The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1855-06-12
The Tomb Of Nicholas.

The st. Petersbnrgh correspondent of the
Boston Transcript gives the following. particu-,
lars of the burial place Of the Cars Of Russia
The most interesting church in ST. Peters
burgh is.that dedicated to st. Peter and St.
Paul, otherwise called the Fortress CHURCH"
as it stands within the citadel Of the city. Its
slender spre, precisely resembling that Of the.
Admiralty, rises far above all others, to: the
height of $40 feet and its gildcd surface shines
dazzihgy in the sun. 1t is said that 10000
ducdts have already been expended in the gliding
of this spiro But within the Fortress Church rest
the ft bins of all the Cars since Peter the Great.
No European monarcls rest 50 .unostcntatiously,
and no others are buried within the walls Of q
fortress. To each Emperor there. is erected
merely sarcopbagqs, with frequently his initial
letters engraved upon il. Each of these sarco
phagi is covered with pail Of cloth of gold,
embroidered with the doublc.headed eagle
Upon the Grand Duke Constantine's tomb lie
the keys of some Polish fortresses, While Alex.
anders bears small military medal with Ills
portrait. Each tomb is surrounded by.a neat
iron railing, and the part Of the have devoted
to.the tombs is again separated from the body
of the church. AS / visited the church: during
Lent the cloth Of gold was concealed in every
case by faded black covering. Beginning with
Peter the Great | passed BY all the Cars in
chronological order. Here lay, the great Cash.
crime and sleeping quietly BY her side, her 'hus.
band Peter Iii. to whom she in her lifetime re-
fused this place. Around one of the sarcophagi
saw dense crowd and approaching it.,
found it that of Nicholas. The cloth was new,
and no dust had settled upon the ermine border
His initial letter was embroidered in amarant,
Eand-a candle burns day and night upon the
tomb. Ghs little relic that was placed upon.h
breast while he lay in state in the Palace, lies
upon the middle Of the sarcophagus. 1t is sur
rounded by wreath of immortals. Every one
who approached the spot seemed touched with
real sorrow, and all spoke in whispers around
the grave of the great man. AS / stood there
watching the crowd, the gates were suddenly
thrown open, and an old General in fulluniform
entered and approached the tomb. Taking off his
helmet he held it before his face, and kneeling,
seemed for few moments to be engaged in ear.
nest prayer. The helmet shook in his hand as
with emotion. Finally rising, he kissed the
relic that had lain upon his masters breast and
then crossing the aisle kissed Aexapder's tomb
in the same way. lie had served under both
Emperors, and this, his daily tribute to their
memories, was most touching. He is the COM
lnander of the fortress of St. Petersburg, and
one Of the last acts in the public life of Nicho-
las, was to thank him for his public ser, ices. The
Car sent him the imperial portrait enriched
with diamonds.
Upon the walls and around the pillars Of the
Fortress Church hang trophies taken from the
Turks, Persians and French. In this way the
Russians have decorated all their churches, and
hardly nation but is represented in St. Peters
burg or Moscow. The English. believe, are
tho only exceptions, but who caf tel how long
they may continue so? Above three hundred
Persians' suns and Turkish crescents here bow
before the cross of the Christians. -