The river press. [volume] (Fort Benton, Mont.) 1880-current, 1881-03-23

's 0~S - 49, G0A'SaS
enough with the largest Of them to resist TIKI
slight pressure Of the Norman influence which
eventually succeeded il directing them, anG
gave to them the impetus which created d
more enterprising and commercial spirit, and
necessitated a better social organization by
creating a sense Of individualism, very weak,
indeed, Int still sufficiently marked to pro-
duce several important corporations, among
which the principal were NoVgorod and Kief.
The MIR or village was nothing more than
q long row Of huts lining both sides Of a
single street, with the land belonging to the
families stretching away back in long narrow
strips, to the extent of the domain controlled
by the village, and was subdivided into the
house and garden spot, the arabic land for
more extensive operations, and the pasture
land. This property was held in common,
and was apportioned out among the families
as often as they would see fit, which varied
in periods of from three to ten years. They
were divided according to the male work
ing strength, the more males in a family, the
greater the portion Of land allowed and
the division was made necessary by death in
some cases, and increase in others, until some
families had too much and others too little,
when they were subdiyided again. Agricul-
ture only il its rudest form prevailed, as the
object could be, without commerce, only to
make bare subsistence. There does not ap-
pear, at this period, (prior to the beginning of
the 9th century, to have been but little more
organization Of this people except that given
by the slender tie Of their religious beliefs,
which had q tinge Of the German mythology
"a worship # the powers of nature I'M
der the guise Of their own heroic ancestry,
and was a different form Of the Odin Wor-
ship Of the Observation-Disclosures in ma
ture, with an organization and priesthood
strikingly similar to the Druidical forms Of
the Celts.
But about this period the great disturbance
of populations, from the Himyalahs in the
east to the Atlantic ocean in the west, began
almost simultaneously, and the pressure grad
ually increased from both directions, and was
soon to introduce ar element Of disturbance
which has gradually set this quiet Of centuries
into 8 hive Of aggressive swarming, and
which set to work in the mass the leaven OF
unrest and indiyidualism which has made the
final result Of q homogeneous national spirit
only a matter Of time. This sentiment had
considerable form between the 9Th and
the 9th centuries from the influx Of q new
population,
This population was the Norman, which
was Of Scandinavian and Danish origin, and
IN fact extended a considerable distance into
what is as at present included in Russian
Like all seaboard populations this
enterprising, energetic, and Warlike; liy-
ng not so much by agriculture IS by trade
and piracy, centuries Of which had impress
I'D by this time a spirit Of restless activity
which made them the directors Of Europe,
England to Constantinople, and from
Archangel to the two Sicilies. Their rude
vessels secured every sea, and the race was
destined, through no intention Of its own, to
'evolutionize the entire communal system Of
and start the plant Of individualism
nto q vigorous growth; first by placing
themselves as treebooters and pirates, and
hen as tradesmen, and afterwards by the
Of military aristocracies, which were
be nucleus of the European powers Of to-
lay. Their social organization was some
what like that Of the Scots, in clans with a
hereditary chief over a band who held their
in fef to him on a feudal or COM
nunal tenure, and organization had proceed !
ID SO far as to unite many Of these clans and
,hieftains undera single head, SO that it really |
presented the most concentrated form Of
government in Europe. But while exacting
he feudal tenure from the peoples whom they
ubordinated and reduced this tenure TO an
unconditional surrender of political rights
rom those they had conquered, among them
elves they maintained q fercely democratic
and were united by a bond only
made by 8 necessity for self protection from
ach other, as they had for some centuries
'een preying on themselves until q foreign
invited them TO richer conquests and a
acre inviting climate.
In close proximity to the native Sclav pro-
in the territory contiguous to Novgorod
nd Kief, were the Firms, q small but war
ke race with chronological affinity with the
'urcomans, and small bands Of these had
ept up q predatory warfare with their neigh
ors, and which had produced in this partic-
lar district 9 small military caste that in
Of time had usurped all the functions
the simple government OF both peoples,
nder petty local chieftains who used their
4 mn with covnr;Av ,,nnn fhn;r aun faI!n u,ara