Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-11-09
THE POLICY OF RUSSIA.

Translated from The Iierue Encyciopcdigue
for ue .Ne,c York Duty .1drcrtiser.
That which merits the deepest attention in the
policy of the Russian government, is exhibited
Ill the art of assiInilatug conquered nations will
the empire. Since the time of Rome, who's,
laws seem to have been planned for the corgucs
oil the world, no country has been constituted
like Russia, for the extension aud the preserva
ton of its acquisitions. Russia, like Rome
having perceived it nee. ssary To form her en-
pirc of crowd of nations, differing in religion
manncrsand language, has established rule al
lowing to each, all these things which are held
dcarcr than political existence. Thus all reli
siOns are equally tolcra: ed;-nav more they al
equally protected. Their exercise is public
aud ncaceab!e even in those parts of the en-
pirc inhabited by people of different faiths.
Each religion has its own temples, affairs. and
| ministers. In Pctersbureh, for example, are
erected places ofworship for Greeks, Jews, Ro-
man Catholics, and Professionals, in all their va
| sietics of Lutlerans, Caivinists, SC. In the
| southern PROVINCES, Isla,nisn is freely procsse,
| ny those who obeyed the laws of NIaho.net be-
fore they we're reduced To the Russian govern
lnent. In the cast there are still i;ioatnrs: and
The Cover nmeni does not persecutc llulatrv, well
knowing that, IN the course vi iiilc. by the pro
gross Of Improvement, men will rise Of them
selves 10 purcr belief to :ssvstcn better fit. d
10 our nature, and less opposed to the majesty of
our Creator.
| Russia never attempts by violent measures to
| make conquered nations forget the language OF
their ancestors; that intellectual Inheritance
with which are always connected So many de-
liglitful rccOcclOns and hereditary virtues; but
the government trusts to the inss,,sbe hut eff
cacious operations of those relative circuiu,tan-
ces which render IL for the interest of every man
10 learn the language Oi his conqucror, paricu-
larry when that coDguerors advancing with bul,!
II al,
these circumstances also, are combined all
those which flow from the intercourse of men
drawn from different nations, and assembled i'm
lie same camps, under the same standards, and
finally, all the motives of ambition and the
hope of private or public fortune. which, suoner
or later, induce the conquered 10 acunre AMI
tn employ aicnc the language oi the congne,er
Ii Is farther p"rUittc,! 10 every people 10 pre-
serve IFS own cut-oms and manners. The Tar
a!s are allowed TO iSi;t, as they have done ever
since tue times of the part!naus an, Scytilians:
Tie government having Coutentcd itself with
ior,ning chosen bodies OF this Irregular cavalry
10 place them in t''craniSs oftic Imperial guards
To offer them as model to the bar5arous bands
| which by degrees have learnt all that was ne
ccssary 10 Increase their force in dciplinc and
exercise. Already 10000 Cossacs on the bor-
dcrs of the Don and Danube, arc organized into
regular mounted lancers, and other light armed
troops, with we'll mounted and well mai:;e cd
light artillery. Ths immense BODY Of cavalry
| ready at the first signal 10 march in BODY
live eneainped in a territory whic! furnishes
them with the nccessarics OF Subsistence.
Military enthusiasm is the ruling passion
among these tribes, who have heretofore never
known any Other path 10 rcnowii. than that of
battle. When the French army had ranctrate,i
INTO the interior nf Russia in 1872 this BODY of
artar cavalry, rose like one man tonk I'D their
line o! march in terrible winter hungry for
t!icIr prey, and pursued without PITY the victims
III dcvou:inG climate. ''Companions." thev
would cry 10 each other, cn-agsh at the ya;or OF
nakedncss; "Co,npanions, what a shame il will
be TO Us, u we leave these skeletons to rise from
thcI' graves and escape lisp And so saving
they Sonid throw Themselves upon the remains
o Cur piialauxes with rcdouai,sI fiIry This is
the support winch Russia may reir upon obtain
ing In time of need from the most uncjyiiize.J
part of her popu.ition.
We must, therefore. acknowledge this disn
rerabic but lucUuiesi ible truth. which, is forced
nron us by AN examination into the state of
things that from the Baltic TO the Adriaiic
from the mouths ofthe Cataro 10 that of the Wis
inIa, the unhappy system adopted bv The nre;.
Gcr'nanie powers. irresistihly urges the ini,aEi
tantS Oh an immense u vinces Ia Stretch
out their arms towards the f!uscoyte dominion
Germany has but way to cscane the Ian
ger which threatens her: AMI ;!,at is to i;uii,;,
RUSSIA IN the depth OF her views and the ,rci,c
roSi'J oi her measures towards her SUBJECTS.