Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1881-03-18


of Sunday afternoon there can he no certain
prophecy. Perhaps the new Gar will give
Russia constitutional government, with a
rational misunderstanding eagerly anti
cipated as long ago as 1865, when Alexander
H. created representative assemblies in all
| the provinces. Possibly st. Petersburg is to
witness other assassinations of the Roman
offs: and over all looms up the shadow OF a
terrible revolution. At any rate the present
outlook for the empire is gloomy enough.
The career of the late Gar was varied
one. The son of the Emperor Nicholas l.
and his wife the Princess Frederick (who was
the daughter of Frederick William Ill. OF
Prussia, Alexander ii. was born April
Goth, 1918, and was consequently not quite
63 years of age at the time of his DEATH
From early childhood he was afflicted with
constitutional melancholy, which grew upon
him as he advanced in ycars-perhaps from
prcseuiment of his terrible fate. Ills father
assembled the throne in December 1925, and
it was in that month that the lad had his
first experience Of the perils that surround
throne \ formidable conspiracy was FORM
ed to exierminate the Imperial family. and
divide Russia into petty municipalities, after
the manner OF Germany. The guards of the
palace were largely involved in the plot but
one of them, who was devoted TO the young
| Prince and could not bear to See HIM killed,
made known the impending danger at the
last moment. The dis.oyal palace guard,
consisting of picked men OF above six feet
in height, differed by members Of the
nobility, was instantly disarmed and sent
TO Siberia. 1t was replaced by Il battalion
of Finlautlcrs taken from the line, whom
Nicholas knew were to be trusted.
Taking the boy Alexander by the hand
he led him into the courtyard, where the
Finnish battalion was drawn up, and placed
him in their care The soldier who first re-
ccivcd the Prince deliberately removed his
| fur hat, revercn,ly embraced and kissed his
future sovereign, and passed him to the
arms Of comrade. Thus the boy
Prince was passed from soldier to soldier
until the entire battalion had sealed its 10y
atty with n fcrvent kiss. Leaving the boy
in their Lands Nicholas then proceeded to
order an attack upon the insurgents, who
within a brief space of time they were
driven flying through the capital and the
danger was at an end.
After passing through rigorous military
education. Alexander made the tour of Eu-
rope. lie was married April 2S, 1S4l, to his
cousin the Princess of Hesse- Darmstadt,
Maximliana Wilhelmina Augusta Sophia
| Maria, daughter of the Grand Duke Lud-
wig H. The bride was then nearly seven
teen years of age, having been born August
| $, 1924 She was by education Protes-
tant, but after she exchanged her long Ger
man name for the Russian one Of Maria
Aexandrovna she embraced the orthodox
Greek Church. Of which she ultimately be-
came an enthusiastic votary. She died of a
broken heart last year, and the Gar then
married his mistress, the Princess Dolgor-
ouski. For many years after his marriage
the life Of the Czarewitch appears to have
! been unevcntful.
II is believed that the series of measures
adopted by Nicholas TO assert the rights of
Russia in the inheritance of the ''Sick Man
of Turkey, and which eliminated in the
Crimean war of 1858 81, were not approved
by the heir TO the throne. At all events he
displayed no eacerness to bear part in that
conflict, and embraced the earliest opportu-
nifty to bring it 10 an end after his own ac-
ccssion to power. The vexatons of that war
proved fatal TO the proud spirit of Nicholas,
who died March ., 1855, just at the moment
when the outlook for the Russian arms was
the darkest. The Czarewitch Immediately,
in the presence Of the Ministers and Councils
Of State, declared his intentions of entering
upon the government of the Empire, and he
was 4, once proclaimed Emperor us Alexan-
der H., March ,, 1866, and was crowned at
| Moscow September :, 1876 On the return
of peace his first step was to reduce.the army
safety of the Empire. He relaxed the lines
drawn to the utmost tension by his predcces-
sOrs, beginning by cmancipating the nation
from its military routine, which permeated
every branch Of the administration He re-
organized the standing army, established
/ common schools for the soldiers dissolved
the greater part of the military columns,
freed public instruction from military disci-
pine, AID instead of placing discharged Off
GERS ~ tutors and professors at the head Of
educational establishments appointed men
specially instructed 10 fill such positions.
He advanced Young mea of ability in the
different branches Of public service, remov-
ing a@.d s,ryi;ors by assigning them annui-
Ties, annulcd the law which prevented Rus
inluEurdcd that vast system Of internal
commune alton, which is 10 cover the i'm
menso Empire with network Of railroads
and canals, giving a new impulse to internal
trade aud industry. At .hc same time he
sought 10 develop the national commercial
marine and to induce merchants to extend
their relations with foreign countries. Ev-
crywhcre we find Alexander trying to pro-
mote the good Of his people by the adapta-
ton If every advanced idea caught from the
rapid march of improvement in other ma
tons.
But the crandest achievement of his reign
| and one that will render il orcvermemorable
was the liberation of the serfs. Catherine ii.
conceived plan Of freeing them, but a strong
opposition met every suggestion. Alexander
| |. desired it and met the same opposition in
| the Cabinet, but with even stronger force,
which caused him to abandon the idea
Nicholas drew mp plan for the cmancipa-
ton OF the seris three years before his death.
but it was defeated by his Cabinet and set
aside. II was reserved for Alexander H.
had failed to accomplish Notwithstanding
the debates were long and animated
and the opposition great, since his mobiles
were themselves the heaviest serf owners,
Alexander dccrccd on March ., 1861, the
gradual emancipation of $4,000, 900 souls.
y term Of two years WAS given for the set
Element in regard to the quantity of land 10
be coded 10 the serfs and the amount of
money or labor to be paid for their home
sicadH The change caused a great shock
many mobiles proved vindic,ive and sullen,
and never recovered from the blow. for
which they made no effort to prepare, dur
inc the iwo years Of probation. However,
the more rational and intelligent among them
obcycd the imperial mandate, began at once
10 prepare FOR il, and at the expiration of the
two years found their land in n better con
dili"n, their people more prosperous. Their