The Sun.
London, England, 1855-03-03 00:00:00

sian party is more turbulent and setwilled, and is under- j
t stood to have goaded on the late Cz to attempt the fulfil-.1
ment of the ambitious projects of P ' ' and Catherine more
predipitately than Nilicolas himself d ' ired. Menschikoff is a
mere soldier, but of strong will ; Sin ' 'in, the pupil of Ni=is-
selrode, rivals his mast rin his tact LI talent for intrigue,
but is a bigoted Sclavonian. Fro "..i the peculiar feelings
cherished by the Russians towards their priesthood; it is diffi-
cult
to conjecture what is the exact Poaracter or amount o ,
the influence of the Patriarch. Thei-Power of the Russian
party appears to have preponderated pining the latter years
of the reign of Nicholas. Its influenei —based as it is upon
national prejudice--will probably be increased during the
earlier years of a new reign. If Alexander ascend the throne,
he will be its reluctant; instrument ;‘ if Constkntine, he will
be its willing instrument and leader. .The immediate policy,
of the Russian GoVernment will depend in a great measure
upon the 'extent to which the pressure of the war has begun:
to be felt. If the merchants are embarrassed iu their cir--
cumstances— if the nobles feel their luxuries curtailed—if
the people ,have become sore and irritable under the con-
scription, that policy will be temporising. .But, tempo- '
rising or Midi:miens, the objects of tit° Russian Government,
to thwart and baffle which the Western Powers are now
liu arms, will not be relinquished. Material guarantees
tit Russia will henceforth abstain from " committing
aggressions ou its western neighboursinnd from troubling the
peace of Europe, will be as indispenslOole as ever.
How far France and England can 4tely upon the co-opera-
tion of Germany in their efforts to obtain these guarantees is
extremely doubtful. The Austrian Wabinet, relieved from
immediate fears inspired by Nicholas, (nd reverting to its sus-
picions Of revolutionary propagandists In the West, shay not be
indisposed to patch up peace with the ilow Sovereign of Russia.
The King Of Prussia may be emancipat'nd from the servile fear
with which Nicholas inspired_him ; but the Conservative fac-
tion in his court will still exercisetheir influence over him, to
keep him true to Russia and despotism. It were sheer waste
of time to conjecture what may be " the drift of hollow
states, hard to be spelled." Butt l4much is certain, the
mutual jealousies of the Austrian an . russian Cabinets will
induce them to seek pretexts fors dela 6 'each fearing that the
other may be trying to-ga's an advaaage over it; and much
time will be lost before the Germanie',.. Confederation can de-
cide who is to command its federal army—more, before that
army can be organised, and money raised for its support.
France and England cannot afford to wait for the dilatory
movements of the Germanic Powers—they must act promptly
and vigorOusly for themselves.
There has been a good deal of mystification—some of it
wilful— about the nature and objects of Lord John Russell's
mission to Vienna. His enemies—both those of the peace-at-
any-price party and those of the ultra-revolutionary party—
haVe assiduously propagated the belief that the solo pur-
pose for which Lord John haS been sent to Vienna is to
put an end to the war as soon as possible. They are dis-
seminated as a preparation for raising an . outcry against
Lord John as an unsuccessful negotiator in the event of his
not concluding peace; or of rendering him suspected by the
decided opponents of Russia. Unless we are much mistaken
in the man, he has undertaken the mission with a view to
make peace if Russia consent to terms. that will give real
security to Europe; but if there should be any appearance of
insincerity in its overtures, or of a disposition to waste time
in aimless and dilatory negotiations on the part of the Ger-
man Powers, he will doubtless cut the humbug short, peremp-
torily, and at once. And this is the only sound policy.
Peace—a durable peace, with ample security for the tranquil-
lity and independence of the nations of Europe—is most de-
sirable ; but it can only be obtained by inflexible firmness on
the part of the Western Fowers.

