The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1891-08-07
RUSSItN C0SSACKS.
uAWLESs MEN WHO COMPOSE THE
CzAR'S BODY GUARD.

Devoted and unprincipied without Dread
or Appreciation oG Dauger--Giranted lin.
munity from Punishment for All Grimes
Except Cold BIo0ded Murder.
I see here and at st. Petersburg only few
soldiers in the streets, and the dashiiig Cos-
sacks riding like mud on horseback are the
life OF the military for the winter The Cos
sacks are the life guards of the czar, and ARE
the most interesting OF the many characters
In this strange country
A genuine Cossack has no more appreciation
Or dread Of danger than he has OF his vodka,
terrible rum, which he drinks like water
and which makes intoxication at sight. He
was tho original soldier Of Russia, the patron
detective and the prime spirit In making re-
publican institutions what they are. He Is
devoted to the car, and for his devotion has
been knighted in the highest degree. The
acme Of tho Russian soldier Is to become as
soeiated with the service Of the crown and to
be located about the palace. When soldier
IL stationed In the vicinity of thepalaee and
IL becomes known that he bas beenrecosnized
by the ear, his reputation has reached the
zenith, and he instantly becomes the admira-
ton Of the entire people, To get promo
ton en- suit,-that Is, into the direct service
Of the czar--is to acquire the highest honor "a
million Russian soldiers aspire to-
In all the wars Russia has fought from her
organization the Cossacls have figured most
conspicuously, They especially did the
bloody work when Napoleon came over from
France In 1873 and attempted to conquer the
empire. The great French general found his
men falling like hail when he was unable to
strike back, the enemy always being under
shelter. Itwas continuous bushwhncking till
the retreat began, whom the CoSsacks rode out
10000 ON horseback md shot down in cold
blood almost twice their number in Napoleon's
ranks For centuries these people have been
the predominant inhabitants on both sides Of
the Volga, and the first to take up arms in all
the Crimea against intruders. Nearly half u
century ago the c2ar rewarded tho tribe BY
making nll Cossaeks 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 SEQ Alexander Ill you see
swarm of Cossacks about him, riding ovei
pedestrians, sashiug their sabers In the air
and holding high and arbitrary authority
They have complete privilege and exercise i
to the fullest extent.
IMMUNITY AGAINST PUNISHMENT
A C,osack soldier Is granted complete i'm
munity against punishment for all but th
highest crime, which is murder IN cold blood
II he wantonly murders un innocent and un
offending citizon or companion he is court
martiaed and probably imprisoned for thre
or six months, but it is extremely difficult
convict him when once arrested. He is ful
niAhed a horse, clothing and rations whe
stationed in u city, but he is given no salary
and rations only when he cannot forag'
About one-fourth Of them are supplied
the hands Of the ear, while nearly l00,O00 Q
them are privileged to go about the connti
and in the name Of the ear pillage and plui
der, They hold up strangers, commit burr
lary sometimes and demand at the hands
the people the best there is 10 live upon.
IL useless 10 make complaints of their deprt
dations. as they are legaliaed. The peop
have to keep the czar and guard his III
they must protect him and all his interest
and he holds that they may just as well
some Of their acts for the empires presery
ton directly, by maintaining band Of IN
raudcrs, as to do 1t indirectly through I'll
channel of the treasury.
1t does not follow that because q soldier
n life guard hc must be al the side Of the o.
he is employed to protect. His field is in al
SPOT he can locate effort to injuro the empi
or It's c2ar. Flo is u secret or public dett
tive. or q soldier, according to his purpos
or desires lie goes about, when not und
direct orders, in the uniform Of q soldier
the dress Of a civilian. At st. Petersbur
not many days ago, saw Cossack IN p
yate citizens dress on the street, walking
hot haste. He wore long ulster, button
up To the chin He was in the role Of
tectivc. In a little group Of men he espl
his came--a slender youth, Hastily unb
toning his great coat he drew forth bug
A single. short call, and at his side w
three or four Of the iiercest looking Cossa
soldiers ever saw They came in twli
ling, wore coats Of mail, caps, and OF th
sides and in their belts were pistols, kni'
and naces sufficient to start band OF Te'
hiphwaymen. The arrest was not resist
and the display seemed entirely unnecessa
Moscow Cor. Kansas City Times.
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