Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1892-11-26
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States Of America Last July I stood be-
fore great throng of Russians in the en-
barrassing position of speaking to an audi
snce three-fourths of which could not I'M
could understand theirs. But there were
two names that they thoroug hly under
stood as well as you understand them. and
the utterancs OF those two names brought
forth an reclamation that made the city
hall Of st. Petersburg quake from founda-
ton stone to towers, and those two names
were George Washington AMI Abraham
Lincoln"
Now Is it not important that we should
feel right toward That migaty, that God
given friend of more than ons hundred
yearss Yea, because it is 9 nation OF more
possibilities than any othe except our own.
should we cultivate its frien iship. There is
a vest realm OF Russia as yet uuoccupied.
II the population OF thu rest OF Europe were
poured into Russia 1t would be only partially
occupied. After awaile America will be SO
well populated that the ii les Of emigration
will 60 the other way, and by railroads
comes within thirty six miles OF joining
America-miIlions OF people will pour down
through Russia and Siberia, and on down
through all tbs regions waiting for the
civilization OF the next century to come,
and culture great harvests an / build mighty
cities.
What the Unite States now are on the
western hemisphere Russia will be on the
eastern hemisphere. Not only because of
what Russia has been to our republic, but
because of what she will be, let Us cease the
defamation of all that pertains TO that great
empire. II Russia can afford to be the friend
Of America, America can afford to be the
friend of Russia. And now proceed to do
what told the emperor and the empress
and all the imperial family at the. palace of
Peterhof would do il / ever got back to
America, and that is to answer soma of the
calumnies which have been announced and
reiterated and stsreotyped against Russia.
Caiunny the First-The emperor and all
the imperial family are in perpetual dread
of assassination. They ara practically pris-
onersin the winter palace, and trenches with
dynamite have been found dug around the
winter palace. They dare not venture forth,
except preceded and followed and surround
ed by most elaborate military guard.
Ny answer to this is that never saw a
face more free from worriment than the en-
perors face. The winter palace, around
which the trenches are said to have been
charged with dynamite and in which the
imperial family are said 20 be prisoners, has
never been the residence OF the imperial
family one moment since the present en-
peror has been ON the throne.
The winter palace has Been changed into
a museum and picture gallery and place
Of great levees. He spends his summer in
the palace at Peterhof, fifteen or twenty
miles from st. Petersburg; his autumns at
the palace at Gratschna, and his winters In
a palace at st. Petersburg, but in quite q
different part Of the city to that occupied
by the winter palace. He rides through the
streets unattended except by the empress
at his side and the driver on the boz. There
l.. "a H.. l. A-~z
from fear OF harm than he is. His subjects
not only admire him but almost worship
him.
There are cranks in Russia, but have wa
not had our Charles Guiteau ami John
Wilkes BOOTH "But,n says some one, ibid
not the Russians kill the father Of the pres
ent EMPEROR Yes, but in the time that
Russia has had one assassination of en-
peror America has had two presidents assss-
sinated. "But is not the emperor an auto
cratg' By which you mean, has he not
power without restriction: Yes, but it all
depends upon what use man makes Of his
power,
Are you an autocrat III your factory, or an
autocrat in your store, or an au5ocrat in
your style of business? IL all depends on
what use you make of your power. whether
to bless or to Cypress, and from the tims Of
Peter the Great--that Russian who was the
wonder of all time, the emperor who became
incognits a ship carpenter that he might
help ship carpenters, and a mechanic that
he might help mechanics, aud put on DOOR
mems CARO- that he might sympathlzs with
poor men, and who in his last words said:
MY Lord, am dying. Oh, help my unbe-
left" Il say from that time the throne OF
Russia has, for the most part been occupied
by rulers as bsneicent and kind AMI sym
pathetic as they were powerful
f,r-f aolr Ns,tN ~
grandfather of the present emperor.
Nicholas had for the dominant idea Of his
administration the emancipation Of the
serfs. When 1t was found that he premadi-
tated the freedom of the serfs he received
the following letter of threat from a deputa.
ton of noblemen: your Imperial MajeSty
We learn that the council and senate OF
the empire have before them for delibera-
ton, with your sanction, the plan to abolish
serfdom throughout thu Russian empire.
We are perfectly willing to abide by your
majesty's decision in this matter and to
loyalty support your will, but there are in
Russia a large number of small owners of
serfs who are dependent for actual subsst-
ence on the labor of those serfs, and who
consequently will be left wholly penuless
and without any resource by the operation
of emancipation. They will then undoubtedly
resort to desperate measures. and in the ex-
tremity of their despair will put the life OF
your majesty in jeopardy"
the emperor replied In words that will
last as long as history. Gentlemen, il |
should die because OF my devotion to such
cause, l am willing to meet my fate" When,
under an ATTACK Of pneumonia from ex-
posure to severe weather in tn service of
his people, that emperor put down his head
on the pillow of dust, Russia lost as good a
monarch as was ever crowned. Then came
Alexander the Second, father OF the present
emperor. Amid the mightiest opposition
and innumerable protests, he, with one
stroke of his pen, emancipated twenty mil
lion serfs, practically saying, go free. b
your own masters, and this is for you and
your children forever
Ga the day he was baseiy assassinatei
(and | will parenthetically say that | saw
his carriage in solinters, as 1t looked when
he stepped from it, not to save himsslf, but
to look after some poor people OF the street
who had been hurt and | saw the bed on
which he died, the mattress yet crimson with
his life's blood ON the day he was assassin
ated he had on his table, found afterward,
free constitution that proposed to give the
right of suffrage to the people Of Russia. IL
it had not bsen for the assassination he
would bave soon signed that constitution,
but thst horrible violencs put things back,
as violence always does.
What a marvellous character Of kindness
was Alexander the Second, the father of the
present emperor, so that the present en-
peror, Alexander the Third inherits his be-
nightly. Alexander the Second, hearing
that nobleman ha formal a conspiracy
against his life, had him arrested. Then the
eyes of the criminal were baudaged, and be
was put in carriage AMI for some tina
Travelled on, only stopping for fool. Aft,t
awhile the bandage was removed, aud sup
posing that he must by that time have been
almost in Siberia, ne found that he was at
the door of his own home But this pun
ishment was sufficient.
The same enpsror, having heard thai a
poet had written a poem defamatory OF his
empress, ordered the poet into his presence.
Expecting great severity, ths poet entered
the palace and found the emperor and en-
press and dukes and duche ses gathered to-
gether. Good m ,rning." slid the emperor
to the fender. 81 hear you have written
a most beautiful poem and | have sent for
you that you may read it to us AMI we may
have the pleasure of hearing it" TEE man
cried out, "Send me to Siberia or do anv-
thing with me, but do not make me read this
poem in your presence" He was conpelle
to read the dssauatory poem au tam the
empress, against whom it was aimei, sid:
''t do not think he win writs any mora
verses about US again. Let him CO. And
so he was freed
And now comes in Alexander the Thrill,
doing the best things possible for the nation
which he loves ami which as ardently loves
him. But what an undertaking to rule one
hundred and twelve million peopis. male up
of one hundred tribes and RACES and speak
ing forty different Ian yusgesl But, notwith-
standing all this, things there move on mar
yelously well, and do not believe that out
of five hundrel thousand Russians You
would find more than ons person wao dis
likes the emperor, and so that caiunnv Of
dread of assassination drops so fat 1t can
fall no flatter.
Calming the Sacond-H Won 90 10 Ru ssia