New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-19
miu. Bot he acted with 4 firm percussion that

he wss right while unrelenting aud cruel in crush
ing whatever he believed was in opposition to his
own decisions. No one could push the idea Of
satocracy to q greater extent. without IN skng il
brute, physical despotism. Nicholas thus made
the accomplishment Of bis own policy impossible
His successor must recede from the path marked
out for his feet Even with ,ut becoming liberal
or constitutional sovereign be will be obliged to
relax the reins that have been strained to their
utmost tension. The individual action Of the
subject must be rein.tated, and will form the
prelude to more general political aud social
emancipation. Even Nicholas himself, with all
bis energy, would be unable to reproduce the
phase of autocratic power, through which he
once carried the nation.
In all his actions, Whatever their bearing and
value, Nicholas was upright and transparens-s
trickster douehface, a bypocrte, dodge never.
He did not shun the light, even for his most Sc
we're acts, nor did he try to give them false hue.
He never assumed tie mssk Of liberalism, nor con-
cocted his schemes in darkness. He never ga
luted his victims with the aiss of Judas.
The events of $780, with their Developments
and consequences, inspired bin with the belief
that be was the special instrumen Mt Of Providence
to support the principle of Legitimacy. He was
strengthened in this belief by the adulation of
the European sovereigns, who freely lavishei on
him the incense Of their hattery. To this sdven-
tirious idea, Nicholas sacrificed In the ;Ond part
of his reign, the true interests of Russia awill
be shown by the future historian. In the violent
eruptions of 1859, he at fret took az expectant
position; but this was soon abandoned aud at the
instance of others, he reoced to share more fully
in European concerns than just regard to Ris'
sian interests would have dictated. THIS is espe
ciay true OF his Intervention in the affairs OF
Hungary. In the other complications, growing
out of the coofuson Of the times, as for instance,
in the questions relating to the position of Ger
many, as between Austria and Prussia, he acted
a as moderator and friendly arbiter.
The recent events, from the midst of which
Nicholas was taken away, are still 10 state of eb-
ulliton, and do not permit US to predict their ult
mate denouement They must be left to the
decision of future history. Time only will show
whether Nicholas could have acted in different
manner as sovereign of Russia, or whether the
position into which he is accused of having pre-
cipitated Europe, will in the end prove beneficial
or destructive to the social and political progress
of the Russian Empire.
We have alluded to some of the most striking
points in the reign of Nicholas from which he
must be judged before the tribunal of history, In
the twofold function of the Russian Car, aud Of
member of the grand association of States, and
hence q participant in events which have
shaken them to the foundation. He, no doubt, In
some measure, checked the progress of revou-
ton in Europe. His opposition was source Of
terror to the friends of reform. But they as
crioed to him more power to arrest or impede
it's progress than be really possessed Both the
fears of the revolutionists and the cowardice Of
the aristocrats exaggerated the influence of Mich
olas. 1t was assumed, at that time, that he held
the destinies of Europe in bis hand, but in fact,
be only slightly moved the scales from the point
where they had been placed by fate. Asst Rus.
sian Emperor, he leaves Russia in higher
state of development, physically and men,
tally-more advanced in civilization and eniight-
epme at-than when be mounted the throne. But,
notwithstanding all this, we cannot give MIN the
pane of great man or great sovereign. We
can only call him an eminent one, superior to all
his crowned contemporaries.
The present century, in spite of the narrow
criticism of csvilers, is great in ITSELF and there
fore unfavorable to the growth of great men. Nay
more, is our belief that humanity in its present
state, does not require them-that the time for
such captains of the race Is past for ever. We
are on the threshold of a new, grander, and a
more original evolution Of humanity than can
show any precedent in history. The race, in its
integral masses, and not few selected indvidu-
ais, are to accomplish this grave mission. The
throes of child birth, which are to regenerate the
world, must be shared by the common heart of
humanity, and not directed by the command or
leadership of individuals In proportion to the
grandeur of the epoch, the Importance of personal
greatness vanishes away.