Description of the Ukraine

Having depicted the country of the Steppes, let us now glance at the present state of Europe. Napoleon said, " Dans cinquante ans d'ici, toute TEurope sera libre, ou Cosaque," i. e., ' every thing would depend on Poland." Should Russia sincerely attach Poland to herself— not by the subjugating sword, but by genuine acts of kindness, restoring to Poland its complete independence, then might these two great nations be eternally reconciled, and Eussia thereby enabled to become indeed almost " mistress of Europe," but never otherwise. As, however, no such reconciliation is probable, and as, sooner or later, war between Russia and western Europe, that is, between despotism and liberty, must burst forth, — a war which will shake the most remote parts of the globe — it is incumbent on us to expose the weak point of Russia, and convince the reader, by facts, that Russia is really far weaker than other nations. Moreover, we must demonstrate that, in the event of war with Russia, if proper means are taken to strike at her vital point, she must be vanquished, and repulsed behind the Dzvina and the Dnieper within one year; but if, on the contrary, she is allowed to concentrate her whole strength, if she be not attacked with wisdom and vigour, she may prove the victor; may, if aided by Austria, swallow up the Turkish empire; may pour her barbarous hordes in the west, and may inflict terrible mischief on the whole of Europe (France alone excepted) for centuries. If a sportsman, when confronted by a tiger, levels his gun at its paw or leg, he may wound slightly that tiger and himself perish; if, on the contrary, he aims at the heart, the animaFs terrific growl of anguish will testify that the shot has taken effect; and, without peril to himself, the sportsman may slay the ferocious beast. So if a ravenous wolf is prowling near a farm, it is the farmer's duty for the safety of his herd to maim or kill it. This comparison is, to a great extent, correct as respects Russia and her neighbour nations. Russia is specially dangerous, not to France, but to Germany, Austria, Turkey, and even England. It is difficult to conceive that any German army could victoriously contest in a pitched battle with a Russian army. The latter, composed of men of sterner stuff, more accustomed to hardship, to the rules of iron discipline, possessing the advantage of unity of command, longing for pillage and rapine, and its movements protected by swarms of Cossacks, must have ultimately a decided advantage over the former; the more so, that while Germany is vulnerable the whole year, Russia is scarcely vulnerable for six months. For checking at once such a calamity, at any time pregnant with danger to civilized Europe, there are only two modes. One consists in having an immense standing army, in magnitude double that of Russia, which would necessarily entail increased taxes, and swallow more gold than Crcesus ever possessed; and the other mode presents itself in rendering Poland sincere assistance in regaining her independence, to dissolve the principal aggressive resources of Russia, and to weaken in every direction that power. The second remedy is, in every respect less troublesome, and appears far more certain than the first. What is Russia? It is rather a government than a nation; a government, whose first edition reverts to the time of Ivan the Cruel, and its second edition Peter the Great and the debaucheries of Catherine II. It is a government which, from the Gulf of Finland to the Chinese boundary; from the Black and the Caspian to the White Sea; from the Pacific to the Baltic; exists only by rapine, plunder, oppression, and systematic demoralization. Russia is continually augmenting her armies; increasing her large navy (which costs her immense sums, though she has no colonies); intriguing in all parts of the world; undermining some years ago the British power in India; watching the movements of Turkey, almost as a spider watches the movements of a fly; menacing the whole of Germany with invasion;