Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-02-28
THE czA1Ew1roHEs OF RUSSIA.

The title Of Czarewitcn, or more properly
| CeSarewitch, was Invented by Peter the Great,
who claimed for himself an equality with the
| Caesar of the West the holy Roman Emperor
sgs the heir 70 the rs Ian
OF the Empire, is now referred to as the Care
| witch.
| AS far back as the fifteenth century there are
| instances wherein the Gar and CZarewitch
! have had serious differences which in some
cases resulted not only in the Czarewitch being
put under lock and key, but in bis being put out
| OF the way altogether.
| In the Old days Of the Cars of Moscow the
| despot on the throne regarded his presumptive
heir with much the same degree of Jealousy as
| does the King Of Burmah at this day the whole
| group OF his blood relations.
| 1t seems now, as 1t has always seemed, to be
necessary for the Car and his heir to be antag-
onistic in their opinions II the Gar was con-
| sentative his son was sure to be reformer; If
he had western ideas the Czarewitch was i'm
pressed they were wrong.
| Ivan the Terrible, who reigned from 1888 to
| 1884, accused his son OF forming conspiracy to
dethrone him, and in his anger struck the blow
| for which he afterWard invoked heaven and
| earth and promised treasures and titles to
any one who would conjure back the life of his
| son.
Peter the Great and his son Alexis enter
! tanned different opinions In regard to the re-
forms introduced BY the father The Car loved
what he called progress and European FASH
ions" while Alexis hated both and on more
on one occasion a m % IN Pd9c t1a
|
| with all Western fashions.
The result was that Peter excluded his son
| from the succession. Alexis appeared satisfied
with the decision, and declared his Intention Of
| spending the remainder of his days in a monaS-
| terry. In 1717 he escaped to Vienna, and thence
where by the ukase Of February ?, Ills, he Was
| distnher1ted. Later he was formally accused Of
| conspiring against his fathers life and throne
and on the confessions Of his mistress, his pot
| companions and his confessor, all upon the
| rack, he was condemned to death.
| According to one version the agitation caused
by the trial so seriously affected his health that
he soon after died in fits, June, Ills. There
were rumOrS current at the time that his death
was not natural one, and the Car to avoid
scandal ordered the trial to be published
Another version or the death OF Alexis that
given by Peter Henry Bruce, an Englishman,
who, after speaking of the imprisonment and
trial of the Czarewitch, by his father, says: ION
the next day His Majesty, attended by all the
high rank, went to the fort and entered the
apartments where the CZarewitch was kept
prisoner. Some little time thereafter Marshal
Weyde came out, and ordered me to go to Mr..
Bears, the druggist, whose shop was hard by,
and tell him to make the potion strong which
he had bespoke, as the prince was then very
Ill. When delivered this message to Mr.. Bear
he turned quite pale, and fell shaking and
trembling, ard appeared in the utmost confu-
sion, which surprised me so much that asked
him what was the matter with him. but he was
unable to return me any answer. In the mean
time the marshal himself came in, much in the
same condition with the druggist, saying he
ought to have been more expeditions, as the
prince was very i'll of an apopletic fit. Upon
this the druggist delivered him a silver cup,
which the marshal himself. carried into the
princes apartments, staggering all the way as
he went like one drunk.
The wretched Czarewitch struggled out of
one CONFUSION into another, until he expired In
great agony at o'clock in the afternoon,
The Gar then ordered his corpse to be laid in
thrown over it Every few says Bruce, s.be-
gerous for people to speak as they thought"
OF the death of this young man, Motley in his
"Peter the Great, says:
sit was not believed by many people in Eu-
rope at the time, and it Is not believed by the
Comte de S6gur and the Marquis de Custine
now, that the Prince died natural death-1f
the cataleptic eonvulsiye fit, consequent upon
finally ended his life, can be called natural
and not violent death. ALI sorts of stories
were told at the time, each more incredible than
Car was said to have knouted him to death
with his own hands; to have poisoned him with
potion which he sent Marshal Weyde to an
apothecary's shop in broad daylight to procure;
TO have cut off his head and then to have had 1t
privately sewed on again by Madame Cramer;
IN short, to have made way with him by varf-
ETY. OF means, all OF which could not well have
been true, and all of which are, under the cir
cumstances, extremely unlikely. To us it seems
ridiculous to add new horror to this terrible
tragedy. We are not sure, either that the sup
posed assassination makes the matter any
worse Murder most FOUL as at the best it is
we are unable to see that the private murder is
whit more atroeous than the public solemn
accused and condemned to all eternity
The Car Paul and his son, Alexander l. did
not agree The same is the case with Nicholas
and Alexander II, the present Emperor, who
succeeded to the throne in 1855. Nicholas
threatened to disinherit Alexander and leave
the throne to his brother Constantine. The past
few years have shown that Alexander and his
son, in both public and private affairs as well
as In polt1ca! matters are opposed to each
other, and It is no secret at the present time
that their relations are not pleasant.
This lack OF harmony between father and son
has been the occasion OF numerous rumors, not
few Of which are evidently without founda-
ton. Not long ago it was reported that the
Czarewitch was imprisoned In his palace by
order OF his father but it is said the Car lately
has been trying to remove this impression by
paying his son public hOnOrS on occasions Of
great paradeS. The heir to the throne Is said
to belong to what is called the "old Russia"
party, which is bitterly opposed to the emanct-
patton OF serfs, and does not favor any measure
for lettering The condition of the Russian peo-
pie. In regard to foreign affairs this party is
still more aggressive. 1t believes that Russia
Will finally conquer and hold ConsJantinople
make further advances into Asia and control
the commerce of the far East.
The Cars attachment to the Germans Is
probably another cause of disagreement with
Tbs Czarew1tch. Alexander's mother was a
German Princess, and he was educated under
German professors, and spent some Of his early
III Dcluu. nc ldS Dttu Ou luUlUaCc Terms
with Emperor William, and this friendship has
doubtless Influenced the turn of European
affairs in the last twenty years. On the other
hand, the Czarew1tch is said to hate the Germans
and to be partial to the French, and also to be
In sympathy with great number of the Rus
slams who look upon the Germans as prob lble
foes in the future.
The Car is studious and domestic in his
tastes; he loves peace and tranquility, and dis
likes anything pertaining to war, while his son
Is a soldier by instinct. The Car is Guilt
waited European; his son resembles the old type
OF MuScovite warriors.
1t is not surprising that the occupant and
heir OF the Russian throne should be at logger
heads, as it has been the rule for centuries, and
Alexander, in giving the title of Czarewitch to
his son, seems to have also given him that
heritage OF opposition to the state which, In
most cases has been characteristic of his pre-
deceSSOrS.
PredestinatiOn.
Little Rock (Ark.) GaZette.l
An old-time Baptist preacher OF this city,
who has retired from active Gospel dealings
but who still keeps firm eye on the faith has
just had little experience with a colored man
that causes him to think very seriously. Meet
Ing the colOred man the preacher said: ssDave,
Won don't hiring that saddle hnnoa x,o,,