The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-26
SEP TEMPER MAGAZINES.
TIE ATLANTIC MONTHLY.

BeptemDer uumDeI VI Luo AUuHttC "O"TWy 10
one by Mr.. T. w. Knox. on the "Siberian
Exiles, from which we extract the following
siberiaA Exues.
The plan inaugurated by Peter the Great has
been followed by all his successors. Crime IN
Russia is rarely punished with death; many
offenses which in other countries would demand
the execution OF the offender are there followed
by exile to Siberia. As Russia is OUT tnlnly
inhabited, her rulers are greatly ayerse 10 taking
the lives of their SUBJECTS; the transfer Oh an
individual from one part OF the empire TO an.
other is a satisfactory mode OF punishment, ana
gladly practised in a country that has no popu-
iation to spare. Siberia, with its immense area,
has barely four millions of Inhabitants, and
consequently possesses abundant room Tor all
those who offend against Russian laws. Oriml-
mails of various grades become dwellers in
Siberia, and very often make excellent citlzens;
then there are political Offenders oanlshed
for disturbing the peace and dignity OF the State,
or loving other forms of government better than
the Emperor's. Outside OF Russia there Is a be-
lief as erroneous it Is general, that the great
majority of exlles are poyuiques. Except at the
close of the periodic revolutions in Poland, the
criminals outnumber the political exiles III the
ratio of twenty to one. For year or more FOL
lowing each struggle OF the Foles m shor. aPr tneir
travelled to an unusual extent; between the in
surrections there is only the regular stream OF
deported criminals, with here aud there batch
of those who plot against the Government.
1t is easy to go to Siberia; easier, | am told,
than to get away from 1t. banlshment Is de-
creed for various ofenses, some OF them OF
very serious character Many murderer,
who would have been hanged in England o.
America, has been sent into exile with tn
opportunity Of becoming a free citizen after
ten or twenty years OF compulsory la0or, On
the descending scale OF cupabiity there are
burglars, street and highway robbers, petty
thieves, and so through list OF namable and
nameless offenders. Before the abolition or
serfdom O master could send a serf to Siberia
for no other reason than that he chose to do so.
The record against the exile stated that he was
banished "by the will OF his master" but 1t was
not necessary to declare the cause or TINS eXer.
else of arbitrary power. The plan was instituted
to enable land owners to I'D themselves OF idle,
uuarrelsome, or dissolute serts, whose absence
was desirable but who had committed no otfense
that the laws could touch. Doubtless it was
often abused; and instances are narrated where
the best men or women on au estate nave
been bauished upon caprice of their owners, or
for worse reasons. Its liability to abuse was
checked by the requirement that the master
must pay the Quitting and travelling expenses
of the exiled sert and also those OF his vile and
immature children.
OF political exiles there are the men, and
sometimes women, concerned in the various in
surrections in Poland taken with arms in their
hands, or involved in Conspiraces for Polish
independence. Then there are Russian revolu-
tionists, like the Decembrsts of 1885, or the
restless spirits that now and then declare that
the government of the Gar is not the best for
their beloved country. In the scale OF lntell-
gence, the pOIttques are far above the or riminals
and frequently include some of Russia's ablest
men.
Theoretically all persons sent into exlle-with
the exception of the serfs mentioned above
must be tried and convicted before a court
military commission, or some kind OF judicial
authority. Practically this is not always the
Case but instances oi arbitrary banishmeHt are
lar less frequent now than under former rulers.
Catharine III. eXlled many of her subjects with
out so much as hearing, and the Empelo"
Paul was accustomed to issue orders of
epor tation for little or no apparent reason.
Nicholas, though severe, aimed 10 be lust; and
the present Emperor has the reputation OF tenn
perlng justice with mercy quite as much as
could be expected of deSpouc monarch. Very
likely it occasionally happens that banshed
man has no trial. or is unfairly sentenCed; out
do not think Russia is any worse i'll the matter
OF Justice than the average Of European govern
mens. Certainly the rule Of Alexander is better
than that OF the Queen of Spain; and, so far as |
have knowledge of Austria and France, there is
little to choose between them and their rugged
Northern antagonist.
A criminal condemned to exile is sent away
with very little ceremony; and the same Is the
case with the great majority OF p0LulqueS. Where
All officer OF the army, or other person OF note,
has been sentenced to banshmeut for lfe he
is dressed in tuil uniform, and led to scat
fold in some public place, In the presence
OF the multitude, and of certain officials
appointed to execute the sentence, he is
made to kneel. His epauets and decorations
are then torn from his coat, aud his sword is
broken above his head, to indicate that he no
onger possesses rank and title. He is declared
egally dead his estates are condscated 10 the
Crown; and his wife, If he is married, can con-
slider herself a WIdo if she so chooses. From
the sCallOld he starts on his journey TO Siberia.
His wife and children, sisters or mother,
can follow or accompany him, but only on
the condition that they share his Punishment,
and cannot return to Europe. Children born to
him n exile are Illegitimate III the eye of the
law, and technically, though not practically,
are forbidden to bear their family name. They
cannot leave Siberia while their father is under
sentence; but this regulation is occasionally
evaded by daughters marrying, and travelling
under the name of their husbands.
Formerly st. Petersburg and Moscow were
the points of departure Tor eXiles on their way
to Siberia, most of the conveys being made up
at the latter city. Those from ST. Petersburg
generally passed through Moscow; but some
times, when great haste was desired, they were
sent by q shorter route, and reached the great
road at Perm. At present the proper starting
pOintI at Mine Novgorod-the terminus of the
railway-unless the exiies happen to come from
the eastern provinces, in which case they are
sent to Kazan or Ekaterueburg. Distinctions
have always been carefully made between po-
litiCal and criminal offenders. Men of noble
birth were allowed to ride, and, while on the
road, enjoyed certain privileges which were
denied their interiors Sometimes, owing to
the unusually large numbers going to Siberia,
the facilities of transportation were unequa; to
the demand. 1t thus happened that indi-
Viduals entitled to ride were com mpelled to go on
foot, and occasionally by mistake or the bru-
tallty of officials, pOL1Qke was placed
among criminals. Persons of the high.
est rank were often treated with special
Difference, and went more like princes
on pleasure journeys than as men banished
from their homes. When brave old Suwarof,
who covered the Russian name with glory, fell
under the dlspleasure of his sovereign, and was
guard of honor was ASSIGNED TO his use. NO.
said the aged warrior. he EtpDDed from his