«By lyre an inspiration – by rank a pleasure» or How nobility uyezd assembly tried to reason the ministry of the Inferior of the Russian Empire

Abstract

The purpose of the presented study is to inform the readers with a rare and unique document that was related to the history of preparing the abolition of serfdom in Russia. The letter from the Bryansk nobility of landowners, dated back to the end of January1858, was discovered among the private papers of Pavel Nikitich Tikhanov, the editorial staff member of the «Pravitel’stvennyi Vestnik» («Government Bulletin»), and until the moment it has remained unknown to historians and has not been introduced into scientific use. The problem of understanding the forthcoming reform and its consequences was reflected in the projects submitted by separate landowners, as well as in the more recent documents of the gubernial (provincial) nobility committees, but the reaction to the first tsarist rescripts, especially addressed to the St. Petersburg Military Governor–General, was only reflected in the general assessments of sentiments mentioned in the gubernial administrative reports sent to St. Petersburg.

The analysis of the interaction between the government structures and the landed gentry is possible when implementing microhistory methodology, and the document under discussion can be of great use here. The value of such materials results from their ability to verify and supplement the assessments contained in the study of the process of preparing the main reform of the 19th century in Russia, in revealing the prevailing social sentiments among the provincial nobility and its willingness to follow government decisions