The Sun.
London, England, 1826-01-31 00:00:00

,tit ides.
:161,601)
211,39 U

Noblei
Clergy
phi

}loth Sexes.
580,001)
400,000

Merchants . 142,000 300,000
Traders, inhabitants of towns • 600,000 1,00;000
Cultivators exempt from capitation 420000 2,600,006
Cossacks, idem . 1,110,000 2,200,000
Peasants in vassalage '16.110,000 ..., 32,795,000
Jews 108,1)00 210,000
Employed by Government 69,300 120,000
Army and Navy 689,000 1,000,000
Uncivilized Tribes 600,000.. 1,000,000
These calculations being based on official do.
clic:tents of the early part of the reign of Alex-
ander, are necessarily understated, for the whole
mass of the population, uithout including the
later conquests, have increased since then one-
fifth. But the proportions are not essentially
changed, only the five first classes have keen
augmented more than the others. We must:oh.
serve, that so numerous a body of nobility in
cludes what is most active, most enlightened,
and most ambitious of all Russia. They also
possess very nearly all the landed property, for
in general only the nobles are ;title to possess-
land with serfs. The class of Ocinodt,orzi pos.
susses, it is true, free land, but it Can only pur-
chase neasants by using the name of a noble, and
this class is neither numerous nor important, ex-
rept in Little Russia. In Russia nobility tines
not-:'depend exclusively on birth. '4:very cap.
lain, eitery professor, every public functionary,
every academician, having the rank of captain, is •
noble, and many possess land and vassals, trans.
mitting his nobility and all his privileges to his.
family. in Russia the nobles are the political
nation, and they possess the territorial property.
They will not make a democratic revolution,
will not give representatives to vassals, and ad-
mit the otinodvorzi into their ranks, but from the
Prince who counts his vassals by thotiunds, to
him who has only a single house, they have a
common interest in not being arbitrarily tro.
vented, in riot seeing their vassals ruined
and unable to pay theii ckbruh—they do not
wish to lose the half of their reveries, by bad
paper money, or be exposed to laws injurious
to personal liberty, as under Paul, or injurious to
property as under Alexander. It is this party
which requires guarantee, and this is the roily
general movement amongst the most enlightened
class in Russia. •Is this revolutionary ? Is this
the germ of It aft rchy introduced by secret societies?
No sltch thing ; it is the natural movement of
society towards ligitimate• order. By, and in.
deed of this movement, any ambitious party-,...
every foreign intrigue may attempt to strike a
great stroke. This is the inconvenience of till
absolute ,lonnrchies ! it has always been so,
and the remedy is know,n " Balance the Powers,"
said Charles X. in his speech, in the Alioniteur, of
April 181-1. There exist, no doubt, parties
among Itos4inn Nobility, as we know from
the Rossiaos themselves. The Finland Nobility
ilave, probably, not forgotten that they formerly
were a part of one of the most free natious of
Europe, and they have the most public spirit, in-
telligence, anti constitutional knowledge, but
their superiority keeps them separated from
the Russians, properly speaking. The Polish
Nobles in the Russian provinces may regretl
the constitutional prerogatives of Poland, but
they are now ruined, and hnve no influence.
The Livonia'', Nobility—poor, but enlightened
very meritorious—united by the Gorman lan.
gunge and the Protestant religion, forma power.
ful rotetie at St. Petersburg!). limier Catherine
the Second, it ..“1., they filled the fourth past
of all the 'places under the Ministry. in the j
Russian nobility we find opulent families, who
will hardly accept places at Coort ; others,
equally rich. o.lw never have their ravine();
some who are brought (ill of and the
poor class. Neither of these classes has. in arty
respect, either by interest or ideas, any tendenCy
to democracy. The other Orme.: ko are ,lly
teirxnii
eesoAnlefroiritti r
ter,,e,v,osluotriotclaoCY rel
rpoerati:,gn's:
..:1t1:t ichthts:tr;
democra t ie. These are those' of
rtehleethf reef: I peasants.t:ls,rl)o.
Who has increased 'h.-I oninhe,rst The Crown.
el:ahcevm,ialliittlrytchc:lyonvtieesreartc;rpated ley
the
Finally, the various tribes of co§,ock,,
lady those of the Derr and the Ural, are eii!itary
republics, the Crown vassals, but 'still preserv.
im.r, princip!es ~t equality on w hid, they were
fo„„ika, 4i.11 rind something esseatilliv
democratic in the rode of electingei4il Officers'.
rommou t ight in Russia to appoint, -by
plurality of votes, the l'ilayor and Couucils, and
this right is exercised by the vassals as well as
the citizens. '1; he ancient democracy of the