The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-08-23
The DelllSiOn.

The New York lribune-which has
learned much and has much to learn-in
the course of an article upon the subject OF
Russian Decisions" makes the following
striking remarks
"But nations, like sinners, must work
ont their salvation with fear and trembling.
Have we not learned in America that 1t is
one thing to give slave his liberty and an
other thing to make him an intelligent and
industrious citizen? Russia attempted far
more than we have done. She not only
liberated the serfs and endowed them with
the rights Of citizenship in the communeS,
but put them in the way OF becoming land
ed proprietorS. No nation ever made so
gigantic an experiment in social and polltl-
cal science. Free labor has led to the most
complicated agrarian problems, and the re-
suits have fallen short of popular expecta-
ton. The seris have not been transformed
into.sober and thrifty farmers. The effort
10 create a third estate OF intelligence has
not been, successful Many Of the landed
proprietors have been ruined, and few OF
the peasants nave conducted their farms
profitably. The economic and political re-
srI]ts OF manumission have disappointed
both the educated classes and the mass OF
the population. So impartial writer rs
Mr.. Wallace describes the great majority of
educated Russians as suffering to-day from
shattered illusions. The expectations which
they entertained at the beginning Of this
transition period have not been realized.
They have not escaped the harsh action OF
economic laws by which the working classes
Of other nations are weighed down."
What confession is here. The Russians
"hayc not reformed the serfs into sober
and thrifty farmers,' and "have we not
give slave his liberty and another thing to
make him an intelligent and industrious
citizen?" Exactly And we must re-
member that the Russian seri is OF the same
type OF man with the master who held him
in bondage. Where then should be the
wonder that in this country the African,
so entirely distinct in feature and capacity
from his'white Caucasian master, should not
acquire, with liberty, that 'intelligence I"
and Industry" that would make him u
good citizen?
1t has been fearful experiment in this
land made under the ediot of ianaticism.
II was impulsiyely and violently inaugu-
rated. and supported with an oaensiyeness
OF defamation and rigor Of measure that
must seem now to the dominant power that
enforced it amazing. Fanaticism rioted In
the public distress, and the more sensible
and humane people that were carried along
the turbid current were powerless to halt
and demonstrate. Now it lie that doubts
creep in, and doubts as to measure that
involves the welfare OF this grand nation,
and great newspaper that had more to do
with the experiment than any other in the
land declares TINT we have learned that it Is
one thing 10 give slave bis liberty and an
other TO make him on intelligent and indus
trious citizen! II
The attempt OF Russia to free her serfs-
all OF tue same type with their masters
ana make them " steady and good farmers,'
IS now pronounced a delusion.a What,
then, should be said OF the wild sanatical
experiment in America OF setting free the
interior African slave, and not only Gle.