The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1855-04-18
WHOLE NBMBRR 5l1.
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saeharae.eE ID lee In.e Czar.e

Inthe recently published second volume
of Sir Archibald AIlisou,s "History Of Ed-
rOpe,p (new series.j we fnd the following
striking portrait Of the late Emperor of
Russia.0 sa7lsA 9e .gtfa9H E&fkt
Nicholas I, is the greatest sovereign that
Russia has known SINCE Peter the Great;
in some respects he is greater than Peter
himself. Not less energetic in character
aad ardent in improvement than his illas-
trious predecessor, be is more thoroughly
national and he has brought the nation for.
ward more completely in the path which
nature had pointed out for i. Peter was
Russian only in his despotism, his yio-
lence. his cruelty; his ,benefcenee. his
ardor for Improvement, his patriotic am,
.bitiOn, were all borrowed from the Statessof
Western Europe. s these Stsses were
greatly further advanced In the career Of
| civilization than his was, his reforms were
in great part premature, his improvements
abortive, his rsfnemepts superficial He
aimed at doing by imperial what so many
ardent men have endesfOrsd to effect by
democratic despotism--tos engraft on one
nation the institutionsi of another, and to
reap from the infancy Of civilization the
fruits of its maturity. The attempt failed
in his hands, as it has ever done in those of
his republican imitators, as' it will do III
those Of their successors, whether on the
throne rim the tribune, to the end Of the
world. His civilization was external mere-
ly; it made Brilliant appearance, but il
did not extend beneath the. surface, and. left
untouched the strength and vitals. Of the
State. He battered himself he had civil
ized Russia, because he ruled by police
which governed it by fear, and an army
which retained It in subsection BY disci-
phnes!s |eilY,aoqc AJiw ,asIdssT4 se,3.f
Nicholas, On the other hand, is essential
ly Russian in, gil his ideas. He is heart and
soul patriotic, not merely 10 wish but in
spirit and thought. He wishes to improve
and elevate his country, and he has done
much to effect that noble object; but he de-
sires to do SO by developing, not changing
the national spirit; by making it become
first Rossia, not second France or Eng
land. Hehas adopted the maxim Of Mon.
tesquieu, that no nation ever attained to
real greatness. but by institutions in con-
formity with its spirit. He is neither led
away by the thirst for sudden mechanical
improvement, like Peter, nor the praises Of
philosophers, like Catherine, nor the vis-
ions of inexperienced philanthropy. like
Alexander. He has not attempted to erect
9 capital in a presidential march. and done
so at the expense Of a hundred thousand
lives; nor has he dreamt Of mystical regen-
Grafton with visionary ssybil, and made
sovereigns put their hands to holy alliance
from her influence. He neither corresponds
with French atheists, nor English dsme
Gratis; he despises the praises of the first,
he braves the hostility of the last. His
maxim is to, take men as they are, and
neither suppose them better nor worse. He
Fisrcontent to let Russian garbi animated
with a Russian spirit, and moulded by Rus
sian institutions, without the aid either O
Partisan communism Of British liberalism.
The improvements he has effected in the
government of bis .doninions have Beef
vast, the triumphs with which his external
policy have been attended unbounded; .biil
they have all been achieved, not in imita.
,tion of, butlin opposition to, the ideas q
4 western Europe. They bespeak. not lesd
than his internal governments, the national
character Of his policy. But if success il
the test Of worldly wisdom, he has not been
far wrong in his system, for. he has, passed
! the Balkan, heretofore impervious to his
predecessors; he has conquered poland, con.
verted the Epxine into q Russian lake, plant.
3 ed the cross on the bastions Of Erivan, sant
aopened through subduede Hungary patti &c
EConstantinople. asIies gttsc@ has sE1s Y
Nature has given him all the qualities
fitted for such an elevated destiny. A lof
| ty stature and princeiy air give additional
infuence to . majestic .countenance,. IN
!, which the prevailing character is resolu.
ton, yet not unmixed with sweetness
Like Wellington, Cesar, and many other
Of the great men recorded in history hia
expression has become more Intellectual
as he advanced insyeafs sndbecame exer-
! cised in the duties Of sovereignty i ihstsal
Of the stern routine Of military discipline
I Exemplary il all the relations Of priyats
4 life, aafaithful husband and an affectioHate
father. he has in exhibited 7a brilliant court
| and when surrounded By every temptation
which life can Offer, tho simplicity and Il.
fections Of patriarchal lilss Yetiis he nei
a perfect character. u His virtues often bor-
fder upoi, vices. His excelisneies are akln
! to defects. Deeply impressed with tie r.
lsponsibility Of his sitnatiofi. his firmness
has sometimes become sternssssl ii sspsssof
Iiustice degenerated into severity. ESir A.
fchfbald explains. ii ! foot Hote:.I Il = II
1 regard to to politicsI otIanses II ! serious
-Iiye. howesers thaisthis sevsrity chiefly apS
4 |piies.s,l He knows hoRato distinguish The
innocent from the guilty. aad haz sIssn
.EsAa.azs z = N e -.