Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1854-09-13
Russian Barbarity,

French Nobeman IN Russia, published by Apple
ton & ca. 1t is the history of a noble family OF
Poland that of Prince Trouhetzkoi, who took part
in one of the unsuccessful revolutions. The sto
rv will rive the reader some idea Of the Cars
nnlcv and of his heart The travelled author is
monarchiSt.
1.-THE Prince Troubetzkoi ,one ofthe most deeply
implicated. unable to eXculpate himself, was sen
fenced to labor in the Oural mines for fourteen or
fifteen wears, and for the remainder of his life was
exiled to Siberia among one OF those distant col
onies that malefaciors are destined to people.
..The prince had wife whose Emily was a.
mong the most distinguished In the land. This
ladv could not be dissuaded from following her
husband to his tomb. 1T is my duty she said,
and will 'ulflll it; no human power has a right
to separate wife from her husoahd VIII snare
the tate OF NINE
The noble wife obtained the favor of being
buried alive with her unhappy partner. am as
tonished since have seen Russia, aud the spirit
of its government, that, influenced by a lingering
relic Of shame. they have thought it right to res
pect this act of devotion during period of four
teen years That they should favor patriotic he
roism is very natural, for they profit by it, but to
tolerate a sublime virtue that does not accord with
the views of the sovereign, was an act of remiss-
ness for which they must have often reproached
themselves They feared the friends ofthe Trou-
betzkui IAN arlstocracy, however enefvated 1t may
be, always preserves shadow of ofitslndependence
"a shadow that serves to cast cloud over des-
potism. Contrasts abound in this dreadful socle
iy; many men speak among themselves as freely
as if they lived in France; this secret liberty con-
soes them for the public slavery which forms the
shame and the curse of their land.
'.From the fear, them Of exasperating certain
influential families, the government yielded to
kind of prudent compassion. The princess depar.
ted with her husband, the convict, and, which is
extraordinary, she reached her destination Ihe
Journey was alone trighttul trial; hundreds,
thousands of leagues in Il telega. little open cart
without springs, over roads that break both car
riaoes and human BONES The unhappy woman
supported these, and many other hardships and
priiva,ions. which shall not describe for want OF
Precise details for wish to add nothing to the
strict truth of this narration
.ier conduct will appear the more heroic when
it is known that until the husbands the mar
ried pair had lived somewhat coldly together.-
But is not iervent devotion substitute Tor love
Or rather, is it not love itself? Love flows from
many sources, and of these, self sacrifice is the
most abundant.
..They had never had children at Petersburg;
they had flve In siberia.
This man, rendered glorious by the generosl-
" of his wife, became superior being IN the eyes
Of all who approached him. Who indeed would
not venerate the object of an affection so sacred!
"The husband and wife have lived for fourteen
Years by the side. so as to speak. of the Oural
mines : for the arms of a aburer like the prince
are little suited to the work of the pick axe. He
was there for the sake of being there, and that is
tan k,+ 10 n and
to what this condition condems man-and ms
children
"However great may be the uxuries of life in
Siberia, the health of the Princess Troubeizkoi is
injured by her spjourn at the mines. II is dlflcuIt
to understand how a woman accustomed to all the
delicacies of life in the highest ranks OF luXurl-
Gus capital, has been able SO long to support the
priva,ions of every kind to which she voluntarily
submitted. She wished TO live, she did live
she even gave life; she reared her offspring under
zore where the length and the rigor OF winter
is inimical to existence. The thermometer tails
there, yearly, to a temperature that might alone
suffice to destroy the human race. But this saint
like woman had other cares to think or.
''At the conclusion of seven years OF exile, as
she saw her infants growing around her, sne
thought it her duty to write To OF her family
TO beg that they would humbly suppllcate the
Emperor to suffer them TO be sent to petersburg,
or tu some other civilized city, in order to receive
suitable education
The petition was laid at the feet of the Gar,
and the worthy successor of the lvans and OF re-
ter |. answered that the children of convict
covcts themselves-wou always be sufficiently
learned
"After the above answer, the family-the moth
or and the condemned man-were silent for seven
more weary years. Humanity, honor, christian
charity, outraged religion, alone pleaded in their
favor but this was done silently not voice was
raised to appeal against such justice Neverthe
less, renewal of misery has now called forth
last cry from the depths of this abyss.
The prince has completed his term of labor in
the mines and now the exes, liberated, as they
call it, are condemned to form, they and their
young family, a colony in the most remote corner
of the desert. The locality oftheir new residence
designediy chosen by the Emperor himself, Is So
wild that the name of that bowling wilderness IS
not even yet marked on the ordinance maps oil
Russia, the most exact and minute geographical
maps that exist.
"At present, this father and mother, abandoned
in the desert, without physical powers, slrlPt OF
every aid, lost to their fellow men, punished In
their children, whose innocence only serves 10
aggravate their anguish, know not how TO provide
food for themselves and their little ones. THESE
young convicts by birth, these parlahs OF the I'M
peria realm, if they have no longer country, no
longer position in the community, haveyet pod
les that need food and raiment. A mother, what
ever dignity, whatever elevation OF soul she may
possess, could she see the fruit of her body perish,
rather than supplicate pardon? No! she again
humbled herself and this time it was not through
Christian virtue: the lofty woman was conquered
by the despairing mother She saw her children
| i'll, and had nothing wherewilh to administer to
their wants. In this extreme misery, her hus
band, his heart wthered by his misfortune, left
her to act according to her impulse, and the prin-
cess wrote second letter from her hut OF exile
The letter was addressed to her family, but meant
for the Emperor. This was to place herself at
the feet of her enemy, to forget what she owed to
herself; but who would think the less OF her for
SO doing God calls his elect TO every species OF
sacrifice, even to the sacrifice OF the most eglt- |
mate pride, The man who would understand life
without recognising eternity, can only have seen
the things of this world on their sunny side: he
must have lived on illusions, as they would have
me do in Russia The letter of the princess has
reached its destination, the Emperor has read il !;
and # was to communicate 10 Inc this letter that |
was stopped at the moment OF my departure
cannot regret the delay. have never read any
thing more simple and touching. Actions like the
writer's can dispense with words; she uses her
privilege as heroine, and is laconlc even when
imploring the life Of her children. In few lines.
she states her situation without defamation and
without complaint; she concludes by imploring
this snpe favor-the permission to live within
reach Of an apolhecary, in order to be able TO get
some medicine for her children when they are ill.
The enyirons of Tobolsk of Irknlsk, or of Oren-
burg, would appear 10 her paradise In the
concluding words of the letter, she ceases address
;no bersaf tn the Empnror-she forpets every