The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-09 00:00:00

FLANDERS MAIL.

BRUSSELS, MAY 6.—M. Bothori, who has just Com-
pleted a carriage which moves alone withont steam,
with galvanism, and without horses, set out a week
ago to fetch the two millions in silver, which Rothschild
has promised him if he will bring them from Paris to
Brussels with his carriage in fifteen hours. He is ex-
pected at seven o'clock on Sunday evening at the An-
derlecht gate.
The Commissioners sent from Brussels for the pur-
pose of examining into the practicability of founding a
colony in Brazil, have arrived at Rio de Janeiro. Let-
ters received at Antwerp state that they were favourably
received by the Congress of Brazil, which seems disposed
to grant the society all the concessions that it can desire.
BELGIAN h UNDS—BRUsSELS, MAY 6.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent.
Rothschild's Loan, 5 per Crait /03%
Loan ofThirty Millions, 4 per Cent. P3%
3 per Cent.
72%
(1840) lO5
Loan of City, 1"32, 4 per Cent
Socletyef Cornmorce, 4 per Cent F4I
Bank of Belgium, 5 per Cent .............
National Society
Exchange on Londe (short) -
--Brussels Papers, May 6.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.—VIENNA, APRIL 28.
Fiyeper Cants. Metalliques • lOB%
Four per Cents.
Three per Cents.
Bank Shares
EXCHANGES ON LONDON.
HAMBURGH, MAY 3.-13 1.,56, Two months 13 81.
PETERSBURG, APRIL r. 2.--Three months. 37 31-3 pence.
STOCKHOLM, APRIL 26. Seyenty.rlve days, 12 12.
PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—BERLIN; APRIL 30.
Bills. Money.
St. Schuld Sch., 4 per cent.
Prussian English Bond , 1530, 1 per cent. 11)34 102%
Enchange on London
Prussian State Gazette, May 1.

