The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 15.

Akaroa Mail and Banks Peninsula Advertiser, Volume V, Issue 486, 15 March 1881, Page 2

The Akaroa Mail. TUESDAY, MARCH 15.

In our telegraphic columns will be seen an intimation that the Emperor Alexander IL, Czar of all the Russias, was murdered by the explosion of a bomb at >St Petersburg on Sunday last. From the necessarily scanty information to hand, the deed is no doubt the work oi* the Nihilists. The deceased Emperor ascended the throne on the death of his father, Nicholas I, on March 2, 1855, and was born April 29, 1818, and was thus in his 62nd year.

The early years of the deceased Empei or's life were clouded by domestic and political troubles, which at one time threatened the existence of his dynasty. The determined character of his father, Nicholas, overawed his rebellions subjects, and after December, 1859, he ruled over a nation of slaves. In 1843, upon the birth of the late Emperor's first son, at the request of bis father, the Grand Duke Constantino formally abdicated his right of succession to the throne in favor of the now deceased Em peror, who on the death of his father, ascended the throne without question. On the conclusion of the Crimean war, Alexander set about reducing the army, settling the national finances on a firmer basis, aud arranging friendly commercial relations with other Powers. The crowning glory of his reign was the emancipation of the serfs, which was proclaimed in an Imperial ukase on March 3, 1881. By this act over 23.000,000 of the human race was accorded a recognised national liberty.

In February of 186-1 emancipation was also extended to the Polish serfs The next remarkable event of the reign was the sale of the whole of Russian America to the Unit d States for £1,400,000, in March, -867. In Jan., 1874, the late Czar's eldest daughter,thrDuchess Maiie, was married to H.R.B. the Duke of Eninburgh, and the friendly relations of Russia and England wenstill further cemented by a visit of the Czar and a brilliant suite to London in May of the same year.

Three previous attempts have been made on the Czar's life previous to the fatal attempt we record this morning. The first was in St Petersburgh in 1866; the second was at Paris in 1867, when the assassin fired into a carriage in which he was seatel with his two sons and the late Emperor Napoleon.

The third attempt will be fresh in tiie memories of all, in the bloviing up of the dining hall of the Winter Palace, at St Petersburg,last year. The Czarina, a princess of Hesse, by whom the Emperor, had a large family, died towards the end ol last year, and the Czar .shortly afterwards contracted a morganatic marriage with a Russian princess, with whom he had been on friendly relations before the Emperor's death.

The decenst'd Kmpf-ror wns a staunch supporter of the Church of which he was the head, and a great advocate of the millitary despotism, by which his vast empire was ruled. Recently he has been haunted by a constant dread of assassination, and worried with the cares of the empire, he has lived much in the neighborhood of Odessa.

The great Nihilist conspiracy to which he has at last fallen a victim has been the great terror of the latter part of his reign. Verily, " Uueasy lies the head that wears a csown," and the story of his cruel mvrder must send a thrill of horror throughout the civilized worldautocrat, despot, or whatever he was.