The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-07

not whether this proposal may be followed up by any
more extensive form OF alliance whether 1t will be
deemed advisable by the Western and the scandinavian
States to unite in against the common enemy and
seek to terminate the war by one great and
effort on The Notifications Of Consradt and 81 Peters
has been gained by inducing these states to assume
firm and eitrespecng attitude towards Russia, and by
placing what may firmly hope, is insurmountaole
obstacle between that and the OBJ
ject Of ITS fndest deiire-an access 20 the Atlantic ocean
closed by ice, and within few days sail OF the
chores Of France, England, and Germany.
INTERESTING FROM ST. PETERsBURG--THE
PEOPLE AND THEIR RULERS.
The follow ing letter had been received in Paris from st.
Petersburg, under date Dee. o.
The Police is active here that it is difficult and
dangerous to write anything, and each time take
up my pen do IN fear ard trembling, and only
tranquil when know thot my letter is ja-y The
frontier You hardly imagine the condition in which
every coun,ensnce. Distress ard misery are every
where The does ts best to force the MOBILES
to be generous, to give tets and balisbut money is
ting The theatres open tie Italian opera has
suned It's performances-and this may be SAIL to be
the only pleasure now have here. The city has al
ways had a military aspect; but now, more than
of sebastopol fell this population Of Moujiks
like clap OF thunder, and the defeat of Mour4sisf
facts which canno. be kept secret, and which
destroy many illusions. 1t is only now people begin
to think that Russian armies are not always invin-
chile always victorious and the peasants cannot
from their establishment. heard this rniog
aneCdOte which
than the government dare hardly to themselves.
Ore of The principal seigpeurs of Moscow has great
number OF domestcs all from his own villages whom he
transformed from slaves into servants. Among them
tCree whose occupation during the winter is to
keep the stoves hot they only occupied few hours
each day, from to II in the morning. after which they
go sleep, pass the day drinking tea and amusing
Themselves. About fortnight since these three
wants thorough Russian peasants believing themselves
alone the dark where they have their be Is, be-
gan to talk about the affairs of the Criuea. One of
them said to his companons-"Ah; you see brute, how
ha IN fha
they cid the year Of the kremin (the burning
Of Moscow) they would give as all freedom Look
at the French who here they no. slaves
they have want Of passportsand they have seig
Aeue, here who have the right to punish them with
stIles Yes, the other replied II they only wanted
blow Of Ratchet to open to them the gates OF Mos
COW, mine is sharp and should no. tail to let it fall three
times the barrier to break it, These aud similar
marks overheard by the Intendant who was in
adjoining and who reported them to his master.
lie, like good MuScove Boy ard went ana made his de-
cara'n 70 the hief of Police of his quarter The three
stove arrested, and without any form OF
ia received each $50 stripes. The fact came to
The knowledge of the government and the MASTER who
considered that he had sufficiently punished the poor
wreches them taken off and sent TO Siberia. am
moreover infor MED that considerable number OF pea
sn1s o. ns to Se 70 Danns
these matters. Every manifestation, whether for or
against the State Is here crime No has the right
to express his joy without the permission Of the autho
rites
All the employees of the Crown to whatever Ministry
invitation from any Ambassador, Secretary aaache
to Embassy without the previous permission of his
chief or Minister 1t is even NOT always safe for Rus
sian TO sccost the public walks stranger who may
be known to him, to exchange few words with him, to
accept segar &c. II the meeting takes place outside
daes to manifest the smallest sentiment Of joy plea
sure whatever be the happy event that may take place
Ia bis familp for fear the police may regard it the
proof of a confpiracy against the State.
The winter already and the river covered
here and there with pieces of but the gor of the sea-
does not diminish the embap kments and other works
in OF along the shore of the Baltic
from Oanienbaum to Rga-indetd. at every spot where
lai Dir is possible. The populations in this direction
whelmsd with labor In Finland itself nothing
is done It is found that the soil is too ticut too
abubt to rocky, and that the obstacles are almost TO-
sulmouLtable, extremely difficult to b. overcome;
and moreover The passages in the envrons OF Wborg
we'll defenced Tie canals and rivers OF the empire
covered with boats laden with materials from the
ura and proceeding to ell points az snce 1t is said
that, owing to irighfu tempest in the Lower Volya,
five la boats sank at the moment, from their
being tied together The whole the population able to
rk in the enyirons Of rzAItzin have employed in
trying to the materials with which they
laden, and with the cold that prevails present il is
probable hat many will be los. in the work as
would have been sufficient to defend them against the
enemy.
There is a great scarcity Of fipts. A contract had
been made with vieDda firm which, in consequence Of
the prohibition Of the Austrian government has not
been able to send them hither. premium has been
offered to any who will discover flint the
Of manufacturing it. An American house, IL is said
took up The affair and engaged to supply the Russian
but tie French has also stopped IT, that
the Russian government is on the point of seeing its
armies with finess muskets The percussion musket is
by no means genel al here There only ient for
the army in active operations and the manufactures
sunnv The loss Of each dav Three engneers have heeu
sent in all haste to the Caucasus to Look for flint sulphur
and lead in fact to turn to .ount everything they
may end The state of Prince Paskiewsch has reused
every one; his place is even contended for
1t is not thought that the regency of Poland will be
Character and his very figure recall too forciby his
uncle, Of sad and savage memory Poland will probably
tie administered by civil and military Governor, who
will both depend on ST. Petersburg just as all the other
Governors Of he empire and after the Prince Gorts
chako will succeed the Prince Of Warsaw with the
powers. But you may be certain that Constantine win
quit St. Petersburg Public prayers WILL it said
be offered up in all the churches to i'm pore Heaven
to be propitlous to the Russian arms New modi
changes among the generals forgot TO mention in its
proper place that one of the engineers Of whom have
spoken to stop time in TauIida in order give
activity to the coal mines recently discovered
the reghhorhocd of 1aternoslaf the banks of the
Don.
EMANCIPATION OF THE sERFS OF RUSSH;
From the London News Dec. 1871
We are sorry to hear it rumored that the Russian
is about to pate the serfs not only Of the
crown, but Of the whole empire. We say sorry
TO zee the announcement No one will suppose that
should be sorry to witness the emancipation of bonen
in any country on the GLOBE We believe, too, that,
owing to the pecuartes of Russia and its serf system
emancipation might be effected there ordinary times
and amidst good will all round, easily than per-
haps any other country But it is quite certain that this
emancipation cannot take place in time of political
crisis nor, especially, at time of military activity At
the same time tidipgs of liberty, actual proposed fly
so mrscuously asst and nalbly reach those who are
most Lerested in the matter that It will be occasion
of oeep regret the of the Gas spreads abroad uac
companed by remarks which must prevent the serfs
Tel tanning any i'll grounded hopes Dwellers in land of
law and in the presence Of press, have concep-
ton of the wdness of hope and fear which exists among
tie subjects Of pure despotsm In the happier order
societies wait for good, and have patience In
their boIes well In endurance In Russia IL Ia not
and some Of the most helsh that have ever
BEEN witnessed on earth have followed upon like
the present-that the Emperor inclined to emanci-
pate, and some OF the mobiles in harmony with the
imperial WILL Few who heard it forget the story
of what haplened near the banks Of the Xoga the