoy shall be continued, on their
paying the same amount for postage. Even at the
proposed rate the Post-office complain that they
will be loans. It is clear that the pos-
tal charge ought to have some reference
to weight, and the only question is whether
the graduated scale ought not to begin lower. Our
object, however, at present, is not to consider the
matter in a financial point of view; and we therefore
return to our position that Registration, rendered
thus attractive, would afford the Public security
against the abuse of the powers of the Press. The
postal privileges ensured by Registration would be

sought by all papers except those of very limited
circulation; and the registered bona fide proprietors
might be declared liable to be sued, by the parties
injured, for any delicts of the Press.
' fib far we have spoken in the interest of the Public
—we now proceed to speak for our own interest. We
are entitled in jean°e to demand that the parties
registered should be empowered to sue in the name
of the paper at the same time that they are made
liable to be seed for its offence& This privilege might
be conferred without any detriment to the public; and
would enable newspaper proprietors to obtain redress
from fraudulent debtors and others, which, as the law
now stands, they are obliged to forego. And this
leads us to the second point of paramount important),
which, we have stated, is entirely overlooked by the
Bill, which is to be read a second time this day. No
such measure bearing upon newspapers can be just
that does not deal with the question of Copyright. A
copyright in newspapers has already been recognised to
a limited extent by the present Government. In the
recent Convention with Belgium, relating to literary
property, a copyright is secured to the Belgian jour-
nals. The Newspaper Press is entitled to a copyright
for original composition; and also for special news
obtained at great coat. A copyright of very limited
duration would suffice ; and a simple mode of enforcing
it ought to be provided. At present almost the whole
of the foreign news contained in all the English
journals is imported into this country at the expense—
and a heavy expense it is—of four or five of the
London morning papers. Even under the existing
law they are shamelessly plundered by some
of the evening papers ; but when the publication
of news is thrown open to all, they are in danger of
being systematically plundered to an infinitely
greater extent by unregistered local aerials. There
is no difficulty in defining the extent and duration of
the copyright required, the evidence by which it
must be established, and the process by which it
is to be enforced. But Government ought, in
common justice, to be made to pledge themselves, at
the second reading of their Bill, to engraft such
provisions upon it; for unless this is done they will
disclaim all responsibility hereafter.—. Daily NOD*.