The sun., 1882-08-27
L.iW REFORM IN RUSSIA.
An Effort to Revise the Many Different Civil
Code. Now In Operation.

ST. PETERSBURG, Aug. 1T is generally
believed abroad that the Russias are all gov
erned by the same laws issued by the Gar. and
so they ought TO be according to Article Al. Vol.
l., Of the Russian Laws which says: The
Russian Empire is governed by virtue Of posi-
tive laws. institutes. and rules issued by the
Autocrat." But it is not SO in fact. In the first
place the Polish provinces have their civil
cod" Of the kingdom II Poland " issued in 1926
which. in its uinln features. il the famous code
OF Napolcu.l. In" lue- nave always preferred
eyeTSthinE Frenrh 70 anything Russian and 50
III the time VI Napoleon J. they adopted French
instead OF lius7ian laws. and they stick 10 them.
Then Finland. "A -t,tutIunal country. wher"
tn" ltuss,an aut?crat has only the power of n
based on the Swedish cod. Of 1884 In the
cour,c, Of me that code has been notified and
amended by the Diet Of Finland whirn is in
depcud"nt Of the Car and his ministers.
Ine three provinces. lnhahlt"d chiefly by
Germans. Cortland Livoqla. and Es;hona
Baltic Provinces" modelled after the code 6f
the kingdom Of Bavaria. The Germans Of
these Provinces believe that il Russia Is ever TO
br rlNiilZed she must begin with III" adoption
OF the Bavarnn code.
The provinces constituting Little Russia use
the ancient statutes oi Lithunnia. which lrfrr
in many important points from the Russian
statutes. Ihe BeesRrablan province u So has
tiio laws.
Last OF all, the great bulk OF the Russian peo-
pie. the I'ensantry. though bound - obey the
tzar's laws arc At liberty TO TRY their civ II suits
according To the ancient unWrlt"H kussIan
las. now An'wn uEl"r tMe name II tn" COM
the Russian peasants have lIttle II any cuntl-
drHce in tn" Gar, judges; therefore as Il
rule. they s"ttl" their lawsuits among them
s"lNr-. Every RusS!Hn village Is r"pubic in
miniature. governed hy an v!rs;' elder I'll
civil suits Of N" peasants arr irrt by N" Mir,
or assembly oI tAc NIiiaEcIs., In r@1r u lawsuit
nr!sr, between reA~aht- Of two utilercnt vii
. lg"s. It j. tried by the representatives of S"Y
rraI Villages. constituting II vltpst. These
].
dom and impGr'iW,y Large land owners
princes counts aAi the other t!Lied persons
often apply To- the peasant courts Tor thu settle
mont ~ disputes with peasants though they
may carry such cases to the Cars courts.
Many iucuHScEieNcc- AMI miSuAdrrs'and-
frrrut civil codes acting simu,ttueouslg Ia The
same roIntrya In order y bring about uni
pointed "a committee with Instructions to make
u general revision Of existing civil avs and II
DRAFT II new laws, Among the m"nl"rs # this
learned professors ot the Iaw IN the uuiN"r- .ty
of TINS rity., The p"' PIE arr very anNtou. TO
Icy" that ia" e9mlnlttre w.l meet with IN
/ surmountAbie dn!'u. is. Wac an ie
Swedish. BayarIan, Byzantine Litnunnien,
hHH,."q, .3h,e'a. Rht sustain Hhohl.
par'ia ial.y. what better laws can Doe substituted :
'u.d a new 1'N' d. .rp"A''iu'}. "hl"lH"I
/ throgEhout the rmpIre; ! TAn-" lue,tio ions 'aH-e
/ feeling Of un"a-lHe~s. Their" is no doubt that
/ by Nrtu" of Ms AutoTa'le pr"rus t'lEv~ the
| Car can max" and UnWIS" any law be- 'h.,l-.-
| within his empire. but In lnUul he has up
] leg -iHtiyc power; II would hr Imprui'Ni for
| Inn to tralp." down he iuvur!au cod" m tn"
/ ieprly" thr Poles II their French pdo. But the
/ Gr'a'"s, danger would com" from lntrugin.
/ the customary law ~ tn" peHsantrr, In view
/ oi thr-" ilci- some hehryo 'ne new laws viii
/ ho more liberal than any ~ thu-" now existing
80 that they will b." ch""riUlly accepted by nll
/ the peoples living under the Cars -cartrr and
| that the change viii Dee IN fact II peaceful con
| stltuttOnal measure.
| The G0los says Mr.. PakhmRn, Senator and
| Professor of CiyiI LAW, j. already working ON
| the draft OF a new civil code.