The herald., 1896-01-12
AUTOCRAT OF RUSSIA

In the course of his recent converse
ton with M. de Blowitz in Paris, the
Russian foreign minister, Prince Lo-
| banoff, said:
at is great mistake to believe that
our emperor expresses his own will,
nothing but his will, aud that this will
becomes the will of the nation. When
the emperor expresses bis will it must
be understood that that will has already
become the will of the nation, and that
it has imposed itself on certain select
few of the nation who understand it
and completely personify it. 1t is they,
the chosen few, who cause it to pene-
| trate the highest circles until it
reaches even the mind of the emperor.
His counselor5 impress the idea upon
him as an inspiration of the loftiest
and truest wisdom. 1t becomes part of
the atmosphere by which he is sur
rounded. 1t sinks into his mind and
he in turn undertakes to spread it
abroad among the people.
"Thus, take for instance the emanc1-
patton of serfs. Do you suppose that
the Emperor Alexander II conceived it
and carried it out unaided? Do you
suppose that one man by single
stroke of the pen restored the moral
life and human consciousness to mil
lions of individuals who were sunk in
slavery? No. The idea of the liberia
ton of the serfs had fermented for
long years in certain minds either
from instinct or from reason. To the
emperor is given the honor because it
WAS he who had the energy to take it
in hand, and he alone was in position
to carry it through, but the idea germi-
mated first among the people. 1t was
first the vague conception of certain
superior minds. 1t took shape aud
penetrated up to the imperial palace.
Then the emperor, seeing that the time
was ripe and that the measure was nec-
essary, by his supreme authority and
formal will made the scheme reality.
yet by this act OF emancipation the
emperor Alexander IL has none the
less obtained everlasting glor which
must be proclaimed, because it will be
bestowed upon him by history. 1t was
owing to his energetic will, to his per-
sisten intlexibility, in spite af the ad-
vice of some of the most influential
persons of his immediate encourage,
that the emancipation was brought
about-a reform which was one of the
most daring of modern times and
which has remained a blessing not
only for Russia, but for civilization as
whole.
"The task of an absolute emperor in
dominion 80 vast as that Of Russia is
crushing one, far exceeding the
strength of one man, however great
may be his capacity for work or his
intelligence. The emperor Alexander
II, with his loyal devotion to his du-
ties, wished to accomplish his
task - the whole of his task. He
sometimes remained at his desk
up to 2 or 3 o'clock in the morn
ing, and then fell upon his bed utterly
worn out. He died in the flower of his
age, entirely owing, am convinced, to
an excess of hard work. Consequently,
as you see, when people talk of the
Russian emperors as sovereigns whose
single will directs the great empire
such remarks are absurd. The emperor
is the head, he is the soul of the nation.
He represents it's will, and therein lies
our strength. But he calls to his aid
auxiliaries who are working for the
same end as the emperor and attached
to the same round of duties, and they
give Russia the force secured by unity
of action and preserve it from the in
conveniences of a single paramount
power without counterpoise."