The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1826-09-19
RUSSIA,


from the New-York Statesman
The Philadelphia Gazette of Wednes-
day contains the official report of the Com
mission of Inquiry established at ST. Pc
tersburgh, in consequence of the distur-
Dances at Moscow on the accession of the
Emperor Nicholas. Itoccupies seven col
therefore entirely too long for re-publica-
ton; but as it consists of prolix details of
testimony, confessions, often contradictory
and conflicting, of the prominent individu-
ais arrested, much repetition and much If
relevant matter, we will be able to CLEAN
from it, in a comparatively small compass,
such facts as appear well established and
will be generally interesting.
In the year 1916, some young men who
had been engaged in the campaigns of
1914 and 1915, returned to St. Petersburgh
from abroad, and conceived the idea Of es-
tablishing in their own country, secret So
cieties similir to those which then existed
and probably now exist in Germany. At
ter various preparations, they succeeded
in organizing, in February, 1917, an asso-
citation, under the name of &C The Union of
Safety or the true and faithful Sons of
The Cosutry." The leading members were
military officers of high standing, and seve-
PAL princes whose barbarous Russian names
is unnecessary here to repeat. Prose-
tytes were industriously sought and obtain
ed. Every new candidate for membership
was required to take an oath to preserve
with inviolable secresy all things which
should be confded to him, even when his
opinions and views should not accord with
the society, and to submit to the decisions
of the higher and directing class of men,
beers called boydrs. The admission was
accompanied with various solemn ceremo-
MES.
The object of the society was ga change
in the existing institutions of the empire %
and the motive of the members Is an III u,,-
derstOOd love of country as they now
penitently pronounce it. According to the
line of policy adopted, the recruits sought
and obtained were from among men of high
distinction both for rank and talents, and
in short time the numbers of the society
were greatly augmented. Branches were
established under the title of Directions,
in different parts of the empire. They
discussed at their meetings the means of
promoting the good of their country, and
OF furthering the accomplishment of eyerv
useful design but as to the actual means
to be employed, much difference Of opin-
ion prevailed. Some afterwards manifest
ed an inconsistency with the views, and a
rlisapprobation of the laws of the society
and a lukewarmness succeeded, in which
the ultimate design seemed to be forgotten.
Some of the leaders, however, kept !
steadyeyeto this design; and intelligence.
real or feigned, being received, that I" the
Emperor Alexander, having formed an in
tention of restoring to Poland all the prov
inees conquered by Russia, and forseeine
on the part Of the Russians discomfort, and
even opposition, thought of retiring tc
Warsaw with all his court, and leaving the
country prey of troubles and anarchy
they took the, advantage of the occasion
again TO direct the views of the society to
change in the subsisting order of things.
Absurd as the above intelligence was, il