Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1878-03-19
The VIII OF Peter the Great.

Great of Russia will be read with much
interest at the present time. The original
is deposited in the archives of the pal
ace of Peterhof, near st. Petersburg.
This document is the supreme founda-
ten and law of Russian politics since
the time of Peter I. A copy is also to
be found in the diplomatic archives of
the French empire, a transcript of which
appears in Politiq1e de la Russie en-
Orient-par Victor Mor7ougo, from
which the following translation is taken
as we learn from the Hastings and st
Leoma@ds Neaos of Hastings. England ::
In the name of the Most Holy and In
Invisible Trinity, we, Peter the First.
Emperor and Autocrat of all the Rus
sias, &C., to all our descendants and
successors to the throne and government
of the Russian nation:
God, from whom we derive our exiss
tence and to whom we owe our crown,
having constantly enlightened us by His
Spirit, and sustained us by His Divine
help, allows me to look on the Russian
people as called on hereafter to hold saUdy
OUer Europe MY reason for thus think
ing is, that the European nations have
mostly reached state Of old age, bor-
dering on imbecility, or they are rapid
ly approaching it: naturally, then, they
will be easily and i'adxbitdbly conquired
by people strong in youth and vigOur,
especially when this latter shall have
attained its full strength and power.
look en- the future invasion Of the cas-
tern and western countries by the north,
as periodical movement, ordained by
Providence, who in like manner regene-
rated the Roman nation by barbarian
invasion. These emigrations of men
frona the north are as the ref1ux Of the
Nile, which, at certain periods, comes
to fertilise the impoverished lands of
Egypt by its deposit. foundsRussia a
s'svMtet, | leave it river, my successors
will make of it large sea-, destined to
fertilise the Impoverished lands of Eu-
rope; and its waters will overflow, in
spite of opposing dams, erected by weak
hands, if our descendants only know
how to direct its course. This is the
reason leave them the following in
structions. I give these countries to
their watchfulness and care, as Moses
gave the Tables of the Law to the Jew
ish people.
State of continual war, so as to have the
soldier always under arms, and ready
for action, excepting when the finances
of the State will not allow of it. Keep
up the forces choose the best moment
for attack. By these means you will be
ready for war even in the time of peace.
This is for the interest of the future ag
grandisement of Russia.
IL. Endeavour, by every possible
means, to bring in from the neighbor-
ing civilised countries of Europe, Off
GERS in times of war, and learned men
in times of peace, thus giving the Rus
sian people the advantages enjoyed by
other countries, without allowing them
to lose any Of there own self-respect.
III. On every occasion takes part
in the affairs and quarrels of Europe !;
above all, in those of Germany, which
country. being the nearest, most imme-
diatly concerns us.
w. Divide Poland, by exciting civil
discord there win over the nobility by
bribery; corrupt the diets, so as to have
influence in the election of kings; get
partizans into office-protect them Il
bring to sojourn there the Muscovite
troops, until such time as they can be
permanently established there. If the
neighboring Powers start difficulties,
appease them, for a time, by parceliing
out the country. until you can retdke in
detail all that has been ceeoled.
v. Take as much as yoW can from
SaOcdcn and cause yourselves to be at
tackled by her, so as to haze pretert for
subduieg her. To accomplish this, Sc
yer Denmark, from Sweden. and Swe-
den from Denmark, carefully keeping
up their rivalries.
Dv,u si0ra v,ri y, ooes ooc,oe cD