CHAPTER XII.

TREATIES FOR THE PACIFICATION OF THE NORTH.

In the preceding pages we have been tracing the Causes and Effects, as speculating on the probable prospective Consequences of the Treaties for the "Pacification of the East," and I conceive it will facilitate the appreciation of these points, to make a few remarks on the means used by the Muscovite Power at the commencement of the last Century, for securing to herself the dominion of the Northern portion of

Europe. Little more than a Century ago, there were "Ne

gotiations," "Mediations," "Alliances" and "Counter-Alliances," Convulsions, Wars, Rebellions, and, in short, Treaties, for the "Pacification of the North!" It will be useful for us to recollect how these "complications" were called into existence, to trace their operation, and to observe carefully what was their Result. There will be doubtless many worthy Members of our Legislature who will feel themselves shocked at the idea of Russia being capable of coming to an "Understanding" with France, for the pursuance of designs of rapine against England, for considerations to be repaid by Russia to France by way of compensation! One class of our Politicians will find such conduct incompatible with the "conservative Principles" of the Head of the Holy Alliance, and another will say that the high state of "Civilization" and "Liberalism" in France will prevent the possibility of such a connection. Others, relying on the "good Faith" of the Emperor, will feel indignant that such imputations should be made against our Ally! Let us take a glance at what has been actually done, that we may the better be able to judge of what may be done again, and how far we are to wrap ourselves up in general Propositions, instead of taking precautions against the occurrence of circumstances to be apprehended.

My Readers will be aware that prior to the year 1700 the present Empire of Russia consisted of a mere Province, scarcely to be designated a Kingdom, called Muscovy, of which the Capital was Moscow, and was scarcely known to Europe. The Sea-port was one in the frozen Regions of the White Sea, only Archangel, so that it may be said to have been entirely an Inland Country-neither the Baltic, the Euxine, or the Caspian, were open to Russia, and yet the Czars of Muscovy harboured the seemingly chimerical idea of securing the succession of the Roman Empire! But one man arose, whose mighty Genius showed his Nation of savages the means that were necessary for realising the conceptions of two Centuries before. The exertions that had been unceasingly making by the Muscovites to obtain an outlet by the Black Sea were unavailing, for Azoff and Taganrog were in possession of the Turks, and they were able to distinguish their Enemies from their Friends. The Turks saw that the Muscovites desired to steal part of their Territories, and they therefore considered them their Enemies; so they resisted them and drove them back. Peter saw that an outlet by the Baltic was an indispensable necessity for the furtherance of Russian greatness, and the consolidation of Russian power, as well as for securing a foreign Commerce by opening an outlet to Europe, and connecting it with the East. In addition to these advantages, the possession of a Port on the Baltic was a means of connecting Russia with Europe, and of acting, by means of and through that connection, on the Eastern Countries-which could not be done direct, in consequence of the correct appreciation by those Nations of the real designs of the Muscovite Power; therefore, Peter the Great devoted his Energies to the acquisition of a portion of the Sea coast of the Baltic, and the skill with which he combined the means of action for effecting this in particular, with the general Policy necessary for the success of Russian designs as a whole, exhibits the transcendant superiority of his Genius over any Statesman of modern or perhaps ancient times.

With his plans laid down in his own Mind, Peter set out

*

on a tour to Europe. for the purpose of making himself acquainted with the ground on which he had to work, and preparing the means of his future action. In the year 1697 he began his journey with a splendid Embassy, and the first place he came to was Riga, the Chief Town, and the Key to the whole of Livonia. At that time, not only Livonia, but Finland, Ingria, Estonia, and Carelia, formed a part of the Kingdom of Sweden, which was the most powerful State in the North, and occupied a first-rate position in the world, as well Naval and Military, as Commercial. In the Suite of the Czar of Muscovy were the most skilful Generals and Engineers which he had been able to attract from Europe into his service. Their duty was to scrutinise minutely the Positions, Advantages, Fortifications, &c., of the various places which Peter perceived would be the theatre of his future struggles, for, his Scheme of Rapine being matured, to ascertain these points was mere routine detail. The Governor of Riga was very polite to the Embassy, but he declined to show the Fortifications to Peter, who said to his confidants, Prince Menzikoff and M. Le Fort, that "he should see the day when he should be able to refuse the same thing to the King of Sweden himself!”

