The American patriot., 1855-01-24

AFFAIRS IN ST. PErERsBURG-The following is
from private letter, dated the 9Th ult, from St,
Petersburg It possesses much interest, as sery.
ing to indicate the temper Of the imperial family
and the people concerning the war:
In consequence Of the news of the affair Of the
9th Of November, the Empress has had a serious
and even alarming relapse. The courier found the
emperor in the apartment of the Empress, await
ing the news with feverish impatence, and when
the truth was declared to him he could not restrain
his feelings, but broke out into the strongest ex-
preston Of dissatisfaction and anger against his
generals and his army.
One exclamation which escaped him respecting
his sons greatly alarmed the Empress who was
aware that they were with the army in Scbastopol;
she feared that some terrible calamity had befallen
thcm seeing the agitation of her husband and she
tainted away. She remained for some time insen-
sible; and it was with much difficulty that the EN-
peror and the attendants succeeded in restoring
her to animation. She became more calm when in
formed that nothing had occurred to her sons but
her health has seriously suffered from the shock
caused by the defeat of the army at Inkerman, and
she has now to struggle against an increase Of de-
bility and low fever. The greatest alarm is for
her, and her recovery is considered very doubtful
indeed.
She solemnities ofthc anniversary of the acces-
sion to the crown were very limited this year, they
were confined to a mere religious service in the
churches. Amid the fears which the presence of
the Allied fleets has Qccasioned us, and the danger
they yet menace you can scarcely have an idea Of
the desperate efforts making here to complete the
ornaments of every kind, for next Spring The
Grand Duke Constantine takes to reposc. He is
at one moment in the arscnals of st. Petersburg,
again at Sweaborg, and then at Cronstadt, inpect-
ing everywhere fleets, arsenals foundrics and all
the troops connected with those departments
| Inn Sc ofto oh1i fo 70
excessive arder to avoid alarming the population.
We have several ships Of the line in the admiralty
docks, the screws for which are already advanced
in execution. Of the guard (d'elite) we have here
at this moment only the regiment of of fPreobrash-
enski, with its reserve battaions Of the rest two
divisions are on their march to Poland, and the
third is partitioned in the Baltic provinces.
The letters we receive from the Crimea relative
to the disasters caused by the hurricane the l4th
state that the crops Of Dannenberg part of which
was en- route for Bakshiserai has suffered partic-
ularly. Their condition is Of the most frightful
kind from want of provisions as well as the tenn
pest. Many chiefs of divisions who have been
wounded in the affair 70 the 9th have died of their
hurts.
see that foreign journals say good deal about
the pacific dispositions" Of our Court. This
believe to be completely mistake. The contrary
is the truth. Persons placed in a very good posi-
ton at the Court declare in the strongest manner
that neither the imperial family nor the high func-
tionares of the empire manifest the fantest desire
to accept unreservcdly the conditions proposed by
the Wertern Powers As to Austria, every one
hereis furious against her, particularly since the
communication which was made by Prince Gort-
schakoff
"Russia will never forget or forgive her perlidy, !"
cried lady the other evening in the saloon of M.
-" "For my part am ready to give at this mo-
ment, as contribution, 100 Of my serfs for the
regiment of Chasseurs'' Three days afterwards
the niece of the lady in question was appointed
ofthe ladies in waiting to the Empress, but the
Emperor at the samo time had an admonition con-
veyed to her to be cautions how she spoke Of pol
tcs in society, and particularly in saloons which