Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1854-06-14
Nicholas of Russia.
BY Mr.. Dallas, Vice. President of the United
States dRd Iith$fer to RuSS9a.

/ ny W.T.. DdL0S, ttce-PreSldent OF the CRlted
! States, aRd aHth$ter to RuSSaa
! No admitted merit-no length Of service-no ell
ovation of rank can avert the blow with which he
is ever ready to strike the lpable or disloyal.
To maintain the discipline of his troops, he is in
the habit of suddenly visiting their statens, with
out warning-when, wo to the officer or private
then detected in fault! He has been known, ",
the instance of discovering remisces or inatten-
ton, to tear Off with his own hands, the epaulettes
and decorative badges or veteran and fuvorte
officer. There revels in his temperament what
may be called dash of romance, which set of
by u form of great elegance and muscular
strength gives to his actions grace, ,vivacity and in
terest .. ... |.'.. ...- -,
When representing the imperial chief, his de.
tails OF grafduer and maghifcence may be truly
and orientully gorgcous-his audience, banquets
and festivals as imposing and dramatic us those
in the Arabian Nghts-yet often from them he
breaks abruptly away-travels through his king
dom, unknown aud unobserved gaining, per-
haps, admission to ne palace OF some neighbor-
ing sovereign, under fictitious name; or, as q
mendicant by the waysde, claims the charity of
his Express-or, it may be, as an awkward cap
tain of steamer, affects to run down some lum-
berng captain Of snail craft on the Baltic
and, while supposed to be thus Roaming over the
Empire, alarms his minister by presenting him
self amongst tlem
few years ago, an American frigate-alike
celebrate for the beauty Of her proportions, the
solidity other form and quickneSs of sailing-en-
tered the harbor of Cronstadt. Her arrival was
at once communicated to Nicholas, and, before
her ornamcntcd steamers was observed approach
ing across the wide bay. The steamer stopped
at about one hundred yards distance from the fri
gate, and dazslDg group of officers were seen
to enter barge, the course of which was imme-
diately directed towards The ship. Acting as
coxswain to this barge, and seating himself at
the stern, appeared conspicuous figure, with a
small white cap cncirclcd by red band, and at
tired in snglc-breasted dark green frock coat
ordinate capacity, and presenting singular con-
trast to the epaulettes and other fnery of those
under whose orders he seemed stationed AL
ways prepared to receive such visitors, our naval
commander met them 1t the gang-way and gave
them cordial welcome.
Among them was the vice-chuncellor of the
empire, the minister of marine and number of
admirals and general officers, who went "aft" in
the cabin of the commodore, whilst their cox.
swain: as II conscious that he must look out for
him off al IL ii
ly with the common sailors. AS he examined the
battery and scrutinzed the bulwark, asking now
and then some questions, the hardy tars trained
to discern the air and tone of real authority, in
stinctively touched her tarpaulin hats, and wink
ed knowingly to each other, whispered their con-
yction, that it ''was the old boy himself!' This
suspicion circulated with rupdity throughout the
frigate, but no one deemed it decorous, by the
slightest word or look, to intimate its existence to
him who thought himself, as he wished to be, alb
solutely unrecognized. After inspecting this
proud specimen of our naval architecture and ar
mament, the splendid cavalcadc re-entered their
barge. A....
And now arrived the moment when the commo-
dore was to. decide whether he should give the Or
dinary salute of twenty-one guns, or twice the
number, constituting an imperial salute. The sus-
pected coxswain was then observed, alone, and
leaning on the wheel Of the steamer, as the man.
Of wars heavy cantoh thundered from her ports.
He remained silent and stationary until at the
sound of the twenty-second gun--he started with
surprise-gathered his officers around him-and
after he had explained to them that the "cute
Yankees had seen through his disguise, he issued
his orders for the resumption Of his true charac.
ter, signals were Immediately noticed to be ex.
changed with the surrounding forts, and ten OF
twelve Russian ships in the horbor. The star.
spangled banner was then hoisted at the mast.
head of the steamer, gracefully plying across the
bows of the American ship, while every armed
vessel, commenced firing answering salutes.--.
.N.sg4 4--.1gr> f. asIrF.Fsvr