The New York herald., 1878-12-30
"YOUNG RUSSIA"
WHAT THE STUDENT AGITATION IN RUSSIA
MEANs--THE HOPES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
ry.pEwrrcu

WHAT THE STUDENT AGITATION IN RUSSIA
MEANs--THE HOPES OF THE PEOPLE IN THE
CzAREwrTcH.
To THE EDrroR OF THE HEnALp:--
Among your ''cable Notes." which are always Sc
lectcd with great skill by your foreign staff there is
one to-day bearing much wcishtier import than
could he discerned by any person who had not re-
sided for heightened period in Russia and been in
innate with its government, its people and its
language You say:''It is stated that the students
demonstrations in Russia have caused an unpleasant
ness between the Czarewitch. who is suspected Of
eountenancing them, and the Czar." Your readers
have been fully informed Of these students demon
stratons and the stringent measures that have been
adopted to suppress them. 1t is well known that
this Young Russia" is not anxious for q republic,
for the subvcrsion of the roigning family, but
confines its demands to the establishment
Of constitution and q representative Assembly
elected by the peopc-not necessarily by universal
suffrage for the present but with restricted by
property educational qualification. The Care
witch s doubt favorable to this alteration in the
government of the country, and wishes that this step
toward the higher civilization Of his country and tor
the alleviaton Of the overwhelming responsibility Of
the autocrnt should be taken by his father.
1t is now several years since 1t whispered in
court circles in st. Petersburg that the heir apparent
TO the throne had expressed his opinion very freely
to the Emperor upon the advisability OF granting
constitution to the people, and his wonder how his
father could support the responsibility labor OF
personal government. Indeed. upon one occasion he
declared that he could not. and ii called upon
TO do so he would not attempt II for himself During
the late it natural to suppose that home
politics did not occupy the mind of the Czarewitch
much as the duties of his high command in the
army, and many feared lest the liberal views with
which he had been credited should be buntcd by the
military ardor begotten by the Turkish struggle.
Now, your cable note" brings the rumor, which
believe to be truth, and therefore an assurance
that his views upon this question OF a constitution
for his country remain unchanged and undiminished
and that when in the course of nature he shall be
called upon to ascend the throne of all the Russas
he win do so as constitutional sovereign and not
autocrut
This is certainly bright hope for Russia, and it is
sincerely to be desired that the anxious spirits i'll
that country may seek TO rest upon in quiet rather
than disturb the peace of the country by calling into
action the repressive forces of the powers that be-
They owe II also to the present Emperor, who has
done much for his people and for humanity during
the past fifteen years In which brief period he has In
fact done more for them than ever done before
by all his predecessors. could say much upon the
theme of what Alexander has done for the good OF his
people, but fear to trespass upon your space Yours,
Dbcdienty ANGL0NKuSSIAN.
NEW ycRg, Dec. -, 1878.