The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1894-11-21

nave rSSu SuCCeeueu bN his SUI. Noh-
stantine, but the younger son, Nicho.
las, a man of tremendous vigor and
boldness, usurped the throne, sum-
moned the Preobajinski Regiment to
his support and grasped the scepter
without a struggle. 1t was in the
early part of his reign that the nihil-
lists first made their appearance, and
the conspiracy of the Red Cock was
formed. Nicholas put down the rebels
with remorseless resolution. Some he
ordered to death, more he sent to ST.
IBERIA, and by sheer terror he restored
peace in Russia. He died in his bed
of broken heart, in consequence of
the disasters to his arms in the Cri-
mea. His son, Alexander II, was
assassinated by q nihilist bomb. The
murderers made no secret Of their
crime. They confessed cheerfully, eX-
ultingly. Their trial was a mere form,
and it was necessary to suppress much
of the testimony in order to conceal
Yet Alexander III was liberal-minded
monarch and the fast friend of the
United States. He freed 23,000,000
serfs, and our people have not forgot
| ten his attitude during the Civil War,
when he stood almost alone our friend
among the crowned heads and govern
ments of Europe.
Alexander III stepped on the throne
| in fear and trembling. The life which
| just closed was one endless agony of
| terror. When he was crowned his
brotherin-law, the Prince of Wales,
was one of the guests. The English
man confessed afterward that he had
| never spent a more wretched hour in
| his life than the hour during which he
stood by his brother-in-law's side and
expected every minute to be blown
| into eternity.
When Alexander II of Russia was
| bombed into eternity, all Russia and much
| of the rest of the world asked eagerly
about the character of his son who was TO
be Alexander III, and now all are asking
| the same questions about the latter Oldest
| son, the Grand Duke Nicolas Alexandra
witch, who will ere long be the Car Nico-
| las II 1t was soon proved that the little
| finger of Alexander III was thicker than
| his fathers loins, for he stopped all move
/ ments toward a more liberal system or
| government greatly increased the power
| of the secret police, gave the penal laws
| sharper edge, expelled the Mennonites,
| cruelty prosecuted the Jews and crowded
| the road to Siberia with vastly increased
/ numbers of exiles. His death Is expected
/ soon, and now will Nicolas II do likewise!
| All who profess to know him say not.
| They say he is totally unlike the Roman
| offs both in person and disposition; that
he has the mild disposition and gentle
| manners of his Danish mother, and there
| are hopeful prophecies that with his acces-
| sion the era of constitutional reform and
| liberal government will begin in Russia.
| In truth, it was announced last year as IL
| by authority that Alexander III had de-
| cided to alter the succession and make his
| Youngest son, Michael, his successor be-
1 ~.
| Nicolas to his fathers system. The car
often spoke of the czarowitz, or heir ap-
| parent, as ''of sulky nature and without
force of character" as fathers of bigoted
nature often do of sons they cannot under
stand or absolutely control.
| Alexander III was himself a second son,
and his older brother, prospective czar,
was engaged to the Princess Dagmar or
Denmark, sister of the Princess of Wales,
but the czarowitz died, and Alexander III,
on succeeding to his rights, also married
| his fiancee. Their married life Is said TO
have been a very happy one, despite this
sad beginning, and they have five chill
dren Nicolas, George, Xenia, Michael and
| Olga. Nicolas was born in ST. Petersburg
MAY IS, 1868, and is said to be phenome-
| nally versatile scholar. A few years ago
| he and his brother George started on tour
around the world, and great expectations
were excited in the United States, but in
Japan q fanatic made an attempt on the
life of the czarowitZ and wounded him,
and the trip was abandoned