Washington sentinel. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1856, 1855-03-29

who has already established a reputation fol
vehement and Understanding patriotism.
But if such terms were really addressed tc
Europe, they would be extremely ridiculous, foi
an empire cannot be said to be the highest
standard of power and glory when its ports are
bockaded, its navy compelled to. disappear
from every sea, its troops defeated in every en-
counter with the enemy, and large portion OF
one of its provinces occupied by an invading
army Still less can the young Emperor boast
with any semblance of reason, that he is about
to accomplish in his own person the schemes
of Peter. Oatharine, Alexander, and his own
father, if by that expression is meant the over
throw of the Ottoman empire, and the estab-
lishment of an empire and church under the
protectorate Of the Russian Cars. Never was
| there moment when such scheme seemed
less practicable, since all the great powers are
actually bound by treaty, and prepared in arms
to resist, and to defeat it; and the mere avowal
| of deliberate intention to give effect to the
aggressive designs of those Russian sovereigns,
would be direct challenge to the rest of Eu-
rope.
| 1t is scarcely possible to imagine that the
| Court of st. Petersburg would have held such
language if it had intended to act upon it
abroad, and the greater probability appears to
to us to be that these expressions were dictated
| by the necessity Of humoring the passions of a
powerful and popular party in the Russian
empire. 1t may, however, be inferred from the
tone of this address, that war rather than
peace animates with its spirit the Russian ma
ton. So far as we are acquainted with the
manifesto the whole text Of which has not yet
| reached us, it contains no alluson to the hoped
/ for termination OF the present contest; but If
it could be supposed that the Emeror Aexan-
der III means to pursue the objects which have
already embroiled his predecessor with the
| greater part of Europe, he would scarcely have
taken this mode of declaring such an inten-
| ton.
| When, about twenty-nine years ago, his
father, the late Emperor, mounted the throne,
after short interregnum and sanguinary re-
volt of the army in the capital, Nicholas de-
clared to his people, in similar but in milder
language, that "he should live solely for his
people; that he should reign as Alexander, of
blessed memory, had reigned, in order to &C.
complish all that he had wished for the happi-
ness of Russia; and, following his example, be
hoped to obtain the blessing Of God and the
love of the people"
Such was the prelude to the reign of the
most stern, selfwilled, and absolute monarch
who ever held the Russian sceptre, who mounted
the throne amid the commotion of revolt, and
who ended it in the CONFUSION OF war. No
stronger proof could be produced of the worth
lessness of such manifestoes for any practical
purpose; and we cherish hope that the af-
tected violence of the one may be as insincere
as the affected moderation of the other.
Prussia and the New Gar.
letter from Berlin, of the 9Th says: "The
Emperor Alexander III has written to the King
of Prussia letter TO announce his accession to
the throne, and to beg of him to continue with
Russia the relations which existed between the
two countries in the time Of his father. The
Dowager Empress has also written letter to
her brother, the King. In the dispatch which
arrived here on Friday and which announced
the death Of the Emperor, were the words pro-
nounced by his majesty in French, thanking
our King for his friendship and fidelity, and
entreating him to persist in the same senti-
ments."
They began with "tell my brother Fritz"
but these words were omitted from the official
publication, from motives of propriety. One
of the most moving scenes which has occurred
here in connection with the death of the EN-
peror Nicholas, has been the celebration of the
service for the dead according to the Greek
rites, in the chapel of the Russian Embassy.
The Grand Duchess Olga, dressed in the
deepest mourning, was present, as was also her
husband, the Crown Prince of Wurtemburg,
the King of Prussia, and all the Princes and
Processes of the royal family. When the
liturgy was terminated and the prayer offered
up for the blessings OF Heaven on the deceased,
the Priests extinguished the wax candles, and
the Duchess Olga also extinguished the candle
which, according to the rites of her church, she
had held in her hand. AS she did so, the
Duchess, who had previously been deadly pale,
threw herself into the arms of the Queen and
sobbed aloud.
Manifesto of the New Emperor.
A dispatch from Koningsberg, dated the 7th
inst, gives the following summary of the mani
festo of the new Emperor of Russia:
"The manifesto of Alexander IIhas arrived.
After announcing the sadden and severe illness
of the Emperor Nicholas, which terminated in
his death, it says that, as the deceased devoted
himself ince SANITY for the welfare of his sub
iects so do we also, on ascending the throne
of Russia and of Poland and Finland, insepa.
rabe from it, take solemn oath before God
to regard the welfare of our empire as our only
object. May Providence which has selected
US for so high calling, be our guide and pro-
tector, that we may maintain Russia on the
highest standard of power and glory, and in
our person accomplish the incessant wishes
and views Of Peter, of Catharene, of Alexan-
der, and of our father. May the zeal of our
SUBJECTS assist US lneTeln. We lHVOke anu coiil-
mand the oath of allegiance to us and to the
heir to the throne, our son Nicholas Alexan-
| drowitsch.n
| DisschsIons In Russia.
| Intelligence had reached Paris from st. Pc
tersburg, which describes that city as in state
of great excitement. The mobiles had met Sc
! cretly with view Of addressing the Emperor
on the subject of arming the serfs. They pro-
posed pointing out to Alexander the ruin which
would accompany such a step, and the internal
danger that might follow.
1t was expected that St Petersburg would
be placed in state of siege. The Emperor is
reported to have declared his intention to fol-
low out the policy laid down by Nicholas at
the Congress of Vienna. Prince Gortschakof's
instructions have been confirmed. General
Paskiewitch is opposed to the arming of the
serfs, and has addressed the Emperor on the
subject The greatest confusion appears to
prevail at st. Petersburg.
From tho Seat OF Wnr-Fighting Before