The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-06-14
Nicholas Of Russia.
by NH. DALLAS, viCE-PREsIDENT OIL rIIE UNIT
Ed STATES AND MINISTER TO RUSSIA.


vice-no elevation of rank can avert tn
blow with which he is ever ready t
strike the culpable or dsloyal. T
maintain the discipline of his troops. h
is in the habit of suddenly visiting thci
stations without warning-whcn. woe t
the officer or private then detected il
fault ! lie has been known, on the in
stant of discovering remissncss or mat
teniion, to tear of, with his own hands
the epaulettes and decorative badges O
a veteran ana favorite officer. There re
vels in his temperament what may b.
called dash of romance, which. set of
by form of great elegance and muscu
lar strength, gives to his actions grace
vivacity and interest.
When representing the imperial chief
his details of grandeur and maguilicencc
may be truly and orientally gorgeous
his audiences. banqucts and festivals as
imposing and dramatic as those in the
Arabian Nights often from then
no breaks abruptly away-travels through
his Kingdom, unknown and unobscrved
gaining. perhaps, admission to the palace
of some ncighboring sovereign, under a
fictitious name; or,as a mcndcant by the
waysidc. claims the charity of his En-.
press-or, it may be, as an awkward
captain of steamer, affects to run down
some lubbering captain of a small craft
on the Baltic-and, while supposed to be
thus roaming over tho Empire, alarms
his minister's by suddenly presenting
himself among them.
a few years ago, an American frigate
alike celebrated for the beauty of her
proportions, the solidity of her form, and
quicknoss of sailing entered the harbor
of Cronstadt. Her arrival was at once
communicated to Nicholas and, before
her anchor was fairly down, one of his
richly ornamented steamers was oLserv-
ed approaching across the wide bay. The
steamer stopped at about one hundred
yards distance from tho frigate, and q
dazzling group of officers was seen to en-
ter barge, the course of which was i'm
modiately directed towards the ship.
Acting as coxswain to this barge, and
seated himself at the stern, appeared a
conspicuous figure, with a small white
cap. enclrcled by rod band, and attired
in single-broasted dark green frock
coat, the attire corresponding with the
individuals subordinate capacity, and
presenting singular contrast to the cp-
aulettcs and other linery of those under
whose order he seemed stationed. AL
ways prepared to receive such visitors
our naval commander met them at the
gangway aud gave them cordial vel.
come.
Among them was the vice chancellor
of the empire. tho minister Of marine
and number of admirals and general
officers, who went aft" in the cabin of
the commodore. whilst their coxswaiu.
as if conscious that lie must look out for
himself, walked = forward and mingled
carslessly with the common sailors. AS
he examined the battery and scrutirizsd
tho bulwarks, asking now and then some
questions, the hardy tars, trained to dis
ccrn the air and tone of real authority
instinctivcly touched their tarpaulin
hats, and wnked knowingly to each 9th,
er, whispered their conviction, that it
" was the old boy himselfp This sus-
picion circulated with rapidity through
out the frigatc, but no one deemed it
decorous, by tho slightest word or look
to intimate its existence to him who
thought himself, as ho wished to be, alb,
solutely unrecognizod. After inspect
ing this proud specimen of our naval ar
chitccturc and armament the splendid
cayalcade ro'cntered their barge.
And now arrived the moment when
the commodore was to decide whether he
should give the ordinary salute of twon-
ty-one guns, or twice that number, con
stituting an imperial salute The sus-
pected coxswain was then observed, a
lone, and leaning Oh the wheel of the
steamer, as the man-ofwar's heavy can
non hundred from her ports. lie re-
mained silent and stationary until at tho
sound of the twenty second gun-he
started with surprise-gathcred his of
ficcrs around him-and after he had ex-
planned to thom that the "cuto Yankees"
had seen through his disguise, he issued
his orders for the resumption of his truo
character, signals were Immediately no.
ticed to be exchanged with the surround
ing forts, and ten or twelve Russian
ships in the harbor The star-spanglcd
banner was then hosted at the mast
head of the steamer, gracefully playing
across the bows Of tho American ship,
while every other armed vessel com.
menced firing, answering salutes When
these ceased the flag of the Union slow
ly descended, and Nicholas proclaimed
his real presence by hosting in its stead
the standard Of his house-the dark
doublc-headed eagle, on yellow ground
whose appearance, ms if by magic, a
woke the cannon both on tho shore and
the bay, producing the dcafening roar Of
1000 guns. The selfconfidenco which
leads to those eccentric movements char
acterizes tho department of the sovereign
everywhere, and at all times Our fan
cies are apt to imagine him always mov-
ing in state, and hedging himself around
with guards and attendants, with all tho
show and pomp Of tho appurtenances of
tyranny. Such is not the case. Why,
the elected citizen, the King Of France,
with powers expressly defined and re-
strcted, feels safe only within his palace
walls, OF surrounded by his soldiers,
whilst Nicholas, the unrestricted and ir,
responsible dcspot, maintains. in all his
intercourse with his people, tho freedom
and earelessncss of unimportant privacy.
He is seen at all hours-in a small, sin
gle.horse sleigh-in an open carriage
on horseback or on foot unaceolnpanied
and undistinguished expect by those
familiar with his general personal ap-