New-York tribune., 1877-07-07
LETTERS FROM TIE PEOPLE.
RUSSIA AND THE CAUCASIANs.
,TrrrUpT or THT NOUNTAINEl rs IN THE rRtSEN
mn, N APPS oF RFCFNT YFApS

.-,rrrv or THE NoUNTAI>EtRs IL THE PRESENT
wAr-ruE WARS OF RFCENT YEARS.
n me Edttor OF The Tribune.
SIR: The recent announcement of an insur-
cct,on among the Chcchcnscs in the Caucasian depart
,n Of the Terck and the reported cooperation OF the
,oonntaiuccls with the Turks in the attack on sukum-
rch lend careful ob-ervers of affairs in Asia Minor to
,,irc what probability there IS OF a general rising of
,ne Caucasian mOuntanecrs, and what effect such d-
rsion i'm flank would have upon the armies operating
arnnd the eastern end OF the Black Sea. Would it not
,nterrur communication between Russia and the trans
opasus through the Darrell Pass, and ncccssitae tho
todrawal Of troops from Turkish Armenia To defend
Georgia and strengthen the GarSons Of the hin forts
II is evidently the intention OF the Turks 20 preach
"boly wal" throughout the of the Caucasus,
md moahs have already been sent TO the western end
of the range 10 stir up the fanatca hill tribes with
procamation Of the &" Gazavat."
The Moh0mm'dan mountaincers OF the Caucasus num-
ber nearly q million, and insurrechon involving any
cons der ble portion OF this warlike population would
BE- serious check to Russian operations in Asia Minor
IsIt be arprehenicdl think not, for the following
reasons: When the Caucasian ended in $50 with
the capture Chamyl the peak of Gunib, Russia
adopted in her dealings with the conquered people an
enlightened and flr-Sightcd policy Chauyl himself was
brought To ST. Petersburg at liberty, and treated
with a generosity and kindness which completely won
his heart. residence was assigned him M kalusa %
village in the neiehhOrhood OF MoScowl bis family was
Government and q pension OF 10000 ruhles a year
was settled uron him for life. AT the same time
general amnesty was granted TO his principal leaders
and many of them taken into the Russian service
and put command of an irregular militia which was
recruited among the mountain tribes which manifested
friendly disposition In short Russia StrOve by every
possible means t. win the most prominent men in
The ds.f cted rirts-men who might become leaders
OF another iusurrcctlou-aud TO open TO them new
career This the first step, and it met with hume
diate success. Some OF Chamys old leaders now
among the ahles and most trusted officers Of the eau
casian army.
Then Russia proceeded to strengthen her hold OF
mountain tribes boy carefully educating and training Cau-
casian h0ys-cSpccav boys belonging to powerful and
f. nuential amesand fast as they came to maturity
putting them in command of military posts in the very
districts where they had heon born. Primary schools
were opened Gsozoi, at 1im"m- Khan-Shonra, at
Botck and 40 half dozen other places III the Eisc'n
CaucaSt7 aud when pasSsd through Daghcstan in 1870
aud 1871 the mounaineers receiving pay from the
Government for whom they sent to tie Rus
san schools. In the time "a gymnasium WAS rsta0-
nshed at Tias under the auspices Of the Grand Duke
Michael and boys who manifested unusual aptness and
ability in the primary schools taken to the capital
and there maintained and educated at ne expense of the
~Gorskaya Upravenia," or mountain administration.
From tnis gymnasium the most promising young
men again selected and sent To the Russian unver
sites at Kiev, Moscow, and Kazan, where they com
native mountains-strong capable, trained executors Of
Russian polcy-lnd were set rulers over their own
people I met at Hunzakh, in Western Dashestan
young Caucasian officer named Ali KhanOf-assstant
commander OF tie pOst-who had been through this
course Of Government training and favorable
specimen OF its results. He LesShtn-a matt We
Caucasian mouutaneer- hy birth, hut he spoke fuemty
French German and Russian besides OF three of the
mountain dialects. more familiar than with Euro
pean history and politics. had photograph of Prcsi
dent Lincoln, whom he greatly admired. took the
Rerue des N9ndcs. and in short united the culture
OF European gentleman 10 the fire ana energy OF true
Caucasian mountain
It will readily be that such mcnnountaineers by
birth but Russians by aniug-muSt necessarily exert
powerful Influence their fellow-counrymcn in ne
districts where they stationed They are not looked
NJ a. aliens. All Khanofs native village takes local
Iude I'm Ali Khanors superior ability and success He Is
one theme reflects credit not cnly upon his own
family. but upon the whole tribe he listened 10 wiih
of'tr would he hated and resisted Furthermore his
example gives a direction To native ambition The
" ho would naturally distinction in war-wuO would
becOnIr the bold ades, tic dashng partisan leaders OF
~ va! l." W, ti sl',clS and ~ f. desIrt ion cdn-
Gallon gradually Increases, the wIrlkc spiit declines.
Ii5, lr An KbaH"f Who have the sympathy aud re-
suect Of their Clausmen whiie they are thoroughly
imbucd with the policy Of their GOvcrnmcnt-Ri now
wlclds powerful moral influence over the whole Cau-
tasian p0pulatioll-an influence which grows stronger
every dIy, and Llch makes the outbreak OF another
general iusurrccuun i'm the highest degree improbable
SuOradc like tine one In the del ar ncht OF
e Jrrk may here and there among ultra IdDdt-
Teal tribes like tine Chtcncuses but they Will he I'll cou
aged aud resisted 10y the most numerous ana llnheh'"
y ron of the mountain population itself Inc iuiks'
who nave now obtained fOOthoid ON me Caucasian
coast at Sukum kaeh, uay attract TO li,r siauuai0
eouc of the ainecls III That nlnt ddle ViclhtN
bur not enough give the movement serious aspect
Since the migration most of the CIcasSans to lukc!
in 1867 tue whole western end OF the range lds Deeh
sc.nily populated More tnau hTcei"u4tE tbs OK al the
MOlamuedan mountaiueers in the Caucasus are settled
east OF the Darrell Pass, where they not hEey TO be
Reached by Turkish euiesaTles As Tor an mlellhpoh
OF communication between Russia and the uJhs-Ciu-
casus hy WAY OF the great Georgian Military l'oau u
ghtst degree Improbable Chalnyl Hlsel III
the u.tt Uf uis power, never able 10 close uit
Daue PISS and the OSsctCs and kdbdTdtns VINO occupy
the mountains bUth sides of II among me most
peaceful and trustworthy OF the highland lIDes All
inSurleciion formidable enough To really cmbll"tss ht
san ope atOns ia Asia Minor would have To lVoVe not
Ouiy the few scattered Ccas>Ians who are t "h Jhe
coast of tie Back but the whole body OF Mohahme-
dan mountabcers in ChechetnIa and Dasnestalt lht
time Or sucu an iusurecOu has passed Rnssas MOI al
power III tue Eastern Caucasus is now strong chOuSh 20
tlmsasm GEORGE KEENAN,.
AelC- York, June is, 1877.
yVnpn CDEJ 1 INC, REFORM