New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1861-01-12
EMANCIPATION IN RUSSIA.

To-day, January ~, 1861, Is Ne".fears Day
in Russia, according TO the Old Style to which
that empire still adheres. 1t is day destined
Ia be forever memorable as the date of the CON-
plete abolition of serfdom the final and trumphal
close of the mighty movement naugurated by the
Emperor Alexander IL. in 1857. On this great
day Of emancipation, twenty millions Of Rus
slams cease to be property aud become men.
The last aud worst, the most gigantic and most
baneful relic OF barbarism that infested Europe,
vsnshes before The march of civilization, and
personal liberty is decreed to all the inhabitants
of a country whore area stretches through three
quarters Of the globe, and over a seventh part
Of it, habitable surface.
Serfiom in Russia is comparatively modern
institution. 1t was introduced by the Tartars,
ho conquered aud held the country during the
Middle Ages Before their domination, the Russian
peasant was free man. Toward the end of the
sixteenth century, an attempt was made by the
Car to restore 70 the people their lost rights, bat
it was defeated by the violent opposition of the
aristocracy. la the earlier part Of the present
century the attempt was renewed by Alexander
T. and by NichOlas with the same result though
Alexander succeeded in stopping the reduction of
free communities Of peasants to slavery, aud also
prohibited the sale Of scrfs in the market, and
the separation Of their families, In many other
respects, likewise he regulated aud limited the
power of the masters.
Like oil other slaychOldng nations, Russia has
suffered terribly from Instructions Of the sub
ject race. In the reign Of Catherine, q revolt Of
serfs, peasants and Cossacks Of Urol OF 0ren-
burg, headed by Pugat-cheG, who pretended to
BE- the Emperor Peter ILL.,, and styled himself
Gear. the Ayencer." extended with horrible
excesses nearly to the gates Of Moscow. Pousch-
kline, The greatest Of Russian poets, abiding to
this Instruction, eNclaims: MAY God preserve
Russia from the seething outbreak of ITS own
people" In ls3s, partial Tsings took place in
tie government Of Saratoh, in which the mobiles
were burnt with their houses, aud the Imperial
officers thrown into the fire.
In almost every respect, however, the condi.
ton Of the Russian scrfs was superior to that of
the American slaves. The agricultural serfs
lived in villages, and had land given to them to
cultivate for their own profit, paying to their
master certain rent, and laboring for him on
bis land three days in tine week. serf woman
marrying a free man became herself free. Mar.
riages, however, though by law the serts had
liberty Of choice, were in practice arranged by
the master, and could seldom be contracted with
out his permission. If serf man became free
By manumisson, or in any other legal way, his
wife also was entitled TO her freedom. The serf
could not be- forced to do sny work on Sundays,
or on the established holidays. He could claim
before the tribunals a right to freedom, if hs
master did not belong to any Christina church;
if The master had made forcible attack on the
virtue of his wife or daughter; or if he had been
made prisoner by the enemy, aud carried be-
yond the frontiers Of the empire He became
free, also, if legally condemned to exile in Sibe-
ria. where his wife. il she followed him. likewise
acquired freedom; if sold without the estate to
Which he belonged, or if tie buyer did not possess
M much land as the law required; or, lastly, if
his family were separated from him by sale.
The house seris were employed not only us
servants, but az mechanics, and sometimes even
"a artists and tradesmen. The master often gave
them passport to travel, or to reside in some
distant place, and pursue the avocation to which
they had been trained in which case they paid
him certain part of their earnings. They were
liable to be- called home at any time aud were
completely dependent on the will Of the master
in regard 10 residence or occupation. Runaway
scris were returned to the master at the expense
of those who had harbored them. But if the serf
had avoided recapure for ten years be was held to
be- free. And the claim Of the master was not
valid unless brought forward during the first year
after the escape
From this outline it viii be seen that the bur.
dens borne by the Russian serf, grievous as they
may have been, were moderate compared with
the atrocious system for tho perpetuation and
propagation Of which our American shareholders
are now in rebellion against the Union. He was
not reduced to the degrading condition of chat
tell was not debarred from education; could not
be torn from his family nor his home; and could
lawfully protect the virtue of his wife and
daughter. Still, his emancipation from tho
letters, light as they were, which have hitherto
bound him. is an event which, in grandeur and
bencfcence, has had no equal in the annals of
Russia, except her liberation from tho Tartar
yoke, and which cannot fail to impel tho empire
onward with prodigious strides in tho march