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advanced by the capital paid in the form of these bonds to the
expropriated landlords。 More than one great landowner was deeply
in debt at the time emancipation took place； very few had the
capital needed for the economic arrangements required for the
substitution of the paid work of the free peasant for the unpaid
work of the serf。 They obtained it by selling or mortgaging the
〃rentes〃 or bonds paid to them by the Government。
We therefore find that on all points the press was the guide；
the authoritative adviser； the sure ally of the Government。 This
last character plainly appeared in the struggle which the central
committee had to maintain with the delegates of the provincial
Committees。 These bodies were composed exclusively of members of
the local nobility； and were empowered to present their opinions
on the impending reform。 Unconscious of the alteration which had
taken place in the intentions of the Government； they expressed
ideas in complete accord with those at first entertained by the
Emperor。 The majority in each committee； seeing that it was
impossible under present circumstances to maintain their old
rights over the person of the serf； consented to recognise his
freedom； and that without pay。 They were anxious about one thing
alone to retain as far as possible in their own hands the land
actually possessed by the peasant。 This feeling was the stronger
where the soil was rich； as was the case in the Central and
Southern Governments； where the black soil prevails。 It was less
so in the west and north； where the ground yielded but a small
rent。 We find a complete unanimity between the utterances of the
central and southern nobles； both insisting on the necessity of
limiting the expropriation of the land in favour of the peasants
to that occupied by their homesteads； whilst in the north more
than one committee consented to extend this to the arable land
and the undivided common。
The provincial committees were almost unanimous （I speak of
course only of the majority of their members） in their request
that the individual shares of each peasant household should be
readjusted according to a certain maximum and minimum fixed for
each province。 Many a committee insisted on the maintenance of
feudal police； if not of feudal justice； and all showed an equal
interest in the suppression of the uncontrolled power of the
bureaucracy in matters of provincial administration。
The minorities of almost every committee； who were more or
less influenced by the press； approached much more nearly in
their request to the views entertained by the majority in the
central committee。 They gave their consent to the plan of
expropriating in favour of the peasants a part of the noblemen's
lands； they insisted on the participation of the Government in
the act of redeeming the area formerly allotted by the landlords
to the serfs of their respective manors； they strongly opposed
the scheme of a transitory state in which the peasant； unable to
buy back the land he owned； was condemned to continue his villein
service and his feudal dues or payments in kind。 At the same time
they put forward certain general demands which went much beyond
the promises already given by the Government。 They made requests
for a general change in the existing system of provincial
administration。 According to these bureaucracy should give place
to a system of local self…government。 They insisted on the
necessity of amending the deficient judicial organisation。 They
demanded trial by jury and liberty of the press。 Some of the
members went even so far as to draw up a resolution in favour of
the general representation of the people and the revival of the
ancient system of National Councils； the Sobors。
We must not lose sight of these political requirements if we
wish to understand why it was that the Government； as soon as the
deputies both of the majority and the minority of provincial
committees were assembled in Petersburg； hindered their general
meetings。 It was but separately that each of the delegates was
admitted to put forward his requests； and to give oral advice to
the members of the general committee。 This mistrust on the part
of the Government embittered more than one of the delegates
against the members of the central committee； and threw them into
the arms of that minority which； in the central committee itself；
defended the interests of the nobility。 It was chiefly composed
of the 〃Marshal〃 of the Petersburg nobility； Count Peter
Schouvalov； Mr Aprakasin； who occupied the same post in the
Government of Orel； and Mr Posen； the delegate of Pultawa。 These
three gentlemen insisted on the desirability of keeping the land
in the hands of the nobility； and of granting to the peasantry
only a sort of soccage…tenure； or 〃censive；〃 on the land they
occupied。 Whilst the majority of the committee insisted on the
direct interference of the Government in the redemption of the
noblemen's land； and the propriety of putting an end to
villein…service； at any rate after a period of twelve years；
these gentlemen were in favour of leaving to a free contract；
entered into by the manorial lord and his former serfs； the
difficult task of settling their future relations。 It was in the
house of Schouvalov that the discontented delegates regularly
assembled； it was there that they drew up this protest against
the action of the central committee and the so…called
〃encroachments of the bureaucracy。〃 Their appeal； made in the
form of a pamphlet； published in Leipsig； and addressed to the
new delegates summoned to Petersburg from the provinces not
hitherto represented； found a ready hearing； and the Government
encountered in these new helpers even a larger amount of mistrust
and ill…will than that already shown by their predecessors。
This time the opposition of the nobility was of much greater
consequence。 General Rostovzov； whose influence over the Czar was
very great； died suddenly； before the completion of the work
entrusted to his care； and Count Panin； an avowed foe to the
action of the committee； became its President。 He did his best to
induce the members to abandon their former decision； and it is
only to the firmness of character shown by men like Nicholas
Milutine； that we are indebted for the strict maintenance of the
general outlines of the form already elaborated。 Finding himself
powerless to change the decisions of the committee； Panin tried
to arouse some opposition to the scheme published by it； among
the ranks of that general committee of which the committee for
the elaboration of the law of emancipation was but a section。 He
tried to achieve the same ends in the Council of State； where the
scheme of the new law had finally to be discussed。 Happily the
time allowed for the debates was very limited； as the Government
insisted on the immediate realisation of the long…promised
〃liberty。〃 They lasted in the general committee but a few months；
while in the Council of State they were limited to a fortnight。
It is due to this fact that neither of the two boards introduced
very extensive amendments in the emancipation law。 Those they did
make were all in fa