The New York herald., 1870-02-15
RUSSIA.

An Imperial Cfnciai In Rome--Iuterview or a
Herald Special yvrfter-gnsssa us Ii LIZ
Americans and Eussinns-Poter aud Caiha-
rinc-Nobiiity ana Tites-3i ystsncatiun ..
Foreigners n Moscow ovyGon,--Colnacrce-
Bchools-Army.
ROME Jan. 23 1870.
1 had yesterday some information from an eminent
Russian oaical now soiournng Aero In regard TO
actual state OF a3 country
1--WE baye.r said he, "a vast territory and NO are
homogeneous people, fairly welded together thanks
10 the present reign OF Alox2ndcr H. Bat regret
having to say thas we are making very ltsle pro-
greaa. We cannot compare with your country IN this
respect only wish wo could. For the rast there ls
great sympathy existing bosween cur nations it
inconccivaDle such is the great difference be-
tween our sys,ems, bus IL IL \ fact we like the
Americans and have always found that they Ike US.
Perhaps 1t IA because we appreciate each otRer
well simply because each people Ii SO distinct and
there can lie no ground or disagIcemeDs or misun-
dersianding between US Ny country possesses In
nlense riches and resources, only awaiting
tho proper management and some or the
energetic talent in which yon arc SO
wealthy In order TO lie developed. Would you be-
lfeve it we possess wells or OIL ana grow valuable
products bat yet at tins present moment oil Russia
Is lighted by pelroeum Oil from your side. wei
furnished with somo OF your goods Al rates three
times as choap as VIC manufacture them ourselves /.
The truth Ia. reter tho Great did us great good,
bus aiso great harm, from which we have
never iully recovered. He went into Europe.
learned trades un he became the first workman or
hs empire; he sly French cyiizsSioa 1t the feet OF
the French monarch, and he returned To Russia
with tha ide. thai tha ann OF all civilization was to
make Tho people bow down 81 tarone. lie was @
perfect despoi. lie forced his own people to adopt
European v2rnisn; names eYerysody anu every
tning with European names on mrs return. While
Cat0arine had ths good sense 10 HnaIntan and cuit-
vate Russian names and q genuine national spirE,
Peter neglected 70 look after the tastes ana genius
OF Ills own race. mat has been severe drawback
for as. Before his time tue nation had traverSed
Eeveral very bloody and terrible stages OF develop
nrnt during WAcn ~ suffered much bat cameo much
Also The Tartar rue. the &uscoyIyo TegHle and the
fosh domination tanaly overghrown by the patriot.
Ism OF the Boyars who established the house or
Eomaron, all contributed To form our national
character and TO cement us ns q people. Peter
stepped IN and spoilt things considerably. Hts
cnorts, though wen meafS tendad directly to un-
EuSsianizc ge was the first 10 assume the OF
Emperor and to ges rid OF the appcllat,on Gar
Official one. II Is true the Emperor, as any other
sovereign s still called Car among the people, but
Il Is not official Peter changed the Official satem
ct The country from top 10 bottom; he delighted
IN European names ana applied them Ia
Ll the branches OF governmental admin
NWauoh Fer instance, What pecaio uuder
Catherine Preiseda,el was under him styled
fresdcnt; Laseeoael was under him assessor;
Douma was uoder him magistrate, and so on. The
situation oi hpssla ~ present existing la dua In q
great measure 10 ths oeuefcent ideas OF the reign.
ing sovereign. Alexander Ii. has not only been
wise enough " frec tie serfs ana In such manner
shat poih Iarues thg freedmen and the old proprio-
tgrH are sat3ned nd reconclsl tOgeLlcr but he hgs
same time f.fca all the Russians no ,urlup
she reign of Nicholas, We're tongue tied and thought
sled and deprived oi al their l.lglatlyo racuftiea
Under Nicholas we could 81 u do nothing without
d permit now se enjoy grt ter hDertiej taap tue
people of tae French onipA We give all praise
aud ja.ace TO Alexander tor whSt ne has done:
+. his reign wlllD DO u marked one.
Iaa speaking " Tcp exac.H "a ] think, and do