Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, W.T. [i.e. Wis.]) 1843-1844, 1844-06-15
RUsSIA-ITs GOVERNMENT.

L Dc CUiIiiilOii Caut AZ PStNS"i p"i
losophy, is that the Russian Govern
ment is a barbarous, relentless despo-
tism, and that its sovereign is the most
ravenous enemy to republics that can
be found among crowned heads. Yet
this Russian Government has done
more for civilization since the COM
mencement ofits march-Nnder Peter
the Great, than all-the governments of
Europe combined; and il has always
cultivated the most'friendly relations
with our own country, the hsad-quar-
tiers of republicanism and democratic
influence. We admit that this gov
ernment has always been ambitious,
that it has seized three fourtbs Of Po-
land, robbed the Turks Of extensive
territories, covets India and the rest OF
Turkey, and would gladly extend its
power in all directions. But are Brit
ain, France, Austria, Prussia, guiltless
of these faults? Ifnot, they should
not throw stones at Russia. And has
Russia impoverished and desolated its
conquests? Civilization, Improvement,
the elevation of mankind, have always
followed its footsteps. If it has some
timesused neutrality-suspicious., they were
the only means of subduing ferocious
barbarans. And how has Britain
treated its conquests? The answer is
found in oar colonial history, and the
present condition OF Ireland, in the i'm
poverishment Of India, in the destruc-
ton of more human beings by famlnes
artifcially created by East India COM
panies, than are now alive in the Brit
ish Islands. Russian subjects have
never been destroyed by famine. the
work Of mercantile speculations.-
They have never been forced TO Guilt
vate poisons at starving prices, to be
fraudulen,ly carried into other coun-
tries. The Circassians and the Poles
are the only Russian subjects who have
ever rebelled. The first are Mahom-
itans ard Pagans, and therefore dislike
the Greek Church, which is the State
religion Of Russia, though it freely toll
crates all others. Then the Circas-
SLAMS sell their children, especially the
females, to the Turks, trade which
the Russian Government will not al
low. Hence the Circassians have re-
belled, and principally 10 recover their
ancient privilege, the sfdOe trade
The Polish rebellion was the work of
The landed .aristocracy, seeking resto-
ration Of their old feudal system, a.
gainst which the Russian Government
wages relentless war. Hence the
peasants of Portland, or cultivators OF
the land, having nothing TO gain by
this rebellion, remained quiet.
The latest ccounts from Europe
furnish some very interesting statistics,
showing the civilizing influence ofthe
Russian Government. The Odessa
Journal. a newspaper published at O.
dessa, city on the Northern point OF
the Black Sea, mentioning celebra-
ton, on the FIRST OF March, Of the hun
dredth anniversary Of the incorpora-
ton Of Nev Russia with the empire,
and which includes the territory of the
Black Sea taken from the Turks, says
that in l744 it scarcely contained 100,-
600 Inhabitants, mostly Tartar tribes,
living by robbery; that now it contains
sixty towns, two hundred colonies OF
Germans, Bulgarians, Servians and
Jews, two thousand villages, and l.
SOC, 900 people; that its foreign COM
merce annually throws into circulation
about twenty-five millions Of silver
rubles, or about twenty millions OF
dollars; that the commerce OF Odessa,
in 1913, amounted to seventeen mill
| ions Of rubles, or about thirteen and a
half millions Of dollars. A govern
ment that can accomplish so much in a
single province of its vast empire in
one century, must be something more
than despotism. Petersburgh, the
capitol of this empire, was founded in
1908. Yet in one hundred and forty
one years, it has attained population
I of 100000, with an immense com
merce; and this growth exceeds that OF
New York.
NE, as nation, instead ofenteriain-
ing any jealousies Of Russia, should re-
gard that nation as one OF our best
friends. 1t is the great pioneer Of
civilization in Asia, and wherever il
goes, it will open markets for our
commerce. When it conquers India
as II certainly will. we shall reap no