Th i rty .seve a

THE EMPEROR OF RUSSIA, THE
RUSSIAN NOBILITY, AND TIIE SERF POPU-
LATION OF THE RUSSIAN EMPIRE.
We publish subjoined a document of much importance—
namely, an ukase of the Emperor of Russia for ameliorating
the condition of the serf population of has empire. We give
at. the same time an order of tho Minister of the Interior, and
a circular letter of the Grand Master of Police, accompanying
the ukase, modifying and limiting the sense of the Imperial edict.
An apparent contradiction is evident in the text of those
documents. It seems as if the benevolent intentions of the
Emperor were arrested almost on the point of execution, by an
after thought of policy, forced upon him by unseen obstacles
which had arisen. We are enabled, however, by a communi-
cation from Vienna, of a confidential and important nature, to
explain this seeming inconsistency.
We are told that the Emperor of Russia, having resolved to
liberate, in one sweeping act, the immense portion of the po-
pulation of his empire born in a state of servitude, lately called
together the Council of State, for the purpose of making his
intentions known. The proposition was received by the sub-
servient portion of the Council with satisfaction ; but the old
and powerful nobility present declared that such an act was
tantamount to a revolution—that it endangered their lives and
properties, and that, in honour and conscience, they could not
adopt it.
The Council separated without any decision being taken,
and the utmost secrecy was for some time preserved on the
subject. But a matter so important to all the great interests
of the nobility and inferior classes could not long be suppressed,
and at length the public became alarmed with reports relative
to the Emperor's intentions. The old nobility (whose fathers
have heretofore proved what desperate expediencies they were
capable of resorting to, when their interests were affected by
the Imperial will,) assumed atone, almost amounting to menace,
against the Emperor, while, on the other hand, the liberal
portion of that class, supported by popular opinion, openly
avowed their approbation of the Autocrat's conduct.
In this state of things the Emperor was forced to compro-
mise, and, unwilling either to give up his favourite project,
or to have the appearance of yielding to the clamour of the
old nobility, he issued the ukase above alluded to fur the modi-
fication of the condition of the serfs, accompanied at the same
time by an order of the police, explaining it in a manner cal-
culated to satisfy the apprehensions of the opposition.
The question now remains in this rather uncertain position.
The violent and headstrong character of the Emperor, who is
never known to recede from any resolution deliberately formed,
gives reasons to believe that he will proceed to other and more
decided acts, while the deeply-rooted prejudices of the nobility,
who are equally reckless in their resolves, may lead them,
rather than submit, to make such a resistance as might be fatal
to the Emperor.
Viewing this subject in all its bearings, it is one of great im-
portanceond neither the Revolution of 1830 in France, nor the
Reform Act in this country, have led to the serious conse-
quences which may arise from further agitation of it.
We need only add that our information on this matter is
drawn from the best and most authentic sources.
UKASE TO THE DIRECTING SENATE.
In the ukase of his Majesty to the Directing Senate, dated
2d of April of this year, and signed with his own hand, it
is said
The articles 440 and 457 of paragraph 9 in the code of
laws, fixes the regulations according to which seigneurs are
alit:wed to convert their serfs into free labourers, in making
over to them in full property seignorial lands, in consideration
of certain reciprocal advantages to be specified in special con-
tracts. But, willing, in the interest of the State that these
feudal lands, one of the privileges of the nobility, and which
are engaged by contract, be guaranteed from all that might
endanger property belonging to the nobility, we have thought
proper, by interpreting article 442, paragraph 9of the code of
laws, to concede to the seigneurs who should be disposed to
conclude with their peasantry contracts based on the said ar-
ticle, and this without prejudice to the interests of the labour-
ing peasantry, to concede to them the right of supremacy over
the lands thus conceded. And we order that all peasants who
shall receive portions of the said feudal lands to recognise this
supremacy. Wherefore we have decided that all contracts
passed by mutual consent between the seigneurs and their
peasantry shall be.based on the following dispositions, which
have been examined in the Council of the empire, and sanc-
tioned by us .
" 1. The tenure of the peasant to the seigneur can be regu-
lated in the contracts by money arising from the produce of
the land, or from any other kind of industry.
"2. Should the peasant refuse to fulfil the conditions of the
contract which they have accepted, they shall be compelled
thereto by the local police, under the guarantee of the head
of the nobility of the distict, and under the superintendence of
the Government authorities.
"3. The peasants who shall have entered into contracts
with their seigneurs shall henceforward bear the denomination
of peasants who have obligations to fulfil.'
"4. In as far as these peasants are concerned, the recruiting
service shall follow the rotation laid down by the ordonnances
for that service.
"5. With respect to the support of the Greniers d' Abon-
dances (depots for grain), and the assistance to be given in
case of fire, which are at the charge of the free peasants,
under the direction of their seigneurs, if the latter refuse to
take upon them this responsibility, the obligation shall be ful-
filled by the nearest authorities.
"6. The seigneurs shall organise among the labouring pea-
santry a local administration, and shall have the high police.
" s. As for the contracts to conclude with the peasants who
belong to the properties engaged with the banks of the empire,
if the intention of the seigneurs these properties in pledge,
they must obtain the consent of the bank before passing a
contract.
"8. The seigneurs and the labouring peasants, who will
have been liberated, are to consider the contracts passed between
them as indissoluble, each, however, keeping the right to
change certain clauses of it in case the property should be
engaged to the banks of the Crown. These charges must be
guaranteed by those banks.
"9. The contracts entered into according to the above dis-
positions shall be drawn upon stamped paper of the fourth class,
and submitted for our sanction and signature according to law.
"10. The directing Senate is entrusted with the carrying
into effect of this ukase."
" The next document is from the Minister of the Interior,
dated April 2, 1842, addressed to the head of the police at St.
Petersburgh. The Minister, in forwarding the above ukase,
says that the object of it is to determine the nature of the te-
nure of the peasantry in the contracts they will form with
their seigneurs, but that the lands remain, as heretofore, the
lands of the nobility. From hence it clearly results, that the
relations which exist between the seigneurs and the peasants,
with whom no contract should have been concluded, remain
the same as ever, and experience no change. All this is ex-
plained in the terms of the ukase, and it must be understood
in that spirit. If the Emperor had had any other view he
would have openly declared it. As he has not done so, to seek
in the imperial ukase, or to persuade others that it can bear
any other signification, would be a great crime, since it will be
acting against the will of our Sovereign.
" His Majesty therefore orders to all military and civil
Governors to watch with care that no false interpretation be
given to the present ukase, such, for instance, as the freedom
of all peasantry. If among any class should be found evil-dis •
posed persons, spreading false and dangerous intelligence to
delude the people, they are to be arrested and punished with all
the rigour of the law.
" They are equally to take care that the peasants remain in
the same subserviency to the legitimate power of their
seigneurs. If any should prove contumacious, they are to be
brought back to their duty by mild means and persuasion, and
in failure of this by the rigour of the law.
(Signed) " PEROWSKY."
"To this letter is subjoined an order from the Grand
Master of the Police, aide-de-camp of the Emperor, prescribing
to the masters of police to give their utmost attention to pre-
vent any false interpretations and false reports that may be
spread about on the imperial intentions as manifested in the
above ukase.
(Signed) "CACOCHEKINE,
Grand. Master of Police."

