New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1871-12-11
TIE BALTIC PROVINCES or russia

TIE BALTIC PROTJNCES or RUSSIA.
The classification of the Baltic Provinces is
apparently to be pressed with great energy by
the Cabinet of St. Petersburg. The removal of
the University from Dorpat to wilma is sufIi-
GENTLY significant of the intentions of the Gov
eminent to spare no means to extend, by
moral az well as by administrative measures,
the sway of the Russo-Greck Church III tho
seaside provinces. Hitherto a very largo
majority of tho population of these districts
has professed and practiced the Lutheran
form of worship, which has virtually received
complete liberation from the Government.
The principal vcxatious provisions are those
which prevent PROSECUTING to the Professionals,
and by which one who has once gone over to
the Greek Church is forever prohibited by
pains and penalties from changing his mind.
1t appears that these provisions are now to be
enforced with greater rigOr than over, possibly
as a gracious acknowledgment of tho recent
visit of our Evangelical Alliance. 1t is not 80
much in tho interest of religious unity
that the policy is now adopted, "a in pur-
suance of tho traditional Russian theory that
uniformity of habits and customs among
the subjects of the Car forms the best glaran-
tee for loyalty and security. 1t is in this
theory that most of the savage and reprcssivc
rules for the government of Poland havo
taken their rise. 1t is only recently that in
certain districts of Lithuania the military
authorities have established a system of ORA
CONAN severity in regard to the use of the
vernacular tongue. Most of the inhabi-
tants speak only Lettish, and as treason is
always supposed to lurk in an unknown
tongue, and it was too much trouble for the
Russian officers to learn this language, they
made it penal Offcnse for natives of the
country to speak any language but Russian in
public places. SO that two brothers, if they
had never learned the legal language, must
pass each other in the street, or take
their dinner together in n restaurant, III
dumb bitterness of heart. The people have
been 40 long trained in the school of
servility that these tyranncal orders seem as yet
to have created no especial movement of re-
volt or protest, and so are not regarded by the
outside world. But it is highly probable that
if the machinery of coercion is set in motion
with equal thOroughness in the Lutheran prov
inces of tho Baltic, the resulting commotion
will arouse the attention and shock the moral
sense of all civilized nations.
Even the appearance Of coercion in matters
of religion or sentiment is so at variance with
the tendency of the age, that it cannot be
practiced with impunity in any country claim
ing to be civilized. These three provinces,
which lie on the eastern bank Of the Baltic,
form the most cultivated and enlightened por-
ton of the Russian Empire. Their united
population numbers nearly two millions, of
whom more than three.fourths are PrOtestants,
the other fourth being divided among He
brews, Russo-Greek communicates, and Roman
Catholics. No part of the Empire is 80
well supplied with schools. In none is there
so wholesome and active a commercial move
ment. Tho ruling element in the population
is German, and they have sensibly affected
every department of life with their own char
acteristic thrift and industry. These prov
inces are also comparatively recent accessions to
the Empire. EsthOnia, which lies furthest of tho
three to the north, remained under the author
ity of the Swedish crown until the war of Peter
the Great with Charles XII, and only became
openly incorporated with Russia by the Treaty
of Nystadt in 172l. 1t was in the same year
that Livonia was also wrested from Swedish
domination and incorporated with the other
conquests of the Car. Courland has fallen
still moro recently into Russian hands. 1t
was formerly ruled by sovereign Dukes own.
ing nominal allegiance to the Polish Crown.
When Anna became Empress, in 1880, her
uncle Ferdinand was made Duke Of Courland,
In which post he remained for seven years.
The adventurer Biron next enjoyed the posi-
ton through tho favor of his imperial mis-.
tress, and left it a. n legacy to his son, who
was forced to ceda 1t to Catharine ii. in 1875.
1t may sometimes DO possible tO force Q