Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1864-06-02

For twenty FIVE OF thirty years the noble Cir.
cassian race, inhabitng the mountainous region
extending along the northeast coast Of the Black
Sea. has maintained an unequal strife with the
whole power Of the Russian Empire; but nj last
a letter from Constantinople informs Vs. of the
capi,ulaton Of Nardar. their last stronghold. and
that the entire population il seeking an asylum
IN Turkey Here j. a people which like Poland.
j. stricken from the list Of naiionalities, and the
Russian Car IS the instrument by which the
work is accomplished In this connection
brief retrospect Of the history of the Circassians
NAV be timely Russian estimate few years
ago gave he total population about 40 900:
but rs nearly a. can be judged from the number
OF refugees now claiming the protection of a
friendly government. something like 100. 600
must have since persisted in the desperate encoun
tiers which have crimsoned every valley OF their
mountain land.
Being warriors from choice, and agricuturists
only from necessity, and always evincing a pas
sionate attachment to their native rocks, the
Russians have retired before them in MANY
contest The struggle 10 effect their reduction
has been unceasng since the year $500, when
Georgia annexed 70 the dominions of the
Gar; but il was not till 1923 when chieftain
named kasi Molat, aided by the youthful Shamyl,
organized a formidable resistance. At the eud
OF ten years kasi wss slain at Hmri, which was
taken by storm after every one of It's defenders
had persisted The brave Shamyl was elected
his successor, and continued the conflict with
varying fortunes. He was one of the most re-
markable men that the world has produced.
Uniting in himself the characters of warrior
and a priest, he commanded the venerat ion.
while he welded the passions of his people.
They loved, revered, and obeyed him implicitly.
His loss was their death blow, since from the day
Of his capture dates the downfall to final subu
CATION Shamyl, with his family. occupies a
palace in Russia, still under military surve
lance, but enjoying the prerogatives OF noble
captive.
The scenes attending the arrival OF the CIR
cassian refugees on the shores of the Euxine,
destitute and furnishing, IRE described as ex-
ceedngy painful; and not less narrowing is the
/ desperate frenzy with which they crowd the lew
transports sent TO their reScue--choOsing TO risk
a drefui pestience on ship board. rather than
main longer with the hated oppressor. 1t is
mentioned that out of GOO who took passage on
a steamer, after a voyage of three days only $40
arrived at their destination In Trebizonde alone
~ 900 of these wretched people have already
sought shelter, and these are but the vanguard
OF 3OO,OOO seeking transportion TO the Turkish
! coast
SO great is the demand for vessels that the
Sultan contemplates disarming some of the men
of war. for employment in this service.
A correspondent of the London Times at Con-
stantinOple says:
IL do not wish to excite unnecessary horror bv
faithful description of the awful visitation which
has fallen upon the Crcassian race; indeed, no
| description, however minute and accurate, could
convey sense of the fearful sufferings of this
now prescribed people; but | should be failing in
! public duty if | did not put upon record the
dreadful calamity of which have such abundant
evidence. | have beer appealed to, moreover,
from every quarter. to give publicity to this awful
| state OF things means of concentrating at
tention a subject the present and future impor-
lance of which is great, and in the hope, also,
that it NAV elicit some manifestation of public
sympathy"
The Turkish Government is doing all in its
power to meet the pressing exigency. The Sui
tan has given from his private purse the munif
cent sum of $3.50 900 Others give according
to their ability 1t is also proposed to draft some
twenty thousand men into the army and as a
| future relief, large numbers ultimately NAV be
employed in the culture of cotton So there is
fair prospect of the whole after some delay
and indescribabe suffering, finding "A home
among those who, though strangers profess the
same religious belief, and worship with their
faces towards Mecca. The disaster which has
thus plunged entire nation into pauperism
| with is cOncomtants OF famine and disease, is
fearfully aggravated by the suddenness and com
pleieness OF the overthrow. For the moment
| every resource is overpowered History presents
few such examples n. Y. Jour of Com.