The Montreal witness, 5 août 1871, samedi 5 août 1871

[" ===> TWENTY-SIXTH YEAR, MONTREAL WITNESS (Semi-wi kiy) 92 CE FRANCE, (From Our French ('srrespnndent y Pass, Juiz 18, BETTLIKG DOWN, The country is rapidly getting into smooth water, and the signs of mourning are disappearing, \u2018The trapjings of wor do uot suit the French character : the people believe that what is without remedy should be without regard, Further, the nation deserves some thing approaching to a recreation.It haw astonished capitalists in subscribing from itx own resources the Prussian indemnity : and equally so the world, in the fund of good sense displayed in the supplementary elections, The inhabitants are settling down to work, to find repose and wealth ; they bave confidence in M.Thiers more and more as time rolls on, He is felt to be an honest man, with no aspirations either for the purple or infallibility.Then, the tendency of events is to eschew claims of party or rights of dynasties.There is 8 commendable desire to prefer number one, and allow it henceforth to rule and admint- ster, .THE GOVERNMENT AND THE PRINCES, The Republic is gaiuing in strength and favor, and has all the chances on its side of seeing length of days.Itis cheap, and dispenses with such crutches as o saviours of society,\u201d who generally end by pushing sovicty to its ruin.Itis à tutelary saint at whose shrinu every fraction of patriotism may worship ; for all are equal before it\u2014none are before or ar- ter.Here are the Orleanist Princes among us like ordinary mortals.You can encounter the Comte de Paris on the Boulevards, with an umbrella instead of a sceptre, serious and smiling, rather tall, witha beard like a German, of no formal cut.His complexion ix rather dark.The Duc de Chartres, his brother, is the militaire of the family ; we believe he represents the brains of it also, His vves are blue, at once mild and energetic.The uncles are everywhere, 1saw onw of them a few days ago sitting at one of those little tables in front ofa café, enjoying his big drink and a weed : his neighbors were two masons, who had lett of work to enjoy their bread, wine, and a pipe.It would have been all the same lad the customers known each other.In France Jack, if deserving, is as good as his master, for the people \u201csmile at the claims of long descent'\u2014but show no xeursion, the whole party wonld most prabai!v have been drowned.The gallant and notle conduct of these gentlemen under snelh trying circumstances ifs deserving of the warmest praise and highest admiration, and will bo long remembered by the parties who were so time- ously rercued from a watery wrave, Fatt, WHEAT.\u2014A specimen of thie fall wheat grown by Mr.Thos, Ieving on Logan's Farm, may Le seen in the window of Mr, McGibbon's Italian warchouse.The atraw is very ston.and does not appear to have been mach laid, In spite of the heavy dashing rains ately experienced, and the berry is ¢ plump and sound, The wheat ix of the vartety known as Talavera, A FATHER'S Joy, AND wWiaAT Cane oF 11.=The following ix related bw the Herald :\u2014Yestor.day morning the wife of one of our citizot, having presented him with his first child, the Jotul father, to signalize the event, stuck out from his window the Union Jack, which, being in a somewhat dilapidated condition, was taken for an auctioneers flag.The story then went rornd among the neighbora, that : Mr.So-and-s0 wan belng sold up, and by two to'clock a very large andicnee had assembled to look after the bargains.The father, as he ['ocicoa out, vould not imagine what was the attr until some onc asked him when the \u2018sale would take place.He then tried to ex- , Main matters, but the crowd wonid not hear him, saying timt he conld not play that game on them, If he wanted to buy his things in, \u201clet Lim say so like & man, and ther would help him.Much disgusted our friend re- \u201cturned [uto the house and hauled in the flag, declaring that upon no consideration would President, will mect In Indinnapolix, death of John Slidell, formerly Confederate the advent of one, two or three youngsters ever again induce him to fannt the Union Jack. MISSIONS TO THE INDIANS\u2014SPEECH OF CHIKF « LITTLE PINE® Shinwauk, which being interpreted fs « Little Pine,\u201d is a Chief of the Chippewas of Garden River, above the Sault Ste.Mare, A number of yesrs ago he vas converted to Christianity, and since that time he has, aided by missionaries of the Church of England, labored gewlously to spread the Gospel amongst Lis red brethren.Rev, Mr, Wilson, a missionary among the Indians, returning from that region, * Little Piue\u201d determined to come with hit, sce his white brethren, and try to induce them to send a missionary to the Indians beyond Garden River.In furtherance «of his object a public meeting was held last nizht in the St, James\u2019 Schoo] House, which was well attended by both laddivs and yentle- men.