New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1873-08-22
A MnnFRN PILGRIMAGE.

FuIniFR ARRIVAL OF INSTRUMENTATION or
LEADING MEMBERS or THE COMPANY
a second company of MennOnltes from the
Crinea came nv the steamer Ho!saua from Hamburg
YESTERDAY This band includes clsht families ana nearly
90 persons some OF whom are friends or RELATIVES VI
those who came by the Hamnonia last week. Their
homes were in the same ghborhood, and they have
smi!ar qualities Of prudence thrift and sturdy lnde-
pendence Like their predecessors they are weo-do'
tbeir eight families bringing about SlOo,OOe IN gold
They also resemble the largeness of their fam
lilies One family Of the eight has nine ehlidren' an
other six another five, and there are TWO WIN -FOUR
apece These MennoDites spent the night al the Ger
man Mission House az Madison and Chambers-sts' ana
will start day for Ekhar Indiana. where friends are
awaiting them and where they will pause before deter
mining their final place Of settlement
ATEBrSE reporter conversed last evening with some
OF the bestinormed Of the company and obtained fuh
details Of the causes which have led part OF this peeu-
liar people 10 omgrae this country, and Of the pres
ont posjtion and sentiments Of those who remain IN
Russia Tie presence Of Mennonites in that country
dates when the action OF Frederick the Great
of Prussia in trying force the Mennontes IN his DO
mBions 10 bear arms obliged then TO seek new homes
Catherine H. OF Russia eager to people Southern
Russia with so valuable element and granted each
of the settlers 100 acres OF land together with liberty OF
Worship and perpetual exemption from military service
Under these conditions the immigration OF Mennontes
TO Russia continued for generations, and the trans
planted people prOspered greatly the hanks OF the
Nootchina and Dnieper. They not only had their
own schools and churches, aud retained In Their
integrity the language, habits and usages of their
ancestors, but had sort OF seltgovernment, each
group Of villages being under governor appointed by
themselves from their ranks, who acted as the
organ Of communication between them and the deDeral
Government. In 1851 the present Car granted new
lands and renewed all the old concessions TO colony OF
Mepnonites who settled on the Voga. These lands how
A hv Cath ariTp yVprp M Ql
Zee simple The receivers were allowed to leave them
20 their children and TO sell them to each other but
rould not dispose them other than Mennonite
without special permission OF the Government Ol at
wears the attitude OF the Russian Government toward
the MennOntes changed, and harsh and unirlendy
spjrt been shown. The sharpsighied among them
foresaw an invasion OF their liberties from the
tone OF the Russian newspapers and the atu-
tude OF Russian officials On June 1871, the expected
hlo come An edict addressed to all the cooDists In
the Empire German LutheTans and Roman Catholics
ns well a. MennOnites Bugarians and Others TO all oil
whom as 10 the Mennontes, grants OF lands and spe-
rial privileges had been given, set the limit Of ten years
ms the terminal period OF exemption from military
service with the provls0 that 70 furnishing recru
the laws ruling coOnists should remain in force only
IN the publication Of general law on military duty
Such law might be PROMULGATED at any day, and the
Aennonites with others be obliged 10 furnish recruits
in spite OF their religious convictions against bearing
arms Ry the general law of Russia emigration j. NOT
permitted but for the benefit Of the aggrieved col
onists ten years given them in which to take
themselves out Of Russia, If unwilling to come under
The upouared rigor OF Russian law After that time no
emigration is 10 be permitted Meanwhile some OF The
Mennotes had busy making inquiries to guide them
the selection Of new homes Cornelius Jonseh eaoing
Mennonite acting German Consul at Berdansk, had
written letters Of the sect in this country
and Canada. asking information 10 the advantage
Of America for settlement by their people very IuI
and encouraging replies were received rom JONI unh
at Elkhar Indiana, and from others in Canada Penn
sylyania, and the West Jonsen had these letters
printed and distributed them, together with little
pamphlets telling OF the attractions Of America SO en-
fbnsastIc did the people become over the hope OF nav
nier and freeT homes in the New World that in short
fme 500 coo wac raised 10 aid deputatlon America,
10 visit finest sections and 70 return 20 Russia with
report Of the result Of their pyngont OF the land The
delegates sent were Twelve IN nunoer and left Russia
of hs year They have now gone back TO their people
after visiting Manitoba, Michigan Minnesota, Dakota,
Iowa Kansas Missouri, Texas, and other places -Four
of Item and the last sailed for Hamburg In the Ham
THESE movements toward leaving the country were
oppOeed by the Russian Government In March Jonsen
was ordered ~ leave the country IN seven days on ae
Of his activity in circulating seoucuNo lholDa
tOn concerning America. He Is now IN this eltY Ihee
were about 30 Mennonite families IN the Crlnea who
unwilling walt for the sending Oh ueIcsI.oh
before coming 10 this country As inc Crnean hen
noDitee-WhO number little more than one hundred ram
tiles IN allve land bought by themselves abu noI
included 10 the grants Of either Catherine OF Ae1snae
these 80 families able 10 sell their land without
begging the permission OF Government But after they
had done In spite OF the proclamation promising tn
freedom 10 emigrate any time within years. the
ost earnest solicitation could not procure their pass
ports until six months had passed, during which
lime they forced 10 live upon their capital as their
lands and houses had been sold AT length they have
escaDed out Of what seems 70 them bitter bondage The
arrivals by the Hamm0nia and the Holsatia comprised
most these 90 families, and there are few more on
The report Of the delegation which has visited this