PEACE PROSPECTS IN RUSSIA.
There seems to be no doubt that the prospect of peace is hailed with an unconcealed joy, which bursts forth in all parts of Russia, from the Neva to the Sea of Azoff. It has been perceptible in all the towns on the coasts of the South that are within view of foreigners ; and it is af- firmed in communications which are in some cases more trustworthy than the correspondence mechanically got up for the journals—in private letters. We shall state a few facts, and the reader will perceive the con- nexion.
A private letter from the Sea of Azoff, dated the 2d March, quoted by the Moniteur de la Platte, described the feeling excited in the South of Russia by the armistice-
" It had everywhere produced a deep sensation, and been regarded as the forerunner of peace. At Marioupol, Kasandib, Bercliansk, Gheisk, and in the whole Gulf of the Don, commercial transactions, which had been com- pletely paralyzed by the war, recovered as if by enchantment fresh activity, and a great number of articles, hitherto unsaleable,. had found purchasers at a good price. The announcement of the armistice was received at Taganrog, in particular, with the greatest enthusiasm. This beautiful city, which is becoming every day more important, is the emporium of the extensive trade carried on in the country watered by the Don. It suffered considerably by the war, and has not forgotten that it is indebted to the generosity of the commanders of the Allied squadrons for having been pre- served from complete destruction in the month of June List. On the 1st March, the Governor issued a proclamation to apprize the inhabitants of the conclusion of an armistice ; and during the entire day the population traversed the streets and squares, crying Long live the Emperor ' At night all the houses were illuminated. It is impossible to imagine the immense popularity the Emperor Alexander has acquired in consequence of his pacific dispositions. It appears that the great Imperial foundry, situate on the left bank of the Don, had been closed, in virtue of an order from St. Petersburg. The Russian fleet in the Black Sea drew thence the prin- cipal part of its supplies."
Our next fact is from St. Petersburg. One of the Grand Dukes had just been married ; the newly-married pair were entertained at a party given by the Prince of Oldenburgh ; a series of tableaux vivans were among the entertainments ; the last tableau represented " the Angel of Peace " ; the audience had applauded the former tableaux—they were now silent, not daring to give vent to any opinion—but the Emperor and the Imperial family applauded.
Paris supplies the next fact. The Princess Lieven, it is said, annoyed at the persevering delay of a visit' from Prince Gortsebakoff, sent to him to come to her. He went, but only to rebuke her for her meddling, and to tell her that a new reign had commenced, in which her activities -would no longer be tolerated. This reads like nothing more than Paris gossip, but it may stand among other facts. Reports have appeared in the newspapers lately, of Russian officials dismissed for maladministration : we believe that the reports are true, and we will tell why we believe them. The Emperor Nicholas showed exclusive favour to those who would promote the power and influence of the Executive, and only favoured gentlemen who adopted a military career. Per contra, any man who put on a show of military ardour, if he were in a civil department, might do almost what he pleased : the -Civil servant had but to blow the war-trumpet to be a faultless man in the Emperor's regard. In one case, we understand, a person very high in office, and at the head of an important civil department, was recently dismissed : he had made a great fortune without any means of account- ing for his accumulations—there was only one clue to it—the gross corruption carried on in departments upon which the Czar had not ha- bitually turned his own eye.
The town of Riga was a place destined by nature to be a commercial .entrepoet. Its principal trade—though it ought to have had many others besides—lay in produce brought from the further parts of Russia, and conveyed principally to Dundee and other British ports. The people of Riga desired to form railways to the distant hemp-growing and pro- duce districts ; but it was the interest of the Government to divert the trade to other places and to give Riga a military rather than I a commercial character. n spite of these restrictions, the town was growing in importance : it had few factories, but had many trading houses, and its buildings ought to have expanded with the expansion of its commerce. But the Government insisted on fortifying it—on com- pressing it within'the iron compass of a military wall ; and Riga could not expand. Nay there was something even worse. Persons of consi- deration in Russia saw the advantage to be made from commerce ; they had the common desire to increase their revenues ; but a gen- tleman who should turn himself to trade was a marked man. It was incumbent upon him to enter into the military career; and thus the na- tural merchants of Riga found their own career in life marked out for them by the Imperial dictation. The sums of money expended in keep- ing up the apparatus of war formed but a part of the sacrifice thus entailed upon Russia. It is not the taxes paid, but the wealth foregone, that constitutes her real loss.
Perhaps the entire change of feeling at head-quarters may explain the facility which the other powers have found in becoming reconciled to Russia. If an abandonment of semibarbarous military monopolies, cultivation of peace, and positive improvement, are to mark the reign of Alexander the Second, he is more likely to be an ally than an enemy. He is said already to be popular on the strength of the anticipation that such will be his policy ; and Riga, like Taganrog, scarcely waits to cele- brate the conclusion of peace with illuminations, evening parties, and balls.
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