b o o k an(j reforming the Ruffian jurifprudence ; but had never
* i carried it into execution : the completion of this arduous
undertaking was referved for Catharine II. ; who, in 1 7 6 7 ,
fummoned deputies to Mofcow from every part o f her ex-
teniive dominions, and having appointed commiffioners for
compoiing a new code o f laws, delivered to them her Grand
Inftru£lions % which had been previoufly compofed by her
imperial majefty in the true fprit o f genuine legiflation.
In conformity to thefe inftrudtions, the firft part o f a new
code made its appearance in 1 775; and a fécond part in
1780 ; and has been received in many o f the new governments,
into which the Ruffian empire has been lately divided.
Many o f the abufes, as well thofe above enumerated as
others o f no lefs moment, have been removed by thefe new
inftitutions -, and many o f them ftill exifting will be abo-
lilhed, i f the emprefs has time to complete the fyftem.
As an ample detail o f thefe regulations falls not within
the compafs o f the prefent work, nor within the capacity o f
the author, it is to be hoped that the curiolity o f the publick
will be in fome meafure gratified by the enumeration o f the
moft itriking peculiarities in this extenfive plan ; which has
changed and modified the whole fyftem o f government.
The empire, which had been divided by Peter the Great
into nine extenfive governments, is now diftributed into a
larger number +, each upon an average containing only from
3 t 0
* “ In ftru&ion s de C a th a r in e I I . Pou r la ers ap pointed to frame a new cod e o f law s .
« Commiffion ch arg ée de dreiTer le P ro je t See T h e G ra n d Inftru ctioiis , & c . p r in ted b y
“ d ’ un N ou v e a u C o d e de L o ix .” St. P e t . Jeffery s.
1 76 9 . t T h e firft p rovin ce s ereéted in to go ve rn -
T h e fe inilruétions ha ve b een tranilated men ts, a c co rd in g t o th e new in ftitu tion ,
in to moft modern lan gu ag es , and into E n g - w ere T v e r and Smoleniko in J an u a ry , 1 776.
lifh- by T a t if c h e f , a Ruffian gentleman j to T h o fe w h ich ha ve been iin ce eftabliflied,
w h ich is prefix ed , a defc ription o f the man- e ith e r b efo re o r d u r in g my refid énee in
n e r o f o p en in g th e commiffion w ith th e Ruffia, w ere in th e follow in g o rde r : N o v o -
o rder and rules fo r e ie& in g the commiffion- g orod and K a lu g a in D e c em b e r , 17 76 ;
P le fc o f,
3 to 400,000 fouls. One or more o f thefe governments is chap.
fuperintended by a nameftnick, or lord-lieutenant, and each »— „— <
of them has a vice-governor, a council, civil and criminal
courts o f judicature, fome o f whofe members are appointed
by the fovereign, and the others are chofen by the nobles. By
this inftitution Catharine has in fome inftances fet bounds
to her abfolute prerogative, by diminiihing the power o f
thofe tribunals which Were only dependent upon the crown,
by transferring it to the nobles, and invefting them with
many additional privileges with rei'pecl to the adminiftration
o f juftice. As ihe has introduced likewife into each government
fuperior tribunals, whofe decifion is final, ihe has prevented,
by thefe means, frequent appeals to the imperial
colleges at Peteriburgh and Mofcow, which were attended
with cônfiderabie expence and delay. By eftabliihing or fe-
parating the diffèrent boards o f finance, police, 8cc. from the
courts of law, which before impeded each other by meeting
in the fame place, ihe has facilitated the diipatch o f bufinefs,
and rendered the adminiftration o f juftice more fpeedy. She
has increafed the falaries o f the judges, who before, from the
narrownefs o f their income, were neceflarily expofed to al-
moft irrefiftible temptations from bribery : or, to ufe her
own expreffions to the judges, in her celebrated edidt,
“ Formerly your neceffities might have induced you to be
“ too attentive to your own interefts : your country now
P le fco f, Y a ro fla f, and T u la , in D e c em b e r , ro n e tz . 14 . T am b o f . x^ .R e fa n . 16 . T u la .
1 7 7 7 ; Polo tilt and M o h ile f in 'Ma y, 1 7 7 f t ; I 7* K a lu g a . 18. Y a ro fla f . 19 . V o lo g d a .
R e fan , V o lo d im ir , K o ftrom a , and O r e l, in 20; V o lo d im ir . 2 1 . K o f trom a . 22. N iih -
D ec em b er , 1778. n é i N p vo g o rod . 2 3 . V ia t k a . 24. Permia.
B y th e latèft a c coun ts from P e te r ib u rgh , 2 5. T o b o lik . 26. K o ly v an . 2 7 . I rk u t ik .
th e governments weire ranged in th é fo llow - 28. U fa . 29; S imb irik . 30. Ca fan . 3 1 .
in g manner. P en z a . 32. S a ra to f. 3 3 . A ftra c an , 34.
1 . M o fcow . 2. P e te r ib u rgh . 3. W ib u r g h . A z o f . 35. N ew -R u ffia . 36. L i t t le - Ruffia,
4 . T v e r . 5. N o vogordd . 6. P le ik o f. 7. 37. K io f . 38. T c h e rn ic h c f . 39, L iv o n ia ,
Smoleniko, 8. Mohilef. 9 P o lotik . 10. o r R ig a . 40 Efth on ia, o r R e v à l. 4 1 . No«
O re l. i t . K u r ik , 121 K'ark o f. 1 3 . V o - vo go rod -Se ve riko i. 4 3 . O ren b u rgh .
N 2 “ pays