Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1823-09-09
RUSSIA

An intelligent traveller recently arrived from Rus
sIa has furnished the editors OF the .9nericda with
The following Interesting sketches relative 10 the no.
hiical and moral condiiiou Of that empire They af-
lord view somewhat different (as correspondent,
renark1 from the opinu" generally entertained in,
tins country oil that " colossus a basis of sand
The Autocrat in whose dominion the sun never
goes down, once the polar star al popular and po-
tt'ra liberty, has now turned the bugbear of The
SI0y 1Hdnce To forge new chains for the Unfortunate
'nhaants of the old Continent. Although hearing
the pou'pous title Of sei-ruler, he is really NOTHING
more than the frs, slave in his empire-and in This
respect lie shares The fate of his brother despo,s nm
the throne Of Europe, all Of whom are governed
more or less by ministers seldom their own choice
Ahe Austrian knipire has already been for three
centuries under the sway Of ogareby of minis
Iers whose power 10 inherited from father TO son
Ibis has at least the advantage OF a government
prosecuting steadily the same views without suffering
any interruption from court factions or n,riyuese
and thus Austria il ruled in tha nineieesth cen,rv
hy principles prevailing before the Ieforn,a,ion.E
Ihe Russian Autocracy is not ruled in the same
sway-no oigarchy OF ministers exists there--tbe
fsoody change oil monarchs on that throne involves
Them TOO often IN The fate OF the Despot Every
new minister makes new laws, which his successor
abolshes, their policy always differing The nreeen
emperor, tue grandson oil the greai Catherine cnfu-
ed with her principles, has the ambition of being an
Autocra IN The true sense uf the wOrd-but never
was there seen more rai instrumeD, Of faction 90
any throne oil Europe. This accounts mt once for
Se total Change IN the political IDEAS of Alexander
Sount Nesseirode, the present prime minister
knows particularly well how TO indulge the whms
Emperor persists IN signing himself all the ukases
so thai during his stay foreign couniries all lie
acts created by the senate and other high counts of
the empire are liable TO lie sent by weekly exsress
To receive tie sign manuel Of the self ruler linus
when The Emperor at the congress of Veron,
the going and coming ofibe couriers took nor Than
mon;h which contributed undoubtedly to the ex-
petition Of business. How able "A n,onnt CHI n,v mo
among The designations OF foreign Courts and conn
tries, TO inspect the cumbru9s acts of his own govern
ment, is left To the Judgment of the reader \, die
Corruption ia the highest degree prevails in ali ,Le
branches Of The Russian government. One preat
cause OF this horri abuse is the insufficient ga
OF The iuncuonaries every OF these barpes is
obliged TO feed the public for two thirds of his
living, nothing can be obtained from the lowest ex
tiseaiaI TO the highest minister without I'M a,ldtonu
fee, always surprising the amount of the lawful one
Bribery IS there generally considered a chief emo
IUment--and IL such exacIiUns take place IN lie
centre of the administration at S.. Petersburg and
Moscow, how widely mn they extend INTO rhs inte-
iior, where the different governors exert a Mayer
equal 10 that of Turkish Pasba.
The Marquis Pauluec, Governor General nj Ts
iienia, Lvon,a and Conrland, bastard OF Paul
by an Italian lady, holds the first rank among the go
petty tyrans. Beinga iaVntile and brother Of t,e
reigpBg Emperor, he is the terror of Ill the nhab
ants OF those prOVinces-Ihey are the most pouu-
Ious Ol The empire aud covered with the estates
OF nobility descended from the ancient kuiobts az
the TeutonIc Order who conquered the regions aud
converting the aborigInes Ia the christian relie ion
Introduced the ieudIl system with all us horrnrs -
Even nov This system is carried great extent ,he
unfortunate peasant being treated with the ninnst
cruelty by tie lord Of the manor.
TheUkases Of the Emperor are sent 70 The eo-
encouragement, who executes them sometimes t1,o
or three years Afterwards, even not a, all accord-
ing TO his own pleasure. Unhappy the man who
looks for redress a. court when wioBged Ly an ar-
irary action Of the airap The opptessor will never
listen 10 the formal orders OF bis emp ror and the
whole affair rests siau quo, provided The governor
does not think proper " silence the cldmours of ms
victim by = close confinement.
" mary last ibe writer nf this article nassau
through the province Of Couflnnd aud found Inc ty
Plus fever raging Hll over tie county, motyhs,aud
ing Inc rig0ur of the seasOn. Enuuifisp for the "
Sos OF ms evil ha was informed that some ~, a.
agD, according 10 he orders Of The regning P.rla
2Or iliorsdnJ persons, men, women aud children y
ing ~ 'he country driven 10y the Cossacks and
other INSTRUMENTS OF ytanny to The city Of Mtow and
there shut up IN the cse,le. Very soon the fypbus
ragged ampng ttem, the apartments nearly re-
sepbliag tic black hole Of Calcutta. So crowded
were they with TIC poor prisoners, dead and living
lay ior weeks together 10 the same room AT i,ug1i
ihe goyeruof-genera wa Informed Of the circgm-
stances ard sent commissioners 10 investigate tic
msuer. Findng tiat ne evil arose ffom The bad air
o. ihe dungeon, tcy ser the prisoners ~ Liberty Civ
ing then, passports 10 retire 10 their bativo houses
Thus an infected pnft Of The population WAS thrown
upnn Use county % he most wreicbed state, being