Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1864-04-07

Emancipation in Russia.

for the purpose Of more firmly establish
ing slavery, IS raging in this country,
twenty-thfee millions of Russian serfa,
should be at once and forever emanci-
pated from a cruel and degrading bon
dage- that, while Liberty is gaining
triumphs in a monarchial government,
she should be forced to wage fearful
strife in order to maintain her ground in
a country nominally free. History will
be searched in vain to find an instance
where reform Of such magnitude as
] the liberation of the Russian serfs has
been accomplished so speedily and with
so little commotion. za
| Within the past two years the En-
peror of Russia has raised twenty-three.
millions Of his subjects from feudal bon
dage to the condition Of free men !; and
that he has done this in spite Of the bit
ter opposition and deep-seated prejudice
ofa very large portion Of the aristocracy,
NEARLY by the force Of his own will,
proves him to be man Of unusual force
and sagacity ofcharacter. Hitherto the
world has been accustomed to see mon
archs using all their power to curtaiI
freedom, and to crush out al liberal
movements, but here is monarch who
| has the ability to comprehend, and the
honesty to act in accordance with the
truth, that the power of nation in
creases in the same ratio as the intelli-
gence of the people,. He undoubtedly
fully comprehended the. fact that the
/ emancipation of the serfs would almost
certainly be followed sooner or later by
| demand for a constitutional government;
but he had the good sense to see that
while his individual power might, in the
end, be somewhat circumscribed, his
! power, as the head of a great nation,
rapidly advancing in all that tends to
| elevate q people, would be vastly in
| creased /; in other words, he saw that he
would posses more power among other
nations as the limited monarch Of an en-
lightened and vigorous people than as a
despot of the people, a vast portion.
OF whom W ere in condition cf hopeless
vassalage. @ @
The opposers of emancipation in
Russia said, as tie pro-slavyry men
Of this country have said, that if emanci-
patton were accomplished it would be
followed by blood shed and dlsorganiza-
tlon OF society. Instead of this, how
ever, the reform has been accomplished
without any violence and without any
serious disturbance of society. Those
emancipated have shown their apprecia-
tion of their new condition by at once
setting about the work of self-culture and
improvement, and it is said that within
the last two years more than eight thous-
and schools have been established by
their individual exertion alone, and these
schools are rapidly increasing in number.
1t IS said further that one million ofthese
liberated serfs have purchased the land
on which they were formerly located
When we reflect that where are now
eight thousand fourishing schools, scarce
ly one existed two years ago-that a
million of land holders are now found
among people that two years ago con
tanned none, not only doesthe greatness
Of the work become manifest, but the
great power Of freedom in eleyating a
people is most forcibly exemplifed.
! The effect Of this reform in Russia
will be vastly to increase her prosperity,
: and to make her one of the most power
ful nations on the face Of the globe
Twenty-three millions of human beings
now have direct interest in the stabiIi-
ty and greatness oftbe government, who
hitherto had none whatever. These
millions, raised to the proud condition
of citizenship by the government, will
show their appfeclatlon.of the blessing by
developing the resources Of the. country,
and rendering the government a more
enlightened, and for that reason. a more
efficient service. Russia, with her vast
extent Of territory, her varied resources
/ and her rising people must now assume
that oyers1adoWing power among the
nations OF Europe to which this great
act OF humanity entities her. 4
/ Compared with this grand act of ius-
tlce on the part Of Russia to an enslaved
race, how short-sighted and reprehensi-
bic appears the hesitancy of the Ameri-
can people in doing justice to the enslav.
ed among them. An Emperor hesitates
not to liberate at a stroke twenty-three
millions Of Slaves, but arepublican GOV
ernment hesitates and doubts as to the
propriety of liberating four millions,
and that too, when the government is
threatened by arebelhon in the interest
of slavery. 4 more deploFable exhisi-
ton of the binding power of prejudice
and the stupid obstination Of party feel
ing cannot be found in history
This example of the enlightened poll
cy Of an emperor is striking rebuke to
those in this country who are so terribly
exercised whenever blow is aimed at
slavery. and who are ever ready to find
an excuse for the crime-nay, more, an
argument for its justice.