The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-08-30

obliging the patriotic and able Olozsga to seek
for safety in foreign countries. The young
Queen was authorized by the Cortes to take the
reins Of government into her own inexperienced
hands; but Navarro a kind of military dicts-
tor, was the person who, in reality, ruled Spain,
though he allowed himself for while to be in
auenced by Louis Philippe and NJ Guizot, and
by Queen Christina, too.
But Louis Philippe and his abettors found
soon that the plan Of uniting one of the French
Princes with the Queen Isabella would meet with
too formidable an opposition, not only from the
European Governments generally, but also from
the Spanish nation, on account of the appre-
hension that this union might lead TO the sub
serviency of Spain to France. Consequently,
the original plan was so far modified as TO en-
brace q marriage only between one of Louis
Philippe's sons and the Spanish Queens sister.
Meanwhile, the intended visit of the King of
France, during the course of the summer OF
1914, became a subject of general attention
throughout Europe, and especially at St. Pc
tersburgh. The Emperor Nicholas had never
disguised his luminosity to Louis Philippe,
whom he viewed as an upstart and rebel
against his lawful sovereign, and he could not
patiently see the pains which the King of France
took, in order to acquire popularity in England,
and increase the good understanding between
himself and the English Queen and her Minis
| tiers. With the purpose of counteractng the
effect of the intended visit Of Louis Philippe
to England, and of forwarding his own ambi
tious schemes for the extension of the territory
and power of Russia, the Gar resolved sudden
! ly to visit England in person, before the intend
ed visit of Louis Philippe had taken place.
Nicholas, with all his apparent franknesS,
was shrewd Judge of human nature, and IN
derstood exceedingly well how to gain the
| haartq of mon apd rapdar tLar, I;abla Ia
ceive the impressions which he aimed to pro
duce. Conscious of his eminent abilities, and
of the mighty influence of an imperial smile,
and of the fiattery Of SO great a Prince, he
went to England, seemingly TO pay homage to
its youthful Queen, but in reality to thwart her
individual wishes, to seduce her Ministers into
opposition to their royal mistress, to advance
his own Interior designs, and to satisfy his envy
and enmity, by raising obstacles against the
accomplishment Of the schemes Of Louis Phil
! ippe. He proceeded to Great Britain, with the
hope of reviving the sunken spirit of the Con-
sentative party, to reward old friends, and to
gain new ones. He was the more hopeful of
success, as the Otaheite question was likely to
produce much GOODNESS, if not open hostility,
between France and England, and which, by
pouring oil upon the fire, he might, in spite of
the wishes of the Queen, convert into a means
of preventing the intended visit Of Louis Phil
ippe.
Infatuated with selfconcelt rs was the En-
peror Nicholas he can scarcely be supposed to
have been so blinded as not to have perceived
that Queen Victoria must necessarily feel herself
somewhat embarrassed on receiving at that time
a visit of the enemy of the King Of France, for
whom she entertained the highest regard, and
whom she was anxious, within few weeks, to
welcome as her honored guest. But accustom-
ed to act without caring for the feelings of
others, and sure to be received with all the
! formalities due to his rank, he disregarded the
uneasiness and embarrassment which he was to-
cause lady and sovereign. This, indeed,
was poor proof Of the delicacv of feelings
which might justly have been expected from q
Prince who pretended to be a complete gentle
man, and who was provoked to fury by the
smallest transgression against the prescribed
etiquette of his own Court
The reception of the Gar in England was
respectful and splendid, but formal The Queen
was exceedingly polite, attentive, and courteous,
/ but reserved. The people showed a great deal
| Of curiosity to see the great sight Of the mighty
! Prince whose word constituted the law of sixty-
! five millions of human beings, who had peopled
! Siberia with hundreds of thousands of gallant
/ Poles and Of Russians whose ONLY crime was
attachment to freedom; and, lastly, whose abil-
tiles as a ruler were no less formidable than
were the military forces that formed the pillars
of his throne. The Wings among the nobility
kept generally distant from the Autocrat and
| believe that, among this class, the Duke of
Devonshire was the only one who feasted the
Russian bear. But the high Tories showed
him the most or1iality and sincere admiration.
Among the Ministers, Lord Aberdeen, who had
long been honored with the friendship of tho
Gar, showed himself especially attentive. But
1t was In the ear Of Sir Robert Peel that the
Emperor of Russia whispered the words, q" that
Russia was the naval ally of England. and
France their common enemy; that the time
was perhaps not far distant, when the English
Government might find itself necessitated 10
oppose by force the ambitious plans of the
cunning King of France; and that in such a
case, England might rely upon the friendship
and cooperation Of Russia"