ed, a stronger fortress would be built. This
meant that Russia was anxious to secure favorable terms. The war had
cost 250,000 men, and Russia's credit at home was in a bad condition.
Austria offered the basis of an agreement which was accepted by
Russia, and on the 25th of February, 1856, a Congress met at Paris.
Five days later the Treaty of Paris was signed. Russia renounced the
right of protecting the Christians in the Danubian principalities, and
restored the delta of that river. The Black Sea was opened to merchant
vessels of all nations, but closed to all warships, and no arsenals
were to be constructed on its shores. The sultan agreed to renew the
privileges of his Christian subjects, but with the understanding that
the powers should not find cause to interfere. It was a hard blow to
Russia's prestige, and indefinitely postponed the execution of making
of Russia the restored Eastern Roman Empire.

Alexander, in many respects, was the opposite of his father; he seemed
more like his uncle in his younger days when he earned the surname of
Well-beloved. It may be, however, that Alexander was but the executor
of his father's instructions, after doubt began to torture him. It is
known that Nicholas had seriously considered the emancipation of (p. 221)
the serfs. Alexander took it up in earnest. There were two serious
difficulties, namely, the compensation to be allowed to the serf
owners, and the extent of the soil to be allotted to the serfs. It
must be remembered that, although the peasant had become resigned to
serve the landowner, his proverb: "Our backs are the owner's, but the
soil is our own," showed how stubbornly he held to the conviction that
it was his own land which he cultivated, however little profit he
derived from his toil. For once the tchinovnik dared not interfere;
public opinion had so strongly condemned their incompetence and
dishonesty that the Russian official was glad to efface himself; the
landowners, on the other hand, showed little enthusiasm. They knew
what their revenues were, but not what they would be under altered
circumstances.

Soon after the Treaty of Paris had restored peace, Alexander addressed
his "faithful nobles" at Moscow, inviting them to consult about the
proper measures to be taken with the view to emancipation. When this
produced no results, he appointed a Committee, "for the amelioration
of the condition of the peasants." The nobles of Poland, seeing what
was coming, d