Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1876-09-05

the allies to occupy the ruins the next
day. Peace was agreed upon at Paris,
on the sixth Of February, 1855. The ter
fitorisl integrity Of the Ottoman empire
was guaranteed. Russia and Turkey
agreed not to keep In the Black ses
more than six steam-vessels, of eight
hundred tons burden, and four light
steam or saiIing.vesseis, Of two hundred
tons burden each, and the free navIga-
ton Of the Danube was guaranteed TO
the vessels OF all nations, In 1872 the
Russian government repudiated the
clause limiting her ships in the Black
sea, and now has large and powerful
fleet of magnificentiron steamers, among
which are said 10 be tbirty-one vessels
Of ar with more than five hundred Of
ficers and five thousand men OF the same
pluck and endurance IS the men who
for more than two years defended saws.
topol, while fire from above rained
opon them, and the very stones
were crumbling beneath their feet.
at this distance of time it is hard to tell
why or for what cause England engaged
in that war, She had no interests men,
aeed, was not prepared for war, and
must have been drawn by her ancient
foe, through the diplomatic skill of Ma
poleon HIS court, into conflict with heI
ancient ally against Napoleon I. Nspo-
leon III no doubt thought that military
glory alone could sustain his dynasty,
and had that interest, aside from his
general interest In the support of the
Latin church. Had the Crimean war
gone disss'rously to bis arms, we would
probably have seen him dethroned at
that time, and the pusillanimous failure
and surrender at Sedan would not have
disguised the world. The war of the Cri-
mea ia one Of the wonders of history
contemplate in its origin, awful in its
prosecution, and had for its results, now
that twenty years have passed-nothing.
Twas q strange partnership-Protesta
England, Catholic France, and Sardinia
and Mohammedan Turkey, bearing aloft
the CROSS and the crescent, side by side
peoplipg the beautiful hillsides and vsls
leys of the Crimea with their dead, Eng
land alone contributing of her sons the
occupants of fifty.two cemeteries,
and all for pride, or for nothing.
The present emperor, Alexander II, WAS
crowned at Moscow September z, 1856.
His accession was marked by the intro
duction of vast reforms in the admins.
tration. Corruption was prosecuted,
and persisted. The army was reduced
and the term of service greatly short
ened (but has very recently been enor-
mously increased; but Of that, more
hereafter) railroads. built in every direc-
ton, commercial and industrial enter
prises of every nature literally promo
ted, new loans made, and a system Of
financial publicity adopted; the intro.
ducsion of courts OF law and trial by
| IT,
1861; the abolishment of corporal pun
ishment, and also capital punishment,
except in cases by virtus Of the sentence
OF courts-uo artial, in cases Of incendia.
rism and other crimes requiring special
measures Of repression; the disabilities
Of the Jews to some extent removed;
liberty of speech enlarged, except in the
form Of public meetings for political pur.
poses; the censorship Of the press re-
duced to mitigsted form; the interests
OF education greatly advanced; the cler-
gy elevated socially and Intellectually,
and many other reforms calculated to
raise Russia far above the position occu.
pied in former years, among which, as
the crOwning glory OF his life, may b.
mentioned the emancipation of the serfs.
The history of the Russian people is to
great extent identified with, or Illus
trated by, the history OF five cities,
which are typical of as many periods in
Russian history. These cities are Nov
gorod, representing the municipal form
Of government, such as existed among
the Sfavonions before a dynasty OF for
eign extraction became strong enough
to destroy it; Kief and vi adimar, repre-
senting the princely-fedsral form which
prevailed during the great portion OF the
Tarter dominion; Moscow, representing
the Czardom, the period during which
the kingdom became consolidated, the
power Of the minor confederate princes
crushed, and the republican privileges
Of the ancient municipalities annihi-
lated; and lastly st. Petersburg, stand
ing as the type Of The imperial period
and as the center Of the movement
WHICH, initiated by Peter the Great and
steadily kept in view by every succeed
ing monarch, has enabled Russia to de-
velop from the Russia of which we can
only know by the light which legends
throw upon the dimly-seen period in
which her life began-awsy back in OBJ
scure times, as by bound on the awak-
ening Of sleeping giant and spring
forward under the impulse given to her
by Peter, and passed from the obscure
seclusion of a semi-Asistic princedOm
into the brilliant >tivity at mighty
European empire and conquering, alb
sorhing poWer which seems to many
minds to throw vast and OninoUs
shadow over Europe. L. E. DYER.