The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1855-04-04

founding and unexpected was the intelligence
and 50 hioi,ly important to the destinles O
Russia and the interests of Europe was tlt
event announced, that we are disposed to dono'
its correctness. and set it down as an emanatlor
from the brain of some unprincipled dispenser
Of news, who sought thus to impose upon The
credulity of the public, and perpetrate q stu
pendous and wicked fraud. But subsequen
dispatches seem to have established the truth
fitness of the report, and convinced the mos
skeptical that the czar of Russia IS no more
Death which inyades alike the kings palace ane
the PEASANTS hut, has snatched away from eartl
one of its mightiest potentates. The supreme
ruler over seventy millions Of people, the lore
over the broadcast kingdom upon earth, the
most potent, the wiscst, the most dreaded o
all European sovereigns, has at last been sub
dued-not BY the earthly foes by whom he waE
environed, but by the omnipotent will OF God
the great being that gave him life, capacity anc
power. Tie sceptre he has welded has wresteo
from his grasp, the crown he wore has been tori
from his brow, and both lie in the dust, equa
with the scythe and spade of his meanest serf
Thus passes away all human greatness. 81
perishes and fades majestic man.
The car Nicholas was born on the 9th o
July, 1895, and was consequently SO years o
age when he died. He married, in 1917, the
princess Of Prussia, sister of the reigning king
BY whom he had six children-four sons anC
two daughters. Nicholas assembled the throne
upon the death of his brother and the legiti
mate heir to the throne, minded of his W in
capacity and fearful Of being assassinated BY
the aristocracy in revenge for his participation
in the murder of his father, having agreed
to resign his right to the succession. Wher
Nicholas assumed the reins of government, the
country was in a most deplorabie state, conse.
quent upon the imbecility Of Alexander during
the last three years Of his reign. The treasury
was empty, ~vena]ity and corruption bore full
sway in every department of the government,
and the empire was shaken to its centre by in
testine revolts. The czar with an energy,
promptitude and wisdom deserving of all
praise, called around him experienced and
trustworthy advisers, and placing himself al
the head of the army, quelled the insurrection
and restored the empire to peace and prosperity
During the first few years of his reign, he
evinced a disposition to ameliorate the political
and social condition of his subjects, and to re-
lax the severity of his rule. He even went SO
far as to proclaim the supremacy Of the law
over his own will, and to allow the criticism Of
abuses in books and dramatic representations.
Under these and other measures Of reform the
country became in the highest degrees prosper
Gus and tranquil. But this state of things did
not last long. Unsuitable ambition, and radi-
tional thirst for conquest, precipltated him into
wars, which depleted the treasury, raised the
taxes, and produced general discomfort. In
surrections broke out in several of the provin-
ces, including that of. Poland, all of which he
easily suppressed, but in doing so he displayed
glimpses of a character and feeling which re-
vealed a cold -blooded heart and the disposition
of a tyrant. His cruelty to the Poles is a foul
blot upon his escutcheon which time cannot
eface. In order to keep down the people,
Nicholas frightened the reins of government,
and annulled all the ~reformatory measures
which he had previously instituted. From
that time to this he has ruled over Russia WITH
an iron sway. His will has been the supreme
law of the land. We have not room here to
e~xpatiate upon the public character Of Nicho-
las, and therefore content ourselves with giving
the above short sketch of his career. In his
private relations he is represented as having
being unexceptional. and was, as a husband and
father, a perfect model of domestic virtues.
The successor of Nicholas is bis eldest son,
Alexander, the hereditary grand duke, who was
born in 1918. We are informed a few years
since, by a distinguished gentleman, who at
one time represented the United States at the
court of St. Petersburg, that the grand duke is
not a whit inferior to his father, in intellect,
energy or popularity. \. O. Bul.
MORE FA1LUREs.-The steamship Prone
theus, at New Orleans, brings information that
a financial crash had occurred in San Francis
co Of the s~everest character. 1t was on &C
count of this that the departure of the Uncle
Sam was delayed. The Chronicle calls the
Esd ultimo, the .lnkerman of banking in the
capital of the golden State. From the latest
accounts, however, there seemed to be strong
grounds for believing that the misfortunes Of
the day would be soon successfully retrieved.
According to the Alta California, on announce
ment of the failure of Page, Bacon & Co., of
st. Louis, a run was at once made on the
house IN San Francisco, and during the day
on which the news was received over $4OO, 600
was Withdrawn from the bank. The next day
the run ceased, and matters apparently were
moving on as. usual, till the morning of the
22d. when their bank was not opened at the
usual hour and shortly afterwards handbills
were sent all over town, announcing that they
must suspend. 1t appears that quite a deep
run had been going on during the whole of the
2lst, till their specie was reduced to less than
100000, and they feared to keep open any
longer. Owing to the fact that the 92d was a
holiday, but little business was done that day;
yet it seems that over 5000, 900 was drawn out
from Adams & Cos. That evening the steam
er arrived with the news that Page, Bacon &
Co., announced that they, too, must suspend,
and shortly after, Wells, Fargo & Co. follow
ed suit. Two very small affairs called savings
banks did the same, and then came a general
run on all that remained open. The greatest
run was upon Drexel, Sather d Church, B.
Davidson, and Lucas, Turner d Co., Tallant q
Wilde, and Sanders & Brenham suffered little
from the panic, and paid off their depositors.
Palmer, Cook & Co., were not affected by the
run in the least, but paid every claim as pre-
sented. IN the 24th the run continued, tho
most OF the small depositors had withdrawn
their deposits on the day previous. Page. Ba-
con d Co. would resume, it is said on the 28th,
their creditors having given them an extension
on a very large amount of their Indebtedness.
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