Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1879-07-18
Russia,s Convict Country.


Though there are many free settlers in
Siberia, both in town and country, rs
well rs the native Siberian tribes, the
"exiles form the most marked portion
of the population; and if we take into
account them and their descendants, as
well rs cOnvicts whose sentences have
expired, and who have remained in the
country, they form the most numerous
portion-of the population. No traveller
can have journeyed along the post route
leading from Ninii-Novgorod over the
Urals, across Siberia by way of Tjumen,
Tobolsk, Tomsk or Yeniseisk, without
meeting long strings of exiles, some of
whom have been on the road six, eight
or ten months, and sometimes-as in the
case of those destined for the settlements
on the Amoor river and Kamtchatka-
even two years. The worst are chained;
but, except in the vicinity of the towns
through which they may pass, great
leniency is usually shown to the "un-
fortunates,n as with kindly tolerance the
exiles are styled by the country people.
The women and children-especially
when they are the families of the con-
victs, permitted to accompany them
are usually conveyed in wagons, or,
farther north, in reindeer or dog sledges !;
while political prisoners of rank, once
they are clear Of the large cities, may be
seen consorting with the officers of the
guard and even sharing their meals in
the block-hOuses along the route. Some
times in passing through fanatical vii
lage the actual SharerS in n conspiracy
will be spat upon, and even stoned, by
the Loyalty ignorant peasants; but more
frequently the imple-minded people will
bring them presents of food and other
necessaries, and ask Heaven to forgive
and shelter them. At each station on
the road there are barracks for the ac-
commodation of the prisoners. These
barracks are usually outside the villages,
and are surrounded by high stockades of
pointed trunks of trees, over which it is
impossible to climb, though the precau-
ton is always taken of having the eXiles
well guarded by mounted Cossacks. The
daily march is not toilsome, and varies
according to the nature Of the road or
the accommodation for man and beast
it is usually about fourteen or fifteen
miles. Nevertheless, on the long jour
neys many die by the way; indeed, |
have heard it affirmed by Russians well
acquainted with the system that not
over four-fifths of those sent to the far
North or Eastern Siberia ever reach
their destination.
AS soon as they arrive in Siberia the
cOnvicts are divided into three classes.
First come those condemned for the foul
est crimes known to the Russian law
such as would in England entail on the
criminal penal servitude for life or for q
long term of years. These culprits are
doomed to work in the mines, and usu-
ally have hard lot. Next come the eX.
lies condemned for shorter periods and
for minor offences. Migrants at large
rogues worthy of longer term of pun.
ishment than imprisonment, prisoners
sentenced by the communal courts, and
in former days, serfs condemned, rs re
fractory laborers, by the government, OF
application by the proprietors of estates
on which they lived, as well as minol
political offenders who, are well out o
harms way, comprise tho bulk of these
sent to is proportioned to their turpitudC
the worst offenders being dispatched
farthest from the boundaries of Russia
in Europe--for instance, to the shores O.
the Arctic Sea and the eastern provinces
while the lighter ulprits are permitted
to settle down in Western Siberia, imme
class of convicts are usually condemned
only for short terms, and are designed
for colonists on the expiration of theil
term of forced labor. Even before thai
date they are often employed in the gov.
eminent service, more like ordinary Ia
borers than as legal slaves. The thirC
and highest class of exiles are those wht
are condemned for mild crimes. II
feet, they are considered to have expia
tod thor. efe--e dizzy all v'
in the country, and are at once estab
Hshed as proper colonists, sometimes il
villages already existing, at anothe
time in new ones laid out for them.
Siberian society, constituted to grea
extent of such elements as these describ
ed, is very genial, and frequently refined
but not moral. Many of the convict
are political offenders, some of the high
est education and nobility of character
but vast number who have gained
certain amount of freedom, or who's
sentences being expired, have settle
down in the country, are of quite anotl
er class. Actual criminals have no plac
left them for repentance; they are alway
under the jail ban. But offenders of til
higher class, and especially political eS
lies, are rarely scowled on. Russian sc
ciety is the most tolerant in the worlC
and since pol ical exiles have increased
the front Of their offending has ceased t
be visible. They are after year OF tw
received into the best company, and
every way receive the treatment the
rank and education would have entitle
them to at home. 1t is only the wors
offenders who are not allowed to be a,
companied by their wives and children
Hampers Weekly.