The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1842-02-03
NEW YORK LycEuM.


A large and l1shl nable audience was
a The Tabernacle last evening.
10 listen 20 the Lecture OF Hon c. &.
Cambreleng. on Russia. DE-. Cambre-
leng having had an opportunity 70 per-
sonally examine the peculiarities andeon-
disiOn Of that empire, the hab Is, customs,
&c. Of lbs people, q highly attractive
lecture was anticipated; but truth obliges
Us % say that The audience were much
In brief address. hardly
occupying three quarters Of an hour, the
lecturer confined himself 10 q running
notice Of few prominent features in the
condition Of the empire, such as may be
found in every book which treats OF is
history; and although the lecture was well
enough in is style and was clothed in
sounding language. il lacked that raciness
and vivaciiy Of incident and detail which
constitutes the charm Of lectures Of this
class. We annex . summary Of the adj
dress:
In giving few Of his reeollections Of
the country. the lecturer said he trusted he
should notfolloE The example ofioo many
travellers in this as well as our own coun-
try, and repay hospitality with abuse.
There are many reasons, he said, why
there should be kindly feeling Of sym
patty between Russia and This country,
widely different as are their forms of GO
vernment, and the character Of their peo-
pie. Within the last ccniuary both have
risen 10 their present greatness and high
standing among the nations Of the earth,
and from the fact Of their rapid and gi-
gantic growth, they have both been sub
jecled 10 much misrepresentation and
abuse from the press OF older nations.
whom we are fast leaving in the rear in
the onward march Of empire and Of pow
er.
The lecturer then spoke Of ST. Peters
burg. Of its vast extent and immense po-
pulation. New Workers, he said, might
feel somewhat jealous that she had so far
ouistripped our own city in her growth
and population; but before the close oil
another century, he thought New York
would leave the capital Of the Russias IN
the rear As il regards population. But in
reference 10 architecture, in the splendoE
and extent Of her public edi6ces, we can.
not hope to equal her. OF these. the lee.
turer spoke in glowing terms, and drew a
graphic picture Of their magni6cence and
classic beauty. Most travellers. he said,
visit Sc. Petersburg in the summer, when
IL is almost deserted, the Emperor and no.
biliiy then retiring 10 their estates in the
country. But in,the winter 81. Peters.
burg presents an aspect Of great life and
hustle. II is then, in addition TO the busy
hum Of commerce, and the streets filled
with visiiants from every portion Of the
world, that we see the gliilering splendoI
Of the court, the gorgeous rites Of the ma.
tional church, and the oriental magni'
6eence Of The Emperor's winter palace.
The lecturer then passed on 10 speak
Of Moscow--its massive splendor, il:
gorgeous magnifcence. and the glorious
associations connected with its history,
from the time Of its foundation until il be.
came the grave OF Napoleon's ambition.
| The character Of the mass Of the Rus.
sian population-its serfs-was briefly
spoken Of, and although they were To be
regarded, he said, as sunk in ignorance
and degradation, patriotism and love ol
country was strikingly manifested among
them; and even among the lowest classes
Of the population there had been instances
OF high atiainments in the arts and scien.
ces.
The laws promulgated BY the Empe-
ror, he said, were calculated to elevate the
character and condition of the Russian
serf, and although they were often violat.
ed by the nobility, the Emperor, 6espotic
and tyrannical as he is represented abroad,
is regarded by the millions at home in the
light Of parent and benefactor. The
lecturer spoke in high terms of the charac.
ter Of the Emperor, and his disposition and
efforts to meliorate the character of his
people, in which he had done more than
all his predecessors combined. True, ia
this he had to encounter the opposition oil
the mobiles, who regarded every advance
ment of the serf in civilization as an en-.
croachment upon their own power. Blu,
the Emperor, he said, understands his
position well. He sees himself surround
ed by powerful and naughty noblesse,
hardly brooking the slightest control-he
remembers how often treason has raised
its head among them-he remembers. tho,
the stormy day Of his own coronaiion---
and he perseveres in his designs unin.
fluenced by their opposition, conscious Of
his own power and resources.
The military despotism Of the empire
was briefly spoken of, and the corrup-
tons which unavoidably resulted from the
commitment Of unrestrained power to so
many hands.
The debt Of Russia, he said, was up
wards of three hundred millions Of dollars.
The annual expenditure and revenue were
about one hundred millions Of dollars
each. The entire cost Of supporting the
army was about thirty millions of dollars,