Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-03-31
THE sERrs OF RUSSIA.

Among the strange peculiarities Of Russia,
which render her SUI generfs among nations,
is the fact that while the peasantry in other
European countries have been rising from
condition of servitude to one of freedom, In
Russia they have sunk from Independence into
slavery.
Up to the year 1901, the rural laborers were
in all essential points independent but in that
year, on the pretence that they wandered too
much about, ukase was published, prohibit
log them from going out Of their particular
district In England, it will be recollected,
somewhat analogous law existed under the
poor act, by which laborers, seeking work
abroad, were liable to be returned TO their ma
tive parish as vagrants The establishments of
this regulation in Russia gradually led to the
peasants being considered serfs of the SOIL No
direct ukase was ever issued enslaving them,
nor any indirect one except that in 1901 but
by the time of Peter the Great century later,
they had become practically serfs.
This sinking Of nearly five millions Of peo-
ple into slavery is significant fact. II shows
that revolutions do sometimes 90 backward"
in spite of the current assertion to the contrary
IL is sheer absurdity for Russia, with her fifty
millions Of slaves to talk of il being her destiny
to regenerate Europe. Bad as Europe may be,
Russia is ten times worse. Whether we re-
gard her in the religious aspect, in the politi-
CAL or the social, she sinks immeasurably be-
low the standard of England Germany, and
France, or even Spain For the Gear claims
to be the spiritual as we'll as the civil head of
the church, and allows no dissent, 80 that in
point Of religious freedom his empire-is below
anything in Europe, except the Papal domin-
ions; while both politically, as an autocratic
Government and socially, as q nation of slaves
Russia allows less to human rights than even
centralized France or tyrannical Austria Wo
to mankind, il ever she obtains the ascendant !!
But, nevertheless, she may be the blind in
strumcnt il emancipating Europe. The pres
emit war itself may lead to that result. Ger
tainly if hostilities become general, and are
protracted beyond single campaign, there
will be such . fermentation over the whole
continent as has not been Witnessed for half q
century. No man, in that event. can tell where
it will end. Bot though Russia may thus be-
come the instrument Of redeeming Europe, it
will NOT DO willingly, but against her will-not
in consequence OF, but in spite Of her institu-
tions-Phiiad. EU. Bulletin.
SouTH Us NoRTH-The Louisiana State
Superintendent Of Schools has recently visited
all the districts Of the State, and has published
long report on the state Of education. He
says that, in several parts Of the State, the
local directors, or school committees, were
found to be totally incapable of performing the
duty assigned them, "for The Very potent rea-
SON that they, themslUes do NOT know hon, TO
read or write." A large proportion Of the
teachers warrants contained the marks, in
stead Of the signatures, Of the school commit
tees. More than two thirds Of the members
of the school committees in several districts
could not sign their names
The above Is one aspect of the future which
Douglas proposes for Kansas and Nebraska.
He wishes to open those magnificent territories
up to Slavery; and Slavery, we all know, sig
nifes the social and moral depression Of man,
as a laborer; neglect Of the arts and sciences
the absence Of industrial enterprise the utter
prostration Of education, and the seculariza-
ton Of religion.
Let the freemen Of the North remember that
Nebraska, at this moment IL Freedoms. II is
now devoted to future, in which learning
will flourish, and liberty smie--in which free
schools and feee gospel will be sustained by
the intelligence and piety Of freemen.
Worcester Mass Spy