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Leader (1850-1860), 31st March 1855, Edition 2 of 2, Page 8, THE LAST OF THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS. The gr...

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      The Vienna C Onference. Itjiom'the,Immen...

      waT * of the enemy ' s fortress , and after our prodigious exhibitions of * national brag and KeformWub after-dinner speech-making , we are required by Austria to Waive the destruction of Sebastopol , and ts ' accept a compromise instead . The alleged terms are these : that the Russian fleet in the Black Sea shall be limited , and that a fortress , in the occupation of England and France , shall be erected on the southern shores of the Black Sea , as a counterbalance to Sebastopol . It is said—for nothing is as yet known—that we are disposed to accept these terms , and that even the French Emperor , who held is

      out for some time against any compromise , now giving way . As a consequence of this rumour , the continental pro-Russian journals now speak with admiration of " the conciliating disposition" of the Allies . Nevertheless , it appears that , even granting this rumour , we are not sufficiently " conciliating " for Russia , and that she demurs to our very concessions . In this state of things it has been found necessary for the Plenipotentiaries to communicate with their respective governments for further instructions . The Daily News says :

      " When Prince Gortschakoff withdrew his troops from Silistria last June , after a forty days' siege , the Journal de St Petersbourg began to speak of * the sham siege of Silistria . ' The French Government journals have already begun to affirm that the "Western Powers are not seeking to destroy Sebastopol . The Constitutionnel writes : —' The destruction of Sebastopol no longer figures in the number of the stipulations of the Allies relative to the Black Sea , for the reason that the siege of which this place has been the object has never been considered otherwise than a means , and not as an end , by the Western Powers . What they pursue in common in the Black Sea with their fleet and army is , not the ruin nor

      the capture of a military port , it is the reduction of the forces which Russia has maintained in these parts—it is the species of domination which , she exercised , and the privilege she enjoyed there , to the detriment of all Europe , and , above all , of Turkey . '" Tiie Morning Post , which has given much attention to this subject , affirms that even the First and Second Points have not been accepted , " but merely acknowledged as to their general bearing . They have yet to . be canvassed in-all their difficult details ; and this , if ever it be come to , will be a work of many weeks . " The Globe takes a similar view . Other accounts , however , state that the first two Points have in fact been settled .

      A letter from Berlin in the Borsenhalle ( quoted in the Debate of Friday ) states that there still exist some differences between Russia and the Western Powers as to the Second Point . The Allies insfst that there should be no fortifications whatever on the left bank of the Danube from Reni to Sulina , and that all the Russian military posts should be beyond cannon-range distance from the river . It is also stipulated that the towing-path should be perfectly free—it being difficult to ascend the river without . towage . , . _ ' „ „„

      A despatch from Vienna on Thursday says : — " The Conference took the Fourth Point into consideration to-day . The Third Point is left aside for the present . On Monday Prince Gortschakoff moved for the admission of Prussia . "

      296 ^^^ Lltl^ J!Ll>^^. [Saturday , ¦ ' :...

      296 ^^^ lLtl ^ J ! Ll >^^ . [ Saturday , ¦ ' : ¦ ' — ;— . " ' ' — ' ———————¦— ^^— i ^—^ — ¦¦ —^^^— ¦ ^ - —— ^—jsss =-

      The Policy Of Russia. Col'kt Nessemiode ...

      THE POLICY OF RUSSIA . Col'Kt Nessemiode has issued a circular to the Hussfatn diplomatic agents abroad , touching the new line of policy in connexion with the war . The substance of this document is contained in the ensuing paragraphs : — " With filial piety the Emperor welcomes ( acctieille ) in his succession two obligations , which are equally sacred to him . The first exacts from his Majesty the development of all the power which it has pleased God to place in his hands for the defence of the integrity and of the honour of Russia ; the second imposes upon his Majesty the duty of consecrating with perseverance his care for the accomplishment of the work of peace , the bases of which were sanctioned by the Emperor Nicholas . Faithful to the idea which manifested itself in the last dispositions of his august father , the Emperor has

      renewed the powers and confirmed the instructions with which the Russian Plenipotentiaries were provided since the month of J ) ocombor , at the period when the negotiations at Vienna wore to be opened . In this manner the intentions of tho Emperor Nicholas will be conscientiously fulfilled . There object was : — " To restore to Russia and to Europe the blessings of peace ; to consolidate tho freedom of worship and tho welfare of the Christian populations of the East without distinction of rites ; to place the immunities of tho Principalities under a collective guarantee ; to assure tho free navigation of tho ' Danube , to the advantage of the commerce of all nations ; to put an end to tho rivalries of the great Powers in tho East , so as to prevent tho return of now complications ; finally , to como to an understanding with them on the revision of tho treaty by which they recognised tho principle of tho closing of tho

