The New York herald., 1874-08-26
MORE MENNONITES.

What They Say at Castle Garden-The
Exodus from POla nd-An ssInterview w er''
Bafiied-Some History OF Dutch Bap-
lists Who Wish to Become Am crican
Farmers.
Thousands OF our adopted citizens availed them
selves OF the competition among the steamship
companies this summer to visit the "ould coun-
thry" and "Faderand;'' they were able to pro-
cure steerage passage for about nalf the usual
rates, and seized the opportunity to look once
more upon their native hills or the pleasant val
leys OF
Home, sweet home
They are now, however, returning in large
numbers, and Castle Garden-not terra incO0fstta
TO them-is swarming with new class OF summer
tourists. In conversation, however, with one Of
the Emigration Commissioners yesterday q
HERALD reporter was made acquainted with some
interesting statistical facts in reference to the
ebD and now Of
THIS HUMAN TIDE
This year the immigration only equals One-half
that OF 1879 aud this is accounted Tor by the fact
OF the panic OF las September, the depression
following which was quickly communicated to
those eXpectant ones on the other side Of the
Atlantic, who were only awaiting o good oppor-
tunlty to cast their fortunes in the New World,
winch, to tnem almost seemed ike the '.earthly
paradse' OF whicn the gentle poet sings.
DECREASE IN IMMIGRATION.
| cial crash OF 1881 caused decrease in immlgra-
ton to these shores IN one year OF about 10000.
grafton decreased about 100000. Secretary jack
son, OF the Emigration Board, estimates that
| about 1888 persons. To the domestic ecOnO-
mist and historian these facts present much IoOd
But the most interesting arrivals at Castle Gar
| den OF late have been The
MENNoNITEs OF POLAND.
About $50 OF these Baptists came In The City of
Chester TO these shores and will proceed directly
to YanktOn, Dakota, and other places in the
west. The most Of them are from the neigh
borhood OF Wolhynla ana are mainly of the agri
cultural class. They are IN charge oil Mr. David
Goerz, Secretary OF the Mennonite Board ,S Of
eDjOlns them to believe that
"sILENCE Is GOLDEN;'
therefore 1t was almost Impossible for q HERALD
reporter to interview them. rather udicrOus at
tempt was made by the newspaper represent
wnicn resulted about as iollows:- '''' '''S'
HERALD REPoRTER-DOes anybody here speak
English
REP0RTER I'm French) DO you speak Frenchs
PATRIARCH I'm French)-Yes.
REPORTER-GoOdl Where do you come from,
and where are you going tor
PATRIARCH-I know nothing about tt.
Alter this answer the reporter thought it best to
90 elsewhere lOr lnOrH2IlOn.
THE HISTORY OF THE MENNONITE SECT
IS very curious. Originally a denomination OF
they suffered from the national prejudices which
cOnfOunded them with the Anabaptists, until they
were protected Dy WlIHam Ol orange. III tD0
seventeenth ana eighteenth centuries they be-
| came very powerful from accessiOns OF eXlles, OF
| their own cleed from Germany and Switzerland.
| They suffered from religious prosecutions, how
| ever, until the revolution OF 184S, when Louis
| Philippe was driven from the throne Of France
| and all Europe was Convulsed, when the German
states granted them tull civil rights. At the close
OF the eighteenth century, several thousand Ger
man Mennonites retreated to Southern Russia
| and founded quiet settlements, being granted q
| charter from the Emperor Paul OF freedom from
| military service forever. 10 was the endeavor OF
the present Gear Of Russia to force them into
MILITARY SERVICE
| which has caused the great immigration OF the
sect to these United States AS early as 1909, how
| ever q number OF their families from the Pala-
tinate settled in Lancaster county. Pennsylvania.
The most important work In their history
is said to bear the simple and pleas
ing title of 'Gescheidens der Do0psgeslnden
In FrIesland, Overyssel eA Oostvriesland," &C.,
and Is written by the eminent autnOr, Biauf0I
Ten Cate. The people are remarkable tOr
VIRTUE, THRIFT AND INDUSTRY.
The men now at Castle Garden are fine specimens
of stalwart manhood; the women, although not
beautiful, are pleasing and well-mannered, and
the children healthy and cleanly. Nearly all are to
Join the settlement-already quite large-in the
southern part OF Dakota. They are generally pos
sessed OF some money, as Is instanced by the
last party leaving here lover six hundred) having
deposited with the Commissioners OF Emigration
for safe keeping about $4,000 in gold.