Bradford opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1874-1881, 1877-07-21
THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA.
Ills Characteristics Of sternness and Mile
ncss..A Charming Reserve.

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A writer in au exchange says: Present
occurrences recall to my memory the first
verse of a poetical address once sent by
the Finlanders to the Grand Duke Alex
ander, who now reigns under the title of
Alexander H.:
For thee, oh, prince, each mother in our land
Prays as for her own, in fervent love,
Asking all that she would cen demand
For her own child, from Heaven above.
Although these are merely the words
Of cantata, the sentiments they express
were really those of all the inhabitants
of Finland toward the young prince.
Before his arrival in their province the
administration of the Admiral Menschi-
koff had been exceedingly harsh toward
the whole population. The governor
was too brusque and whimsical, and the
subordinate rulers presented the same
characteristics in IN exaggerated form.
Trihing occurrences Of every day life
were disagreeably inspected, and the fol-
lowing incident will serve to illustrate
the petty interference to which the Fin
landers were constantly subjected A
hunter once lost valuable dog, and
offered large reward for one answering
to the name of "Tyrant;" but when the
notice appeared in the daily papers the
name of the dog was changed to that of
"Fidele, much to the astonishment of
the owner. Investigation proved that
the authorities had inspected all matter
that was offered for publication, and,
imagining that "Tyrant" was too per-
sonal in its application to the autocrat,
ordered it itsubstituted by that of "Fidele."
In proportion as Prince Menschikoff was
hard and exacting the grand duke was
lenient and kind. The character of the
present czar is, in fact, n combination of
strength and mildness, and he seems to
have been endowed by his two preceptors
with these qualities, so different, and for
which they were distinguished. From
the General Meder he received cool
reason and correct Judgment; and from
the poet Jonkowski, ideal inspirations
and noble sentiments. His marriage
with Princess Marie is tinted with
romances, and does credit to his head and
heart. About the year 1910 the prince
became prey to serious. melancholy,
and, in order to obtain relief by divert
ing his attention from accustomed objects
into another channel, he was ordered by
his physicians to make tour through
Germany. As he was then of marriage
able age, all the kings and dukes rivaled
each other in their endeavors to present
their daughters favorably before him.
But the young prince remained deaf to
all these manifestations He arrived at
length at the court of Hesse Darmstadt,
where the grand duke also prepared
grand fetes in honor of his illustrious
guest, but, unlike the other princes, did
not place his daughter in n conspicuous
position, which would have been, in
truth, distasteful to her, as she was
naturally modest and retiring. 1t was
precisely this charming reserve which
induced the heir presumptive to the
crown of Russia to demand in marriage
the hand of the Princess Marie. Since the
second of March, 1855, the Grand Duke
Alexander has borne the title of czar,
and he has shown himself to all his sub
iects, as he did to the Finlanders, pro-
moter of the welfare of his people. The
most important act of his reign up to the
present time is the emancipation Of the
serfs, to which he consecrated all his
,nergies in opposition to the advice of
his principal counselors. If Poland
cannot forgive the severity with which
its late insurrection was punished, and
which Alexander II. is unable to pacify,
the Russians at least know that their
chief is always ready to defend their
interests.