(From the Morning Herald of this cloy.)
The news of the death of the Emperor of Russia was re-
ceived last night in the two Houses of Parliament with pro-
found emotion. It will, if we mistake not, create correspond-
ing emotion through every rank add in all portions of this
great empire.' Whatever may be the feelings which animate
Englishmen against their common enemy—however convinced
they may be of the truth and justice of their cause, it is not
their wont to rejoice over a fallen foe ; still less over one who
has been called away from this earth to render his account to

a higher and more solemn tribunal. -vThe din of armies, the.
rewards of subee and dexterous policy, the achievement of
long-conceived plans, can soothe no longer " the dull cold
car." The contrast between the.dead and the living man,
whose single word could niarshal armies and terrify the na-
tions, awakens thoughts far removed from any feelings of
triumph.
On Friday morning, March 2d; bawcan the hours of twelve
and one, died Nicholas 1., Emperor of all the Russias, of a
fit of apoplexy, which had succeeded an attack of influenza,
in the 26th year of his reign and the 60th year of his age.
The late Emperor was born. July 6th (June 25), 1796, and
succeeded his brother Alexander 1., December Ist (Nov. 19),
1825. His elder brother Constantine had voluntarily abdi-
cated his right to the throne in consequence of his marriage
with a Polish lady of inferior*rank. But he might have con-
sidered this resignation was no longer valid at the death of
Alexander, and there were indications among the populace
which would have encourag.d a more ambitious man to press
his claims and mount the throne. The conduct, of the two
brothers deserves to be recorded. At this uncertain moment,

the first to present himself to take the oath of fealty to Con-
stantine was Nicholas, the legal successor; nor 'would he con-
sent to accept the crown until the 13th December, when
Constantine had repeated his formal abdication. Once, how-

ever, pronounced the successor, Nicholas displayed tliat in-
flexible resolution and iron will white. I:‘yer forsook him to
the last moment of his life. He waia bat 29 years old when
_

f,
he mounted the throne ; indications :discontent were mani-
fested in various parts' of his doni* s, but the prudence
and intrepidity of the new Czar w proof against all mis-
fortunes. His person was enough ' inspire awe, and his
erect bearing and martial carriage, i.iost without their effect
upon more enlightened people, were'unspeakable advantages
in gaining the favour of the half-civi4,--al masses of his domi-
nions.
• - -

Nor were these advantages of person unsupported by men-
tal and moral qualities of a peculiar order. Whatever might
shake the confidence of others, Nicholas never shared in any
of their doubts; he had not an atom of the amiable weak-
nesses of his brother Alexau3er. He possessed a perfect and
unshaken faith in himself and his destiny ; he never ques-
tioned for a moment the blessings of a despotic Government ;
he never wavered in his loyalty to the Greek faith.- The two
convictions lent strength and support to each other. They
guided and inspired his conduct towards his own subjects;
they influenced his policy towards foreign nations. Nor can
it be doubted that he succeeded in planting the same convic-
tions in the minds of his subjects ; and thus gave a unity of
action and a consistency to his measures, in which most of
his strength consisted.
The battle of Navarino in 1827 soon gave the new Sove-
reign an opportunity of signalising himself. A campaign,
ending with the surrender of Varna and the treaty of Adrian-
ople in 1829, laid the Turk at the feet of Russia, and enabled
the Czar to show how much moderation is compatible with
the most inflexible self-will. '!rhen came the French revolu-

