Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-03-20
STAR,
DEATH OF THE CAR.

/ 1880 - oE Ah6 VI Al.
The great event of. the death of the
oSar may change the face of Europe. In
place OF speculation on what NAV be the
consequences Of this occurrence, we give
. brief sketch of his life. ,- -.- o -
Nicholas was born july 6. 1896. and
is the third son Of the Emperor Paul
the two elder brothers being Alexander,
who became the Gear, and Constantine.
Paul had another son, Michael. Their
mother was of the royal house Of Wur.
temburg, and was a sensible and yirtu-
lous German housewife. ,'
| Nicholas was not in his earlier wear.
ldestiped for be,imperial throne and his
leducation and that Of Michael was di.
lrected by his mother. Among his tutors
twere the philologist Adelung, the polili.
cal economist Storch, and in military
AFFAIRS, General Landsdorf. Nicholas
devoted himself with ardor to the militia.
~ science, and acquired no little skill
in music" His preference, however, in
the war days of his youth, was in the
mih tary art; and up to 1915 he devoted
mostio his time to it. t-a--aa.l'.A
| At the conclusion Of the great peace
Iof 1915, he travelled into foreign coun-
triss and visited England. Returning 70
Russia, he married. July Is, 1917, Char.
lotte, eldest daughter of Frederick Will
ham of Prussia, and is the brother-in.
law of the resent king, This lady
lenbraced the Greek religion and took
the name Of Alexandra Feodorowna.
She has not enjoyed good health, and
when confined to her chamber, the em
lperor, who was devoted to her, always
attended her, watched by her bedside
and gave her her medicine.
1t was IN 1921 that the family pact
was agreed upon by which Constantine
resigned his right to the succession, and
Nicholas was declared to be heir to the
throne. At this time Alexander was
labor1ng under great hypocondria and
this pact was kept a profound secret
Nicholas, until 1925, assiduouSy pre-.
lpArea himself for his inheritance. He
visited all the Russian provinces, and
Presided some years in their Chief cities.
| Alexander, in the year 1926, spent
lmuch time in travelling. In the autumn
he was in the Crimea, leaving Sebastopol
1.-THE 10th of November, and with the era
lpress, stopped at Taranroy, exceedingly
ill. On the lst of December he died
while prayers were being offered in the
lconvcnt church at St. Petersburg, and
the principal nobility were assembled
land tue event was announced, the
Igrand duke Nicholas SUNNI oned the
Iguard of the palace and took the oath OF
Iallegiance TO Constantine, when the
Iguard took the same oath, and the othsr
|officials followed their example. AT this
thine Constantine was IN Warsaw.
The Senate soon announced that in
October, 1928, sealed packet had been
deposited with them, with injunctlons to
Iopen it in case of the death of Alexander.
before they proceeded to any other act.
They now obeyed this command. 1t
lcpntained letter of Constantine, dated
january Ia, 1922, renouncing the success
siOn, and manifesto of Ale, ande1 dated
August l6, 1898, ratifying Constantine s
ldeed Of renunciation. Nicholas, how
lever, refused TO act upon these inStru
ments, but directed the Senate to take
the oath Of allegiance to his brother.
Meantime Constantine, who first received
the news of the death of his father, re-
lnewed by letters his own abdicatiOn, and
Isent them by his brother Michael, and
December 26 Nicholas mounted the
throne. Oaths of fidelity were taken by
all the officials and most of the regi-
iments. ....
1t was announced, however, that one
regiment had quilted its barracks and
proclaimed Constantine. The military
governor went to the.a and was shot.
Nicholas also appeared before them with
out arms, addressed them, but was not
lsuccessful and as evening approached,
he ordered the insurgents to be attacked
by the troops, and they were soon dis
lpersed. On this occasion he gave great
Iproofs of calmness, personal courage. and
presence of mind. ..-,
This attempt was the work OF q band
of men who had long resolved to strike a
blow for constitutional liberty and on
this occasion capital punishment, which
for century had been banished from
Russia, was revived in the execution of
the revolutionist.
We have not the space to follow Mich
olaS from his accession as a emperor. An
event attended it is worth remembering.
When the chiefs of the insurrection were
tried, the emperor, behind q screen, pa
ltiently heard all the evidence and The
reasons there given for the attempt, was
/ q love of constitutional liberty. Nicholas
lever cordially hated this form of govern
ment. A government deriving its sane
ltion from the people, like that, of the
| United States, he was accustomed to eu
logise: but form like the British mon-
archy he was in the habit of traducing.
| He piofessed his aim towards his coun>
try was to conquer its poverty and its
barbarsm, and to improve the condition
of the Russian. .@ -...-... ..-.-. ...-..
| Since his accession, Nicholas has re-
sided constantly in his dominions, but
in 1874 he visited Queen Victoria, and
in 1916, the Pope. His iron hand
crushed unhappy Poland, and still more
| IT Il L.