登陆注册
5382300000209

第209章 CHAPTER XXIX(3)

This Abolitionist fervour was considerably augmented by certain political aspirations which did not appear in the newspapers, but which were at that time very generally entertained. In spite of the Press-censure a large section of the educated classes had become acquainted with the political literature of France and Germany, and had imbibed therefrom an unbounded admiration for Constitutional government. A Constitution, it was thought, would necessarily remove all political evils and create something like a political Millennium. And it was not to be a Constitution of the ordinary sort--the fruit of compromise between hostile political parties--but an institution designed calmly according to the latest results of political science, and so constructed that all classes would voluntarily contribute to the general welfare. The necessary prelude to this happy era of political liberty was, of course, the abolition of serfage. When the nobles had given up their power over their serfs they would receive a Constitution as an indemnification and reward.

There were, however, many nobles of the old school who remained impervious to all these new feelings and ideas. On them the raising of the Emancipation question had a very different effect.

They had no source of revenue but their estates, and they could not conceive the possibility of working their estates without serf labour. If the peasant was indolent and careless even under strict supervision, what would he become when no longer under the authority of a master? If the profits from farming were already small, what would they be when no one would work without wages?

And this was not the worst, for it was quite evident from the circular that the land question was to be raised, and that a considerable portion of each estate would be transferred, at least for a time, to the emancipated peasants.

To the proprietors who looked at the question in this way the prospect of Emancipation was certainly not at all agreeable, but we must not imagine that they felt as English land-owners would feel if threatened by a similar danger. In England a hereditary estate has for the family a value far beyond what it would bring in the market. It is regarded as one and indivisible, and any dismemberment of it would be looked upon as a grave family misfortune. In Russia, on the contrary, estates have nothing of this semi-sacred character, and may be at any time dismembered without outraging family feeling or traditional associations.

Indeed, it is not uncommon that when a proprietor dies, leaving only one estate and several children, the property is broken up into fractions and divided among the heirs. Even the prospect of pecuniary sacrifice did not alarm the Russians so much as it would alarm Englishmen. Men who keep no accounts and take little thought for the morrow are much less averse to making pecuniary sacrifices--

whether for a wise or a foolish purpose--than those who carefully arrange their mode of life according to their income.

Still, after due allowance has been made for these peculiarities, it must be admitted that the feeling of dissatisfaction and alarm was very widespread. Even Russians do not like the prospect of losing a part of their land and income. No protest, however, was entered, and no opposition was made. Those who were hostile to the measure were ashamed to show themselves selfish and unpatriotic.

At the same time they knew very well that the Emperor, if he wished, could effect the Emancipation in spite of them, and that resistance on their part would draw down upon them the Imperial displeasure, without affording any compensating advantage. They knew, too, that there was a danger from below, so that any useless show of opposition would be like playing with matches in a powder-

magazine. The serfs would soon hear that the Tsar desired to set them free, and they might, if they suspected that the proprietors were trying to frustrate the Tsar's benevolent intentions, use violent measures to get rid of the opposition. The idea of agrarian massacres had already taken possession of many timid minds. Besides this, all classes of the proprietors felt that if the work was to be done, it should be done by the Noblesse and not by the bureaucracy. If it were effected by the nobles the interests of the land-owners would be duly considered, but if it were effected by the Administration without their concurrence and co-operation their interests would be neglected, and there would inevitably be an enormous amount of jobbery and corruption. In accordance with this view, the Noblesse corporations of the various provinces successively requested permission to form committees for the consideration of the question, and during the year 1858 a committee was opened in almost every province in which serfage existed.

In this way the question was apparently handed over for solution to the nobles, but in reality the Noblesse was called upon merely to advise, and not to legislate. The Government had not only laid down the fundamental principles of the scheme; it continually supervised the work of construction, and it reserved to itself the right of modifying or rejecting the projects proposed by the committees.

