Adoption of the courts and its function With the start of recently formed
administrations’ function with its new composition,
had to cancel the exceptional special rights enjoyed by upper classes and clergy, by forming permanent courts through elections with the participation of all social classes. For accurate information about the Mountaineer inhabitants, to be placed in the basis of decisions for improving their situations and the collection of taxes, had to carry out census, which was deemed by the clergy is contrary to the provisions of Islamic Sharia Law. The new staff who did not get to know the people yet, and the people did not get to the use of their authority, to accomplish such steps successfully, if not for the stringent measures taken at the beginning of the year 1865 against some of the people who are protesting publicly on the decision to stop migration to Turkey and the need to free the peasants, in which these measures prevented attempts sabotage by some objectors to carry out the census of population and the election of judges by secret ballot, although it was not possible to open the courts soon. Members of the upper classes and the clergy in an attempt to maintain their special authorities in the Judicial Authority in the communities by distorting the idea of forming the courts through the election of free representatives from all social classes, and elections were delayed; but after the authorities provided explanations not to prejudice the customs and the Sharia Law and that they will remain as they are, indignation of the people has dropped towards the new courts, which Deputies and judges in Administrative Courts elections had taken place by secret ballot, quietly and in accordance with the Law of the elections of staff approved by the Commander of the Region in 20,August, 1865. The courts have opened its sessions as follow: BsiKobski as from 7, August 1865, Labinsky as from October, 1865, Robeski from October, 1865, Zelinchukski from September, 1865, and Albroski from 6, December 1865. After the formation of the courts in this method and the representation of all social classes, it began to work committed to the popular traditions, but it soon became apparent that the residents of sectors of multi origins have habits that differ greatly from each other, which the matter necessitated to initiate comparison between the traditions and customs, and after reconsolidating the public, the judges have adopted those customs, which was to commensurate with the spirit of laws Empire to follow in the sectors. It did not take much time until it became clear that with changing lifestyles, a lot of life situations do not have solutions to the lack of an instance in the past years, then the judges decided to resort to laws that operate the Magistrates Courts, where they saw as suitable for application in sectors interpretation courts. In doing so, thereby enabling the interpretation courts of the imposition of the general laws of the empire instead of some habits considered by the leaders of the Mountaineers that is inappropriate, without causing concern to the general public and even got in regard to some important issues, on written authorizations signed by dignitaries as guarantee for it. In general there is hope that if we continue to guide the Mountaineer interpretation courts in a flexible manner as we have done so far and commit the Mountaineers gradually by understanding the laws and followed-regulations in the Empire, we will inform people about them in a very short time, then, subordination of Mountaineers to the system of public institutions will not face strong objections by people who are affected by the various rumors, only because they are not familiar with the Law of the Courts set to be in 20, November, 1864, which exploited the clergy and fanatic people who hate all that is Russia in order to raise fears among the general public. In the first three years of its existence, the administrative interpretation courts were preoccupied greatly as the arbitration was delayed because of the need for translation of chairmen and secretaries of the courts and that the Mountaineers were reporting to the courts to hear cases of heirs old worn a long time. Now, the work of the courts has largely decreased as a result of the completion of old cases on one hand, and the transfer of complaints, prosecutions and small irregularities to the villages’ courts on the other hand, and generally, the Mountaineers have confidence in the impartiality of court decisions, and the upper mountaineer social classes, now accept the need to waive the privileges, and they function in the courts like the other population, while courts’ deputies are no longer evade to consider the issues of the upper classes and this is a absolute prove that the general judicial system will take root among the Mountaineers of the Kuban Region.
had to cancel the exceptional special rights enjoyed by upper classes and clergy, by forming permanent courts through elections with the participation of all social classes. For accurate information about the Mountaineer inhabitants, to be placed in the basis of decisions for improving their situations and the collection of taxes, had to carry out census, which was deemed by the clergy is contrary to the provisions of Islamic Sharia Law. The new staff who did not get to know the people yet, and the people did not get to the use of their authority, to accomplish such steps successfully, if not for the stringent measures taken at the beginning of the year 1865 against some of the people who are protesting publicly on the decision to stop migration to Turkey and the need to free the peasants, in which these measures prevented attempts sabotage by some objectors to carry out the census of population and the election of judges by secret ballot, although it was not possible to open the courts soon. Members of the upper classes and the clergy in an attempt to maintain their special authorities in the Judicial Authority in the communities by distorting the idea of forming the courts through the election of free representatives from all social classes, and elections were delayed; but after the authorities provided explanations not to prejudice the customs and the Sharia Law and that they will remain as they are, indignation of the people has dropped towards the new courts, which Deputies and judges in Administrative Courts elections had taken place by secret ballot, quietly and in accordance with the Law of the elections of staff approved by the Commander of the Region in 20,August, 1865. The courts have opened its sessions as follow: BsiKobski as from 7, August 1865, Labinsky as from October, 1865, Robeski from October, 1865, Zelinchukski from September, 1865, and Albroski from 6, December 1865. After the formation of the courts in this method and the representation of all social classes, it began to work committed to the popular traditions, but it soon became apparent that the residents of sectors of multi origins have habits that differ greatly from each other, which the matter necessitated to initiate comparison between the traditions and customs, and after reconsolidating the public, the judges have adopted those customs, which was to commensurate with the spirit of laws Empire to follow in the sectors. It did not take much time until it became clear that with changing lifestyles, a lot of life situations do not have solutions to the lack of an instance in the past years, then the judges decided to resort to laws that operate the Magistrates Courts, where they saw as suitable for application in sectors interpretation courts. In doing so, thereby enabling the interpretation courts of the imposition of the general laws of the empire instead of some habits considered by the leaders of the Mountaineers that is inappropriate, without causing concern to the general public and even got in regard to some important issues, on written authorizations signed by dignitaries as guarantee for it. In general there is hope that if we continue to guide the Mountaineer interpretation courts in a flexible manner as we have done so far and commit the Mountaineers gradually by understanding the laws and followed-regulations in the Empire, we will inform people about them in a very short time, then, subordination of Mountaineers to the system of public institutions will not face strong objections by people who are affected by the various rumors, only because they are not familiar with the Law of the Courts set to be in 20, November, 1864, which exploited the clergy and fanatic people who hate all that is Russia in order to raise fears among the general public. In the first three years of its existence, the administrative interpretation courts were preoccupied greatly as the arbitration was delayed because of the need for translation of chairmen and secretaries of the courts and that the Mountaineers were reporting to the courts to hear cases of heirs old worn a long time. Now, the work of the courts has largely decreased as a result of the completion of old cases on one hand, and the transfer of complaints, prosecutions and small irregularities to the villages’ courts on the other hand, and generally, the Mountaineers have confidence in the impartiality of court decisions, and the upper mountaineer social classes, now accept the need to waive the privileges, and they function in the courts like the other population, while courts’ deputies are no longer evade to consider the issues of the upper classes and this is a absolute prove that the general judicial system will take root among the Mountaineers of the Kuban Region.
Document 352
Abolition of tribal authority and the establishment of elected
administrations in the villages as a means of unifying the administrative
resolutions. Shortly after the establishment of the current administrations,
the authorities considered that members of the upper classes who had taken
hostile attitudes of all the reforms that have taken place in the life of
Mountaineers and did not execute orders of the Authority as they should, the
authority considered that they were not fit for assuming leadership positions
in the villages, which they used to do by virtue of their origin, and a
decoration was issued for the abolition of villagers’ leaders positions and
replace them with collectively elected positions. New individuals were elected
in the year 1866 for the posts of mayors and their assistants by closed voting,
including a good number of them of the simple social class. Through asserting
the collectively elected positions in the rural administrations, the local
authorities have obtained active assistants of those who have no interest in
maintaining the old system, which was serving influenced tribes, in addition to
that, according to the new law, if it is found that the mayor or his deputy is
not fit to hold his position, the heads of departments to be entitled after
testing the persons elected and to obtain evidence for their disqualification,
to nominate other persons to fill the mayor positions of their choice, where
they could modify the results of the elections smoothly, and this issue was
impossible in some villages in the past due to the particular position that the
Mountaineer population had taken towards the government and the system
established for them.
Document 353
village courts in accordance with the law on organizing village Adoption of
communities in the area beyond the Kuban.
During two and a half years of the current administrations formation, the
senior villages’ employees have well realized the fundamental security laws, as
Mountaineer residents learned in general the procedures for consideration of
issues and recently adopted in the districts construal courts, thus enabling
local leadership to move forward in arranging for the Mountaineer population to
subjugate to the general laws of the empire. For this purpose, a formulation
was performed for the law of the organization of the villages’ communities, in
accordance with the municipal laws of communities management for the area
beyond the Caucasus, and was adopted as a temporary measure in the departments’
administrations to guide the senior villages’ employees in regard to the nature
of their work or the frame of their authority as well. According to this law
the village mayors were given far more authority to punish the offenders than
the heads of towns and regions in order to enable them to have positive impact
on the villages inhabitants, and under the command of the heads of
administrations and to deter those who do not accept subjugation to comply with
the orders of the collectively elected mayors. It was also taken into account
that not every mayor will be able to dare do things where he will be able at
the beginning to inform the heads of administration of all what happens, while
if he has the authority to take measures and punishment, then he will not allow
breaching the system.
During the last year, the law of organizing the villages’ communities has
been circulated in public meetings several times, in addition to repeatedly
explaining it by the heads of administrations and the deputy commander of the
Kuban Region to manage the Mountaineer population which made the inhabitants
understand it quite well.
The mayors, owing to their good position in the community and their pride
in their status in it, which are doing their best not to disappoint the
community's hopes and the confidence of the leadership, and accordingly they
understand what their rights and duties are, and village courts have learned
the duties and rights, and only because of the absence of good mullahs at a lot
of villages, the cleared issues are not logged in the registers, in addition to
that normally the clergies’’ habit that transferred to the Mountaineer courts,
also to resolve the issues only in accordance with the formal side only of the
traditions, that prevents the conciliation between the method of consideration
of the issues in the village courts and the provisions of general law because
the Mountaineer population do not seek into the details of the issues, but
content themselves with witness verifications that are not confirmed in favor
of this party or that, or the defendants have often divided themselves with the
presence of one or two witnesses.
It is not possible to change this bad habit, except by creating the public
awareness slowly to the attention of what is wrong and improper.
Generally, it can be said that the village courts were verified properly
and relaxed work on the construal courts of the districts as they meet the
needs of the population adequately.
The village economy is still in the process of incorporation, in which the
process of sorting public lands did not include all areas, and in many
villages, the influential people still grazing their livestock cattle, plowing
the land and pack the herbs on the own, and not according to the draw or
decisions of the villages’ meeting.
In all the villages of the Albroski District which specialize in livestock,
reserve grain stores were built. Initially there was no decision to collect
grain, especially for the reserve stores, in order to avoid the anger of
inhabitants who always question the goal of establishing the grain stores in
general, and the amount of grain mentioned in the attached list under item (a)
is what has been disconnected from Zakat since the year 1864 by one third, that
was dispersed earlier almost entirely, but did not allocate much of the Zakat
money for the poor, so creating reserve grain stores did not face strong
deterrent in the rural communities. If recent two years have witnessed a good
harvest, the grain stocks in stores far greater.
In the villages, there are many grain silos are built of cut-wood in
addition to other stores are built in accordance with the Circassian way, which
is not good for storing grain. Other good silos will be belt for reserve grain
storage gradually without causing fatigue for people.
There are villages where there are with no public funds at all because
these funds are accrued of revenue incidentals such as: one third of the value
of increased livestock, the proportion of income from the sale of broken
branches of public forests and from leasing the unexploited farms, etc., in
addition to the value of fines collected according to decision of the mayors of
villages and the courts. Public funds are saves in the villages with the head
of the Funds and are monitored by the leadership until it is spent properly and
without irregularities.
Census of population in the mountainous districts Based on the decisions
announced, at different times of the Mountaineer Peoples, the inhabitants of
the Kuban Region, that they should be paying taxes after a period of exemption
which lasted 3 years and the end of this period for the majority of them, and
taking into account the plan of land distribution for the Mountaineers, so for
implementing these procedures properly and in conjunction with the election of
judges in the construal courts, the military and popular administrations to
conduct a census of the Mountaineers for a variety of pretexts, without
provoking intolerance and suspicions they have. Demand of the of the
Mountaineer inhabitants for giving them more land plots has contributed to
remove this barrier, under the pretext of collecting detailed information on
the males of villages’ inhabitants and on raising of livestock, the clergies
have prepared the first lists of males and have gathered information about the
number of cattle in villages with a review of records for more than once, while
the authorities have carried out indirect census of women, therefore, the names
of residents of the mountainous districts have been registered, and became a reliable
document when discussing issues related to collecting taxes from the
Mountaineers as well as when granting them land plots and the liberalization of
peasants. The efforts of the heads of departments who have worked with skill
and care have crowned with total success that has surprised the Mountaineers
themselves.
Document 354
Actions taken to distribute the lands among the Mountaineer population
Taking into account the ambiguity in the issue of lands which were supposed to
be in the base of constructing a happy life for the Mountaineer population and
agricultural reform as well, it was necessary to do land sorting procedures as
soon as possible in order to let Mountaineers possess land plots, and for that
purpose, we have requested in the year 1865, 5 Topography specialists to be
sent under the power of the local governor of the Mountaineer peoples, to end
the survey of lands in Warobeski and Zelenchukski districts during that year
and to begin proposing a project to distribute lands to the inhabitants of
these two districts in the following year. These potentials have increased in
the years 1866 and 1867 after the arrival of more topography specialists, as
during the two mentioned years, the Labenski district’s lands were surveyed
while in the year 1866 a surveyor was sent from the screening committee to
draft a project to divide the lands of the villages belonging to Warobeski and
Zelenchukski districts. Unfortunately, the loss of 15 panels of land survey of
the Warobeski and Zelenchukski districts’lands has prevented the implementation
of the land screening in the two districts of Warobeski and Zelenchukski in the
year 1868, and in Labenski districts in the year 1869, because in the 1868 the
surveyors and topography specialists who were under the command of the deputy
commander of the Kuban Region to manage the mountaineers to re-draw missing
panels as to survey the lower part of the Albroski, and as a result, the chance
to start screening, starting from Warobeski and Zelenchukski districts, except
in the year 1869. In view of the adoption of new and simplified screening
method, there is hope that most lands of these two districts in the current
1869 year.
Document 355
Implementing taxation on the Mountaineer population Based on a resolution No.
1233, dated 3 & 4 July, 1865, by the General Karpov, due to the absence of
the army commander, it was obligatory to spend on the administration Albroski
district, which was established for the needs of the Karachay community and
upon request, and all the construal courts of the districts from the funds of
the districts’ inhabitants that will be collected at specific times.
In the year 1865, the value of these taxes had been determined for each
family according to its financial status, and taxes were paid on time.
Then His Highness, the Army Commander-In-Chief has ordered in the decision
issued in 6, February, 1866, to impose taxes as of first of January of this
year to all the Mountaineer inhabitants that time of exemption has ended, which
is 3 years from the time of their deportation from the mountains and their stay
in the current accommodation. The value of tax reached 3 rubles per family,
while it reached 4 rubles 50 Koubek for the people of the residents of the
Armenian town of Armavir being rich and owning land more than others, and a
specialized committee has determined the taxes rate in each village, according
to the potentials of households and its percentage in the exploitation of the
public lands. Based on these decisions, taxes are paid for 3 years and a half
without any irregularities with the previously paid for half a year in advance.
The amount of annual taxes is shown in item (c) of the attached list.
