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COXE’S TRAVELS IN RUSSIA: 729
ture Baffevitz whifpered one of the oppofite party, ‘“‘ The Emprefs is miftrefs of the
treafure and fortrefs; fhe has gained over the guards and the fynod, and many of the
chief nobility; even here fhe has more followers than you imagine; advife therefore
your friends to make no oppofition as they value their heads.” ‘Uhis information being
rapidly circulated, Baffevitz gave the fignal, and two regiments of guards, who had been
gained by a largefs * to declare for Catharine, and already furrounded the palace, beat
toarms. ‘* Who has dared,” exclaimed Prince Repnin, the commander in chief, ** to
draw out the troops without my knowledge!”—*“J,” returned General Butterlin,
‘* without pretending to difpute your authority, in obedience to the commands of my
moft gracious miftreis.” ‘This fhort reply was followed by a dead filence.
In this moment of fufpenfe and anxiety, Mentchikof entered, preceding Catharine)
fupported by the Duke of Holftein. She attempted to fpeak, but was prevented, by
fighs and tears, from giving utterance to her words; at length, recovering herfelf, “I
come,” fhe faid, ‘‘ notwithftanding the grief which now overwhelms me, to aflure you,
that, fubmiffive to the will of my departed hufband, whofe memory will be ever dear to
me, I am ready to devote my days to the painful occupations of government, until Pro.
vidence fhall fummon me to follow him.” Then, after a fhort paufe, fhe artfully added,
‘¢ If the Great-Duke will profit by my inftruétions ; perhaps I fhall have the confolation,
during my wretched widowhood, of forming for you an Emperor worthy of the blood
and name of him whom you have now irretrievably loft.” ** As this crifis,”” replied
Mentchikof, ‘is a moment of fuch importance to the good of the empire, and requires
the moft mature deliberation, your Majefty will permit us to confer without reftraint,
that this whole affair may be tranfa€ted without reproach, not only in the opinion of the
prefent age, but alfo of pofterity.””—“* Acting as 1 do,” anfwered Catharine, ‘‘ more
for the public good than for my own advantage, I am not afraid to fubmit all my con-
cerns to the judgment of this enlightened aflembly ; you have not only my permiffion to
confer with freedom ; but I lay my commands upon you all, to deliberate maturely on
this important fubject, and promife to adopt the refult of your decifions.”” At the
conclufion of thefe words, the affembly retired into another apartment, and the doors
were locked. i
It was previoufly fettled by Mentchikof and‘his party, to declare Catharine Emprefs,
and the guards, who furrounded the palace with drums beating and colours flying, ef-
fectually vanquifhed all oppofition. ‘The only circumftance, therefore, which remained,
was to give a jult colour to her title, by perfuading the aflembly that Peter intended to
name her his fucceffor. For this purpofe Mentchikof demanded of the Emperor’s fe-
cretary, whether his late mafter had left any written declaration of his intentions? The
fecretary replied, ‘ A little before his laft journey to Mofcow he deftroyed a will, and
he frequently expreffed his defign of making another, but was prevented by the reflection,
that if he thought his people, whom he had raifed from a ftate of barbarifm to a high
degree of power and glory, could be ungrateful, he would not expofe his final inclina-
tions to the infult of a refufal; and if they recollected what they owed to his labours,
they would regulate their conduét by his intentions, which he had difclofed with more
folemnity than could be manifefted by any writing.” An altercation now began in the
affembly, and fome of the nobles having the courage to oppofe the acceflion of Catha-
rine, Theophanes, Archbifhop of Plefcof, called to their recollection the oath which they
had alltakenin 1722, to acknowledge the fucceflor appointed by Peter, and added, that
the fentiments of that Emperor delivered by the fecretary were in effec an appointment
* The Auftrian envoy fays, that the guards received each 61,
VOL. VI. 5A of
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