Chapter 263: The Czar Wants to Abolish Slaves
Chapter 255: The Czar Wants to Abolish Slavery
January 1, 1855 is a memorable big day in the history of Europe, on this day the Convention of the Four Powers officially came into force, the European continent entered the era of the New Vienna System.
The countries began to fulfill their responsibilities and obligations under the treaty. British soldiers who had “mistakenly” entered the Serbian region were also repatriated.
Originally, when the negotiations started, these British soldiers could leave, but after staying in the Serbian region for so long, they were not idle.
Although the London government paid for their living expenses, they did not have any pocket money, and the bureaucrats in London would not send them their salaries.
Austria only disarmed them and did not restrict their personal freedom. In addition to a fixed place to stay and eat, a few kilometers around the random wave, the tavern is their favorite.
The Austrian government is only responsible for providing three meals a day, additional spending, out of their own pockets! Sitting on the day soon let the British soldiers destitute, no money is not a good day, a long time certainly can not stand.
Violation of disorder? Now that the Serbian region is under military control, there is a risk of losing one’s head if caught.
At this time, the local reconstruction, the lack of young and strong labor force, in order to make their days more comfortable, a lot of soldiers did a part-time job to earn pocket money.
The Serbian region has suffered a heavy loss of young men and women, a serious imbalance in the ratio of men to women, mixing for a long time, a lot of British soldiers also set up a family in the region.
With a family, naturally, and the local have attached. This era of inconvenient transportation, this goodbye for most people is goodbye forever, if not the British government repeatedly urged, it is estimated to be delayed for a longer period of time.
The Austrian government took in a total of 2,183 British soldiers, and when they finally left, the team had grown to 3,128, and the increase was naturally the families.
The British cabinet received this news after what feelings aside, anyway, Franz received this news after the whole person is baffled.
However, considering the special situation in the Serbian region, he understood. Women of marriageable age would always have to marry, and the lack of young men in the region meant that they had to look outside.
The British brand is still very good in this era, at least for the Serbian locals, this status is still tempting.
Cross-border marriages, which are legal in Austria, are protected by law as long as both parties consent and then complete the registration at the church.
Not only British soldiers, but also a number of Austrian troops in Serbia had the same situation, for which there was a dispute in the General Staff, and finally, in the context of national integration, the government gave the green light.
Blocking is impossible, this point of temperament Franz still have, people you would like to stick the lovebirds why? Only an increase in the cost of living for the families of British soldiers, so that the London government paid the bill.
Politically, this has also become a testimony of Anglo-Australian friendship, at least the British media reported so. John Bull also wants to save face, and the real reason is no longer pursued.
This is just a small episode, nothing more than to leave the people after dinner laugh, and soon passed.
On the day the treaty came into force, Austria and the Ottoman Empire also completed the exchange of treaties. The Ottoman Empire admitted defeat and ceded Serbia, Wallachia, Moldavia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina to Austria, and the territorial sovereignty of the above mentioned areas was officially changed.
There was no hesitation in ceding territory, it was separated by France and Russia, and there was nothing they could do about such areas even if they were given to the Ottoman Empire.
In contrast, the French and the Ottoman territorial transactions on the dispute, the French representative directly issued a loan receipt payment, the Ottomans naturally dissatisfied.
How could they now renege on a promised cash deal? However, the French do not think so, from the debt subtract 200 million francs, is not also a cash payment?
Anyway, any Ottomans how to protest, the Paris government has made up its mind, cash is impossible to give, is to reduce the debt.
There is no way, the French government is not rich now. Near East War fought to the present, the French government’s military expenditure is also an astronomical figure, Napoleon III is the same for the financial problems headache.
Moreover, after the loss of the Balkans, the Ottoman Empire’s solvency has also declined significantly, if the debt is not reduced, these loans can not be recovered is a problem.
Capitalists refused to take the risk, they encouraged the French government to take over the debt, in order to draw people’s hearts Napoleon III naturally agreed.
Disputes were disputes, but they did not affect the fulfillment of the treaty. International loans are usually overbearing contracts, and soon the French found an interpretive clause in the loan contract that justified their doing so and made the Ottomans meekly shut up.
