The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-16
Biographical Notice OF the Late Emperor
Nicholas.

Maria Fevdorowns the fifteenth sovereign Of the
Romanof dynasty, If the imperial historians TO
believed In reality he the eighth sovereign OF the
Holstein Gotorp dynasty, the Rouanod having
extinct with Peter III. The Hosteins are Of Ger.
man descent; their name is dficui Of prcnunca-
ton to Russian lips. Nicholas, aware that the Musco
vite pride would feel but little fatered the
cred person OF their sovereign to She deteod Of
semetz, (Germens), always carefully suppressed hi
real family The courtiers maintained
in spite of all proof to the contrary, tha.
tue blood flowing in the veins of the Gar
Russian to the last drop. Goiovins, however,
informs that the poet Pouchkin OF c,nrary opin
ion "He had says Golovine, "a habit of illustrating
the nationality Of the rtignng family In a whimsical
manner. lie would pour into glass OF pure red
wire in honor of Peter l., whose Russian origin could
not he disputed He should, justly speaking have stop
ped there and turned the glass upside down but faith
full TO tho principle of the Russian government which
makes the Gotorps pass for the Romsnois lie would
pour in another glassof waterin honor of Catherine
II, Princess OF Anhalt This time he should perhaps,
have poured glass Of wine but fearing compromise
himsef would pass and pour another glass OF
for Maria Fevdorowna the mother Of Nicholas l. then
fourth, for the regning Empress and he obtained at
last liquor slightly tinRed with red that he would
excite general laugh when he called upon hs audience
to decide as to whether II was wine or water he
showing them, and whether by comparison, the rel n.
ing Cars were really Russians Germans" This Mus
covite pleasantly had the merit of expressing the exact
truth with reference to the ultra national pretensons
Of tie Emperor Nicholas.
Il is, however, curious to remark by the way that
in spite Of the strong desire of the the Gotorp
TO pass for Romanos they do not carry a.
to abandon the titles that belong to them representa-
yes Of the elder branch Of Hol ten thus Nicholas in
variabiy added to the qualifications attached to tho
Czarate those of Heir Of Norway Duke OF Schleswg of
stormar, of Ditmorsen, and 0ldenburg.
Nicholas twenty years OF age when he cam, to
tie threne. Born the year of DEATH 1eo he
had been educated under the eye OF his excellent mother
the Empress Marie from whom he derived sound re
lgious instruction and high moral principle Childhood
bad yelled from him the awful tragedy which closed his
fathers fe and the great which terminated With
the burning Of the Kremlin Warned by the example OF
his brothers. his marriage had been delayed tn be st.
tanned bis majority when he united to Louise Char.
os os,e Sausn.er o. Frederic william III o. Prussia.
never been questioned From the period OF his mar.
rsse TIL his accession he had like all members OF the
royal family, devoted himself to military studies He
lived retired and spent most Of his time Ia the barracks
1t does not appear that he derived much fruit from his
quently displayed such want Of skill as to expose him
to the rdicue OF his oficera II to believe the
works OF some OF his countrymen he nearly contryed
10 frusrate the OF his army in is2s by his
ID Judged interference and injud clous maneuvrcs.
lbe very day OF his accession, the most formidable
revolt that Russia had known since the days Of Michael
Rcmanof broke out in the capital II was not ormda-
be by its strength or the skin BY which It marked
couple OF thousand officers and OF intellect com.
posed its entire force and their plans wouy de-
ctive But II differed from all former insurrectons In
It's principle They had been family quarrsls for power,
court intrgues, outbursts Of insubordnation among
the soldiery-ths the first direct blow struck for
popular rights The aim of Rylcief in the north and
Pest. in the SOUTH superEede the autocracy sf
thee zars by constitutional monarchy. They wanted
freedom for themselves and their fellow coln,rymen
Ard though they foresaw that the struggle might in
voise the desth OF the Car, this they regarded
mere incidental consequence and not the main object OF
ave Dfed IN
stanne had he offered them constitutional guarantees
LOT nss na,ursi lights An nsurTee9n SUI on this ground
On the 25th Of December the oath TO be admins
tered to the regime nts Instead of swearing several
abandoned their barracks and marched TO the great
square in ST. Petersburg which the statue the
Great rests, shouting, Hurrah for Constantine They
might well have shouted Hurrab the Pope 80 tar
a. their purpose went-but all insurgents must have
rsllying cry. Con6dpg his son to loyal Finnish regi
taons and advanced against the rebels lie again
and again 10 divert them from their purpose; but l.
