Connecticut western news., 1888-02-01
RUSSIAN CG3aACKS.
The Lawless, Daring. Unprincipled
 Body Guard of the Czar.

I see at Moscow and at St. Petersburg only few soldiers in the street, and the dashing Cossacks riding like mad on horseback are the life of the military for the winter. The Cossacks are the life guards of the Czar, and are the most in- teresting of the many characters in this strange country.
 A genuine Cossaok has no more ap- preciation or dread of danger than he has of his vodka, terrible rum, which he drinks like water, and which makes in- toxication at sight. He was the original soldier of Russia, the patron detective, and the prime spirit in making republi- can institutions what they are. He is devoted to the Czar, and for his devotion has been knightce in the highest degree. The acme of the Russian soldier Is to become associated with the service of the crown and to be located about the palace. When soldier is stationed ill the vicinity of the palace and it becomes known that he has been recognized by the Czar, his reputation has reached the zenith, and he instantly becomes the ad- imitation of the entire people. To get promotion en s,,ite-that is, into the direct service of the Czar-is to acquire the highest honor a million Russian sol diers aspire to.
 In all the wars Russia has fought from her organization the Cossacks have fig ured most conspicuously. They espe- cially did the bloody work when Napo- leon came over from France in 1872 and attempted to conquer the empire. The 1 great French general found his men ] falling like hail when he was unable to Sstrike back, the enemy always being l under shelter. It was continuous bush whacking till the retreat began, when the Cossacks rode out 10000 on horse back and shot down in cold blood almost twice their number in Napoleon's ranks. For centuries these people have been l the predominant inhabitants on both sides of the Volgs, and the first to take up arms in all the Crimea against in truders. Nearly half century ago the Czar rewarded the tribe by making all Cossacks in his service his special life guard. Altogether the most brutal and ignorant, the Cossack is thus given the most conspicuous position in all this great army. Whenever you see Alexan- der III. you see q swarm of Cossacks about him, riding over pedestrians, | ing high and arbitrary authority. They to the fullest extent.
 A Cossack soldier is granted complete immunity against punishment for all but the highest crime, which is murder in cold blood. If he wantonly murders an innocent and unoffending citizen or com panion he is court -mnrtialled and prob | n1l for 1>,,k it is extremely difficult to convict him horse, clothing, and rations when sta tioned in city, but is given no salary, and rations only when he cannot forage. About one-fourth of them are thus sup piled by the hands of the Czar, while nearly hundred thousand of them are privileged to go about the country and in the name of the Czar pillage and plunder. They hold up strangers, com init burglary sometimes and demand al the hands of the people the best there ! is to live upon. It is useless to make complaints of their depredations, as they are legalized: The people have tc keep t'e Czar and guard his life; they must protect him and all his interests and he holds that they may just as vel uO SOIDe Ol Cuelf HctS TOT tlle emp1fe preservation directly, by maintaining { band of marauders, as do it indirectly tn ough the channel of the treasury. | does not follow that because a soldier i. life guard he must be at the side O the one he is employed to protect. Hi
 field is in any spot he can locate effor to iniure the empire or its Czar. He i
 secreteor public detective, or soldier according to his purposes or desires
 He goes about, when not under direc
 orders, in the uniform of a soldier or tn
 dress of civilian. At St. Petersburg mot many days ago, I saw a Cossack il private citizens dress on the street, walk
 ing in hot haste. He wore long ulster
 buttoned up to the chin. He was in tn
 role of detective. In little group o
 men he espied his game-a slende
 youth. Hastily unbuttoning his grea
 coat he drew forth bugle. A single
 short call, and at his side were three o four of the fiercest looking Cossack sol diers ever saw. They came in twink ling, wore oat-of-mail caps, and at thei , sides and in their belts were pistols kives and maces sufficient to start a ban of Texas highwaymen. The arrest wa
 not resisted, and the display seemed CT tirely unnecessary.