The treaties were all honored properly, the New Vienna System was established, and the cloud of war that had hung over the continent dissipated.
……
St. Petersburg.
The great victory was celebrated in the streets, but this did not include the top echelons of the Tsarist government, who, knowing their own family, knew very well how much water had been taken out of this victory.
Had it not been for the sudden plague, which had shattered the confidence of the French, it is estimated that at this time the Russian army would still be fighting in Constantinople.
Nicholas I in the Winter Palace roared, “How is it that the great Russian Empire can’t even take out a little post-war pension?”
Gray animals are worthless, but after all, the battle was won, the dead more or less have to give some pension, right? Those who survived should also be given some commendation, and they can’t be promoted to a higher rank, but a little bounty should always be paid!
If we don’t do a good job, who’s going to work for the Tsar next time?
Minister of Finance Aristotle Rohde replied with a bitter smile: “Your Majesty, the casualties of this war are too high, and Constantinople needs to be rebuilt, the government’s finances have long been unable to make ends meet. It is too difficult to come up with hundreds of millions of rubles at once now.”
Constantinople must be rebuilt, this is a double demand politically and religiously, that even if it is a smash and grab, the Tsar’s government can only go ahead with it.
Post-war pensions and bounties must also be paid, both being equally important. This was certainly a test for the Russian finances.
The Russians must be thankful that the plague has brought the war to an early end, and if it drags on for another year and a half, they will not be able to come up with the money even if they smash their pots and pans.
Nicholas I sternly scolded, “If you don’t have money, go and think of something. You don’t need to be reminded about the financial difficulties, the task of the Ministry of Finance now is to find a way to solve this financial crisis.
No matter what, the post-war pensions must be paid out, and the reconstruction costs of Constantinople must be raised.”
“Your Majesty, the best thing to do now is to collect donations from the people for the reconstruction costs of Constantinople, if that’s not possible we can only raise taxes.
The government is short of money, and we can try to avoid giving direct cash for rewards after the war, such as giving the soldiers themselves along with their families the status of free citizens.
We can also learn from the Austrians and grant land to common soldiers based on merit to reduce financial expenses.” Aristotelian Rhodes replied
The Russian Empire serfs were freed from the status restriction by serving as soldiers and fighting on behalf of His Majesty the Tsar, and they could become free citizens after they had made a meritorious contribution to the war.
This path was very narrow, serfs were the private property of the nobility, and the Tsar could not just deprive them of it, and the granting of the status of freeman had to be accompanied by compensation to the serf’s owner.
Now Arystanlilod’s intention was undoubtedly to hit the newly occupied lands. In any case, the Bulgarian region was more fertile than most of the Russian Empire.
This land was also wealth that could be taken out and traded with the nobles. Serfs had no private property, and it would be better to reward the soldiers with land than to reward the soldiers’ masters with land.
Since everyone got the benefits, granting these serf soldiers the status of freemen was naturally not a problem, and it would be good for the government to collect the reconstruction tax of Constantinople.
This is established in the Near East war won the case, otherwise want to give so many soldiers free citizen status, I guess the nobles can not be so easy to compromise.
Emancipation of serfs is not so easy to do, as the Minister of Finance Aristotelian Rhodes did not dare to directly say emancipation of serfs, but the use of roundabout means, the opportunity to release a portion of the serfs by post-war rewards.
Nicholas I is not a fool, quickly understood the meaning of Aristotelian Rod. The Russian soldiers who participated in this Near Eastern War, before and after the sum of almost two million people.
Most of these were of serf origin, and if these people, along with their families, were turned into freemen, then it would undoubtedly be tearing open the mouth of the abolition of slavery.
The danger of serfdom was clear to Nicholas I. If there had not been too much resistance, he would have begun to do it.
After the outbreak of the Near Eastern War, which allowed them to see the strength of the capitalist countries, the Russian hierarchy had realized that serfdom had to be abolished in order to catch up.
Taking the opportunity of a great victory to seal the reward to do so, the maneuverability is very high. Even if this attempt failed, the government did not directly declare the abolition of serfdom, then there is still room for détente with the nobility.
After thinking clearly about all this, Nicholas I nodded and agreed to Aristotle’s plan.
……
(End of chapter)