Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1855-04-06


has brought about his chastsemeni,
and the other powers of Europe have
been accused of too much forbenr-
ance in their eagerncss to avert some
OF the deplorablc consequences Of
this struggle. He was warned early,
frequently, and emphaically, that if
he persisted in this course, and if he
failed To control that indomllable
pride which gave a pernicious import
10 his smallest actions, he would fall
under the ban Of Europe and it is
impossible 10 doubt that The agonlz-
ing sense of humiliation and remorse
AT the loss Of all he had reason to
prize has terminated his life. II is
one of the most solemn and forcible
examples of the tie which links hu-
man greatness to human frailly and
throughout all future time the reign
of Nicholas of Russia will be remem-
bered as an instance of the misera-
bile ending of career which has
been sacrificed 10 bad and deslruc-
tive passions, when 1t might have
been prolonged in peace, good iamo
and honor.
From whomsoever Nicholas rccei
we'd his fearful task, he has done it
with no negligent han !, and will ever
stand forth, even in Russian annals
as the conqueror, oppre ssor, and dis
turber Of nations. As such il is i'm
possible to receive the ,Idings of his
death, we will not say with a vulgar
and thoughlless congratulaiion, but
with a sense OF momentary relief,
and dawn OF hope. Never, indeed,
since the beginning of this century
was the aspect of Europe more gloo-
my, more dlshear,ening, than yestcr-
day morning. Never were The hopes
Of mankind more flung back on the
deep sense of a righteous cause, and
of strong resolution 30 defend 1t at
all hazards. Now, at least, we know
that one stubborn will is broken and
one tai world OF evil machina-
tons gone from our armament The
daring schemes OF Petcr the Great
and the impious visions of Catharne
may still plague the earth the ira
ditlons OF conquest may still be cher
ished, and the promise Of supefsiI-
ton he believed by willing volaries
yet at least one tcrub'e presence, one
active mischief, rH.1uS nstdnHS ty-
ranni, is mercifdlly Withdrawn from
US, and rations are permitted once
moro TO breathe free.
There was something portentous
in the spectacle oil one man holding
so large portion Of tho Old World,
and siill extending his conqnes,s, still
stretching his policy, at the age Of
sixty, after a reign of thirty years.
Great conauerors have commonly
been cut short, either by the stroke
Of disease, or the hand of an nssas-
sin, or the icklenoss of fortune, at a
much earlier age, and it seemed some
thing reserved for this century 10 see
one continually spreading the meshes
of a subtle policy aud an iron do
mnlon wider and wider for a whole
generation. But man has his limits.
Flesh and blood are not equal to the
grasp Of ambition aud the scope Of
the mind BY the concurrent tesli-
mony of all who have known the
Emperor Nicholas he was such a
man as the ancienls magn fled into
a Standardization ia his very
frame, al uncommon stature, beau
~ aud g,ace, born 20 be king Of
mcn-such one as our own VIII
liam the Conqueror, or even as Char
lamagne. Nothing this word can
supply for itself or borrow from the
masses vas wanting to feed his am
biIion, TO exalt his genius, TO assist
his undertakings. From the begin
ming OF his reign, he showed that he
inherited aud graspcd, as in one pos
session, all the accumulated hopes
and Illusions of his dynasty. Secure
as he felt from the West, he prepar-
ed at once for the conquest of the
East. One check after another only
taught hIm 10 lay deeper the founda-
ton Of dominion, but for thirty years
he has never ceased, above ground
or underground, to push his scheme
Of universal empire. The race,
however, was with time, and when
he found his own life ebLing apace,
at the approach OF an epoch which
for ages had been designated for the
triumph of the Cross over the Cres-
cent Of Constantinople, he could no
longer restrain himself, and broke
loose as river from its banks, for
the conquest of the world. We do
but anticipate the calm judgment of
posteriiy when we describe the par
ticular act which began this unhappy
war by saying that on a mere pre-
tense, and IA open contempt for the
law of nations, the Emperor invaded,
spoiled and seized the territory of a
neighbor, and not only justified, but
compelled the interference of the
Western Powers, who otherwise
would have had, in their turn, to
fight harder battle nearer home.
For these two years all Europe has
beheld with increasing astonishmenl
how one man, assuming and exercIs-
ing all the attributes Of absolute
power, and, therefore, having hinself
alone TO rely upon, could maintain
that single-handed struggle against a
world OF statesmen, diplomatis,s,