The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1845-10-14
MISCELLAN EOUS.
THE RUSSIAN SERFs-THEIR CONDI-
N1 TION AND NUMBER.

In work recently published, entitled the White
Slave, full idea can be gathered OF the serf system
which peryadcs the Russian empire. The number
Of beings embraced within its folds is not less than
Joyiy-ihree millions of souls. The emperor himself
il the proprietor of tsceRt-ons minionsor IN other
words, he owns more slaves than we have people
in the twenty-eight States of our Union. One
can thus imagine the colossal personal power OF
such a monarch. He is undoubtedly the most ex-
tensive possessor of sers, OF any despot that has
ever existed. Genghis Khan, or Tamerlane, would
not compare with Nicholas. 1t is also said that he
is continually augmenting this vast number by con-
fBcations, and by foreclosing mortgages on money
loaned or fine exacted, on the estates OF his no.
bilty In this way If his successors steadily pur-
sue the same policy, they may monopoiIze nearly
all the serfs in that empire. Since the days OF
Peter the Great, the accumulation Of serfs on the
imperial domain has gone on in an extraordinary
ratio. The number has advanced from two or three
millions TO twenty-one millions. In this connex-
ion II is proper to state, that though the emperor
is nominaly despot over every soul in Russia,
both serf and master, embracing an aggregate Of
sixty millions, yet he is restrained by certain laws
and usages from treating all as serfs. His twenty
m illions are peculiarly the chattels Of his will,
with all of whom he can do as his pleasure or ca
price may dictate.
1t has been frequently stated that the serfage of
Russia was different from the slavery ofthe South,
in that the serf could only be transferred with the
soil; and that therefore you could not buy one,
WVnOut DclnS luCumDeTcu WIN ulc OtneTy WHICH, 10
certain extent, was clog on the selling of human
beings But this is not so. Though the law is, "that
serf could be sold without the estate to which he
belonged, !" this is evaded by selling land in the des
ert wastes of Russia, which is not really worth a
penny an acre, and attacking, as they call it, the
serf or sers to this neccared estate, and thus the
sale would be legal
tits also said that the emperor Furnishes with
great severity all infractions of the regulations
which he has established for the benefit of the ser
but, most strangely, these punishments do not lead
to the Acknowledgement the serf Not in the least
The emperor puts round fine on the offender, and,
If he cannot pay, he either conscates the estate, or
brings it within the imperial domain, and thus adds
to the number Of his own serfs. This circum-
stance shows that the very laws which he Is alleged
TO have made for their eventual enfranchisement,
but transfers the slaves from the hands of the no.
bility TO the hands Of the emperor. This, in our
opinion, has no tendency to weaken the serf sys-
tenn of Russia, though it may modify the severity
which he suffers on the estates of the nobility.
The serfs of Russia are supposed lthough this
tradition is dsputed to be the descendants of Sur
who founded the Syrian empire of Nineveh After
its overthrow, his descendants spread to the west
into modern Russia and Poland where they increased
and multiplied But then incursion upon in
curson came upon them like an avalanche. The
Scythian, the Goth, the Teuton, the Hun, the Mo-
gul, and finally the Tartar swept over that vast
glon Of Eastern Europe-yet still keeping the orgi-
uoi Hhooieauts, WIN arc Piopciiy Cuiiou OiuNi VI
Slovenian, from which the word slape seems clearly
derived,) in bondage, where they continue to this
day, even after the lapse of two thousand years.
This is certainly more remarkable continuation
of serfdom in one race than has existed even among
the Africans. Yet, notwithstanding their long ages
of mental, moral and physical degradation and de-
SPAR, the Russian serf has capacity which shows
that he is still of the ,ohite race Though stupid, he
can learn. Travellers say that he is remarkably in
genous in manufactures, though too versatile in char
acer to compete with the steady industry Of the
English and Germans. He makes superior SOL
the iron which he welds. His endurance of heat
living, when necessary, show character encrusted
with the darkness ofdespotism, but still as worthy
and fit to be freemen, the masters who ride it over
him so cruelty.
1t has been supposed that in our day we should
Russian empire. We fear this will not be. The
is deeply interested in its continuance, to induce
him to adopt any but palliative measures. He will
not strike at the root by enfranchising the sers
the imperial domain. Not only the large but increas-
ing number on his estates is calculated to harden
and strengthen the natural passions of avariee and
personal power. This very increase also binds
still tighter the sinews of his monarchy, and thus
fosters both the strong passions of personal and po
litical ambition. As able, satesmanlike and bene-
violent as Nicholas is said to be, it would require
rrli~, almost more than mortal, to induce him VOL
UNFAIRLY 10 divest himself Of power which renders
him SO terribly great, not only in his own empire,
but throughout the world albany Argus
i