The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-06-06

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ALEXANDER III. OF RUSSIA.
Europe generally as a diplomatist, and it
brought about another promotion; he
was appointed ambassador at Constan-
tinople. 1t is we'll known that the art
OF diplomacy, as practiced in the Orient,
is colored very greatly by intrigue APP
piled to the most important affairs
and personages. At such court as the
sultans and under such circumstances
Ignatiew's talents found ready and famil-
lar exercise and his reputation and intiu-
ence at home increased rapidly. The
relations of Russia with Turkey were
soon snarled into a mesh of intrigue,
based partly upon bribery and part
ly upon the Jealousies and private HOSTILE
Russian government loves every manner
of intrigue. Ignatiew we'll understood
this, and accordingly he made his activity
known at st. Petersburg, just as the Rus
sian ambassador at Warsaw had done dur
ing the last days of Polands independ-
ence. Ignatiew derived much greater profit
from his representations than did the
ambassador to Poland. He claimed that
he could secure immense advantages for
Russia by the free use of money and he
asked the car for vast sum, sum for
which, of course, the diplomatist could
not be asked to account. The czar will
ingly gave several million roubles to
lgnatiew, for it was no secret that
similar expenditures in Poland had
wrought great benefit to Russia. Ignatiew
earnestly assured the car that he could
speedily give the deathblow to Turkey,
and he set forth his design Enthusiastically
pointing out the distress and weakness of
the southern state. Gar Alexander was
thoroughly convinced that he had only
~ I'm 20 h0
banks of the Danube, and all Turkey,
like Jericho of Old at the sound of the
trumpet, would fall before him. Ignatiew
rejoiced that he had so easily hoodwinked
his monarch, and of the millions sent to
him expended but small portion for the
purpose of corruption. The remainder,
after the manner of the typical Russian
statesman, he pocketed. He owns land to
the value of many millions in the various
provinces. and he has millions in
ready money at st. Petersburg,
which he loans at usurious in
terest. Ignatiew himself does not
appear in these money lending transac-
tons, and he is not known to the borrow
ers as having any part in them. He ope-
rates through the Jews, and is the hacker
of many a Shylock, supplying all the
capital and casting upon the ostensible
lender all the odium of extortion. The
origin of this fortune lay III the gifts
and souvenirs acquired during his
riched not only himself but his
family and his wife's family also.
His wife was a very poverty-stricken prin-
cess of Tartar extraction named Engalyts-
cheva. As intrigue succeeded intrigue at
ConstantinopIe, as each brought its profit
to Ignatiew, Nine Ignatiew's brother es-
tablished factory after factory On his prop
erty in the province of Riazan, where at
last he nearly, if not quite, controls the
industries of carpet, cloth, glass-making,
etc.
So matters ran on until 1876. year that
marks an epoch in Russian history. At
this time, side by side with other con-
spiracies more or less insignificant, con-
spiracies by different organizations, So
cialistic, anarchistic, nihilisiic. and so on
nine out of ten Of which was made up
by the police-side by side with all these
lesser consplracles there arose one
of enormous proportions, one that pos
sessed and still possesses international
Importance. To great part of the oper-
ations of this conspiracy [ was an ocular
witness, and many of the leaders were
personally known to me. 1t viii be neces.
sary, in order thoroughly to understand
Ignatiews remarkable power, to trace
the history OF this conspiracy, but limita-
tons of space forbid the narration of any
but the most important details.
II originated DIS iuilS ago dS 81.
Petersburg. There was nothing whatever
OF liberalism in its programme, no patri-
otto aim TO curtail the power of the throne
and give to Russia constitutional
and parliamentary government, no de-
sign OF effectlng needed reforms. Its
object was nothing more or less than to
overturn the car and set up a new
dynasty on the same lines. Such an event
had happened before in Russian history.
and the originators of the conspiracy saw
no reason Why ii should not happen again.
This conspiracy is in existence tod ay. and
the living members are of the same opin-
ion. And why should they not be? Are
not the conditions in Russia similar To
those that have made revolutions possible
in the past?
To this conspiracy have belonged MANY
ministers, Walupew, Reitern. Tolstoi (not
the celebrated author, but reatiye). and
several members of the royal family. for
example, he who died recently. Prince
Constantine, brother OF Alexander IT
and, Prince Peter. Of Oldenburg Some
time after the inception Of this conspiracy
the leadership passed into the hands of ?
man renowned for energy and activity
Ivan Aksakow, of Moscow, who is wre1r, DIV
believed by many to have been the chief
OF the Slayophil party. a party which. as
matter OF fact, does not exist in Russia.
Placed at the head OF q conspiracy so
great that it rivalled the power OF the czar
himself. Ivan Aksakow began TO aspire
to the Russian crown. 1t was not enoi1ph
70 be the directing genius of the secrer
movement; he must be the absolute ruler
To effect this il was necessary TO urenara
the ground with exceeding care. IN
gather about him men of political force
concentrate their interest and cons.
dence upon himself. make his leadership
indispensable. Ii the Liberal elements in
Russia mad been strong, Aksakow dount-
less would have made overtures to them
for he dearly loved 10 pay court TO Iibar,
ais; but ~ that time there We're no skillfnl
leaders among the liberals, so that there
would have been no profit in pretending