A WOMAN KILLED BY A Cow.—An inquest was
held on Tuesday before P. F. Curry. Esq., Coroner, to in-
quire touching the circumstances which led to the death of
Charlotte Robinson. The deceased was the wife of I-lenry
Robinson, a landing waiter, belonging to the Customs
of this port, and residing at Salisbury-terrace, Old Swan.
She was 65 years old. Her death was occasioned by an attack
"rom a cow, which rushed upon her as she was passing along
London-road, on Saturday afternoon last. The cow tossed
her in the air, and caused concussion of the brain,
whereqf she died on Sunday evening. The deceased, it ap-
peared from the evidence, was a short distance in advance of
the cow, which rushed forward, put down its head, and threw
her up. She fell head foremost on the foot-walk. The cow
did not appear to be a wild one. The height from which she
fell was six or seven feet. The man who drove the cow did
not appear to be blameable. The jury found a verdict ac-
cordant with the evidence; that the deceased had, by misfor-
tune, been tossed by a cow, which caused a mortal concussion
of the brain, of which she died.—Liverpool Chronicle.

INFANT ORPHAN ASYLUM.
, We hal'e Fetch pinliire in cal!inr.r the iffeiiti-Ti cs' our
readers to the merits of this interetitiw, charity, whose
advertisement appeared in The Sun of' Saturday. Ilis
Grace the Duke of Wellington has been induced, by its
urgent claims, to undertake to preside at the anniversary
dinner on Wednesday next, at Stationers'-hall, and we
sincerely trust the exertions of the Stewards will be.
crowned with the success which such a cause so eminently
deserves. The following extracts from a circular issued by
the Committee, in connexion with the erection of the
new Asylum at Wanstead, wilt not only exhibit the na-
ture and utility of the charity, but also, we hope, secure.
that measure of public sympathy and support which is so
much required to sustain the managers in their important
charge :
" The charity has been instituted fourteen years. It
receives the infant orphan only, and there is none other
of its kind. Its purpose is to board, clothe, nurse, and
educate these children until after seven years of age,
when they are eligible for admission to other institutions.
One hundred and eighty-five of this class of orphans are
now on the establishment, among them are the children
of clergymen, of officers in the army and navy, of mer-
chants (once in affluence), and other respectable classes.
The elections are held half-yearly, and the admissions
are upwards of fifty annually. Not only does so young
a family, all under seven years of age, give much more
trouble,_ and bring greater expense than elder children ;
but, what at first may not be.so evident, is an important
fact, that they require much more room for their healthy
accommodation. For this purpose the Committee have.
been obliged to add house to house, till they find them-
selves in possession of not less than three, and still re- ,
quiring greater space."
And again—" We trust that the great importance of
the subject will not only be deemed an adequate apology ,
for this appeal, but that it may dispose you candidly and
generously to consider how you may best respond to it.
Let it still be remembered that the object is great, and '''
that it requires earnest and united effort. That we are
proposing to raise an institution which, by its magnitude
and readiness to receive all, without regard to place, will
take a national character ; that it is for the orphan, de- I ,
prived of his natural guardians ; that it is for the infant 3:.
orphan, the most needy and unhappy of his class, for I ‘
which public charity has done nothing ; that it is, there*
fore, not a rival, but a supplement to other excel.-
lent charities ; and that it proposes to shed its
parent-like protection, for ages to come, over 0
thousands of fatherless and motherless children. Is
not this the highest walk of charity ? Does not the ~
Divine Providence seem to permit such occasions, thall '',
we may imitate its own benignity ? Can religion find a.,e
better expression, than thus to visit the fatherless and.,`/
Widows in their affliction ? Can wealth find abetter ger-. .
vice than to provide for their need, and soothe their
sorrows ? Can the heart know a sweeter return, than is
found in the widow's blessing and the orphan's prayer ?
Can Christianity herself be more honoured and served,-
than by showing that she provides for both worlds—that ~
where she erects the Church, she also raises the hospi-''''
tat—that she consults man's two-fold nature and total.,
happiness--and that she passes over our sad and sinful
world, like an angel from heaven, breathing hope "and'
promise for " the life that now is, and for that which
is to come ?"

