The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-09-22

trugalty, always reserve something for the hand oil
charity, and never lei your door be closed To The
voice OF suffering humanity. Your servants, in
particulars will have the strongest claim npon your
charity; let be we'll clothed, nursed in sickness
and never let them be unjustiy treated
THE SERFS OF RUSSIA.
The following extract is from Stephens sine
dents OF Trave in Greece, Turkey, Russia, md
Poland. 1t gives It's very distinct idea Of The
condition OF the Russian sers or peasants. Mr.
Stephens's character for integrity and accuracy
Of description, stands high in our own country
and in England.
The serts of Russia differ from slaves with
us, in the important particular that they belong
to The soil, and cannOt he sold except with the
estate; that they may change their masters, bat
cannot lie torn from their connexions or their
birth place. One sixth of The whole peasantry
of Russia amounting TO six or seven millions,
belong to the crown, and nhaht the imperial
denesne, aud pay an annual tax. In particular
districts, many have been enlruuchised and he.
come hurghers and merchants; and the liberal
aud enlightened policy Of the present emperor,
is ,Iifiusing more general system of meliora
ZION among these subjects TO the absolute con.
troll OF their masters, It's much as the caile on
their estates. Some OF The seigueurs POSSESS
from seventy 10 more than Il hundred thousand /,
and their wealth depends upon the skill md
management with which the labor of these seris
is employed. Something's the seigneur sends
the most Intelligent TO Petersburg, or Aloscow :,
TO learn some handcrait, and then employs
them on his estate, hires them out, or allows
them to exercise their trade on their own uc.
count on pnyi all annual sum. And some
times, too lie gives the sert passport, under
which he is projected all over Russia, settles in a
city, aud engages in trade, and very often accu-
~. Indeed, there are many instances of seri's
acquiring u lnrge property, and even arising 10
eminence. But he Is always subject t. the con
trol of his master; aud saw al Moscow, an old
,nongik who hal acquired very large foi tune
hut was still IL slave. His masters price for his
freedom had advanced with his growing OF
wealth, and the poor scrt, unnbl, to bring him.
self to part with his hard earnings, was then rul.
ling inwealth with a callar round liIs neck strlg
Cling with the unborn spirit of freedom, and hes
ang whether To die hcggar slave.
The Russian sci! is obliged to work for his
master but three days in the week the other
three he may work for hnselfon II portion of
lm,d assigned to him 10y law on his masters cs
tate. llo is never obliged 10 work on sunday
| and every saints day or fee day of the church
is II holy day. This might be supposed to give
him an opportunity OF elevatIng his character
and condition; but, wanting the sI'iri, Of free
agent, and telling himself the absolute property
oil another, he labors grudgingly for his master,
and for himself barely enough TO supply the rud'
est necessalies of life, and pay hs tax TO the
sesneur. A few rise above their condition, but
millions labor like beasts OF burden, content
| with bread TO put in their mouths, and never e.
| ven thinking of freedom Russian nohetnnn
told me that he believed, if the serfs were all
free, he conld cultivate his estute to u better adj
vantage by hired labor; and have no doubt Il
dozen Connecticut men would culiva'e more
ground than IL hundred Russian srrfs, allowing
their usual non working days and holydnys.
They have no interest in the soil, and The desc
late uncultivaed wastes olRussia show the truth
| Of he judcious reflection of CaIliarine H. that
agriculture never flourish in that nation
where the husbandn:nn Possesses no property.
1T is from this great body of peasantry, TINT
| Russia recruits her immense standing army, or,
in case of in vason. raises, in n moment, u vast
body Of soldiers. Every person in Russia, emit.
tied TO hold land, is known TO the government.
| rs well as the number of peasants on his estate;
| aud, upon receiving notice ofan imperial order
to that effect. the numbers required 10y the levy,
are marched forthwith from every part of the
empire TO the place Of rendezvous appointed.
1t might he asked, What have these men to iighi
tor? They have no country, and are brought
up on immense levels, wan;inE the rocks, rivers
and mountains that INSPIRE local attachments
1t is n singular fact, that with the Russian serIs
there is always an unbounded love for him who
stands at the head of the system of oppression
! uUuer WHEN iuey SIodi, ti,c e'HIeioi,
they regard their protector against The the OPP
preston of their Immediate masters, but to VIVA
ever cause it may be Inscribed, whether inability
to estimate the value of any change in their COZ
diiion, or feeling of actual love for the soil or
which they were born, during the invasion o
| Napoleon, the sers of Russia presented n noble
spectacle; and the spirit OF tley otion which ami
mated the corps of ten thousand in the north. e'
tended TO The utmost bounds Of the empire
They received orders To march from St. Peters
burgh, to meet the advance of the French army
the emperor reviewed them, and is said to have
shed tears ut their departure. Arrived at ih'
place appointed Wieenstein ordere, them Y
In back to CERTAIN ppnt, but they answer eel
mo: the last promise we maize the emperor
our father, wus ,ihat we would never fly heior
the enemy, and we keep our word. iIigh
! thousand OF their number died on the spot; am