Wilmington daily commercial., 1873-08-18

The RassisH nTenHsnites - Arrival Of Ios ON
Friday.
On FRIDAY afternoon, the German steamer
Hanuaonia arrivad at New York, from HambureA
and arooar her passengers we're 100 Mennonltss
e,ou F..s5assa. IL the aonthsrn psxt Of Russis,
Who. owing to the attempt nAdo q huaslanlsss
shem. snd force them into the army, have soie
flIar lands and left the colony whieh was foruieu
Nv thair forefathers emigrants from Germany,
many years ago, and now seek home IN tns
United States OF the immigrants there are 70
families, and all Of the peasant class, eVidentty
With abundant meas at their disposal. Ihey
are quite different from the usual class OF Ger
nsn inlmierants hale and robust and cleanly IN
their habits. On their arrival they were met py
Pastor Neuman, of the Lutheran OhuIcni
through whom they had been Induced 70 come 20
this country Their story is that some siN months
ago the Russian authorities informed them tnat
in ! few years they would be compelled to enter
the Amy, and, in fact, conform 70 al the laws
as observed by the Russians Inc minister 0i
State was petitioned in the matter without Avall,
and communications were sent TO Oahsos AsktnB
the allotment OF spot on which to form COLO
nv, As the Government could not promise TO
them that they wouldn't be compelled 20 take up
ANNA IL NECESSARY, or Join the army, they deter
mined TO come to the United States, where tney
were informed il drafted in the case OF war, tney
thereby mot infringe one OF the main principles
Of their faith Yesterday the first instalment
arrived. and 400 are on their way.
Tbey are a denomination Of Baptists founded
by Memo Simonis, in Holland. They we're a.
first taken under the patronage OF William OF
Orange, and prospered, and during the seven
teenth century became quite numerous in the
central countries of Europe. In the eighteenth
century they we're however, subjected to severe
prosecutions, and their condition has never been
satisfactory in either Holland, Hanover, or Ger
many. Consequently in the beginning OF TINS
century q colony of these dissatisfied re!lglonists
we're gathered together from Prussia, Wurtem-
burg and Bavaria, and emigrased to teodessa, IN
Russia, where they were permitted to establish
colony and enjoy their own peculiar religious
and social tenets. They were subjected to no
other conditions than paying land tax, thereby
having privileges not enjoyed by the natives
However, the Russian authorities sought to IN
corporate the numerous and important colony
among the subjects of the Government; IN de-
fiance of tie stipulations which the emperor
Paul made to them Oh their going to FeodessA'
The present Gear resolved to bring the Mennon-
ties as well as the Poles Iand Llthuanians snd
other nationAlties, into = homogeneous Russlan
mass. Much difficulty was encountered in OBJ
tanning permission to emigrate, and this obstacle
is not altogether removed yet, as there are some
40, 900 still behind who have not commenced TO
dispose of their lands. Those that have ar
rived here fl ed precipitately on hearing that the
Minister of State refused to interfere in their be-
half They consider the action OF the Gar as a
religious persecution, and will to man leave
Russia
The party now arrived will settle in Kansas.