The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-01-26

down ko reed and died. II il well known 10
The Initiated In court matters ut st. Petersburg
that on his drHthbod he cOunded to his son the
present EMPEROR tho secret Of his broken lite,
anu hnde Inn swear TO adopt series OF liberal
n'nsures. aud before all the emancipation Of
in 1861.
scarcely be- imagined than that which exists be-
tween Nicholas aud his sou and SUCCESSOR. Al
'Nhhuer ~. III tho former presents typical
instance OF the effects OF carbon ON "a power
iul. manly, and energetic mind. the hitter Illus
tihl'S, on the contrary, tho perhaps stlll more
dirrful influence OF absolute power on u weak
mind.
AlrNnndcr's character can bc defined in ono
sentence: lie has not will enough to be good
uhd no Ia not good enough To have Will.
k""nly aware OF the heavy r"sponsl bility which
r"slH on him. he constantly wHNers between two
"ppustr resolutions, he pOnders sometimes
whole years over one decision, and. when he ut
last carrics II out. the right tme Tor il is gem
orally past aud II has long ago lost the nanc
Tho first years Of tho present reign awakened
In the hearts ol tho Russian people tho most
sanEuine hop"s. Almost Immediately after the
death of Nicholas the whole system Of govern.
m"nt changed abruptly. The preparatory
me- surrA To the cuHur ipation of the serfa were
ltgun. tie press Nu- gwen II freedom OF speech
ntog Their unprecedented In Russia. the sys-
tenn Of instruction underwent most radical
reform; the courts, tho army. the lo'H adj
government. was revised and r'fofmcd,
aud a new life seemed to spring up
nmid the ruins Of the former tyranny.
Liberalism became the fashion, even ut court.
ul liberalism. men wetet 70 be iound who were
not hliut enough ~ believe that the work ~
centuries could De- cifaced in few days. And
me event proved that they were right. An
address presented BY The nobility OF Mos
COW 70 the CNlr, demanding IN aristocra'ic
constitution, ns sort OF compensation for the
losses the nobility had sustained 10y the emun-
riputun ot the Hcris. gave the first Impulse To
an abrupt change Of politics The address, was
received very uncrnciously: tho ringlcaders Of
the whole concern wero advised TO retire To
their estates for some time. in order 10 rriitnte
IT isl .Itn
ism, and the very first occnsion was seized upon
Ia remind the Liberals that autocracy was
n heavenly institution. and that every attempt
NJ hnNthlhg whirh niiht possibly resemble
constitution WIS in future To be considered Ms
an 9lI'nfe asainst his lmi"ria! Majesty. and
Portable threat. meaning death. or Siberia.
Tn" ordinary consequences of political re-
preston followed; the revolutionary mOve-
meat became more intense. " Conspiracirs"
were almost daily discovered by the police. At
lat came the catastrOphc On the 10th OF April,
Emperor willie tho latter was steppinF
INTO his carriage after "a walk In the
summer Gd.dcn. THIS fatal shot marked
= tur4lns point ~ Tue cars policy
man who tichiy d"n"rv"s the name OF nm evil
genius OF modern Russia. in whom Russ an
autocr'cy with MI IT, drcay and ,hypoerisy;
found IN able. JUS 'rupulous. and powerful
representative. This man II the now celebrated
Count Pct ShouVidou. ut present Russian Am
bass 'lof at the Court ~ Great britain, and the
probable successor OF Prince Gorirhakon 20
the uflioa OF Chancellor ~ the Empire. 1mmc-
MA. summ6nn1 tn liz. most ~ " Cbief ~ 'i M"
THIRD Section OF his MaIcstys Private Chan
cry. and thr task Of prose utins the crimi-
~ IA Russia to the very roots WIS lntrustcd 20
hun.
A history Of tho secret doings. Of all the hor,
rorS and crimes pcrpetrated los this dis graceful
IN tuition would il up many volumes. before
tho contents Of which the most sensational
novels would appear tame and shallow. There
= stsuIt.,slX anlt Of Iulltp a. life
which j. oNemit'd from tn irresponsible con-
tr"l OF this inpu-iiiun uf tho nineteenth cen
ever Cor tho Third Section. Not only acquitt'
political .henlrrs, are as a rule trau-porsi
" admin strntiVcly' tu some distant town of the
empire but even the Judges Themselves. when
they or" considered To- have passed too leuirnt
avrrlit. are liable TO b. forced into rcsiening
their ol'H and to Ice then eNiled in CON pHny
with tho very prisoners who had stood b.. ore
thcml such Is the institution nt the head u
which ShuuvHlOn was placed In 1866; such was
IN" power given into his hands which made
him IN on" year the actual master of Russia
keprs-iVe measures against the Press. tho
proVinr lal elective assemblies the zetsfr0l. the
universities aud the now law courts followed
almost daily. Snouyalon kugw how 70 deprive
public life IN Russia even oi that phantom OF
lib"r tv which had been awarded Icy ~" Nh-
oral' CIR; how to tear out Of ~" now
institutions their spirit. without touch NJ thor
outward. civilized inrn. lie carefully dealt with
every eHsH according to the social reputation
ana anuN slinn o' me IN ,l'u"l persons
lie could disrrimin'te between ihos' WHO could
he struck and crushed IN the most mrrcilrS-
and brutal manner ana those toward whom
forms Of a rhivllruus and accomplished "ivllity
must be- observed.
A personal experience Of mine admirably
illustrate. this trait in the character of the
Shouynlon. In 1877 was nn cdltorial writer
- the stan ~ a wee ky pNp,r At NJ. t"gs'u
THIS pap r still exists and am therefore com
l"lied from obvious r"t~1ns not to name II.
Through the literary position occupied, nat
turbulent and int li."nt clements oi The Rus
sian Observation-Disclosures artists. young oilie'rs ~