Daily American organ. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1856, 1855-08-13
NUMBER 23O.
Interesting Letter from Russia.

l ",
written, we presume, by the gentleman who :, :
Gently left Ohio to proffer his medical services 10
the Russian Government. The elettsr will be fourd
very interesting at the present moment II Il
dated
81 PETERsBuRGH, RUSSIA, July G, 1855.
DEAR SIR After safe and unusually pleasaI
passage across the Atlantic, in the steamer Her
mann, set foot on the shores of the Old World
for the first time, in the early part Of june Tle
season was truly fortunate, all nature being clothed
in an emerald garb Of beauty, and the air perfumcd
with the fragrance Of blooming flowers The coal
OF long cherished hopes had at last been realized
and wandered about the beautiful boulevards tf
Bremen, our anding-placc, unable to realize that
was really In Europe. OF the reality Of transi-
ton from familiar to a strange land, my ewes.
however, soon bore ample testimony, IA they war
| dered over this ancient German city, and gazed
| upon its quantly-constructed houses, with their
tiled roofs, old churches and towering spires some
OF which are the creations Of past centuries, silent
monitors in the busy thoroughfares of the present
to conduct us to the rich storehouse of the past
The foreign scene which gradually takes posses
sion OF the mind, is of course deepencd by the ur-
meaning sounds, strange manners and custonp.
which everywhere greet the eye and ear. AL
travellers, no dosbt, at first experience dificu-
ty in harmonizing the uniform feeling of indiyidr-
aty, with the realization of great change in lr-
cality. SO great has this been with me, when first
beholding some object familiar by reading, that |
have frequently doubted my senses, or imagir cd
myself transformed being. My destination. az
you well know, was the city from which | now
write, and being anxious to reach 1t at the earliest
moment, l pushed on rs rapidly as possible, 80
that, although the route is a long one, and lends
over the best portions of Northern Germany and
Prussia, my impressions of these countries are or.
y snch as could be derived from hasty glancsa
through the windows Of a railroad car This view,
beside being superficial, was onc-sided SO that
anything like complete description of tile whole
country, from actual observation, would be out Of
the question.
Inc morning following our debarkation / left
Bremen for Berlin, which was reached the evening
Of the same day. The railway between these two
places Ia one of the best have ever seen, both
IN ts construction and management There are
three classes OF carriages none but nobility ard
lts disgusting ape, the snob, think of taking seats
in the first clasa whilst the majority travel in Il o
second class cars, which to my taste are mo q
comfortable even than our first class. greater
beauty, because a greiter humanity, is also oil
served in the regulation Of these roads, in d
scrupuons care Of life and property The ''ligh-
ning-train" spirit of our country, by proper OIL
servation of their system, might be benefited 10
such an extent at least, that the shadows of death
need not stare man in the face every time he
steps aboard train Of cars
The general appearance Of the country between
Bremen and Berlin is that of vast level plain sell
dom interrupted by the outline OF hills or rolling
lands. II is, however, under high state Of cult.
vation, and, from the appearance Of the many dii-
fcrent kinds of vegetables and grains the lahorsr
will be amply repaid for the sweat OF his brow
Tho absence Of fences, and the very small patches
into which the grounds are divided, gave the
country, to NE, a very singular appearance. Neat
bitches are made to supply the place of the former
and the latter are both carefully and effectually
titled by the peasant farmer, many Of whom, We
doubt not from the products of piece of ground
not larger than an onion patch In an American
garden, contrive to live through the year, and at
its close more than make both ends meet. Here,
too il seen the real shepherd, with his hook and
his trasty dog, tending his flock which here and
there are grazing over the plain.
AT Berlin | was necessarily detained several
days, but as expect 10 be there again, and for a
longer time before returning home, will for the
present leave that beautiful city of the Great Fred
crick, and pass on TO n country of much more
present interest and about which far less is known
The traveller from the Spree to the Neva, takes
his seat in the cars upon the bank Of the former
stream, at II o'clock at night, and soon finds him.
self whrling over country bearing the same gen.
eral stamp as that already described. The soil il
sandy and in many places almost barren. The
same level plain stretches far away, dotted occa-
sionay with groves Of pine trees and white trunk
ed birch, which during the day offer cool retreats
for grazing cattle and lazy peasants,
The railroad east Of Berlin extends to Konings.
berg, distance of about $50 miles, which Is made
in 81 hours. As you approach this latter place
the scenery becomes moro varied and picturesque.
Beautiful villages peep ont from the midst of
groves Of pine and towering poplar, whilst far In
the distance, buildings occupying more command
ing positions, Of lofter mien, and mosque domes,
raise Qheir proud forms; an occasional glimpse of
the Hue waves Of the Baltic adds to the diversity
and beauty of this view.
Koningsberg contains near 10000 inhabitants,
and is now 50 strongly fortified that second Ben.
nington might meet with serious difficulty before
successfully storming its ramparts. Much of the
trade that was heretofore carried on through the
Russian Baltic ports Is at present transacted here
Heap ia the chief article Of export, whilst large
quantities Of cotton, sugar, and other necessaries
Of life received in return and transported upon
wagons 10 all parts of the interior of Russia One
Of the two only remaining castles, built by the old
Teutonic Knights, who, some Ave or six centuries
ago, were the ordly owners Of the Southern Baltic
shore, is here TO be seen, its high walls and lofty
keep retaining all their original majesty and gran
deur 1t Is now used for public Offices, a suit of
rooms being reserved for the King when he visits
his loyal subjects Of this fayoIite province. There
too is to be seen the humble cottage in which
hhHt HNtl, anu HoNt tlcltpHJSlCu VI
thought into web Of transcendental nonsense.
Near by IL his fvoHte promenade, where his ma
terial body sought aid and exercise by moving to
and fo whilst the nobler part Of his being, burst
ing from its prison.home Of clay, wandered far in
to the regions Of the great unknown. In honor
Of him Il l. now called the philosophers walk.
Leaving Konigsberg in the morning. reached
the Prussian frontier early the following morn
ing The ride in comfortable nnlc-post, over
the beautiful roads OF which Russia Il so Justly
proud, was anything but disagrecablc. a striped
pole, as large as giant fshing-rod, swung over
the road, marks the boundary line. Near this Il
the police or government station to which you are
driven, and quietly aighting, must submit not only
your baggage and passport, but also your object IN
visiting his Majcsty's dominions, to rigid eSam-
nation. All newspapers, and even scraps print
ed matter, are destroyed and should you be lit
possession Of any books, they taken and after
being neatly packed and sealed are given in your
care to be carried to st. Petersburg they requir
ing you to sign an obligation to deliver them OH
your arrival to the censor, by whom they are ex.
amined and if of proper character returned to
their owner. Should any, however, happen to be