Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-03-30
serf8Om in Russia-Its P~eculiarltIes ant
Mode Of observation-disclosures of thu
Emancipation.

serf5Om In Ru~ssia-Its PeculiarltIes and
Mode of Regulation-hesnit of the
A writer in the last number of the Corn
hi Magazine remsrks:
The % COO 600 ofserfs might be divided in
round numbers as follows: 2O,OOO,OOO of
crown serfs, 100000 in the Imperial do
mains, and q, 1000, 5000 under private pro-
prietors. Already the crown serfs and those
of the Imperial domains are declared free,
and the emancipation Of the rest is only re-
tarded for the completion of the necessary
arrangements. The connection between pro-
prietor aud serf has, of course, ever varied
according to circumstances; being mild and
pAtriarohal on som estates, slave driving on
others. BY law, the labor to be imposed on
the serff for the land he holds of his master,
is that Of three days per week. yet many pro-
~prietors force their men for six days during
Midsummer, andin Winter, field labor is i'm
possible.
Such properties may be soon recognized
by the squaliduess and misery of the peas
antry. A certain proprietor passing from the
south TO ST. Petersburg, told me that, pass
ing twice through such a district, he inquired
the reason of so much poverty aud distress
among the people; the answer was that the
pdmeSchick, or landlord, took six days a
week, and that they had no time for them
selves.
IN u NllldE6 hUUuA tAG CCutCl u JuC COuubI1t
in the same condition, | asked the ZANE ques-
ton, IND received the answer. My CONVEX
sation was with the ydmshik, or position,
who was a serf of the estate, and hired out
on the Obrok system; he received sixty
roubles q year, the whole Of which he had to
pay to his proprietor. "But this will soon
be over now" said the man. "SUobodnie
eh ne SUobodnie-to be free, or not to be free,
that is the question now"
H. a IT-, E,wtIx- I GCrnI he haI Mt A.
least idea of any of the blessings of freedom,
but thought they consisted OF doing nothing,
or only so much as to provide the means of
getting drunk. Of this, however, there is
10 doubt, that since the emancipation has
been mOCted, many proprietors have been
Goubly hard in squeezing as much labor as
possible out of the serfs while the serfs,
knowing they would soon be free, seem re.
solved TO do as little as possible.
Many prcprietOrs, on the other hand, when
the subject took a serious aspect, either vol
UNFAIRLY emancipated their serfs or made
arrangements with them. A friend of mine,
an officer in the navy, on his return from a
long voyage, when the peasants came to
congratulate him according to old custom,
addressed them seriously on the change
shout to take place in their condition. With
one voice they cried out, they were happy
as they were, and did not want TO be free.
AAhNNNi uhANA III NNoli NAAA PANPAhShOif
serfs are almost as much a burden as q
profit.
They have no cares but such as their labor
imposes, and the proprietor is bound Oy
m6ny bonds to them he must pay their
taxes TO the Government; if their iS5q, or
but, be burned down, be must rebuild it,;
il their COW, pig or horse dies, he must re-
pace il; if sickness be in the family, he
must provide doctor and incident; if in
want, he must feed them ifnaked, he must
c otbe theni-in short, in all their wants they
LOOK up 10 their pGneschik for assistance
aid advice.
1t is true that the peasant should repay all
tits by degrees; but, as be is lazy and has
little. money, he is always deeply in debt, as
are most OF the seGfs throughout Russia.
All the enlightened, Travelled Russian pro-
p'ietors With whom / ever spoke, leaving
TIER ideas Of humanity aside, declared they
thought that the emancipation would be,
siter a short period, more a profit than a loss
t. them men Of narrow ideas, or those
whose estates were deeply mortgaged to the
Government, were of course fearful that
the change would iDjure them very mate
rally.
AS most of the proprietors are absentees
during the greater part of the year, their
estates aIe managed by agents; if the estate
is small, by the head men of the peasautry.
Every male serf has the right TO a certain
portion OF land, about four tchetUerts (eight
acres, two roods, thirty poles rirca(, but
oflen less, in the most valuable districts. for
thin he gives his labor three days per week.
v here the communal system exists, the land
thus ced, o is classed, measured, and por-
tore ed GU, among the different families com
prising the
This .HiTe, or communal system, is one of
the most stribing of Russian institutions.
Ii bes already descended from generation to
generation for more than 1000 years, aud
is, in fact. a primitive emblem of what IN
other countries has grown into self govern
mept. TIE m meets under the Presi.
depcy of it's Starsi or Elders, to deliberate
OF The ger erai good. Over every district is.
however, a tchinetntk, or Government su-
Pervisor
The soil bound peasant; the serf who Ia
bors on bis own account, and paws the obTok
OF tribute to bis master, sd the dyoyeriis. or
personal servants form the three classes of
Russian serldom. But, TO the glory of hu-
Manity aSd progress, such an institution
will, in Europe, soon belong only TO the past.
Il Ougb the CURSE that slavery entails can
only be redeemed by many generations of
rational freedom. The emancipation ONE
90 complished, il will he curious TO mark its
effect Oh the people.
Different opinions are formed by thinking
Russians, who have studied TIE people, as 10
" that these effects will be From my own
observations ara deductions | came to the
opinion that the change will be deeply fell
by the country, and NJ first for the worse. foI
the Russian peasant bars a great resem,
blspcei IN many respects, 70 the Irish Celti,
pessalt. Both peoples, too, have long sui
teIed ren absentee landlords, who we're only
heard Of when money had to be squeezed
FRI the unfortunate tenants.
The Russian PEASANT will work justenougt
10 supply the bare wants of his nature. e.
. will cultivate n little hues wheat for his kas
and a plot OF cabbage for his stehu; the sal
\ of his pig his fowls. OF his calf will provid
him with y hisk aud obiccO; the sheepskn
supply his cl0tbing. U0accustOmed 70 hav
any clafRe made upon him, except by hi
proprietor, be viii NOT at first understand th
4 pay ments % be made F, government for T.
lshc he occupies; although such payment
dustTy.
II the communal system bepreserVed, thi
again may call forth the peasants energy
for the land being held in a macs by tbI
.cOmmune, and paid for by IT, one nan in
.dustry will be a repToaeh and a check on the
indolence of the others. Such will proba'
bly, be the state OF the Russian ~peasantry toI
, long time after they are free and, until
The whole social life Of Russia can be re-
organized, and things find their level the
eounuy viii have 10 experience the after
efiects which such a curse as slavery ever
brings on every grade Of a population,
khethet roble or bind. There is however,
bne strong feature in the character Of the
Russian lower orders; aud that Il, their dis.
p~0sitiOn 70 barter and commerce; Ia this
hey much resemble the Chinese, whose love
"a trading IL well known. Many serfs
heTefOne, on their liberation will, no dOubf
- -. 10. sw.It
.p0d ia various channels Of commerce.