New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-16

but prove beneficial. The nation saw new light,
80 new era, dawning before it Nicholas proclaimed
the supremacy Of the law ever his own win. All
seemed to blossom under the rays OF success His
star rose and sbone more and more brilliantly
The campaigns Of Turkey and Of Persia were glo-
"rious. Then came the Polish insuncction. From
this crisis Russia, after for moment coming near
"a new separation frem Europe by the possibility OF
ga restoration Of Poland thr ough the preliminary
success OF the patriotic Armies-Russis, after the
I" first blow which nearly deadly for her. re-
"covered, and Poland was onnh,lated.
"The,e events, thus happily accomplished in rapid
succession. surrounded the brow Of Nicholas with
bright halo. The nation believed in him. People
always worship the successful. And TINS Czsrism,
degraded by Alexander, was again raised into
higher region. During this time OF bis ascending
movement, Nicholas believed that his mission was to
be The conductor of his people into light and civzs-
tom that be was 10 lay stone for their moral
and social smeIioraton. He believed this to be the
mission Of an autocra Theearnestness Of his purpose
and efforts at that time dszzed and attracted miny
generous minds many strong and active inteecs, and
thew tlyopged 10 serve under his banner, to share
with him in this laborous but generous toll. II
something more than dream-it was a reality Of
several years duration. 1t seemed that in proper
ton as be rose his ind extended and purified itself.
Under Cath arine aud Alexander foreigners over
flowed Russia, the national genius was crippled all
was imitation in thinking acting, and in literature.
Nicholas put forward the idea of again bi'hing the
Russian mind in the pure hfe-giving fountain Of
genuine unsullied naty-of making y the focus
snd the compass OF civilization.
"At that time Nicholas was accessible TO truth,
hearing ,emonstranees patiently, sometimes thank
fully. He allowed the criticism of abuses through
books and dramatic representations. He combated
with ali bis might and tried TO eradicate the bound
LEES venalify and corruption-unconsciou it may
be, that they lay at the very bottom Of
the principle by which be holds his power. Ia the
fret wears Of his reign be several times tried to relax
the severity Of the censorship for home as well as for
foreign publications and newspapers, but he was con-
star lily dssuaded by his advisers. Very soen he be-
came tired of many good measures that he had ST.
tempted. And he lacks real knowledge of men.
Thus he was often misIed in his choice even then,
when aattery was not yet omnipotent over his mind.
In bis attempt to reform be stumbled at the above
mentioned impeachment. Ineortestsby he had the
power of comprehendDg new reformity idea, and
even deep and broad one: of adopting and giving
the capacity Of embracing all the details requisite for
putting it into practice, he has had in bis endeavors
TO depend on the good will ofbis Mnisterswho very
often, when bowling ostensibly to his will, and feign-
ing 10 accept the projected REFORM have surrounded
its execution with countless difficulties and thus have
often succeeded in arresting its action. In this way
many reforms projected and even decreed, have been
abandoned.
ellis mother inspired him with rgidity Of princi-
PIES and with religious respect for his own word
Thus he has a certain scrupulous honesty. He treats
with contempt or dslike an diplomatic tricks, or d.
ploma,ic toruosity. He is good husband, an excel.
lent father but these qualities do not always indicate
a true generosity Of soul. Few, if any, have seen
a warm tear moisten bis eye at great general and
not his own personal misfortune. From the begin
ming of bis reign one can cay that he has been
generous in his own way, and even lavish principally
for ostentston, when in foreign lands, well to
those who surround him, whom he believes to bs wholly
devoted TO his person But such men need kindness
less than others who work hard in the service in
lower positions, and to whom he is rather parsimoni
GUS But in whatever manner he bestows a favor, he
never does il in a simple, natural way, but always
with pompous ostentstion sometimes painful for the
receiver This leads one to presume that he lacks
real beneyolence Of heart in which respect be is far
below his brother, Alexander, or even Constantine.
"These principal features of his mind and character
have been his companions the lights and shadows in
the exercise of power, in his progress to its climax.
Having reached it, he could not Withstand its intoXi-
cation. No mortal cam Christ alone, in bis God-lke
nature, resisted temptation. But ths tempter, the
spirit of lies darkness and treachery this father of alb
soiutism, gets control of others He subdued thema
Thus he ruined Napoleon. On that unnatural hight
the head Of Nicholas soon became giddy. Those re-
gions are frozen and all generous aspirations die out
in that atmosphere The basest incense and adul.on
became alone palatable to him. Then struck the
hour Of bis moral downfall, invisible from without,
but felt deeply by Rufsia.
"In that part of his reign when his moral influence
was in the ascendant the Car tried, we have al
ready SEEN to kinde and to spread among the people
some sparks or glimpses of light and vitality. But
ten or twelve years ago change took place. His
mind faltercd and the downward movement began.
The regions Of despotic power limited neither by Law
nor reason, are like the ethereal space where swim
the celestial bodies, in themselves dark, figid,
and hfeess In that cherries sphere the Gar lost
the perception Of light He became afraid Of his own
work and learned to dread civiz stion. He evoked
and made q compact with the spirit Of darkness, and
Arrayed him against his own nation. The better
germs in his mind wthered and shrunk while the
weeds Of his character grew exubsrantly, poisoning
and strangling all the generous pulsations of his
heart. The time when he allowed some Of his coun-
cillors to give him even the most humble advice
came to an end Now he began to ask for blind com.
pisnce and the most debasing adu,stiou. Once, for
example, he had authorized the old Prince Galtzin,
the Governor General Of Moscow, to address him
frankly, ant to inform him IL any Of his acts were
unpalatable to the national spirit. The Prince en-