Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Scientific Magazine, And Freemasons' Repository, For January 1797.
half ; was on horseback hy break of day ; and proceeded about four miles further , to the convent of St . Sergius at Strelna ; into which she retired while the troops encamped around . While the revolution was carrying on at Petersburgh , the emperor remained in his palace at Oranienbaum , from whence he had made unsuccessful attempts to obtain possession of the strong fortress of
Cronstadt , or to make his escape to Holstein . The great policy , therefore , on the side of Catharine , was to obtain possession of his person without effusion of blood , and to amuse him , without driving him to desperate measures : for she was well aware that it was yet in his power with his Holstem troops to defend himself to the last extremity , or by his escape to involve the empire in all the horrors of civil war . The judicious
manner in which she conducted this delicate affair , shews her no less able in the arts of negociation , than in the spirit of enterprize . On the first news of the revolution , the emperorhad dispatched general Ismailofwith a message to the empress , offering to resign his crown , upon condition that he should be permitted to retire into Holstein with his mistress Vcrontzof and his favourite Godovitch . But
the wisdom of Catharine soon saw the impolicy of permitting this . She , therefore , calmly represented to Ismailof the madness of any attempt to oppose her now in full possession of sovereign authority ; she pointed to her troops who were posted in large bodies upon the adjacent grounds ; adding , that Peter ' s resistance would only draw on himself and his party the vengeance of an enraged army ; and , therefore ,
proposed that the emperor should repair to Pcterhof where the terms of his abdication should be adjusted . Ismailof , now finding the tide of success turned on the side of die empress , arid perceiving the clergy , the army , and the principal nobles , engaged in her cause , was COIITvinced that nothing was left to Peter but submission . Seduced by the insinuating eloquence and engaging address of the empress , he undertook to persuade his unhappy masterby immediate submissipnto
, , save an effusion of blood , which could be productive of no effectual advantage to his cause . With this view he returned to Oranienbaum between ten and eleven , and found the emperor in the palace with Munic , Elizabeth Vprontzof Godovitch , and others , anxiously expecting his arrival . Having retired into another apartment , the result of their conference was , that in less than an hour the emperor , with Eli-r
zabeth Vorontzof , Godovitch , and Ismailof , entered the carriage , in which the latter had returned to Oranienbaum . Peter quitted that palace without a single guard or attendant ; but he had scarcely proceeded a mile , before a corps of Hussars , of the empress ' s ' party , surrounded the carriage , and accompanied it to Peterhof , where he arrived about half past twelve . He was immediately separated from his
companions . The empress declined a personal conference ; but sent count Paniu , who was admitted alone . What passed during this awful interview between that nobleman and his deposed sovereign , is not , nor probably ever will be , disclosed to the public ; but nothing can ' convey a stronger , picture of the emperor ' s weakness and pusillar nimiiy , than the formal abdication which was the result of their coy * versation .
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
The Scientific Magazine, And Freemasons' Repository, For January 1797.
half ; was on horseback hy break of day ; and proceeded about four miles further , to the convent of St . Sergius at Strelna ; into which she retired while the troops encamped around . While the revolution was carrying on at Petersburgh , the emperor remained in his palace at Oranienbaum , from whence he had made unsuccessful attempts to obtain possession of the strong fortress of
Cronstadt , or to make his escape to Holstein . The great policy , therefore , on the side of Catharine , was to obtain possession of his person without effusion of blood , and to amuse him , without driving him to desperate measures : for she was well aware that it was yet in his power with his Holstem troops to defend himself to the last extremity , or by his escape to involve the empire in all the horrors of civil war . The judicious
manner in which she conducted this delicate affair , shews her no less able in the arts of negociation , than in the spirit of enterprize . On the first news of the revolution , the emperorhad dispatched general Ismailofwith a message to the empress , offering to resign his crown , upon condition that he should be permitted to retire into Holstein with his mistress Vcrontzof and his favourite Godovitch . But
the wisdom of Catharine soon saw the impolicy of permitting this . She , therefore , calmly represented to Ismailof the madness of any attempt to oppose her now in full possession of sovereign authority ; she pointed to her troops who were posted in large bodies upon the adjacent grounds ; adding , that Peter ' s resistance would only draw on himself and his party the vengeance of an enraged army ; and , therefore ,
proposed that the emperor should repair to Pcterhof where the terms of his abdication should be adjusted . Ismailof , now finding the tide of success turned on the side of die empress , arid perceiving the clergy , the army , and the principal nobles , engaged in her cause , was COIITvinced that nothing was left to Peter but submission . Seduced by the insinuating eloquence and engaging address of the empress , he undertook to persuade his unhappy masterby immediate submissipnto
, , save an effusion of blood , which could be productive of no effectual advantage to his cause . With this view he returned to Oranienbaum between ten and eleven , and found the emperor in the palace with Munic , Elizabeth Vprontzof Godovitch , and others , anxiously expecting his arrival . Having retired into another apartment , the result of their conference was , that in less than an hour the emperor , with Eli-r
zabeth Vorontzof , Godovitch , and Ismailof , entered the carriage , in which the latter had returned to Oranienbaum . Peter quitted that palace without a single guard or attendant ; but he had scarcely proceeded a mile , before a corps of Hussars , of the empress ' s ' party , surrounded the carriage , and accompanied it to Peterhof , where he arrived about half past twelve . He was immediately separated from his
companions . The empress declined a personal conference ; but sent count Paniu , who was admitted alone . What passed during this awful interview between that nobleman and his deposed sovereign , is not , nor probably ever will be , disclosed to the public ; but nothing can ' convey a stronger , picture of the emperor ' s weakness and pusillar nimiiy , than the formal abdication which was the result of their coy * versation .