The most interesting relations of social life in Riga, display themselves in the contract between the Vorstiidte and the old town. The enslaved Vorstadte, daily increasing in population, power, and riches, knock incessantly at the gates of the privileged old German capital, demanding freedom and equality of rights. Almost all the privileges of the Russian Baltic provinces, as w^ell those of the cities of Riga, Reval, the University of Dorpat, &c., as those of the landowners and nobility, have been for some time in danger, and have been frequently altered and limited by the Russian government. Now^here, how^ever, do the Russians so loudly call for equal rights with the Germans as at Riga, where they have collected in greater numbers than at any other Baltic city, and where the internal hostility and friction between the two nationalities, appear to have reached a greater degree of bitterness than any where else. Old Riga, surrounded by its Vorstadte, is like a besieged city. Within, 30,000 German Lutherans have intrenched themselves, and T^Hithout, are encamped 20,000 Russians. The latter are continually and rapidly increasing, while the former, if they do not lessen in numbers, at least remain stationary. The Russians demand all the rights of citizenship, with seat and vote in the city colleges, the town-council, &c. The Germans resist these demands, declaring that the Russians know nothing about matters of this kind, and that their admission would be the ruin of the community. They point to their capitulation of 1710, according to which a Russian was never to become a citizen of Riga, nay, was not even to be allowed to open the smallest shop within the city walls. During my stay at Riga, I heard as frequent reference made to this old capitulation, as if it
The periodical tribute of the serfs to their lords.
had been concluded yesterday. To the Russians, this referring to an old agreement appears ridiculous enough ; they do not understand the motive, and ascribe all to the obstinacy of the Germans. Many inhabitants of Riga said to me with zeal and earnestness : " Whenever a Russian sets foot in one of cm' colleges, we will not only leave it, but quit the town and country ; for then the trade, prosperity, order, and constitution of Riga will be at an end, and the old imperial republic will be a Russian provincial town." The government, on the whole, favours the Russian pretensions, which is not unnatural ; but there are many Germans connected with the government at St. Petersburg, and Riga, which has good friends and patrons among them, makes use of them to shield Ker from the approaching storm. Still the Russians make terrible advances. Their Vorstiidte are continually spreading ; the old city contains many hundreds of small Russian shoj)S or booths, of which twenty years ago there was not one, and in some civic transactions they have even obtained the right of voting. What has lately, more than any thing else, given the Russians new strength and encouragement, is the nomination and installation of a Russian bishop at Riga.
As the citizens of Old Riga look with jealous eyes on the new Russian upstarts ; as the old colleges and council are incessantly at war with the Russian mercantile guilds ; so do the German corporations quarrel with the " Masterovuiy^'' and " Zekhoviye Liudi'' of the Russians. The Russian mechanics, subject to no corporation laws, increase continually ; there are already many masons, potters, carpenters, Kameitshtshiki, Plotniki, S/Uukkatui'shtshiki, &c., at Riga. They have no idea of guilds or corporations, and are accustomed to work at will and freely throughout the whole Russian empire, travelling about where they please, as masons, carpenters, and painters. It may be Imagined, how galling and disagreeable such rules as the following, imposed by the heads of the German corporations at Riga, must appear to these free mechanics: —
" A Russian mason shall be permitted to undertake repairs in the suburbs, with the exception of vaulted cellars and chimneys in such buildings as are more particularly exposed to the danger of fire, such as breweries, distilleries, &c., but he shall not be qualified to undertake any work of the kind wltliln the city.
" A Russian potter is allowed to mend old stoves within the city, but not to set new ones. In the suburbs, however, he may set new stoves, but he is to do so subject to the superintendence of the German corporation of potters.
" It shall be permitted to Russian carpenters to build even new houses in the suburbs, provided the cost of labour in the erection does not exceed 500 rubles banco, and provided also that the fomidation, the cellaring, and those parts more particularly liable to fire, shall be constructed mider the superintendence of the German corporation of masons."