The Shasta courier., 1863-02-21
SH ASIA COURIER.
Peter tn. Great and His ssn.-

the cottage sis us ofieis,-so ~ n"o e'so ."~ P--
ace. Uneasy lies the head when wears a
crown. Peter the Great Of Russia was IN the
possesses. OF wealth and power sucn as lew
mortals here enjoyed. And yet ne, from
choice nr;,,ti,-d. la bits of abstemiousness
hardly exeee~ls.i.l,ys the inmates of the hum
blest cottarf.. :. Aiitile bread and beer, said
he. ..satisfy me. prefer small apartments
to large ones i have no desire for pomp and
ceremony For fifteen years his life was
embittered hy the misconduct ofhis son. Al
exis was not only indolent and shamelassly
profiigate. but he was ever conspired against
his father hoping to effect his dethronement,
If not his assassination Though Peter him.
ssH was a stern man.. who had paid no atten-
ton to the culture Of refined feelings, his
life. for fittesn,- wears. was embit.ered by the
misconduct of hix son. After a world of
trsable, IA f.lta@5. On one occasion, wrote to
him =:
Il shall wait a little longer to see if there
be any hnpt. of your REFORM If not, shall
cut vOu ~ from the succession, as one lops
off a dead branch Do. not think that wish
to inti.n:ti,te you Ii | am willing to lay
down my own life for Russia, do you think
that shall lie willing to sacrifice my coun
try for yon? | would rather transmit the
crown To an entire stranger, worthy OF the
trust, than to my own child, unworthy Of II. ;"
The earnest letter produced no good effect.
The youag man rather insultingly replied,
that he had no wish for the crown, and that
he-w ready, at any time, to take an oath
thirt he would renounce it forever. The
'wretched fat er again wrote
s'-h observe you say nothing of the grief
your con,iuct has caused me for SO many
years. 4 fathers admonition seems to pro-
duce no impression upon you. Since you
were of age have you ever aided your father
in his tolls? Have you not opposed every
thing l have done for the good of my people
Have not reason to believe that, s ould you
survive me, you will destroy everything
have accomplished. Amend your life. Rem
der yourself worthy of the succession or turn
monk. Reply to this either in person or in
writing. fyou do not shall treat you as q
criminal
The reply was laconc. 1t consisted of just
four lines :. Your letter of the 18th receiv
ed Yesterday. My illness prevents me from
writing at length. l intend to embrace the
monastic life ; and | request your gracious
consent to that effect"
Seven months now passed away, during
which the father and son did not meet, Peter
being absent on Journey. Alexis had no
idea that his father would send him into a
convent Peter, however. kept himself thor
onghly informed of the conduct of his son ;.
which was growing worse and wOrse:- At
length the father. on his return. wrote for
Alexis to meet him at Copenhagen, stating
that if he preferred to enter convent rather
than to amend his ways, measures should be
Immediately adopted to secure that result.
This brought matters to a crisis. Ehe last
thing the bloated debauchee desired was to
enter a convent. Pretending to set out for
Copenhagen, he seized upon all the treasure
he could lay his hands upon and fled to Ger.
many, to the Court of the Emperor Charles
VI, Who was his brother. in law, having mar
ried the sister OF his deceased wife. Here he
tol deplorable story of the cruelty Of his
father of the prosecutions to which he was
exposed, and that to save his life he was com.
PEELED to flee from Russia.
The German Emperor knew full we'll that
Alexis was shameless reprobate. He also
was apprehensive that any appearance of es-
pousing his cause might offend the Czar,
whose displeasure was apt to manifest itself
in the march of two or three hundred thou
sand men. He consequently gave the mis-
creant such cold reception that he found
the Imperial palace anything but pleasant
place ofresidence, and again set out upon
his vagabond travels. The next tidings the
father heard of him he was in Naples, plung-
ing into the deepest excuses of riotous living.
A fathers heart still yearned over his prodi.
gal son. He sent two members of his court
10 endeavor to reclaim him and to bring him
home. They found him in the Chateau st.
Elme. After the most earnest persuasion,
aided by the Intervention of the Viceroy of
Naples, they induced him to return with them
to Russia. They arrived in Moscow Februa-
ry 18th, Ills. Peter had long interview
with him the day after his return. No one
: knows what passed at that interview. The
rumor ran through Moscow thata reconcilia-
tion had been effected. But the next morn
ing the great bell of Moscow rang an alarm.
the royal guards were marshaled. and the
privy counsc!ors of the Emperor were sum-
moned to the Kremlin.
Alexis was then led as prisoner and a
culprit into the presence of his father. AT
the same time all the high ecclesiastcs were
assembled in solemn conclave. in the cathe.
dral church. The emperor read to his privy
council long statement Of the conduct of
Alexis, his Incidence, his shameless profliga-
cy, his low companinnship, his reasonable
designs, and exhibiting his utter un6tness to
be entrusted with the government of an en-
puc. WIN tut> Stttufu lie ucCftf'
ed that he deprived his son of the right oi
succession to the throne of Russia, annuuu-
cling his second son. Peter, as his successor.
This document was then taken to the cath
edral, and read to the dignitares of the church
Nothing was omitted which could invest the
act with solemnity. There is every evidence
that the heart of the father was rent with an
guish throughout all these proceedings. But
to have placed the dcstin;es of eighteen mil.
lions of people in the hands of one who had
proved himself totally unworthy, would have
been the extreme of inhumanity.
Soon after this there WAS evidence conclu-
sive that Alexis. with many Of his depraved
associates. was plotting a conspiracy for the
dethronement of his father, and for the seiz.
ure of the crown by violence. lie had even
made application to his brother in law, the
Emperor of Germany. for foreign troops
There was no crime which Alexis would hes
itatc to perpetrate. and there were many fur.
bulent and depraved men, the boon compan-
ions of Alexis, who were ripe for any deeds
of desperation. 1t was manifest that thoug
Peter, by his energy. might thwart all their
plans during his lifetime, Immediately upon
his death the conspirators would rise, and
the empire would be deluged with the blood
of civil war.
Peter having commenced the work of self
sacrifice for the good of Russia, was not dis
posed to leave the work half accomplished
With trmness characteristic of the man, he
reSnlvo1 N .rroirn h,s soo