The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1855-05-03

burg, in which the three small cantons oi
Ur, Schweitz snd Underwater for more
Than century bafled the Imperial arms Of
Austria. The idioiic young Emperor Francis
Joseph Of Austria called upon the Car 10
save his Empire, and the Gar had The pow
er to do so, but ihis very service made Aus
lra the sassal Of the Czar. Ii is The old sIo.
ry OF invoking the spirit Of evil aud sein 9
all The future to him for little present aid.
Nicholas was not monsieE'of evil, but
was more enlightened and not worse than his
brethren OF The thrones. Until recently mill.
tary service of twenty years was the only
avenue through which the serf could reach
freedom. Nicholas sh ortened this term 10
eight years, and thus many Il peasant can
gain his freedom at an early age.
But more than this, The Gar put ban
upon the sale Of serfs, so that they can never
| be transferred from one masor 10 another
unless with the land iowhich by The impe
rial ukase they are connected. To secure TO
itself the refusal of the land and the human
beings app eflaining 10 il, and a! the same
time 10 avert from the landbolder the ruin
consequent on dealings with usurers, the gov
ernment established an imperial loan-bank,
which made advapcss on mortgage oflanl
TO the extent of i.o-ihirds their value. The
borrowers had 10 pay back each year three
per cent of the loan, besides three per cent
interest If they failed TO do this, the Crown
returned them The inslalmenis already paid,
gave them the remaining third value of the
properly and took possession of the land and
its population. This was the first stage Of
freedom for The serfs. They Secame Crown
peasants, held their dwellings and bit ofland
as an hereditary fef from the Crown, and
paid annually for The same about four Shil-
iings Tor each male person; rent for which
In the whole of Germany the very poorest
farm is not TO be had to say nothing OF the
consideration that in case of bad harvest, de-
s,ruclon by hail, disease &c., the Crown is
bound 10 supply the strict necessities of the
Russian peasants, and to fine them in daily
bread, in the indispensable stock cattle aud
seed com, and TO repair their habi.ation and
so forth.
By this arrangement, and in a very short
time, considerable portion of the lands of
the Russian nobility became The property OF
the State, and with it, large number OF seris
became Crown peasants. This was the first
and most important step towards opening the
road 10 freedom 10 that majority of the Rus
sian population which consists OF slaves.
When in tas manner the first ideas o. lib
erty had been awakened in the people, the
Emperor, in The exercise of his own unllm-
tied and irresponsible power took second
step, not less pregnant with consequences
than the first. Unable suddenly to grant
civil freedom TO the serts, he bestowed upon
them, as a TRANSITION stage, certain civil
rights. A ukase permitted them TO enler
into contracts. Thereby was accorded TO
them not only the right of possessing prop
erty, but the infinitely higher blessing OF
legal recognition of their moral worth as
men. Hitherto the sert was recognised by
the State only as sort of beast in human
form. He coul1 hold no property; give no
legal evidence, take no oath. No matter
how eloquent His speech. he was dumb be-
fore the law. He might have treasures in
his dwelling-he law knew hun only as a
pauper. His word and honor were valuless
compared TO those Of the vilest freeman.-
In ehort, morally he could not be said 10 ex-
ist. The Emperor Mich olas gave 10 the
serfs--lhat vast majority of his subjects, the
| frs, sensation oil noral worih--ths first throo
of self fespect=-ths fifst perception oil the
rights and dignity and duty of man! What
professed itiend Of the people can boast to
have done more or yet SO much for 60 many
million of men ".''4
Blu, the Car did not rest satisfied With
this. Having given the setfs power 10 hold
property, be taught them to prize This prop
eny above all in the interest Of their iree-
dom. The serf could moi buy his ow n Tree
dom, but he became free by the purchase
of the patch of soil 10 which he was linked.
To such purchase the right Of contract clear.
ed his road. The lazy Russian who worked
with an i'll will towards his master, doing as
little as he could FOR the later's profit, toiled
day and night for his own advantage. Idle
ness was replaced by the diligeni improve