Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1853-08-12
Nicholas,
EMPEROR OF ALL THE RUssIAs

hn 81 ri
~ u his second wife, Mary, (Sophia Dorothy;) OF
S%9unrtsmburg He was born July 6, $780, ana was
lated under the direction of his mother by Gen
Tndsdorf, with the assistance OF other tutors; ior
sociaI departments of instruction, among "nom
Poro the famous philoogist Adeburg and Council
W. Stork who impaired to his pupil the elements OF
ifical ecohomv The Grand Duke devoted HIM
If with peculiar ardor to the military sciences IN
~bich he evnced considerable aptitude especially
y the art of fertilization. He also manifested an
orv preference for c. and progressed SO Tar 'tS
~ c0mnose a number of military marches, when
on;f not 70 wnnt merit After the establishment
Il = General neace. and when it was hoped hat all
ruroneau States restored to hrm OASIS were en-
,or;ng unon normal path. he Vlslted several Tor
80 countries and travelled as Tar as England
nj" man about the year 1915, he lived in
foJon as one of the Dukes of Russia. Travelling
NV far amusement or improvement, he made con-
;c.ous figure at Allmack's, in the waltz, which a.
bout that time made its way Into the parlors OF Eng
fish nobility.
On his return to Russia he fastened to acquaint
himself with the condition of his expected inheri-
lance visiting all the provinces and residing Tor
some time in their chief cities. On the 18th of July
t8l7 he espoused Charlotte, eldest daughter of
frederick William III. of Prussia. This lady. who
tas born July 18th, 1898, at embraced the
Ereek religion and took the of Alexandra Feo-
dOr0wna.
The news of the death of Alexander, his brother.
gbich took place December l. 1925, the signal
outbreak OF conspiracy, long projected ana
widely ramiied, whose leaders were found princi
naIIv in the army The insurrection took place un-
dor the very eye of the imperial family, in the great
srora before the Winter Palace, but through the
c6wardice and perhaps treachery, of one of the
snirators Nicholas was enabled to defeat it, and
having delivered five of the leaders to the execution
Or banished the remainder to the mines of Siberia
pon hearing of his brothers. decease, Nicholas took
the oath of fidelity to his brother Constantine, who
was at Warsaw, and imposed the upon all his
troops. Although the Senator'S conforming to the
directions of Alexander, had opened the sealed pack
ct which had been entrus;e ed to them with the in
junction to preserve it intact until the Emperor
DEATH and had found in it the abdcation of Con-
stantine and the peremptory order of Alexander to
proclaim Nicholas Emperor, the Grand Duke hesita-
ted to avail himself of this authorization to assume
pOwer alleging that such a resolution on the part
If his brother could not be valid if made during the
life of their father. But Constantine, who had re-
:ved intelligence of Alexanders death several days
before his brother, sent number of letters to his
family, in which he renewed his remuneration of the
sovereign dignity, and declared that he acknowedg-
ed Nicholas only as Emperor of all the Russias In
manifesto published December Oath 1925, Nicho-
las published an authentic relation of the circum-
stances which had called him to the throne and the
next day received the oath of fidelity
When the present Emperor assembled the throne
Of his brother. he ust in the prime of manhood
Nicholas, the son of Paul." as he is universally
aled, is of commanding stature, and may be rank
ed among the handsomest men in Europe. When
the whole of his body guards is reviewed, consisting
Of sixty thousand of the picked men of the Empire
the eye of the spectator seeks in vain to find any one
worthy of comparison with him for figure for manly
beauty, or for majesty of mien. When he com
mands, the deep sonorous tones of his voice rever
berate among the voices of his numerous comman
d9rs like the heavy notes of an organ Few prince,
have borne more unbemished moral character
stern lover of Justice when not interfering with h
own pretenSiOns interests, he has endeavored t
enforce its rigid administration according to the Rus
sian code But with all this, he entertains the mos
exalted idea of the sacredness of his own preroga
tive and divine right; is naughty inscriptions il
bis means severe, vindictive, and eager to advance
the grandeur of Russia even at the cost of the lives
the liberties, and tie happiness of his subjects.
Much has been said about the external persona
appearance of Nicholas. He is as vain glorious 0
ias any dandy. The glance of his large, blue
grenish crystal like, limpid eyes, perces through
and through with the points of two freezing lei
des. cold pang seizes ones whole being re
ewing their full glare.
During his reign the system of secret police we
nmodeIled, and soon became the most perfect tn
world had ever seen. Thousand of agents and spies
clothed with power. are engaged In its service. n
smy in the land is free from the watchful O
The government emssares and even when the Rus
sian travels abroad, this surveillance follows hin
like shadow. Though the army Of this grea
country had for years been the special object of in
erest to the government, Nicholas perfected thu
immense machine Neither pains nor expense were
spared to adopt the improvements made in militar.
science. Wherever they orig nated, they were with
out hesitation adopted and perfected by the skill
and experiments of the Czar's officers. The Empe
FOR is the military head of two hundred and fit
thousand horse and five hundred thousand infantry
Although the Emperor has devoted a great por
ton OF his life to the study of military exercise, still
he was never destined to shine an able general
indeed, not of his family displayed an
hUhc "a N9oI tU itor n
had good eye for udging distances Thus. dnrln
the first campaign against the Turks, in 1928, b
sought to earn military laurels by the sureness c
bis eye IN matters of siege and fertilization. III
Russian troops surrounded the mpregnable fortress
Nchoumla the key to the Balkan mountains. Mich
naS pointed out the spot where the heavy ordnanc
was 10 Oe posted to open the fire the fortress =
and the bullets fell half way from the walls. iii
capacity as commander has never risen above tina
directing the various manouvres of single reg
lnent of cavalry The movements of two regiment
combined are too much for him. During the abov
Mentioned campaign in Turkey, Nicholas Joined tn
army, commanded by Field Marshal Prince Witt
gnsein, interfering continually, as we have bee
dd, with its military operations. To this untime
interference the unhappy results OF this first can
pagn were due The next year the command wa
transferred to Field Marshal Diebitsch. The frs
V93aluon in accepting it was, that both the lmper
a brothers. Nicholas and Michael. should remain
nome, and keep quiet. Nicholas grown wise by tn
Re'lous years experience, acceded to the demand
\ me results were known. The army crossed tn
balkan took Adranople and there the treaty, beal
Iu9 ln"V name was signed Diebitsch earned tn
name Vi Aaoa'kanski [the Crosser of the Balkan
L"PlLaI punishment, which was abolished in Ru
Z J" ny me Empress Elizabeth, with the exception
ne sentences of court martial was restored durin
D I6 reign or the present Gar All his good quail
les Tor good and for evil appeared when he ascenC
5 " 'ne throne. lie was at first very cautious in h