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 ALEXANDER III. 259 mysterious connexion between natural science and revolu- which he declared that if Europe would not secure a better tionary tendencies. Many of the young men and women, position for the oppressed Slavs he would act alone. The who were supposed to be qualifying as specialists in the diplomatic pressure failed, and war became inevitable. various spheres of industrial and commercial enterprise, During the campaign he displayed the same perseverance were in reality devoting their time to considering how and the same moderation that he had shown in the emancihuman society in general, and Russian society in particular, pation of the serfs. To those who began to despair of could be reconstructed in accordance with the latest physio- success, and advised him to conclude peace on almost any logical, biological, and sociological principles. Some of terms so as to avoid greater disasters, he turned a deaf these young people wished to put their crude notions ear, and brought the campaign to a successful conclusion; immediately into practice, and as their desire to make but when his more headstrong advisers urged him to insist gigantic socialist experiments naturally alarmed the Govern- on terms which would probably have produced a conflict ment, their activity was opposed by the police. Many of with Great Britain and Austria, he resolved, after some them were arrested and imprisoned or exiled to distant hesitation, to make the requisite concessions. In this resoprovinces, but the revolutionary work was continued with lution he was influenced by the discovery that he could not unabated zeal. Thus arose a struggle between the youth- rely on the expected support of Germany, and the discovery ful, hot-headed partisans of revolutionary physical science made him waver in his devotion to the German alliance, and the zealous official guardians of political order—a which had been the main pivot of his foreign policy; but struggle which has made the strange term Nihilism a his personal attachment to the Emperor William prevented familiar word not only in Russia but also in Western him from adopting a hostile attitude towards the empire Europe. The movement gradually assumed the form of he had helped to create. terrorism, and aimed at the assassination of prominent The patriotic excitement produced by the war did not officials, and even of the emperor himself, and the natural weaken the revolutionary agitation. The struggle between result was that the reactionary tendencies of the Govern- the Terrorists and the police authorities became more and ment were strengthened. more intense, and attempts at assassination became more In foreign policy Alexander II. showed the same qualities and more frequent. Alexander II. succumbed by degrees of character as in internal affairs, ever trying prudently to to the mental depression produced originally by the steer a middle course. When he came to the disappointments which he experienced in his home and policy" ^rone, a peace policy was imposed on him by foreign policy; and in 1880, when he had reigned twentycircumstances. The Crimean war was still going five years, he entrusted to Count Loris-Melikof a large on, but as there was no doubt as to the final issue, and share of the executive power. In that year the empress the country was showing symptoms of exhaustion, he con- died, and a few weeks afterwards he married secretly a cluded peace with the Allies as soon as he thought the Princess Dolgoruki, with whom he had already entertained national honour had been satisfied. Prince Gortchakoff intimate relations for some years. Early in 1881, on the could then declare to Europe, “ La Russie ne .boude pas ; advice of Count Loris-Melikof, he determined to try the elle se recueille ”; and for fifteen years he avoided foreign effect of some moderate liberal reforms on the revolutionary complications, so that the internal strength of the,country agitation, and for this purpose he caused an ukaz to be might be developed, while the national pride and ambition prepared creating special commissions, composed of high received a certain satisfaction by the expansion of Russian officials and private personages who should prepare reforms influence and domination in Asia. Twice, indeed, during in various branches of the administration. On the very that period the chancellor ran the risk of provoking war. day on which this ukaz was signed—13th March 1881— The first occasion was in 1863, when the Western Powers he fell a victim to a Nihilist plot. When driving in one seemed inclined to interfere in the Polish question, and of the central streets of St Petersburg, near the Winter the Russian chancery declared categorically that no inter- Palace, he was mortally wounded by the explosion of some ference would be tolerated. The second occasion was small bombs, and died a few hours afterwards. during the Franco-German war of 1870-71, when the (d. m. w.) Cabinet of St Petersburg boldly declared that it considered itself no longer bound by the Black Sea clause of the Alexander III. (1845-1894), emperor of Russia, Treaty of Paris. On both these occasions hostilities were second son of Alexander II., was born on 10th March 1845. averted. Not so on the next occasion, when Russia aban- In natural disposition he bore little resemblance to his softdoned her attitude of recueillement. When the Eastern hearted, liberal-minded father, and still less to his refined, Question was raised in 1875 by the insurrection of Herze- philosophic, sentimental, chivalrous, yet cunning grand-uncle govina, Alexander II. had no intention or wish to provoke Alexander I., who coveted the title of “ the first gentleman a great European war. No doubt he was waiting for an of Europe.” With high culture, exquisite refinement, and opportunity of recovering the portion of Bessarabia which studied elegance he had no sympathy, and never affected had been ceded by the Treaty of Paris, and he perceived to have any. Indeed, he rather gloried in the idea of in the disturbed state of Eastern Europe a possibility of being of the same rough texture as the great majority of obtaining the desired rectification of frontier, but he hoped his subjects. His straightforward, abrupt manner savoured to effect his purpose by diplomatic means in conjunction sometimes of gruffness, while his direct, unadorned with Austria. At the same time he was anxious to obtain method of expressing himself harmonized well with his for the Christians of Turkey some amelioration of their rough-hewn, immobile features and somewhat sluggish condition, and to give thereby some satisfaction to his movements. His education was not fitted to soften these own subjects. As autocratic ruler of the nation which peculiarities. During the first twenty years of his life he had long considered itself the defender of the Eastern had no prospect of succeeding to the throne, because he Orthodox faith and the protector of the Slav nationalities, had an elder brother, Nicholas, who seemed of a fairly he could not remain inactive at such a crisis, and he robust constitution. Even when this elder brother showed gradually allowed himself to drift into a position from symptoms, of delicate health it was believed that his life which he could not retreat without obtaining some tangible might be indefinitely prolonged by proper care and attenresult. Supposing that the Porte would yield to diplomatic tion, and precautions had been taken for the succession pressure and menace so far as to make some reasonable by his betrothal with the Princess Dagmar of Denmark. concessions, he delivered his famous Moscow speech, in In these circumstances the greatest solicitude was devoted