Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1847-11-13
Russia.

/ Russia in the old world and our own cour-
try in the new, are the only nations of the
earth, if we except Prussia, in state OF
progression. Almost simultaneously, they
assumed governmental character, and to
the observant eye exhibited foreshadowings
of their future power. The men of Eng
/ land, France, and Germany, are coming over
| the seas for that liberty they are denied in
their native land-but the inhabitants of
Russia are clinging to their own age as te-
naciously as ever, and it is their chief glory
to assist in reducing others to the same SER
Witty.
Three centuries ago, the amiable and ac-
eomplished Lady Jane Gray, wore for few
brief days the English crown. But more
than two hundred years before, it had press
ed the brows of Richard, the lion-hearted,
and it was nearly four centuries after Will
liam the conqueror held the English sceptre.
But even then, civilization had not penetra-
ted the frozen forests of Russia, and its in
habitants, savage and outlandish in all their
customs, roamed over its icy plains, as bar
barous as the Indians that at this day hunt
in the shadows of the Rocky Mountains
England had mourned the loss of her Bacon
and Chaucer, long before the inhabitants of
Russia had been blessed with glimmering
of mental sunshine. And it was only two
hundred years ago, when the former was,
now listening to the melody of Spencer, now
TO The prayers of Cromwell, and now send
ing out her Drake to survey the world that
the benighted Russians received their first
code of laws. Since that period, they have
enlarged their territory, and increased their
numbers beyond all precedent.
Russia, at this day, is not only the largest
and most populous country in Europe, not
only the mightiest nation in the world, but
it outweighs in magnitude and power, the
most extensive empires that have fourished
in the past. 1t embraces two-thirds of Eu-
rope, and more than third of Asia. The
united dominions of the Empire, exceed in
extent the whole of South America, and are
equal to all North America. When the Rus
STA despot looks into the east from his high
est towers on the Gulf of Finland, the land
of his power stretches out 1000 miles beyond
the limits of his vision. When it is noon al
his palace, it is midnight on the farthest con-
fines of his realm. His banner waves over
one-sixth of all the land of the earth, and he
is recognized as the ruler of one-twelfth of
the inhabitants of the globe. He could give
from his possessions tract twenty times as
large as France, and still his territory would
be more than thirty times the extent of Vic
toria's European Dominions.
Like the little cloud that appears at first
no bigger than a mans hand, but which
rapidly spreads over the whole heavens, has
been the growth of Russia. Silently as the
snow-flakes gather on the mountain side,
have its provinces been multiplying. While
the Kingdoms of Europe have been filling
the world with wars and rumors of wars,
this borean monster has been uucoiling itself,
as though preparatory to encircling them all
within its folds The fierce and hardy Mus
covites are already sweeping down their
rivers in overwhelming floods, and pressing
hard on the domains of its Crescent and the
Cross.