The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-11-09
Thursday Morning, Nov. 8, 1865.
Lessons from RUSSIAN 8 lnmaaoipstion. n. b. .

lessons from RUSSIAN Emancipation.
There is glorious instance in our own day
which is an example for us, when the Emper-
or OF Russia, by proclamation, fulfilling the
aspirations of his predecessors, set free twenty
three millions of serfs and then completed his
work by investing the freedmen with civil and
political rights, including the right to testify in
court, the right of suffrage and the right to
hold office. have in my hand this immortal
proclamation, dated at ST. Petersburg, 10Th OF
February, 1861; promulgated amidst prayers
and Thanksgiving in all the churches of the
national capital, and at once expedited to eV-
cry part of the widely extended empire by gem
erals and staff officers of the Emperor himself.
Here 1t Is in an official document entitled If
frGnchSsse0eeiat des SesJs, and issued at St. Pc
tersburg. After reciting that the earlier meas
ures in behalf of the serfs had failed, because
they had been left to the Spontaneous initia-
tive OF the proprietors," the Emperor proceeds
to take the work in hand as a sacred legacy
from his ancestors, and declares the serfs, after
an interval OF two years, "entirely enfranchis-
ed" Meanwhile, that nothing might fail "a
special court" for serfs was created in each
province, charged with the organization 10
cal governments, the adjustment of bounda-
rles, and generally To superintend the transi-
ton from the old to the new, with Sjustice of
the peace" in each district. to examine on the
spot all questions arising from emancipation.
Had the work stopped here, it would have
been incomplete. But no such fatal mistake
was made. ~, 1T fe
Accompanying the proclamation, is a series
of"regulations," prepared with infinite care,
and divided into chapters and sections--oceu-
pying no less than ninety-one pages in double
columns and small type-by which the rights
of the freedmen are secured beyond question
beginning with the declaration that the freed
men acquire the rights belonging to the corr
dition OF free farmers" they then proceed in
formal words TO fix and assure their rights
civil and political BY one section, it is pro
vided that "the articles of the civil code on
the rights and obligations of the family are ex-
tended to freedmen; that consequently they
acquire the right without the authorization OF
the proprietor, to contract marriage, and to
make any arrangement whatever concerning
their family affairs; that they can equally en-
ter all agreements and obligations authorized
by the laws as well with the State as with in
dividuals, on the conditions established for free
farmers; that they can inscribe themselves in
the guilds, and exercise trades in the villages:
and they can found and conduct factories and
establishments of commerce. Another sec
ton secures to the. freedmen the right. of ac-
quiring and alternating properly Of all kinds,
according to the general law, besides guaran-
tees, on certain conditions 1the possession of
their homesteads," with the grounds appurte-
nant.
Another section secures to the freedmen
complete equality iYs the courts, with the right
of action, whether civilly or criminally, to
commence process, and to answer personally
or by attorney; to make complaint and to de-
fend their rights by all the means known to
the law, and to appear as lcitaesses and bait,
corJormabLy to the lar.
Other sections secure to the freedmen equal
ity in political rights, by providing that aon
the organization of the towns, they shall be
entitled to take part in the meetings and cleo
tions for the towns, and to vote on town aa-
fairs, and to exercise divers functions: that
they shall also Stake part in the assemblies for
the district and shall vote in district affairs,
and choose the chairman,1 and generally to
enjoy all rights to choose their local officers
and to be chosen in turn. aiAnd still another
section authorizes freedmen to "place their
children in the establishments for public cdu-
cation, to embrace the career of instruction
or the scientific caTeer,o or to take service in
the corps of surveyors" And it is further
provided that they "cannot lose their rights or
be restrained in their exercise, except after
Judgment of the town, according 20 fixed rules =
And still further, that they cannot be subject
ed to any punishment otherwise than by vir-
tue of a judgement, or according to the legal
decision of the town to which they belongn1
Such are the safeguards by which enlancipa-
ton in Russia has been completed and assur-
ed. Such is the lesson of the great Empire to
the great Republic Charles Sumner. sa.