The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1861-04-13
Emanc ipa ton Of the Russian Serf,

The St. Petersburg correspondent Of the
Nord writing on the 25th Of Feb, gives the
| following account Of the final sediment OIL
this measure of vast progress
The Council Of the Empire held its last
sitting to-day on tho question of the emanci.
patton Of the serfs. The Emperor spoke at
considerable length Other speeches were
made. smonast others rcmarkab BILE one by
Prince Paul Gagarine. A decision was
adopted by a consider able majority. to the
| following intent:
Personal liberty is accorded to the serf !:
all relations between proprietors and peasants
cease at once. The latter are to receive as
their own property the house they live in and
the kitchen garden belonging to it. As re-.
CARDS the allotment (naiicD of the arabic
land, the Council Of the empire has accepted
| the settleme nt of one four tn Of the allotment
first fixed by the Committee on the Report,
according to the different government, or
from one to two dissiatines per head
little explanation is necessary. The
Committee on the Report had proposed TO
allow to the peasant a certain amount Of
arabic land, amounting. according TO the
districts to from three to egh, diss,atines at a
liked price determined by the Committee in
the draft The Committee admitted in prin-
clple that the peasants that were to b. libcr.
ated and endowed are all culhvators. But,
in reality, thu number of cultivators is FAR
from forming the totality of the serfs. A
great number of them are occupied in differ.
ent trades, and it would be hard upon them
to compel them to purchase a considerable
quantity of arabic land belonging to the
landed proprietor. 1t is, moreover, very
difficult to ascertain at once the exact number
w III IN In
Of the landed property being administered by
II cans Of the obrok-that is 10 say, fixed
rent paid by the peasants. 1t is only where
the system of coruee (barsichna) prevails that
the peasant is compelled to be cnltvator,
because he is obliged himself to cultivate the
land Of his proprietor. How the laoor Of the
Russian peasant will hencelorth be div ided
has still to be seen; but 1t would be useless.
even dangerous, in regard to the expansion of
the productive resources of Russia. to settle
| everything beforehand. These are about the
reasons which actuated the Council to decide
| that the allOrtment at fixed price shall only
extend to one quarter Of the obligatory pur.
chase-land determined by the Committee on
the report, and that if tho peasants are desir.
Gus OF cultlvating larger tracts of land on
their own account. they must come to private
agreement ON the subject with their former
pIopIletors.
Thus has bee. resolved. if not in perfect
manner-and their is nothing pei feet in this
world-at lcss. IN a possible aud practical
manner, the great question of emanci patton.
which has for years held the whole country
in expense. The notifications made in the
| original projects are Of nature to conciliate
the susccpubiitieS as well as the interests of
the two classes concerned which it was most
importan! to separcte without making them
| adversarics.
The Imperial manifesto is already in the
printers hands, and some 100 900 copies
will be issued throughout the different print
ing offices, under the especial Superintendent
of the Minister of Justice. The proclamation
of the emancipation will. however. not he
made on the Sd of March as announced 1t
would not be prudent to proclaim individual
, Liberty without at the same time explaining
the conditions upon which it is granted. AT
all events the delay will only be for few
weeks or days, during which time the Car.
nva will be over, at which period the Rus
sian peasant is not remarkable for exemplary
sohre;y. 1t will be, therefore, at the com.
mcncement Of High Lent that the Imperial
manifesto will be- issued. 1t ia, in fact, the
most propilious moment for the publication
of decree of this Importance.