The hydraulic press., 1858-12-25
RUSSIA.

being made in the great Russian empire
for the abolition of serfdom, measures
have been inaugurated for promoting
popular intelligence. It is said that an
association has been recently formed for
the purpose of diffasing education by
founding libraries and cabinets de lecture
in every town and considerable village
in the empire; by publishing works, or
iginal and translated, at low prices; and
encouraging authors of repute, by pre-
NUNS, to write books of amusement
and instruction for the masses. There
is no doubt but what this project has
directly resulted from the reformatory
measures of Alexander. It seems to
be we'll understood that the wild pro-
clivities of the nomadic tribes who have
SO long been controlled by the strong
arm of despotism, can be checked, when
that hand is removed, only by the more
potent influence of civilizing knowledge
This will supply the enfranchised serfs,
and other poor classes Of Russia, with
higher motives than are inspired by un-
informed instincts If the proposed
plan of making the freed serfs owners,
under certain easy conditions, Of the
land on which they live, be carried into
practice, the Russian masses will not
long lag behind the intelligent middle
classes of other countries. They will
be fitted in good time to give their
country that great propulsion which
can only come from the multitude.
These indications of Russian progress
are eagerly watched and recorded in
America. We view them as the move
ments of apeople struggling from bar
barian rudeness to civilization, as the
first developments Of great capacities
hitherto lying dormant. A new people
ourselves, in a new country Of unparal-
leled extent, and shaping steadily, under
the guiding hand Of Heaven, new
destiny for mankind, it is quite natural
that we should sympathize with Russia
in spite of her dissimilar institutions,
and of our adherence of despotism.
She seems destined to control the future
history Of Europe. ~
History teaches that the world has been
ruled by succession Of great empires
one rising to grasp the sceptre from the
decaying hold of another; and it seems
now as if the great powers hereafter are
to be Russia and America. Were
Great Britain a consolidated empire
it's immense territory undivided by dis
lance and intervening nationalities, it
might be reasonably expected that she
would at least share with Russia the
rule of Europe and Asia. But it will
be impossible for her to retain possession
of her distant colonies From time to
time they will assert their independence,
and go forth like strong sons to build
up their own fortunes. The language
and customs Of the mother country may,
it is true, be ultimately the prevailing
ones on our planet, and in this way she
will rule "not ouer but IN all minds +"
but the actual, practical sway, the ex-
ternal government, will be in other
hands. Russia and the United States,
the two rising empires, possess immense
consolidated territories, which afford
scope for long continued expansion from
their populous centers, or nuclei; and
if each remains true to the only principle
upon which hereafter empires can be
founded, and that is the principle of
popular equality,--they will be the con-
trolling forces in human history for ma
ny ages.
P1zARRo's ToE.-A Yankee sailor
lately obtained access to the vault of the
cathedral at Lima, where the great fill