The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-07-13

Petersburg. This difference is determined by
the difference IN the cost Of living. At KouTsk,
almost an agricultural district, wages are much
lower than at Moscow, being only from ten 20
Fl teen roulles a month for a man, and from six
to eight ronbles for a woman but a5 K yursk
the cost OF living among this class does not cx-
coed two roubles month. The reader viii
| please TO observe that in all these figures we
speak of paper roubles, not OF Siluer r0uhIss. II
! has been ascertained that N5cavcfs Il F..c,7.
steady men, take home annually fully thgfc
hundred rOubles, and even more, os c.rs, sa-
wings. IL must also be noted that tl,,v cain
! This SUM il q shorter industrial year than In
! this country or the United St4tes; loT ia Rus
STA tharo are not mere than 80 10 260 work
| ing days in the year, owing TO The nUmCrous
festivals OF the Greek Church, which ore RIG
orously observed. Moreover, the seifs are a.
lowed q certain time TO 20 to and fro to their
communes, which they generally visit az the
hay season and Easter. Finally. tie SCI f. on
estates have been known to redeem estatcs fcom
mortgage, where they bad good master, rath-
er than be transferred to q new proprietor By
sale. These are important facts, when We IT,
stltute comparisons between Russian soridOm
and other FORMS Of slavery, ancient and mod
ern.
There is no doubt that Inc general condition
Of the people is far superior 90 what j. gcncral-
ly understood. The daily revenue &c the
humblest labOrer,' says Stoych, is superior to
his wants, without cutting him down 60 the
bare Subsistence allowed to p prisoner his
clothing is always complete, and none but beg
CARS who ere extremely rare, want the noces-
sarics Of life Every Russian has hrs sheep.
skin garments, and We never sec in Russia, IS |
do in M nor frip IN e
out warm apparel during the cold weather
The most needy have also lodging we'll
warmed Kohl bears similar testimony. 4" In !
no town in Russia says that intelligent tray
ellcr [" do we behold that shocking contrast
between misery and luxury, which cxis.s in all |
the cities Of Western EurOcc although the dis |
lance between the Iich and poor is great |
That spirit CT avarico which c0vsts our neigh |
bors' goods ID not yet kindled among the Rus |
sian people. Every one has sufficient food, |
though it may consist of cabbage and coarse |
bread, and sufficient clothing, though il may |
consist Of sheep.skins. The districts Ct ST Pc |
tcrsburg, inhabited by the working classes and |
the black population, are not repugnant to the
eye, though they arc not attractive" The
black population are not so called from the
color CT thcfr skin, but becaGse they have, Of
their own choice, separated themselves from
the oommunistic organization. This Is highly
condemned by the Russians, as o violation OF
MuscOvite nationality.
He niger est hume tn, Romano, caveto
On general survey of the whole system OF
Russian scTfdon, it must bs admitted that it
has some redeeming points, il such an outrage
on human liberty presents any aspects that il
not thoroughly OdiOus; bat there aye grad2-
tons in turpitudo; and though slavery an any |
sense is ndeensble, it is matter Of satisfaction
4 Ill "A
some brighter colOring In Russia, the seTf |
cannot be separated from the soil; Inc ard !
tho land must be sold together. The children |
and the parents, the husband and the wile, |
cannot be tralled away TO different purchasers |
There is no New Orleans no mart ia which |
innocence and beauty arc transferred by AUG
ton to lust and gold. The baSbariahs II old
Muscovy have some respect fer the rights OF
humanity and the deicaey of-tEc Ccutlcr sex;
and if they scourge the body, they du Dct poi |
lute the person. Strange, passing sj'-gga a. !
that contrast beVWoln an au."cltcy aad &c !
public
In Russia, We have seen the nature Of The
rural commune, where universal saiI,aGc ex'st5
under dcspoiic Government, and thar remark
able provision ior the welfare Of the scri, which
compcls his owner to find him food IN case OF
famine cattle for his plough should they d.e al
Durrain, and new cottage in case Of ono be-
ing destroyed by fire Wi.h q passport che
serf may wander over The Em} ire 80 that DC
is not, in an absolute sense, odsTjp'Hs gjstG |.
He may possess wealth, and, indeed, 81 the
towns many Of the wellthcst merchants are
serfs. These are paliations Ct the cy.Eg-A
crime; and, taking calm view comparatively |
of the - stems Of Russia and the United States
surely the latter cannot point tie tiger o.
scorn at tie former True, America lass NO
Gar, whoec mere word can deporJ amy victim
to Siberia; but she has thousands Of tyIants n
the Southern States who may cOniuit even
more al. ocious acts than exile. The Jari-had
man may return, and IN MIN hope suriVss;
but who shall restore violated chastity 10 won
an? Who shall console tho msn who j. con
scious that, from day to Day, e. &c laat hou.
of his existence, he niay ;.sG uader tic ham
mer Of the auctionecr, driven to the 5hamD'cs
by tic lash?
This subject Is too painful to pursue; AID II
is deeply humiliating 70 feel that any portion
OF the Angl0-Saxon race may be tainted vlal
their degradation by d.spot. But the sac
truth remains; they may be 50 tainted, and
Justly. 1t makes tho cheek Jingle with shame,
when we hear the Emperor ur Russia charge
the countrymen Of Washington with being The
hypocritcs Of freedom. ]. d.
London, June TO- 1854.