PORTUGAL.
FALMOUTH, MAY 6.—The Tagus steamer arrived here
this evening with the Peninsular mails, and after landing them
proceeded to Southampton. The packet Linnet sailed this
evening for the Brazils.
The Bremen brigantine, Wilhelmine and Sophie, arrived
here to-day from Rio de Janeiro for orders, with a full cargo of
coffee. She sailed on the lst of March. This vessel has
landed letters. We cannot learn anything new from the
captain. Exchange was 281 to '1 he Pigeon packet from
England was daily looked for. On the Bth ult., in lat. 12
deg 16 min. long. 41 deg. 7 min., spoke the Guernsey Lily,
of Jersey, from Rio de Janiero from the Channel for orders, •
Yesterday, in lat. 49i deg. long. 70 deg. 50 min. spoke the
American packet ship Francois, from Havre for New York,
beating to windward.
Lisnoss, MAY 2.—Tke parties opposed to a commercial
treaty with England are endeavouring to rouse public feeling
against it, but without much success ; a few petitions from in-. •
dividuals interested in manufactories will, no doubt, be pre
sented against any reduction of duties imposed by way of pro...
tection to their interests; but the object sought for by our
Government is believed to be quite compatible with reasonable
protection to the few articles that are manufactured -to any
extent in Portugal, and the absolute necessity of relieving the
wine interests is felt too strongly and generally to admit of AO
Government here yielding to senseless clamours against the
projected arrangements, by which, if liberally carried out, the
staple interests of Portugal will be so large gainers.
The French Minister, M. de Varennes, had an interview.
a day or two since, with the Duke of Terceira, and expended -
a great deal of eloquence in endeavouring to dissuade the Duke
from consenting to a treaty with England, observing, that it
would be strange if isortugal, after having succeeded in a
great measure in freeing herself from the shackles of England.
were again voluntarily to put them on, &c., &c. It is said that
the only remark that fell from the Duke of Terceira was
Voulez vous fumer un eigare ? "
In 1837, when the Ministry, of which Castro Pereira was a
member, and over which Dias de Oliveira presided, was bard
up, and driven to its wit's end to sustain the revolution of •
September, a French loan was proposed, coupled with a treaty,
by which Portugal would have virtually ceded her islands sod
colonies to a French company. The project • was stopped is *:‘,
limine by Baron Tojal, then finance minister, who; when
was brought forwaru by Dias de Oliveira, declared that a int"
nister who should sign it deserved to be hung. The following '
were the principal articles :
The loan to be for 20 millions of crusades, nominal
wto
capital.ss
for which five per cent. stock was to be given : the loan,. be taken at 48, and would therefore have produced 9,0r-""'000
crusados, or 960,000/. sterling ; but from this vias to be de-
ducted two years' interest, at five per cent. on the nomina"
capital, equal to 200,000/. ; and three per cent. commission oo
the whole loan, or 60,000/. more, making the sum to be re-
ceived by Portual only 700,0001., to be paid in instalments as
might be agreed upon, for which she would have to pal
100,000/. per annum, secured upon the revenues of Madeira.
and other islands • an agent of the Company being empowered
to reside there and receive the same; and in case those reve-
nues should not suffice, the Portuguese Government was to
set aside some other funds for the specific purpose of making
up the deficiency. So much for the loan itself. Now for the
other part of the project. The trade of the colonies and island'
is ceded for twenty years to the Company.
Then follows an exact catalogue of every island, colsmp •
port, or other possession, held or claimed by Portngal
Eastern or Western Africa and the seas adjoining, including
the Cape de Verdes, Madeira, the Azores, &c.
By the 10th article it is declared that the ships of the Corn' pany trading to all the above islands, ports, &c,, shall be pots
on the same footing a; national vessels, both as to imports and .
exports, and shall be exempted from all duties on the merchan-•
ditie imparted and exported.
The Company to have a depot in Lisbon, and the goodS entering or going out to be subject to no duties, except they
were for consumption in Lisbon, when the regular duties on
consumption were to be. paid. If the Company, instead ot,
bringing colonial produce, &c. to the depot at Lisbon, pre'
ferred carrying it direct to any other destination, a duty of two
per cent. on the cost price to be paid by them in such case.,
The treaty to be ratified by the Chamber ; and in case its coo.' •
ditions were not complied with by the Government, the Coro" *4t•
any to receive an indemnity equivalent to any less thereby iii
accruing.
At a time when French intrigue is employed to defeat ear ~f
treaty, founded on strict reciprocity, it is not irrelevant to
refer to the above one-sided project, and see how Portuguese sikl
poverty would have been dealt with by French diplomacy. 1 ..
understand that Baron Lagos's proposals, although outvoted in Id
the Council of State, were postponed for further information!,
and not altogether rejected. It appears that the opinions of ./1":
the Councillors present were equally divided, the Duke of Pei:
mella, with the Patriarch, the Duke of Terceira, being viewed
as favourable to the plan, which was strongly opposed by Senhor
R. F. Magalhaes, and objected to also by Senhor J. da S.
Carvalho and -Count Villa Real. The Queen asked very judi-
ciously, from what source the funds were to come to pay the
increase of dividend, supposing the creditors fell in with the'
proposition of exchanging their bonds for Portuguese Four per 1)•1
Cent. Stock ?It appears that Baron Tojal's explanations were ,
not entirely satisfactory, and the Duke of Palmella declared
himself not convinced of the feasibility of the scheme, which os
was therefore postponed. It is quite out of the question that
any additional charge can be met with the present resources of
the Government. Baron Tojal has some schemes of his own
for increasing the revenue, which have yet to 'se developed'.
and, in case a considerable increase could be effected, the ques-
tion would then assume a different shape ; but before the nevf
scheme of conversion can be considered feasible, the requisite Et,
endowment ought first to be provided and secured beyond it
doubt.
-t1
The list of new Peers is daily expected to come out. The
definitive choice of the Queen has not yet been made. The
Government has not made it a Ministerial question. Senhor
J. da Silva Carvalho will, it is said, be one of the new Peers.
The 29th ult., Friday, was kept as a holiday, it being the au'
niversary of the charter being decreed by Don Pedro. 3he -
Queen held a levee, which was numerously attended. Severna",
hundred naval and military officers dined together in the gre cel=lo ai
°it rt.°,4l
room of the Naval Arsenal on the occasion, the Duke of
ceira presiding. The commanders and some of the officere,
n,
the Indus and Lynx and the French corvette were invitee._
the dinner, which commenced at four and terminated' at su4
e.ar., the whole assemblage going to San Carlos theatre alter
the dinner. The Roeio, now called Praca de Pedro,
keng
illuminated at night by subscription. The Treasury, whichstood at the ;arth side of the square, was destroyed
by fire ;. '-
1836, but its walls are still standing, and the windows weft'.
filled up with transparencies, and surrounded with severaltewei
of limps, and an illuminated portrait of the
Queen Per'
in the centre of a star of lamps in front of the building. 1"e
idea of illuminating a ruined building, and particularly a ruined
treasury, seems rather a singular one, but the effect of the illu-
mination was to all outward appearance brilliant enough.
.Messrs. Alexander and Wan, two members of the Costa
mittee of the British Anti-Slavery Society, who have been
travelling in Spain to promote the Anti. Slavery cause, came
here from Cadiz last week, and, having obtained letters of in-
troduction from Lord Howard de Walden to many of the most
influential personages in Lisbon, have had an opportunity
of impressing upon them the enormous evils of the slave trader
and the importance of promoting the views of the Society with
respect to its total abolition, as well as that of slavery itself.
They proceed to England to-day by the Tagus steamer.

