, 1883-04-05
PRINCE GORTSCHAKOFF.

The recent death of Prince
Gortschakof was expected He had
served his country as long as his
energies permitted, and when in
April, 1882 he retired from the per
formance of his labors as minister of
foreign affairs, the intirmities of old
age anticipated his early decease,
The Prince, whose full name was
Alexander Mich aelowtsch Gortscha-
kotf, was born June 10Th, 1898. He
was the head of family counting
St. Vladimir among its ancestors,
and descended from the first grand
duke of Russia Gortschakoff was
educated at the Lycerm of the
Zarskse-S -Selo, and destined for diplo
macy. His first appointment was
that of attache to Nesselrode at the
congress of Laybach and Verona.
He was secretary of the Russian Elm
bassy in London in the year 1924. In
1880 he was appointed charge d af-
faires at Florence, and in 1892 was
made member of the Russian lega
ton in the Austrian capital. AS en-
voy extraordinary at Stuttgard in
1841, he negotiated the marriage of
the Prince Royal of Wurtemberg
with the Russian Grand Duchess
Olga. His policy during the event
iul years 1S4S and lS49 did not COM
init him to any extreme position.
He was ambassador at Vienna during
the period of difficulty on the Eastern
question which eliminated in the
war begun in 1854 between England,
France and Turkey on one side and
Russia on the other. Gortschakotf S
influence in the councils of his coun-
try led to the treaty of Paris, signed
March 30th, 1856, which put an end
to the war. He was afterwards re-
moved from Vienna to become minis
tor of foreign affairs at home. As
such he opposed the interference of
the Western powers with the affairs
the kingdom Of the Two Sicilies.
He supported the French expedition
to Syria in 1860. In 1862 he refused
. Russian aid to France and England,
when these powers contemplated in
tervention in the American civil war.
He was made chancellor of the Rus
sian empire in 1863, the year of the
Polish insurrection, which was stern
ly put down. Russia ceased to hold
official relation with the Pope in 1866,
al the results Of his influence. The
downfall of Nepoleon III gave him
the opportunity, in October, 1870, of
the intention of Russia not to abide
by the provisions of the treaty of
Paris as regarded the Black Sea; and
the treaty was amended in accordance
with his demand in London the next
year. The deceased statesman pro-
NOTED the policy of a close union be
tween Russia, Germany and Austria.
The International Congress held at
Brussels in 1876, to make rules for
the treatment of prisoners of war,
was convened at his request. He gave
assistance to the insurgents Of Bos
MIA and Herzegovina in 1876. and
subsequently joined with Austria and
Germany in urging Turkey to insti-
tute reforms. The war between
Russia and Turkey, begun in 1877,
was stroke of Gortschakoff's policy
which resulted in the triumph of the
Russian arms and the treaty of San
Stefno, the terms of which were af-
forwards modified, doubtless to the
minister's extreme modification, by
the treaty of Berlin. Gortschakotf
visited Bismark in 1879, with whom
he then renewed amicable relations
He was succeeded as minister of
foreign affairs by M. de Giers. After
his retirement his dignities of I'M
perial Chancellor and member of the
Council of the Empire, we continued
to him.