tion and the insurrection in Poland (183x)—an upheaving o:
an Oppressed people, rebelling against-the savage brutality oi
Constantine. With these two exceptions, Nicholas was
enabled to devote himself exclusively to those schemes of in-
ternal improvement and self-aggrandisement the results of
which have been so fearfully displayed within the last twelve
months. The condition of the various kingdoms of Europe
was favourable to his designs. France was shaken by revo-
lutions and change of dynasties; Austria was troubled by
dissensions in Italy and the wars of Hungary ; Prussia was
too much bent upon securing its own interests to interfere
with a rich and powerful Sovereign, who thus advanced un-
molested with real but inevitable strides to the unqueStioned
supremacy of all Eastern Europe. •
The revolt of Bucharest, in 1848, gave Nicholas an oppor-
tunity of tasking the force and value of his long-husbanded
strength and resources. He now came forth in his new cha-
racter, as protector of the kingdoms on his borders. Turkey
and Austria were to feel the weight and value of his help.
" Russia was to fulfil its mission." This was his striking
and fanatic. declaration. In that mission it was to respond
to the call of all the neighbouring nations, and establish their
authority who, apprehension, were in the Czar's apprehe not able to
establish it for themselves.
The design was a bold one. It was pursued by Nicholas
with undeviating constancy ; with a perseverance thatnothing
could dishearten. It did not suit with this design to be nice
in the choice of his means, much less to employ violence
where moderation and conciliation were available. He knew
too wall his own strength and the preciousness of the prize to
alarm the jealousy of others without cause, or rouse their
pride by any needless appearance of arrogance. But this
mildness sand this moderation were not incompatible with the
most determined obstinacy, or with an unflinching resolve to
carry, out his purposes. By no means. Ho was one of those
men who, having once set their minds upon the accomplish-
ment of an object, are not to be diverted from it. 11l success,
delay, disappointment, serve only to whet their appetites and
augment their desire and their struggle for possession. So was
it with Nicholas. Was there any object upon which he had
set his mind that ha ever 'abandoned Did over the prostra-
tion. of his hopes at any time induce Min to abandon those
hopes entirely I Maier that aiipaasren nirbtalyiliz thereassiv lurked a
e face and
statue-like form, rigid and perfect
fire which never died oqt, an ambition amounting to fanati-
cism, which nothing could extinguish.
The later events of h's life are too recent to require,a.ny ex-
tended notice. They are a lesson to illimaitaibitllePdorwoe;
notthe
eisily forgotten. A little grain of sand,
almost imperceptible particle of fidating air, can bring the sense
of mortality to the bravest and most thoughtless of us all. A
handful of mountaineers in the Caucasus, a purpose pushed a
little too indiscreetly has stoppedfor ever the advance of a great
power, which all Europe has for many years been gazing at with
uneasiness or dismay. We eau.not for a certainty predict the
return of all things to an ordinary and peaceful channel by
his removal, who was the Soul of this great enterprise, whose
breath kindled and fanned the war, but such a result is almost
inevitable. Not only is there now a better chance for peace
and the mediation of Lord John Russell, but Alexander Nice-
. laiewitch, who succeeds his father, is unfavourable to the con-
tinuation of the war. Ho has signalised already his prudence
by strongly protesting against it. 110 has even been plAted
under arrest. for his manly firmness in opposing his late
father's wishes.
Were he, indeed, inclined to give credence to those dim
feelings of foreboding
which sometimes have attached the mis-
fortunes of great men and great houses to certain spots, the
new Czar would regard the Crimea with more than feelings
of aversion. It is there that the best blood and treasure of
his house has been wasted. There, too, hundreds and thou-
sands of his bravest countrymen . have been cast away and
sacrificed in a fruitless and unworthy contest. The Crimea
has been fatal to his family. It has broken the heart of his
father. It was there, also,-that, after a visit to Sebastopol,
ou his way to Bakshi-Sergi, Alexander, his uncle, was taken
ill, and died in the arms of the Empress, on the Ist of De-
cember. In his last moments the 'sinking man ordered the
blinds of his window to be thrown open, and, gazing on the
cloudless sunny skies, exclaimed, " What a lovely day ! "
Little did. he anticipate.vrhat sorrows to his race and nation
that very spot should witness within a generation !

MEMOIR OF THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.
(From the Morning Post of this day.)
A few hours ago the attention of all Europe was fixed upon
one man, the Sovereign 'of a great and mighty empire, whose
voice gave law to fifty millions of the human race—who re-
presented in himself the barbarism of the North. Now, for
the second time, brought. into contact with the civilisation
and progress of Western Europe, and now, by the inscrutable -
decree of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, he has been
suddenly cast down, to afford, by his sudden and melancholy
fate, another emphatic commentary on the inspired words,
that 4. in the midst of life Ivo are in death."
Nicholas Panlowiteh was born at St Petersburg on the 7th
of July, 1796, being the third I son of the Emperor Paul, by
his second wife, Mary of Wirtemberg. Of his father, whose
eccentricities amounted to insanity, and who was muldored