The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-03-19

Among these are the sketches OF Alexande
I'LL. OF the members OF his family. and OF hi
principal advisers. to which should be added
remarkably clear account OF the state Of thing
In Finland, the province which has so long on
joysd the privilege OF seif-governmsnt
Iti 10 In q chapter entitled Alexander III. q
CEarevitch" that tho author describes the edu
cation and early experiences OF the presen'
autocrae Alexander Ill. grew up under thu
influence OF the great agitation which at.
tended the abolition OF serfdom when oil ex'
listing institutions were called in question. Al
the G Of II he was impressed by the tota.
collapse Of the institutions SGT up by his
grandfather and by the wholesale desertion Of
the men who had been looked upon as the pill.
lars Of the old system. One after another. the
foundations Of the political structure reared
By Nicholas crumbled to dust as the breath Of
the new time touched them. What had been
previously regarded as sacred and venerable
lost its Significance almost In q night, and 1t is
scarcely surprising that the boy who had been
brought up In the Winter Palace was per-
picked and found it difficult to understand
the new condition Of things. Until his twsn-
tisth ysar Alexander Alexandrovitch had no
prospect OF succeeding to the throne. He was
brought up "a . soldier as exclusively as his
grandfather had been before him: 1t was nat
ural. therefore. when his brother died. that he
should have found himself totally unprepared
for the fulhlment Of his future duties. 1t was
impossible for him. however. to shut his eyes
20 his prospective responsibilities with all the
nsIv6te Of former times. For he had been q
with sss Of the terrible crises Of 1880 and
1851. OF tho first students disturb
snces." the abolition OF serfdom. the rebel
lious outbreaks OF the peasantry. the hostile
demonstration Of the nobility. the fires which
broke out ali over Russia In 1862. the issuance
Of the statutes creating . new judicial and
provincial Administration and lnnlly-in
1663-the Polish Lithuanian revolution. The
task Of romedying the defects OF the past ap-
pSared enormously difficult to ono who had
form srly considered It sufficient to discharge
the ordinary duties pertaining to his military
once. Nevertheless the Czarevitch was not
daunted. He applied himself assiduously to
his studies. and 1t was while he was In the
midst OF these that the first OF the attem pts
directed against his fathers life was mad
The events which followed this criminal at
tempt were accompanied by n factional war
fare. which continued during the following
year. and has never been completely extir-
guished. This WAS the year oiAlexander Alex
androvitch's marriage with the intended bride
OF his deceased brother. The indictments tried
to ingratiate themselves with the heir to the
throne. and to entangle his straightforward
nature in the meshes OF their intrigue. 1t was
known that the Emperor had betrayed a GER
tain amount OF sympathy with European Lib
erals. even when their influence was on the
decline. and that he took an interest in tho
successes Of Prussia. which had come to the
front since 1885, This was gall and worm
-noA - xk> S,rnt;oa - tha pot;n~ol vor@v t.
impelled the supporters OF Aksakofr and Kat
koY to play upon the Czarevitch. and. by point
ing to a return Of dangers. which were only
apparently allayed. to inspire him with fears Of
impending catastrophe.
What the Turkish war brought In its train
was worse than anything that had been seen
before. After a promising beginning disap-
potntment followed upon disappointment: one
authority after another crumbled into dust.
and the Czarevitch was ultimately forced into
distinct opposition to his father. The Care
witch knew better than the Gear that the
charges Of embszzlement and dishonesty
made against the Commander-in-Chief were
only too we'll founded. thatth impression pro-
duoed by the defeats before Plevna had caused
. threatening agitation in the minds OF the
soldiers. and that the retirement OF the Gear to
and his disappearance for
weeks from tho eyes Of tho people were fraught
with serious perils Deeply moved by the hor-
rors Of the wal. which. rs the commander Of
An army corps. he had become acquainted
with in all their terrible details. the
CGArevttch. on his return from the Bal
kan peninsula. produced on all those who
happened to see him the impression Of q
thorough pessimist This pessimism was
By subsequent events. The Berlin
tore up the treaty Of San Stefano
and nulliaed the policy Of his friend. Count
Ignatisf. Some months lator the era OF unin-
outrages set in. causing panic In the
court. the town. and the provinces. As II that
we're not enough. the scandal which Alexander
IL had caused by his double marriage began
% be widely known. and wounded tho strictly
moral heir to the throne In his tenderest feel
cseded In preventing the projected publication
Of his fathers recond marriage.
Experiences OF SO staggering Q nature might
have disturbed the balance OF the strongest
most resolute character. Such a char
sctsr. however. the second son of Alexander
had never possessed. Naturally severe
and simple minded. the Czarsvitch from his
twentieth year had been called upon to bear tho
OF q part whose magnitude was above
his powers and his education. He was i'm
hither and thither by impressions OF
The most CONTRADICTORY Kind. He was de-
.s!ved In everything which he had accepted
As fixed and authoritative. He WAS excluded
rom NIL participation in the business which
was to form the work OF his life. and.
rom the nature Of his position. he was pre-
from sharing with trusted friends the
OF anxiety imposed upon him. The
consequences OF all this was that he lost conf
dence in himself and his powers. His grand
father had tried ono system. his father the
and both had been baffled: both had
out that the instrument OF Wal had
JAILED at o critical moment. Just as the pain
fully elaborated civil order had done. and that
had followed the failure. making the
professions OF the most loyal people appear a
moekery and a lie.
1t 10 now well known that the assassination
OF Alexander ii. took place on the very day
when the murdered Gar had resolved to con-
woke q parliament: that is to say. u national
assembly composed OF representatives OF all
the provincial Eemstvos- Herein Alexander
H. had acted on the advice OF three Of his
most prominent Ministers-Loris MeliIoff.
Milyutin. and Abaza. the Minister OF Finance
1t was only whsn the horrlned son stood be-
Na.A IA ~ ukfa.AA $500. - a -