Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1856-10-04
THE CZAR ALEXANDER II.---HIs
CHARACTER AND POLICY.

liHvih mt NtN ietA Evening Eosl,l
The next arrivals from Earope will probab-
ly bring the details Of that august ceremonial
on which has Just concentrated the attention Of
the world-the coronation OF the Gar Alcxand-
er. Ii is curious. indeed, to witness those po-
tentates who, but recently, were banded toeeih-
er for the overthrow Of their young coniempo-
rary, now rivaling one another in Ike exiraya.
gance Of their homage 10 his power But il is
a subject of still profonnder interest to know
the governmental policy on which depends The
fate Of so many millions of the human family,
and which, we presume, only waits the event
OF the Cars CORONATION to be formally aud def
nilely announced. In the absence of any author
iiaive disclosure on this momenlous question,
our conjec,ures and inferences must be guided
by reference 10 what is known Of the new soyer.
eign's character and personal history.
While some monarchs, like the King OF Ma
pies, are born soveregns aud despo,s, there are
others TO whom the art Of reigning is unnatural.
Such is moi altogether the situation Of the Gar
Alexander ii. lie had long been trained to the
part Of king when he ascended the throne
but few princes could be found to whom the ap-
premiership had been more severe. The en-
press-moiher, Frederick Louisa Charlotte Will
helmina, called, afier her conversion to the Greek
Church, Alexandra Feodorowna. was one Of
lhose good types Of German women who are
cited as models when we wish to personify kind
ness, the domestic virtues, and conjugal love.
All that Germanic sweetness Of temper, which
makes US love 10 contemplate a round and 10y
al German face, combined with the graces OF
the saloon and Of the hearth, which together
form the basis Of German poetry, was transmit
ted in germ, by the sister OF Frederick William
to the heart Of her son. Beside this profile of
the German mother, place now the rude and col
ossal bus, Of the Car Nicholas, draped in thai
old military cloak which served him as a night
gown, with his torso, Herculean like the Rus
sian empire, and legs as thin as the system
which sustained him. We must recall the ter
rIble autocrat " hom consuming passion Of COM
manding and absorbing, held at his work from
four O'Clock in the morning, engaged ia the leas,
and IN the greatest things devoted to a strange
and rcpnlsive system of discpline--we must re-
alize all this, In order to understand as a con-
sequence Off to what decorations the soul of
the imperial child must have been subugaied
between its instincts and the hand that guided
it to the throne OF all the Russias. Nicholas
loved his son, but he loved him with the love
of Czar-faiher, which saw nothing better than
10 make of his edes, son an alter ego.
From this double attraction in opposite direc
iions, exercised by the father and mother, a d.
vision analogous must have resulted in the mind
OF the imperial child. BY his mothers side he
leaned towards Europe, by his fathers side to-
wards Russia. This quality was pursued even
in the education Of the young prince His first
professor, General Morder, was Protestant,
and of German origin. while Thoukouski, a
Russian poet, who a, the death Of the General
directed the studies of the young grand duke,
represented the national spirit. The chiefm merit
Of the Russian national poet is TO depict, in po-
elic coors, the old national customs. NJ Tou-
kouski acquired this merit; he carried the ro-
mantle spirit even TO archeism, and transfgur-
ed by his enthusiasm, in the brain of the young
prince, the ideal of the Muscoyite charac ter,
(wiihout The brutality Of its application.)
Besides the European influence of the Pro-
ieslant Morder, the grand duke received high
ly varied education. He learned ancient Lam
guages, but specifically, as they are generally
taught in Russia. He also learned living Lam
guages, which he speaks with eloquence aud
facility, especially the French and German
tongues. He afterwards studied history, ge-
ography, beles-lettres-in word, all that pin
ces study. The emperor Nicholas, leaving to
the care and inspection ofthe empress the pure
ly agreeable par, Of his education, assisted as
much as possible at his lessons, often confirm.
ing by his observations the precepis Of the mas
ters, The impressible soul ofihe young prince
was thus formed simultaneously to the rude task
of governing aud TO tho no less severe duties of
society.
We could not obtain complete idea of The
person and character Of Alexander II. without
penetrating within the imperial family during
his infancy. There were some twenty imper-
ial highnesses, without reckoning the kindred
by alliance. We know the emperor and the
empress. Around them are grouped the faces
frowning or smiling, of numerous and still in
ereasiug family, There was the rude aud fan
tastic grand duke Michael, brother of the EN-
peror, and his wife Helena, more imposing than
Nicholas HIMSELF with their two daughters,
Marie and Catherine the three sons of the
emperor, Constantine, Nicholas and Michael
his three daughters, the grand duchesses Al
exandra, Maria, and Olga.