The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-02-21
RUSSIAN sERFDOM.

The desolating war which has for two years
ragged between Russia and the Allies has been
attended with the incidental good of awaken
ing unwonted interest in the affairs of that
great barbaric Empire. The inhospitable eli
mate which prevails over large portion of it,
the want of tolerable facilities for travelling
over its intolerable roads, and the rigid surveil-
lance of its despotic Government, have conspir-
ed, in ordinary times, to render travelling any
thing but pleasant, and to repress inquiry into
its internal affairs. But the stirring events of
the war, and particularly the prolonged and
heroic defence of Sebastopol, have naturally
awakened curiosity as to the condition and re-
sources of an Empire which has displayed such
power in resisting the invasion of the two great
est Powers of Western Europe, if not of the
world.
The condition of Russia is peculiarly inter
esting to the people of the United States, since
it contains an institution similar to, though not
identical with, our peculiar institution of
Slavery. 1t is this feature of Russian society
which we propose to consider at present. The
occasion is the more fitting, since the leading
newspapers of the South have latterly gone be-
yond the defence of African Slavery, and have
asserted that the institution should embrace
within its benevolent sway the poor white as
well as the poor black population-in word,
that Slavery is the natural and proper condi-
ton of the poor, of all races and colors.
Russian servitude or serfdom, though cruelty
oppressive to its victims, is mild and patriarch
al, compared with American Slavery. "Near-
ly the entire half of the Russian peasantry,"
says Gurowski, "if not wholly enslaved, accord
ing to the absolute Specification of the word,
are, however, serfs or bondmen, attached to the
soil, glebe adscripti, rather than the person of
the nobleman, and thus they are at least not
chattels." "An Uksse of Catharine, in the year
1871, prohibited, for the future, the enslaving
of the peasantry." That is to say, when grants
or donations of Crown lands are made to favor
ties, the Ukase forbids the enslavement of the
peasantry residing on them, by the grantee.
Serfdom is prohibited in new acquisitions of
territory by sort of Wilmot Proviso. The
Russian Government pursues the same policy,
in regard to the serfs. which the English courts
practiced in regard to villains, and by which
rillandge was finally extinguished: it leans to
the side of the serf, rather than to the lord,
doubt. and every implication which looks to-
wards Freedom.
Thus, if nobleman sends his serf to Siberia
for punishment, and the serf receives there
lands from the Crown as a colonist, he be-
comes free, with his family. A female serf
marrying freeman becomes free. If the hus-
band becomes free by law, or by manumission,
the wife becomes free also but not the children;
they must be emancipated by special act.
The serfs are competent witnesses. The own
er cannot force his serfs to marry against their
will, or point out whom they shall marry; but
this provision of the law is very generally eva
died."
After ten years, the master forfeits the own
ership of his runaway serf. A serf who is not
a house servant must work for his master three
days in a week. He cannot be forced to do any
work on Sundays, or other church or parish
holydays, or on the days of the patron saints of
the reigning Sovereigns. The master may give
his serf passport with which he may travel
all over the Empire, become a merchant,
manufacturer, or even the owner of lands and
serfs. Many serfs are very wealthy; and in
stances are not infrequent where serfs are rich
er than the noblemen to whom they belong In
strict law, the property of the serf is the prop
erty of the master, but custom and public opin-
ion will not tolerate the robbery of the serf by
his master-and then the fear of assassination
is also powerful sanction to the rights of the
serf.
Only the nobility, or certain persons special
ly privileged, can own serfs and if the master
hires or sells his serfs to persons not entitled
to hold them, they become free.
Families cannot be separated for sale. The
family consists of the parents and unmarried
children, even if Of age. The children form
family after the death of the parents Serfs
cannot be brought to market, but are to be
sold only together with the estate. If sold sep
arately, the Crown takes them as it's peasants,
and the transgressors of the law are fined.
In cases of scarcity or famine, the owner
cannot send away his serfs, but is obliged to
take care of them. He is likewise obliged to
take care of the old and the invalids, If the
owner abuses his power, or is guilty of cruelty
or rape, the law takes from him the administra-
ton of the estate, and he cannot become the
purchaser of another.
Serfs cannot be sold separate from the soil,
or at any public auction, in execution of the
debts of the master. But the master has power
to transfer the serfs individually or by whole
communities, from one village, district, or
country, into another. Any nobleman, owning
serfs of any kind, must have for every one at
least twenty acres of land.
The master cannot inAict corporal punish
meht upon serf who has sued for freedom,
while the suit is pending. Serfs carrying on
legal trade, with the consent of the master,
cannot be given up by him as recruits, or for
the colonization of Siberia.
The master has the right to manumit his
serfs individually, or by whole hamlets and
villages, with or without giving them lands.