New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1858-06-14
MEMORIAL tx 4 GRAND DUKE

emancipation Of the selfs. IL may not, therefore, DC
sn ss 10 give you co. account Of pam net last
rulhed on ths new rleAsuYe in wh.ci is author, Vi.
Tarasser ko Otreshkor 3 d. tDcushedec )nOmis', well
brown tbroochou. Europe by his excellent book .
GOOD ant silver examines, under the modesttue
conversations Bessedl, the present condition OF n
nobility or rather Of the landed prOpnetors, baang III
arguments on facts aud Oh isTvsiOns, the tTu.h -
which has been questioned ~ more than one, in SPIT
of the care which b. has taken 10 soin them down y
the utmost polieness Of style, 80 ga even soneimest
render his f. le little misty; but N. Oeschko be
longs himself to The class Of citizens concerning whom
he is writing end i. s easy 10 understand that he ma
sometimes be betrayed into little prejudice.
Too much, however, caI not be published abou, this
rest question, 60 honorable for humanity, weghty
for Russia and 60 intense ID is iLsrss. for the nobility
oil this country.
Arropoe Of the nobility: ] have head more thsn one
very lively controversy lately az to its origin. There
was 70 nobi y among the ancient Sclaves. When the
Norman or VarDeisn princes, invited by the Scaves
came to rule over them, they brought small army
with them but did not establish the feudal system;
they merely assigned the arabic Ian Is IN certain pro-
potion to those Who inscribed in the army; but
those ands in Iespect Ike ilefs aud were not
heredtary on the death Of their holders they reverted
10 l!e Slte, ny hLoiu iHty VIZ ".o' s-St ~"
the same conditions to BE military service.
This organization, very imperfect in an economical
point Of view, but Of in admirable sinplici y, gave
Russis great superiority over her neishbo's. The
dep,orabe system Of sppanage came in under vladimir
tie Great in the tenth century ii made whole coun-
try vast field for civil wars and paved the way Tor
IT. Mongol corquest. But under the Tartar rule
The PEASANTS were 1ee They retained their liberty
Al. nfp To-; Goa o,,r -
divided According to some bistorisns and this is the
opinion which Is general in Europe this prince ia
vored the interest OF tie small proprieOrs TO The detr
nent Of the pubic liberty, hoping SO to succeed in tAe
accomplishment Of his an5 tous views, and for tbis
purpose be persuaded the Gar Theodore to aiscrbe
TIE peasants to The slil which they cultivated.
The ukese 1899 enacted that service Of master
for fix months made the servant his slave. This
measure was extended TO debtors, who entered the
service of their credors to pay them in labor. When
Godconof succeeded to the power he worked to ale
viaie the condition Of the peasantIy. The contrary
opinion e&plas the ukass which deprived these men
q heir liberty by the political events OF the time, aud
by the troubles and disorders which a. that time
brought Russia TO the verge IF dissolution Tie peas
ants as well as the traders in order TO cscape the
taxes ard vexatons OF all kinds under which they
staggering, were emigrating principally toward the
desert provinces Of the East and SOUTH in such num-
bers hat they threatened 10 depopuaie the entire CEN
ter Of the ooyntIy; and it was with we" OF putting
stop TO this that GodoonoH decided to pablsh tins
terrible decree.
Under Peter the Great the pea ants were therefore
absorbed b The ard in the mean time, say the par-
asrs Of pregressive IDEAS this prince could have bld
little idea OF foundius privileged rooh'y, he VINO
forced into HE regiments common soldiers those
] .f-.1 To- TO thar rx lf.l =
which he had opened. 1t not until the resn Of
Pete, III that there wa instituted in Russia sort OF
nobility in imitation Of the German, established by
Peter himself hho had sort Of mania FOX everything
Gomsn. This may cxplin the contempt with which
this nobility is looked upon by the sppanass Iosli'y
This lser nc by had privileges granted by Peter ILL.,
to landed propreors and TO employees Of the Govern
ment, privileges confirmed by the very ease with which
ore can enter the class whici possesses them, class
which now runbe1s not less than 100000. Happily,
too for the Empire nothing mas been changed of the
basis Of the Constitution laid down By Peter The Great
Such is the opinion of more than advanced pub
! lest
The book Of which speak after defending the pres
eft condition Of the nobility, establishes series oil
truths harsh, perhaps, but 1coniestabe, since they
rest on iacts.
Fer instance, ~ bIy he's too freely awaited itself
oftle facilities Offered by the lmpera! Bank o! running
in debt three-fourhs OF their lands are now nypothe-
ctted within tworty years, this same nobility As
spent 81 600 COO OOo this mas been Of no value 10
their estates which have remained in the same state Of
| neglect Tor the last hall century; but It has been
wasted on reproductive lu1uries, which lesyes the
borrowers without the power to psy psr cent on
this sum-sn exceedingly dangerous state Of Affairs,
and one dtmsndlng III innedis-e rsnedy.
Fer the future, NJ OtIeshkof thinks that l;ussls,
falirc anon irte the civilization Of Western Europe,
viii demand more study more ed1catior more caqs,i-
y in all things lie says that in this other coun-
ues commerce comes TO Is rgbts at last snd t4kes
is natural level, adding that it olss to individual cs-
psotes postors superior 70 those of the landed pro
n,eto,s. number Of maIui.c' urers have latey a.
o,ired immense fortunes they mostly men OF good
td-cstcn ard n. srv Il nav he habit Of labor. Ihey
,arr,ry -auk above re a. ID propTistors who are
uerya;ed b, ulopo'9cous SD aonnolen. idleneis.
After ba,irg shown lhi TIE aors; side OF the condi
cr 4: 'ae prop1etors satlor finds that they are
Iot ruined or ,ost yet they h-se one plank Of safety
emancipation. TIE emsucip luor Of the peaSnntry vii
force them into ether habits ol HE less luxurious pep
hsps, but more pG.rrsl, more real, and -. without
coInfoit.
T.rsny. NJ. OreshkCG concludes BY pointing ont 70
the propretois their new duties, srd how they shsu
enter upon them. lie appeals to the heLE.s OF tue
fathers N behalf Of th.ir sons clauing f5r them a.
education less external but profound, more sub
stsr.ial and one which shall render them capable o.
managing their estates well and aso Of adopt ng the
numerous CAREERS which open 70 al intelligent men
in lussis.
As have spoken OF pamphlet | vii speak sso Of