Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1850-08-26
From the Philadelphia North American.
Russia and the CaucasianS>

From the Philadelphia North American.
Russia and the CaucasianS.
The recent arrivals from Europe bring
ss further intelligence of the successes OF
tle Cauc asiaas against the troops OF Rus-
Bia.
We have not at hand the annals Of the
present war between Russia and the in
habitants of the Caucasus SO that we can
state the length Of time for which it has
lasted, but we believe i. is six or seven
years ; it may be more. 1t apears to
have been q series of successes on The
part Of that Of brave but semi barbarous
people. They have successfully resisted
every attempt on the part of the Russians
to make himself master of their country,
AMI beaten him back in most every attack,
Thousands of the Russian soldiery have
lefi their bones in the passes of the Cau.
casian; vast sums have been expended
by tho Russian government in recruiting
forces to be beaten, in purchasing MUM
tions Of war to be wasted, and IN casting
guns to be captured by the mountalneers.
i he Polish insurrectoa has been put
down, and the Polish race redueed to pas.
sive submission Hungary has been SUBJ
dued, Germany overawed by Russian
arms, since the war with the tribes oil :he
Caucasus began; and still these .Asia'ics
maintain, al the point Of the sword. the
liberties of their race against the power
= which holds all continental Europe in
fear.
According to the intelligence, the Cau-
casians were in the full progress o! victory
and having routed the Russian army and
enriched themselves by its spoil, were
sending out emissariss to invite the people
Of the lower country to enter into league
with them, and become Independent OF
Russia. Ii the arms Of any nation cou Id
subdue these fierce tribes, we might expect
Russia would be successful. The Russian
army is..proverbal for the perfection of dis
cipline, the unquestioned obedience Of its
soldiery, and patient endurance of hard
ship. No troops in the world have more
-.-psrhnps none so r,uch-of that steadiness
in the face Of danger, which is tho resnlt ol
mere training. With such troops, furnish.
ed by the immense population of the largest
empire of Europe, from which any dimin
ution in their numbers is easily and imme
diately supplied with such troops, led by
able and experianced commanders, skilled
in all those dreadful devices for destroying
human liie, which are called improvement:
in the art Of war, under the direction Of &
government the most inAexiole and per
severing in its policy. it would be natura
10 suppose that a campaign against rude
ani Ealf.ciyilized people, whose only arms
are their muskets and swords, whose only
Businesses their mountains, would be soor
ended. 1t is not so however. The issue
Periority. in certain situations, ut least, o
that valor which is the result of feeling, tt
thai which is merely the result Of discip
limo. The Russians have fought mech
anica!ly, the Caucasians with spirit; th'
Russians have fought as a matter Of hab
iu,l obedience TO command; the Caucas
ians as if each man felt that the indepen
dence of his country depended on his singh
arm. In the last engagement of which ",
have accounts, the meuntaineers, lying il
ambush, and almost destitute Of ammuni
ton, leaped with their drawn sword
among the enemy, and fighting hand L
hand, like the eombatanls in the battle o
Homer, cut the Russian army in pieces.
ltis impossible not to feel strong inleres
in people, which has, with such gallantr,
and constancy, maintained its independanc
"a people, which though dwelling in Asia
is of near kindred with the people Of civ
iized Europe. We speak ofthe Caucas
ian countenance and figure US sort o
nrchetypes-proof impressions of human
beauty ia what we call the Caucasian
physognony, we fancy we perceive tn
external signs Of the largest intellectual
capacity, and we love to speak Of our
selves as belonging to the Caucasian race
We cannot witness the heroic struggl
which these un,ameable mountaineers ar
making TO preserve their independents
against the colossal power of Russi
W thout feeling some pride in the relation
ship.
We should be glad 10 hope that th
Russian government might yet gro'
weary of The unsuccessful contest, ant
Withdraw its forces. allow the Caucasian
to govern themselves in their own way
and to cultivate the arts Of peace. How
ever bad their government might be,
could not be worse than the despotism {
Russia and such is the high spirit o
their nature, that in all probability thei
institutions would be far more favorabl
to personal liberty. SO long as they RI
main in state Of warfare, their imperfet
civilization must continue; SO long mu.
they hive few arts and few wants; an
j. is only by long years of peace that the
could rise TO That position among nations
which their natural capacity qualities ther
TO attain.
We are not certain, however, that Ru.
sia will ever desist from harrassing ther
with hostilities. The drain which ,hes
annually make upon her population is sur
piled without difficulty, and it may bo thu
her government looks upon the war as
convenient method Of training her genel
ais, keeping her troops in order, and ae
customing them to scenes of danger.
The Hungarians in America.
The following interesting statements i