      Dardanelles and of the Bosphorus , and thereby to arrive at an honourable arrangement for all parties . " general instructions with which you are provided trace out to you the line you are to continue to follow relative to the direct relations you have to entertain with , the Government to which you . are accredited . The Emperor , in confirming you to-day in the post you obtained from the good-will of his . august father , confidently counts upon your fidelity and zeal . It is his desire , that by your conduct and by your language you

      should render testimony , on every occasion , to the loyalty with which Russia fulfils the obligations which rest upon the faith of treaties , to her constant desire to live in good harmony with all the Powers her allies or friends ; finally , to the respect she entertains for-the inviolability of the rights of all States , and her firm resolution to maintain and cause to be respected the rights which Divine Providence has entrusted to the Emperor , by making him the guardian and protector of the national honour of his country . "

      A document lias been issued by the Synod of the Russian Church , calling the mass of the population to arms in defence of the orthodox faith . The following extracts will show the spirit in whichit is conceived : — " You are aware that the enemies of the cross of Christ have , to the astonishment of the world , found assistance from two Powers of the West , who , though assuming the name of Christians , and though not having been in any way wronged by Russia , have in their madness carried fire and sword on her territory . Their legions , in imitation of the infidels , have insulted the holy things of our religion .... But , by the will of the Lord , the crimes of our enemies have not proved profitable to them ; and their frequent defeats , the terrible tempests of the Black Sea ,

      which swallowed up their vessels , the sickness which decimated their armies , proved the action of the powerful hand of God fighting on our side . Notwithstanding all this , our enemies , maddened by the loss of their armies , are now congregating other forces of even a more formidable character ; they are also en-. deavouring to extend their unjust alliances , and are preparing for fresh hostilities against the Russian territory . ' . '' -. . . Pastors of souls , spiritual fathers of the defenders of the Church and of ^ the Throne , by all kinds of prayers and supplications at all times , watch over our flocks ; strengthen them by the power of the divine word ; inspire them with the idea that the present war is a war of the Prince of Darkness , who resists the kingdom of Christ , and who now puts forth his power in the persons of these wicked children , . who rebel against God . " -

      Alexander And The Russian Nobles. The Co...

      ALEXANDER AND THE RUSSIAN NOBLES . The Constitutionnel publishes a letter from St . Petersburg , dated the loth hist ., ' from which it appears that the late Emperor confided to the nobility the defence of the country by means of militia . The nobles , accordingly , voted an address to the Emperor , in which they protested their fidelity , their patriotic sentiments ,- & c .-JThis address , reached ^ Jiimon . his death-bed . On the 4 th inst ., the nobles presented another address to the new Emperor , which ran in the following terms : —" Sire , —It has pleased God to summon the late Emperor to eternal life , at the very moment at which all Russia was arming at his order , to defend the faith , the Czar , the country , and its fellow-believers in the East—that is to say , all that constitutes our life . In this great moment , the hopes of the country are centred in you , Sire . The faithful nobility of St . Petersburg , having already expressed their sentiments at the , first appeal of the deceased Emperor , repeat them now , and respectfully hasten to deposit at the feet of your Majesty a renewed assurance of the unlimited zeal and devotedness with which they are ready to sacrifice their lives and fortunes to realise the great idea of the deceased monarch , who drew the sword to fulfil a holy mission . The nobility consider this mission as a legacy from the late Emperor to them . " The Emperor Alexander replied— " I . desired to see you , in order to transmit to you the words of our defunct benefactor , of my father , for ever memorable . He was so weak that he was not able himself to rend the expression of your sentiments , and I was charged with that duty . Your

      zeal , gentlemen , consoled his last moments . After having heard all , he said to me—' Thank themthank them sincerely , and toll them that 1 never doubted of their devotion , and that at present 1 am more than ever persuaded of it . ' And accordingly now I thank you , gentlemen ; and I am persuaded these words will be deeply engraven in your minds . You arc at the head of tho nobles ; transmit what I say to nil of them . Times arc difficult . I always said to the deceased Emperor that I firmly believed Divino goodness will protect Russia . I had hoped for dnys of joy ; but it has pleased the Almighty to decide otherwise . I am Ruro of you , gentlemen ; I have full hope in you . I am persuaded that tho nobility will prove that they arc a noble class in evory sense of tho word , and advanced in everything that is good , fou do not lose courago ; I am with you and you arc

      with me ! " Here the Emperor made the sign of the cross , and continued : — " God be with us ! We will not dishonour the Russian soil . " He then embraced the marshal of the nobility , and said , "In your person I once again thank the nobility ! Adieu gentlemen—may God be with you ! " . '

      The Last Of The Emperor Nicholas. The Gr...

