Rensselaer Republican, Volume 27, Number 11, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 November 1894 — THE CZAR IS DEAD. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

THE CZAR IS DEAD.

‘The King is Dead, Long Live the King.” larenv trad Chnractprigtlcg of Alexander lll—Brief Sketch of Grand Duke Nicholas, the New Czar. A Livadia cable Nov. 1, says: The )zar died at 3 o'clock this afternoon—after i night and day of sleeplessness and suffering. He was unconscious for several lours before his death. It is understood hat the Czarewitch will immediately is'ue a proclamation declaring himself )zar, aud all the Russian officials

throughout the world will take the oath if allegiance as soon as possible. Alexander 111, Czar of all tho Russlas, was the second son of Alexander 11, and was born March 10,1845. He was the leventeenth of his house. He married November 9, 1866, Marie Dagmar, daughter of Christian IX, King of Denmark, lie was. therefore, a brother-in-law of Ihe Prince of Wales, who married the Princess Marie's elder sister, Alexandra, rod also of George I, King Christian’s econd son, who was elected King of the lellencs in 1803. Alexander II became zar of all the Russias March 3,1831,when iis father was assassinated by the Nihll,U. He was crowned at Moscow, May 37,1883, Alexander was educated in the Universities of his own country, but he Was never distinguished for his mental (rifts. In early life one of his chief characteristics was timidity, and it was written of him recently by a visitor to Russia that throughout his life he had continued cautious and indisposed to changes— Imperially to changes Id accordance with Western views. Physically tho Czar was a giant. Like his father, be was six feet In bight; deep chested, broad shouldered, hnd seemingly of great strength. His eyes were deep gray, and bis head was large and of a shape which phrenologists id indicated a strong will. He was a very obstinate, capricious, bad tempered

boy.’and it was naturally a great.sluiclj to his future subjects when the unexpected death of his elder brother placed him next to the throne. They had alwayj been play-fellow!) and greatly attached to each other. When but ten or eleven years old they were brought to tho death bedot the Emueror Nicholas, in 1855, to receive their grandfather's blessing and a few wordsofndviee. j. The reign of Alexander 111 has beon a period of sharp reaction. In later years a Conservative, as the sou of a Liberal father often is. and an absolutist, as every Romanoff is, Alexander 111 was driven, bjl the murder of his father and- tho Nihilist attempts against himself, to believe that his throne was in danger, that revolution was in the air, that every Libera! was hii persistent foe, and that the. only safe pol-

icy, either for Russias or himself,consisted in stamping out all germs of Liberalism Accordingly, the authorities of all kinds especially the police, have been strengthened until they are nearly absolute; the Sovereign secluded himself until he was almost a prisoner; only to bo a Liber..! without action has been treated as 4 penal offense, Russians: being punished foi merely buying incendiary publications; trials have been handed over to obedient courts; the treatment of prisoners has become more severe, and the terribt weapon of administrative sentences, which so greatly exasperated the contcs) between the French people and the oil monarchy, has been employed with as much freedom as under the Emperor Nicholas. The late Czar was married to the Princess Dagmar of Denmark. His home life is described as ideally happy. The Grand Duke Nicholas, Czarewitch, who now becomes autocrat of all the Russias, is not the sturdy giant that lii.i father was. The Czarewitch was borrt May 6, ISOS. In his childhood he wa.t pronounced a congenital idiot by a speclal-

Ist who was called by tho Czar to see thd boy, who wasconsidered very unpromising even by his parents. His appearance always been insignificant. Ashe grew u[j and received his education, he outgrew 1 his mental weakness to a great extents and for the past five years has presided over the Council of State in place of his< father, whose official duty it was. Aj few years ago tho Czarewitch wrs sent on a tour around the world to breakoff an attachmont he had formed for art actress. It was while on this journey that the present Czar nearly lost his lifoj in a Japanese temple, a native policeman! making a savage assault upon him for al sacrilegious action while visiting the holy shrine. Grand Duke George of Greece saved the life of the young man, who now ascends the throne of his ancestors, on that memorable occasion. On his return the Grand Duke Nicholas fell in love with Princess Alix of Hesse. He had always had a penchant for her,: and now determined to make her his wife.; His determination gave his parents morej trouble, but his good-natured aunt, thej Dnchess of Coburg, then Duchess of Ecfin- 1 burgh, stood his friend. He was brought to London, and the Queen took to him.l The Princess Alix, however, Is a littlel afraid of the perilous honor of occupying! a Russian throne, and does not much rei-j Ish the idea of giving ap her religion iu which she has been educated, What kind of an Emperor Nicholas, Alexandrovitch will make it is difficult to tell, still, there Is reasou to believe, that] while he will be quite as peace-loving a* his father be will be less inclined to play a| great diplomatic part in Europe. Still, he may have surprises in store for us, and d« something great. It is always the unexpected that happens, atid'Ee is still too young—only twenty-six—to have definitely formed hi 9 character.

ALEXANDER III. CZAR OF RUSSIA.

THE GRAND DUKE NICHOLAS, THE NEW CZAR.

PRINCESS ALIX, BETROTHED TO THE NEW CZAR.