Editor's Note: A part of Alexander II's Proclamation on his coronation, this law abolished the Cantonist system (see Levanda #154). Levanda included only part of section 27, in a manifesto that had at least 28 sections. Cantonists could be Jews or non-Jews, therefore the word "Jew" does not appear in this excerpt, as it does in almost every other law in Levanda's book.
On the most gracious gift to the people of mercy and alleviation on account of the Coronation of His Imperial Majesty.
On this solemn day, when we ask for the blessing of the Almighty, we place on ourselves the crown of our
forefathers, . . . . .
. . . . . . we command:
I. . . . . . . .
XXVII. On the general grounds decided in the preceding article XXVI on monetary penalties, forgive all
outstanding non-payments, withdraw to the proper quarter the untimely declarations of new-born children
of soldiers and sailors for enrolling in the Cantonists or in the services,
stop all production on this matter and make it known everywhere, that henceforth, future
periods of declarations of children of soldiers and sailors to the infantry or navy departments, are to
be established in the time from one revision to another and that the culprits who do not declare will be
deemed and subject to a determination on punishment only if not fulfilled by the new national census.
At the same time, enact the general rules:
1) . . . . . .
6) All those exempted from the Cantonist departments of the military by these regulations,
the children of soldiers, sailors, and others,
accepted at birth, from relatives or charities, are obligated to register for the taxes of their social class,
in the new population census approaching; until then, they remain free from all personal taxes and obligations.
The non-Christian children of soldiers and sailors who accepted the Christian faith while in the military, cannot
revert to remain in the previous faith of their parents and relatives, but can be accepted in the care of persons
of the Christian faith.
These measures extend to military Cantonists and all other departments.
XXVIII. . . . . . .
(V.P.S.Z. Vol. XXXI, No. 30,877).
