Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-04-25

A VirgInIan Howl of IndIsnntton against
the Emancipation Of Serfdom in Russia.
The Richmond (Vs.) Dispatch observes;
The emancipation of $4,000, 900 serfs at q
single dash by the present Emperor of Bus
sia, is one Of the boldest strokes Of policy
ever attempted. Its effect is to reduce at
once to beggary nearly the whole of the
Russian nobility, hitherto the ruling power
in the State. 1t is understood that almost
all of them are in debt, to several times the
value of their whole estates, leaving out the
serfs. These constituted the principal capi-
tai of tie whole country. The emancipa-
tion, therefore, destroys, at q single blow, SO
much capital and so much credit. This can
not be done in any part of the world, with
out producing shock which must be felt
throughout the whole range of civilized So
ciety. We know not at what value per soul
the Russian serf may be estimated. We can
not suppose, however, that. it is less than
5000. At this rate, the Emperor of Russia
strikes dead, at single blow, five thousand
millions of capital in the hands of his sub
iects. All Russia must stagger under such
blow. The whole world must feel it.
Commercial reyulsions must inevitably
ensue. Credit must be tried to its utmost
capacity of bearing a strain. There never
was such an experiment before upon the
prosperity of nation. In round numbers
JQ6 SuD6EuCldl dIOd Vi EuiOp6uu NUS
sia, is 2, 200, 900 square miles. Every square
mile contains $40 acres. Consequently
the entire superfces of Russia is about
| l,400, O00, 600 acres. The Gar has thus de-
stroyed at blow, property equal in value
| to all the land in his European Empire, at $4
an acre a price which we are assured twill
not average. The population of Russia in
Europe is about 65,000,000. The Gar de-
stroys property equal to about $50 for every
human being living in his dominions.
There is some recompense, we scarce know
what, for this enormous sacrifice of the prop
erty held by Russian mobiles. 1t can be-
however, but ineonsiderable. There is also
some provision for exaetinga certain amount
of labor. The hope iseven entertained that
there will be no scarcity of labor. The hope
is lost hope. The example of the negroes
in the West Indies shows that men who have
been slaves all their lives, will not work
when released from bondage. We have
been told that this is the peculiar trait of the
African. ---- e
1t is no such thing. II is trait just al
much of the Russian. We have read many
| descriptions of the serf. He is the lazies
and most thoughtless Of mortals. He de
lights in nothing so much as sleep.
+ Hewill sleep upon the slightest oppor
tunity, in the most dangerous situation
sometimes on the very caves of house, o
in street where thousands of carriages ar
passing. BE can not be made to work, un
less by some one having the authority o
master over him. Money can not induc
him to do it, neither can good will OF. fiat
terry Set him free, and get any work ou
of him if you can. If we be not mistaken
Alexander II will find this job the worst h
ever undertook. He will find his revenue
falling of, agriculture neglected, manufae
lures brought to dead halt, and his Who'll
empire threatened with ruin. If revolution
should come at the back of all this, he vii
have nobody TO blame but himself.