The American patriot., 1855-08-04
Russia.

| Russia is book the table of whose contents
| is magnificent, but beware of going further. Ii
YOU turn over the leaves you will lind no per-
formance answering to the promise; all the
chapters are headed, but all have to be flled
up How many of the Russian forests are on.
w marshes where you will never cut fagot!
How many distant regiments are there without
men. and cities and roads which exist only in
idea! The nation itself is as yet nothing more
than puff placarded upon Europe, dupe Of
Diplomatic fiction have found here no real
life. except that of the Emperor; no consttu-
ton except that of the court The trades
people, who ought to form middle class, are
too few in number to possess any influence III
the state besides, they are almost all foreign
ers. The authors to one or two in each gener-
alton the artists are like the authors, their
scarcity causes them to be esteemed but
though this tavors their personal prospect it
| is injurious to their social influence. There
are no legal pleaders in country where there
is no Justice; where, then, is to be found that
middle class which constitutes the strength of
other states. and without which the people
are only flock, guided by few well-trained
watchdogs? l have not mentioned another
class of men who are not to be reckond either
among the great or the little. These are the
sons Of the priests, who almost all become sub
altern employes-the commissioners and depu-
ties who are the plaques of Russia. They form
species of obscure n05lesse, very hostile to the
great mobiles; na5lesse whose spirit is anti
arstocratc, in the true political signihcation OF
the word, and who, at the same time, are very
burdensome to the serfs. These are the men
announcement to the state, and fruits of the
schism which permits the priest to marry,) who
will commence the approaching revolution Of
Russia The punishment of death does not ex-
list in this land, except for the crime OF high
treason but there are certain criminals whom
they, nevertheless, kill. The way in which
they reconcile the mildness of the code with
the traditional ferocity Of matters, is this when
criminal is condemned to more than hun
dred stroke of the knout the cxecutioner, who
understands the meaning of such sentence,
kills him through humanity, by striking him.
at the third blow, on a mortal part. And yet
/ the punishment of men is abolished! To max
! ing the law thus lie the proclamation of the
most audacious tyranny would be preferable
Should it be thought that | judge Russia too
severely must plead the involuntary impress
sion that received each day from persons and
from things and which every friend of human
ity would receive in my place, if, like me he
cndcayored to look beyond the surface that
would be exhibited to him. This empire, i'm
mense as it is, no more than prison, of which
the emperor keeps the key. Nothing can ex-
ceed the misery of the subjects, unless it be
that of the Prince. The life of the goaer has
always appeared to me so similar to that Of the
prisoner. that am astonished at the mental
illusion which makes the one believe himself
so much less pitied than the other. Man here,
knows neither the real social cnjoyments of
cultivated minds, nor the absolute and animal
liberty of the savage, nor yet the indepenoe OF
action of the half-sayage-the barbarian;
can see no compensation for the misery of be-
ing born under the system except the dreams
vanity and the love OF command on these pas
sons stumble every time return to the Ell
dcvor of analyzing the moral life Of the inhabi-
tants of Russia. Russia thinks and lives as &
soldier. A soldier, to whatever country he
NAV belong is scarcely citizen, and here less
than anywhere can he be called one; he is rath
er prisoner for life condemned to look aftel
other prisoners Tt should be observed tina
: the word prison signifies more here thar
, it does elsewhere. When one thinks OF
on all the subterranean crucltics concealed from
our pity by the discipline ofsilcnce, in a lan'
where every man serves an apprenticeship tt
discretion, it makes one tremble. lie whf
j, would cherish hatred for reserve should CONS
here Every little check in conversation, every
change of expression, every inhexion of voice
: teaches me the dangers Of confidence and can
dor. The very appearance of the house bring
e to my mind the unhappy condition of human
existence in this --.Ha'qaisde Cnstine