Calculations indicate that the idea of collecting the tax, according to the
financial situation of the population, has found acceptance within the
community despite a sharp debate in the villages when establishing the value of
the taxes, however, some times the committees cases had exempted the poorest
population from paying taxes completely or they were not more than 25-50
Koubeck, while the rich were committed to pay 46 to 70 rubles per family, at a
time the Kabarday of Khudz village only kept evading the process of determining
the value of the taxes on the basis of the financial situation of the
population, under the effect of the individuals who are rich and of influence
and they requested not to touched with their habit that according to it, the
upper classes were exempted from paying money for public needs and the
remainder were to bear the costs equally. However, the residents of Khudz had
never opposed the government's actions.
Document 356
About the Reform on Peasants As a
result of minds’ agitation that happened between the province’s Mountaineer
population in the summer of 1866 because of taxation implemented on them, that
is planned to be collected next autumn, it was decided that the time is not
suitable for the implementation of what was planned to collect data on the
social stratums through a public questionnaire, but a resolution was issued
that the administrations should compile it secretly to avoid the eruption of
differences and suspicions among its owners and peasants, as had occurred in
the years 1864 and 1865.
Unfortunately, the disturbances that had occurred at the end of July 1866
in Sokhumi, had caused the spread of bad rumors among the Mountaineers to the
extent that the police team consisting of fleeing Kabardians under the command
of Lieutenant Doltgeri Kodenetov, who was recalled from Khodz to perform a
campaign to Abkhazia, went to apply for the Command of the request of leasing
the peasants forever, otherwise the team will not go to Abkhazia because in the
event of robbing the peasants from them, they would be themselves such as the
Abkhazians.
It is usual that in light of these disorders, it was not possible that good
relations of the owners with their peasants, who were expecting the decision of
their freedom one day after the other, and waiting, became very tense since the
fall of 1866 when liberalization of peasants had begun in the land of Kabarday.
In these circumstances, and despite a pledge by the authorities in January
1865 to give owners a deadline to put in order their economical conditions, had
to put in place expeditiously, foundations to resolve the question of the
peasants system, in order that the authorities will not to be forced to resort
to reform under the pressure of certain unforeseen circumstances without a
well-thought plan. well thought out. The unrest among the peasants could had
been exacerbated and increased, so as the Government was forced to use strong
measures against them before setting up the reform, which could lead for that
class of society to to move away from the government, which is that class which
the government had to count on its gratitude as a result of the reforms. After
that, in January 1867, the heads of administrations were called to
Yekatrenodar, and the committee formed under the chairmanship of the Acting
Deputy Commander of the province for Mountaineers’ affairs to establish a list
of obligations to the various related classes towards the owners, and to lay
the main foundations for ways and conditions of their liberation. After
reviewing these laws, they have been transferred to the Committee for the
Liberation of classes related to the Caucasian Mountaineers’ tribes attached to
a detailed plan to the implementation of the reform of the liberation of the
peasants, and were approved by His Highness the Commander of the Army, and in
resolution No. 2209 issued in 17 May 1867, it was adopted as guides to prepare
the Mountaineer population for the peasants liberating plan. Thanks to the
efforts made by the districts’ administrations, and realistic actions taken,
the Mountaineers have accustomed to reform to the extent that when in late 1867
when representatives from the concerned administrations had met in the
departments’ administrations to discuss conditions for liberating peasants, we
did not face difficulty in bringing the two parties to an agreement on the
value of fees in almost all the districts, noting that most of the owners have
agreed to free the peasants for half or even one third of the amount of fees
adopted previously. Based on laws established by districts’ committees and in
accordance with the instructions of His Highness the Commander of the Army, a
final draft was set to liberate all related classes of the Mountaineer
community, where after review by the Committee for the Liberation of the
related classes in the Caucasian mountainous tribes has been approved by the
Army Commander, and in June 1868 was circulated to the Mountaineer inhabitants
with an invitation to hold transactions in accordance with the conditions
specified in the project with the assurance that the conditions contained
therein will become mandatory as of first of November of that year to those
owners and peasants, who did not hold an agreement by that date.
For not getting the transactions heavy on the peasants and to give the
right formula for the agreements of parties, in the first half of the year
1868, a special delegate was sent to each of the five districts, and his
responsibilities had been identified through special instructions.
The forecasts indicated that many property owners who the livestock had
formed the main part of their works will be exposed to significant losses if
the livestock is kept without care with the onset of winter, prompting local
authorities to take all measures for the Liberation of peasants without delay
and before the compulsory date and based on peaceful agreements as far as
possible.
These efforts were culminated successfully especially in the Werobeski,
where almost all peasants were liberated until May, 1868, and in first of
November, a number of 5079 of both sexes was left not liberated, that consist
28% of the total number of peasants who are presently with the Mountaineer
population as of the beginning of the year 1866. In first of November,
liberation of peasants was declared, and prayers were performed in all
districts for the health of His Majesty the Emperor, and for the well-being of
all classes of the Mountaineer community embarked on a new life, then declared
the liberation of all peasants who did not hold agreements with their owners
yet. The conditions of the cold season and poor mountainous houses were
possibly to lead the property owners who didn’t get use to work and they lost
their peasants, to feel the impact of this reform on them, but luckily, the
public opinion in the Mountaineer society in addition to the local authorities’
efforts, had played in maintaining a good relationship between peasants who
have temporary obligations and their owners a positive role, and the relations
between peasants and their owners better than it was before the reform, and
this will ensure that fees of liberation would be paid at the specified times,
as the poorest part of owners and peasants have received assistance for the
acquisition of necessary cattle, as it has been spent for this procedure 11 102
rubles out of 35 thousand rubles allocated for this purpose. the peasants free
had made the owners themselves to The outcome of setting Not only the middle
classes, but even poor princes and sultans, work in their farms.which some -who
are living outside the communities of Abazian and Kabarday had started work on
farms, –with them people are keen to preserve the old regime and local
authorities are making all efforts to encourage them and support their morals.
Unfortunately, there are persons who are still considering work in the farms is
wrong, and whatever few the number of such persons was, there must be a bit of
vigilance in the first phase so as not to cause these people to breach of
public order. Document 357 Eradication of Theft Phenomenon The change that was
imposed on the character of the rural administrations, had given the districts’
administrations an opportunity to work on eradicating the theft phenomenon,
which was widely spread in the Mountaineer community, particularly among
members of the upper classes, who usually spent their time completely in idle.
This scourge has decreased, which was eating away the roots of the Mountaineer
community significantly, due to the cooperation in most rural communities and
due to the perception that was changed by most of the people to some extent
that suggests the hope that the thefts will no longer be tolerated by the
society as it was in the past if the local authorities is concerned to monitor;
year after year, the persuasion will strengthen the awareness of the society
more and more about the damage created by this phenomenon.
Document 358
Ending the "Ebrik" phenomenon and the deportation of the hakuchey
by the Mountaineers themselves As a result of the continuation of the Caucasian
war which every Mountaineer individual had seen to harm Russians in all ways
and shapes, a sacred obligation, in which the prestige of skilled persons in
carrying out of atrocities in the territories controlled by the Russians had
increased. In fact, the position of the Mountaineers towards the theft of
livestock issue and even looting to change rapidly, simply because of declaring
their loyalty as a result of being forced to do so. For these reasons, it was
still there in the Mountaineer community, entire families kicking from theft,
and generally this lesion was still spreading among the inhabitants of the
mountains is very large scale. With the establishment of Cossack towns beyond
the Kuban, which was formed in general of immoral people who were expelled from
various Cossack communities, theft acts had increased, as had appeared in the
years 1863 and 1867 - and perhaps still - the thieves living in the regions and
neighboring provinces are working through a series of stages where the
livestock and stolen property pass from hand to another hand and disappear in
the settlements of Kalmik in the Stavropol province, the Kabarday territories,
Abkhazia, Samorzakan and Svanetia. In these circumstances, the local
authorities were assigned to take effective actions to eradicate this scourge,
and the districts’ administrations had set up intensive monitoring on the
persons who are engaged in theft, after identifying them.
And due to large numbers of persons accused of frequent theft and who were
sentenced to exile outside the jurisdiction of the province under the law # 529
set in 20, January, 1966, it appeared that it should be compulsory for district
courts not to take into account of those thefts that took place previously,
which were considered according to the former scheme prior to the approval of
the interpretation courts of the districts. However, a sentence is stated to
exile outside the boundaries of the province against those who carry out theft
for three times on a large number of notorious thieves in a short time.
When the courts began to carry out the sentence against thieves carefully
escaped four residents of the Chamber Psekupso in the summer of 1866 from the
villages to the mountains and after joining the mountain people of others
remaining in the southern slope and the formation of a big gang started their
campaigns looting in the towns of cohorts in behind the cups and the Chamber
Tchernomorsky, with a Previously many events and remained unpunished and this
is why the fugitives to leave the Chamber Psekupso .
Default by residents of settlements of regiments beyond the Kuban who did
not recognize yet the area very well made a bandit profession unpunished and
almost attractive to young Mountaineer districts who do not have any work. A
result for that, and for the severity of the actions taken against robbers, the
cases of escape from the districts of Labenski, Psekupso and Zelinchukski have
increased, therefore the inability of local authorities in the fight against
this scourge and without the sincere help by rural communities adversely affect
the attitude of the population who tended to sympathize with the escapees, and
that stand got an impact on the situation in the region beyond the Kuban as a
whole, as it was no accident or surprise, but resulted from conditions of the
region being hidden, diverse and elusive as well as to the specificity of the
mountains’ life. The local administration has watched this scourge carefully
and tried to eradicate it from the roots by the troops sent within the recent
four years.
It is not difficult to imagine how looting could be spread in the community
if those savage enemies had stayed in the region.
Despite the strict military surveillance on the mountainous strip, harsh
disciplinary actions had been taken in September of the year 1867, against
those who are making cover on the Abrik and against the villagers that the
Ebrik had stayed in, before fleeing, or those that crime was committed on its
territory but did not receive the punishment. Also, the Mountaineer inhabitants
were prevented to depart their villages to the Cossack towns if there was no
urgent need, and night patrols were placed in the villages.
The aim of these harsh measures is to prevent the community and some
persons from supporting the fugitives, which led initially to a complete
cessation of incidents in the areas of military popular districts, but it
continued in the other parts of the province, and when local authorities began
to monitor suspicious persons in secretly by loyal people, who sincerely worked
in return for good financial rewards, the fugitives had given up living in the
villages, although this did not stop criminals from carrying out looting and
robbery, but they even committed them to the existence of excess brutally, due
to availability of safe havens for them in the folds of the south-western slope
of the Caucasus.
The continuation of these difficult situations threatens the residents of
towns by impoverishment, and would hinder the process of settlement of vacant
lands to the Chirnomorsky District, and under the coming reform, it could have
led to the flight of the owners who are the opponents of reform, and therefore
an all-out war against groups that have safe havens in the folds of the
southern slope is a done deal.
In addition, it was necessary to reduce the cost of border patrols, which
were figuring high cost , by anyway possible, especially that they were unable
to prevent looting away from the control points, despite that it has made
criminals to take caution during their infiltration into the mountainous towns.
In view of the above and depending on the sincerity of statements of
families not to allow the non-trusted members of the community to communicate
with the Ebrik and their fellow residents of the southern slope, and taking
into account what happened in the Zelenchukski District where in the early
summer of the year 1868, all those fugitives had followed the example of
someone who returned from a flee voluntarily and the authorities deliberately
didn’t arrest him, preferring to return and surrender themselves to stay in
places of non-inhabited areas in the upper parts of Laba, Mzymta and Psip, it
was necessary to accept the assistance pledged by those who provide cover-up to
the Ebrik, who were arrested in order to convince the fugitives from the
mountainous districts to surrender in cooperation with the mayors after
inducing them to ease Punishment, if not completely pardoned, and all of that
is to ensure the security of the population and to achieve calmness in the
province, in addition to the accomplishing success for settlement of the
Chernomorski District. In early July, a letter was sent on this matter to His
Highness, the Commander of the Army, and the Acting Deputy Commander of the
Kuban Region for the affairs of the Mountaineers to take the necessary measures
to call the Ebrik and the so-called, the hakuchey tribe, remaining in southern
slope - if possible. Due to the skill and courage of Lieutenant Aslanov, Deputy
of Psekobski District Court, and the outstanding efforts made by the elders and
residents of Districts of Psekobski and Labenski who realized the extent of
damage caused by looting, this process had culminated successfully, and all the
Ebrik had left and dragged behind them more than 500 of the hakuchey to move to
the military popular administrations in spite of their attachment to their land
and their willingness to die before being captured.
Document 359
On the Mountaineers’ handing over the weapons
Due to the danger of the break-out of a foreign war in the year 1864 and
the beginning of the year 1865, no measures were taken to disarm the
Mountaineer population of the Kuban region after beating them, because it was
not possible to bit on the Mountaineer inhabitants despite the length of their
stay in the Plains, they did not stop their habits and behaviors by
surrendering their weapons voluntarily, while if their weapons were snatched
from them by force, that would have lead to disturbances in the neighboring
Tereskaya province, which must be avoided because of the possibility of the
break-up of a foreign war. But with keeping the weapons, a long time had
elapsed on the mountaineers until they realized their situation, and often they
seemed determined to protest against government actions which have not been
accepted by them. This wrong doings of the Mountaineer population, in addition
to some of the intolerance that does not only support alienating all that is
Russian, but also justifies acts of looting and robbery that were carried out
by loyalists Mountaineers in the province also from time to time, and to push
the local leadership to look for ways to pressure on the Mountaineers to
prevent them from exercising their nuisance habits against the public order.
To this end, at the beginning of the year 1866, the Mountaineer inhabitants
were strictly prohibited to carry firearms except for shepherds and guards who
were guarding the farms from wild pigs at night. Unfortunately, the campaigns
of looting that the Ebrik were carry them out consistently in the mountainous
towns in the year 1867 instead of the individual thefts that had occurred in
the past near the mountainous districts without punishing the criminals, had
sent a hope in the minds of some Mountaineer residents for the deserters from
the plains to find a shelter refuge in the folds of the West Caucasus. For the
existence of such intentions in addition to possible larger unrest between the
Mountaineers population during the execution of the campaign to liberate the
peasants in the year 1868 had to disarm the Mountaineers’ arms at the first
suitable opportunity, and this opportunity had come at the beginning of the
year 1868 and had to tak advantage of.
In October of the year 1867, an incident had taken place near the village
of Enemskogo (aka Takhtamukai), where a farm was burnt which was established by
tenant Mauch within the territory of the village, where its owner was killed by
the criminals. Responsibility for the incident was blamed on the village’s
inhabitants for deliberate non-assistance for the victims and the lack of
action to arrest the criminals, which was the consequent removal of firearms
from the people of Takhtamukai the way that had occurred in mahigiree, but due
to lack of evidence to prove their involvement and the fear of resistance of
the people of Takhtamukai to be disarmed, the Commander of Psekobski District,
Captain Kolosov had received an order to initiate the population in a very
confidential way for the idea of handing over of their weapons. In late
January, 1868, the population of this village has already handed over their
weapons to the authorities. Also some of the dignitaries of the Psekobski
District who are loyal to the government have persuaded the members of their
communities to take the example of the people of Takhtamiqwai, and some of them
did so because they know the validity of this procedure to maintain security in
the region and the others for competition purposes
Such important resolutions were definitely to cause discussions and
hesitations, and a reply for the society’s queries, the leaders have expounded
that the Government is not demanding the handover of weapons, but would show
compassion to those villages that would hand over their weapons, because it
sees that as evidence of willingness to cooperate in every way for the maintaining
order, and the villages of Psekobski District have handed over the firearms in
the shortest time.
Such important resolutions was definitely to cause effect on the rest of
the population of the Kuban Region’s mountainous districts, and for the need to
get use of the rumors in regard to hand over the weapons which started to
spread, the heads of districts were requested to carry out a mission of
circulating the idea among the Mountaineers, about the benefits of handing over
the weapons without publicly showing the role of the leaders in this task.
