56 IN THE DIPLOMATIC SERVICE-XI 



distinguished as a jurist and theologian, a man of re 

 markable force of character, and devoted to Russian ideas 

 as distinguished from those of Western Europe: Con- 

 stantine Pobedonostzeff. 



During the dark and stormy days toward the end of 

 his career, Alexander II had called in as his main adviser 

 General Loris-Melikoff, a man of Armenian descent, in 

 whom was mingled with the shrewd characteristics of his 

 race a sincere desire to give to Eussia a policy and devel 

 opment in accordance with modern ideas. 



The result the world knows well. The Emperor, having 

 taken the advice of this and other councilors, deeply pa 

 triotic men like Miloutine, Samarine, and Tcherkassky, 

 had freed the serfs within his empire (twenty millions in 

 all) ; had sanctioned a vast scheme by which they were to 

 arrive at the possession of landed property; had estab 

 lished local self-government in the various provinces of 

 his empire; had improved the courts of law; had intro 

 duced Western ideas into legal procedure; had greatly 

 mitigated the severities formerly exercised toward the 

 Jews ; and had made all ready to promulgate a constitu 

 tion on his approaching birthday. 



But this did not satisfy the nihilistic sect. What more 

 they wanted it is hard to say. It is more than doubtful 

 whether Russia even then had arrived at a stage of civili 

 zation when the institutions which Alexander II had al 

 ready conceded could be adopted with profit ; but the lead 

 ers of the anarchic movement, with their vague longings 

 for fruit on the day the tree was planted, decreed the 

 Emperor s death the assassination of the greatest bene 

 factor that Russia has ever known, one of the greatest that 

 humanity has known. It was, perhaps, the most fearful 

 crime ever committed against liberty and freedom ; for it 

 blasted the hopes and aspirations of over a hundred mil 

 lions of people, and doubtless for many generations. 



On this the sturdy young guardsman became the 

 Emperor Alexander III. It is related by men conversant 

 with Russian affairs that, at the first meeting of the 



