New-York tribune., 1896-05-24
going to the length of Prince Bismarck and of the

going to the length of Prince Bismarck and of the
Prussian Tories in this respect. 1t may be doubted
whether Germany was altogether ripe six years
ago for the terribly radical reforms projected by
Empress Frederick. which could not have been
/ put into execution without producing much popu-
lar perturbation and political disturbance.
Other clever and brilliant women who have
been similarly disappointed in their hopes of at
tanning supreme power are the widow ed Crown
Princess Stephane of Austria Queen Victorias
sagacious mother, the Duchess Of Kent: the equal
ly remarkable Duchess of Orleans mother Of
the Comte de Paris and Of the Duke of Chartres.
and last. but not least, Princess Yourrieffski the
widow Of Car Alexander H. In spite Of the objec-
lions that may be raised with regard to her con-
ouct as Princess Dologorouki before her morgan
atlc union to the ill-fated Emperor a few months
before his assassination. her influence upon him
was distinctly OF liberal character. II was in
her salon and under her inspiration that the
ukase was drawn up which conceded popular
and constitutional form Of government TO Russia.
| and the law elready signed by His Majesty and
countersigned by his Prime Minister LIoris Me-
likoff was 10 be publicly proclaimed on March
IA. and would have been so had he not been blown
to pieces by the nitro-glyoerine bombs of the
Nihilists the 18th.
Few people are aware Of the true reason why
this proclamation never published. Alex
ander III, after closing his murdered fathers
eyes. had driven back from the Winter Palace to
his home at the Anitchkow Palace in a closed
carriage, surrounded by band OF Cossacks. and
supporting in his arms his wife. half Of her
mind with terror and horror at the spectacle
which she had just witnessed-for the whole Of
the lower portion OF the body of her father-n-law
had been blown to pieces by the fatal bomb. Be-
fore Alexander had been long in his palace he
was rejoined by General Lors Melikoff and Gen
eral Miljutin besides others Of his fathers Min
listers. who urged upon him to promulgate at once
the constitution which the murdered Car was to
| issue the following day. They declared that
it was the only means of preventing the outbreak
of sanguinary revolution. and that it was the
| only salvation This not IN accordance with
| the autocratic ideas of the new Emperor He
| dismissed them without giving any definite an
swer ordering them 10 call on the morrow. The
entire evening and part Of the night he spent
alone. walking up and down in his library. har-
! assed with doubts tc what course to adopt.
! There seemed TO be no one 10 whom he could turn
| for disinterasted advice. one who did not seem
10 have lost his head; and II ever he yearned for
a friend with whom he could hold counsel. 10
! whom he could apply for advice. II was at that
| moment when the very ground seemed trembling
under his feet.
V as startled by q noise in the ante-chamher. and
walking to the door and opening It, he found
| himself face TO face with a arrayed in the
| eold-embroidered uniform Of a chamberlain, in
whom he recognized Prince Metcherski. Much
| estonished, the Emperor allowed him TO enter
the library. whereupon Metcherski fell on his
| knees at the Cars feet and passionately eX-
claimed, Lord and Emperor. in the autocracy of
its Car lies the whole strength OF Russia as
well as its development and progress. 1t is upon
| that that her entire future rests
Then rising he addressed Alexander at consider
chile length with such vehemence and force that
he actually fell back n:o the old Russian way OF
addressing His Majesty as Thou" He spoke o'
the loyalty 10 the throne OF the old Boyar iam-
lies Of the old territorial ar15tocracy as const-
tuting the foundation for the traditional auto,
racy Of the ruler. He declared that Russia and
the Car would be lost only when the latter
ceased TO have confidence In himself. when ne
surrendered his inherited powers; and that TIE
maintenance Of this principle Of autocracy was
longed for by every true and patriotic Russian.
The Car listened throughout with the utmost
attention. He had found what he wanted, a man
who reflected his own Ideas, and who gave them
He thanked Metcherski most warmly as he bade
him good night On the following morning as
soon General Melikof entered the presence o,
the Car, the latter CO nmanded him 10 SIT Gown
and write out his resignation. The die had been
cast and Me;cherskrs advice accepted
Three months later the Emperor took occasion
his thanks 70 him again. and Throughout ms
reign frequently consulted him. much 10 The diS-
NAV OF his Ministers, who looked upon TINS IN
tercourse much in the same way as would Lor1
Salisbury were Queen Victoria in the habit ol
calling Mr. Labouchere 10 Windsor for seeking
his advice about the affairs Of State. For the
Prince is the Russian counterpart or MI "a
hourhere his weekly newspaper the 'Grash-
damn" or Citizen" being run on the same lines
as Mr. Laboucheres Truth" The "GraShdanin
has survived the days when the Prince founG
himself obliged to carry his watch and chain ana
sleeve-nks 10 the pawnchop on SATURDAY nlEht
in order 10 pay his men their weeks wages. us
circulation to-day is large. and il has become one
OF the powers Of the land being the only one thit
is permitted 10 have us free say even 10 'he eH-
tent Of criticisng the Government In the most uh-
measured terms. ,A,
II NAV be asked how the Prince could possibly
tave secured access TO the Car on tnat fatelul
night To this need only point out that. IKE
nearly every other Russian nobeman of any line
age and social standing the Prince held the hon
orary office Of chamberlain. ana that' "rd'Ins
the Uniform Of his rank. the sentinels could not
know whether he on active service OF Ho''
cbamberlains being always entitled 10 access -
the sovereign II seems that they had trled 10
bar his way hut that he brushed them aside ana
that they did not dare 10 use force all lhe Hlpe
as they were perfectly aware. as was everybo1y
else at ST Petersburg Of the romantic atfach-
uent Of the Emperor for the Princes sister ms
Naiestv had been secretly affanced 10 her Dut py
false representatons and by order or his father
che was forced during his absei.ce in the Cau-
casus 10 become the wife OF the nte frlhce idui
Demidon sorely against her ncllnauons. Inc
car found ont afterWard how sha had been mis-
led and always manifested the greatest kind
ness toward her children by Paul DemldoH' ana
,iLar,se N her brother the Russian Labouchere.
iine EX-ATTACHE