Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-07-17
Gales aud Sketthes.
An Imperial Monster.
PETER THE GREAT, THE CELEBRATED
CAR OF RUSSIA.


there was large and loud demand to pro-
woke such liberal supply. though when,
u wears since, the 200th anniversary OF
the famous Gar was celebrated in Russia,
the government ascertained by special in
; ouiry that since his death more than a
thousand distinct works-One Of them in
several volumes-had been written con-
corning him and his deeds in other langu-
ages than the Russian. If these are REIN
forced BY similar works in his own langu-
age. it would seem as if Peter had been
sufficiently biographical without the gen.
erous contribution of Mr. SCHUYLER But
this feature of the case Is foreign to our
purpose; nor have we any intention of
discussing the political achievements
which are supposed to authorize the
much abused title of Great"
Giving Peter iul credit for all that has
been claimed in his behalf as organizer
ard ruler. though much might be subtract
ed without serious detriment to historical
truth, let US see. if we can, what manner
of man was he whose name and fame
have gone trumpet-tongued the wide
world over Let US look at him. so to
speak, in his undress uniform, as he APP
peared to those who saw most of him and
knew him best in ali his various moods.
in all the phases of character which
never has been duplicated, and. we may
hope. never will be. Ii. after thus look
ing. the reader is not more than ever con-
WINGED that ''fact is stranger than fiction, y
then he is proof against the strongest evil
dence on this point to be found in ancient
or modern annals. Voltaire. in his ''Phil-
osophica Dictionary" SAYS that Peter
was halt hero and half tiger" Half
hog and half tiger would be nearer
the truth. Macaulay declares that ito
the end of his Lie he lived in his
palace like hog in a sly, and when
he was entertained by other sovereigns
never failed to leave on their tapestried
walls and velvet state beds, unequvocal
proofs that a savage had been there He
was naturally swinish in his tastes and
habits. and displayed his swinishness re-
gardless of circumstances or consequent
ces. When William III visited him IN
London, the air of the room was so foul
that a window had to be opened before the
English king could enter. The nastiness
of himself and suite almost ruined Eve
| lvn's villa at Deptford where the i'm
peria party were lodged; and the own
er applied for and received compensation
from Parliament.
Twenty years later the pretty little
"Monbiiou" palace in Berlin suffered in
the same way from the same party. The
| sprightly Margarine OF Bavreuth, says
| that 1.-The desolatiOn of Jerusalem was
everywhere in it. and it was so ruined as
almost to need rebuilding" Every one
has heard of the important part played
hv the cane in the domestic economy of
Frederick William of Prussia, but that
eccentric monarch was nothing in COM
parison to his Russian brother in the can.
ING line, Peter, when the fit was on him.
| literally caned body-from his cook
to his counselor, from the meanest peas
ant to the highest noble sparing
neither age nor sex. He wonld get up
from the table and fog the host who was
unlucky enough to entertain him.
He would stand at the door of the SEN
ate house and fog each senator that
went in Lefort was an intimate and
trusted friend, yet on slight provocation
he was knocked down and brutally kicked
by his imperial guest. But all this
flogging was in the way of recreation.
When Peter "meant business it was a
more serious matter. Incredible as it
NAV seem. it is nevertheless well anthem
ticated that one of his own sisters-it is
said more than one-received hundred
strokes of the whip on her back. in the
presence of the whole court. In 111S
Alexis. his only son who outiived infancy,
was for some otfense of no great serious
ness, several times tortured in the pres
ence of the diaboical father, and few
hours later died-either from the effects
of the torture or by assassination. For
svmpathizing with Alexis, the Princess
Golitsyn, the bosom companion of the
Empress Catherine. was publicly whipped
by soldiers. For the same reason the
brother of his first wife, Eudoxia-whom
he had thrown into prison-was tortured
and then broken alive on the wheel. An
alleged lover of Eudoxia was tortured in
Peters presence almost daily for six
weeks-by the knout. by burning Goals and
red hot irons, by being tied down to a
plank full of sharp spikes. and finally
impaled Nothing ever told of Nero is
more horribly grotesque than this:
Miss Hamilton was fair but frail maid
of honor to Catherine. After a casual in
tmacy with Peter. she bestowed her ten
derness elsewhere without interference on
his part. but when, to extricate herself
from resulting embarrassments. she took
to infanticide. he brought her to trial
Condemned to decapitation, she mounted
the scaffod in a dress of white satin
trimmed with bows of black ribbon. look
ing more lovely than ever. But not alone
Peter appeared at her side. and straning
her to his breast. lamented that divine law
forbade him to spare her. A moment
after the beautiful head rolled from the
: block at his feet. and lifted it by the ear,
he imprinted last kiss upon the culver
ing lips"
The Prussian ambassador Prlnz asserts
in his official dispatches that during the
memorable suppression of the Streltsi re-
volt. Peter gave a banquet, sent for a
score of rebels. and every time he drained
a glass struck off head. inviting the
. envoy to join in the sport, With such
sins laid at his door, it is scarcely worth
while to mention lighter ones; to say that
Peter was a glutton, drunkard. addicted
to every form of sensual Indulgence. an
. irredeemable blackguard and ruffian.
sparing no woman in his lust and no man
in his wrath. utterly infamous in all the
relations of life. scoffer at virtue in
either sex. mocker of religion. dying
five weeks after participating in the cleo