.BOOK.
V .
A peafant may obtain his liberty, i . by manumiffion,
>which, upon the death o f the mafter, is frequently granted
to thofe who have ferved in the capacity o f his immediate
domefticks ; a. by purchafe ; 3. by ferving in the army or
navy ; for a peafant is free from the moment of his enrolment,
and continues fo whenever he obtains his difcharge :
and in all thefe cafes the emprefs has facilitated the means o f
obtaining freedom, by waiving feveral rights of the crown,
which, in fome meafure, obitructed this acquifition o f liberty.
Although her majefty cannot alter the fundamental ilate
o f property, by conferring-upon the peafants, as individuals,
any material privileges which might infringe thofe o f the
nobles; yet (lie has not negledted their intereils, but has
iifued feveral laws in their favour, which have given them
fome alleviation.
By allowing them to fettle in any part o f her dominions,
and to enrol themfelves among the burghers or merchants,
according to their refpedtive capitals, fhe has given affability
to their freedom, and afforded the ftrongeil incitements for
the exertions o f induftry. She has repealed thofe oppreffive
laws, which forbad, in certain diftridts, all peafants to marry
without the confent of the governor o f the province, or the
vayvode o f the town, who ufually 'exacted a prefent from the
parties. The emprefs, by aboliihing this tax upon the rights
of humanity, has wifely removed, as far as lay in her power,
every obftacle to marriage *•
* See 17 th o f ar tic le o f th e M amfefto
at th e conclufion o f th e pea ce w ith the
G ran d S ig n o r /
I f In ce rta in d illi i&s o f o u r empire it has
** been h ithe rto neceflary to obta in a per-s
‘ in iffio n to m arry from the governors o f
provin ce s , o r o f th e vayvocfes o f towns j
“ and this permiffion was u fu ally pu rcha fed
“ b y money o r c a tt le . W e aboliih this
“ cuftom ; an d from this time ev e ry perfon
“ fliall be fre e to m a r ry w ith o u t obtaining,
“ fimiiar p e r millions/'
I was much furprized to find, upon inquiry, that no noble CHAP-
in Rufiia had franchifed his vafials in the fame manner as 11 V~ '
before mentioned to have -been practifed in Poland ; but I
may venture to predict, that the time is not far diftant, although
an almoit general prejudice feems at prefent to prevail
with refpeit to the incapacity o f the peafants for receiving
their liberty. And this perhaps may be true in the
literal fenfe as many of them, unlefs properly initrudted
would fcarcely be enabled to derive a folid advantage from
their freedom, which might be confidered by fome as an
exemption from labour and a permiifion for licentioufnefs.
A Century ago. perhaps no one in Rufiia would have ventured
to debate the queition, Whether the peafants ought to
he free ? but the fcience and learning, which are now dawning
upon thefe regions, have already introduced fuch a fpirit
of inquiry, that fimilar fubjedts are not unfrequently dif-
cuiled in publick. A remarkable infiance, which juftifies
the truth o f this obfervation, lately occurred; in confequence
of a prefent o f a thoufand ducats, fent, in 176 6, by an anonymous
perfon to the (Economical fociety at St. Peterf-
burgh, and at the defire o f the faid perfon, the fociety offered
a premium o f fifty ducats, and a gold medal, value 25
ducats, to the author of the belt difiertation on the folio win o-
queftion, “ Is it molt advantageous to the ilate, that the
“ peafant ihould poflefs land, or only perfonal effects ; and
‘ ‘ to what point ihould that property be extended for the
good o f the publick ?” One hundred and fixty four dif-
fertations were accordingly delivered by the time appointed ;
and the prize w.as given to a Mr. Bearde, dodtor in canon
and civil law at Aix-la-Chapelle, for a French effay upon
this mtereiling fubjedt in favour o f the peafants.
1 ' j This