The Contribution of the Roman Catholic Clergy in the Lublin Province During 1863-1865

Abstract

The Russian authorities victimized Polish society for its support to Warsaw Uprising in 1863 participation or support to the Warsaw Uprising in 1863. One of the means of victimization was to lay them under a contribution. At first it was the lower clergy that was obliged on December 15th and 27th, 1863 to pay a contribution at 12% of the revenues. The incomes of ordinary bishops and suffragans which they gained from benefices were debited with a contribution by virtue of an order of December 24th, 1863/5 and January 5th, 1864. The contribution was imposed during the time of martial law. Very soon, however, in the middle 1865s the parochial clergy were exempted from the contribution. The same happened with the other contributors a few months later but no later than a year. We have no documents concerning the amount of money the clergy of the Lublin province had to pay. There are only some data concerning the expected revenue. In 1864, for example, they expected the contribution at 5368 R levied from beneficial incomes, and in 1865 they expected 3921 R, because part of the contributors were exempted. The contribution on the wages which the clergy received was supposed to be 323 R. The bishops, however, had to pay the contribution at 2656R on the income from the chapters and consistories. It was 12% and was supposed to have brought 951 R. The landowners laid under a contribution of 447 873R, yet we do not know how much the clergy landowner had to pay.