To the Duke de Richelieu, the great benefactor of Odessa, and of all New Russia, his friend Count Langeron has succeeded, who by virtue of his office as Governor-General of the Tauride, is of course the head of the subordinate government of the Krim ; and to him appeals may be made, and petitions sent, as in our courts oflaw, referring from a lower toan higher judicature. The chiefmanagement of its affairs are, however, vested in the Governor ofthe Crimea, who has his residence at Akmetchet, or Sympheropol. Under him are the tribunals of law, called the Zemskoe Sood, or Land Tribunal ; the Oyaeznoe Sood, or District Court, for matters pertaining to the nobility; the Gybernskoe Pravlania, and a smaller court, which is attached to each hundred, called Pravlania, from the Russian word " pravet" to set right: here lesser grievances are often adjusted, without the necessity of carrying the appeal to a higher court. The Zemskoe Sood, or Landed Tribunal, is headed by an officer entitled Capitaine Espravnek, or, as the Tatars and Turks call him, Kai-ma-kan. Below him are the Zasiedattels, and one of whom is commonly or frequently a Tatar ; the others Russian. In the district of Kaffa there are four of these, and at their command a certain number of strapchies, or clerks. The Espravnek is, or ought to be, of noble rank, and of some consequence in the country, as the power vested in his hands is very great.
The Russians have a proverb, which runs thus :
" Sood lubeet Zoloto, ah strapchie sirebro" or, "The sood love gold, and their clerks silver." As I quote from a Russian book published in 1815, I cannot be said to satirize, when I confess my belief of their proverb being a true one ; and my knowledge that the government of the Krirn is somewhat famous for verifying it. " Which," said a gentleman, who was neither an Englishman or a Russian " which of the two do you think most likely to succeed in this cause ? My friend is ready to withdraw his claim, if it be not founded in justice and truth." This was the inquiry of a gentleman for his friend, to one of the Zasiedattels. " How much money will your friend give to have it settled ?" was the reply. Whatever strictness or conscientious dealing mark the heads of government in the Crimea, the underlings, who live upon such small salaries, take a watchful advantage of every opportunity for increasing them, which their almost unlimited authority so frequentlypresentsthem with. " I cannot take your money for what I am going to do," said one of them, when a twenty-five ruble note was offered to him " it is my duty to do it; but if you choose to make me any present" a bow, which promised acceptance, finished the speech.
The salary affixed to the office of Espravnek is 250 rubles per annum ; which, it has been confidently said, that he is able to stretch to 10,000. Whether it be really the case, that he is gifted with the touch of Midas to such an extent, I have not authority enough to vouch for ; but it is an undoubted fact, that his nominal income is very much below what he really receives, and that all above the sum allowed by government, is extorted from the Tatars, or received by way of present, which the donors in most cases are compelled to make, to avoid worse consequences. They have another proverb, which will speak for them better than I can it is this: " Nebo Vicokie, ah Gocydar dalokie;" or, " Heaven is high, and the Emperor is a long way off." Yet the portrait of his Imperial Majesty is set up in all their law offices, and all heads are uncovered with the greatest reverence to the picture, and an outward demeanour kept up, as though he were indeed present to behold them ; they, however, tenaciously remember, " Gocydar dalokieT This corruption, as may be reasonably expected, defeats its own purpose ; and the man who might possibly remain for years undisturbed in the same office, is quickly removed, with the hope of obtaining in another, a better and more faithful servant. The causes which contribute to this depravity are several; but chiefly the very low salaries which, in the civil service especially, is awarded to the servants of the crown; and, according to their own proverb, its distance from the seat ofgovernment makes corruption and fraud more easy. Another cause of this monstrous depravity [is eminently owing to the total neglect of every species of education amongst the Russians; for this description of people positively know nothing more of it than how to hold a pen, or how to copy or scribble voluminous reports, and other documents oftheir numerous tribunals.