The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1879-06-04
WILL or PETER THE GREAT
His Scheme For Seeking All Europe.

WILL OF PETER THE GREAT
His scheme For SEEKING All Europe.
Nautical G.s.ste. ss
We present to our readers (for, the first
time, we believe, published in any Ameri-
can Newspaper) m authentic copy Of the
will of Peter the Great, the first Emperor |
of Russia. This will is the supreme
foundation and law Of Russian politics,
since his time, and was contidenially de-
posted in the hands of the Able de |
Bervis, Minister Of Foreign Affairs, in
1857, and also in those Of Louis XIV. A
copy is also to be found in the diplomatic,
archives of France, from, which We dcSl
rive our translation. 8AhlSt - It .tsss
. ssE a. THE WILL. ai5RH3iaas MI
PRELIMINARY coNsIDERAT1oNs..ssi
In the name of the most Holy and In
divisible Trinity, we, Peter, the First
Emperor and Autocrat Of all the RNssias,
&C., to all our descendants and successors
to the throne and government OF the Rus
sian nation: ..a M sa y
| God, from whom we derive our exist
ence, and to whom we owe our crown,
having constantly enlightened us by His
spirit, and sustained us by His Divine
help, allow me to look on the Russian
people as called upon hereafter to hold
:s,ooy oper Europe. Ny reason for thus
thinking is, that the European nations
have mostly reached a stage
of old age,bordering upon inn
becility, or they are rapidly ap-
preaching it; naturally, then they will be
easilv and ;ndabitaby conquered by a
people strong in youth and yigor, espec-
tally when this latter shall have attained
its full strength and power. 1 look on
the future invasion Of the Eastern and
Western countries by the North as a
periodical movement ordained by Provi-
dence, who, in q like manner, regenerated
the Russian nation by barbarian invasion
These emigrations Of men from the North
|. are as the reflux of the Nile, which, al
certain periods, comes to fertilize the
impoverished lands Of Egypt by its de-
post. I found Russia as 7.soulet, 4 leave
it river; nv successors will make it s
> large sea, destined to fertilize the impov
erished lands of Europe, and it,
waters will overflow, in spite OF imposing
dams erected by weak hands, if our de-
p scendants only know how to direct it
r course. This is the reason leave then
q the following instructions. give thos'
countries to their watchfulness and care
as Moses gave the Tables of the Law t
y the Jewish people:
Keep the Russian nation in ESTATE O.
e CONTINUAL WAR: so as to have the soldie
e always under arms, and ready for action
f excepting when the finances of the, Stat
g will not alloy Of it. Keep unth FORCES
i choose the hest moments Tor ats lk sassH
d these means You willbe ready for wa
# even in the time of peace. This is 70
r the interest Of the future aggrandizemen
e of Russia. t@
Endeavor by every possible means t
- bring in from the neighboring civlllze
- countries Of Europe officers in times {
= war, and learned men in times of peace
thus giving the Russian people the adval
q tages enjoyed by other countries, witho,
7, allowing them to lose any of their ow
70 self-respect. : y:ga eli sa@sgas
On every occasion take part in the q
p fairs and quarrels of Europe; above all,
>. those of Ger many, which country, beir
the nearest, more Immediately concerl
X US. .. :. ...:' 3.
Dipid4 Poland, exciting civil disco,
It, there; win over the nobility, corrupt I
e! diets, so as to have influence on the ele
ton of Kings, get partisans into ofie
1t. protect them, bring to sojourn there Nv
H. covite troops, until such time as they G
:" be permanently established there. If t
neighboring powers start difficulties, q
pease them for time by parceling out t
he country until you cal, retake sn detail
= that has been ceded. s s.ass
Ill Take as much as you can from Ssced
;, and cause yourself to be attacked by h
=: so as to hace pretert for subduing h
~; To accomplish this sever Denmark FRI
nd Sweden, and Sweden from DENIM a;
carefully keeping up their rivalrles: g. i.
- vi. -..'
Alsodys choose, as wives for RUSS
90" princes, German princesscs, so as to
crease family alliances, to draw NUT
interests closer, ana ny DTOpGg0tang
pht principles in Ge,mang, to enlist her in
me cause. .,.,. ss,sa ....,se .e,.ss..a
England, requiring us for her navy, {
she being the only power that can
- in the development Of ours, seek a,ttct
or mercial alliance with her, in prefere
to any other Exchange our wood and
productions of our land for her gold,
'ye, establish between her merchants, her
lors and ours continental intercoti
."" this will aid in perfecting the Russ
our fleet for navigation and commerce.
Entend your possessions toward
r. - North, along the Baltic, and to,oard
- South BIZ tho Black Sea.
the approach as near as possible to Cons
Tho tinopIe and its outskirts. HE WHO sH
<lev REIGN THERE, WILL BE THE TRUE .
cont ERE1aN or THE WORLD. Consequer
be continually at war sometimes ,
,nse the Turks, sometimes with Persia.
'S3 lo.l. MI - =.