Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-02-13

The January number of Black woods Maya
zIne, in IT. letter from Poland, gives a most in
teresfing and instructive twenty four hours in
voIhynia, which il Of the provinces of that
i'll fated country now engaged 10 a spasmodic
effort to throw off the yoke of Russian DONNA
ton. The landed proprietary OF the province are
Poles; the pessantry being. in chief part. Puthe
nian, who have no sympathy With the popular
movement against Russia. r'.d who. although by
no means attached to the empire Of the Gar,
have been easily bribed or y 1uced by prospect
of plumber to side with the Emperor These
peasants have in many instances resisted every
temptation. and remained faithful to their mas
tiers
The Russian Government. by way of aiding to
put down the rebellion, seems TO have resorted
to decree Of con6scation OF property OF rebels.
not unlike in its provisions the act of Federal
Congress In both cases, the property of the
revolted section has been called upon for pecuni
airy contribution aid in restoring the authority
OF the General Government and. in event OF
failure to respond (of which failure both the
United States aud Russia had. from the necessi-
ties of the case. foreknowledge). then prompt
sale OF the property at auction to slaves or peas
ants, as the case may be In Poland, there has
been a longer experience than in South Carolina,
and we give below an extract from the letter be
fore Us, that il may be seen how history teaches
by examples:
One of our motives for visiting the country
just at this period. was desire to be present at
some of the sales of sequeslered property which
were taking place daily These sales we're ex-
pressly arranged for the benefit of the peasautry
one of my friends. for instance. who is Gacian.
we'll as Volhynian. proprietor, who was called
upof. to pay the Russian Government a sum equal
TO fS 900 for TIE suppression of the rebellion
As he has carefully abst2 ned from taking part in
the mos ement, the amount of the tax in itself
sufficiently onerous; but lest he should be in
condition To procure that sum at short notice
he was only allowed three DAYS 10 raise il: and
as he was not resident in Nolhynia. il mani
festly Impossible tor him TO make the necessary
arrangement In default of prompt payment the
live stock OF the proprietor is put up at auction
among the peasants, who are thus enabled to pur-
chase their masters horses at a shilling aDeace
ana merino sheep have been known to sell for as
little a. three half pence eack In other words
the peassntry receive present of their masters
stock, his crops. or working his lands and is
obliged 10 pay the difference between the trfng
amount which his property has realized and the
sum originally demanded Dy the government Ii
would seem. however. from late accounts, that
the pesssntry are becoming unmanageable and
independent IN their bearing toward the govern
tment, which has thus spoiled them. and com
plain OF being obliged TO pay TO the govern
ment the tax properly due to the proprietor. in
compensation tor the land which originally
his. and hts by n recent arrangement been trans
Terrell Ia the peasant Having paid only a nom
inal sum for their cattle. they now want to get
the land for nothing well; and il j some con-
ISOLATION 20 the proprietor. who has been robbed
OF both 10 see the thieves fall out The position
OF country gentleman ia these PROVINCES Is in
fact becoming intOlerable: not aIlowe,! 10 leave
the country. he is constantly subjected 10 the
suspicion OF the government while he remains in
1t. aud often finds himself at last an unwilling
occupant OF a dismal cell. or one Of 4 melancholy
corfeee on its way TO Siberia. Those who we're
fortunate enough 10 procure passports at the com
mencement ct the movement have hei the coun
try. those who were left were in most instances
arrested, 50 that scarcely property remains ten
anted ANY who have been discreet or luck,
enough 10 be left AZ liberty have been called upon
the one hand by the Russian on the other b,
the Polish. national gov ernm ent. TO paw heav,
contributions In both instance, the payment i
compulsory. while the constant presence ot arm
ei bands of disorderly peasants. or of CossackS
renders daily life unsafe.