The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-24

Northern emigration; while in the Southern
Confederacy, with the African slave trade re-
vived, she would lose two.thirds of the value of
her slave property, and derive no additional
increase to the value of her lands-Rich. Enc.
-esu From the New York Christian E. quirer
EMANCIPATION OF THE RUSSIAN SERBS.
This triumph Of Humanity in Russia is a no.
BILE monument Of the historical development of
practical Christianity. By statistical returns
lately presented to the Emperor Alexander, we
lind the number of families which are land.
owners amount to $4,000 Out of these, 1000
possess from l,000 to 10000 serfs 1000 from
500 to 1000; $4,000 from 100 to 500; 10000
from II to 100; and $4,000 have less than 81.
The total number of peasant serfs of the nobility
amount to ll,760,O00, and those of the crown
to 100000. There are, therefore, 20, 750, 900
persons to be released from the letters of bond.
age. So We find o mighty empire lespipg, with
one bound, from barbarian to civilization, and
bowling before the spirit of the Gospel by invest
ing with the dignity of human rights those who
have been heretofore treated like beasts of bur
den. The Emperor Nicholas was q great man
in his day and generation, but his greaaaess
was that of the soldier and the despot. The
Emperor Alexander proves a far greater man.
His greatness is that of the statesman and the
moral reformer. The one aimed at glory by the
sword, and ruled his Empire by fear. The other
is bent on achieving far more Divine glory.
His exalted ambition is to inaugurate q new era
for Russia, by proclaiming the supremacy of NOR.
al over material considerstions-by making the
law of love the Law of the land. Nicholas held
the potentates of Europe crouching at his feet by
at door kka.u e. e
He filled them with sense of majesty and awe.
Alexander's plan of action is of another kind
He intent on shaming the other ruling Powers
of the world out of-their abuses of power and
inhumanity. He, too, inspires them with a
sense of awe. But it is the awe which the
wrong doer feels at the sight Of an honest man.
1t is the awe which unscrupulous injustice feels
at the sight of triumphant Justice. 1t is the
awful sense of admiration which seizes the uni
verssl mind on seeing Power, generally noted
for the heathenism OF its institutions, suddenly
turning out to be inspired with the hottest as.
pirations of Christianity. The injunction of
Christ, " Be as wise as serpents, and as harm.
less as doves" has never before received such
solemn application on the broad field of history,
as in this instance of the emancipation of Rus
sian ser dom.
The WISDOM of the measure is world wide in
it's consequences. Behold here new empire
struggling into existence, and holding sway
over an immense tract of territory. Hitherto,
there was but small proportion of the sixty
millions of inhabitants practiced even in those
rudiments of knowledge which form the land
mark between civiization and barbarism. Over
a third of the whole population was reduced to
slavery and the rest of the population, if no,
rendered callous and naughty by the unjust
privileges which they enjoyed, were allured tc
arrogance and selfshness by the all overshad
owing, all bligbting influence of serfdom. One
heaving coup d'etat has now changed all this
A moral radiance is spread all over the land BY
the spontaneous and spirited overthrow Of the
CALLING letters. The law of Christ, of love, o.
humanity, is made to take precedence over the
law of hea,henism, Of selfishness, and of prop
erty. The twenty millions of serfs, restored tc
their inalienable rights, will gradually be Gle
waited, and, their natural powers once developed
will become, like the humble settlers of our con
tiuent, the pioneers OF q new industry and q
new civilization. Their former masters may
grumble at FIST, but will gradually congratulate
themselves on being released from burden Of
'insSiu;sy .slsich. albeit profitable, and favorine
dolce FIR niemte life, .paralyzes the nobles
faculties of their nature, making them un
which follow In the train of manly exertion, and
of a conscience free from the reproach of op
pressing and crushing fellow. beings for selfish
and mercenary ends.
We are not dealing here with vague senti
mental generalities. The event to which VIC
refer has actually taken place and, although
perhaps not duly appreciated in the excitement
of the hour, it is destined to receive Justice al
the hands of history and already at the present
day, it stands out from the breakers of our civ
ilizaton, as the great Humanitarian beacon OF
the nineteenth century.
The serpent like wisdom of the act is also ap
parent in another direction. The meanest Bonn
ba of Naples, and the most abject satellite Of
Popery, may outwit the mghtiest Cars in low
cunning, and trucking lust of power. But in
the performance of magnanimous acts of jus
tice, no such rioalry IS to be feared. England
and France may, at any day, see fit to cut each
others throats. Italy is in state of fever and
agony, Austria and Germany standing by, as
usual, trembling and phlegmatic, presenting to
the enemy q fair array of bayone;s and of uni
versity professors. Whatever indirect moral
causes may be implied in the struggle of Brit
ain and the Continent, they are at present I'M
redeemed by any direct tonch of great Human
tartan moment, and even Englsnd's victories in
India and China are well known to be only ruth
less struggles for wealth and power, not merci
full exertions in behalf of moral triumphs.
Seeing the chaotic moral condition of the
European Governments, Russia comes forth
" as wise as serperts, and as gentle as doves, "
to secure, with one stroke of the pen, the moral
sceptre of the world, and thus prepare for future
days an ascendency in the destinies of Human
ity, before which the proud lsndholders, the
bishops, and cotton lords of England, and the
successful stockholders and roues of France
and the brutal soldiery of Austria, may still
have to bow their heads in shame and confu.
sion.
The ominous silence which the press, inclu
ding the English press, holds on this subject OF
Ru ssian moral ascendency in Europe, is the true
exponent Of the mingled sentiments of surprise
awe, fear, and miagiving, which the benevolent
Ukase of the Gear is 30 apt to produce in the
grovelling Cabinets of Europe. What are the
Reform bills of Lord John Russell, the plans OF
social amelioration of Louis Napoleon, the evan.
pelical exertions of Exeter Hall, compared to
this mighty mandate of the East, which, by
striking at the root of monstrous national
evil, opens a new vista of moral sublimity for
the land and race, purifying and ennobling at
once the whole character, social relations, and
human intercourse; calling, as it were, upon
the poor laborer to rise to higher degree OF
dignity ard selfrespect, and upon the strong
administers, who fatten in too many instances
upon the laborer's toll, to rise to higher sense
of regard due to others, and to drop a little oil
the reckless egotism which rules their conduct
The superficial OBSERVER may we'll be stupe6ed
by q measure which stands in such palpable
contrast to the selfish and humanity knocking
policy which rules American politics and Amer.
can life; and it assumes almost grotesque pro.
France, with its cynical and sybarite Waew.
skis, and the cotton aspirations of Britain, with
her crushing, insulsr sel6shness, and her peren.
NAL Inst of money. and trade. and manufacture.