r primary organ of this self-government, the rural
Commune, already existed, and at once recovered much of its ancient
vitality as soon as the authority and interference of the proprietors
were removed. The second instance, the Volost--a territorial
administrative unit comprising several contiguous Communes--had to be
created, for nothing of the kind had previously existed on the estates
of the nobles. It had existed, however, for nearly a quarter of
a century among the peasants of the Domains, and it was therefore
necessary merely to copy an existing model.

As soon as all the Volosts in his district had been thus organised the
Arbiter had to undertake the much more arduous task of regulating the
agrarian relations between the proprietors and the Communes--with the
individual peasants, be it remembered, the proprietors had no direct
relations whatever. It had been enacted by the law that the future
agrarian relations between the two parties should be left, as far as
possible, to voluntary contract; and accordingly each proprietor was
invited to come to an agreement with the Commune or Communes on his
estate. On the ground of this agreement a statute-charter (ustavnaya
gramota) was prepared, specifying the number of male serfs, the quantity
of land actually enjoyed by them, any proposed changes in this amount,
the dues proposed to be levied, and other details. If the Arbiter
found that the conditions were in accordance with the law and
clearly understood by the peasants, he confirmed the charter, and the
arrangement was complete. When the two parties could not come to an
agreement within a year, he prepared a charter according to his own
judgment, and presented it for confirmation to the higher authorities.

The dissolution of partnership, if it be allowable to use such a
term, between the proprietor and his serfs was sometimes very easy and
sometimes very difficult. On many estates the charter did little more
than legalise the existing arrangements, but in many instances it was
necessary to add to, or subtract from, the amount of Communal land, and
sometimes it was even necessary to remove the village to another part
of the estate. In all cases there were, of course, conflicting interests
and complicated questions, so that the Arbiter had always abundance
of difficult work. Besides this, he had to act as mediator in those
differences which naturally arose during the transition period, when the
authority of the proprie