The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1856-05-14

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! were subject to his authosif1s He appointed
the ministers, the general, i Lpvoriies. He
also removed them at his pl( Fe. His out.
ward manner was rude And llcouth in the
extreme; but he was inyeq one of the
most artful and crafty of m He exeriee
a supreme coltrol over the press; but he
maintained that supremacy5 seeming 10
live and labor only for her yice and her
aggraldizement. He lreaied highest dig
nitaries CT the empire wilt HAai rudeness
which borders on conlsmpls n yet he ap-
Psared to defy and despiss <eir hostility
Marshal Romanlzof alone. the courtisrs,
did not humble himself bed the minister.
There was, constantly. melS enm,ty be-
tween the parties. The hSll Polempkin
extended even 10 the sists7 q ,hsn,zof, the
Countess Bruce, and shs mod| Ultimate friend
Of Caiharine. He detsfnmzd, If possible, 10
destroy the influence Of both.
Korsakof, being at this time the imperial
favori.e, was often thrown into the society of
the Countess Bruce. The benefits which his
mistress heaped upon him, should at least
have secured his gratitude, il hey could NOT
inspire him with love. He sheuld at any
rate have been faithful 10 heri .Ppiempkin
discovered that the Countess loE ed the favor
ite. But as yet, the conslraini under which
the latter lived was SO great, that Is had been
impossible for her to sblain tie qualification
of her wishes Potempkin assisted tho low
ers 10 overcome all the obslac les ishich stood
in their way. He contrived the means of
their secret Interviews, and then snabled the
Empress 10 discover, that she hsdSbeen de.
ceived by both friend and favoriles* y She i'm
mediately banished the formes-etofn her en-
pre, and the latter TO Moscow. r. she was
munificen, in her attachments, sho was al.
SO terrible and inexorable in her vengeance.
The next connection which Ca,hafine form.
ed, was one Of nlenser aud deeper feeling,
than any which she had erl5sienced for
many years. The same day 4 Korsakoff
was dismissed she fixed her chu3ce upon one
of the chevaler guards, naHazh Lanskoi,
sprung from an ancient Polish family; a youth
of the most graceful figure, and remarkable
beauty. which the imaginallon Of no man
can conceive. His favorable apRearance had
al first recommended him to The notice of
Catharine. But his only merits weresnot
those OF his person. His disposition was as
certained, upon more infinite acquaint-
ance, TO be respectful, affeciioqats, and con-
stant.* OF all the favoritss whom Ca,harine
| snnnessively. .admntsd 90 ssu aless ern.
braces, this was the one whom most sh5lo
ed, and who approved himself worthy of her
affection. Art has rescued his lovely features
from the common oblivion, and their beauty
and sweetness are SO great, as easily to ac-
count for the intensity of the passion with
which he inspired his royal mistress. That
very fierceness of passion itself, it appears,
was aferward the fatal cause of his early and
premature death. A fever carried him of,
in the course Of year, produced it was as
serted, by his too ardent devotion 10 the
pleasures of the woman who adored him.
Though at this period Of her reign, Caiha-
rine's foreign and domestic relations were
peaceful, yet she determined 10 resume hos
tile intentions toward Turkey. She desired
10 enter into closer alliance with Joseph II,
the Emperor of Germany. To arrange the
basis of their alliance, she requested him to
meet her at Mohilsf in Poland. During all
her frequent iournies, it is worthy of remark,
that Catharine never intrusled the admins
tration of affairs du ring her absence, to her
son, the Grand Duke. Though by birth the
generalissmo of the Russian armies, he new
er commanded regiment. Though nomi-
nally Grand Admiral of the Baltic, he was
never once permitted to visit the feet at Cron.
slatt. This conduct on the part of the EN-.
press might seem mysterious 10 us, did we
not know how lily imperial heads reposed on
their pillows Of down, and how often apprs.
hension for their safety, and suspicious Of
the fidelity of their best friends, haunted their
restless spirits. During her absence in this
instance, she intrusted the government of St.
Petersburg, ane the administration Of her EN-.
pire, 10 Prince Gall,ziu.
When Cstharine reached Mohilef, Joseph
II. had preceded her. The pomp and splen.
dor of the Russian Empress, contrasted
strangely with the simplicity and plainness
observed by the Austrian monarch and his
retinue. The latter has even travelled thiiher
incognito, Under the pseudonym Of Count
FalkeLstsin. His aversion to pomp and et-
quette was indeed remarkable. During bis
| journey from Vienna 10 MohiIef person al
ways rode one station iu advance of the i'm
perial carriages, who announced their ap.
proach TO the postmaster ordering him 10
provide dinner or supper for The approaching
company; as Tor himself, he would be con.
ten. with fowl, or sausage, and draughi
of common beer. After taking this refresh
ment, he would set of for the next station
He then departed with the thanks of The post.
master for apprising him of the approach oi
The distinguished cavalcads. The reader
need scarcely be informed of the fact, that
this forerunner was no one else than the EN-
peror himself.
/ After the conferences were over, he con.
tinued his journey 10 81. Petersburg. He
there visited the port Of Cronstadt, and every.
thing that was curious in the gorgeous capi-
tai of the Czars--ths arsenals, ths dock yards,
I The manufactories of various kinds the Acad.