The article examines the views of the 19th-century Russian publicists, who professed a conservative ideology, on the image of Peter the Great in the context of the metaphysics of reforms. The role of conservatives in the public space of the 19th century remains poorly explored, as well as the following issues: how, in what form and to what extent the conservatives allowed progress; whether the conservative worldview meant refusal to move forward; what the movement forward implied for the conservatives. The article also explores the question of the historical conditionality of Peter's desire to integrate Russia into Europe, what measures and what changes the people were ready to support, and which they did not accept. The author consistently analyzes the complication of the position of conservative publicists with the development of the political processes in Russia after the liberation of the peasants. The author compares the similarities and differences of the views of such publicists as Karamzin, Uvarov, Meshchersky, Katkov and Dostoevsky, establishes the continuity of positions and explains the existing contradictions. The specific nature of the journalistic image, reflecting reality in a specific way, as well as the ideology of the writers, are taken into account. In addition, individual creative features and abilities of the publicists are taken into account. In conclusion, the author outlines the prospects of further studies, involving the speeches of the writers and religious philosophers in the pre-revolutionary era, when the impossibility of peaceful resolution of political, economic and cultural contradictions in the country became obvious.