Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1855-06-22

the domain is over, the rapid passage of
the short and hot Russian summer dc.
privss the poor serfs of the fruits of their
labor.-Bulydrin. And to show how
futile onactu,ents are to protect the serf, ]
will give further quotations. "The Rus
sian nobility" saysa we'll informed mem
Der Of that body-"possess arbitrary
power Little attention is paid to govern
ment cnactments in the provinces and the
neglect arises from the nullity or venality
of tribunals, from the fact that thou. and
acts of oppression may be committed,
which are never heard of in the capital,
(St Petersburg) and from criminal in
dulgence to those who transgress the laws,
BY which the protection of the people
might be otherwise insured" Percival
Matte Brun Book, CX. page 545.
"The boyars residing on their estates
and in the midst of their serfs are supreme
judges ; and being separated by long dis
tances from the capitol, and being more
over very tenacious Of their privileges and
jealous Of any governmental interfe-
renee between them and their serfs, they
are rarely molested by the Gar even, if
by any chance,an act Of oppression toward
a serf should reach his ears, which is al
most impossible, as the governor of the
district is always the very good friend of
the boyars, whose countenancc he depends
on in his acts of oppression, ot the free
farmers, Jews, merchants &c, from whom
he accumulates, by rapacity and extortion,
a large ortune."-Bulyorin.
G. Serfs can not be held except by the no.
blIty and certain privileged classes and per-
sons.
How this ame,iorates the condition of
the serfs, am at loss to conjecture.
Nevertheless, even this enactment is vio-
lated. "Thc odnodvorzi, or proprietor of
small hereditary estates may purchase serfs
un'er. fictitious names, but they are liable
to be transported arbitrarily from one pro-
vince to another. ."-Psr. NJ b. 544.
I. They can not be held except in proper
/ ton to the masters properly IN land, there be-
ing required for each serf the possession by
the master of twenty-one acres.
l can not find any thing of the kind in
r. Pinkerton, Clark, Bulgarin, Matte
Brun and others. But it is certain that
the scrfs are supplied with land to culti-
vate by enactment, and it may be an ar
rangement among the boyars, for their
own convenience, of the number of agri-
cultural serfs or rather families to be
employed on their estates. "After the
conscription, the boyar selects the best of
the SONS remaining, to be taught mechan-
ical arts, and the daughters as ladies
maids, chamber maids, dress makers, and
the finest looking for very Objectionable
occupation. They are sent to cities and
large provincial tcwns, to practice their
various trades and avocations for their
lords benefit, and under the control and
direction of the lords factor. .'-Bulyarin
"The master enjoins one to be a mason,
second to be tailor, and third to be
painter. Each man labors in his voca-
ton, and according to the way in which
the work is executed, be is rewarded with
tbrandy or punished with the lash" 2. NJ.
B., 543.
will close this article with an extract
from Percivai's Note Book, CIV, page
40, G. which appears to be prophetic.
"The opening of the Bosphorus to the
fleets Of all nations, is the first and great
object of the war row carried on by the
Russians against the Turks. AS long as
the Porte exercises its present restrictive
rower, the Black sea will be to the Rus
sian navy bat an inland lake, asd the
commercial, and Of course the agricultural
prosperity of Southern Russia will be in
a great measure at the mercy Of Turkish
caprice. That nation so powerful as
Russia, should consent any longer to be
thus embargoed, and cut off from the use
Of great natural outlet can hardly be
imagined. II she should fail IN Mis at
tempt, 1t rouH only be to gather strength
far u more desperate conflict"
J. L. L.
'Theodore Bulgarin, Russian author,was
born near Moscow, and wrote a very anus
ing work on Russian domestic life, manners
and customs.
1Oae of the official names Of the Turkish
Sultan.
trhe liquor used exclusively by the peas
an,ry is Nodky, sort Of whisky made from
Barry and Rye. This liquor (of which the
serfs are very fond) is dlSulled solely by the
Jews. Every hoyar has a Jewish agent on
his estate, and the produce of the serfs passes
through his hands, he Uhe serO exchanging il
for coarse earthcnware, coarse clothing v odky
and tobacco and never reservins mort of
his produce, than is barely sufficient for the
wants of his family. Bulgarin relates an
amusing scene between drunken serf and a
Jewish agent, in which the poor serf is un-
mercifuly cheated. The Jew pays 10 the
boyar yearly sum for the privilege of keep
ing vodky or drinking house. and is the
boyars convenient friend when he is scant of
money. Bulgarin observes, the Jew general