Ing resorted at last AZ nighta TO the final expedent
OF the gras" They were incapable Of resisting and In
hour after the hrs. shot the streets were
cleared and, .ha ihe rebellion was qael.d Ryl,e, and
whose movements in the south anticipated These
two eminent men-the stern republican OF the old
Roman school, whose soul knew no swerving from the
rect line Of principle, and who thought OF nothing bat
freeing his country the other chvarous young officer
full Of nobility eloquence and frewere hanged with
three others the borders Of the Neva After the drop
had fallen three Of the ropes broke the bodies or
the condemned fell heavily the grave dug az
their feet "Cursed country" exclaimed Ryigisf,
"where people neither conspIre, nor Judge nor
hangr' Disabled by their fall they were carrisd once
the scaiod and the gray dawn saw their bodies
htiiened in death Several other sprators
TO Siberia.
n omirous beginning for a reign. II had afforded
Nicholas opportunity for the display OF personal
courage; other qualities required OF him
lie gained popularity by freely With his sub
ects, and interesting himself in their welfare He cut
down the expenses Of the Court and thus relieved the
tax payers He undertook to reform every department
Of the government, and displayed un'rng activity in
By the conspiracy Of the Goth December tn. Emperor
had been made aware OF tho corruption which had
reached all classes; the bureaur full Of fraud
theft, and every kind OF iegality. Justice ron
dered unju,tly, and law was constantly eluded. lie
re,olved TO be the Justnian Of his empire
speTanski directed 10 pre- Official collec
on OF the Russian laws. The archives military civil
and synodathe ukas Of the imperial abinet and the
Judgments Of the different branches Of the admnisra
ton, put together. All these materials formed
general collection (Sobrasns zakonu) consisting OF
thirty rine thousand nine hundred acts II Is not With
out interest to remark, that in tn enormous M mber
thirty thousand nine hundred and twenty these acts
anterior TO the accession Of Nicholas We thou.
sand and seventy three between 1875
and 1882. The Gar, IL II seen sonc produced mors
presided the compilation Of the acts which We have
Just spoken OF, and which OF necessary 10
make agree in all their details.
Air, ady forty hve quaro volumes of the .grod or
Russian Dgest have been published, and regulate the
decisions Of the Russian tribunals.
During a long period Nicholas passed all his nights
and days 10 superintendiDz these arduous labors,
aud IN bringing them TO satisfactory result in spite Of
tn@ tNInO Ol lne burehucrate. Ills frame
soon allowed signs Of the excessive labor he imposed
himself his wife constantly pleaded with bin for 90 ne
relaxation from his tolls. Where he could detect cor.
ruptcn he punished severely. Thus for year or tso
he did we'll.
Soon, however he struck upon the rock on which his
brother had foGncered. Insstlabs amb sion Traditional
thirst for conauest, hurried him into The taxes
szaln. biscontsnt revived Secret socletes were
foimsd Issuuectioas broke out In various proyinces
Then Poand, crushed under the iron heel Of ConstAn
.!hs made sels eo,, 70 rear i;s head The club q
future compsints, whole provinces dspopuisted.
The vengeance OF Nicholas was ptess Every one re.
mbers the horrible treatment 20 which the insurssnts
subjected. Poland incorporated with Russia
hnd became province OF the empire.
The retrogra3e movement Ia fuI ylror.
Secret polee-the constant weapon Of dsspotsrn-