New Orleans daily crescent., 1860-07-16


CHATTER v.
Alexander ot Age-Ceremony the Cathedral of
Peiersbarg-TIis oeth-The Pragm4tc Aei = Favorable
Change in Ae&auder's Character younger brother
Constantine Initiated by tie Emperor Niclolas-Ilis Tu-
TORS NJ de I.eyen and scubpwsky- y--Characer of Leyen
and bis Political Tie Treaty of TlsitAAiniiy
between the Proposas of Lc.tu and Emile dc Girurdin
is Participation IN the Treaty # la2a concerning Greece
lii with The Belgan Treaties of ls3Eaud
Tho Russo Du;ci. Loan This Peace of AdrIanoTe-
Death of W. de Tieven RUulenceasng DISSEMINATION
Of Alexander
According to the Russian Court laws, the hered-
itary Grand Duke comes Of age when he has COM
pletcd his 10th year, (the other Grand Dukes not
until their 20th) and on that occasion they must
take solemn oath of fidelity to the Sovereign.
Alexander arrived at his majority on the 10th Of
April, 1884, and the 4th of May he took the pre-
scribed oath in the Imperial Cathedral in the pre-
sence Of the high officers of the crown, of the no.
bilites Of tie Senators. of the Emperor and OF the
representatives. Of the foreign courts. The hefed-
itary Grand Duke was moved to tears by this i'm
posing ceremony, a weakness, which from his in
fancy to the present time he has been greatly sub
ject to. The oath taken by the hereditary Grand
Duke has a certain historical interest. 1t runs
thus:
g In the name of Almighty God, before his Holy
Gospel, swear and promise to serve faithfully his
Imperial Majesty, my most gracious Sovereign and
father, and to obey him in all things without re-
gard for my life, to the last drop Of my blood to
protect and to defend with all means at my dis
posal, the rights and privileges of the Sovereign
Autocracy Of his Imperial Majesty as established
Tor to be establshed) by laws and to cooperate in
everything that forward the interests of his
Imperial Majesty, and promote the welfare Of the
country, in my quality as heir to the throne of all
the Russias, as well as of the kingdom of Poland,
and Of the Grand Dueby of Finland both united
with this Empire. I swear and promise to observe,
in all their strength and nyiolability the rules with
regard to the succession, the disposition Of the
'pragmatic sanction concerning the Imperial
family, such as they established by the funda-
mental laws of the Empire-as | shall be respon-
sible for it before the throne Of God on the last
judgment day
'sThou Lord God of our fathers and King of
Kings strengthen, enlighten and direct me in the
great task reserved for me- may the high wisdom
that reigns around thy throne accompany me: send
it down from heaven that may discern what is
just according to thy laws. My heart be in thy
hands! Amen.'
The pragmatic sanction, Of which mention is
made in this oath, is the act of succession promul-
gated by the Emperor Paul under the date of the
10th of April 1877, by which the principle of her
itage by order Of prfmogenitnre, abolished by
Peter the Great. had been regstablished. Accord
ing to its stpnlations, In tie Emperor has no
sons his brother is to succeed him. After the ex-
tinetionof the male branch the throne belongs to
that Princess who, in the moment of the demise of
the last Emperor happens to be the next relative:
and in case she leaves direct heirs, the Pfiu-
cesses are to follow according to the degrees Of
relationship. By an additional act, dated the lst
of April, 1929 ii was further decreed that only
children issuing from a marriage which has been
authorized by the Emperor, and which does not
constitute nl6sailahee, are possessed of the right
of sanction This new act suggested by Nicholas,
was especially directed against his elder brother,
the Grand Duke Constantine.
From this time a favorable change took place in
the character of Alexander. He began to apply
himself assiduously to his studies and soon made
rapid progress. His father Nicholas could not but
feel highly gratified at this happy Improvement in
the inclinatons of his son. which otherwise might
have aenated the paternal affection from him to-
wards his younger brothers, especially Constantine,
who at an early age displayed those military quail
ties which SO peculiarly belong TO the imperial dy
nasty of the Romanofs. Nicholas now dscerned
that the apparent duness Of his son concealed
faculties of no ordinary description, aud though
nature might not have gifted him with personal
daring and the more resplendent qualities of
despot, it had liherally compensated him by the
endowment of remarkable powers of intrigue.
lie now began to initiate him into the mysteries of
Diplomacy and State craft. lie was allowed to be
present at the stings of the Council of State and
was contided for the completion of his education to
Prince Liepen and Priyy Councillor Schukowsky.
A more shrewd choice could not have been made.
The former was one of the most cunning political
juggers Russia has ever produced, and was in ev-
cry way suited to the important task confded to
him.
Let us glance a moment at this Lieven:
Chrstoph Andreswtsch Lieven, was the second
son of the late governess of Nicholas, and born in
the year 773 In his 18th year he entered the army,
and in l79S Emperor Paul nominated him his aide
de- camp.
Alexander /, successor of Paul, soon diseerned
the forte of the young general and made him resign
his military career. NJ. deLieyen took an imports
ant share in the transactions connected with the
treaty of Tilsit, in which Russia and France in.
tended, as Il suppression of the maritime power of
England i'll the Mediterranean 10 seize Malta, lust
as NJ. Emile de Girardn at the present time pro.
poses in his pamphlet La Paix' the destruction of
Gibraltar, as necessary sequence 10 the razfng OF
sebastopol.#
From 1867 to 1913 n. de i4icyen was Anlbassad or
at the Court Of Berlin, and when the Of France
broke out his master sent him to London, where
he remained almost without intermissiOn until
ls3i During that time he promoted the interests
of Russia with great skill and greater success
The treaty of the 9th of IulylS1H tin which the