Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1868-11-04
The Canriees nfaTrrant-


While SOuvarOf was conducting
the Russian armies into unfamiliar
latitudes, and bearing away the palm
of victory from adversaries unaccus-
toned to defeat Paul, unhappily fol
himself and Russia, was yielding
more and more to the extravagant
impulses of a. tyTanical temper.
Punishment and reward were lavish
ed in obedience to the first prompt
ings of unreheeting wrath or
favOritism. The places at court
ordinarily reserved for the oldest
families in the Empire were then
bestowed upon subalterns selected
from the house-servants, in whose
presence he felt no restraint. At the
memorable siege of Bender, the Rus
slams, urged to extreme measures by
an obstinate defense, had slaughtered
the women and children. A young
Tartar moved the heart of the victOrs
by his beauty and child-like grace,
turned aside the mortal blow. Prince
Repna paid his ransom, and made a
present of him to Catherine ii, and
Catherine, in turn, give him to her
son, under the name of KOutaisof.
Paul took fancy to him, made him
his favorite UdLet de chdnbre, and the
confident, now of his pleasures, and
now his murmers against his mother.
When Paul finally ascended the throne
he bestowed upon him one title after
another, till he had raised him to
the position of a Narishkin. KOut-
aisof fiattered Paul, and everybody
else fiattered KOutaisOf.
ThencefOrward the imperial caprice
knew no bonds. One day ukases
interdicted pantaloons and frOck
coats; the next the universities were
forbidden to employ the word TeUO-
tHtfon in speaking of the courses of
the stars. Police regulations were
multiplied to infinity, entailing in
tolerable veXations. An order, posted
in the public squares of the capital,
enjOined that whenever the Emperor
passed through the streets, whether
on foOt-which was comparatively
rare-Or on horseback, or in a carriage
which was happening continually
every one should stop; decend from
his carriage if riding uncover, take
off his pelisse, and remain with bowed
head while his Majesty passed. A
young merchant, for an involuntary
blows of the knOut, a punishment all
but mortal. a young lady known
and beloved at the court, saw her
carriage seized by the police for the
same offense, and tainted. Her in
dignant family fastened to appeal to
the Emperor. Paul took grave cog
nizance of the facts, pardOned the
eoachmen on condition of his
joining the army, exempted the car
riage and horses from confiscation,
but sentenced the young lady to eight
days of seelusion for her failure in
deeorum, and administered the same
corrective to an aunt who had adopted
her, for having taught her i'll.
The emperor disciplined his own
family no less severely. a simple
slip in etiquett, an irregularity in the
manner of kissing the hand drew
down upon the grand-dukes and
grand-duchesses several days and
sometimes weeks of arrest. The
grand dukes were the victims of
ineessant military parades. Alexan-
der eXeelled in the drill and COnstan-
tine was unequaled as a drummer.
An equally minute survillance was
exercised over all the different army
corps far and near. Officers were
seized without warning, thrown into
sledges, and dragged breathless before
courts-martial- into the
very preseneeof the Emperor. Hesi-
tency or intimidation was considered
equivalent to confession, and the most
rigorous sentences were pronounced
without appeal. One day the En-
peror charged General Swetehine with
the execution of cruel arrest upon a
certain colonel. The General repair
ed to the parade ground, walked up to
the victim, who was already stripped
to the waist, and said, "Here is your
sword. Now, leave st. Petersburg
instantly. The Emperor pardOns
you" Retracing his steps, the Gen
eral goes up TO the EmperiOr's apart
ment. Sire, here is my head have
not executed your Maiesty's orders.
The Colonel is free. have restored
him to life and honor. Now let the
blow fall on me instead ~ The En-
peror pressed the Generals arm
violently, hesitated, and said, "YOu
have done well! I regretted not
having spoken to the Grand Duke Al
exander on the subject" And he
added, "Leththis, at least, never be
known at St Petersburg.-The Life
of Madame StUetehiHe.