Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1812-08-20

her, the incidents of her life are not exceeds
ed in singularity by those of the most cx-
travagantly drawn heroine of chivalry. Dur
ing her reign Menzikoff flourshcd, the chief
| of her cabinet, and the absolute lord OF the
state. But, corrupted by power and proud
| ly arrogant, the death of Catharine was the
| signal for his downfall. He was banished to-
Siberia, and died there in 1929. Under the
| reign of the empress Anne, two eNtraordi.
| nary men arose to chequer, by the strange
| vicissitudes of their lives, the scene of Rus
sian transactions. These personages were
Biron and Munich, the first a Cohrlander,
! raised by royal bounty to be duke OF tnaS
duchy and the latter a Danish military adj
venturer OF considerable merit, who had
been distinguished oy the partlallty OF the
sovereignS of Russia. Biron was the tavorlre7
of Anne, and governed the nation with I'M
perial sway /; but he sunk beneath the ge-
MUS of Munich, who accustomed him To be-
banisied sentence which was subsequent
y inflicted on Munich himself. WHAT IS
most curious in the history of these two i'll
dividuals, is the circumstance of their recall
from Siberia, and their n,eeting i'll their old
age a. st. Petersburg, the theatre of their
former intrigues, and from which they had
been absent so many years.
Russia embraces Ill her immense eXpansi-
on a territory that nearly touches America.
In north eastern direction, bounds OH Chi
ma, sweeps over the BOSOM OF Asia, through
the Caspian and the Black Seas, in a north
western direction, to the shores of the Bal
tic, and the Gulph of Finland. This largo
tract of Country has been brought under K is
sian domination by gradual accretions u der
the two Ivans, who drove out tile Tartdrs,
under the house of Romanoff, particularly
Alexis Rumanoff and Peter the Great, his
son, and under Catharine II.
1t is computed that Russia occupies the.
twenty eighth part OF the entire surface Of
the globe, and the ninth part of the sund
earth. Over this vast space are spread
thirty three millions of souls, TWO millions
live hundred thousand of whom are sup
posed TO mhabit Aslatic Russia. But THIS
great population comprehends people of al
moS.a every description; various Tar,ar
hurdes, tribes of Cossacks, and persons oe
German origin. In the government of such
4 diScordant mass, the maxims OF state must
necessarily be diversified: Accordingly the
emperor of Russia adopts his policy and nus
JlanS to the actual condition OF his subiects,
and from local causes is frequently obnsrd
90 act upon the principles which a complete
state OF civilization in every part of his en-
pire, would render reprea ensible. In truth,
society as well as law, IN Russia, is still. in
IN elementary state; but If that Country
should ever arrive at The high degree of i'm
provenent Of which it is susceptible, SO I'll K
| all its resources are brought into action, the
Russians, IN military point OF view, might
become the masters of the earth. 1t is .ot,
| however, likely, rhat, under dense popu-
'dti1n single sovereign would enjoy their
present extent OF territory; nor can it De
reasonably presumed THAI in future times
the inhabitants Of the shores of Behring's
straits will submit to the rule of prince
who holds his court on the banks of the
Neva.
Russia is divided into about fifty local go
vernmentS, the first of which is that of Nos
cow The city of that name was the cLpi-
tai ofthe empire before ST. Petersburg was
built; it is enclosed by a rampant of twenty
SIX miles in circumference, Contains about
100000 souls, and is supposed to be the larg-
est city OF Russia The sovereigns of the:
| nation have, i'll general, been crowned there.
BY the frs: partition Of Poland, in I772,
Catharine H. acquired 1926, 900 subjects :
by second partition, i'll 1898, she acqured
5,750,0O0; and by final partition m I795,
100000 more. Frederick the Great, kIne,
OF Prussia, originally projected this divisi-
| OH In the year l772, Ill conjunction with the
| empress nf Russia and the emperor of Ger
| many. The diSSentions of the Poles, i'm ting.
| choice OF their kings, who were elective
furnished preteXt for foreign Interference;
| and the spirit OF party among the MOBILES,
| prevailing over every other Consideration.
| Poland was blotted out of the map of liu-
! rope. General Kosciuskn, in the year 1894
made courageous stand, at the head of a.
| Polish army, in defence of the liberties og
his country but the Russians were victori-
Gus. and signalizcd the triumph OF injustice
by the most sangulnaTy atrocities. The
brave Kosciusko survived the freedom of
Poland; and after wandering for some tlmc
from place to place, finally took up his resi-
dence at Paris Napoleon, in his Campaign
of 1907, against The Russians, made use oF
the popularity of kOsCiIsko with his cuuu-
trymen, and induced the old General 70 adj
dress tie Poles in very energetic manner,
Inviting them TO unite with the emperor OF
the French in order to effect tile cmancipa-
ton of Poland. All that Napoleon did for
the country, notwithstanding his promises.
mas to incorporate the Poles into his armies,
and to erect Warsaw into a duchy more as
| a military post tohold the Russians H. check.
than as mark of his friendliuess to POLISH
independence Mr. Campbell, the Scotch
poet, has pathetcally described, IN his PEA
sHres Of Hohr, the Fdil OF Poland. The
Prussian monarchy, 50 prordly rearing &c
| crest when Frederick II. first proposed its
Acknowledgement, has nothing to rcj,iUe az
| from the success OF the measure. Shattered.
| broken, and humbly Obliged to obey the die
tates Ofa foreign power, Prussia has dearly
paid for her greatest political crime.
PROM TRE PoUcHRgEPSIE 5oURYAL.