The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-11-26
The ExsleE OF Siberia.

The laws Of the Russian Empire require that all
those condemned. in whatever part of the country
they may have received sentence, should pass
through Moscow on their way to Siberia; the ira
Weller who may have Glanced TO be there during
the weekly gathering, will have little difficulty in
recognizing facts in the following account:
on reaching that city, they are allowed brief
rest ID the convict prison their daily Journeys be
ing so calculated that the separate bands all arrive
there from divers directions each SATURDAY. nilbt
Alter resting throughout the ensuing week duri,.
which term they are relieved of their chaips th4I
are dispatched in one common band on tn. saconS
Monday after their arrival. The prison Is diyided
INFO TWO or three courts, each strictly guarded b,
scntinels. In tue first cf these both sexes are To-
hr seen mlng!ing ipdi,crimnately aud Are dressed
"like IN loose great ccats, made ef kind of gray
CLOTH the only distinguishing mark is that the
rpen have half their beads shaved. whilst the yo-
meh retain their long hair-a privilege also granted
10 the men rs regards their boards which decora-
tion is the pride and delight both OF the merchant
class and the peasantry.
They are led then toa second court, where their
names are registered, As eisO their crime and his
tory. Here they make their petitions: some sol
citing leave to travel by the side of a brother a
fellow exie-a poor consolation, that, Of beiag to
Sether In d!s8race-but the boon, If granted il
hailed with the greatest Joy. A woman will also
sometimes Petition to accompany her husband :
hut only in rare csses is this permitted Accord
ing to the laws of Russia she NAV marry arsin
for the banshment of her husband cancels the
marriage bond completely as death but If her
prayer be granted, Government pays her expenses
ana she assumes the convict dress though not the
fe ts's
he examination past, the exiles are led to third
court where fetters are placed upon the whole
baud. This is q most cruel and brutal affair The
fetters consist of couple of heavy iron rings one
for each ankle, united by a chain, not adapted to
the size of the person and his length of stride but
OF one unvarying length, about two feet This is
~N.I of lt.I.-
inches long, with another chain fastened around
the waist. The hoops round the ankles are not
fastened by paddock, to be removed at night
but are rireted by the executioner who drives an
careless hamRering. (tor he often misses the mark
and strikes the flesh iattens the bolt at both ends
in such way that re moval IL impossible excert by
means Of the file; and with these chains the poor
weary, footsore wretches are to walk every step of
a journey which takes them only few days short
Of six months. Meanwhile a sergeant stands by,
who must answer for their security with his own
liie as he takes charge of them during their pill
grinage, aud he sees them properly secured and
fastened together In fours by their wrists.
This ceremony over, the gates are thrown oper
and the world ceases to exist for them. 1t is
prising TO witness the calm bearing, the sad but
resigned looks Of that melancholy assemblsge
Hope ~ now dead: and in its place a dim vague
gmmcr appears insthe distance of life to which
they look. perhaps with more dreamy curiosity
than with any active feeling of TERROR Of despair
The gates are thrown op"n. the exies are handed
over TO strong guard. employed exclusively oD
this duty, and each soldier loads his gun in their
presence: there is also a mounted escort, with
spears, the commander Of which carries "a long whip
to lash tho cavacade into order: and thus they
move on, the males first then the carts, and last
the females. Persons ofrank are not tr' ed othr
wise than the lowest serf. nobeuen being compel
led to march the dreaTy journey on foot and as
heavily chained as the viest felon. Those destin
ed for the mines are shut out even from the light
of EQH fhay FltyI inI.o l,,,
10y a refinement of cruelty, are deprived even u
taer names, aud a number given them instead by
which the driver ofeach band calls when he has
need to addressed them.