The Express.
London, England, 1858-04-01 00:00:00

THE EMANCIPATION OF THE SERFS IN
RUSSIA.

A letter from St. Petersburg, dated March 21,
in Le Nord of yesterday, gives us the following in-
teresting information :
The committee for the government of Nijni-Novgo-
rod, charged to investigate and prepare plans for the
emancipation of the serfs, held its first sitting on the
3rd instant, that being the anniversary of Alexan-
der ll.'s accession to the throne. General Mouravieff,
the military governor of the province, made the fol-
lowing speech in opening the proceedings:

Gentlemen —ln concert with the marshal of the nobles of
this government, the committee summoned by the confidence
of the sovereign to discuss the measures requisite for improv-
ing the condition of the pea ent-serfe dwelling on the lands
of the nobles proceeds now to open its sittings. For this
purpose has been selected, not the day previously used upon,
but the annivereary of that monarch's sacenelos, whom
reign is the dawn of our country's regeneration and renova-
tion. Could we cheese a more fortunate day for the com-
mencement of these debates by an assembly in whom rests
the hope of the sovereign and the country, the hope of 26
millions of individual., to whom it is now Weeded to restore
them rights of civil existence and that dignity of men, of
which they bad been deprived ?
Gentlemen, imbue yourselves with the spirit of your
mimics. He who holds in Ills hand the hearts of kings
has called you to accomplish a mighty work, to give
fraidcai to those who do not possess it. And if such be your
mission, thick on the greatness of the part that Providence
has assigned you here below. Be not unworthy of it ; do not
prefer your own material interests to the:welfare- of these
millions of human beings whom their lot has made dependent
upon you. Moral interests take precedence of material ones,
and you ought to prove it by your seta. I said moral in-
terests : yea, gentlemen, the solution of the question now
occupying ns will assuredly raise us to a higher degree of
moral civilteation ; it will enhance the lustre moderate the moral
dignity of the class called to fulfil this work with a self-denial
based on the couscietutuess of human rights.
Amongst the people whose material existence we have to
secure, there is many an individual, who, content with his
present position, desires no other. Glory nd honour to the
owners of such individuals 1 But their happiness is merely
fortuitous. Now, gentlemen, you are celled to substitute
certeinty for chance, and to remove from the administration
which relates to an entire class of piteous everything of an
arbitrary character. But 'access will not be obtained in this
so long as we continue to see in man a memprodectlve power
Smiler to that of mitosis in emend ; we shall only obtain
success by resuscitating, or rather by restotim, the hymen
dignity which had been deified, end by invoking the asst !-
ante of free labour. It will be only then that an intelligent
and equitable appml, unaccompanied by any arbitrary re-
quirement, will re-awsben the living strength of the nation,
anti trill infuse life into all that now appears to us to be
dead.

Do not separate, Dm, front 7mr material ealcadaticas the
respect dee to the rigleta of man; render to men that which
Wangs to man, and you will justify the confidence of the

sovereign and the hope of the nation. I may say'
will deserve the admiration of the whole world, whose IN
are fixed upon you at this moment. Your work will sin lot
you the blessings of the Omnipotent and those of collect,,
humanity, whilst history will rank you among the prompt,
of justice, among those who love their neighbours, u 4 ‘,Ol
name you es the founders of your oountry's prosperity.
A Moscow correspondent of Le Nord says that as
important ukase has just been signed, the effect of
which is to preclude landed proprietors henceforth
from converting their peasants into domestic serf;
whilst they are still to be empowered, as heretofore.
to convert their domestic serfs into peasants. rye
government will thus follow up its idea of true,
forming. the peasant serfs into peasant proprietor;
which is the most natural and the most rational
solution of the querion of serfdom.
The emancipation of the numerous clam of eery
attached, not to the glebe, but to the person of
master, is attended with great difficulties, and to
this day neither government nor nobility have eere,
to any decision on the subject. The government
by the decree referred to has at least endeavoured
to prevent this class of serfs from increasing.
Those landowners who are in the service of the
State at any other place than where their own pro.
petty is situate, and who may wish to attend the
meetings of the nobles for the discussion of the
emancipation project or the election of the corn.
mittee, have received leave of absence for two months
without loss of the situations held by them or any
deduction from their salary. Any officials who may
be elected members of the committee of emancipe.
tion, are empowered to accept such mission without
being compelled to resign office, no matter bow long
the labours of the committee may last. The same
regulations have been laid down for military office,
on active service.

i

The St. Petersburg correspondent above quoted
directs attention to an excellent article published by
M. Tchitcherinf on this question, in the new review, /
called the Athenetum, which hu been started this'
year at Moscow. The proprietors of the Causerie .
.Russe have undertaken the publication of a monthly
review, for the special purpose of examinin_g and
sifting the serf-emancipation question. In the
prospectus just issued, the public are invited to con.
eider this review as neutral ground, on which an
honest and loyal opinions may meet and frankly
discuss the best means of accomplishing the gram
reform now engaging the attention of the Rusks
nation. M. Kocheleff is the editor of the new
review.

A letter from Moscow states that the govern.
ment has applied to the various mortgage banks and
credit institutions of the country to obtain statistiod
returns of all the small estates belonging to tits
poorer class of nobility, and mortgaged to theme*
banks, having from five to 25 nt serfs attached
to them. The object p is to disengage these
peasants from the small estates, and to establish them
upon the crown lands. It is very desirable that this
plan should be carried out, for by this means the
small landed proprietors would be enabled to retain
their lands, which are too limited in extent to allow
any portion of them to be sold in order to clear ci
the incumbrances, as it would be difficult for the
inferior class of landowners to find any means of ssl.
sistence if they were deprived of the cultivation('
their own estates.