Emancipation Manifesto

[johan_steele]

In 1858 Czar Aleksandr II of Russia issued his Emancipation Manifesto freeing the serfs of Russia. What effect if any did this have on the decision towards Secession?

[dawna]

Shane:

Since Russia's Emancipation Manifesto was signed just before before Lincoln's inauguration in 1861, I believe it was particularly influential on the remaining 6 states to secede. A number of comparisons can be drawn between the situation in Russia and that of the United States with respect to the legal status of serfs and slaves, and the economic issues that were created as a result of emancipation.

The idea of freedom was evident with the number of peasant uprisings, and serfs, like blacks, were not considered human. The same mistreatment occurred - families separated by serf owners and rampant sexual exploitation of the female population. The economic problems with serfdom were never more apparent then when Russia started to become industrialized. And although the serfs were emancipated in 1861, many did not receive real freedom until the Russian Revolution.

Dawna

[dave_kelly]

>In 1858 Czar Aleksandr II of Russia issued his Emancipation Manifesto freeing the serfs of Russia. What effect if any did this have on the decision towards Secession?<

Don't recall any political debate pointing to the Russian situation as something american politicians should use as an exemplar. However considering the international trends of the 19th Century, they forbode an increased tendency of abolitionist sentiments in High cultural communities that threatened to turn public opinion. Britain had gone abolitionist by 1837. Mexico went anti slave in 1822 (an undercurrent issue for the Texas filibusterers that prompted the 1836 revolt.)

So indirectly the international trend help to fuel slaveholders distrust of what a majority federated republic would do when deciding the status of slavery.

Oddly enough Russia was a critical trading partner of the US having a near monopoly on the hemp rope market used by our subsatntial maritime interests.