The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1882-02-23
r AND HIS CORONATION.

rs TO the reign OF the present head
Russian government, there was no
in the life of the cZars which was the
/tasion of so much rejoicing throughoutthe
Hmpire, or was the symbol of the comforting
of such absolute and extensive powers as
the grand and formal coronation at Mos
COW, q ceremony by which the man became
almost a GoD, the car of all the Russians
and the head of the Greek church. So i'm
postponement merely through caprice
or fear would have been regarded as an
impossibility, and in fact was farther
from no mans mind than the favored
OF fortune upon whose head the
crown was TO be placed. And then when
the booming cannon and the shouts of the
~pOpulace told that the coronation wal
oyer, the masses of Russia were ready to
kneel before the new sovereign with an awe
and reverence fit only to be manifested
toward a being Of superior mold than clay.
No longer ago than n quarter ola century
such was true of Russia. Now we see lis
ruler shrinking from this ceremony with al
the glory and power of which it is the syn
Dol, as if he we're a craven criminal being
ed to execu ton. Time and again has tho
coronation been postponed, and upon
each occasion some ilimsy excuse
has been urged, which lily con-
cealed the fear of personal violence resting
in the breast of ALEXANDER. The bomb
thrown by RoUssAKoFF has counteracted the
superstition of ages. AS terrible as assas
sination is recognized to be. in Russia it has
done more than missionaries or the natural
growth of society has accomplished since
PGTBR THE GREAT. And the covering and
hidden ear is the evidence that the politi-
cal slavery and religious supe r%stitions OF
t ne empire are rapidly becoming things Of
the past. We learn in the conduct Of the
present head of the Russian govern
ment, in his i~ndisposition TO be for
mally crowned, in his dread Of tx
posure, his burying himself from the
public gaze, a lesson full of hope to human
ity. This tremendous power Of the north
Of Europe. extending over nearly half Of
Asia and Europe, and enforcing its tyran-
rical and superstitious mandates with a
rod Of iron, has been heretofore an ihsur-
mountable obstacle to the causes Of religion
and civilization in the east and particularly
within the empire itself But il has be-, n
essentially a personal power. wrapped in
the supposed sacrodness with which kings
are invested. and, Therefore, impossible to
approach. The nihilist, boldly, though in
blood, has shaken the iron throne, has
robbed imperialism Of its suppos d
~inv.olability. and stricken the shacklts
oi slavery and blind faith
from 100000 90 people. The next blow Of
like character, and it is bound to come in a
very short while, will open this vast terrific
~ and its teeming millions 10 the influences
Of progress, religion, constitutional liberty
and civilization in its higher forms. The
p-ostponement. therefore. 81 the coronation
Of the car, arising rs il does from an I'M
doubted fear Of Ihe same subjects, who, but
q few years ago crouched humbiy at The
loot Of the Muscovite throne. teaches in no
unmistat able terms the great truth that
The Light Of liberty andthe appreciation o
The rights Of man have taken hold 81 even
the dun inteliects of the north and east e.
Eurupe-in other words that man g. every
sLefe pEQgressing o. higher de~veIrpm
an1 uaesr destiny. In tlis Hk't, tieS
fore. a matter ~ safIiE-y lrai iH-srtsf
saiy. but about uLirl We constantly hear
.1 much, ri-a b. tls dignity and import
Of suDiee fur U0rll-uide interest and
,uaculati0n-