+ Little Pine\u201d appeared où the platiorm in full feather: in other words, in full Indian: Hon.W.B.Robinson ovcupicd the hair, aud with him on the platform wore Ven.Dean Grassett, Rov, Mr.Ranson, Rev, Mr.Baldwin, Rev.Mr.Wilson (who acted as interpreter) and others.\u2018The meeting was opened by the singing of the well-known hymn, «From Greenland's ivy motntaing,\u201d after which Rev.Mr.Sanson offered up prayer.The Chairman then stated the object of the meeting, which was to hear the Indian Chief, \u201cLittle Pine\u201d speak to them, The Chiel learning that Rev.Mr, Wilson was coming to TForontu, decided to come with him and tell Lis white brethren how much they needed the Gospel amongst his own people.He remarked upon the peaceable character of the Indians amongst us, and said the Indians contrasted the absence of crime amongst them with the existence vf so many (riminals amongst our population.He hoped the Chief would be successful in the object of Lis visit.Rev.Mr.Wilson interpreted the remarks of Mr Hobinson to \u201c Little Pine\u201d who expressed bis appruval thercof by frequent appreciative utterances.+ Little Pine\u201d then rose and was with cheers.He spoke as follows, Mr.Wilson interpreting literally as he went along : + To you, Mr.Clairman, | say how do you do, and to you ladivs and gentlemen, I am very glad to see you all.My fricnds and you women ! am very glad to see you.1 have come 10 ~ee you ju order to say something to you.It is indeed true that nobody bas employed me to come.Although I am lut a poor ran and a Chief of the Indians and have to work for my bread, still 1 have come here on behalf of my people, I suppose you are all Christians, and 1 hope you all belung to the Qireen's Church.If you ail belong to the Qacens Church I think you do what is right Cheers.) First of all Twill tell you how it was with me when I wasa little boy.When I was young I never saw an Englishman at all.only Indians.I think it was in this very month that I first saw a white man.I grew ap to be quite à man before I saw a clergy- wan or knew anything about religion.By and by J saw a clergyman: he belonged to the Iiig Knives, He took the people and child- en and put them rizht into the water.(Laughter) Dy-and-ly there came along a Yrench priest, and he also baptized all the Indians who would permit him, and said they would ro to Heaven.Three winters after that a Methodist preacher came along, and he seemed to worship God with all his heart.Une year after that there arrived another preacher, and he said he was of the Church of England.He came from Toronto.He re- wained one year, and baptized them the same «rt the French priest.I was with them on ous Sanday at church, and after charch was he went aay across the river, Tthoneht a rood deal of the white people at that time.Although 1 was not a Christian 1 felt a reverence tor then and a little ashamed of my.\u201celf, About a month after these things my father, who was the chief at that time, called all the chiefs together aud said, What shall we do about this religion?And they agreed that they would go to Toronto aud ask about it, As soonas I heard my father say this I immediately said, Inlso will go with you.When we arrived in our birch-bark canoes we had to walk all the way to Toronto, Here we met Nir John Colborne.He said to my father and to me, « Tam a Christian : my reli- wion id the same as that which is followed in the old country.Now, you Chippawas you follow all the same religion which I follow.It is about 40 years ago or a little more since these things happened.A young man was standing there Leside us named McMurray, Sir Joha Colborne said Mc Murray should become our missionary.He became our mise sionary and he told us of the great God in Heaven who watches over us and takes care ofus.Jam not in the least dissatistied about the missionary work that is being carried on at Garden River, For forty years now we have had the gospel preached to ux, and I am pertectly satistivd, (Cheers) I ask you is nut your Queen a great lady ?Is not your government a great government ?Are not your laws greatlaws?Why doesnot your Church increase in the same way as these things do ?(Cheers.) My friends and you women, many years ago 1 was not in the ème manner even as l am now Iwas in poverty and without any instructions ; without any kuowledge of God.J hunted, and lived by what I killed with my bow and arrow.You too, my friends, I Lelieve were, many years ago, in the rae condition as my people ; that is, your forefathers were.They tollowed the same pursuits and lived in the same way.Now sce the change that has come over the country; sec your great bouses, your great cities, your fire-slaver, (railways) Why is not the Chippawa taught in the same way thy you have been taught ?