After several meetings, the inhabitants of the lower villages of Lapinski District
as well as population of Worup and Noughai of Zelenchukski District have handed
over their weapons to the heads of districts, however, the fleeing and arrogant
Kabardian youth, who some people have instigated them against the handover of
weapons have declared that remaining without weapons is shame on them. At the
end of February of the year 1868, the semi-educated and fanatic mullahs have
always renewed their sermons to immigrate to Turkey in order to achieve their
religious interests taking advantage of the tense social situations due to
farmers’ liberation that is expected soon. This movement has started and spread
often in Khodz, and firstly because of the absence of the acting deputy chief
of the head of the region for the Mountaineers’ affairs, and then the absence
of the commander of the region who traveled to Tbilisi at the time in a task,
it was difficult to assess the importance of the rumors and the various
meetings that had taken place, which prevented from taking firm actions in a
timely manner to eliminate all hopes of Kabardians to meet their demand to
migrate to Turkey or any other concession in the peasants liberation issue.
By the beginning of the planting season in March as well as April a group
of the most fanatical opponents have intended to boycott the agriculture
practices as a confirmation of their intention to emigrate to Turkey in
addition to collecting requests from the population to emigrate to Turkey in
various ways. Because this situation has continued to Khodz for more than two
weeks, which was threatening the population of these villages to remain without
crops and after the Kabardian elders in 20th of April have clearly declared
that the youth do not obey them and will not take their advice, but they are
preparing for armed resistance where the use of force has become necessary.
Persons who practiced sabotage operations and who did not refuse to execute
the orders of the commandant, but also, refused all calls and tips, had been to
eliminate behind the barriers they lodged after they opened fire on the leaders
of the district that were sent to them demanding their surrender and to hand
over the weapons, in which all opponents were disarmed of weapons.
Also this cruel treatment with Khodz rebels had returned Kabarday Zelenchuk
to the right, and they hastily came to hand over their weapons to raise the responsibility
of themselves for criminal intentions. Thus, four districts have handed over
firearms in full, while the population of Albroski were allowed to keep the
weapons because of their special status as residents of the Mountainous front
posts and practicing growing cattle on a large scale, as well as for their
distinctiveness compared with other neighboring tribes that did not come
without trouble. The harsh measures taken against the rebels of Khodz and the
handover of firearms for a rapid shift in thinking and behavior of all the
Mountaineer population of the Kuban Region, and the voices of those who are
realistic went over the boards of the communities. After the elapse of less
than half a year, those Mountaineers themselves who used in the past to hide
information on followed criminals who are wanted by the authority and the
courts are not even convincing them to surrender to the authorities, but also
persuading the hakuchey to migrate from the mountains, which results in the
adoption of full security in the region and the neighboring Chernomorski
district.
Document 360
About the actions taken to improve the economy and livelihoods of the
Mountaineer people in general Together with measures to ensure economic
development of the Mountaineer population properly through the distribution of
land to the villagers, personalities, and the most influential families, the
search for better ways to educate the Mountaineer population to the best ways
of managing the economy and improve living standards in general the most
important of what the districts’ administrations have worked for.
The sensitivity of some people of these issues, in addition to the lack of
sufficient confidence for the Mountaineers, have prevented the districts’
administrations from issuing precise instructions or requiring them to execute
any actions, but the full awareness of the need for the development of the
needs of the Mountaineer population’s living and to direct their efforts
towards improving the economy and the eradication of false views that prevent
to bring them closer to inhabitants residing in the neighborhood in order to
pacify and for the Russianness of the Mountaineer population had stimulated the
staff of the popular military administrations to work vigorously, and as an
effect, great positive changes had occurred during the last four years in the
economy of the Mountaineers, in proportion of the short time period, including
the following:
a) We have managed to convince the Mountaineers’ public for the
disqualification of their houses, which was of the mobile type exception of the
Karachay areas, as the walls of the houses are made of twigs, the windows are
without glass, the doors are not well-fixed, and chimneys are made also of
branches, which do not protect people from cold and moisture, and all that
cause in addition to permanent air currents and the stoves’ smoke to the spread
of eye diseases and colds that pose a threat to children in particular, that
the mortality rate rises amongst them in general. Almost all the Armenian
Mountaineers, the Naghwey as well as many of the Shabsough would now own small
houses with stoves to spend the winter period. As well as Abaza, Temryuk,
Abzakh, Mahosh, Bselen and Robe have a good number of houses with stoves, at a
time that not all the Kabardians, Bselen, Zelenchuk, Koma’s Abazin, and many of
the Bjadogh, despite the presence of large quantities of wood, they will not
accept this fad of living which its benefit is not limited in the health point
of view only but it also has gotten an economical need, because Asian stoves
should be on all the time in the winter which was previously leading to the
destruction of forests and the fatigue of animals in the winter time as a
result of transporting wood without stopping and the stoves are often the cause
of fires. Although, the conversion of many of the Mountaineer inhabitants to
the use of dry dung for the purposes of heating as the Naghwey after the
issuance of the decision for the prevention of cutting the woods, however, the livestock
at the 3 neighboring districts are not common, to the extent that would cover
the need of the Circassian stoves for the fuel taking, as every hearth in the
winter season would consume at least half a cart of firewood. So we can say
that in the near future and with the direction of local authorities, the
Mountaineers will leave their houses to build solid houses, which would lead
them to abandon their tendency to move from one place to another for trivial
reasons.
b) The poor construction of houses and the permanent shortage of warm
clothes because of poverty and customs that prevent women often to go out for
the familiar pattern in dressing as well as dirtiness are of the causes of the
spread of many diseases among the Mountaineers. As well as the little and bad
food that does not help to recover from diseases and the Mountaineers’ lack of
confidence in outsider doctors, like all naive people lead to a lack of
resorting to medical assistance except in emergency situations. It must be said
that all Mountaineers had trust in the fact that treatment of fever and they
report to doctors for treatment. Also vaccination against smallpox among the
Mountaineers spreads slowly, but sometimes fails because of poor sanitary
conditions and failure to monitor children. Measures were taken to avail
trained individuals of a Mountaineer origin to perform smallpox vaccination,
and when the doctors prepare assistants for them from the Mountaineer
population to carry out smallpox vaccination, their task will be much easier.
c) The agriculture with Mountaineers is in a very low standard and is
limited to growing grain without vegetables, and most important types of grain
grown by Mountaineers, the millet and the corn as well as limited quantities of
wild wheat, oats and barley which are grown in the Karachay area. In the
plains, the Mountaineers use traditional plows, while they work in the meadows
and mountains, by using a tool similar to the Russian plow and they do not use
the tool that smoothen the soil and to cover the planted seeds resulting in
damage to damage of seeds and not to grow if the rain did not come down
directly after planting. They also do not stack grass in stocked units, but
drop out in piles, leading to get rotten, and places of mowing get not suitable
for livestock grazing in the autumn.
For this reason and also because the millet, that is considered the basic
main food of the Mountaineer population, should always be planted in a virgin
land, the Mountaineers grumbled too much due to the few plots of land that is
currently distributed to them, although it is not insignificant and amounted to
9-14 acres for each individual.
In the Karachay territories, where suitable land for the cultivation of
cereal and to collect grass, the land is treated with care and extreme efforts
are made to remove rocks from lawns and fertilize and hoe the poor land as well
as construction and care of irrigation canals.
To stop the grievances of the population of the shortage of land and in
order to improve the economy of the Mountaineers, it was essential that the
districts’ administrations should not miss any opportunity to teach people the
benefits of autumn agriculture to take advantage of land that become empty
after the harvest of millet, which leads to savings in virgin land and the
strength of working animals to reduce the cultivation of millet, and that would
provide food for the population in a better way, where in case of failure of spring
plantings, they will still have the autumn cultivation that got more stable
crops.
The Naghwey who got to know the autumn agriculture before, have increased
having these crops, and now it is hardly to find a farm owner who does not have
autumn crops. The Abzakh, Shabsough, Temryuk and Bjadogh have realized well,
the benefits of autumn cultivation that its area have increased significantly
in recent years, where the Bselen and Abza especially Kabardians do not accept
this fad, though some Kabardian farms have been returned to autumn grain
cultivation. Generally it can be said that these crops will be introduced in
all Mountaineers’ farms soon, growing grains will be expanded due to the great
benefit that this economical aspect would bring.
Previously the majority of the Mountaineer had considered grain trade as
shame, in which good and solid stores were not available for them, so each
individual had planted as much as he needs and when he needs more he always
requests and gets that from the rich, as they were distributing surplus crops
to the needy when the crop growing season is bad or farms were destroyed by the
troops. But the high prices of grain during the recent four years had tempted
the Bjadogh, Shabsough and Abzakh, as well as the need of liquors’ Labinsk
factory for amounts of corn which enabled the director to convince Khodz
Kabardians who are residing in the neighborhood to sell corn to him. After
liberation of the peasants, the upper classes that supported the practice,
which prohibits the sale of grain to the needy, can no longer donate wagons of
millet and corn, and that farmers should consider the sale of surplus grain as
one important way to pay for liberation fees.
These facts indicate in addition to the reduction of vacant land percentage
in the region and the increase of the livestock decease beyond the Kuban, that
the cultivation of grain will be running close to first place in the economy of
the Mountaineers by required supervision of the local authorities which will
lead to improve ethics and to refrain from pastoral life and displacement,
especially among the upper Mountaineer classes, which so far earned benefits of
living from livestock, which was cared for by peasants and others from the
subservient classes.
The government not to worry about the decline in raising livestock in large
farms because the contraction of the number of livestock - according to some
attempts - will be linked in many cases, with the improvement in quality, other
than that, in order to improve some aspects of poor living of the Mountaineer
population, it is better to back down in 3 middle districts the raise of
livestock, which is now the main trend in the economy to be replaced by
grain-growing.
c) When Mountaineers were given the right to choose the place of residency,
they always chose to stay in closed areas and difficult to reach as one of the
means to achieve their independence from government authority and to maintain
the privacy of their traditional life.
These trends that were totally contrary to the objectives of the government
drive the government to seek to break this convergence by building
communication methods, where new roads and bridges, would not serve the
interests of Mountaineers alone, but the Russian population living in the
vicinity as well.
For this purpose, it was decided to build the following roads: 1) along
Mali Zelenchuk River, 2) from Mali Zelenchuk to the Verkhni Nicolayvski Bridge
that is constructed over the Kuban River, 3) from the town of Kluchivaya to the
city Yakatrinodar, to the lower side of the Psekups River, 4) from the town of
Verkhni Nicolayvskaya to Upper Kuban and then to Karachay, and for the
implementation of these projects, it was necessary to take the advantage of all
circumstances to convince the population to begin construction of roads and
bridges through volunteer work, as it was premature to implement local taxes on
the Mountaineer population. The Karachay had built the road from the town of
Verkhni Nicolayvskaya to Upper Kuban River with the assistance of the
government because more than 4 Fersts of the length of the total road length of
22 Fersts was constructed through rocks, mostly granite, while the construction
of 13 and a half Fersts of the remaining distance were constructed in the stony
rocks by using gunpowder in most of the places.
As per the rest of the entire roads, the Mountaineers had built them by
spending few of the districts’ funds for the purchase of the tools and iron
materials, and to hire experts to supervise the work of the population during
the construction of bridges in the two districts Zelenchukski and Psekups. The
Teberda road and the large bridge over the Psekups River, work had been started
with them in the year 1869, and for the bridge built on the wedges over the
Bolshoi Zielenchuk which will link between the residents of the Upper villages
of the Zelenchukski district with their farms located in the plains between the
Urop and Bolshoi Zielenchuk rivers.
Except for the Karachay main road that was constructed under the
supervision of an engineer officer, all these works were carried out under the
supervision of heads of districts’ with effort of the population who have shown
good commitment during their attendance at the workplaces. It is true that many
of the elders had complained for the decision to construct roads and build
bridges, the following two years did not record any grumbling and even the Mountaineer
population themselves is apply for to the leadership requesting the
construction of roads and bridges. In the fall of 1869, building a bridge over
the Urop River will begin, while the majority of Karachay desire the completion
of wagons road to the Upper part of Teberda, to start work on building a road
along the Endish River to the upper side of Mara and Koma rivers.
The enthusiasm of Mountaineers to construct the road due to their need to
it, as the Karachay for example, do not have roads for wagons, there loads are
transported by animals, where annually transport is carried out by animals to
distance of tens and even hundreds of Fersts up to 5 thousand tons of purchased
grain to the Karachay villages as also be it is transported to the same villages,
milk from farms as well as dried herbs, which they are obtained in trade for
cheese and yogurt that are available to them due to their large herds and they
are transferred through narrow pathways, barely accommodate one mountain horse
where they are in need to grass more than the Mountaineer people. Not less
important, the significance of roads and bridges that are built in Zelenchuk
area because they have shortened the distances between some of the points by 3
to 4 times and enabled the inhabitants to transfer loads across mountains that
loaded wagons could not previously access.
Apart from that, the inhabitants of the mountainous Cossack towns have
gotten a direct and convenient to the Kuban towns, where the Mountaineers get
use little by little to the Russians do not only pass through their villages,
but even they stop by to exchange vegetables, fruits and the other agricultural
products, with raw materials and Circassian manufactures. What pleases is that
with the exception of some theft of livestock from the passers-by, which occur
in the plains everywhere when animals are left to graze without restrictions,
as in the recent year and a half years not any complaints were recorded from
the Russian who passed-by the Mountaineer population.
That if we add to that a large number Mountaineers who need to earn cash,
they cash 30 to 50 rubles during the summer period by working daily for the
Cossacks during the wed weed and harvest grain and with the separation of state
territory from the Cossack territory, disputes will end over land- since they
will be guaranteed justice to resolve their disputes with the Russian
population through the courts -and so we can expect that the next generation of
Mountaineers will maintain good relations with the Cossack population, a common
economic life without avoiding them, as it is done now by those who witnessed
and participated in the devastating Caucasian war. But the important thing is
for the fanatic religious clerics of the Kuban Mountaineer population not to
make a rift between the Mountaineers and the Russians. After that, the
integration between these two peoples who are currently feuding to be in a
single Russian family will be left to the time and to spread education by
establishing common schools to launch closer relationship between the growing
generations of the Russian and Mountaineers populations since childhood. About
the transfer the administration of vacant state land to the conduct of the
military popular administration, as well as the functions of the military
popular administrations mentioned above, it gazed upon its duties also,
economical management of vacant state land and its settlement.
The lands allocated for the Mountaineers housing, which became vacant after
the migration of the majority of the Mountaineer population of the Kuban
Region, have been transferred under the mandate of the economical
administration of the Kuban Forces Staff and under the direct supervision of
the local districts and constituencies, at a time that the heights and the
territories strip located between Urop, Kuban and Bolshoi Zelenchuk under the
supervision of the Commander of the Fifth Division of the Kuban Forces. The
empty state land used to be leased for a year to graze and to wed grass and
herbs as per the instructions issued by the Caucasus Army Commander, General
Prince Orbeliani at the end of the year 1862. In the years 1852, 1863 and 1864
an amount of 19247 rubles, 72 and a half Koubek had been collected.
When it became clear that the villages located between the rivers, Wurop,
Kuban and Bolshoi Zelenchuk do not possess enough land, which caused them to
exploit the State land in return for fee despite an order issued by His
Highness, the Commander of the Army in January of 1865 to increase the share of
villages of land, as in the summer of the year 1865 it was decided that It is
better to transfer all the State land to be under the authority of the mandate
of the present Deputy Commander of the Kuban Region for the Mountaineer
population affairs and the previously patron of Mountaineer peoples, and that
what was implemented in October of the year 1865. Besides, the direct supervision
of the land that was under the disposal of the Commander of the Fifth Division
will be divided between the heads of districts of Wuropsky, Zelenchukski and
Albroski. The returns of State vacant lands have reached in the year 1865 the
amount of 12807 rubles, 5 Koubek, in the year 1866 it was 21243 ruble, 72
Koubek and three-quarters of a Koubek, and in the year 1867, 26764 rubles, 67
Koubek and three-quarters of a Koubek.
