The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1851-06-07
Translated for the Y. Y. Tribune
Sketches of Siberia.

Siberia--a land so famous vet so little known
! has, like all mysteries, touched many flncie-
and busted many pens. Uuwlmgly resident
! there, | wish tp sketch some Of lis pecular,ie.
as Il relief against my tedious life. | write to kill
time; but eyenif what | say shall lack system, it
must needs be valuable contribution to our
knowledge Of n country 40 well deserving and 70.
wardng attention, vet rarely visited, save by
those who would much more gladly 20 tho other
way. Should | he fortunate enough once more
10 reach my native land, 1t will be my pleasure
| to arrange all the results Of my Sll eran expert
eucc, and to give them an adequate form.
! | am political prisoner, and my punishment
| is bani.hment but political crimes have their
degrees, and so also have their retrtbutons -
| There are four grades Of punishment in Siberia.
! lst Residence in city.
3D. Service in a Siberian battalion.
3d. Colonization
4th. Public labor; or in other words, work in
the mines.
There is also fifth grade, which is, howev.
cr, but n greater degree Of the fuurih-prisoncrs
in company.
Whoever il sentenced to a residence in CITY
retains his rights as u nUbeman-lle can CORES.
pond with his friends, although naturally the
whole correspondence passes through the han Is
of the mayor Of the city, and Is very limited in
It's scope The prisoner must not 20 beyond the
city limits, but within them he may employ his
time as he will ard is not constrained to labor
Whoever is appointed to a battalion has the same
privilege Of correspondence on the same CUndl-
tiuns.
The political coloni~ts take their name from
the fact that they were only allowed to live in
villages. They are deprived Of nobility, and in
order Of rank, they stand lower than the Russian
Doors Justice ceases for them. and ANYBODY
can insult aud maltrent them without DANGER
/ from the law. Yet they belong still to the liy.
mg, and may also correspond with their friends
| At present the colonsts mostly live in city
md are not forced to work, and have no otnur stl
Iperntcnlence than that of the ordinary police.
| Those who ARE condemned to LIVING death in
the bowels of the earth, there to perish, or after
aD endurance Of suffering TO become colonist4:
are no more ranked with human beings, but with
! beasts Of burden-- with tools and machines Al,
hnman intercourse has ceased for them They
are buried alive, and nrG entirely beyond The law
The companion prisoners are compelled 10 the
most loahsomo lUburlu the fonts and prisons and
always wear chains aud have thc head half ,ka.
we'd This class IL considered the lowest Of all
ltUtsian soctu rank admits nothing lower II /.
a great error to despi.o the position of the liUs
] h'NV ANllF' III WV NNt' Nl U' lINNtla lltN lNF u
| great Importance, especially the ,erS OF the
crown. 1t would hc long and weary work fo,
| the condemned to climb to the rights and nnrur
| tauce eben OF tins class.
The manner in which the prisoners reach ,huit
appointed place Of punishment, depends mainly
upon the verdict, and much upon the humor oi
the Judges As far as Tohol,i the transpor, &C
nerally goes by post, and with some fcw short
! pauscs Mt night for rest. Tho third and fourth
classes Of tho condemned perform the rest Of the
journey upon foot laden with chains, and in com
| pany with the most abandoned men. together
with whom they are often bound to an iron pole
| know nothing saddcr and more horrible than
the encounter Of such procession. For my own
| part, recall nothing in Dan,c's He'll so awful
| They do, indeed with some human feeling, allow
these wrctched wanderers some days of rest. Bu,
where must they pass themi In the jails upon
the desert, close by the post stations ails dtvo
tel to the very scum Of humanity, aud in full
view ofthe horses aud carriages whose use is de
MED to their dcspating wearness.
| Tho population Of Siberia is divided ls,o three
casscs-peasants OF the crown--lradcrs, and Of
heials sf every kind
| Tho peasant owns no master, aud IL free from,
forced labor. With a little RIFT To the Car, he
finds everything cnsy-Uunnng from the flst
ho throws himself eagerly INTO the stream o
trade, nnd soon becomes mlse as hi business /,
governed neither by religion Or morality Eyci