The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1877-09-06
Our Friendship with Russia.
BY JAMES PARTON.

In March, 1901, two countries OF Chris
tendon changed their rulers-Russia and
the United States. On the fourth of that
month Virginia farmer, Thomas Jetfer-
son by name, mounted his horse in front
of clearinghouse in the city of Wash
ington, and rode unattended along Penn
sylvania avenue to the Capitol, still un-
finished, aud, dismounting at "a fence near
by, tied his horse to paling and entered
the edifce to be sworn in as President of
the United States. Washington was then
quagmire in the wilderness, and there
were few persons present drawn thither
by mere curiosity, the journey even from
Baltimore at that muddy season requiring
two days of lab rious travel.
The event, however, was celebrated in
almost every city of the land, and the
country accepted the change with some
thing more than ordinary willingness, for
the tie between Jefferson and Burr had
caused general anxiety. and the people
hailed the set e'uent of the dispute with
relief, though the result of the election
may have disappointed them. A few days
after the Inauguration, the members of
the new cabinet, and other officials, left
the seat Of government to superintend the
removal oftho:r families and effects. There
was peace in tie land.
How different with Russia The change
of rulers in that empire occurred on the
twelfth of the same March, just as Jeffer-
son, Gallatin. aud their colleagues were
quietly settliTg down to the business of
the administration. The Emperor Paul
h - g.
pairing public business with view to
starting the peXt morning upon journey
TO Moscow. He was forty-seveu years of
age, and had appeared during the day in
public in his Usual health. Soon after
ten o'clock he Was in bed and asleep. At
eleven, twenty men came TO a stand be-
fore the gate of the palace, which was
closed for the night. They were evidently
party of nob.enen and officers of rank,
for they were in uniform, and their
breasts were covered with decorations
They presented 20 the guard an order for
their admission into the palace, signed by
the emperor himself They were ad-
mitted withou. question, and they pro-
ceeded to the ante chamber, opening in
70 the emperor bedroom. The sentinel
stood before the door, and said to the
leader of the party;
"The emperor is asleep"
"The town is on fire." was the reply.
II must awake him."
The speaker advanced toward the en-
peror's door, and the sentinel, alarmed at
the crowd of officers who followed him.
cried Treason" and fell dead, covered
with wounds. The emperor sprang from
his bed, and attempted to escape by Sc
cret door, which he missed; then seizing
his sword, he faced the intruders, saying
what do you intend2 What do the
men want who are with you!"
Other words were uttered which have
been variously reported. At length one
of the boldest of the conspirators pierced
the monarch with his sword, and the
whole party rushed upon him and bore
him to the ground. He cried for mercy
Their number and their fury prolonged
the horrible scene, and it was not until
one of them twisted his scarf around the
emperor's neck, that the deed was done
Such was the tragic end of the EN-
peror Paul, whose intentions were nc
doubt very good, but who had fallen he'll
to task beyond his powers. Incapable
of understanding his time, extremely
limited in capacity, and every way mis-
educated, he had wasted his strength in
REFRESHING tendencies and forces which
were too strong for him. He dreaded
revolution in Russia, and the massacres
which had signalized revolution in France
and he spent all his force in keeping ou
Of his empire whatever he thought likely
to kindle revolutionary spirit among hi
subjects. One of his DEGREES, for ex
ample, forbade the importation of book
written in the French language, upor
which educated Russians were then de
pendent for their reading, whether o.
literature or news. Not content with this
he forbade the importation of all books
He practically excluded foreign travellers
and prevented Russians from visiting
other countries.
His death lifted an incubus from tn,
intellect of Russia, and placed upon tn.
throne his son Alexander,s prince twenty
four years of age, the darling and pride o
the nation. His education has been IA
more fortunate than that of his father b,
had enjoyed the favor of his grandmother
Catharine IL, and had been allowed every