DISAFFECTION IN RUSSIA.

Press, Volume XLI, Issue 6153, 9 June 1885, Page 3

DISAFFECTION IN RUSSIA.

The Paris correspondent of the V Times" on April 6th wrote :—r

"The prospect of- a conflict between England and Bussia has awakened many dormant hopes among the oppressed and heterogeneous peoples of the great Northern Empire. The echo of,.this disaffection has travelled even to Paris, and it seems as if the Russian Government injudiciously contributes to fan the flame. Religious persecution has, at the instigation of the Czar's confidential adviser, ;the Procurenr of the Holy Synod, Pobedonoßstzeff, been revived throughout the country, so that Uniatas, Stundists, Protestants and Jews are all oppressed and dissatisfied."

A Georgian, who has good opportunities of judging the feeling of hie fellowcountrymen, writes from Tiflie a letter, beseeching mc to pljwe before the British public come expression of the sympathies which the Georgians feel towards England. That this maybe better understood,'my correspondent. recalls the past history of of hie country. He showed how the Georgians, invaded alternatively by the Turks "artel .the Persians,. finally, accepted the protection of Russia. But from the vassals tHey soon became the victims of the Czar. They received little or no protection, while they were compelled to endure every form of extortion. After recapitulate ing various historical events to show how. Busaian functionaries, armed-with Busaian. laws, ride roughshod over the * country/ crushing down every national instiuetj-my: correspondent insists that the' Georgian* have now but one object in view—that of throwing off the yoke of foreign domination. He adds:— \ ■

" This aspiration has been developed by the conduct of the Bussian Government itself. It outrages the most sacred' sentiments of the nation by abolishing the use of the Georgian language in the administration, the Uw courts, the schools, the religious ceremonies, and public institutions. .',The, liberty of the Press is suppressed, and even the wearing of the national dress is looked upon with suspicion by the Bussians. The Georgians cannot aspire to any post' of importance under the Empire, and the Georgian Church is now administered by a Bussian archpriest, who ignores both our language and the history of our Church. ]

"Again,/ until last year the Georgians were exempt from: compulsory military service; but during the'present year this last remaining privilege was* swept away. Opx sons are torn from their .homes, and forced to serve in the. regular army of our oppressors. Thus to-day when our grievances engender thoughts of revenge, and the 'love oi freedom makes'us cry for justice, we welcome the news of this projected war between England and Buseia. Joyfully we look ■*- forward to British victories as the signal of our salvation and of our freedom, and all our sympathies are with England. Those who are not Russians are henceforth our allies.

"If English forces could only land in Georgia, all the Caucasus, would rise in rebellion against the Bussians. formerly we had great political aspirations, bat' a harsh experience has reduced our ambition to a minimum. We do pot seek for much, only a tolerable modus vivendi- but as Bussia refuses to make any concession, we are ready, if encouraged, to take up arms in favpr of. England. "We only desire autonomy such as that enjoyed in Finland; and the right to nee oar own language. It is difficult ; to understand why Euesia bo. systematically oppresses us, and thus nurtures on Her frontier a hoatile'element ever ready to take -up arms against her. fi "An indepepdent Caucasus, might contribute very materially to the solution of the Eastern question. It would constitute a barrier between Tfcussia and Central Asia. If, to invade Asia. or Turkey, the Bussian troopß were first obliged to fight their wjsy through an autonomous Caucasian country the'difficulties of such aggression if ould be immeasurably increased. Beared to ft hard and perilous life, inured to warfare, and ready to die for a newly-found freedom, the Georgians would prove a serious stumbling-block, which Europe would do well not to neglect when she seeks to check the invasions of the Northern Colossus." Not only in the Caucasus, in Poliand. and on the Baltic is a Separatist spirit thus manifest, but even theCosaacke are. stirred with feelings of resentment against the Bussian Government for attempting to assimilate them to the regular army.