Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-10-27
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The Russian Millennium.

The recent celebration at NOYgOrod of the
one thousandth birthday of the Russian
nation, has attracted, in the present excited
state OF our country, but a 1.-THE of the atten-
ton which would have been devoted to it in
more prosperous times. Nor does it appear to
have wholly met the anticipations of some Of
the Russian people themselves. They had
expected that the pageant which brought SO
many strangers to the decaying old city of
prince Rurik-that the uncovering of the en-
blamatical statue and the presence of the car
and imperial family would have ushered in
DEGREES of freedom of the press and conscience,
and of a constitutional government. These
the car was not yet disposed to grant. He
addressed the peasants, explaining to them
the terms of their emancipation, showing that
they had misunderstood his edict and definite
ly informing them that, while their personal
freedom was assured they must buy their
lands of the mobiles. To these latter the car
also made an address, stating that he looked
upon them as the firmest support of his throne,
and that he relied fully upon their devotion
and loyalty.
Some of the English journals are disposed
to look upon the Novgorod affair as failure,
as far as its political Importance is concerned,
and to intimate that the car was too weak
and timid to carry out his own intentions. On
the contrary, however, this great monarch is
daily proving his firmness and consistency. In
his original scheme of emancipation the pc
Rod of transition from sertage to freedom is
set down at twelve years, at the end OF which
time the Serfs were each also to have possess
sion of small portion of land. The boyars
the conservatives" of Russia-opposed the
scheme. They did their best to darken coun-
sci by words; they purposely propagated false
hon, s
the befogged peasantry arose in instruction
they made great capital of the fact, just as
some of our conservatives have done regard
ing recent rumored slave uprlsings. The
czar, unable to come to any arrangement, then
modified his plan by proclaiming the imperial
serfs at once free, but without their lands,
which they have to ''work for and earn"
Alexander ii has then shown no inconsis-
| tency-no wavering. He has steadily and
| faithfully worked for emancipation, has given
all he promised, and with the great love for
human progress, which actuates him, will
give still more From man who has already
done very much that is great and good, We
have a right to confidently look and hope fol
still more. Even if Alexander Ii never die
anything for Russia further than bring abou
emancipation, he has in that act done more
than any previous monarch, and as tar as his
own record in the book of fame and history il
concerned, can afford to leave further projects
to his successors. But what he has done in
| spires the faith of the people and the worlC
that he will not stop, or pass his future life il
| political ''winter quarters"
The Russian people-the lower classes
love him to degree unparalleled in the cast
of any people or ruler in the world They
sell through the streets pictures of their car
in hn taH efa in n bol,
of glory, with the emancipation proclamation
in his hand, while the peasants are kneelng
at his feet; the almost idolatrous sentiment OF
the picture evidently suggested by those Of
the virgin, as the most renowned saint of the
Russian hagiology. 1t is said that at the re-
Cent celebration at NOvgOrod-not Nijni-NOv-
gorod, as professor White, in his excellent
article on the Russian serf system, in the
November number of the Atlantic, inadver-
tently states--the car crossed over to one of
the neighboring villages and was recognized
by the freed serfs, who cast their fur jackets
at his feet for him to walk upon as he passed.
In all countries ruled by absolute monarchs
there will be outward displays of obSequious-
ness to the sovereign, but in Russia, however
extravagant they may appear to us, the dem
onstrations are dictated by pure love and graf
itude-they are the outward sign of an inward
faith.
The recent event in Russian history is not
without its significance to us. The parallel
between the condition of Russia and the Unit
ed States is daily becoming more and more
striking. Slavery III Russia was even a great
err evil than here, for it extended all over and
retarded the progress of the entire country
while here it directly affected only the posi-
ton. Efforts were made to abolish it in Rus
STA on a system of arrangement, but owing
to the conservative" influence of the mobiles
| it failed, and the car saw and acknowledged
the necessity of proclaiming an indubitable
and almost unconditional emancipation. In
this country we are trying the arrangement
system. President Lincoln's proclamation of
fers to our "barons of the south" an arrange
ment. Whether they will accede to it,
is too early q say ; but, certainly,
so far, they have shown little DISPOSE
Stion to do so. Their refusal, which the
expiration of the three months grace will
probably witness, will be followed by uncon-
ditional emancipation, and then we will be
where Russia placed herself as soon as the
troubles with her mobiles became so serious
as to give reason to doubt the efficacy of the
arrangement season-thus, perhaps, avoiding
as bloody war as we have fallen into.
Events in both the Old and the New Worlds,
then, prove that emancipation is the great
leading principle of our age, and history will
|. recognize this fact, inscribng on her fairest
page the names of those who most successful
| ly-whether in idea or in fact-promulgated
that great doctrine.