The oath of allegiance was at once taken by the
Imperial 'family, and by all Generals present, to the Cesarewitch as Nicholas II., and hosts of rumours about renunciations and -palace intrigues are thus brought to nought. The contem- plated marriage of the new Sovereign is delayed, and the Princess Alia returns to Hesse, but there is no evidence of uny breach of the engagement, which, so far as appears, will, -when a decent period has elapsed, be followed by a marriage. The character of the new Czar, who was born on May 6th, 1868, is still an unknown quantity, but it seems to be believed in Russia that he is a lighter man than his father; that he trusts M. de Witte, the Finance Minister, rather than M. Pobiedonostzeff ; and that he is less fanatically Slay. We do not believe in " Liberal " Czars any more than in "Liberal" Popes, but the new Sovereign cannot escape from the neces- sity of either crushing or conciliating the fanatical assassins who pursued his father to the last, and the policy he will adopt towards them will doubtless give the key to the coming reign. No young man will endure that life in Gatschina, and Nicholas II. will probably try first of all to recover the personal liberty enjoyed so fully by his namesake, who dared walk among crowds of Russians, visible to all men through his height, but as safe as Mr. Gladstone in a church. For the moment, the mournful ceremonies of sepulture will engross all Russian attention, and they must be followed by the stupendous ceremonial of the Coronation.
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