The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1878-10-17

all its former effectiveness, and when
the provincial assembly Mt st. Peters
burg, was closed in 1867, at his instiga-
ton, he sent his own cousin, who had
been at the head of it, abroad. He has
had many sharp contest with the heir
apparent, on account of the latter's cor
respondence with Aksakoff and other
-Slavonists, and has more than
once been on the verge of overthrow,
saving himself only by direct appeal
to the Gar. His polemical encounters
with the father confessor of the empress
have estranged her royal favor from
him.
Ignatietf and the Philo-Franks hate
Shouvaloff's conservative notions about
maintaining peace at almost any price,
and the national parties are embittered
by his uncompromising loyalty to the
Gar, and his advocacy Of the rights to
language and religion in Russia.
On the overthrow of Walujetf, who
was dismissed from the home depart
ment in the wiz ter of 1867, at the re-
quest of the heir-apparent, only the
Cars personal interposition saved
Count Shouvaroff; and his adversaries
have from that day called him, in COM
pulsory admission of his great intlu-
ence, peter the Fourth" He was
sent to Nice in the spring of 1872, on n
mission for breaking up the morganatic
marriage between the Grand Duke
Alexis and Lady Alexandrine Shukow-
ski. The American public, especially
the fairer portion of it, will recall the
somewhat tender interest felt in the
handsome young Grand Duke Alexis
during his visit to the United States,
owing to the glamour of imperial ro-
nance surrounding him, in which
Count Shouvalof played by proxy the
part of the cruel parent. The lovely
and high spirited Lady Alexandrine,
with the church behind her and the
baby son of Alexis in her arms, con-
fronted Peter the Fourth with reso-
lutte defiance, before which he retired
in defeat.
Towards the close of 1875, events in
Central Asia became of the utmost i'm
portance. The relations between Rus
sia and Afghanistan caused serious I'M
easiness at the court of St. James. and
in January. 1878. Count Shouvaloff was
despatched to London on 4 special mis-
sion, charged with stating to England
that the campaign decided upon against
khiva would be a small affair, intended
simply to punish acts of brigandage and
give the Khan a salutary warning; and
that positive orders had been given to
prevent the prolonged occupation OF
khiya. He was also privately entrusted
tosound the British court regarding the
l,4t ,lt-
daughter, the Grand Duchess Maria,
aud the heir apparent to the throne of
SAKE Coburg Gotha, Prince Alfred of
Edinburgh. Although the British name
was not very popular in Russia, such an
alliance appeared desirable, and espe
cially at the moment when it was neces-
sary to couciliate interests so strongly
antagonistic. Count Shouvaloff full
filled both these delicate missions so
well that in less than three weeks he
returned in triumph to St. Petersburg,
and has since then been universally
considered certain to succeed to the
chair of the aged chancellor, Prince
Gortschakotf
Thus, at forty five years of age, Count
Shouvalotf had become the Cars most
trusted counselor and friend; and as
he has been for years the most intiucn-
tial man in Russia 1t was a mistake to
say, when, in 1876, he accepted the am
bassadorship to London, that he had
been promoted. During the eight
years in which he was chief of the
Third Division, and had successfully
defeated several of the revolutionary
schemes of the Nihilists,-a society
which had grown up during his regime,
and had become powerful. his ener
gies had been strained to the utmost;
the great cares and arduous labors of
his position had made life burdensome.
His affectionate and gifted wife, who
was proud of his distinguished ability
and conspicuous station, saw with
alarm that his health and even his life
was endangered by the long strain; and
being. moreover, herself of retiring.
home loving temperament, entreated
her husband to accept the Cars APP
pointment to the English mission,
which would allow him the benefit of
change and comparative rest As
Shouvalotf's uncompromising opposi-
tion to Eastern adventures in Russia
unsettled condition was so well known,
he was the most eligible for the English
office.
In the spring OF 1876 he resigned his
position as chief of police, and went as
ambassador to England, where lie has
materially contributed to prevent the
outbreak Of war between England and
Russia; but his situation has been for
the last year 10y no means wholly agree
able, and his rank has not saved him
T. D - /. = /.