Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1858-02-25
DR. RATRD,S LECTURE

other officers TO one fee IN each case &C., was Passeu
the third rsading-yeas 4G, nays Is.
DR.. BAIRD'S LECTURE.
Dr. BAIRD gave the first of his series Of Historical
Lectures on Europe last night, in the Cumberland
Presbyterian Church. It was Russia aud9 Poland.
For an hour and half Dr.. B. interested his audi
ence, which was large and most attentive, with a
sketch Of the history Of both these countries from
the earliest times In the first portion Of the
lecture this sketch was more general and summary;
in the latter part it was minute, and sbOunded in
interesting episodes and details AT the outset, DR..
BAIRD delinested in very brief way, the nature Of
the country, its climate, productions, Asiatic char
acer Of the people, ETC. Russia is like vast plain,
and is so little elevated above the oceans level that
its climate is milder than many suppose and its pro-
duetiOns are numerous.
The great SlavOnic race came from Central Asia
before the Christian Era, and overrun both Scyhia
and Sarmatia, as Russia and Poland we're called by
the Romans, who never penetrated, however, by
their armies, further than the Crimea Kief on the
Dnieper, NoWgorOd on the YolkOtf, and CracOw on
the Vstula became at an early day the capitals Of
the three Slavonic Kingdoms. But Russia owes her
civilization and christianity to ConstantiHOple, Tor
Byzsntium, IS it was long called and the Greeks.
DR.. B. gave a very interesting account Of the Greek
colonies planted several centuries before the Chris
tian Era, in the Crimes and other portions Of
Southern Russia Il was through them that the
Greek form of christianity spread up into Russia;
whilst Poland received her christianity from Rome,
and both in the 9th and 10th centuries and chiefly
after the grand schism had in reality if not
fully in name, separated the Greek or Eastern
Church from the Latin or Western. Hence the
original antipsthy of the Russians and Poles. The
latter, stimulated by the Bishops Of Rome, con-
stantly endeavored to spread the Roman Catholic
religion in Western Russis, and advancing more
rapidly in civilization in process Of time, they
quered the Western side Of Russia.
Il was Ruric, q Workman" from Sweden or
Norway, and his descendants, that united the Sla-
vonic race of Russia and made Kief the capital.
But Valdimie the Great about A. D. IOOO) did in
finite mischief by dividing up his great empire
among his many sons, only requiring that the one
reigning at Kief should be the paramount prince,
and the others subordinate to him. This led con-
slant civil strife and often to wars, which even the
MetropOltans of the Greek or National Church could
not prevent. In this state Of things the Tartars
great difficulty in overcoming and conquering all
Southern, Eastern and Middle Russia, taking Kief
and Vadmie, which had been the capital IS well as
Moscow, which had recently become the abode Of
the "Grand Prince, and driving the Russians up
to NovgorOd. The Fartsrs founded three Kingdoms
in Russia, namely; these Of Astrakan, Kasan, and
the Crimea. It was Ivan the Great, and his grand
son, Ivan the Terrible that brought the government
back TO Moscow-estsblsbed it there-and drove
the Tartars away from the centre Of Russia. From
that day till the present Russia has gone on enlsrg
ing-driving the Tsrtars down to the Black Sea and
the Caspian, and terminating the last fragment Of
their dominion in her domain, by the conquest of
the Crimea in 1873. The Poles, too, were driven |
back to the West, and all their cOnquess recovered
and more by the triple partition Of that kingdom in
I772, 1892, and l795.
The account which DR.. B. gave Of these great
changes was most interesting, as we're the sketches
which he gave Of the interregnum in Russia, upon
the extinction of the House Of Zurich, lin 1884,,
the elevation Of Michael ROmauoF to the throne |
lin 1881 and the character Of Alexis his son and
father Of Peter the Great. OF the last named |
monarch and his reign, DR.. B. gave good many |
details, he did Of the regin of the Expresses,
Anne Elizabeth, Csthsrine H. and Of the EmPerors
Paul, Alexander II. Nicholas, and the present En-
peror, Alexander II. step by step, he traced the /
growth Of Russia. He also traced the history Of
Poland, and set forth the cause Of its decline down
fall, and final ruin. Many Of the facts and views
which he presented were probably new to most Of
his hearers, and without being prepared to endorse
them all, we may say they we're striking
T,+f e H., ~,
reigus Of Alexander l. and Nicholas, Including the
invasion Of Russia by Bonaparte, Of which DR.. B.
gave q clear and graphic account and TO the rapid
progress Of the country since the accession Of the
present Gar, and the termination Of the last war
Many Of the facts which he stated respecting the
accession Of Nicholas the throne instead Of his
brother Constantine, were very interesting; but
we cannot ind room for them. DR.. B. says 1t is the
resolution Of the present Emperor to reduce the
army, to develope the resources Of the Empire by
covering il with network Of railways, and to
promote knowledge by removing all duties from
books, etc, strong proofs that he possesses an en-
lightened understanding and a benevolent heart.
Russia is evidently destined to play great part in
the history Of the world. DR.. B. estimates the
population of the entire Empire (which contains
seventh part Of the land-surface OF the esrth) at
10000 900. The number Of serfs, (meu, women and
children is about $1,000 600, Of whom - 100000 /
belong to the Emperor or Government, and 26,OOo-
600 TO the mobiles.
Such is very mesgre and imperfect sketch Of his
important lecture The second Of the series viii be
given to-r7orror friday night at the same place
and will relate to Greece Turkey, ard 10 he late War
ia The Eat That too, will be an important lecture.
Let all hear II who can.