Despite the ever-increasing rental returns, and with the change in the
amount of vacant land after the distribution of part of it as reward to those
who served in the Caucasus, the mentioned fees have become collected only for
renting not more than half of the vacant state land for the purposes of grazing
and to collect grass and herbs. The reason for the remaining of the land
vacant, due to a surplus in the Kuban Region, in addition, the state-owned land
was leased for only one year without allowing the plowing except in small
areas.
About the Settlement on the Cossack Vacant Lands Due to the influx of
people wishing to register in the Kuban Cossacks Army from the internal
provinces of the Kuban Region, after the cessation of acceptance among the
Cossacks, the Caucasus Command had to search for ways to secure living for
them, therefore the decision came to separate part of the State lands for the
settlement of various groups arriving from the internal provinces of the empire
to register in the Kuban Army provided that those must register under the
category of peasants belonging to the government and they will be subjugated to
the taxes after the end of the duration of the facilities, like the peasants of
Stavropol province, who are belonging to the government. These ideas have
received the approval of His Highness, where 7 Russian villages were
established in the land allocated for settlements in the years 1866, 1867 and
1868 as well as the 3 German villages that were established in the years 1863
and 1864according to a special resolution from the Army Commander.
The Command has considered that in addition to the settlement of the steppe
lands, there is nothing wrong with rehabilitating the highland areas that is
higher in quality than those located behind the Upper towns of the Fifth
Division, and for this purpose, 20 Greek families have been resettled who
immigrated from Stavropol province on the bank of River Oksatsen. To determine
the viability of various parts of the heights strip for settlement and to
determine the size of funds needed to construct wagons’ roads to the
appropriate places for rehabilitation and to the good woods, a committee had
been formed in the summer of the year 1868 that was consisted of the heads of
the Zelenchukski and Albroski districts with the participation of some
Mountaineer individuals as experts who had previously resided in this region.
The committee decided to resettle 500 families in the heights strip, and for
getting the possibility of transferring good quality timber, suitable for
building houses and even the masts from the valley of the Bolshaya Laba River,
the committee considered that a road should be constructed of a total length of
up to 15 fersts along the valley of the Bolshoi Zelenchuk and to open a
crossing from Upper Bekhia River Bkhia to Zaghdan Valley near the Bolshaya
Laba.
After clarification of some points of questions on the report prepared by
the Commission, His Highness, the Commander of the Army will be informed of the
heights strip settlement draft and procedures arranged on the exploitation of
forests that will be of great importance at the time of the implementation of
the constructing the railroad project.
All of these tasks used to rest with the officials and employees of the
districts administrations and the Office of the Deputy Commander of the Kuban
Region for the mountaineers’ affairs. Regulations require that the crew of
administrations’ management should include in addition to doctors, interpreters
and guards, two staff members - the head and his assistant - and three clerks,
and the office include 3 staff - the office manager and 2 secretaries - and 6
clerks. The volume of office work, which was accomplished yearly by those in
the years 1866, 1867 and 1868 is shown in the attached list, item (k).
Such a large volume of office-work compared with the potential of the
administrations’ capabilities and the Office of the Commander of the Region,
used to exhaust the mentioned administrations because they were based on the
internal administration of the Mountaineer inhabitants and civilians depending
on the laws of the empire and some of the rulings of the Army Commanders since
General, Prince Vorontsov was the Commander of the Caucasus, at a time it had
to operate depending on the military decisions with regard to cadres of
mountainous administrations and security forces. So, given the pool of
administrative, security, judicial issues, pertaining to state funds in the
mountainous districts’ administrations, which the number of their employees was
very limited, the administrations had to use the various laws and the orders of
the general commanders and the provisions of Islamic law and the customs of the
region’s population belonging to different backgrounds. In circumstances like
these, there is no way to make things easier, supervising over them, or the
distribution of tasks among staff, particularly in the districts’
administrations because the heads of administrations and their deputies get
busy from time to time of daily correspondence and officer-work in general to
carry out the duties of the heads of the courts or visits to the villages of
the districts to conduct investigations or transfer and explain the various
resolutions, collect payments, or personally do other work such as census and
gathering information in the villages, as well as to oversee the implementation
of administrative, security, and various economical procedures, that the most
important is mentioned in this report to be precisely implemented and as the
government wishes. It showed that there is a lack of management capabilities
since the year 1866 when the process of clarifying the essence and ways had
ended, that targets to rebuild the social life and the ways of strengthening the
economical life of the Mountaineer population in front of the officials and
employees of the administrations and the people in general, but the temporary
status of managing administrations’’ system, currently in place and did not
receive the approval of the High Commissioner until 20, January, 1866, it was
not allowed to legally demand the increase of these capabilities, and lack of
revenue of mountainous administrations of the Kuban Region compared to expenses
of administration, security forces and the existence of expenses of a
substantial to conduct a survey of the State land, the screening for the State
land, and other measures to regulate the economic terms for the living of the
Mountaineers, had prevented disbursement of sufficient funds to increase the
administrative capabilities of the administrations other than the amounts spent
in different times for the hiring of clerks to work in the departments’
administrations and the Chamber, as well as the approval of hiring two
employees in the office of the Deputy Commander of the mandate of the officers
who wish to serve in the Military/Popular districts to be made ready to fill
the expected vacancies deemed to open and to promote the staff of the chamber,
that took the duty of illustrating all administrative matters and to issue
instructions to the appointed executives who are often from the officers as
well.
Although this small increase in the cadres of the military/popular
administrations did not conform with the number of difficult and important
issues that have accumulated in these administrations, but the staff awareness
of their duties and the importance of their work, which was expected to be
sited at the basis of all actions taken by the government would later take to
strengthen the conviction among the Mountaineer population to strictly abide by
the full laws as well as planting and the development of feelings of loyalty to
His Majesty the Emperor on the generosity of the government and its interest in
organizing and improving their living, the administrations remained working
well. In addition to that, the kind attention of His Highness the Commander of
the Army in the successes, has enhanced the staff belonging to work and for the
interests of the Mountaineer population that many of whom have been ascertained
of the good intentions of the government towards the mountaineers and started
working for the interest of the government. The position of those inhabitants
prone to the government and to enhance the Mountaineers’ confidence and their
willingness to support the work of the government is of top priorities at the
present time and in the future, otherwise and depending on the intolerance of
the Mountaineers and their affiliation of the history of ancestors, then the
hostile elements of the system will triumph, which the adoption of the rules in
the mountaineers’ society had taken efforts and a cost of expensive sacrifices.
Document 361 In the year 1866. - Summary of the situation in Kabardinski
district in the year 1866.
The Kabardinski District includes the inhabitants of Greater Kabarda and
the concentrations of the Mountaineer inhabitants, as well as military Nalchik
town, the German settlement, Alexandrovskaya, and the Jewish fort.
Greater Kabarda is divided by Chilochki River into two sections -
Packsanski and Chirikski, in which the first one is settled by the two families
of Atajokin and Mesostov, and the second one is settled by the two families of
Bakmorzin and Kaytokin.
The Mountaineer tribes living in the valleys are divided in to 5 small
groups that are: the Balkar, Khulam, Bezingy, Chegem and Urusb, in which the
first three of them belong to the Cherkisky administration sector and the other
two belong to Baksanski administration sector.
In Greater Kabarda there is 92 villages with a population of 34 850 people
of both sexes, while the Mountaineer population communities 7 villages with a
population of 11685 people of both sexes.
Kabarday society is divided into two classes - the nobles and the public,
as the nobles have the following titles: 1) Bche (Prince), 2) Teleqotlish_
(first class noble citizen), 3) Wurq (second class noble citizen), 4) Minor
Wurq (third class noble citizen). The public also are divided to free and
serfs, while the free public are two types those who were liberated from
slavery and those who were free from the outset.
The serfs are 3 categories.
Likewise the mountaineers are classified to the nobles and the public, in
which the nobles are called (Taubi) and public (Karakich), including free and serfs.
The population of the town of Nalchik between the military and civilians,
including members of the troops stationed there, consisting of one infantry
battalion and Artillery Company and the Supplies headquarters a total of 1738
people of both sexes.
The German Alexandrovskaya Settlement contains the settlers arriving from
Saratov, who were settled near Nalchik and the Commanding General had ordered last
year to be transferred under the administration of Stavropol area of State
property with offering them housing, giving them the rights and to be subjected
to taxation. There are 34 families in the settlement and each family owns 35
acres of land belonging to the fortress of Nalchik with a population of 234
persons of both sexes.
The population of the Jewish fort consists of 410 persons of both sexes. In
the year 1860, 361 families (approximately 6 thousand people) had left Greater
Kabarda to Turkey, while 163 families (approximately 3 thousand people) have
left in the current year. In the year 1860, after separating Babukov Cossacks
from the Cossacks category, they were allowed to move to Kabarda with the
consent of villages’ owners, and at the present time, 172 Babukov families out
of 248 who reside in Kabarda, where 67 families had remained in their places of
residence in preparation for migration to Turkey. So far, 45 families have been
deported to Turkey, while the rest will be deported to Kabarda. The main
industry of the Kabardians is livestock, as they from let go their cattle from
April to mid-July of each year to Zulk River, then they transfer their cattle
to the mountains for grazing until the end of August, and in September they
return again to Zulk. In Nalchik, there is a school to teach the noble
Kabardian children, where school includes the following: Supervisors 7 Pupils
25 At the expense of Kabarday funds 25 The total expenditure of the school 5516
Silver Rubles The number of teachers in addition to the supervisor according to
the list 5 Number of pupils: Learners according to free attendance at the
expense of Kabarday. ---Teachers who have already available
Document 362
Administration UrupskyData on - In the year 1866. from North East, with the
territory of the Fifth Division Borders The Kuban riverfrom the South West with
the territory of the Sixth Division from the South and the east side.-territory
of the Zelenchukski Administration from the South nt Population Location of
Serial Name of town, settlemetown, settlement or number or village of both
sexesvillage Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 1. The town of Armavir 1817 1753 On the
mouth of Urop River 2. Qublanovski village 346 307 founded on the River Kuban
(Adel Gheryevski) 3. Volney 382 294 4. Konukovski 485 440 5. Kurgonovski
331 284 6. Baramorlinski 33 275 7. Morzai - Colonel Adik Abdolov 18 13 8.
Morzai to Major Mamaev 8 11 9. Greek Fort (Khadlsehabl) 122 103 On the left
bank of the Kuban River Kuban 10. Dembaytuk Village 25 36 11. Sgt Bedesov 62 63
12. Sultan Khan Gheri or Sultan 30 29
Adel Gheri 13. Libertedl serfs of the Armenian 167 131
village who resided in the Ural 14. Bogoselfskoya Village 643 557 On the
left bank of the Kuban River, opposite the town of Porsokovskaya 15. Osbenskoya
Village 554 491 In the Wurobsky Administration 16. Kubanskoya 289 248 Opposite
of the town of Brochnukubskaya opposite on the left bank 17. Novomikhailovskaya
601 533 Opposite Gregorio- Boleskaya town on the left bank of the Kuban River
On the left Simonoveskaya Settlement 256 210 18. an bank of the KubRriver
between the towns kaya and Ladoveskaya Teflis
Document 363
Administration Data from Zielenchukski - In the year 1866. Located on the
left bank of the Kuban River between Mount Jengur to the town Verkhny
Nicolayveskia to the borders of the district of Wurobski, near the village of
Evanoveskaya between the territories of the Third, Fourth and Fifth Divisions ossacks
forces.of the Kuban C Serial number Name of town, settlement Population of both
Location of town, village sexes or settlement
Male Female 1 2 3 4 5 1. Lowov 693 572 On the left bank of the Kuban River
2. Togabov 241 208 3. Akhluv 72 67 4. Dodarokov 487 437 5. Wurakov 119 93 6.
Khakhundokov 400 363 Located on the banks of Mali Zelenchuk River 7. Anlsekerov
197 177 8. Kasayev 381 347 9. Lowov 500 447 10. Peardov 337 344 11. Atajokhin with
Patachyev 702 670 12. Klecthyev 357 337 13. Abatov 183 150 14. Kodinetyov 112
93 On the banks of Mali Zelenchuk River 15. Akhlo Akhlov 10 896 16. Balteski
109 120 17. Agepokov 178 156 18. Takhtameshivski 647 577 19. Shabakh Mamserov
174 120
20. Bedrak Mamserov 281 270 21. Burslanov 179 153 252 233 Jambut Tazartokov
22. 23. Dokshokov 236 228 24. Shagyrevski 246 195 25. Kovenski 440 377 Menonist
Tavria 156 150 On the left 26. bank of the River iver opposite Kuban
Belomitcheskaya town on the Kazma River Towns of settlers arriving 119 103 27.
from Rogdistvensk, Saratov, and Samara
Document 364
the Adminstration of LabinskyData on - In the year 1866. Borders with the
left bank of Kuban River from the North, Laba River from the regiments of rdand
23 ndEast, the territory of the Cossack towns attached to the 22uth in the
Kuban the Kuban Cossack from the South, and Belaya River until its moRiver from
the West.
Serial number Name of the village Population of both sexes Location of the
village Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 1. Pinnokski 1144 1097 On Petoko River
2. Khodzski 3180 2862 On Khodz River 3. Natirbovski 589 563 On Laba River
4. Hajimokovski 1141 875 OnFores River 5. Wunarokovski 336 272 On Chikhrak
River 6. Hachmezyevski 167 138 On Fores River 7. Geroqayvski 252 254
-----//----- 8. Yegorokayvski 519 409 On Laba River 9. Mamkhegovski 390 339 On
Fores River 10. Hakoryenovski 623 454 -----//----- 11. For Asalanbek Solotokov
1453 1264 -----//----- 12. For Aytak Solotokov 311 243 On Gyag River 13.
Hatokayvski 222 191 On Laba River 14. Adamyevski 221 178 On Belaya River 15.
Badachihabl 504 417 -----//----- 16. Jankitovski 238 180 -----//----- Total:
11300 9735 Total number: 21 035
Document 365
In the year 1866. - Data from the
Psekups District Located on the left bank of the Kuban River between the bottom
of Bshesh and Afips Rivers
Serial Number Name of the village Population of both sexes Location of
village Male Female 1 2 3 4 5 1. Gopokai 526 502 On the left bank Bshesh River
2. Kontchokohabl 258 247 -----//----- 3. Edigokai 2 281 265 4. Edigokai 1 236
230 5. Shabanohabl 270 257 6. Tlaustnahabl 299 257 7. Kazet 118 119 8. Bjghukai
459 507 9. Afips 196 158 10. Hachtuk 222 184 11. Psetuk 100 14 12. Kwanukai 277
240 On the right bank of Psekups - River 13. Shgankiri Habl 77 80 14.
Lakushukai 377 351 15. Wchibshi 437 488 On the left bank of Psekups - River 16.
Nachukai 1. 159 140 On the right bank of the Pichas - River
17. Nachukai 2, 182 134 18. Bsheqoyhabl 168 156 On the left bank of Marta
River 19. Natcherzi 119 103 20. Asaqolai 554 543 21. Tawi 150 167 On the left
bank of Marta river 22. Jijihabl 250 268 23. Bnajiqwai 418 528 On the left bank
of Pichas River 24. Bitchihatloqai 480 557 25. Zetloqai 516 503 On the left
bank of Dish River 26. Shinji 435 440 On the left bank of Chepe River 27.
