The Grand Duke And America

The St Petersburg correspondent of the Baltic Qazette furnishes an interesting synopsis of the second and third volumes of the book written by or for the Grand Duke Alexis, of Russia, on his recent voyago around the world. In the flrst volume, as our readers will reinember, the Grand Duke gave a somewhat humorous account of his adventures in the United States. The second volume of this superb book, perhaps the most tnagnificent that was ever issued from tho Russian preas, opens with a general criticism of American institutious and popular manners. Itis refreshing to hear what an imperial prince has to say about the former. He believes that the soil of America naturally was destined for republican institutious. - "There is an astonishing self-reliance about Americans," he writes, not without genuine enthusiasm; "and this to the most casual observer, together with their wouderful, unparalleled information of the general principies of government, accounts for their fitness for republican institutions. Tho smallest schoolboy in the United States knows tho names of the eminent Presidents of his country. No one can convince anybody that Gen. Washington was not the noblest man ever placed at the head of any nation. Of their war with Hexco they are very proud, as well they may be, according to my opinión ; for they routed largo Mexican armies, well armed and intrepidly comnianded, with mere handfuls of soldiers. I was relucían t to converse much on the reccent civil war, as I still found considerable feeling on either side ; and I principally oonversed with some intímate military friends on the great events in which they boro conspicuous parta. Nothing could be moro touching and thrilling than the modest accounts which these true heroes gave of exploits which the ancients would have immortalized in tables of bronze. The infantry of America seem to suffer from some of the defocts of the French - too much clan and too much indopendence of the privates - still, veïy admirable material. But I did not know why they were uniforrued in so unattractive a manne Some of tho military regiments in Now York, and even in the West, look prouder and nicer than tho regular troops of the line. The artillery is well armed, although some of the guns I saw seemed to have just issued from a protracted campaign. The cavalry is splendidly mounted, and from what I saw, consists mostly of capital follows." The courts of the United States, it seems to tho Grand Duke Alexis, lack the solemnity which surrounds thoseof Great Britain and other Europoan couutries. " This," he writes, " is the inoro singular, as tho people take tho utmost interest in judicial proceedings, both criminal and civil. At first blush, it almost raight seem as though nearly all intelligent mon in the country were lawyors, so well are they informed concerning the rudiments of tho laws. Besides, thoy are born orators; their fluency of speech has oftententimes. excited my utmost surprise." -