The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-16

coded and followed the catastrophe as
sassinRtion Of Alexander II. Il Ia well
known that during the dark and stormy
days toward the end Of HE career Alex
ander H.. tho Czar-LiberRtor, had called
In 90. his main adviser Gen. Loris Melikoh,
q man Of Armenian descent, In whom was
mingled with tho shrswd characteristics
Of bis race a sincere desire TO give 10 Russia
a political development In accordance
with modern ideas. We scarcely need
remind the reader that nearly twenty years
before Alexander II. had freed the serfs
within his empire-MF. White 10 mistaken
in saying that there we're 10000 900 OF them
In all. the fact being that the Crown serfs
alone numbered 20 900 ,0OO-had san ctioned
a vast scheme by which they were to ar
rive at the possession Of landed property;
had established local self-goveinment In
the various provinces Of his empire (by
the system Of provincial and district
,mstvosl; had improved the courts Of law
by introducing Western ideas into legal
procedure; mad greatly mitigated the Sc
veritiCs TO which the Jews had been for
merly subjected, and had made all ready
TO promulgate a constitution. on his APP
preaching birthday.
II may be true as our author suggests,
that it Is doubtful whether Russia in 1880
had arrived at a stage Of civilization in
which even the institutions which AleXan-
der II. had already conceded could be
adopted with profit. There Is very grave
doubt however, whether Mr.. White is
justified in attributing what he properly
describes as the ASIA sination Of the greatest
benefactor that Russia has ever known and
one Of the greatest known TO humanity,
TO -the leaders Of the anarchical movement,
with their vague longings for fruit on the
day the. tree was planted There Is good
reason to believe that the plan Of Loris
Melikoh was we'll known 10 the leaders Of
the Nihilists; that they were aware that a
constitution had been signed by Alex
ander H., and was already in type, and
IL is, therefore, incredible that they can
have authorized the murder Of RussiR's
liberator. Unquestionably the assassina-
ton was, as our author says, the most
fearful crime ever committed against
liberty and freedom, for II blasted the
hopes and aspirations Of over hundred
millions Of human beings:' but. in all likeli-
hood, the deep damnation Of the Emperor's
taking of should be visited upon the re-
Gratis for whom the name Of the Emancipa-
tor Of the Serfs had long been anathema.
Interesting and Trustworthy, as well as
new to us, is Mr.. Whites account Of the
epoch making incident which Immediately
followed the accession Of Alexander Ill,
who up to that time had been looked
upon as simply a sturdy young guardsman.
II was related 10 Mr.. White by men thor
oughly conversant with the facts that at
the first meeting Of the imperial councillors,
after the death Of Alexander H.. the Minis
ter Of the Interior, General Loris Melikof,
assuming that the young sovereign would
be led by hliA reverence TO continue the
liberal policy 10 which the father had
devoted his life, made a speech taking this
for granted. Our author was informed
that the majority Of those present. includ-
ing the new Emperor, seemed 10 be in accord
with Mehkofi; when, suddenly, there arose
a tall, gaunt, scholarly man, who at first
very simply, but finally very eloquently,
presented q different view, r-
This man was Pobiedonostseh, who told
the Emperor that all so-called liberal meas
ures, including the projected constitu-
ton, were deluslons; that though such
things might be suited to western Europe,
they were not suited to Russia; that the
constitution Of that empire had been from
time immemorial the will Of the autocrat,
directed by his own sense Of responsibility
to the Almighty; that no other constitu-
tion was possible IN Russia; that this alone
was fitted to the traditions, the laws, the
ideas Of the 100 900 900 Of the various races
under the Russian sceptre; that in other
parts Of the world constitutional liberty,
so called, had already shown itself an alb
surdity; that socialism, anarchism, nihilism,
with their plots and bombs, were appearing
in all quarters; that murder was plotted
gainst rulers Of nations everywhere, the
best Of Presidents having been assassinated
in the very country where free institutions
were supposed TO have taken most COM
plete hold; that the principle Of authority in
human government must be saved. and
that this principle existed as an effective
force in Russia only According 10 our
authors informhnts, this speech Is said TO
have carried all before it. As its imme-
diate result came the retirement Of Loris
Melikof, followed not long afterward by
his death; the entrance Of Pobiedonostsef
among the most cherished councillors Of
the Emperor; the suppression Of the pro-
jected constitution; the disoouragement OF
every liberal tendency. and vce fanatical
reaction which has been in full force ever
since until the humiliation suffered by the
autocracy in the Far East gave room for
a revival Of the liberal movement.
Knowing the part that he had played
since the accession Of Alexander III, Mr..
White, after he had undertaken the func-
lions Of United States Minister at St. Peters
burg, was naturally DESTROYS Of meeting
Pobiedonosts,h, and was glad, therefore,
to receive from our State Department in
structions 10 confer with the Procurator
Of the Holy Synod regarding some delicate
questions needing settlement between the
Greek Church and our political autho rites
In Alaska, and also In relation TO the rep
resentation Of Russia At the Chicago Ex-
position. He went. hs admits, into the
presence OF Pobiedonosts N with many
feelings Of doubt. Against no one in Rus
STA had charges 80 bitter been made in
my hearing; Il was uniYers ally insisted
that he was responsible for the persetu-
ton Of the Roman Catholics in Poland, Of
the LutheranS in the Baltic provinces and
In Finland, Of the Stundists In central
n,,..f. ,nd ~ tka diaaapffno aorfa avarv