The Abbeville banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1847-1869, 1856-02-21
WRITTEN FOR TIE ADDEviLLE BANNER.

The Medici and the Strogonoffs.
These two historical and distinguished!
families present an instructive philosophical
parallel. These celebrated families of the
middle ages had both their origin from
wealthy merchants. The first accumulated
his wealth at Florence, in Tuscany; the
other also was an enriched merchant, but
Of NUni-Novgorod* on the Volga, where the
largest fair in the world is held every year
during the summer months.
While the Mcdican family was employ
ing their immense wealth and influence in
the conquest of Greek MS, letters and sci
cnccs, and helped will, ali their liLeralitics
to produce that revival OF learning, and
conquered for Italy, that new Kingdom of
letters, that ultimately enlightened and civ
ilized the rest of Europe, by which glorious
deed they cnnobled their family, and which
was saute.l as illustrious all over the civil
lied world, and when at last their name
WAS enrolled among the bcnefactors Of their
oo nv '''s,- 81" I.-l1., DISTINGUISHED
but III Eastern Russia, for their wealth and
their ambition of distinction, equipped an
army at their own expense and made the
conquest of new kingdom, SIBERIA, for
their master, the Car Ivan W., called, by
the Russians themselves, the TERRIBLE: but
to whom the title Of the CRUEL, would be
more suitable. For instance, behold low
he patronised artists. LAvEAu, a famous
architect, built for him beautiful church
in the Krcmin, at Moscow, which was
much admired. This barbarian Car had
LAvEAU's eyes pulled out, so that, said this
monster, he should not erect so beautiful
structure anywhere else.
Oh! Strogonoffs what cruel monster did
20" serve? Ivan IV. ennobled you for this
new present. this new Kingdom. You had
your hearts content; you obtained the in
tent Of your desire, that of swaying over
the miserable scrfs, and ranking among
Russian nobility. Great God what human
sacrifices, what horrors has not this SIBERIA
caused and witnesseda Noble Strogonotfs
to what an Infamous celebrity have you not
associated your honorable title Of simple
merchants 1t is in vain that you have
even erected church at Mini that con-
tains your mortal remains, and which at
tracts, by Its singular structure and exterior.
the eye of the traveller; alas the groans
of the exiles Of Siberia are loud enough to
shake its walls, and the tears of the misera-
bles it has made, to wash off their founda-
ton. With your iIl-begotten wealth you
raised an army of terra .Jfrma Buccaneers,
to conquer desert Of ice Inhabited by bears,
that IVAN, PETER, ALEXANDER and NIcHo-
LAS should people it with human victims of
their vilest despotism. Your bones rest
within those consecrated walls, on the
muddy banks of the VoIga, only remem-
bered to be execrated; while the remains
of the Medici repose ON the Aowery banks
Of the poetical Arno, and their memory is
cherished by every lover of the arts and
literatare.
No wonder "Russia is forest without
trees, interrupted by towns without life."-l
All is obedient to the Car, all is silent as
death. The Car NICHOLAS was no better
than Ills ancestor PETER l., who had the
cruelty Of introducing alive wild bears i'm a
masquerade ball, that he gave on the nup-
tials Of his buffoon. The fate of the
wretched Prince and Princess TKoupRrzxo1
tells a tale even more barbarpus than the
most cruel acts of PETER ].
PETER the Great boassed that at takes
three Jews to cheat Russian and this
was. the highest praise he could bestow on
his subjects. Russia, for four centuries, has /
been oscillating between Asia and Europe.
and she has not as yet succeeded to assumed
a distinct position in the field of human in.
tellect, and her national characteristics are
lost under her borrowed or initiated Euro.
pean decorations. Properly speaking, there
Is no Church in Russia; "for the deve,on.
"Nijni-Novgorod, in the Slavic or Russian
language, means Lower New.Towu.