Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-07-17

the villages under the corvee regime the principle is en-
trely different 1t is not there question of ceding more
or less land according to the number of males in the
family, but of allowing much land for much work;
so that strong and vigorous if he is able to per-
form two three times much work his neghbor,
may possess twice or thrice much SOIL The young,
the aged the unfortunate by the simple fact Of their in
ability to work. excluded from any claim to the mano-
rial lands Such is the principle which rests the ter
ritoral distribution
In order encourage marriages in country which is
deficient in population it is provided that each fami-
y shall have right to portion Of the SOIL AS soon as
marries he becomes legitimate claimant, and the
commune Immediately comedies to him the let of land
which before it refused him Thus in Russia the single
peasant is almost unknown
For the rest whatever mode Of apportionment is adopt
ed and whether the peasants pay the yearly rent or are
subject the corvee each In principle az
least equal right to the usufuct Of the land which
not in other countries the property OF the individual
but the joint property Of all the members OF the COM
mune. This is the basis of the institution
Let pass to the administrative organization OF
the commune Every village has for its chief the stros
a or elder, who is elected by universal suffrage The
has several associates deputies dessid
ky chosen by heads of families According to rule
he should only continue in Office month; but the Gus
tom prevails Of replacing him only once year. The
sarostG receives salary amounting to $50
about 1874 per The service Of the assistants Is
grstuitous.
The rural commune is composed of FIVE six fathers
Of families and includes several villages The head Of
the is the sarchina oldest Chief so called
because formerly that office the prescrptve right OF
the oldest arosa Of the commune but he is elect
ed by convention composed of two deputies from each
village The starchna receives say from sixty to eighty
| dollars per year.
The tribune of the volost is formed of several
munes and is presided by the gaoya, (head elect
ed for three years by the persons within his Jurisdiction
He is assisted by two Of his deputies If complaint
is made against him during his term Of Office he is re-
egibe but in any his election must be confirmed
by the Governor of the Province, who pronounces his
decision after receiving the report of the chief the aron
basement who is employed by the Crown The starchi
chief of the commune assisted by two of his depu
ties takes cognzance Of in which the amount in
dispute does exceed five silver rubles about four
dollars The greatest corporal punishment he can inct
| is twenty-five blows with the switch.
The jurisdiction of the Volos extends only to
where the amount in litigation is not more than about
twelve dollars When appeal is made to this tribunal
it can only pronounce mitigation of the previous SEN
ence; but cannot in any increase the penalty. Ne
vertheless if the judgment of the starchna appears to
have been too enient has the right refer the to
| the chief of the reimbursement.
Such is in brief the organization of the Russian
munes whether they belong to the lords whether they
originate directly from the Crown.
Without doubt there partial variations in the
immortal estates and the administration of the commune
is far from being every where the same; but we have
faithfully reported the general rule as emanatng from
| the Government.
1t will easily be understood that in vast country like
Russia inhabited by people of various races there is
perfect unity either in local administrative manners
customs. The Tscheremisses, for example, who original
ed in Finland govern themselves in their fashion,
although subject to the Gar Located the line of the
Volga in the neghborhood of Tartary they have their
peculiar communal institutions, founded according to an
ancient custom, and modified by their religious ideas.
Two three of these villages containing twenty
thirty houses, compose which is called Kere
meth, the formerly given to their places of
| sacrifice.
Each village has a chief chosen among the wsest and
most respected of the This chief is called
hahstan He has under his orders the asbar who
condary magistrates elected to maintain order and tran
4 LnLp sc haad nffh
ton he directs, administers. governs This admnisra
tive hierarchy is perfectly defined in its relations and is
| Of patriarchal simplicity.
Each kahstan chooses his successor but always selects
the person whom public opinion suggests to him as most
worthy. His duty which he accompishes religously is
to to the aid of his subordnates with his advice
his experience and his money He alone is entrusted
with the sale and exchange of the collective products of
the commune other person having the right to per-
form any transaction of the kind The consequence of
this regulation is that among the 7schremss the trade
is altogether wholesalean arrangement Of great advan
tage to all concerned. Every peasant has open
count at the Office of the magistrate and after the sale
of the produce the proceeds paid to him. after de-
| Quoting one-ffth for taxes and Commissions.
Besides the great power exercised by the hahstan by
virtue of the exclusive right of selling the products of
his commune, he also settles any disputes which spring
up among the persons under his and pun
| shes all misdemeanors and crimes with severity.
In regard to the possession Of land, the 7sctremsse
also look upon the as the sole proprietor and
individuals merely temporary holders still the son
always inherits the land cultivated by his fasher
1t will be by this example that the differences in
communal organization in the parts of Russia which de-
part the from the rule are apparent
than real The general characteristic Of the peasant
throughout the empire is his nviolabe attachment to the
very principle of the community Serfs have often been
known to tax themselves for the purpose of acquiring the
immortal lands which they settled and after be-
coming free in their persons and property, to maintain
the system Of apporonment by head rather than to d
vide the fields into private and hereditary possessions
Let conclude by word the industrial communes.
The communal organization is natural the Russian
people that it has given form and principle to its
to kind of business In place furniture made
in another Clothes while third weaves cotton hemp
| These communes are composed Of families who
exercise the trade and transmit ii from father to
Women children, old people, all have their peculiar
work. the division Of labor being naturally pushed the
i utmost extremity The commune purchases the
i teral used by its members and afterwards sells the
manufactures 1t alone manages the affairs Of commerce
i which IL transacs in the Of ALL and for the benefit
Of ALL depot established in each village also
salesroom. The proceeds divided at times, de-
| pending upon the sale Of the goods
The duty Of the is TO render assistance to its
members and when necessary make them advances on
their merchandise These industrial associations are
contract promise Whoever wishes to relnqush the
through any Formally but these very
for the only which remains to person adopting
such is TO get admitted into other commune
where he practice the trade of his choice. ra3i
The Inhabitants Of these industrial villages are in very
easy circumstances owing to the nature OF the assoca-
ton which leaves to every individual his full liberty Ne
vertheless, fact almost Incredible, the Government so