Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 May 1883 — A GRAND SPECTACLE. [ARTICLE]

A GRAND SPECTACLE.

Alexander Crowned and Proclaimed Emperor of AU the Russias. " ■ ■ ■"— Brilliant Coronation Ceremonies that Cost $10,000,000. Tke Czar has been crooned and proclaimed Emperor of all the Russias, andsti 1 Uvea. The Nihilist plots and schemes for his destruction, if there were any, failed of accomplishment There were no untoward accidents or incidents. The following account of the coronation ceremonies is taken from the New York Herald's cable report: The procession moved from the Imperial Palace before 7 o’clock, amidst the tiring of artillery and the ringing of the Cathedral bells. > The gendearmeries and troops led the way, and the imperial ooaches which followed were surrounded by masses of mounted General officers and personal guards. All the princely guests and representatives, personally, of foreign powers, followed. At an early hour the foreign Ambassadors, members of the Diplomatic Corps and Envoys had met by appointment at the residence of the German Ambassador, that place having been selected for its convenient location; they joined in the procession, gilded state coaches having been provided for them. The Czar looked in excellent health, and appeared in the Cuirassier Guard •niform of pure white and without ornament or decoration. The Czarina wore a heavily-embroidered costume, and the imEerial pair moved from the throne-room to ie Uspensky Cathedral under a magnificent eanopy, upheld by thirty-two Generals of the army. Drummers, trumpets and popular acclamations announced the starting of he procession. The divine services in the,Cachedral were began at 8 o’clock, the invited guests, only 250 in number, orowding the chapel-like building. 'The services were performed while the procession was passing from the palace to the church, and at the conclusion of the Te Deurn the C; arowitch and the other members of the imperial family and tile foreign Princes entered and took their places at the right of the throne Everything was in .readiness, and the audience only , awaited the arrival of their Majesties. 'At the Cathedral entrance they were met by the superior clergy. The regalia accompanying the procession consisted of the two imperial crowns, the two collars of the Order of St, Andrew and the globe and •cepter, whose money value exceed $2,000,600, but whose statistic value is very small. The imperial crown was that of Catherine, with its fifty large stones and 50,000 brilliants, which had been used at five preceding coronations. The Orleff diamond mounted the scepter, and the sphere holds • the finest sapphire* in the world. Their Majesties entered the Cathedral with all pomp, and took their places on the throne dais. The throne of Alexander was of carved Ivory, and that of the Czarina was of silver gilt, incrusted with diamonds, but lower in form than that of the Emperor. The imperial insignia were placed on tables in front of the throne. The metropolitan of the Novgorod advanced with the clergy t® the foot of the throne, while the clergy and the Czar repeated the Lord’s prayer. This was followed by the repetition by him of the creed of the apostle.-, as adopted by the Greek church. He then received the ermine mantle for the first time, and, it having been placed upon his shoulders, .the crown was raised upon its cushion, and the Emperor himself took it in his hands and placed it on his head. The Empress was crowned in the traditional manner, the Czar touching his own crown to her forehead, laying it aside and placing her own crown upon her brow. The announcement of the •onclusion of the ceremony was made by a salvo of artillery, followed by cheers throughout the Kremlin and ro-echoed by cheers and tinmpet blasts throughout the olty. The ceremonies were followed at once by almost innumerable banquets, the Czar's guests being much too numerous to admit of their entertainment at one meeting. The manifesto of the Czar remits all arrears of taxes np to January, 1888, and all penalties under judgment not yet enforced against persons who wer e concomed in the last Poi&h insurrection. In the evening the Kremlin, with its spires and grand cros -, was brilliantly illuminated .by many hundred electric lights, which had been especially arranged at high altitudes by riggers and sailors brought from Rega and Cronstadt. They illuminated the whole city. The cost of the coronation ceremonies trill, it is said, reach $10,001,000.