Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1817-12-13

4
| berated vassals. They are not permitted
TO hold land or vassals, but are allowed
to trade, IN retailing way, as bergers,
! on capital of 500 rubles. They are
now exempted from military draft or du
~, but are still required 10 pay the capt.
,ati0n and other taxes which are paid by
yassals to The government.
3. The vASSALS or slaves of Russia, are
by law subject 10 the will and pleasure of
their lords and masters, neaily as much so
as the slaves at virginia are To theirs, but
the mode al treatment is essentially dit
ferent For although they too are consi-
dered as property 10 b. bought and sold;
can be tlogged when their masters think
They deserve II; and made 10 labor when,
where and IN the Way they think tit; yet as
they are with the exception of domestic
servants) inseparably connected with the
soil OH which they dwell and can only be
disposed of along with Il, they are not SO
much AN object OF traffic in Russia as i'll
Virginia, nor are the duties they are re-
CURED To perform or the treatment they
receive, any thing like so severe or oppres-
sive; and above all The feelings aud usages
OF Tie country so completely check aud
control the master, that the situation of
Russian vassai is an enviable one when
compared with that of the most favored
of our slaves. The usages vary very much
III different provinces, and even on the es-
tates OF lords of The same province Some
vaSsals pay their lords entirely in money,
others partly i'll money and partly in Ia
Dor, and others wholly III labor. When
labor is given, both sexes are usually re-
CURED 10 contribute, but when money,
only the males; but then the whole mum
Der, little aud big, Is taken into the esti-
NJ i..t,
ed, the amount always depends upon the
ability OF the slave. II he is situated near
Town, he pays more TO bis master than
when far removed from it, If he has been
taught 4 trade, he Is more capable, and is
required to pay more than II he is cult
vaior OF the soil. Ii he accumulate pro-
perry, hepays IN proportions 10 lis amount.
nave heard OF none paying less than 10,
lS2 7S) and from that To 50, Is 8 2G) ru-
bies for every male slave, resident on
farm. Those who have learnt occupati-
ons more lucrative, pay double and tre-
bic the highest sums paid by the peasant.
And those who have acquired property,
pay 3, 4, and sometimes 5 per cent. upon
the whole amount of their capital. The
most usual mode of cultivating the land,
is tor ihe vassal To give ! certain portion
OF his time, generally one halt, to the cul-
iivaten Of the fields of his master, and
The other halt TO his own; from the pro-
duce OF which he supports himself, and
pays 10 ms lord Il sum in money. On
most estates, however, when one half of
the slaves time is given to his master, no
money Is required In some cases, il is
SAID, that the lord feeds and clothes, and
| requires in return the whole labor OF the
slave. This is invariably the case with all
domestic servants and Is becoming the
practice with those employed in some of
Tie manufacturing establishments, which
| have lately sprung up iii Russia. Not
wihsiandlng tins, however, the situation
OF the vasSals is gradually improving,
which will probably continue, as the
young nobility In general are more en-
| lightened, and entertain more liberal sen
ilmenls than their fathers. And the en-
peror Is also known TO be DESTROYS Of bet
| lerlng Their situations; and it Is hoped,
from his liberality and knowledge, that he
will follow up the goodly step he took last
summer, when lie issued his ukase, for
the gradual though speedy emancipation
OF all the yaSSals of Tie province of Es-
| thOnia.
The vassals generally live in villages,
in comfortable log houses. MANY of the
superior noblemen taking great pride i'm
the appearance of the houses, and in the
wealth OF their vassals. This pride, how
ever, whilst it adds TO the comfort and
beiters the situations of The lazy and poor
! er classes OF the vassals, operates much
10 The injury oftIle enieTprzDg and high
minded individuals, as it prevents their
! liberation. For such is lis extravagance
and injustice that it boasts of keeping
in servitude men possessed of property
to the amount OF several hundred thou
| sand rubles, and oi refusing such sums
| for their liberation. Some of the nobili
| ~ hold as many as 80, 10 and so coo.
and some even are said To own iOO. 600
| male VasSalS. II is SAID lord is liable
! TO be tried by his peers, for the murder
OF his vassal; but | was unable to learn
what punishment was ordained for such
CRIME, or of any instance where il had
| been punished.
There dwells in each village an AGENT
OF It's owner, who takes care of his IN
terest, and preserves good order, and sees
lHsilce done TO, and between The vasSais.
HE only advantage the slave derives from
ms master, III return for all he gives. is
ms protection, which is often needed i'm a
country like Russia, where the difference
IS so great between the higher and lower
classes, and where the army is so numer-
Gus and so overbearing. The vassals Of
the crown pay less, but are much worse
protected than those belonging to the
nobility. They reside On the lands of
the crown, and pay a capitation tax of
ten rubles Isl So TO the government. and
about five rubles as post-house tax but
they are often compelled to pay other tax
es, and TO have troops quartered upon
them which however is a burthen 10
which all the inhabitants, except the no
billty, are subject.
The VassaIs arc the onI,, noo,,Io -, D.,