同类推荐
  • 文殊师利问经

    文殊师利问经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 大乘二十二问本

    大乘二十二问本

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 神功妙济真君礼文

    神功妙济真君礼文

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 发背对口治诀论

    发背对口治诀论

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 龙飞录

    龙飞录

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
热门推荐
  • 娘子不乖:王爷耍无赖

    娘子不乖:王爷耍无赖

    他,披着一身阳光而来,给我心里留下无限美好。他,从来不顾自己,为了我的安危竭尽全力。他,琴棋书画,样样精通,为我师,解我忧。他,黑夜里来去无踪,却在关键时刻救我于生死之间。我从没有想过一步踏进宫廷,会引来如此纠葛的谜团。最深的爱,最深的痛,他们都对我宠爱有加,究竟谁会最后给我披上嫁衣?
  • 第二杯半价ing

    第二杯半价ing

    正当奶昔想要开口时,那男人身边的另一个带着昂贵眼镜的西装男率先开口,彬彬有礼的道:“我们总裁……
  • 凤临天下:废材逆天

    凤临天下:废材逆天

    雇佣兵首领重生为仙门弃女,所幸老天没让九凤临绝望,获得‘逆袭宝典’。激活召唤术、掠夺术……召唤神兽当坐骑,掠夺他人物品……
  • 小隐书

    小隐书

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 艺术家成长故事(激励学生成长的名人故事)

    艺术家成长故事(激励学生成长的名人故事)

    名人故事,流芳百世,传世名言,启迪心智。《艺术家成长故事》精选了中外历史上最具有代表性的艺术家,如马神仙马致远、牧童画家王冕、风流才子唐伯虎、书法家祝枝山、辛酸泪笔化巨著曹雪芹、扬州怪才郑板桥、我以我血荐轩辕鲁迅、武林至尊金庸、一代宗师齐白石、京剧大师梅兰芳、一代画才徐悲鸿、国画大师张大千、浩瀚星海冼星海、贝多芬、早逝的音乐天才莫扎特、柴科夫斯基、钢琴诗人肖邦、天才多产作曲家亨德尔等,讲述他们在各个领域的成才故事,总结和提炼他们成才的启示与“秘诀”。
  • 太上说玄天大圣真武本传神咒妙经

    太上说玄天大圣真武本传神咒妙经

    本书为公版书,为不受著作权法限制的作家、艺术家及其它人士发布的作品,供广大读者阅读交流。汇聚授权电子版权。
  • 弑天刃

    弑天刃

    江湖无道,拔刀而起,利刃横空,问心无愧。众生无道,刀锋弑之。冷眼星空,持刀睥睨。通天大道,一路荆棘,一刀斩开,唯我独尊!
  • 六界旅途

    六界旅途

    一个“天才”带着自己的妹妹想要向一位至高无上的神灵复仇,在复仇之前,他们需要进行“严格”的训练,而训练的地点,就是这个充满未知的“世界”,无论是妖魔还是神佛都只是让二人更加强大的进步阶梯,但是啊,这一切都会那么顺利么?也许会吧,也许不会吧,不过,不断挑战“未知”,才是人类(万物)进步的根本吧,许多事情,也不是那么简单的吧。
  • 玄武天下(4)

    玄武天下(4)

    千世的轮回消磨不了他(刀)内在的杀气。万年的魔咒尘封不住他(剑)体内的战意。他们的出世使平静的乐士烽烟四起!他们的重逢将武界引入神魔之境!四帝的传说,神祇的传奇,导致大冥乐土万世伟业分崩离析。一位自认能战胜传说的惊世强者在战火中崛起,他以不屈的战意与传说之剑融为一体,并以玄道意境与火帝之女展开千世的恋情。神祇的荣辱,乐土的存亡,武道的兴衰与他的命运息息相连。
  • 重生之拐带萌徒

    重生之拐带萌徒

    她前世为妖女,今世为魔女。前世她被人诬陷背上祸国殃民的妖女之名,她岂会罢休?!前世的姐姐,爱人,今世都是仇人!今世的魔女之名,是被她家老师惯出来的。她说要星星,老师就不会给她摘月亮;她说要谁死,谁就不能活。既然老师对她那么好,那她就要把老师拐过来帮她报仇才行。可是,真的是她把老师拐了的吗?怎么总是觉得不对……