Takhtmiqwai 241 230 On the left bank of Sobeh River 28. Togurgui 170 144
Between the Rivers of Psekups - and Chepe 29. Toghuzmai 66 44 30. Sijukai 68 57
31. Khemazi 87 31 32. Psepadekh 58 36 Total: 8247 8040 Total number: 16 287
Document 366 In 29, March, 1867. – The report of the Director of General
Administration of the Vice Deputy of the Caucasus Region, Baron Nikolai, to the
Deputy of the Caucasus Region on the question of rehabilitation of the
north-eastern shore with Armenian and Greek settlers, coming from Turkey. Your
Highness has already ordered me to look into the Special Committee in the
question of rehabilitation of the north-eastern shore of the Black Sea between
the Bzyb and Tuapse rivers, the search was carried out depending on the report
of the formed committee last year to explore the recently occupied area by
General Muravyov. This report shows that all the area between the rivers
mentioned, between the seashore and the main mountainous chain line which is an
area of 457 491 acres including 302 902 acres are forests, 81 370 acres farms
and orchards, and 41 805 acres as pasture, while the rest which is an area of
31414 acres does not fit for civilized construction.
In terms of agriculture, this area covered with mountains as well as narrow
and deep gaps constitute two significantly different strips, one is a high
mountainous area that is fit to grow grain and raise mountainous livestock
only, while the other is the coastal one with tropical nature with warm and
humid climate that is suitable for horticulture, wine industry, silk, tobacco
... etc. . Of these described areas suitable for exploitation and they are
about 80 thousand acres, the mountainous strip occupies 23 thousand acres and
the coastal strip occupies 57 thousand acres.
Based on what can be established of economical efforts in these two strips,
the Committee considered to distribute the amount of 30 acres for each house in
the mountainous strip and 15 acres for each house in the coastal strip, and
according to that, settlement can be performed as follows:
In the region between the two rivers: 1) Bzyb and Zimzimta - 400 families
2) Mazimta and Sochi - 866 families 3) Sochi and Shackheh - 1000 families 4)
Shackheh and Acheh - 665 families 5) Acheh and Tuapse - 445 families Total:
3376 Families Then, after a detailed examination of the region, the committee
was ascertained the lack of the entire explored area to flat and wide places
due to the availability of many narrow valleys, so they could serve to
establish estates, more than any other purpose.
Also, the committee believes that when settling 3376 families that are
established to settle in these areas, there should be 2659 families settle in
estates and 717 other families to settle in villages or settlements.
As for the nations that will be resettled in this region, the committee
says: "It is no doubt that politically speaking, the government prefers to
see in this maritime area inhabitants of the Russian ethnicity to a great
respect to create some sort of extension of the Russian population of the Kuban
Region, however, a previous similar experience in the resettlement of Russians
between Novorossiysk and Tuapse has failed in economic terms. Therefore, the
Committee believes that when resettling this area, it must be relied on those
mountainous tribes which, beside they follow the Christianity faith, they were loyal
to the government like the indigenous Russian people, such as, in the opinion
of the committee, the Greek and Armenian groups coming from Turkey, the Germans
coming from mountainous areas of southern Germany and finally the Christian
groups of Imirettia, Guria and Ratchi and Lichghom, and the Russian inhabitants
must form an absolute minority , and they should be resettled only in those
areas that their natural conditions fit to some extent with their lifestyles
and previous economical practices…”
Initially, resettlement should be limited to the coastal strip by settling
those who come from Kotys province of population of the mountains as well as
Armenians and Greeks coming from the Central Asian region in a number that is
not more than 700 families in addition to 200 families for soldiers, members of
two infantry battalions centered in the region and 100 families of various
immigrants coming voluntarily from southern Russia, who have made requests to
the Commander of the Chirnomorski District for their residency in this region,
bringing the number to 1000 families in which the required number will be
completed for resettlement this year.
According to the Command decision that the source of settlement expenditure
of the funds received from the sale of vacant state land to individuals, the
Committee intends to announce directly in the report on the sale of the
following plots of land:
No. 1 Valley of River Dederukai 800 Desattina No. 2 Valley of River Shipsey
2000 ---//--- No. 3 Beogidaninoya Valley of 1000 ---//--- No. 4 Psychwag Valley
2000 ---//--- No. 5 Godleyk Valley 700 ---//--- No. 6 River Valley Chokhok 1200
---//--- No. 7 Valley of River Chmitoquaja 2500 ---//--- No. 8 Valley of River
Agora 1500 ---//--- Total: 11700 acres Although it is currently difficult to
determine the price of a acres of land in all areas, the Committee considers
that the rate of 10 rubles for one acres will be priced close to reality. As
for the pieces of fertile land which will remain vacant at the beginning or not
intended for settlement and are not within the pieces on display for sale can
be distributed to persons who desire to grow grapes, mulberry trees and others,
according to the applicable laws to the area beyond the Kuban (Article 146 of
the regulations of farms, issued in the year 1857). With regard to the lots of
land allocated to the royal family, the Vardanay area and Daghomis Valley, the
committee intends to sort them out for the local administration not to face
difficulties when the settlers reside and during the division process of land
plots allocated to them. Signed by the Viceroy His Excellency the Prince
through a decree that says: I agree, let work start for immediate
implementation.
Document 367
In 16, June, 1866. - Brief data about Psekopski District
Located on the left bank of the Kuban River between the lower side of the
rivers of Pshish and Afipsa
Serial Number Name of village Population of both sexes Village Location
Males Females 1 2 3 4 5 1. Ghopokai 526 502 On the left bank of - Bshesh River
2. Kontchokohabl 258 247 -----//----- 3. Idijukai 2 281 265 4. Idijukai 1 236
230 5. Shabanouhabl 270 257 6. Tlawstenhabl 299 257 7. Kazet 118 119 8.
Bjeghukai 459 507 9. Aphibs 196 158 10. Hashtuk 222 184 11. Bseytuk 100 14 12.
Konukai 277 240 On the right bank of - Psekups River 13. Shagankiri Habl 77 80
14. Lakshukai 377 351 15. Wechipshi 437 488 On the left bank of
- Psekups River 16. Nachukai 1 159 140 On the right bank of - Pchas River
17. Nachukai 2 182 134 18. Psheqoyhabl 168 156 On the left bank of - Marta
River 19. Natcherzi 119 103 20. Asaqolai 554 543
21. Tawi 150 167 On the left bank of - Marta River
22. Jajiahabl 250 268 23. Benajiqwai 418 528 On the left bank of - Pchas
River 24. Betshehatloqai 480 557 25. Zatloqai 516 503 On the left bank of -
Desh River
26. Shenji 435 440 On the left bank of - Chibsi River
27. Takhtmiqwai 241 230 On the left bank of - Su River
28. Toghurghoy 170 144 Between Psekups - & Chibsi Rivers 29. Toghuzmai
66 44 30. Sijukai 68 57 31. Khemazi 87 31 32. Psebadekh 58 36 Total: 8247 8040
Total number: 16287
Document 368 In 16, June, 1866. - Brief data by Labenski District Borders
the left bank of the Kuban River to the north, the Laba River from the east,
the territory of the Cossack towns that belong to the Regiments 22 and 23 of
the Kuban Cossack Army from the South, and with the Belaya River until its
mouth in the Kuban River from the west.
Serial Name of the Village Population of both Genders Location of the
Number Male Female Village 1 2 3 4 5
1. Penokski 1144 1097 On Betoko River 2. Khodzski 3180 2862 On Khodz River
3. Natirbovski 589 563 On Laba River 4. Hajimokovski 1141 875 On Fors River 5.
Narokovski 336 272 On Chikrak River 6. Hachmzyevski 167 138 On Fors River 7.
Geroqayvski 252 254 -----//----- 8. Yogorkayvski 519 409 On Laba River 9.
Mamkhegovski 390 339 On Fors River 10. Hakorinovski 623 454 -----//----- ??11.
L Asalanbek Solotokov 1453 1264 -----//----- ??12. L Aytak Solotokov 311 243 On
Ghyab River 13. Hatokayvski 222 191 On Laba River 14. Adamyevski 221 178 On
Belaya River 15. Bdashihabl 504 417 -----//----- 16. Jankitovski 238 180
-----//----- Total: 11300 9735 GrandTotal: 21 035
Document 369 In 16, June, 1866. – Brief data by Worobski District
Borders the Kuban River from the North East side, with the territories of
the Fifth Division from the south, the territories of the Sixth Division from
the South West, and the territories of the Zelenchukski from the South East
side.
Serial Name of the Town, Settlement Population of both Genders Location of
Town, Village Number or Village or Settlement Male Female 1 2 3 4 5
1. The town of Armavir 1817 1753 On Urop River mouth 2. Qublanowski Village
346 307 Built on River Kuban
(Adel Ghebryevski) 3. Volney 382 294 4. Konokovski 485 440 5. Korghonovski
331 284 6. Baramorlenski 33 275 7. Morzi for Colonel Adik Abdulov 18 13 8.
Morzai for Major Mamayev 8 11 9. The Greek Fortress 122 103 On the left bank of
the
Khadlesihabl Kuban River 10. Dembaytuk Village 25 36 11. Sgt Pedesov 62 63
12. Sultan Khan Gheri or Sultan 30 29
Adil ‘ Gheri
13. Liberated of serfdom from the 167 131
Armenian village who resided
in the Ural 14. Boghosolvskoya Village 643 557 On the left bank of the - -
Kuban River opposite - Porsokovskaya town 15. Osbenskoya Village 554 491 In
Worobski District 16. Kubanskoya 289 248 Opposite the town of - Brochnokobskaya
on - the left bank 17. Novomikhailovskaya 601 533 Opposite the town of -
Gregorio Poleskaya - on the left bank of the - Kuban River 18. Semonoveskaya
Settlement 256 210 On the left bank of the - Kuban River between - - the towns
of - Tefliskaya and - Ladoveskaya
Document 370
In 20, September, 1867. – Of the
message from the Commander in Chief of the Caucasus Army to the Ambassador to
Turkey about refusing to cooperate with the Turkish government about the
continued migration of the Abkhaz and Abzakh to Turkey. ... No longer the
military considerations that led me in the year 1853 and made me not to mind
the migration of Mountaineers; but even encourage the intolerance that led all
the inhabitants of the shores of the Black Sea to the mass migration is now no
longer affect my position on this issue.
If ending the war Caucasian War in the year 1863 due to the possible
formation of a European alliance, a matter of urgency and clear to all that is
unavoidable, as now, the necessity of development and the organization in
administration field of the region as soon as possible dictate that I mind the
continuing migration of Muslims of the Caucasus who have started to get used to
our administrative system, and it is expected that they become diligent
citizens in the future…
Document 371 The year 1867 - Declaration by the General Administration of
the Vice Caucasus Region for those wishing to emigrate to the Chernomorski
District. With the occupation of the Caucasus in final status, the government
has owned a great and wealthy country that is located in the Southwestern slope
of the Caucasus Mountains range on the shore of the Black Sea, therefore, the
Chernomorski District has formed in this region.
More than three years have passed since the occupation of this country, in
which the government sought to explore in details to find out what can be
exploited for, and which kind of population could be settled in, and what is the
economy, which will be suitable for its development.
Furthermore, we had to eliminate the last traces of the enemy hiding in the
mountains, which, despite its small numbers it used to form a threat to the
practice of agriculture in peaceful conditions.
Presently, and after implementing all that, the Settlement Law for the
Chernomorski District will be published on the 10th of March, 1866.
According to this law, all those who wish to reside in the Chernmorski
District will get different facilities so as to enable new settlers to
establish a strong economy and to benefit from the product of their work to
improve their lives. The list of these facilities emerged in paragraphs 30-37
of the mentioned law.
There is no doubt that the country's natural resources and facilities
provided to new settlers will help to attract a large number of the population
of different regions of Russia for the settling in the region, and to let all
those who wish to settle in this territory, all what they will encounter and
must elaborate on the country's economical potentials and professions that can
succeed settlers.
The Chernomorski District is located- as noted earlier - along the sea
shoreline which is a mountainous area rich in deep valleys and mountainous
rivers flowing into the sea.
At sea beach, rivers form before it reaches the sea swamps where there is a
lot of spread of fever, but this disease cannot be considered associated with
this region since new inhabitants can overcome if they have exerted efforts to
do so.
Near the area at the beach, it grants the opportunity for the development
of fish production and navigation, which will return a good income for the
settlers.
The climate could have been hot in the absence of the sea, which supplies
coolness, while winter will be mild, so those plants that their cultivation in
the interior provinces either impossible or require tremendous work and effort,
such as grapes, berries, walnut, and many other types of fruit-trees. Apart
from that, the Circassians, who lived in this area in the past and emigrated,
have left behind a large number of orchards that contained grafted fruit trees,
and it is enough for settlers to make little effort to take care of in order to
get abundant crops and fruits. Tobacco growing here of an excellent kind that
is no less excellent quality of Turkish tobacco that is sold in the Russian
interior provinces at a high price.
These places are great for beekeeping and this profession was often spread
much with the Circassians.
This is a brief description of the natural resources enjoyed by the
Chernomorski District.
There are no wide and flat fields
suitable for the cultivation of grain here, and it is possible to grow wheat,
corn and millet only in the small meadows mostly for the purposes of
self-consumption and not for sale. Also there is no enough food for livestock
here either, it is clear that if anyone wanted to move to this area without
intending to abandon the plow, expecting large profits from the practice of
agriculture, it might lead him to impoverishment, not enrichment regardless if
all the facilities and supports provided by the Treasury were great. Here
managing the economy should be quite different than in internal Russia, where
it must use
manual labor by hand and using pickaxe, hoe and axe instead of the plow and
anti-aliasing. In order for the work to succeed in the new place it is required
to that people who turn out must adore such works that fit this region.
Briefly, whoever has the desire to work in horticulture and grapes-growing,
beekeeping, silk industry, and the cultivation of tobacco and vegetables, will
find in the new area a wide range for him...
As for those who will be entitled to settle in Chernomorski District and
what the rules that settlers must abide by are, all that is stated in
paragraphs 10-18 of the Settlement of this area planned for 10, March, 1866.
Document 372
In 16, December, 1867. - A
declaration of the Caucasus Military District on the adoption of the Act of
Chernomorski District and to grant the retired soldiers plots of land for
permanent possession with the right of inheritance. His Majesty the Emperor has
honored me in his high concern of the glorious forces of the Caucasus army, for
mandating me the task of distribution of land plots in the occupied territories
on the grounds of the general principles of permanent ownership with the right
of inheritance to those soldiers who wish to permanently reside among the
inhabitants of the Caucasus after their retirement.
The Minister of War had asked me earlier in his letter No. 237 of 27, July,
1864, when I was notified of this High decision concerning the Caucasus Army to
tell him about the grounds on which I see suitable for the settlement of the soldiers
in the Kuban Region, and the decision-making in this regard has been postponed
until the passage of the law of Chernomorski District, and was in 10, March,
1866.
Based on this law, that accordingly, the soldiers will have the right as
well as other individuals from free social classes, the residency in the area
between the Tuapse and Pseb rivers and until the tops of Caucasus mountains
chain, with providing the same rights and facilities given to all other
settlers, I informed the Minister of War that I do not see a need to establish
special foundations for soldiers residency in Kuban Region , but their
residence must be in accordance with the provisions of the laws of Chernomorski
District among the Cossack population in the southern slope of a mountain range
Caucasus main site Battalion Hapsogski beach as well as in the northern slope
of the main Caucasus mountains chain in the Coastal Shabsoughki Battalion
location, as well as in the northern slope where possible as from the viewpoint
of the commander of the Kuban Region Forces to be according to a special
resolution from me in every time, but without the harassment of the local
population ...
I hereby announce the High decision which I have been informed about
through the War Minister’s message No. 10486 of 9, October, of the current year
for the Caucasus Army Forces and for its implementation.
Signed by the Commander in Chief of the Caucasus Army, General Mikhail.
