Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1874-03-11
The Mennonite Petition to
COngress-Why 1t Is NJ ade.

Mennonltes have petltioned Con-
gress to extend to their sect certain
land grant privileges. A member OF
that church named Cornelius Janzen
stated in 8 letter TO Col. Forney of the
Press the reasons why Congress was
petitioned. Here is the letter in full ::
Sir : 1t was truly grateful to Us to
see by The Press and other public pa
pers the kind mention President Grant
and the Secretary Of the Interior made
iu their annual message to Congress of
the petition lately presented to tina;
body in behalf of our Mennonite breth-
rem. That men in high official station
have not felt it beneath them thus to
express openly their sympathy toward
our hard-pressed people is very en-
couraging to US, and it shall be our
aim, by Gods assistance, to Justify
their confidence.
Our petition has been attacked in
other quarters and marked as unjusti-
fable, so that | wish to have the Jp-
portunity of stating in few words the
objects of our request.
We asked to have no new law made,
or any existing one destroyed, but
simply some provision made in our pur-
chase of land to extend until the year
1881, the time granted by the Russian
government for our emigration.
1t is very easy to see that the per-
mission of our request would enable
our people to save great deal of their
property, as parents who are ID distress
on account CT their sons being drafted
into military service, may send them
before to this country, and themselves
sell out their property gradually, know
ing they will have place kept fer
them among their children aud other
fellsx-teiie7ers.
BY information lately received it ap-
pears the Russian government has not
yet given permission to the Mennonites
to sell their lands to any bat their own
people, also making 1t very difficult to
obtain passports, so that there are many
hardships and difficulties 10 be met be-
fore they can leave Russia.
The granting of their petition would
be real act of charity toward body
of fellow hristians, deprived for con-
science sake of their homes and property.
How deep the need for assistance is
felt even in this country, Is shown by
the fact that the Society of Mennonites
IN Canada, who are but a small number
have raised above $4,000 for the aid
Of their poor brethren, no matter
whether they 60 to- Canads or the Uni
ted States, and those in the States who
number ten times what they do IN
Canada will not keep back proper
tionate assistance.
The Mennontes desire to settle to-
gether, because the history of their
communities conyinces them that unity
makes strength. ln this unity they
prsctiee discipline aud order IN church,
school ana private life, and through
this they soos obtain all necessaries of
life, aud often nro,e. They not only
keep their own poor, Dot never give the
least trouble to any government, but
as those who persecute them must tes-
tify, are always willing to impart to the
poor of any confession Of those earthly
goods they obtain through the blessing
of God by their earnest labor and work
knowing we'll, that all belongs to one
God and Saviour.
We, therefore, on:y desire to have
favorable terms of purchase for Gov
ernment lands extended to Us for such
a term of years as may enable our set
tiers to dispose of their property in
Russia without RUN to themselves, and /
assist them IN providing new homes for
their families in Anerica,
The eiict of the Russian govern
,nent in regard to the Mennonite set
tiers, or coloulsts, as they are termed,
is as follows.