Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1853-01-15

second step, not less pregnant with conse-
quences than the first. Unable suddenly to
grant civil freedom TO the serfs, he bestowed
upon them, as transition stage, certain civil
rights. A ukase permitted them to enter
iato contracts. Thereby was accorded to
them not only the right OF possessing prop
crty, but the infinitely higher blessing of
legal recognition of their moral worth as
men. Hitherto the serf was recognized by
tho state only as sort of beast in human
form. lie could hold no property, give no
legal evidence, take no oath. No matter
how eloquent his speech, he was dumb be-
fore the law. lie might have treasures in
his dwelling the law knew him only as
rnuper. Ills word and his honor were
valueless compared to those of the vilest
freeman. In short morally he could not be
said to exist. The Emperor Nicholas gave
to the sefis, that vast aiority of his subjects,
the first sensation of moral worth, the first
'hrob of self-respect, the first perception of
! the rights and dignity and duty of mau =
What prolesscd friend Of the people can
boast to have done more, or yet so much,
for so many millions of men !?
But the Car did not rest satisfied with
this. Having given the seris power to hold
| property, lie taught them TO prize the said
| property above all in the interest of their
freedom. 1t seems quite like Jest to speak
thus of the "vrnnt and bloody-minded
man !" but speak in all seriousness, and
the facts nre there to prove my words. The
scrt could not buy his own freedom, but he
became free by the purchase of the patch
of soil 10 which he was linked. To such
purchase, the right of contract cleared his
road. The lazy Russian, who worked with
an III will towards his master, doing MS little
as lie could for the luitcr's profit, tOled day
! and night for his own advantage. ldleness
was replaced by the diligent improvement
OF his farm, brutal drunkenness by frugality
aud sobriety; the earth, previously neglected,
rcqulted the unwonted care with its richest
treasures. BY the magic of industry, wretch
ed novels were transformed Into comfortable
dwellings, wildernesses into blooming fields,
desolate steppcs nnd deep mornsses into
productive land; whole communities, lately
sunk IN poverty, exhibited unmistakabe
signs of competency and wel-doiDg. The
seris, now allowed TO enter into contracts,
lent the lord of the soil the money OF which
he often stood in need, on the same condition
ms the Crown, receiving in security the land
they occupied their own bodies, and the
bodies of their wives aud children. The
nobleman preferred the scrls' loan to the
governments loan, because when payday
came for the annual interest and instalment,
the Grown, if he WINS not prepared to pay, |
took possession of his estate, having funds
wherewth to pay him the residue of its
value. The parish of seris, which had lent
money To its owner, lacked these funds
| Payday came, the debtor did not pny, but
neither could the serls produce the one-ihird
Of the value of the land, which they must
dsburso to him in order to be free. Thus
| they lost their capital, aud did not gain their
liberty. But Nicholas lived! the father OF
his subjects.
| Between the anxious debtor and the still
more anxious creditor now interposed an
| imperial uknse, which in such cases opened
to the parishes of seris the imperial treasury.
Mark this; for it is worthy 10 be noted: the
| Russian imperial treasury was opened TO
the seris that they might purchase their
| frcedoni
The government might have simply re-
leased the creditors from their embarrnss-
ment by paying the debtor the onc-third still
due to him, aud then land aud tenants be-
long to the siate-one parish the more OF
Cr0Cn peasants. Nicholas did not adopt that
course. lie lent the seris the money they
needed to buy themselves from their master,
aud for this loan Ia third only of the value)
they mOrtgagcd themselves and their lands
TO the Crown, paid annually three per cent.
interest and three per cent. of the capital,
aud would thus in about thirty years become
free, aud proprietors of their land Tint
lhey would be able to pay off this third was
evident, since to obtain its amount, they had
still the same resources which enabled them
to save up the two-lhirds already paid
Supposng, however, the very worst-that
through inevitable niisiortunes, such as pcs
thence, disease of cattle, &C., they were
prevented satisfying the rightful claims OF
the Crown, in that case the Crown paid them
back the two-ihirds value which they had
previously dsbursed to their former owner,
aud they became parish OF Crown peasants,
whose lot, compared TO their earlier one,
was still cnviable. But not once in hun
dred times do such cases occur, whilst, by
the above plan, whole parishes gradually
obtain their freedom, not by sudden and
violent change, which could not fail to have
some evil consequences, but in course OF
time, after probation of labor and lrugality,
aud after thus obtaining TO the knowledge
that without these Two great factors of tue
freedom, 10 real liberty can possibly be
durable.
! cherish q steadfhst belief tha, the reader
who perhaps took up these pages with II
previously -iorined contrary opinion, will
here lay them down in ustonshment, if moi
converted IRON his views, at least staggered
in them; aud perhaps will ask why, il the
Emperor so earnestly desires the freedom o
his people, why he does not-he to whom
nothing is impossible, aud who has the righ
as well rs the pUwer-conier il upon then
lIy stroke of his pen, instead of wesrily
prolonging his work, aud spreading il over
so many years, to say nothing OF the thou
sand eventunli,ies which MAY occur to des
troy il before il is complete? The answer
is plain. The great man who is carrying ou
this reiormalion-no, let us call j; by il
right name, this peaceful REyOLUTIoN-whC
is pursuing, by carefully roads, hii
plans for the abolition of existing abuses
has chosen, in his wisdom, which is equal to
his love, the longer path, because it is moi