The Sun.
London, England, 1840-04-30 00:00:00

COSSACK HOUSE OF LORDS.

(Extract of a letter from Charkoff, in the Ukraine.)
At the period of my arrival in this town, the whole
body of the nobility in the Ukraine were collected
there for the purpose of advising on provincial affairs,
and electing the provincial authorities. I believe you
in England have no conception that there are any such
meetings of the states in this quarter of the globe, of
that th Autocrat of Russia allows any portion of his
lieges even the shadow of independence. I cannot do
better, therefore, than undeceive you by sending you a
report of the deliberations of the " of the
Ukraine—A least of such of them as fell under my own
observation while staying here,
Charkoff has its own " Dvorantsra Submde" (House
of Assembly for the Lords), a building principally fitted
up with a spacious hall and rooms loading into it.
This hall is made use of, not only for the deliberations
and acts of the nobility, but for balls, banquets, &c.,
during the session of the Wuidor. Along the sides, of
the ball is a range of chairs and tables, covered with
green cloth, for the representatives of the eleven circles
of the Ukraine, Over each table there Are the armorial
bearings of each circle painted on the v ail ; those of
" Valki," for instance, area couple of plums and pears,
designating that it abounds io fruit ; the arms of
Sjurnl" (literally sacks) aro a brace of sacks, in allu-
sion to the origin of the name, as well as of the wealth
of the district, which was a place of deposit chosen by
the Cossacks of that quarter for their predatory spoils
and well-filled bags. The high marshal of the circle
presides at each table ; and the grants marshal of the
emperor, whn acts on every occasion as the representa-
tive of the whole nobility of the province, is the lord
president of the house. Tho session at which 1 was
present mustered a couple of hundreds of the aristo-
cracy ; and, on the days of their meetings, the space
in front of the house was crowded with a larger con-
course of equipages than I have ever seen in Abingdon-
street, or in front of the Luxembourg.
The appearance of the house, when assembled, was
quite equal to the Chamber of Deputies in Paris. The
member's costume consisted of an elegant uniform of
green, with crimson collars and cuffs embroidered in
gold, and swords in silvee scabbards. . . There
was no want of life in the proceedings ; speech followed
upon speech in rapid succession, and the eloquence of
several of the speakers was much commended to me.
Whenever a written proposition or resolution, or the
record of an election, or an official intimation from
the government, was read, the old Cossack custom of
striking the floor or one of the tables with a sword
was never omitted ; the party whose duty it was to
read it came forward, and walked up to each of the
four corners of the hall in succession, where he sepa-
rately read it with due solemnity. On several occa-
sions I observed that these communications caused
great agitation among the members ; and those who
delivered their sentiments upon them were interrupted
at times by boisterous cries and tumultuous move-
ments throughout the ball. I thought there would
have been no end to the loud acclamations which ac-
companied the farewell speech of one of the Kovaleffsky
family, who had filled the office of high marshal for the
last three years, and now laid it down. His eyes filled
with tears as he acknowledged his sense of the cordial
support he had received from his colleagues. The
whole house, rising from their seats, rushed into the
middle of the hall, and crowded close round the speaker
whenever he elicited their applause. They were loud
in soliciting the marshal to announce himself as a candi
date for the new election ; but he was as decided iu de
dining the honour.

After peace was restored, the several candidates came
forward, made their bows to the house, and were received
with more or less favour, according as they were popular
or otheewise. Some, who were cordially greeted, laid
their hands on their hearts, and addressed a few words
to the house. But one of them, who was probably
prompted by vanity rather than by the conviction that
members were at his hack, was overwhelmed by an una-
nimous shout of " Uvolnaim ! Uvolnaim !" (We will
have none of him !) The house then proceeded
to the ballot,. on which occasion each circle
came forward at the call of their names to ballot ;
and the majority of balls was in favour of General
Rachmanoff, who bad 150 out of 200. The announce-
' went of the dection was received with a storm of plan
dits, which the veteran was not present to enjoy.
You will new see that this Cossack House of Lords
is by no means of so tame and insignificant a character
as you would have been apt to conclude. The Lieu-
tenant• Governor of the Ukraine has, I admit, the power
of approving or rejecting the appointments made by the
house ; but it is well worthy of notice that no noble in
Government pay has a seat in the house, and that
strenuous attempts arc frequently made to maintain an
election which is unpalatable to the " powers that be."
To such a length, indeed, has the house at times as-
serted its independence, that it has more than once been
a question with them whether the Ukraine should not
be blotted out altogether from the list of provinces, and
parcelled out among its neighbours.
In former days every nobleman in the province,
whether great or small, was entitled to take his seat ;
but an ukase was issued several years ago forbidding
any lord to sit in the " Wuidor" who was not proprie-
tor of a hundred serfs or upwards. A short time, how-
' ever, after this rule was laid down, a nobleman insisted
upon being admitted into the house who had not quite
the stipulated number of dependents, counting upon his
popularity and influence to carry him through. As
soon as he made his appearance in the house, he was
instantly denounced by a rich aristocratical colleague,
who heartily detested him, and was called upon by his
foe to leave the house. " Your:charge is just," he re-
plied ; " I admit that I have not a hundred souls
at my call, but I have a soul which is worth
a thousand such as yours ;" and he straightway ran his
adversary through with his sword. You will allow that
such scenes as this have somewhat " too much life" in
them ; but they are types of national character.—
D. A. (in Saturday Magazine.)

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