RUSSIAN AUTOCRACY.

Thames Star, Volume X, Issue 3145, 18 March 1879, Page 1

RUSSIAN AUTOCRACY.

Of the late Caar. Nicholas, "A Baisian Nihilist" telliia the North Am»irifl«i Review a striking story: A yoanr student, a relative of thejwriter, had, with a few friends formed a literary society in Which the works of contemnarary political economists, publicists and philosophari were read and debated. The seoretpojio* denounced this society, as a revolutionary organization, and the young student wai imprisoned and condemned to Siberia. All possible influence wis,bi«bght to Wtr upon the Czar, but in rain, and at last the youDg man's mother, meeting -the €mi> one day in the Summer Garden, knelt and implored her son's portion, asserting his innocence. The Czar s#eme4 tonehfd, and promised to give the youth a personal interview. The latter'Wai brought to His Majesty the^next day, arid the;| Gear/ forcing him to his knees before an image ■of the Saviour, exclaimed : "Can you swear before, the Almighty God that neither you nor your associates had apy criminal design against my life ? Cah'you swear that jou believe in. the holinesf and ; eternity of the Russian' ibtobriiby P " The surprised prisoner answered. •• I can 'swear to your Majesty that neither I nor any of my friends had the r^mdtest idea against your ■afety. As to the autocratic form of Government, I cannot conscientiously swear that I believe in 'itseternity. The history ofother countries teabhep u5.... that the time must come, even in Russia/ When the people itself will take part in its Government," The Czar tenderly embraced the student, and giving him a ring drawn from the imperial "finger",saidT" "This.is a token.of respect;fr^m; /-your^ Czar. You have been sincere and truth* ful to me. and there is'nothing I hate so much as a lie." ■ He: then approached the writing table,, where lay the student's sentence of exile, and with one stroke of the pen signed the paper! "I pity you from the depths .of my heart," he said.';' " you are an honest man, and an honest man, true to his convictions, is more dangerous to autocracy than an unprincipled rascal. Therefore, I must punish you, though never was this duty more painful tome than now. God bless you, my sod, and judge me mercifully if I should appear to be in the wrong." Then once niore embracing the student, he dismiiiid him toSiberia. . - , v „...-, „n