SINGULAR CHIEF RENTS.—Some curiosity has
been excited respecting an advertisement in this paper last•
week for a sale of property in Over Alderley, inter alia, of ',two,
annual chief rents belonging to the demesne ; the one of a plat
of gloves and Sd. payable by Lord Stanley, of Alderley, for a
tenement or farm called Shaw Cross; the other of a red.rose•
payable by Thomas Brocklehurst, E,q. of the Fence, for a
tenement or farm called Fitton Town." A correspondent hag
furnished us with the following particulars :—On the 19th of
August, 1642, Francis Fitton, of Over Alderley, yeoman, earns
to the house of Francis Acton, in Over Alderley aforesaid, and
then and there paint and delivered unto Thomas Acton, son and
heir of said Francis, one red rose, for the use and behoof ofsaid
Francis, in lieu of a chief rent which the said Francis Fitton
should have paid at Midsummer then last, for his lands in Over
Alderley, which he confessed he held of the said Francis Acton'
And, again, on the 25th June, 1668, Robert No, bury, of Over
Alderley, yeoman, came to the capital messuage of SSamuel,
Acton, in Over Alderley, and there delivered unto Georg*,
Massey one red rose, for the use of the said Samuel, in lieu 0
a chief rent payable yearly on Midsummer-day, for his lands ira
Over Alderley, which were late the inheritance of Francis'
Fitton, being always acknowledged to be holden of the sag'
`Samuell Acton and his ancestors. On the 14th August, 31,
Charles 11. a fine was levied between parties therein named,
(inter cilia). One pair of white gloves and eightpene•rent,
rn
Over Alderley."—Macclesfield Courier.
Mr. Joseph Tasker and Captain Britten had an inter'
vlew with the Earl o Aberdeen on Saturday, at the
Foreign-officc, on the subject of the claims of the holders
,:1' Treasury or Exchequer Bills of Spain.

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