Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1853-05-18
RUSSIA AS IT is.
CzARIsM-ITs HISTORICAL. ORIGIN,

RUSSIA AS IT is.
CzARIsM-rrs HISTORICAL. ORIGIN.
Various deep or shallow metaphysical and
psychological speculations have been laid down
upon the reasons in virtue of which the Office and
power of the Gar of Russia, with all it's criteria
of unity, despotism. autocracy, and very often
of bloodless, pitiless tyranny, has taken strong
and seemingly ndestructable root in the most
vivid feelings of the Russian people of all classes
and shades. For the solution of this question:
How and why Czarism has become thus almost
principal element of the national life and growth,
one must look not to abstract theorems, Matched
out in the convolutons of the brain, but simply
to his history. There it stands simple, pure
historical fact like many other facts; and there
is the succession of events by which this form of
absolute monarchy has risen to such eminence,
and become as it were a religious creed of the
people.
This institution, or form of monarchy which
we call Czarism, in its present attributes arose,
or at least began to work itself out in Russia du-
ring the epoch of Tartar dominion and aggression.
Previous to that epoch, and from about the
With or 1Xth century, from the Dnieper, (Bo-
rysthenes) the Dniester, the Capathian noun
tains, where now extends Gallicia, to the Dwina
and the Wolga, Russia was ruled by number of
Princes (Kniazia) some weak, others more pow
erful, who, to certain degree, were independent,
but who all recognised the supremacy of their
Lord Paramount, the Grand Duke of Kief, called
Weliki Knias. These principalties had nothing
in them of any feuda origin principle, but were
simply the results of successive division of the
general patrimony, among the heirs and children
of Rurick the Norman and his brother, and thus
they were all held by kindred and relations
Even the two most ancient Republics since the
Christian Era, those of Novogorod, and of Pskof
the historical manifestations of the first, being
distinctly visible even In the WITH century, and
both of them fourishing by free institutions and
extensive trade when Germany and the north. west
of Europe were in utter darkness-recognised the
above mentioned Grand Ducai supremacy from
about the IXth century forward.
The division of the country into smaller and
smaller principalities increased continually, and
murderous family feuds were frequent among
them. This facilitated the conquest by the Tar
tars in the XIi[th century. 10 resist them there
was neither unity of command nor Of obedience,
and thus no unity of action. They accordingly
subdued all and established their Supremacy
We shall not follow here all the vicissitudes of
fortune which the Grand Dukedom underwent.
This title passed from one lineage to another, chan
ged seats, wandered from KIow to many other
spots, such as Wlademir and others, until in the
first half of the WITH century it finally found a
resting place in Moscow.
The Tartar rule did not change in the least the
internal organism of Russia. The Tartar chief
tains CHAINS did not interfere at all with it's in
ternal administration. The Tartars did not spread
over the country or settle in any spot whatever
in the interior, either in villages or cities. The
two races never came in any peaceful contact
They did not intermarry or intermlngle, being Sc
parated de 5acto by immense distances and broad
and barren plains. But if they had been thrown
together, even then, the watchfulness of the East
,ern or Gr@co Russian Church-the intense, vivid
religious feeling in the bosom of all classes of the
people, the hatred of the conqueror, and of his
Mahometan creed-all these violent elements
would have been sufficient to prevent an impor-
tant union of the two races. The family to which
descended the dignity of the Grand Dukes in
Moscow, and the supremacy over the Empire,
proved itself from the beginning of its power, to
be inspired and moved by a statesman-lke con-
cepton. This was by working uninterruptedly,
from father to son, to frame out the unity of the
Empire, to concentrate all its powers and res0ur-
ces in one hand, as an engine for the overthrow
of the hateful Tartar dominion. 1t was through
the Grand Dukes alone that the Tartar CHAINS
communicated with the Empire The yearly
tribute to be paid from the whole, was collected
by the Grand Dukes, and they alone were respon-
sible for it. Every one ascending the Grand Du-
cal throne was obliged to seek his confirmation
from the Chan, and visit him in his seat or resi-
dence at Horda. The Tartar chiefs abandoned
to the Grand Dukes the uncontrolled manage
lnent of all internal affairs. Of this the latter
availed themselves during nearly two centuries,
in order to absorb and destroy all the petty
princes scattered over the Empire. Force and
cunning were largely used, the work was fear
full and bloody one; but it succeeded, and the
unity of the Empire, under one supreme despo-
tic power, was the result Some of those indie
pendent dynasties were wholly exterminated,
the greater number, however, were forcbly IN
duced to give up their sovereignties. Such still
preserved large private estates by way OF lndeIn-
nifty, and retained the title of Prince kniaz,) ia
king up their permanent abode in Moscow under
the eye of the Sovereign. Such is the origin OF
the countless numbers of Princes still to be found
in Russia.
In many respects the Tartar supremacy mate
rally aided the Grand Dukes in their enterprise,
and thus served to accumulate materials for its
own destruction. AT last, feeling their strength,
the Grand Dukes of Moscow directed their whole
energy and weight against the Tartar This
struggle for independence lasted about thirty
years. Moscow and Russia bought their libera-
ton by streams Of blood. The final battle, called
that of the Giants, and lasting for three days, on
the plains of kulikowo, crowned the effort with
a complete victory.
In this struggle the religious feelings of the ma
ton were exalted to the utmost intensity. The
cross fought with the Grand Dukes against the
crescent. 1t was a sacred warfare. The Grand
Duke, the supreme power, the despotic unity,
was the soul of the combat. He was sanctfed by
the Church, and in this powerful moment dawned
the identification of the supreme political bead OF
the nation, with its religiousiworship and senti.
ment.
The Tartar was crushed. His destroyer the
Grand Duke, the despot. the personihcation o