Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1881-03-17

He~as a son of Nicholas I, and his
mother was sister of the present En-,
peror of Germany. For forty years pre-
vious to the accession of Alexander II.
he grest empire efRussia had had ru-
lfrs of almdst unexampled cruelty. The
press was raezzled, perseeution for re-
iigion's sskeiwas common. liberal and
progressive tendencies were suppressed.
Under such influences the young Alex
ander was raised, and under the teach
ings of such h-narrow-minded desPetism
it is surprising that he came, to the
throne with any liberal ideas in his
mind; yet his life work bears the stamp
of desire to do more for his people
than marks the reign Of any ruler in all
Europe. He ascended the throne in the
midst of the CriDean war, which Russia
wasl waging against England, France.
and Turkey, and was crowned at Mes
cow, September I, 1885, By, the wisdom
of his policy that war-the Hisfortunes
of which hastened his fathers death
was brought to close by the treaty of
Paris. Russia lost her supremacy in the
Black Sea for the time; but the dOmes-
tic policy of tbcmcouhtry was at once
made liberal and progressive, the educa-
'tienal institutions Of the, country were
liberated from official bondage and given
Opportunities fer wider usefulness, the
press was allowed a more extended lield,
official corruption Wns hunted down and
severely punished 5aId siaaHy the great
erowning aet Ofii.!s reigns WAS corisam-
mated, the, liberatien of 20 100000 serfs
by adecree. promulgated in March, 1901.
This is his greatest glory, and indeed is
the grandest achievement of any desp0t-
ie ruler. His good Wife's influence was
potent in this She was q daughter
of the Grand Duke of HesseDarmstadt,
a sort OF Cinderella in royal palace, a
a sweet, modest, retiring girl, lovely in
face and form, and with a cultivated
mind. Such was the maiden who capti-
waited the young CZarewitch, and who be-
came his wife on the 2Sth of April, .1S41.
She died neglected and brOken-hearted
under the loss of the affection plighted
to her in her early and unsurpassed
beauty and attractiyeness.I She was a
woman of refinement and culture, we'll
informed and progressive, and bore a
conspicuous part in the brightest page
of Russian history. After her death the
Gar made a moTganatic marriage with
a mistress by whom. he had had several
ehifdreR-a connection which undoubtI
hoo ha of. f.Aif hfrx1
wife, and it, certainly seandalized and
ineensed his children y0ias .'f.ie t7di
Alexander Ill, who succeeds to the
throne, was born March, 1916. He has
long opposed his fathers liberal policy,
and it is safe to assume will conductive
affairs of the empire, in, a much more
despoHc and illiberal manner. il oqcsc
For three, or fopr, years past affairs in
the empire. have been in a critical condi-
tion, From the lower ranks there has
sprung the parry of Nihilists.i 10 That
this party can be- traced to the liberal
policy of the late Car is no doubt true.
IT was probably the natural result of
liberal tendencies aroused in the, people
through the liberation of serfs and the
impetus given education That it be-
came, revolutionary under a. despOtism
is not surprising. but that itshould first
sting the bosom that warmed it into
life is depIorable. ; The Gar has, been
shot at. in public places. his. railroad
train has been blown, up. "a portion Of
his palace. was destroyed and several
persons killed in an attempt to destroy
him, and q hundred plots formed, from
all of which he escaped until Sunday af-
ternoon-l -n,its.l.n l.Ll!.enD 5Ral bIH1