But against such a chronic
moral evil no government is so weak as your so-called "strong"
government. Nicholas set out one day for the Kronstadt arsenals to look
into the accounts there; but before he reached them, stores,
storehouses, and account-books were in ashes. So at last Nicholas folded
his arms and wrestled no more. For, apart from the trouble, there came
ever in his dealings with thieves that old timid thought of his, that,
if he examined too closely their chief tenure, they might examine too
closely his despot tenure.
We have shown this vague fear in Nicholas's mind thus at length and in
different workings, because thereby alone can be grasped the master-key
to his dealings with the serf system. Toward his toiling millions
Nicholas always showed sympathy. Let news of a single wrong to a serf
get through the hedges about the Russian majesty, and woe to the guilty
master! Many of these wrongs came to Nicholas's notice; and he came to
hate the system, and tried to undermine it.
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