      THE LAST OF THE EMPEROR NICHOLAS . The grave has closed over the Emperor Nicholas , and he now exclusively belongs to history . He was buried on the morning of the 1 lth inst . at the Cathe dral of Peter and Paul , amid much fuss of cannon , typical of his blatant and murderous career . It is said—by a Russian letter-writer—that the people knelt down while the procession passed , as though they felt themselves in the presence of a deity ; and that they wept bitterly , touched the earth with their foreheads , and made the sign of the cross . The same ¦ writer says that " Prayers for divine mercy to the soul of the deceased were offered up in every place of worship . " Wellj they were needed ; but it seems a strange admission to make with reference to the head of the " Orthodox Church . However , it appears that , if Nicholas was to be interceded for , he was also to intercede , upon the sailors' principle of " Tie for tie , and d—n all favours . " The deceased Emperor was himself prayed to , to make suppli cation ( we will spare the reader the familiar blasphemy of the latter part of the sentence ) for the triumph of Russian arms . The people intercede for Nicholas ; Nicholas intercedes for the people . And grateful Alexander thanks the people for past favours , and hopes for a continuance , & c .

      Continental Notes. The Annexed Particula...

      CONTINENTAL NOTES . The annexed particulars of the funeral of Don Carlos are contained in a letter from Trieste , dated the 16 th inst .: —•" Count de Chambord , wishing to give a last mark of affection for his relative , Don Carlos—an exile like himself—came from Venice to attend the funeral ceremony , and accompanied on foot the procession from the residence of the deceased to the Cathedral of St . Just . As it is ~ the custom in Spain for sons not to appear at the funeral of their , father , the three princes , " sons _ of Don Carlos , ' were not present . The whole population were on foot , and the streets were crowded . Some French and Spanish gentlemen , long attached to the household of the deceased , and a number of Austrian officers in uniform , as well as the pr incipal authorities of the town , formed part of theprocession . At the cathedral , the Bishop of Trieste officiated ; and , after the religious ceremony had concluded , the body was conveyed to a vault under tho altar prepared for its reception by order of the Emperor of Austria . "

      The Opinione of Turin , of the 18 th , states that the committee elected by the Sardinian Senate to report on the Convents' Suppression Bill is rather hostile than otherwise to the measure . Three of the members are opposed , if not to the principle , at least to the details , of the measure ; one member is disposed to vote for it upon certain " conditions ; and"the fifth and last alone supports the bill as it stands . The Saxon envoy is said to have stated to the Germanic Diet that the organisation of the Saxon army will permit it to enter on a campaign within the period of a fortnight assigned by the Diet . Prince Castelcicala , formerly ambassador at London , is appointed Governor of Sicily , Prince Satriano having retired .

      The disgrace of Prince Menschikoff is thought to be more complete than was signified in tho first accounts from St . Petersburg ; and it does not appear certain that it was the act of the late- Czar . He has been removed , not only from the command in the Crimea , but from the post of chief of the naval staff , and from the Governorgeneralship of Finland ; and retains only tho titular appointments of aidc-de-camp-gencral and councillor of state . Telegraphic news from Nyborg states that tho navigation of the Great Belt is now open both towards the south and the north . On the 18 th tho first steamer of this year passed down tho Elbe from Gluckstadt to Cuxhaven . There is but little ice now drifting between Elsinore and Helsingborg .

      M . de Sacy , tho principal editor of tho Dibats , was sent for by the Minister of the Interior last week , and privately admonished on tho subject of an article whicn lately appeared in that paper , rolativo to the hostile demonstrations of tho students against tho now prolessor M . do Sninto Ueuve . M . < lo Sacy pleaded tho general moderation of his journal , and tho scrupulous care taken in ovory department of tho editing to avoid giving offence . As an instance of tho habitual caution exercised , he stated that the editor had erased from the article complained of a Htatement to tho offoct that tno fooling among tho young men in tho University w « so strong against tho former editor of tho Nation ** that , but for tho intervention of tho public force , » would bo impossible for him to continue his course , ol lectures . M . Billault commended the exercise of discretion , and added that had tho above Btatement ( whicU , by tho way , is strictly true ) been printed , the Debats

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), March 31, 1855, page 8, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31031855/page/8/