Itualia.—The Emperor has promised to convoke the Finland Diet, and
the inhabitants of Helsingfors illuminated their town at the news. He is about, it is said, to abolish the censorship of the press. A Russian correspondent of the Telegraph has obtained a copy of the secret newspaper, which is circulating everywhere, and which pub- lishes, among other things, this list of Russian grievances. After pointing out that the peasants in March, 1863, must have their freedom and their land, or will rebel, this paper, which is in the form of a petition, proceeds : "'Oar public expenditure is altogether out of proportion with the income of the State. The finances are utterly disordered, and direful consequences are brought about affecting the interests of commerce and industry. Our paper money deteriorates daily. The public credit of the empire is tottering to its fall. In a word, Russia is threatened with public bankruptcy.
"'Among the many causes of our downfal one is the rule we hold over Poland. By it we are compelled perpetually to keep an im- mense standing army in our western provinces—an army consuming our public money by tens-of millions every year. The subjection of Poland, far from adding to our strength, simply weakens our country. It is not only material prosperity, but our honour as a nation, that suffers from the tyranny exercised by us in Poland. The Poles, and the treatment we accord them, are the causes why Europe calls us barbarians.
"'it is known to you, 0 Gosudar, what are the abuses disfiguring
the administration of justice, and the Government boards generally of this country. There is no longer the conviction in the people that justice will be done, or that right will emerge victoriously from any cause either of public or private interest. Again, in this country there is no protection either of property or persons. Every one in the possession of office, money, or connexions may any day break the law with impunity. "The very laws themselves require amendment upon many of the most important subjects. By the social privileges, as existing. now, the nation is divided into classes, who reciprocally despise and envy each other. The courts, in their present constitution, do not offer any guarantee for the legal issue of lawsuits. Owing to the dispro- porbonate power of the police, the action of the courts, even though it were carried on in a spirit of justice, would be reduced to a mockery. Corporal chastisement still continues, with its degrading influence upon the minds of the people.
" Millions of our Russian compatriots are subjected to numberless oppressions on the sole ground that they will not separate themselves from the old Prayer-books of our Church. Other millions, under the name of Cossacks, have been devoted to perpetual military service from their cradle upwards ; which, although increasing the numbers of our army, by no means adds to its real strength.'" The remedy suggested is constitutionalism, and the alternative threatened social revolution.
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