(Cheers) 1 have come before you to-night to\u2019 plead the cause of my people.I ask you to give money to help us so that the Christian religion may spread to where the «un sets.(Cheers) This in the thought that is now in my breast, and that bas led me to come here tonight before you.The English are a great ple.1 feel satisfied about that.I have n watching their progress ever since T was « young man, and first met the white man, and 1 see how great they are.And now I turn to these black coats behind me (the clergymen) and] ask them\u2014Why does not your Church go on and increase oven as these cities, and towns, and great things which 1 see / .f THE, MONTREAL WrrnEss.Auuusr 5, 1871.around me increase?(Cheers) 1 could talk to you all night, but 1 think I have now said enough, and so Iwill leave off\u201d (Loud; cheers.) Rev.Mr, Wilson proceeded to give move definite information respecting the object of the Chiefs visit.He and the Chiut wished to collect money to send the Gospel to the Indians beyond where the Chief lives, They had at- ready collected $140 and expected before they roturned to raise $1,000, which would be a good beginuing.Rev.Cauou Baldwin offvred à few remarks upon the subject before the meeting.The | white people had displaced the aborigines | from their land, and it was not asking too.much that they should administer to them spiritual things, He thought they did too little for the red man.Missions to Africa and other places at a distance seemed to find more favor among Christian people of this province than missions to the Indians, Ho thought justly, They took their land under their charge, and spent nearly its whole value in expenses of management.He hoped some thing would be done for the Chicfs people and a hearty response be given to hisSayplica- tion for religious instruction to Lis brethren.(Cheers) Rev.Mr, Sanson was then requested by the chairman to address the meeting, He was considerably gratilied at the large attendance.Having been a missionary among the ludians for about twenty years he felt a deep interest iu their welfare, He and uthers interested in the Indians had made every edort to induce the Church to do something tor them ; but he was sorry to say very little had Been done.The Government too, he thought, had failed in their duty to the Indians.He attributed their want of acces in eetablish- ing missions among the Indians, to the Jesuits, who haa long been with the Indians and exercised a great influence over them, The Jesuits had come within their mission ficlds and greatly hindered their operations.He thought the Government ought to have prohibited them from doing 50.He took the ground that where one Christian denomination had a mission amongst the Indian no other denomination should be allowed to interfere with them.The Chief © Little Pine\u201d had remained firmiy attached to the English Church, and he should receive every encoun ragement from the Church.Mr.Wilson was about to proceed to the Indians on Lake Superior a8 a missionary, and his zeal ju the cause and knowledge of the Tndian language well qualified him for that work, and le hoped he would be heartily supported.Other Christian bodies were doing à good work amongst the Indians, and the English Church should not allow itself to loux remain behind in this work, At the close of the speaking a collection was taken up.Copies of the Chiefs photograph, in full attire, were also sold to the audience, the proceeds to go in aid of the Mission.The Doxology was then sung, and the meeting closed with the benediction by the Ven.Dean Grassett.RUSSIAN PENAL INSTITUTIONS.(From the Pall Mall Gazette.) SIBERIAN PRISONS, Kasan, the town on the River Volgs, where the present lines are written, offers great advantages for the study of transportation to Siberis.It is the gathering place toward ich convicts from all parts of lussia are dispatched in order to Le afterward rent on to their destination.A great deal of important information on tlis subjeet is contaîned in the recent work of Maximov, Siberia and it~ Convict Prisons\u201d © vols.=vo, St, Peterslurg, 1571,) à book written in Russian, and therefore as yet nearly unknown in Western Europe.SYSTEM OF THANSPORTATIUN, The system of transportation has, like most Russian institutions, undergone & profound change for the better during the present reign.Since 1867, no Western observer could witness those terrible marches of fettered prisoners, driven on like herds of cattle by mouuted Cossacks, which form one of the principal horrors in many of the still current Looks on Russia.The convicts at present arrive in Kasan Ly water conveyance on the Volga.To that river they are sent by rail.The long journey from Kasan to Tomsk, in Siberia, is again almost entirely performed by water, on the rivers Volgs, Kama, Tur, Tobal, Irtish, Ob and Toni.Only from the river Kama to the river Tur, (from Perm to Tjumen) across the