Litchfield enquirer., 1854-09-07
Nicholas of Russia.


 blow with which he is ever ready td strike the culpable or disloyal. To maintain the discipline of his troops, he is in the habit of suddenly visiting their stations, withou! warning--when wo to the officer or private then detected in fault! He has been known, on the instant of discovering remissness or in attention, to tear of, with his own hands, the epaulettes and decorative b.dges of veteran and favolite officer. There revels in his temperament what may b. called dash of rom .nce, which. set off by form of great elegance and muscu- lar strength, gives to his actions grace, vivacIty and interest.
 When representing the imperial ohief, his details of grandeur may be truly and orientAlIy gorgeous-his audiences, banquets and festivals as imposing and dramatic as those in the Arabian Nights yet often he breaks abruptly away travels through his kingdom. unknown and unobserved; gaining, perhaps, ad> mission to the palace of some neighbor> ing sovereign, undera fictitious name. or, mendicant by the wayside, claims the charity of his Empress-or, it may be, as an awkward captain of steamer affects to run down some lubbering cap tain of a small craft on the Baltic-and while supposed to be thus roaming over the Empire, alarms his ministers by suddenly presenting himself amongst them.
 A few years ago, an American frig. ate-alike celebrated for the beauty Of her proportions. the solidity of her form and quickness of sailing--entered the harbor of Cronstsdt. Her arrival was at once communicated to Nicholas, and before her anchor was fairly down. one of his richly-olnamented steamers was observed approaching across the wide bay. The steamer stopped at about one hundred yards from the frigale, and a dazzling group of officers was seen 10 enter barge. the course of which was immediately directed towards the ship Acting as coxswain to this barge, and seating himself at the stern. appeared a conspicuous figure, with small white cap. encircled by red band. sod attired in single. breasted dark green frock coat, the attire corresponding with the individuals subordinate capacity, and presenting a singular contrast to the ep- aulettes and other finery of those under whose orders he seemed stationed. Al. ways prepared to receive such visitors. our naval commander met them at the gangway and gave them a cordial vel come.
 Among them was the vice. chanc ellor of the empire. the minister of marine. and a'number of admirals and general officers, who went "afl" in the cabin of the commodore, whilst their coxswain as if conscious that he must look out for himself, walked "forwa'd " and min- gled carelescly with the common sailors As he examined the battery and scruti- nised the balwarks. asking now and then some questions, the hardy tars, trained 10 discern the air and tone of real au- thority, inslinctively touched their tar- pa,tlin hats, and winking knowingly to each other, whispered their conviction. that it was the old boy himself P This suspicion circulated with rapidity throughout the frigate, but no one deemed it decorous, by the slightest word or look, to intimate it's existence to him who thought himself. as he wish. ed to be, absolutely unrecognised. Af- ter inspecting this proud specimen of our naval architecture and armament, the splendid cavalcade reenlered their barge.
 And now arrived the moment when the commodore was to decide whether he should give the ordinary salute of twenty. one guns, or twice that lumber, constituting. an imperial salute. The suspected coxswain was then observed, alone. and leaning ou the wheel of the steamer, as the man of-war's heavy can. non thundered from her ports. He re. mained silent and stationary until at the sound of the twenty~second gun-he started with surprise gathered his of> ficers a, ,ound him-and after he had ex. plained to them that tie " cute Yankees" had seen through his disguise. he issued his orders for the resumption of his true character, signals were immediately nos ticed 10 be exchanged with the surroun- ding forts, and ten or twelve Russian ships in the harbor. The star~spangIed banner was then hoisted at the masI> head of the steamea, gracefully playing across the bows of the American ship, while every other armed vessel com meneed firing answering salutes.
 When these ceased. the flag of the Union slowly descended. and Nicholas proclaimed his real presence by hIistlng in it's stead the stanaardf fof Lis house. the dark double he .ded eagle. on a yel> low groand-- whose appearance as if by magic, awoke the cannon both on shovo and tha hay uradm.i .inO tha deal .