The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-08-03
RUSSIA.

The idea of the overshadowing power of
Russia is rapidly passing away. There was, IN
fact, never any foundation for it. 1t was the
creation Of the disciples of Toryism and Abso-
lutisn, who have used it as bugbear to
frighten the Governments of Western Europe
out of their liberal tendencies. The Russian
Bear" has been for years held up an terrorsm
over the masses of England, Germany, and
France, in order to impress them with the be-
lief that the monster of the North would do
something terrible if they did not cease talk
ing of reforms, and attend to their business.
Such writers as Alison, the editors of the Lon
don Times, and the Blackwood critics, have
rolled the name of the Gar under their
tongues {" as a sweet morsel, !" and have incul-
Gated the idea that he is the wisest and best, as
well as the most powerful, monarch in the
world-this, too, in the face of the fact that
Bonaparte marched to the heart of Russia with
out meeting any serious obstruction, and not
withstandiDg that England and all Europe
which he had not conquered were combined
against him. 1t is notorious, too that Bona
parte was only expelled by the SHOWS with
little aid from the hands of the invincible Gar
and his allies. That in spite of these recent
events in Russian history, the power of the Car
should have become so overshsdowing IN its
proportions, in the public apprehension, only
proves the great influence of the London Times,
and other organs of Toryism and Absolutism.
An attentive glance at wellknown facts
IL L Ssee Cd in I'D hot
the first shock of arms With any irstrate
Power would explode the fictitious bubble, and
show the empty gasconade which has been
imposed upon the credulity of mankind
In the frat place the Russians are bsrba-
rous to great extent, and are destitute of
commerce and manufactures The country
must hence be poor, and unable to sustain
armies and naVies. 1t is true that Russian SOL
diers are only nominally paid; but the other
expenses of war are SO considerable, that none
but wealthy nations can sustain armies in the
field. A large part in fact, two-thirds or
consequently without spirit. They are found,
by experience, to be, in fact inferior to the
Turks, and will bear no comparison with the
English or French and, the prevalent idea to
the contrary notwithstanding, they are said to
be unwarlike. The immense Russian army, of
which we near so much, is said by travellers to
be- for the most part, little better than rab
bic militia, without discipline or spirit.
The power of merely agricultural communi-
ties to pay taxes, in comparison with such as
have commerce and manufactures, is seen illus
trated in this country in the different sections
Of the Union. The people of the State of North
Carolina, numbering nine hundred thousand
inhabitants, pay tax-for county, State, and
municipal purposes-of something less than
half a million of dollars, and feel themselves
grievously burdened5 those of New York city,
with only about six hundred thousand inhabit-
ants, in 1853 paid tax exceeding five mil
lions! This single fact win serve to illustrate
the relative resources of Russia and those of
England and France.
We commend to those who desire informa-
ton on this subject, an article in the last num-
Der of the London Quarterly, which quotes
largely from recent work by German Baron
with hard name, who is of the Russian school
of politics. His authority is therefore unex-
ceptionable, when he states facts which lower
our estimate of that country. G.