The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-03-16
Death Of the Car,

Nicholas is dead. In an hour, in q minute
the hand of Death has changed the face of Faro
pean politics. Since we yesterday analysed
the news by the Pacific, every thing is altered.
Hardly one of the speculations or the surmises
which were plausible and reasonable at this
hour yesterday holds good at the present time.
Memory at once suggests that the report by
the Africa may be repetitiou of the Tartar
hoax On that occasion, the government as
well as the people of England were deceived.
S,ill the nature and number OF the accounts re-
ceived at London and Paris hardly leave room
for such possibility, We believe that the
Gear IS dead.
Dead, perhaps from apoplexy, possibly by
poison, He was i'll, il seems; so i'll as to give
an impetus to the British funds. And may
have died in the course If nature, being man
oi q fun and pIethoric habit, withal, much YEA
ried and harassed by recent events. On the
other hand, murder rune in the family. His
father was murdered soon after he was born,
one a his brothers helping to strike the old
man down. His grandfather was barbarousiy
lluTGtTa by the orders Of his wife the Empress
Catherine, her lover Orlcil strsnglng him. The
day Nicholas came to the throne, his own life
ran no small rick. Had the rebels been led by
man Of nerve ii would have gone hard with
him; as il was, it needed all he presence of
mind Of his friends 10 save him, aud drive Ry-
leiei TO the scafrold The Polish aud military
conspiracy has never been quenehed. Smo-
thCed for a time in Poia00, trodden down IL the
northern provinces aud kept under by force of
arms aud constant executions, it has shoulder
cd in silence, bul the spark has never gone out.
WhsE war was declared by the Western Powers,
ii was understood among few that the con-
spiratoTs- most of whom were officers Of the
army--had come to secret understanding with
the old German party at st. Petersburg, in OPP
position to the Muscovite party at whose head
stood the Gar. Besides the Count Nesserode,
who was VIGOROUSLY identified with the German
party, Others of more energy of character
among whom Prince Menschkoif has been men.
tioned-haye been commonly suspected, at the
Western courts, of being engaged in some plot
OF other. IL is hardly probable that the world
will ever know the truth Of the matter: in Russia
such things are secrets, and curiosity is fatal;
but 1t was maxim of Ryleief's that a revolu.
ton in Russia, to be worth anything must cost
tn c Gear bis life.
But whether he died by the hand of man or
the hand Of God, it matters little. He is dead,
and according to Russian precedent his plans
and his policy have died with him. His son, the
Cesarovich Alexander is known to be a peace
man, and the head Of the German party. II
would be exactly in accordance with former
practice for Alexander to inaugurate his reign
by reversing his fathers policy.
Indeed the only thing which seems clear in
the whole affair is that, for the present, peace
must result from this unforeseen accident. If
Alexander succeeds his father without rebellion
be viii, as matter Of course, conclude peace on
the best terms he can. If he did not, he would
give the lie TO all his pas. professions and acts
If, on the contrary, on insurrection follows,
and either the constitutional monarchy men in
the army or the old Muscovites disturb the acces-
siou of Alexander, the necessity for peace will
tesull more imminent. Despotic monarchies
are unlike all other governments. Each des-
pot Is whole in himself, has policy of his
own, which be spends his life in CARRYING out.
and does not expect to bequeath to his success
sor. Hence II is that though national aims in
despotic countries may be perpetuated from
generation to generation, the means used for
their attainment are generally different under
each sovereign, and each change Of despot in.
wolves temporary suspension Of .ha work
Russia has striven to regain Constaatinople
ger Erce the time Of Catherine ths G-aat
Ia: her plans we're netsior.ed sy Faal; Alex.