New-York tribune., 1898-11-21
THE DOUKHOBORS.
VASE IMPRESSIONS ABOUT A REMARK
aBIE RUSSIAN SECT CORRECTED.
r,-rs AND PRACTICES THAT BROUGHT THEM
PERSECUTION IN RUSsIA-THEIR EMI
GRAFTON TO AMERICA.


GRAFTON TO AMERICA
.. .,s Editor OF The Tribune.
s,-. So much Inaccurate Information has been
-.'.r,ed 10 the New-York press with regard TO the
n,nrhobor movement that beg leave to put be-
.ore your reaoe's d O''e' s"i'' VI 'ie ie"i i"e's
~ the case
rbe origin OF the sect Is unknown. but they
..,rlv existed a hundred and fifty years ago. Alex
.,asr / in a ukase at the beginning OF the pres
o., century. mentioned that thirty years OF
.,.ecution had not destroyed the sect He repudi-
"a nersecuion a means Of upholding the
10y Russo Greek faith and allowed the Doukho
. ,o settle not far from the Crimea at the Milky
waters.
Nicholas I banished them 10 the Wet Mountains
. ,.o caucasus where the wild hill tribes learned
" rosnect and protect them. and the Mahomctans
sa.ised that these peop.e certainly not
cr-,s,,ans for they had never known Christians
nAo led such a sober and peaceable life. In 1887
r,,versal military conscription introduced in
~. caucasus end the Doukhobors' troubles began
sain They would not kill their fellow men. and
Ultimately decided that they would not even learn
.he art Of human slaughter t. e.. they refused
,a,,,arv service altogether. For this they were
ssyerey persecuted. Many have been sent to ST.
hera. some have died Of physical ill-treatment
,d many have persisted frcm disease and want
os,or their homes had been broken up
,-he, nrefer 10 call themselves Universal Broth
,rhood Christians" believing that We are all
.so-s Of one Father" They are very simple,
,odv fox who have given no literary or dogmatic
ression 10 their views. which may. however. bc
med ND simply They regard Christ being
,ne saviour Of the world and believe that we
sho,ld ali strive 10 "a the things that He said
One ~ their leading men. when his way into
sv,,e replied 10 an inquiry 10 their faith: ut
consists Of two commandments-to love COO ano
"a love our neghbors ourselves
hold hot n
recognize COD working in them through their rea-
.or ana their conscience. on this account they
obey the commandment. Swear not at all but
c, your yea be yea" etc. for they say II we swear
slvavs 10 obey some one. what shall We DO II he
orders Us 20 act n q way that reason and con-
science show rs to be wrong? Like the Quakers.
the Mennonitos. the Nazareaes and other worthy
..cts they attach Importance to the text: Resist
,ot him that is evi and disaDprove Of all violence
done by man 10 man
The Doukhohors are a simple and for the most
psrt nliterate people. sood asricuturists. skilfu
at all kinds Of village handicrsf fruga. but will
Ing 10 show hospitality and 10 help Others. They
are total absainefs vegeta rians and do not smoke.
They are careful in educating their children. both
In religious and mora questions and also in po-
uieness and usefuln = but they regard book learn
ng as being Of secondary importance. In their
family life the poukhobors are remarkably pure
They DO not jeer al old maids (as We sometimes
,as Christ did) he has done well The bright.
happy and intelligent appearance OF their children
and the kindly simp city Of the adults strike every
,ne who meets them. They do all their agricultural
aork communally not dividing their land into
separate pieces for each family.
Their migration allowed b. the Czar In
decree published last February In August
100 Of them moved temporarily to the islsnd
IF Cyprus TWO families are now in Canada, ana
he rest of the sect still in the Caucasus. Inc
ecution. hold fast 10 their faith and have perInis,
sion 10 leave Russia and wish TO 90 So Is apou.
are at least some hundreds more. in Siberia, in
prison. scattered and lost in exile IN the t auo
,asus. No attempt has been made 10 bring these
people TO the United States: il Is untrue that op,
ions on land have been obtained mere OF Ihaf 'e n
he subject Two families of Doukhobors came to
England this SUNNI as deegateS tor tnet them ~
hem The soil and climate in Canada resemble
what they are accustomed to, and they will iheTe
BE better off than they have been snce ,hey ~
,een made for the migration Of the whole a5og 10
-anada two thousand are eNpec,ed TO ieSN Sone5
hat the whole migration may be accomplished Dy
lext May &C.. r,o,
n 10 aS that lived long with TolsO' or
hat have founded colony OF tnese peTbb6S Ibboueh
helping these people. sympatnlze WI T.. Ime Tpr
and and in Russia are doing the same IL Is qui,e
gainst my personal practice ana pfIHslliOs ~ On
,art in money collecting j nave WORKED ioi tnroe
,eople and tried TO give publicity TO theIr we've
md their condition. but | ask no man TOT o nnonS
arv aid With reference to Tolstoi. II is untrue
hsi he procured permission for them to emigrate;
The estimate Of funds in hand ana sun requIieg
published by the papers Is quite erroneous
that what the Doukhobors twho uhli
he persecution began were prosperous peasdl1s,'
'tjll possess supplemented by Few thouSanu
,ounds already collected in England ana IN nus
il will suffice 10 the cost OF thef nlls latVI
% Canada. Anything thai may be gwen IN iIe
| think best be USED IN eiidpIIliS
hem TO procure agricultural impiemehts horses,
,ows etc so that many as posslple may set 10
YORK next spring on the land that has been grant
4 10 them in the northwest OF Canaua' - 80
The fate of these people is indeed nara on.
" N ;bei1 own country they could not get their
iews their sufferings the facts or their case
presented at all for the government issued stTlCt
Instructions that they We're not 10 pe WIZ ~.
bout in the papers in this country loeIore iiieS
ave even reached this continent theH IecelNcu
ublicitv enough. but their history, oerels pLSis
M condition and intentions were altosethel ".t
epresented and this q serious matter, loi W, tIS
seW-York papers are read In CANADA anu, uith x ~
g much publicity is given to the real tacts Oh ne sle
ase and 10 the Doukhobors real peHeLs, as a9 r'aS
cen given 10 4 fancy sketch, very real nal III '''
e done TO them. , I'D most nm
ortuna fe peOple ] beg that you VIII give puptt'cS
n This letter which cOrrects at least some u 'io
ntruths that have been printed about tn%enL % vor,,
How, II happens that all the leading New o,n @
,aners we're supplied with accounts when aiiHH
tcrlv false is a very curious story. But WI WI
No, teIl IN to-day as this letter Is alreauy 'oo
New-hor NOV - 1870 AYLMER MAUDE.