mountainous boundary between Europe and Aria, the prisoners are carried on carts drawn by the threc horse teams (troiki) of the Russian post service, FLOATING PRISONS, The floating prisons in which the prisoners travel ou the rivers are large barges towed by powerful steamers.These barges are very conveniently constructed.Below deck there is but une cabin, sutliciently aired and lighted \u2014the principal prison-room.The guardroom, the office and the kitchen are on the deck, of which they occupy less than one- third.The rest of the deck forms & large cage ; iron posts support a roof of shect-iron aud between the posts a net of thick iron wire is cxtended\u2014at once the safest and the airient of prisons.This floating prison would be very comfortable if it were not s0 terribly overcrowded.Water conveyance is in these high latitudes limited to less than twenty wecks in the year, and the most haw, therefore, to be made of is.Neither the prison-barges nor the temporary prisons in Kesan and other towns are nearly sufficient for the convicts; the numbers confined in them are on an average nearly double those for which tac localities are constructed.This overcrowding ia easily suppurted by convicts who stay only a few days in the temporary prisons, and by the prisoners in the cage, where the air is always fresh.Ia the cabins of the floating prisons, however, and in Kasan, during the winter, the air breathed by the convicts is foul beyond description.The only consolation is that sickness and mortality in the convict gsol of Kasan are not excessive.THE PRISONBRS, À glance into ons of the prison cages discloses & very curlous picture.Most prisoners wear the convict garb, which is as ugly here as in other countries; a kind of cloak with eloeves of a dirty drab color, disfigured by the Jettags 5 1 B, (Siberia) on the back; these lettere beng inlaid fu yellow cloth, A shape less cap of thie same material as the cloal completes the costume, which seems to answer ite purpose very webl, for the cloth is thick and firm.Even under that uniform garb many ustional {vpes may be distinguished : from the stolid, tlat-faced Finnish tribes, some of them almost like Esquimauy, to the sharp featuges of the Jew, and the beautiful face and form of the Circassian wountsineer, The wusring of the prison garb seeme besides not to be vbligatory even for the greatest criminals, and many of them wear entirely or partly their own clothing ; the Circassian, the national cloak with its rows of caser for cartridges sewn on the breast-cloth, and the shaggy fur-cap ; the Tartar, the poluted felt-hat over the skullcap which covers bis shaven head, and the long castan; the Russian peasant, his greasy great-coat of sheepskin, Most prisoners have the Government had not treated the Iudians good, well-shaped boots, which guard their ankles against thy friction of the chain ; others wear the national footcluthing of linden- bast over the linen rags which they tie round their feet and lege.The only chains worn are fet ters attached to the two ankles, and lifted up in the middle by means of 8 strap fastened up to the loins (I believe by a girdle.) These chains are not very heavy, and the prisoners walk freely enough with them ; yet the clanking of the irous makes one shudder, Such chains are worn ouly by those who are sentenced to bard labor, while those who are senten.cud merely to settle in Siberia Wear no chaius whatever, TRE GRSTLER SEX, Groups of wowen and children are mixed up with the male prisoners : the women being in the proportion of about one to six, and the children one to twelve to the men, Two- thirds of the women arc likewise convicts ; the remainder and all the children are merely passengers: for the Russian Government, in order 10 encourage enifymation, offers free passages to the familier of all those that are sent out to Siberia, an advantage generally appreciated Ly the wives, though as yet very little by the husbands of convicts.In lt60, the lass year for which Maximov gives the statistics, 6,000 male prison.Ts were accompanied Ly 326 free women and 556 children, while 700 women were accompanied only by four free men.PEABANT ENTREPRISE, The new system of transportation owes its origin to the energy and the spirited (nterprise of & Russian merchant, Mr, Kolchin, like most Russian merchants, the son of à peasant.He is the owner of al! the prison banges on the Volga and Kama, as well as on the Siberian waters ; and likewise of the steamers by which the barges are towed, These steamers carry passengers And merchandise ; and though their freights are much lower than those of tle other passenger lines, they are, with their Larges in tow, nearly as fast ag the other steamers ; and the accommodation for passen- gersis as good as alsewhere.Mr.Kolchin hasan extensive egfablishment at Nijni.Nov- gorcd, where the machinery for all his