New-York tribune., 1904-08-21

| he did willingly or not. for he accepted the
| oath OF allegiance from the Council OF the En-
pire and from the troops after the death OF
Alexander I. and then withdrew only when the
| act Of remuneration which he had signed was
produced by his mother. Those who declined
to transfer their allegiance from Constantine 10
Nicholas were thereupOn either banished 10 ST.
oerta or put 10 death, literally by the thousands.
| Nicholas. In fact, may be said TO have waded
| through sea OF blood in order 70 reach IN.
| throne which his elder brother had for som.
unknown potent reason been forced TO abandon
| in his favor
1t was only after Constantine's death that
| Nicholas I. by a ukase dated september 10.
1881 invested his Alexander at that time
fourteen years old. with the title OF Czarevitch
/ Alexander IFS eldest son Nicholas was mad.
| Czarevftch a: the time OF his own accession in
| 1893. But that young prince died eleven years
/ later at Nice OF tuberculosis OF the lungs
brought on. IT is said by a blow from his broth
er in the chest. delivered either in the course OF
| boxing or during some rough horseplay. Jus.
before Czarevttch Nicholas expired az Nice. al
most on the very OF the day appointed for
his wedding. he placed the hand OF his betrothsd
in that Of his brother Alexander. entreatins
/ them TO marry. Their consent 70 his dying re-
| quest given with manifest reluctance on
both sides But. TO the astonishment Of all. tbs
/ match turned ultimately one OF the happiesr
| OF royal or imperial unions IN modern times
| The present Emperor in turn became Care
Witch when the assassination OF his grand
| father. Alexander II. brought his father, Alex
| ander Ill to the throne. nearly quarter OF q
| century ago; and when he in turn became en-
peror he conferred the title OF Czarevitch upon
| his second brother George, who afflicted
! with consumption ar the time. and who 10
| die IN such strange way few years later by
| a roadside in the Caucasus. near Tffis. his head
| resting upon the lap OF an old peasant woman
| who had found him dying there. alone and
| attended It is doubtful whether Nicholas would
| have appointed his brother George to be Care
witch had he not known that the young prince
was doomed to an early death by the malady
which had already obtained so strong q hold
/ uPon his constitution. and IL IS understood that
/ the dignity granted 10 him rather with the
object OF pleasing and humOring a dying broth
er than with any idea that he would ever sue
ceed 20 the throne. When George laid
IN the imperial nlausOleum In the Peter and
Paul Fortress Church 81 the mouth OF the Nsva.
tie Cars other brother. Michael. became heir
apparent But II expressly stipulated in
the decree by means OF which he invested
with the prerogatives and precedence such
that he should only continue TO enjoy them until
the birth OF q TO the Emperor
II may be timely at this juncture 10 offer 4
few words Of explanation with regard u the
laws OF succession 70 the MuscOviJe crown.
about which little is known abroad. since they
70 be found in standard work about Rus
STA. They are comprised IN the Decree OF En-
peror Paul, and were published in the Imperial
Gazette at Moscow May -, 1877. with the
intimation that on the day OF his coronation
his imperial majesty had laid the ukase IN ques-
| tlOn on the altar OF the church where the cere-
mOny took place According TO this decree. he
nominated his heir his eldest son, Alexander.
vestiug the succession in the lattsr's male issue
In the default OF Alexander and OF the Iatte-'s
male issue. the crown was TO pass 70 Emperor
PauTs younger sons and 10 their male issue.
In the event OF all Emperor PauIs sons dying
without male issue. the crown go TO the
eldest daughter Of PauIs eldest son, and 10 her
issue. male and female. but by preference male.
even II the latter was junior IN point OF age TO
the female In default OF this the crown was
10 go TO the daughters OF PauPs other sons and
10 their male and female issue and only q, the
event Of these lines becoming extinct was the
throne to pass to Emperor PauFs own daugh-
ters and to their issue Gar Paul. In his de-
cree. expressly stipulated that n the event o. a
grand duchess next II the line OF succession ID
the throne being unmarried. whereas her
younger sister had sons. the elder and spinster
princess should not forego her precedence nor
her prior right to the throne since there was
always a possibility that she might marry and
nave children In one word. younger sister
can, in the matter OF succession 70 the Russian
throne. never outrank her elder sister although
younger brothers have prior rights 10 those OF
their elder sisters. II IS necessary TO bear this
in mind in order understand the positions OF
the Cars four daughters. and OF his brother
Michael. with regard TO the succession to ths
crown. Michael. who ceases to Be heir an
parent. assumes the second place in the line o.
succession. while the little girls OF Emperor
Nicholas will have right to the throne until
all the grand dukes OF the house OF Ronanorr
have either died or waived their claims
A very important feature OF Emperor Paurs
ukase concerning the succession is that which
relates 10 the possibility of the crown OF Rus
STA passing by right OF inheritance 10 a foreign
prince, that Is 70 say. 10 the issue OF a Russian
grand duchess who has married a foreigner The
decree insists that in such event the prince
In question must renOunce his foreign naticuaI-
IT. and II possessed OF foreign throne must
abandon that as we'll, in order 10 become a Rus
sian, and 10 Join the Russian Church. In case
OF refusal 10 join the Russian Church. or TO
abandon the foreign throne or nationality The
prince or princess in question loses. ipse facte
the right Of succession 10 the Russian throne
Should the crown pass by right OF inherftarlce
to a Russian grand duchess. and the latter ha ,
pen 10 be married either 10 a Russian or to a
foreign prince. the latter would not become
Emperor. but merely Prince COnsort and the
Empress regnant Finally. Emperor Paul de-
clares that with the view OF avoiding any doubt
or dispute the subject OF the succession 10
the throne. each sovereign must on his acces-
sion issue proclamation designating the sue
IN he o-