New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-04-09
THE EM4NCIPATYON OF TIE SERBS
IN RUSSIA.

The Manifesto OF the Emperor Alexander enamel
pating the serfs 10 his dominions has been issued. Il
bears the date Of February ~ tMarch 81, 1861.
We publish "a erteAso this inporau document:
| "MASIfESTo OF HIS MAJESTY TBE EHPKKOR.
by hs ses q God We AeI'PasI u EmPsTS: sd d, Ap,o
| land, &c, to all our faithful subjects make known;
| "Caled by Divine Providence and by the sacred
right Of inheritance to the throne Of ancestors,
took in innermost heart TO respond to the
mission which is inrusted 70 surround with
our affection and our Imperial solcitude all faith
fGl subjects Of every rank and Of overy condition
from the warrior who molly bears ars for the defense
Of the country to the humble artisan devoted the
works Of industry; from the official in the career Of
the high Offices OF the State the laborer whore plow
| burrows the soil
In considering the various classes aud conditions Of
which the State Is composed the conviction
that the Legislation Of the Empire having wisely pro-
vded for the organization OF the upper and middle
classes and having defined with precision their oblga
tons their rights and their privile yes has not attained
the same degree Of efficiency regards tho peasants
attached 10 the soil (r6p0stny6 thus eignaed be-
cause either from ancient laws from custom they
have been heredtariy subjected TO the authority Of
the propTetors, on whom II was incumbent at the
same tine TO provide for their welfare. The rights OF
the propietors have been hitherto very extended and
very imperfectly defined BY tho law, which has been
supplied by tradition CUSTOM and the good pleasure OF
the prOprieoTs. In the most favorable CAGES this state
Of things has established pariarcha relations founded
upon d sohctude sincerely equitable and benevolent ON
the part OF the prOpietors and On an aiectionate sub
mission on The part OF tne pefSantsi pW IN proportion
as the simplicity Of morals diminished the Diversity
Of the mutual relations became complicated the pa
tensl character of the relations between the popnetos
and peasants became weakened, and moreover as tte
seieIeurial authority Tell sometimes into haias exclu
yely occupied with ueiI personal interests those bonus
OF mutual good will slackened and wide opening
made for an arbitrary sway which weighed upon the
peasants was unfay0rable 10 their welfare and made
them Indifferent to all progress under the conditions
Of their existence.
These facts bad already attracted the notice of our
predecessors OF glorious memory and they had taken
measures for improving the condition Of the peatasi
but among those measures some were not stringent
enough, iusomu ae,they remained subordinate t. the
Spontaneous Initiative of such propetors who showed
themselves animated with liberal intentions; and
othcrs called forth by peculiar circumstances, have
been res riced 20 certain localities simply adopted
ss an experiment. Ii thus that Alexander |. pub
shed the regulation for the free cultiyaor, and that
he late EmpeIor Nicholas, our beloved father, pro-
umlgated thai one which the peasants Joaad
IN contract In tie Western Governments, regulations
allied iarcBtaHcs had fixed the territorial allOtmens
Tue 10 tie peasan's rs well the amount of their rent
tues bur all these reforms have only been applied in
very restricted manner.
owe thus came 10 the conviction that the work OF
eriour improvement Of the condition # the peasants
q sacred inheritance bequeathed TO us by our an
essOrs--a mission which, in the course Of events,
Divine Providence called upon US 70 fulfill.
We have Commenced this work bv ID exrretsiGp