The designs of Peter in the Baltic were as incompatible with the interests and existence of Swedish Greatness as his designs (now pursuing) on Constantinople, Persia, &c., are incompatible with those of Great Britain-it was impossible that Russia and Sweden could be aught but Enemies as long as these designs existed, and Peter, knowing this, made up his mind for the struggle, and devoted himself to the work of accumulating the means of assault. The wresting from Sweden of her most valuable Coasts and Provinces by the Ruler of an inland State not in possession of a single Ship, was a work not to be effected without the assistance of other Nations, and we shall see how Peter found this.

From Riga the Czar proceeded to Konigsberg in the Dominions of the King of Prussia, who was then only Elector

* The spot on which stands St. Petersburgh was then Swedish ground.

Brandenburgh. No means were spared by the Embassy for securing favor at the Court of the Elector, and a firm alliance and friendship was cemented between it and the Muscovite Sovereign. From Konigsberg Peter sent an Embassy to the Court of Vienna to make propositions about the War against the Turks and Tartars, which he was then carrying on, and he received powerful assistance from the Elector of Brandenburgh as well in the furtherance of this Embassy as in military assistance. The Turks being at that time in habitual hostility with Austria (as also with Poland) the Czar pursued the ordinary course of Russian Policythat of securing the aid of one Nation against the other, while concealing his real designs under an adroit use of such words as "Barbarism," "Infidels," &c. The miserable state of anarchy in which Poland was plunged at this period, and its position in reference to several of the other States of Europe, made that Kingdom the chief and most important engine by which Peter found means to neutralise the hostility of some Courts, to secure the favor of others, and to excite and prolong Convulsion and Warfare in Europe. It was whilst at Konigsberg that the Czar received, by express, the intelligence that a struggle was taking place in Poland for the succession to the Crown of that Kingdom-that Augustus the Elector of Saxony was proposed by one party, and the Prince of Conti by another, and that the latter aspirant was supported by the influence of the Court of France. At this period the French were in strict alliance with the Sultan, and were likely to turn their powerful arms against the Muscovites if they pushed their aggressions on Turkey; and if they had succeeded in giving a King to Poland there was little doubt but an invasion of Muscovy would have been the result, for the enmity both of Poland and Turkey was by this time aroused against that State in consequence of its aggressions and outrages on their territories. Peter instantly saw this position of things and as instantly saw the means of turning it to his advantage. With the quickness of thought*

† He had, no doubt, foreseen and prepared for the contingency.

he sent instructions to his Ambassador in Poland to maintain what he called the "Right of Election;" that is to say, to support the partisans of the Elector of Saxony, for which he offered the use of 60,000 troops in Poland, by way of securing the independence of that Kingdom! He did not confine his interference to promises however, for he at the same time ordered his troops in the Ukraine to advance into the Polish Province of Lithuania-which he was not long in appropriating to himself! By this interposition Peter not only introduced the Russian troops into Poland, and thus furnished a pretext for the after complications and disputes in Europe, but paralysed the resistance, at once, of France, of Turkey, and of Poland itself to Russian designs, while he secured the active co-operation of the joint power of Saxony and Poland in the person of Augustus (to whom he had secured a Kingdom) against Sweden, whose territories he was only waiting for such opportunity to seize upon !

The Czar, continuing his Journey, proceeded to Dantzic, Hamburgh, and thence to Holland, where he worked as a carpenter-dressed himself in the garb of a workman, and made himself at once master of the arts which he intended to teach his Subjects, of the habit of mind of all classes of people, and of the affections of the Dutch Court. From Holland he passed over to England where he employed his time in a similar manner, and secured the Alliance of the British Court.

About this time (in 1697) the Czar heard of the death of the King of Sweden, and that he was succeded by his Son, Charles XII., a Boy not Eighteen Years of Age. As it was now the moment to strike the meditated blow against Sweden, Peter lost no time in proceeding to Vienna, where he was received with great pomp by the Emperor of Austria, and the bond of Alliance knit between them as closely as possible. Thence he proceeded to the Court of King Augustus in Poland, where he concerted measures for his projects on Sweden-having relieved himself, for this purpose, from the dangerous War the Sultan was waging against him, by the mediation of the King of England at Constan