Document 373
In 28, December, 1869. - A letter from the Caucasus Military Headquarters
to the Director of
Administration of the Vice-Caucasus Region on the condition of the
prisoners of the Mountaineers who were transferred for custody. After ending
the war in the west Caucasus and in view of the extreme poverty of prisoners of
war and others of Mountaineers who have declared their surrender, His Highness
the Commander-in-Chief issued a decision to transfer those resident
Mountaineers to the families that wish to employ or take care of them provided
that these families provide written pledges on the terms of the acceptance of
those persons for care or employment. That decision meant that all the
Mountaineer individuals mentioned are considered free and their stay at their
friends for work was based on an amicable agreement and therefore, the disputes
that can occur between employers and employees must be considered as violations
for contracts in general. For this purpose special rules have to ensure the
personal freedom and happiness for the Mountaineer individuals who have applied
to work or to receive care, these rules have been approved by His Highness the
Commander in Chief in his letter to the Commander of the Kuban Region Forces
No. 30 dated 12/13, January, 1864, where it recognized as acknowledged that the
two agreement parties get a copy of the contract to know both contract sides,
what are the obligations of the two parties, the text of the contract appeared
in paragraph 8 of the listed rules and a copy is attached with this letter. As
for some individuals staying with families for care such as the elderly or
young people, the report of former Chief of Staff to the Commander of the Kuban
Region Forces No. 1612 dated 11, August, 1864, give them certificates also to
certify the adult prisoners of war have the right to leave their patrons to
move to other people or to manage their affairs in a different manner, noting
that the male individuals can not benefit from this right except after they
reach the legal age, and the females after they reach the eighteenth year of
age or marriage; the patrons may not violate this rule. Now, the Deputy
Commander of the Kuban Region on the affairs of the Mountaineer inhabitants,
that due to the extremely quick method of distributing the Mountaineers after
the end of the war in the west of the Caucasus, and the goal wass to make them
manage their status in any way to prevent them from hunger and scourge that have
suffered of during the years 1863-1864, where the commanders of divisions and
other military units have distributed many of them for work and care without
taking into account the mentioned rules, so there are a large number of
distributed Mountaineers do not have any information about them, so because
this situation may cause them to face difficulties and more importantly, that
the situation prevents the leadership of the Kuban Region to meet the legal
demands made by the Mountaineers of collecting their separated families, in
which His Highness, the Commander in Chief has ordered me to request from your
Excellency to issue instructions to the central and local authorities that the
Mountaineer prisoners distributed to various persons may be within their areas
of influence to circulate what is stated in the above rules to all adult
Mountaineer individuals and associated with their patrons through work
relations to advise them of their rights mentioned in the rules and to inform
others who are not adults yet, that they have the right to leave their patrons
after reaching the legal age to arrange their conditions as they wish, in
addition to bind the central and local authorities to send copies of signed
contracts between employers and employees or the parish of Mountaineer
prisoners of war to the Mountainous Caucasian Administration to enable
depending on that to access information on the whereabouts of those
Mountaineers and to facilitate the searchabout them to the prisoners’’
relatives.
Document 374
Extension of the document
Rules Based on this, captive Mountaineer families will be transferred to
work with local landlords, or other persons Paragraph 1 To enable the captive
Mountaineer families of simple classes to settle down in this region and to get
out of poverty, all local landlords and other persons are allowed for all the
local landlords and other persons to employ those families with them to do
household chores and agricultural, according to the following conditions.
Paragraph 2 The person who obtained a Mountaineer family to offers to all its
members, decent clothes and enough food to an amount commensurate with the level
of ordinary local people. Paragraph 3 These families will be employed for a
period not to exceed 5 years, and the employer will be committed to take care
of the obtained family throughout this period as stated in the preceding
paragraph. Paragraph 4 The members of the employed families in this way for a
certain period, free people to have a temporary contract with the landlords
that they will reside at, and will carry out all works assigned to them by the
employers as described below. All disputes that occur between the mentioned
family members and the employers will be the considered contrary to the terms
of the contract and will be subject to legal action. Paragraph 5 During the
period of presence with the local landlords or other persons for the duration
of 5 years, the mentioned captive families are committed in exchange for sponsorship
and support of living that will receive after the elapse of this period to do
all the household chores and agricultural works that will be assigned to do be
the landlords to work 4 days a week with the right to work for their own
interests in 3 remaining days including Friday that equals Sunday for us.
Paragraph 6 After the elapse of the period of 5 years of compulsory labor, the
landlord must should give each family a pair of oxen with a cart, a pair of
cows, 4 female sheep and one male as a reward for the compulsory works
performed, in order to secure their livelihood in the future and to be able to
arrange their status and to settle in this region. Paragraph 7 After reaching
the final settlement with the owners in the context of the preceding paragraph,
every family is entitled to choose a place for residency at its sole discretion
among the subjects of the Russian state. Paragraph 8 All owners who wish to
take a family of the Mountaineers for working to them should consult the
Abadzekhi Acting Administration Chief, Colonel Abdrahmoanov who is in charge of
issuing certificates that a certain family is given to a certain individual for
a certain mandatory time according to these rules. Certificates are issued in
two copies, one of them will be delivered to the owner and the other for the
oldest member of the family and it is considered an official document in the
event of disputes as well as an additional copy to be placed in the
administration’s file.
Document 375
In 28, June, 1868. - Report of the
Commander of Svastopol No. 45 Infantry Regiment to the Commander of the Kuban
Region Forces on rewarding 18 members of the regiment for participating in the
elimination of the Khodz uprising with the attachment of 3 lists (the
headquarters of the regiment in Psebai.
I present to Your Excellency certificates of appreciation in which each one
of them consists of two copies in the name of 6 officers and 12 soldiers of the
regiment that I am assigned to, in addition to two lists of the recognition of
rewards for each one of them for the achievement, which they have achieved on
26, April of this year when restoration of stability was accomplished in Khodz
villages. Commander of the Regiment, Colonel (Signed) Acting Assistant Officer
(Signed)
Document 376
In 25, November, 1870 - Report of the Director of General Administration of
the Vice Caucasus Region, Nikolai about the Mountaineer population - the
hakuchey and others - remaining in the Chernomorski District and 75 families
came out of the mountains and settled in the towns of Cossacks. In the period
between the years1864 and 1869 during the establishment of the settlements in
the southern slope of the Caucasus mountains range between Novorossiysk and
Mzymta, 75 Mountaineer families were voluntarily housed came voluntarily out of
the mountains in the towns of Cossacks and attached locations to the infantry
battalions. At the same time the mentioned places, especially their northern
part of them were witnessing robbery, looting and theft crimes, in which
charges were directed to non-loyal Mountaineer inhabitants, known as the
fleeing hakuchey, Hajoleenand, Shabsough etc., or the fleeing individuals from
the residents of the mountainous districts’ villages of the Kuban Region.
To reduce these incidents and for the political considerations in case a
war commences with Turkey, the commander of the Kuban Region was intending to
deport all the Mountaineers living in Chernomorski District to the mountainous
districts of the Kuban Region, but this attempt did not culminate in success
because the majority of the population have refused to change their places of
residence at a time several families had moved to the two districts of Psekups
and Labenski, However, they returned from there again, and some of them had
fled to the mountains, then in the year 1869, the Commander of Chirnomorski
District that it is not possible to deport the mentioned Mountaineer Residents
to Kuban Region, without taking compulsory measures and reinforce the stationed
troops stationed in the area , and in his opinion no need to deport the
Mountaineer population to calm the situation in district, but it is sufficient
to gather those people in three villages in the same district with enforcing
active pursuit.
Because of these disputes, the Commander in Chief, had deputized General
Jimargidze to collect all the information in place of the event to find out
whether the deportation of the Mountaineer population from Chirnomorski
District is necessary or not, and if it was necessary, what are the needed
actions to be taken to achieve that with minimum losses.
Accordingly, General Jimargidze has viewed to His Highness in his detailed
report, issued in 29, July, his ideas related to his assigned task.
He noted in his report the following points: a) To keep all of the
Mountaineer inhabitants who remained in the towns, but temporarily within the
positions in the battalions in the southern slope and to gather them in 3
separate villages in the area of Chernomorski District in locations chosen by
the Commander of the Chernomorski District.
b) To allow the homeless of their tribes people to leave the mountains until
a specific dead-line, but not for the fugitives from the districts of the Kuban
Region.
c) The inclusion of these inhabitants to the settlers when villages are
established, and to include them in the terms of settling Chernomorski District
with some modifications that may be deemed required at the request of local
authorities. d) To allow the entire Mountaineer population opponents of the
resolution intended to be taken against them to move to the Kuban villages with
preventing them to return from there to the southern slope forever.
His Highness the Vice has commented on General Jimargidze report as
follows: "I fully agree with the conclusions of this report. To be
transferred for study and application."
Accordingly, the Department of General Administration has asked the
Commander of the Chernomorski District the following information: Until when it
will be allowed for the Mountaineers to get out of the mountains to the
southern slope and the southern slope to the villages of Kuban with preventing
them from returning, and to what degree and how settlement rules of
Chernomorski District can be applied against those settlers. As the demand was
directed on the first issue also to the Commander the Kuban Region.
In response to these queries, the Commander of the Chernomorski District on
the 15th of this month has stated that the homeless Mountaineer population in
the upper non-populated areas of the district, must be allowed to leave the
mountains voluntarily and reside in the district within four months of the
Declaration of this resolution, General Bilenko sees that this can be done next
December and the first of May, 1871 will be a deadline, and the local
authorities will treat all Mountaineers who did not leave voluntarily until
that time as homeless, and will be deported from the territory of the district
in accordance with an administrative order. This procedure will also will
include fleeing Mountaineers from Kuban Region who roam around the Chernomorski
District, and after first of May, 1871, in the case of arrest, they will be
dealt with in accordance with the law. The mountaineer population remaining in
the district for permanent residency, the supreme decision issued in 10, March,
1866, will be applied to them without change.
In conclusion, General's request Bilenko has requested to expedite the
resolution of this issue, so that while returning from Tbilisi, he will inform
the mountaineer population personally the decision of the High Command and the
issuance of instructions for its publication in the mountains between savage
and fleeing individuals.
The letter that was received in 22, October, 1870, from the Commander of Kuban
Region says, due to the decision of keeping the Hakotch residing in the
settlements of Chernomorski District in their places forever, general Tsakni
proposes the transfer of some hakuchey individuals and families to the
mountainous districts a dangerous matter because the deportation can include
poor and annoying people, so it is generally best to keep all the hakuchey in
one area where all their relatives are.
Based on what was mentioned in this report and the decision of His Highnes
the Prince, the Vice of the area, the district considers to perform the
following actions: 1. Keep the entire Mountaineer population permanent
settlers, as well as those residing temporarily among the infantry battalions
in the southern slope and to reside in three separate villages in Chernomorski
District area in locations chosen by the Commander of Chernomorski District
with annexation to the settlements the Black Sea shores and to be incorporated
with the instructions contained in the law of settlement and administration of
Chernomorski District determined in the year 1866, for the law to include as
well, the Mountaineer individuals fleeing from Kuban Region, who are now
vagrants throughout Chernomorski District.
2. To allow all Mountaineer vagrant individuals now in non-inhabited places
in the upper areas of Chernomorski District referred to in item 1, to get out
of it and stay in Chernomorski District within four months of the declaration
of this resolution, which is until first of May, 1871, provided that the Commander
of Chernomorski District would circulate the resolution in December, 1870.
3. After first of May, 1871, all Mountaineer inhabitants who remained
vagrants, and did not come out voluntarily as per the law, they will be barred
from residency.
Document # 377 In 9, September, 1872. - Letter from the Commander of the
Kuban Region to the Department of Public Administration to the Viceroy of the
Caucasus Region about the determination of the entire Mountaineer population to
emigrate to Turkey and the rightness of their departure.
In response to the letter number 5430 issued in 22, July, which I was
informed through of the decisions of the Commanding General relied upon by the
Commandment of the Kuban Region at the time of deportation of the Mountaineer
residents to Turkey for permanent residency during the period between the years1865
and 1871, I have the honor to inform you that while migration of the
Mountaineers to Turkey for permanent residency until the year 1867, there were
no specific laws in this regard, although local authorities have prevented the
migration of Mountaineers by all means, and did not allow it except in some
extreme cases. In the year 1867, His Highness the Prince, the Viceroy of the
Caucasus Region during his visit to the Kuban Region he personally informed the
Mountaineer population that migration to Turkey should be stopped permanently,
and then I sent to the Commander of the Region a copy of the letter of His
Highness to the Ambassador in Constantinople, issued in 20, September under N.
242 on the need to prevent migration of Muslims of the Caucasus to Turkey and
the reasons for this prohibition, and since then, the Mountaineer inhabitants
had been to prevented from migration to Turkey for permanent residency. As for
the laws under which they should be utilized for deporting Mountaineers, the
inhabitants of the state entrusted to me, to Turkey for permanent residency at
the present time in the case some of them would submit such requests, it is my
view that the government should be decisive in whether it is in its interest to
vacate the region of the Mountaineer population before it develops certain conditions
in that regard, there should be a determination to resolve this issue
conclusively, because almost the entire Mountaineer population are ready to
emigrate to Turkey right way, if they are permitted to do that, as they express
their sincere intention whenever they have the opportunity, as happened
recently when Qregheri Khanatokov and a number of families to immigrate to
Turkey, at which the public unrest broke out after that decision and did not
stop until now.
In my opinion, allowing the Mountaineer population to emigrate to Turkey
without preconditions, a correct action which will make us get rid of dishonest
inhabitants from the political point of view, noting that there is no need to
fear if the area is vacated from the population, as the places that the
Mountaineers are going to evacuate as the areas that Mountaineers would leave,
can be rehabilitated immediately with Russian population with no trouble and
without financial losses due to the large number of Russians who wish to reside
here permanently, and they are living now as roaming people due to lack of vacant
land. For the importance of this subject I intend to submit a detailed report
in that regard, to His Highness Viceroy of the Caucasus Region during the visit
of the next visit of His Highness the Prince to the region entrusted to me.
Document 378
In 15, November, 1872 - A letter from the Commander of the Terskaya
District, Loris Melekov to A. B. Nikolay on the determination of Kabardians and
the Mountaineer population residing in the eastern parts of the district to
migrate to Turkey and the effect of population of the area beyond the Kuban. In
response to Your Excellency’s letter no. 260, I have the honor to inform you
that the contents of the letter of the Deputy Commander of Terskaya District
No. 2418 of 32, May, of ideas about the departure permission for the Muslim
pilgrims developed based on my personal instructions...
I seize this opportunity to offer some clarifications about the prevailing
conditions among the Muslim district's population and the importance which the
question of pilgrims had gained, every time the determination of the masses of
people has strengthen - whatever their number was - to migrate to Turkey from
this region or that.
Rumors spread recently mountain among the Mountaineer inhabitants residing
in the region entrusted to me, that the Mountaineer people beyond the Kuban
have applied to His highness requesting to allow the mass migration to Turkey.
Because of the presence of some individuals who have influence in members
of their community and work to achieve the same goal since the year 1860 among
the Kabardian population, it is very likely that this irresponsible claim that
is demanded by the inhabitants beyond the Kuban who are close to Kabarday, and
in spite of the refusal of the authorities, it may have an impact on the
Kabardian territories and will create similar atmosphere in spite of that the
claim had been rejected as far as I know. At the same time, as Your Excellency
is informed, such movements have emerged in the summer of this year in the
mountainous areas of the eastern part of the region.
Rumors have stopped and minds calmed down after the exposure of people who
are after the rumors were recently subjected to punishment, however it is hard
to say that the rumors about the will of the people residing beyond the Kuban
did not receive responses in this region as well.
There is no doubt that if appropriate administrative arrangements is taken
at the proper time, especially with the existence of completely different
positions in the entire Chechen society and of course in Ossetia, that will
help to prevent also the spread of such tendencies in Kabarda and in the
controlled Mountainous communities in the eastern parts of the region, though,
it is expected that some of those who wish to immigrate will choose for
themselves - as happened in the past - another way to achieve their goal, which
is to depart to Turkey under the pretext of performing any departure to Turkey
under the pretext of performing Hajj with no return and then, after a period of
time they will call their families to join them.
