Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1814-05-07
SATURDAY. MAY Z, 1914.

| general manners, but little rnilder thar
some of the Andians Of North America
These may be unpleasant expressions e
those who, by splendid professions, long
| speeches, and great feasts have celebrated
tha victories of this people, as tending to ci.
vilize the world and re establish order and
law; but they are not the less just on tina,
account. gladly admit that Russia has
produced few splendid characters, and
| that she has many subjects that would do
honor to any country as also that at St:
Petersburg, and, perhaps, in some other
places, society may be considered as en-
lightencd AID humane /: but the fact is indis-
putable, that the world cannot furnish to-
dy OF people more ignorant. more brutal,
more slavish-l do not except even the in
habitants of Africa, the despised Negro OF
the burning zone, The people of Russia
are siayes--Hzisershle slaves, subject tc the
caprice of a master in all cases of person or
property even the females, married or sim
gle, being liable to the lusts of their lords
II is with, pleasure remark, that the con-
clifton Of the Russian peasant is apparently
ameliorating; still he is a slave, sold and
transferred with the son he inhabits, like
the blacks OF the West Indies or of the
| southern states.t
The spirit of the government is savage, as
| may be seen in its manner of publishing cri.
| minas, Take the following for example,
Let no one object to it. because it was writ
ten by aFrenchman, for notwithstanding, it
IS true and 1, at least, may be excused for
using II. since DR.. Morse has accepted it,
Use Morse's Universal Geography, II. p.
I75.]
A particular account of the manner in
which the knout was inflicted upon a Rus.
sian lady, is given in Mons. Liable Chan,
pc D'Auteroche's journey INTO Siberia. Ma
dame Lapouchin was one of the finest women
belonging to the court of the empress Eliza.
beth. and was intimately connected with a
foreign ambassador then engaged i'm con,
spiracy: This lady, therefore, being sus :
pected to be concerned in il, vas condemned
| by the empress Elizabeth, to undergo the
punishment of the knour Ske appeared a,
the place of execution in a genteel undress.
which contributed still to heighten her beau
| ty. The sweetness of her countenance {. her
vivacity were such as might indicate indis>
crcilon, but no: even the shadow of guile: al
though have been assured by every pet :
son OF whom have made inquiry, that she
was really guilty: Young, lovely, admired.
and sought fof at the Court of which she was
the life and spirit, instead of the number of
admirers her beauty usually drew after her.
she saw herself surrounded only by execu.
toner's She looked on, them with astenish
mels, seeming 20 doubt whether such nre
paratinns were intended fer her. One oithe
executioners then pulled off kind of cloak
which covered her bosom her modesty TAX
ing the alarH, mad her start back a few
steps, she also turned pale. and burst into
tears. Her clothes were soon after stripped
oft, and in a few moments shc was quite ma.
iSed N fbf. ,Uate ced fb
OF vast concourse Of people profoundly 81
lent. One of the executioners then seized
her by both hands. and turning half round,
threw her on his back, bending forwards, so
as to raise her few inches from the ground ::
the other executioner then laid hold of her
delicate limbs, with his rough hands harden
ed at the plough, and without any remorse,
adjusted her on the back of his companion.
In the propercst posture for receiving the
punishment. Sometimes he laid his LARGE
hand biutally upon her head, in order to
make her keep it down; sometimes Ike a
butcher going to slay lamb, he seemed 70
sooth her, as soon as he had fixed her in the
| most favorable attitude. This executioner
then took kind of whip. called knoat, made
OF long strap Of leather prepared for thi.
purpose; he then retreated few steps, mea..
surfing the requisite distance with steady
eye: and leapiRg back wards, gave a stroke
with the end of the whip SO as to carry a /.
way a slip of skin from the neck 10 the bot.
tom of the back; then striking hi. feet a.
gainst the ground, he took his aim for an
plying second blow parallel to the former
so that in few moments all The skin of her
back was cut away IN small slips, most of
which remained hanging to the shift. Her
tongue was Cut out Immediately after. and
she was directly babished into Siberia. In
1862 she was recalled from banishment nv
Peter Ill"
The history of Russia is history of muir
ders and outlawry. "Catharine the @ eat %
murdered her husband, assassinated prince
Ivan, the legitimate herr of the throne.
and usurpsd" the government. The ipfas
NOUS strumpet took to her bed the villains
who did the first deed of horror, and lived
all her reign in open whoredom; and she had
as II we're, regiment of male prostitutes
t With these people, separate race of men, fas-
tened upon us by the 8. religion aud h,nasit,,''
OF Great Britain, our republican institutions are
certainly disyraeed we are so situated that as we
cannot easily incorporate them into our society we
must bear with and nope for gradual dn.iaution
OF the evil, in which considerable progress Is made
But they are far better oft than the peasantry of
Russia, and have AS much intelligence.
5 The manner in wbish these prostitutes were
selested shows the nicely Of the empress on such
occasions, and is deserving place ~ this sketch =
10 furnished by gentleman of acknowledged
worth, ME-. Io0ke
% When her majesty had fixed her choice on
new iay0rite, she created him her grand Se..,rsI
aud decam y, IN order that he might accompany hey
every where without repfoasb OF observation'-
ihenceiOr"srd the tavoritc occupied, in the ma.