The Express.
London, England, 1864-02-18 00:00:00

RUSSIFICATION IN POLAND.

The Russian metropolitan of WlLua has sent in-
structions to the clergy of the Greek church in
Lithuania, with the object of rooting out the
Polish element in that province. This euzions
document, which is published in the hirdide Ruses
of the 22nd January (3rd February), furnishes in-
disputable official evidence of the falsehood of the
official statements constantly made by the Russian
government, that Lithuania is Russian in its re-
ligion and sympathies :

No. 3,130. Theßuseian orthodox clew of this Province
has, in the course of several centuries, lost, under the in-
(Name of the Poles, not only its faith by joining the
united church, but has also adopted the Polish language.
Thirty years ago the clergy in all parte of the
diocese of Lithuania spoke only in Polish, sad did
not know a word of Russian. Now, thank Heaven,
it has not only returned to the bosom of the mother church,
but has learnt in its schools and seminaries to use the Hee-
eien language of its fathom. Only among the families ci
the clergy is the Polish language still partly used, in come-
quince partly of many of their children having boot edu-
cated in schools with Polish children, and partl.4 their
seemeary relations with Polish society. This, 714)wearer,
leads to some important improprieties. The Polish lan-
~i is thereby kept up in many families of the clergy, Is
leant by the children from infancy, and constitutes en ob-
stacle to the correct learning of the &wake language, be-
sides forcing the clergy Resit to speak Polish. On the
other hand, the &mums, who now oome to these parte in
such great numbers, conceive doubts as to the best and most
seams of the clergy when they bear the Polish language
wed by their families, sad do not even believe they
adhere to the orthodox faith. But above all we should
°molder the denier, lest in consequence of the use of the
Polish leagues, in the families of the clergy the latter should
loss their authority over their own parishioners who were
formerly Russians, specking Russian, White Russian, or
Little Remian. It is known how greatly the Polish lemur-
rootlet has disgraced itself. Intrigues, calumnies, treechery,
perjury, plunder, inhuman cruelty, murder, and lawlesstiess
of every kind have everywhere been seen. All this has
been arealected by the simple people with their notions of
Poland and the Polish langvage, and God grant that that
language, when it uheard-by- them from the lips of their
pastors and families, may not All them with ignorant lois-
understeadieg and dimatiefaction.
Indeed,* these coesiderations I think it useful to call
the attend= of the Lithuanian diocese to them, and to
direct thaemintory to order the clergy to take every acre
WI she Zanies language he Iwo byeney lumber of
their family that speaks Polish, and that the former
home be is daily use ; the deacons should be directed to
sees to this, sad to Worm the diocesan authorities of the
dirobsiient end lukewarm. The °moisten is further di-
rected to submit to the clergy that they should endeavour
to educate their daughters in the school established at
Wins under the protection of her Majesty the Emmen, as
in a few year. the clerical appointments will be given shove
ell to en& eandklstes as many those who were educated at
the school in question, so that the orthodox Remiss people
hare may have a good example, not only in its clergy, bat
in their wives gad mothers.