vessels is made, and where the ships for the European lines are comstructed.They are among the Lust dvamers on fhe Russian Kivers : thouxh mest of the steamers on the Volga and Kama belonging to other owners, are voustructed ia England or in Belzium.Unly a part of the prisoners go as jar as Tumask.At various stations along the rivers, especially at Tubolsk, parties of prisoners are lauded in order to be distributed in the more westerly parts of Siberia, where must of those who are sentenced merely settle in Siberia, and uot to hard labor, remain, From the stations to the final place of destination the journey is continued ou fort.Those who go for bard labor tothe convict establishments in Eastern Sileria still march in chains from Tomsk.Ax far as they are concerned.the old system of transportation is still kept on.PRCITS OP THE SYSTEM, \u2018This system, though very severe and cruel for the political prisoners, is much less so for the Russian possant Its defects are certainly very great.The stations where the prisoners remain over night are wretched, and are viten unbearubly tilthy.The officers who command the prisoners are not always very scrupu- ious, and often use their discretionary power to obtain money, by granting or withholding favors which ought not to be conceded\u2014per- missions to buy spirits, take oft the fetters, &e.Butall these drawbacks are much lessened by the feeling of companionship betwesn officers and convicts: a feeling which no explanation can make intelligible to the hangh- ty aristocratic officers of Teutonic blood, The word \u201c brethren\u201d (braets) it often addressed, and in good earnest too, by the officers to the convicts, Savage altercations like those which but too frequently happened between the fierce Poles and the officers to whom they were entrusted, and the atrocious punichments inflicted after such strife, never happen between efficers and common criminals.A remarkable Russian institution, likewise not casily intelHi- gible to the Western public, the arte, contributes very much to lessen the sufferings ne censarily attached to a march of thousands of miles, performed with fettered legs.Whenever a number of Russians of the peasant class work together they speodiir form an organized body with an elected chicf, and with equal rights and dutfes for all the members, Such a body is called an artel, and breaches of faith of its members towari each other are so absolutely unknown that they are considered impossible, The sante organiastion is adopted bythe convicts, and strange to say, the same faithfulness which belongx to all artele also characterizes those formett by the outlaws, Nay, when the members pledge their # word of honor\u201d for each other, the promise may he safely relied om, even by theofficers who guard them.The elders (starosti) at the head of the convict artels adminster the money, make all the necessary purchases, and strike those bargains with the officers to which we have above alluded.LOVES OF THE CONVICTS, Maximov describes very prettily, and as an eye-witness, the loves of male and female convicts ; how the lovers manage by money, cunning, sand even by violence, to meet and to travel together, and how especially the carts on which the prisouers cross the Ural Mountains, are made useful for travelling in common, These affections cxerciso a good in- flaence, and would de infwitely more productive of good if the Russian law promoted\u2014 instead of hindering\u2014\u2014the marriages of cun- victs, CHANCE OF ESCAPE.Flights from the prison barges are impossible ; but from the partics travelling on foot, and especially from he convict establishments themselves, they are extremely frequent.From some of these establishments nearly oue-haH of the prisoners have at various thines made attempts at flight, and Wostern Niberis, as well as the eastern parts of Russia, Swarms with runaway convicts HAPPY THOUGHT.THE GRAND THUNK TO BE HE-LAID AND lke KTOCKRD AT THE KXURNBE OF THE CANADIAN GOVERNMENT.(From MHerapati's faceay Jourral, July 8) The old reproach against Canada hag been removed by the great consolidations iu late years cfiected, uamely, that she was without coal.+ Coallese Canada\u201c no louger exists, Canada now abounds in the richest and greatest of coal ficlds.Un the Atlantic side the coul beds of Pictou are vast, and on the very const lie exposed to view, This, we any say, is one end of the great Pacific Kail- way to run through Canada, treating the In- tercolunial railway under formation.and part of the Grand Trunk, which has long Leen at work, its sections of the great line, In the Central section of the Canada Pacific raîlw: y along the Saskatchewan, are coul- fields of prodigious extent and splendid quality, 1,004 miles long and 201 broad, On the Pacitic ride coul in great abundance is also found, while the Rocky Mouutains scem to Lave