Therefore, we have to expect that the number of people wishing to travel to
Mecca will increase in the spring of next year - perhaps by a large percentage
– above the number mentioned in Report No. 2418, so as to calm disorders
created by the demand of the inhabitants beyond the Kuban, it is better not to
categorically define a figure for the number of people who can obtain passports
for performing such a trip.
Document 379
In 15, August, 1873. - Letter from
the Commander of the Kuban Region to the Director of General Administration of
the Viceroy of the Caucasus Region, about the intention of Abazin to emigrate
to Turkey and the difficulty to prevent the Mountaineer population from selling
their livestock. With the letter of Your Excellency No. 9562 issued on the 27th
of December, 1872, an attachment has been received that is directed to the
attention of my deputy, which is contained of temporary laws in regard to
travel permission abroad to the Muslims of the Kuban Region, which has been
developed to meet the desire of the Mountaineer population to immigrate to
Turkey, which emerged recently in an indirect way.
A long time has elapsed before these laws have been circulated after their
issuance, which were not announced except at the end of May of this year in the
district of Maikopski only by special order from the former district Commander.
Also, the Commander of Ykatrinodarski District who has not circulated the
laws except in some parts of the district, that he had no reason to announce in
the past, because all the Mountaineer population of the district that belongs
to him, have known the existence of these laws with all the details and he used
to inform them about their existence whenever he had the opportunity. As for
the Commander of Batalpashinski, he did not advertise them except in the month
of July.
The commanders of districts have said that the declaration on the laws came
in an inappropriate time for fear of being announced before the end of the
planting and harvest season can lead to the cessation of works all at a sudden
because of migration to Turkey, which may cause an imbalance in the economic
life to those Mountaineer residents who will not be able take advantage of the
permission to leave because of the need to pay a fee of 70 rubles.
After the announcement of the laws, the Mountaineer inhabitants made
certain that migration to Turkey is no longer forbidden with no doubt, so they
retracted their concern, and now nothing is occupying their mind but the idea
of moving over there. Although the number of Mountaineer families that got
permission to leave did not exceed one hundred so far, but received reports
from regional commanders suggest that a large number of inhabitants are
preparing to immigrate with the advent of autumn. However, the Mountaineer
population of the Batalpashinski Territory except Abazins, were uninterested in
the temporary laws and they do not intend to move to Turkey, while almost all
Abazins are preparing to leave.
The presence of intensive preparations to leave for Turkey, is indicated by
a large number of the Mountaineer population have begun recently to sell their
cattle, sheep and horses and if they do not find who buys in their places, they
drive their herds out of the territory in search for a better price. That has
prompted the Commander of the Terskaya District to ask me in his telegram sent
in 6, August, that I issue a decree banning residents of the district entrusted
to me, from taking the herds of cattle to Kabarda, because they sell them there
under the pretext of immigration to Turkey making the local inhabitants to
follow their shoe-steps to leave.
Since the temporary laws in question do not prevent the Mountaineer
population who obtained permission to leave abroad from the sale of their
properties, then it shall be deemed that the decision to prevent them from taking
their cattle for sale outside the territory, an arbitrary action and as a
plunder of their movable possessions and private properties, and such unjust
action may result in its origin to the new disputes.
Based on these considerations and due to the absence of a law that
restricts the right to sell personal property within single territory, I cannot
meet completely the request of General Loris Milokov, however, and for the
purpose to reduce contacts between residents of the districts entrusted to me
and the members of their tribes in the District of Terskaya, I proposed to the
regional commanders not to allow taking livestock out of the district without
obtaining special permits, provided that these permits are not issued except
with certificates from village communities to prove the right of ownership of
the transferred livestock.
I convey this contained above information to Your Excellency which is
regarded important and worthwhile.
Document 380
In 29, August, 1873 - Letter from the commander of Kuban Region to the
Director of Public Administration to the Viceroy of the Caucasus Region about
the departure of 212 families from Maikopski District and 73 families from
Batalpashinski District for abroad and acute disorders that pervades the
Circassians. I already informed Your Excellency in my report No. 3824 of 15th
of August, how did the special temporary laws of travel of the Muslims of the
Caucasus abroad on the situation in the district entrusted to me. I learned
later that none of the Mountaineer population that received permission to leave
has left until now in order to leave together after the sale of their
properties.
In this way, next September 212 families from Maikopski District will leave
together and 73 families from the District of Batalpashinski heading towards
Tbilisi, and though I am not comfortable about this project, but I do not have
the right to prevent such a large number of Mountaineers to travel to perform
religious rituals, since they have fulfilled all the obligations they have to
do in accordance with the interim laws. I cannot do anything except that I take
action to ensure their movement through the territory of the district entrusted
to me, provided that transportation will be in groups, each includes several
dozens of families and under the observation of the security authorities. As I
will inform the mayor of Kerch, Yenkolski about the next inhabitants’ movement
and it is best in my opinion, to notify the Russian embassy in Constantinople
about that.
While we believe from the outset that the terms of temporary laws will be
heavy for the Mountaineers, it appeared now that neither the formal procedures
nor the permit high fees for the amount of 70 rubles did prevent their
intention to immigrate to Turkey.
There are many in the two districts of Maikopski and Batalpashinski are
preparing to apply for a collective application to immigrate to Turkey. Thus,
it became clear to all, that a mass migration is taking place now under the
pretext of pilgrimage journey with a fee of 70 rubles only. Although, there is
nothing that I can do to prevent those who have performed their obligations in
preparation for travel to visit the tomb of the Prophet and, although I believe
that any new attempt to prevent or limit those people will have serious
consequences, but I am insisting to inform Your Excellency all of this to
inform His Highness and I ask you to tell me your opinion and your instructions
of what I have to do in this regard.
I deemed that I should not allow the passage of the Mountaineer inhabitants
from the Georgian military road and directing them towards the ports to avoid
unrest and false rumors in Terskaya District and the area beyond the Caucasus
during the passage of the large part of them, especially in the District of
Terskaya.
Document # 381 In 28, January, 1874. - A secret letter from the Commander
of the District of Terskaya, Baron Nikolai on the prevention of Mountaineers of
passage from the Georgian military road on their way to Turkey. In Your
Excellency’s letter you addressed to the Commander of the Kuban Region No. 4060
of 20, August of last year, which a copy of it had been received of which is
attached with the report of the Director of General Administration of the
Viceroy of the Caucasus Region number 10976 of 15/17, December of last year
that part of the Mountaineer population of the Kuban Region, who are getting
ready to migrate to Turkey, are leaving by sea, while the other part consisted
of 73 families will leave by land through the Georgian military road passing
from the area of beyond Caucasus.
Since the immigration of the year 1862 of Mountaineers to Turkey, travelers
were prevented to travel by land and crossing the land border to the area
beyond the Caucasus as in addition to the problems caused by the passage of
Mountaineers via the Georgian military road, the immigrants were negatively
influencing the residents of the territories that they were passing through, by
instigating them to migrate to Turkey during their stopping with them,
therefore, it is my duty to request from Your Excellency to issue a resolution
to prevent the Mountaineer migrants, the residents of the Kuban Region from
passage from the Georgian military road in the event of the allowing a number
of them to leave, whether they were moving in large or small groups.
Moreover, the road travel eases on the Mountaineer inhabitants residing in
areas far from the sea, the migration process itself, where they do not take
with them large numbers of cattle and horses, and also household items, the
thing which they cannot do when traveling by sea. So, if the idea of emigrating
to Turkey spreads in the Kabardian society, with a comprehensive large numbers,
there will be no doubt that prevention of road travel would be an important and
useful step, and can be justified by the need each migrant fulfilled all the
requirements of the interim laws for Muslims leaving abroad to approach one of
the sea points of the northeastern coast of the Black Sea and not to the land
borders through the area beyond the Caucasus, because migrants passing through
the Georgian military road, would obstruct the traffic on the road for
travelers in general and to other means of transport and convoys - as there are
examples of this - and the government cannot allow that.
I will wait for the response from Your Excellency, whether it is possible
to take such mentioned action when needed.
Document 382
2, May, 1892
A report of Ataman of Ekatrin Darskogo area, directed to the President of
Kuban Region on the Mountaineer's desire to move to Turkey and in regard to
send delegates to the Ottoman Empire to be briefed on the areas that will be
settled by the Mountaineers.
In implementation of Your Excellency’s letter addressed in last 30th of
March, number 2316 in regard to taking the information provided in the year
1889 regarding the declaration of many Mountaineers from various villages about
desire to emigrate to Turkey, according to the report submitted by me on date
9, April, 1891, number 732, I sent both my second assistant Bujai, and Chief of
Guards Esaoul Kolensikov, for an official mission to all villages attached to
Ekatrin Darskogo area to inform the Mountaineers with the consent of the
Turkish government for accepting them as their own subjects in the next year,
with a number not to exceed five thousand souls. Upon their return they have
submitted a report on the negotiations they have carried out and lists of the
names of Mountaineers who have declared their desire to move to Turkey.
According to the letter His Excellency the Commander of Cossack Forces
dated 7, 7, 1890, No. 11087, the number of Mountaineers who have declared their
desire to leave the number 12 666 souls under the conditions mentioned in the
referenced letter, while the Mountaineers who have expressed their desire to
leave, according to information contained in the presented reports constitute two
thirds of the total population of the villages amounting to 11 217 souls.
Taking into account what was mentioned in the letter No. 11087, I must along my
assistant to make certain of the records of families and to investigate in
person to obtain the correct and final number for those wishing to leave and to
propose for them to choose delegates for them to travel to Turkey to explore
the areas that they will be resettle in. Taking into account the duties
required of me in the military camp in addition to the duty to organize
formations of troops of His Majesty the Emperor arriving to Paschkovskoiyo
Station, so I cannot go to the villages before the date of 22, 5, and at the
same time, my first assistant Churni to go there also, because as soon as we
leave the area administration at this time, the work will stop in the
administration, as for my second assistant Bujai, he is a civil employee and
heads a Court of Mountaineers, and he cannot perform Ataman’s tasks for
administrating the area alone.
Due to all of what is mentioned and in order not to waste time and
according to the letter of Your Excellency’s office manager dated 30, April, I
have proposed to the population of all villages who have expressed their desire
to move to Turkey, who are two thirds of the population, especially individuals
who are characterized by deeds of looting and theft who are: Psheh Kwikhabl,
Ponikojai, Nicojai I, Nicojai II, Shaghan - Charikhabl, Teliostenkhabl, Psehtok
and Afipsip.To choose the delegates on their behalf for departure to Turkey,
also the journey of delegates to Turkey for inspection of areas that will be
used for resettling of Mountaineers, require in my opinion at least two months,
and during this time, it can be ascertained about the records of families in
addition to make sure once and for all about the numbers of Mountaineers who
wish to move to Turkey, and probably also can explain the way to conduct a
census for those who were allowed to leave who amounted to five thousand souls,
in other word to be classified, men only or elderly, and men and women, and
whether the census includes children as well.
Referring to the above, Your Excellency will be provided with the names of
delegates to be disbursed with passports.
The Colonel area’s Ataman
Government archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 383
In 15, June, 1892 or later than that – “List of the distribution of land in
the former Psehkopski District the District of Ektarenodarski, Kuban Region”
S N
Village
Number
Desatina
Total Area
name
obtained land
In place of residency
In empty land
In place of residency
In empty land
Total village share
Arable land
Unfit land
Total
Arable land
Unfit land
Total ا
Arable land
Unfit land
Total
.0
Psetok
000
000
08
0
11
11
0
10
1
111
7
418
0
0117
1
010
1
810
04
001
11
011
1
001
1
111
0108
7
470
1
001
1
0110
1
.0
Hashtok
000
01
1
44
0
111
111
017
1
111
7
111
017
7
0011
.1
Afbes
70
00
1
08
0
874
171
0141
111
171
171
0814
710
0111
.4
Shbanhable
07
010
7
011
1
0111
.1
First
Yedbesqwai
11
78
07
4
001
0
011
710
011
0114
710
011
1
00
011
1
701
0814
711
0107
.1
Second
Yedbesqwai
011
71
01
1
011
1
041
1
111
011
1
0411
0411
0111
700
111
04
711
111
701
711
0070
011
1
101
018
1
0111
1011
0181
.7
Bjehqwa &i Fort
147
71
14
1
411
1
081
1
7771
4111
081
1
001
1
7771
0011
.8
Tukhtmeqwai
With
711
71
1
110
4
001
1
400
0011
0181
1
1104
400
0
001
7771
0011
Kuzit
0
1
.1
Chinley
114
11
4
411
1
001
1
101
0011
111
0
4111
101
000
1
1110
0001
.01
Laqshoqai &
Hatohable Fort
400
40
0
117
1
000
1
101
0001
441
1
1781
101
011
1
4411
0111
.00
Telostanhable
011
01
1
011
1
011
1
001
0
0111
0411
0111
001
0
011
1
041
0111
.00
Tughorgoy
011
01
1
041
7
011
1
110
0111
000
1
0417
110
011
1
0001
0111
.01
Wejbshi
100
10
0
411
1
011
1
011
0111
4814
4111
011
041
1
4814
0411
.04
Hatelqwai
171
17
1
100
0
041
1
11
0411
108
1
4018
011
001
1
4104
0011
.01
Bshehtelqwai
410
41
0
40
18
141
011
141
4104
4018
011
001
1
4104
0011
.01
Kaznoqai with
Shahnjerehable
111
11
1
01
71
001
1
111
0011
1111
0171
111
711
1111
711
.07
Jejhable
101
10
1
01
14
711
41
711
0177
0114
41
040
1
0114
0401
.08
Tu-wi
001
00
1
001
7
040
1
018
1401
0171
0017
011
011
0171
011
.01
Negerzye
000
00
0
011
8
011
100
011
040
1
0118
100
011
0401
011
.01
Bsheqwey -
Hable
70
70
14
8
011
41
011
110
148
41
111
110
111
.00
Qunjo-hable
071
07
1
01
71
111
81
001
1
111
0111
0011
0171
11
001
1
0111
0011
.00
Baboqai
101
10
1
110
7
018
711
111
1
711
1107
018
711
1111
711
.01
1st & 2nd
Neshoqai
111
11
1
111
0
81
084
1
1181
0841
1110
81
084
1
1181
0841
.04
Benjeqwai
147
14
7
410
1
71
081
1
4111
0811
4101
71
081
1
4111
0811
.01
Asoqolai
118
11
8
118
0
11
010
1
1417
0101
1110
11
010
1
1417
0101
Total
810
0
77
7
1181
717
00
01004
0011
1411
1
0011
11
11
14
007
1
718
7
007
1
8071
1
011
0
1
087
1
0101
04
0871
Director of Features Acting Assistant
Document 384
15, June, 1892
The letter of Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Caucasus Region, directed to
the Commander of Kuban Region to take the necessary measures for immediate the
transfer of lands that Mountaineers have been deported from, to become under
the authority of the local administration. In addition to the subject of the
application directed to you on date 9, June, No. 9556, I plea to Your
Excellency to issue orders necessary to place the lands that Mountaineers have
been deported from, at the disposal of the local authority administration
within the government property. Please let us know, to inform the Commander
General of the Forces. Major General Signature Government Archives - Krasnodar
Province
Document 385
In 15, June, 1892. – The letter of the Cossack Commander of Ekaterinodarski
district to action commander of Kuban area with a request for the issuance of
passports of the deputies elected by the villagers to travel to Constantinople
to inspect the land allocated by the Turkish government for immigrants.
