The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1855-05-26
The Ksre7as9in at Moscow.

~. L. tribune.
The Are1nlin at Moscow.
We beg to present to our readers view
of probably the finest royal palace in the
world-the Krcmln, Moscow.
The city has been called Tartarian Rome
for it is mixture of the grand and the
squallid. Wrctchcd novels are blended with
large palaccs-cottagcs of one story stand
next to the most superb and stately buildings
many biicl structures are covered with
wooden tops some Of the wooden houses are
painted, others have iron doors and roofs. In
fact, Moscow may be considered as town
built upon the Asiatic model exhibiting, cv-
en- after its renovation subsequent to the great
fire, a motley mixture of discordant styles
Of architecture. The Krcmlin. which strict
ly means fortress, is a large walled circle.
containing many old churches, as well as the
public Offices and apartments of state; and
hither almost every traveller wcnds his way
first. Our view shows the terrace which
| ovcrhanSS the walls towards the River Mos!l-
va, at the extremity Of which. to the left, is
Il curious structure of the Trinity Church,
and the awe-inspirng portals Of the Holy
Gate. through which every passenger must
walk bare headed. At the other end, clus-
| ter of dolncs rises from the church of st.
, Nicholas, that Of the Assumption, and the
| chapel and palace of the Gar with the lofty
temple of Ivan Neliki. which towers far above
| them, and reflects the beams of the sun from
It globe of gold. The palace of the Cars does
not boast of an antiquity of more than two
hundred years. but it is an editce raised with
princely costlincss, and much artistic taste.
1t is one Of the most snowy examples of
the gorgeous architecture of the Kremlin; the
entire circle presents an assemblage of bright
dazzling colors, and display Of richness
that calls to mind the wealth Of Ormuz and
| OF Ind. The cupolas and roofs are gilt, or
stained green or red, the walls and towers
covered with glazed tiles of blue and white
and yellow, in other parts adorned with
storicd paintings from Holy Writ; while on
every side may be seen a mcldnge Of pear
shaped domcs, Tartar batllemcnts, Gothic
almory. Grecian columns, the star, the Cries.
cent, and the Cross. Below, the stream of
the ,AIoskva winds It's course amidst the
streets and houses of the town, intcrspcrscl
with Offering steeplcs; cottages, gardens,
and palaces being intcrmiycd, and Offering
to view the endless variety of a Russian city.
The origin of Moscow is involved in some
obscurity, but it is supposed to have been
1t derives its name from the river which
flows by the Krelnlin. Its history presents
singular series of disasters. 1t seems to
have been subject to periodical vistations
from the sword, fire, and pestilence. Its
first enemies were the Tartars, who burnt it
repeatedly: then. at least once a century. it
was visited by the plague, succeeded by
conaagation; the Poles set it on fire several
times: but the INVASION of Russia by the
French. in 1912, followed by their occupation
of Moscow, the burning of the city, and their
consequent disastrous retreat have connect
ed its history with some of the most moment
GUS and influential events in the progress of
modern Europe.
Few of our readers but are acquainted with
that extraordinary cvent-the voluntary dcs-
truction of Moscow, in order to insure the
certain ruin of the finest army that was ever
led to battle by the first general and the
ablest man ever intrusted with the dcstlnics
of people or time. The French took pos
session of the Krelmlin on the 18th of Soptem-
Der, and before night Napoleon himself ar
rived at the gates of Smolcnsko, "where he
waited, expecting dcputation from the
municipality. as he had been wont, whencv-
CT he entered any captured town-but none
came" On sending to inquire the season,
he was told Moscow was deserted. What
chill must have fallen OH his soul at the an
nouncemcnt. He sent one of his generals to
make further search and inquiries. "Not
Moscowvite was to be seen, not the least
smoke rose from single chimney, not the
slightest noise issued from the immense and
populous city; it's three hundred thousand in
habitants seemed to be stuck dumb and
motionlcss by enchantment 1t was the 81
lence of the desert"
Napoleon's star waned from that time. In
the course of the night the fire broke out, and
speedily 81 900 buildings were in ashes.
Napoleon was paralyscd; he wasted time in
attempting to negotiate, and it was not until
the 10Th of October that he quilted Moscow,
leaving orders to blow up the kremlin-
which, however, in the hurry of departure,
were only partially obeyed.
The retreat was the most dreadful on re-
cord: and although we have not had touch
of the Napoleon fever, we can fervently re-
gret the loss of the magnificent army which
the Emperor led into Russia. Russians were
invariably beaten whenever they should
fight, but King Frost and Queen Snow were
irresistible. Before their breath the finest
troops that ever marched to battle melted, as
did the host of Scnnacherib, on that fatal
night when the Israeltcs were fearfully
avenged.
Napoleon's celebrated exclamation when
he arrived at Warsaw, after he had deserted
his army, There is but one step from the
sublime to the ridiculous" was a heartess
but fitting comment on the last scene of the
horrors of his unnecessary and unskillfully
conducted Russian campaign. Had he con-
qucrcd the Russians and bafiled the weather,
his triumph could not have resulted in any
solid advantage to Ftance-for he could only
have levied a tribute, or, perhaps, Have,
patched up the kingdom Of Poland again.