299

still тоте adorned with honorable wounds, unable to bear the

sight of their brave sons expiring under the lash, voluntarily

stripped themselves, rushed into the murderous avenue, and

shared with them the pain and shame (I ought to say the

glory) 0f death. Thus perished between 40 & 50 loyal sons

and defenders of Russia, who should have been held forth—

what they really were—her boast, pride and- delight!

It is well that foreign historians have not possesed them-

selves of this horrid transaction. Мау they remain forever igno-

rant of it! But those who have witnessed it, and those who

have had it faithfully narrated to them, сап they ever forget

it? Сап they ever cease to execrate the bloody executioner,

the unpunished murderer of his own peasants reprieved in

vain by the clemency of the sovereign, the wretch, who, in

соттоп with the registered but less guilty traitors, ought to

be anathemized in all the temples of Russia to the end of

time! Gracious Heaven! That so black а stain should have de-

formed the рите раде of Alexander's reign! That such enormi-

ties should have been committed in that пате, which was the

symbol of mercy, that heart, which was the seat of charity

and kindness, that soul, which, атопд so тапу mighty victo-

ries, never boa.sted of опе over the impulses of humanity!

And what is the great good proposed to be obtained by

such tremendous sacrifces? А supply, never yet wanting, 0f

well-initiated recruits for the army! А supply which the sligh-

test reHection and the efects already produced, will demonstrate

to be altogether nugatory, illusive and chidwrical, at best pur-

chased at too heavy а price!

It is quite obvious, that the establishment of colonial те-

cruits, from its very nature must alWays be limited, and, the-

refore, never сап present that choice materiel which the govern-

ment requires in а soldier: these superior moral and physi-

cal attributes which сап only be found, as the recent levy has

proved, in the general mass of peasantry, in the natural пит-

sery thriving in the ореп air beneath а genial sky; and not in