St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1859-02-03

tuition being able to relieve the Emperor
Of their responsibility, since neither the
Council of the Empire, made up of func-
tionaries who have grown old in bureaux
and in the field, nor the Council of Min
listers can be considered to be legislative
bodies. - " ,@ ,>5 life = uazrs
7 Theoretically, these laws lack basis:
practically, they are mean, narrow, often
contradictory; and sometimes impract;. CT.
BILE. Complaints have long been heard
against the bad administration of affairs.
and the evident causes of this, t,nas the
laws are buried beneath of chan ce.produc-
ed ordinances and administrative combina-
tions without either cohesion or system.
Now, when the business is Co unite the
knots, with which the administration has
fastened great portion of the country,
the mobiles, who have ,.ong wished for this
time, find themselves poTerless in their
action. A programme is given them to
fill out, and at the same time secret in
structions, prescribing the way in which
they are to I'LL it out; work which the
Committee, of mobiles must 81 gn. on their
own resi-, onsibility.
The Committee Of St. Petersburg, guild
ed AID moved by an influence above it,
set itself at work, and has just finished
The labor which was given it, and which
may be said to have been dictated by the
Bureauacy. Platonoff alone opposed this
project, in which he said all the rules of
reason, as well as all the principles Of JUS
tice, even to the rights of property, were
overridden without mercy. He urges that
ordinances Of the Importance Of these,
which affect the most vital interests of
the country, can only be established in
virtue Of the State law made by the EN-
peror, under the advice of the National
Council; and insists that the Emperor act
ing with the advice only Of the Bureaucrn-
cy, cannot impose fundamental law upon
the nation. - ~
lie therefore protested against the plan
dictated by the Bureaucracy and accepted
by the Committee, as plan which de-
graded the mobiles, destroyed every ele-
ment Of veal for the peasant, and armed
two classes against each other by creating
between them the permanent antagonism
Of clashing interests. The. members of
the Committee expressed their sympathy
with his protest, and decided unanimously
that it should be appended to the plan
which many signed unwillingly, regarding
it assthe expression OF a law as bad in es-
sense as it was strange in form. -.
It cannot be denied that there is much
power and reason in the argument of Plat
onof, who fears the results Of emanci pa
ton on a basis imposed on the nobles.-
The peasant will get nominal liberty, and
will be more than ever slave; he will be
subject to the commune; he must work
to live, work to pay the rent Of his land,
and work, too, toward the redemption of
his house and lot; and, if he refuses to
work, the whole village must answer for
him. .s.., ., ~.
tits clear that in the plan Of the EN-
peror there lies the germ Of a serious diff
fculty; but the intention is to throw all
possible safeguards around the peasant,
and to secure him fully against the capri
ces and necessities of small landholders; in
short, to prevent poverty. But have the
best means been found Is not the right
of property attacked when portion Of the
lands of the mobiles is taken out of their
control A grave question, and one
which it was ilnpolitic to raise after things
had gone SO far. These discussions may
be looked upon by the pcasantry with an
evil eye and it is imprudent for. the no
bles to risk quarrel with the Emperor
that would excite the troubles of which
they would be the first victims. There is
now prevalent throughout Russia men
tai fermentation, accompanied by curl.
GUS and restless expectation. The men Of
! influence must calm this, and they arc
the mobiles.
1 So, although | approve Platonof's idea,
Fl must consider his protest ill-timed and
dangerous. As soon as the Minister Of
the Interior knew Of this protest, he sent
4 it, back to the Committee, as noe-contforn,
able to the State law. But the President
Of the Committee, Count Shoovalof, al.
though he had personally opposed the
protest, Immediately went to the Minister
and Informed him with good deal of de.
!, cision that Platonoffs paper having been
approved by all the members Of the Com.
mittce, could not be separated from theil
plan, and must go with it wherever il
went.
This whole thing shows that there is :
great deal Of freedom of thought in Rus
STA, and that the silence which has beer
), imposed upon the country for thirty years
past has not been, abba to check the pro.
gress Of ideas. The present government
is very well aware Of this, and allows al
!, the latitude in this respect which anybody
could desire. ii s. Is ID
/ , @rA {: Down East Z paper advertise
4 thus go .s.s {Es .f 81. 81