rfs, emancipated
only ten years before, evidently met for the moment on a footing of
equality. The discussions were carried on chiefly by the nobles, but on
more than one occasion peasant members rose to speak, and their remarks,
always clear, practical, and to the point, were invariably listened
to with respectful attention. Instead of that violent antagonism which
might have been expected, considering the constitution of the Assembly,
there was too much unanimity--a fact indicating plainly that the
majority of the members did not take a very deep interest in the matters
presented to them.

This assembly was held in the month of September. At the beginning of
December the Assembly for the Province met, and during nearly three
weeks I was daily present at its deliberations. In general character and
mode of procedure it resembled closely the District Assembly. Its chief
peculiarities were that its members were chosen, not by the primary
electors, but by the assemblies of the ten districts which compose the
province, and that it took cognisance merely of those matters which
concerned more than one district. Besides this, the peasant deputies
were very few in number--a fact which somewhat surprised me, because
I was aware that, according to the law, the peasant members of the
District Assemblies were eligible, like those of the other classes. The
explanation is that the District Assemblies choose their most active
members to represent them in the Provincial Assemblies, and consequently
the choice generally falls on landed proprietors. To this arrangement
the peasants make no objection, for attendance at the Provincial
Assemblies demands a considerable pecuniary outlay, and payment to the
deputies is expressly prohibited by law.

To give the reader an idea of the elements composing this assembly, let
me introduce him to a few of the members. A considerable section of them
may be described in a single sentence. They are commonplace men, who
have spent part of their youth in the public service as officers in the
army, or officials in the civil administration, and have since retired
to their estates, where they gain a modest competence by farming. Some
of them add to their agricultural revenue by acting as justices of the
peace.* A few may be described more particularly.

* That is no longer possible. The institution of justices
elected and paid by the Zemstvo was abolished in 1889.

You see there, for instance,