Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1839-05-31
THE RUSSIAN SERF SYSTEM.

The New York American Is publishing
a series of'Letters from The Old World, by
a lady from New York. which are of most
interesting character.
From one of them we copy the suboined
highly interesting description Of slavery as
1t exists in Russia.
The letter from which we make the
extract, describes the writer's Journey lin
seighs) from Moscow to Odessa, over the
wide extended Russian s'eppes or prairles,
we would call them in this country. She
says:
We passed through numerous villages of
peasants who belong to the various estates.
These villages are composed of rough logs,
matched with straw, and are all situated on
some long street sometimes a mile in
length.
Some estates have a population of 4
hundred thousand serfs, white laborers)
who belong to the soil. and work the
ground either for their masters or them
selves. In the latter case, they have com.
muled their services for specific sum per
annum in money seldom over S. per head.
The income of many Of the feudal lords ia
immense, though sometimes, when a sue
cession Of short crops produces dearth,
the lord of the soil is bound to purchase
and transport from distance the means Of
subsistence for those serfs and their fam.
hes who have not commuted their time.
| In order to give you an idea of the wealth
Of some Of the nobility, will mention one
Of them. Prince Cheremeteif owns 1907
900 male slaves (the females Of the family
are never coun,ed.) All his male slaves
pay him capitatlon of ten rubles, two
dollars and all they can earn beyond ls
their own. Some of his slaves, as well as
some of those belonging TO other MOBILES,
have acquired immense wealth by turning
their attention TO traffic IN the Bazars; but
as slaves they can never belong to the caste
of Merchants; nor aspire to any employ
ment under Government, neither can their
children. They also are slaves, and either
they or their parents could be sent back to
work upon the estate at the will of their
master, unless they have committed for life.
Many proprietcrs receive large sums
from successful slaves who buy their free
dom. Prince CheremeteIf, it is said has
refused from several wealthy slaves, 20 900
rubIes each for their liberty, which he
refused upon the plea that he was proud to
Il nave IL sdlu his saves were SO well OH.
Much larger sums than this have been
offered aud refused in other cases. very
extensive building was shown me. in Mos.
COW, as an hospital. built by Cheremetef,
for sick slaves from his estate. In general,
the sers system is preferred by the peasan
try. as it rids them from many burthens
which the government imposes on the free
citizens. They can almost always com
mute their time for very small annual
sum, and in case Of sickness or accident,
can come back upon the estate tor support.
Those who have not the ambition or desire
to commute, land the mass Is composed Of
such) must be supported by the estate Ia
which they belong, when the crops fail
With such, any attempt to abolish the SER
system would create a revolt. Before
emancipation could take effect and the
seeds of civil liberty be sown, the seris
would have to receive the schoolmaster in
, the place o.; the Ignorant and debaset
priesthood, who enthral their minds ant
perpetuate their ignorance.