In addition to my report No. 114 of 2, May, I inform Your Excellency
that based on the questionnaire that was conducted in 26-28, May, between
residents of the villages of Adebsoqai, Neshoqai and Telustanhable, Bseytuk and
Avbseb about desiring or not desiring to immigrate to Turkey this year,
according to the decisions taken previously, showed that the number who desire
is not more than two-thirds of the villages, so I excluded them from the list
of immigrants and added to it those villages that the number who desire to
immigrate have not been less than two-thirds based on the second paragraph of
the project, which conveyed to me with Your Excellency predecessor’s report in
28, February, 1889, under No. 1741. Because the number has reached according to
this report to 6401 persons at a time the Turkish government has agreed to
receive five thousand persons only, therefore I planned to transfer the
following villages to Turkey: Shenji, Shebanhable, Bonjqwai, First Nesmoqai,
Jejehable, Netcherzi, Bsheqwoyhable, Laqshoqai, Deghorghoy, Ghataghohable and
Betshehaloqai that their total population reaches to 4947 people. The residents
of these villages have elected 3 persons, so I will introduce them to Your
Excellency in 27 and 28, June, to issue them passports, to go to Constantinople
immediately to inspect the lands.
Given the approaching deadline set for the migration and at the request
of the representatives of the immigrants, I solicit Your Excellency, beside
delivering the passports to allow the immigrants to sell the free livestock and
the other extra movable properties, because I cannot make such a personal
authorization under paragraph 12 of the draft of regulations conveyed to me in
the report No. 1741 mentioned previously.
Section Commander
Senior Clerk
Document 386
18, June, 1892
Correspondence of State Property Administration in Kuban Region and
Chernomorskogo District directed to the Commander of Kuban Region on the need
to transfer the ownership of the deported Mountaineers lands to Turkey for the
account of the state treasury.
Through the information provided by the Observer of Forests, the
government consultant Nikolayev, in addition to the information provided by
some individuals in the administration, which is positioned under my command, I
learned that the Mountaineers living in 31 villages within the area of Pseh
Kobskogo in Kuban Region will be deported this year to Turkey this year, with
the consent of our government.
In the light of the foregoing, the entire territory of the villages that
fall within the area of Brekoleskogo has been transferred to the account of the
state treasury, to the administration, which is situated under my command. In
case of deportation of Mountaineers from the rest of the villages that are
still living in, all the lands which they used to inhibit must have its
ownership fully transferred for the account of the state treasury, as for the
remainder of the local population and for protecting the interests of the state
treasury, I ask Your Excellency with the all humble to issue the orders
necessary to inform the village councils and heads of villages which belong to
the mentioned area, for the inhabitants and until they are deported to Turkey
to terminate any accounts in abeyance with any individuals tenants for their
lands, to discharge these lands from any obligation when they are inserted in
the account of the state treasury.
In addition to the mentioned, I plea from Your Excellency with all
humble, to let me know about the status of the process of mentioned
Mountaineers’ deportation to Turkey.
Managing Director
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 387
In 21, June, 1892. - Report of the Cossack Commander of Ekaterinodarski
Section to the administration of Kuban Region on "allowing the transfer of
the population of these villages that those who are wishing to immigrate are
less than one-half"
Upon the decision of the Region’s Administration No. 20070 of 20th of
current June, which indicates that the Turkish government could receive this
year 5 thousand male persons to stay in Turkey, I have the honor to inform that
the report submitted on 15th of current June, under the number 1950, before I
received the mentioned Region Administration's decision No. 20 070, I nominated
for the transfer to Turkey only the villages with the following names: Shenji,
Shabanhable, Bnajoqai, First Neshoqai, Jejehable, Necharzi, Bsheqwoyhable, Laqshoqai,
Toghurghoy, Ghataghohable and B’chehaloqai, which has a population of
approximately 5 thousand people of both genders and the number of males is only
2592. After the annexation of the villages that the number of those wishing to
migrate is more or equal to two-thirds the inhabitants in every village which
are First Adebsoqai, the number of males in it is 162 persons,
Sheghncherehable, the number of males in it is , and Wechepchi, the number of
males in it 491, and the total number is 763 persons, making the overall number
3355 persons of males who have the right to emigrate to Turkey by the draft
regulations. The number is less than 5 thousand by 1645 persons.
To this, please allow me in the fastest time as well, to transfer the
inhabitants of the villages that those who wish to migrate, are not less than
two-thirds only, but less than half. This is the ideal way to provide
interested in immigration with a number that reaches about 5 thousand males
only. And speeding up to allow that is necessary because the representatives of
the villages intended to be transferred to Turkey, will go to Turkey on the
28th of current June to inspect the lands, and it is favorable to leave with
them also, representatives from other villages that got who wish to immigrate to
Turkey.
The Colonel, Section Commander
Document 388
21, July, 1892
Report of Maykop region’s Ataman, which is directed to the Commander of
Kuban Region on the permission to transfer of Mountaineers who are reluctant to
leave on stages to Novorossiysk to be deported later on into the Turkish
territory.
Some residents of six villages and who had a decision taken against them,
to deport them to Turkey in the year 1890 are still residing temporarily in
their villages. Due to part of them did not sell their properties (lands) and
the other part because of lawsuits that are still seen in courts. In addition
to the investigations that are still ongoing, and despite the fact that the
cited had completed the sale of the properties and cases before the courts had
the disposition, but they are still living in the areas of my administration
and are reluctant to migrate to Turkey, and engaged in theft, robbery and they
hide with relatives.
By informing the foregoing to Your Excellency, I sought to allow me to
transfer the Mountaineers who have permission to leave to Turkey and refrain
from doing so by transferring them in stages to the city of Novorossiysk, the
to place them under the disposal of the chief of Chernomorskogo District to be
deported later to Turkey by the Turkish Consul.
Ataman of Maykop Region
Colonel Kaligski
Signature
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 389
In 21, July, 1892 or later than that. - List of families of the
Mountaineer population of the former Begwash’hableski, Bjedoghovski,
Jankatovski, Wonarokovski, Katarbovski and Khodzskeski who are late on
migration to Turkey in the year 1890 for various reasons, but they are still
remain under displacement:
Number Name of villages and persons Age Note
Males Females
1 Begwash’hableski village Residing temporarily
Azamatove Zakri 38
His wife Deshkhan 27
Their sons:
Baterbey 5
Gelgbi 3
Their Daughter:
Qaderkhan 6
2 Azamatove Yousef 30 Residing temporarily in Adalevski Village
His wife Memerk 25
His brothers:
Saleh 22
Endris 17
Their mother: Ha 55
Saleh’s wife 20
3 Azamatove Hussein 45 Residing temporarily in Adalevski Village -
His wife Dakhabs 35
Their sons:
Ishaq 7
Mehemet 6
Their daughters
Ghashi 4
Dewletkhan 2
4 Azamatove Mehemk 52 Residing temporarily of Adami 5
His wife Ed (Died)
Their sons:
Bekir 22
Ali 4
Their daughter Fatemat 9
Bakir’s wife – Bjedokhai 18
Their son Marokh 1
Mehemkeri’s brother - 35
Mousa 18
His wife Hajet
Their daughter Dewletkhan 1
5 Dotokove Hajomar 23 In prison
6 Khobaghove Hapach 44 Residing temporatily - in the village of Adami
His wife Melk-Khan 35
Their sons:
Haji Bakir 8
Seferbey 3
Their daughters
Hajet 4
Haji-Khan 1
7 Seyokhove Hatshogh 47 They reside in Tmerghoyvski Village - Aslanove’s
Manor in - - the community of -
His wife Dzadz 40
Their sons:
Karbatir 18
Seferbey 3
Tourk 1
8 Hatchdokove Qoy 28 Pending trial for - inflicting wounds on - peasant
Borodken, - Case ended
9 Shomafove Telgher 28 Resides in the village - of Adami
10 Tsey Selman 40 Due to the charge of ---- stealing a bul year 1889 and
was ----- acquitted. Resides ----- now in the village of ---- Adami
11 Bshepyev Habaq 35 Remained in Russia ---- on suspension of --------
stealing sacks from ----- Flakhovench in the ------ year 1890. Resides ------
now in Faboqai village
12 Khotob Bjedogh 25 Delayed due to his stay - in prison for theft. Case
- is over. He was ----------- imprisoned once more. - Was retained due to the -
charge of stealing a ----- horse from Chelkhetove - in the year 1884. The ---
case has been settled. --
Resides in the village of - Adami
13 Hatqo Yousef 30 Resides in the village --- - of Adami
14 Chilskhetove Khogh 30 Kept in Adami Village for - the accusation of -
- stealing Telmav ----------- Telostaninove’s horse --- from Hatajoqai village
---- and stealing bulls from -- Makasove.
His brother Lakh 30 Was kept for the ---------- accusation - of stealing
a horse from - Khawajf in the year ------- 1887. Presently on the -- run
15 Haghatchev Hajbyram 33 Was kept in Hakorenove - village for the
--------------- accusation of stealing a - horse from from -----------
Merzalove from ------------ Wurobski town in the ----- year 1889
16 Gomleshkhod Mahmoud 35 Was kept by a decision -- of the court for
stealing -- sacks from Flagovitch. --- Lives in Khodzki village
17 Beghwashf Zakri 17 In prison. Was kept for --- robbing the peasant,
----- Bzesinova
18 Gomleshkho Othman 27 In Hatoqai village with ---- Tula-Otelv’s bail.
Kept --- - by a court decision for --- stealing a horse from ---- Merzanove
from ----------- Wurobski town in the ----- year 1889
19 Befashf Tata 37 Left to Turkey
20 Indar Antchokove 33 Residing in the village of - Adami
His mother Aul 60
21 Ibrahim Beghwashf 31 Resides in the village of -- Adami
22 Tutssoj Khawajf 42
23 Zakri Belneghabtseh 30 Resides in the village -- - of Asoqolai
24 Khaghoh Khotegeve 40 Passed away
25 Mehmen Katawve 45 Resides in the village -- - of Bonjokayvski
26 Pshebghot Shutan 65 Residing in the village of - Ghaboqai
His sons:
Ansoq 35
Hajoq 30
Malakh 5
Shutan’s wife – Batsa 59
Ansoq’s wife – Shapsug 35
Their daughters: 12
Shamwai 7
Saskhon 6
Psheshenashkho 23
Hajokh’s wife – Kwak
The village of Bjedoghovski
27 Apeshfa Reomres – Widow 28 Refused immigration. ----- Resides with
her sister ---- Khakh Apeshv in the ------- village of ----------------------
Kontshoqohablski,---------- Ekaterinodar Section
Her daughters:
Pshemaf 9
Koshet 6
Ghoshvij 4
28 Hazshekov Naqar 21 Was in prison on charges - of theft and was ------------
released. Pending --------- deportation with his ------- family. Resides in the
----- village of ---------------------- Kontshokohablski, ---------
Ekaterinodar Section
His wife Patso 21
Their son – Yerjib 4
Their daughters:
Lode 1
Samsor 1
29 Torkove Indress 33 Was in prison for theft. ---- Was released,
pending --- deportation to Turkey. ---- Resides in the village of -- Ghaboqai
His wife Nashkho 33
Their son Bakir 2
Their daughter – Nagho 1
30 Boghojf Nateh 21 Refused immigration. ----- Resides in the village of
-- Bjedoghovski
His wife – Haza 13
Their son – Hajimt 2
31 Delekov 23 … in the case of horses’ - theft in the court of --------
Labenski. Resides in the - village of Bjedoghovski
32 Jatchmokove Tahir 20 Under the observation of - police by the order
of ------ Labenski Station ------------ Administration No. 19584 - dated 11, November,
------ 1890 on trying to escape - to
Turkey. Resides in the - village of Hatoqai
33 Zaromokove Eydemir 24 On the theft of armed ------ horses in the year
1889. -- Resides in the village of -- Bonjoqai, Ekaterinodarski - Section
34 Toghojve Baghoj 23 Was in jail on theft ---------- accusation. Was
released - and resides in the village - of Bjedoghovski with ------- Katmampetove
35 Temeel Yacob 23 Left to Turkey
36 Hazmokove Bletakh 24 Was in prison for stealing - bulls. Resides now
in the - village of ---------------------- Kontshokohablski, within - Ghaboqai
community
37 Khawdokove Fataqai 26 On the run
38 Tsepi Hanano 31 Was under observation of - the police by order of
------
Labenski court No. 1566 -- dated 26, October, 1888. - Resided in the
village of -- Bjedoghovski with - - Kastanove
39 Chopsenove Naqar 24 Resides at the village of -- Kontshokohablski
40 Chopsenove Chich 23 Was in prison for stealing - a horse. Was
released -- and he resides at the ------ village of ----------------------
Kontshokohablski within - - Ghaboqai community
41 Abchikove Zekosho 25 Was released. He was in - - prison for stealing
horses. - Resides in the village of --- Adami
42 Chopsenove Dale 25 Was in prison for theft in --- the year 1885.
Resides in - the village of ------------------ Kontshokohablski within ---
Ghaboqai community
43 The village of Jankatovski
Antsokove Pshetser 34 Resides in the village of --- Tmerghoyvski. He
refused - immigration. He is ----------- pending deportation to ----- Turkey.
His Grandmother Hazret 51
44 Antsokove Anzawr 36 He refused immigration. --- Resides in the
village of --- Hatajokayvski
45 Darove Khoch 30 He left to Turkey
His wife Koko 21
46 Jankatove Byouk 34 He was in prison for the --- accusation of theft.
---------- Resides now in the village - of Tmerghoyvski
47 Jankatove Bsheqan 30 Kept for the accusation of - murder. His
whereabouts - is unknown. He left to ------ Turkey.
48 Jajif Khot 35 He was in prison based --- on the order of Labenski --
court No. 1896 dated 4, ---
December, 1889, then he - escaped to Turkey.
49 Kazenchieve Kalagheri 21 Was on trial for theft
His brother 17 He left to Turkey
50 Kwashve Hajemit 19 No information on his ------ whereabouts
51 Nachve Hapech 44 He avoided immigration. -- He is pending deportation
- to Turkey. He resides in -- the village of ----------------- Pchahatloqai
His wife – Komkhan 25
52 Tleshve Abdullah 41 He immigrated to Turkey
53 Tleshve Tlestrok 13 No information available
54 Tleshve Yacob 2 in the village of -------------- Bjedoghovski
55 Tleshve Tlakhodich 13 He left to Turkey
56 Tleshve Adich 20 No information available
57 Khoshtokove Hajimet 21 In the prison of Maykop
58 Khotove Khoshtak 34 Escaped to Turkey
59 Tsyeve Othman 13 He left to Turkey
60 Tsyeve Habit 30 He left to Turkey
61 Ktawve Khakoj 23 His whereabouts is--------- unknown
62 Ktawve Ahmet 31 No information available
63 Tsontyejve Zakri 41 He was in prison for the -- accusation of theft.
He ---- left to Turkey in the --------- spring of the current year
64 Tsontyejve Aslangeri 33 Fugetive
65 The village of Wenarokvski
Matseve Nashkhwo 60 Immigrated to Turkey in--- the year 1892
66 Khokonove Zabit 28 Immigrated to Turkey in -- the spring of the year
----- 1892
67 Karove Ghobjoq 24 Fugetive
68 Abchekhove Tokhach 35 Remained for settling ----- accounts with
creditors. - Residing in the manor of - Wenarokvski
69 Haghorove Tlepskhach 40 In the village of ------------ Wenarokvski
70 Meretove Yacob 30 In the village of ------------ Wenarokvski
71 Toghove Nawrez 45 In the village of ------------ Wenarokvski
72 The village of Natrobovski
Shawjef Alkhas 30 Immigrated to Turkey
73 Jarmove Qakhoun 25 In the former village of --- Naterbovski
His brother Mats 20 Staying with the officer -- Kosekove and in his
------ service
74 Toghove Mehemit 25 In the village of ------------- Belchbsinski
75 Kelechve Slimgheri 24 In the village of ------------- Yegrokhayvski
76 Khaghodve Mohammad 25 In the village of ------------- Keshkhablski
77 Mameshve Beghok 40 Left to Turkey
78 Toghove Yerjib 27 Kept by court’s decision -- for stealing horses.
-------- Residing in the village of - Naterbovski
79 Hashbakove Khot 23 Kept for the purpose of --- selling the properties
in --- the village of Khodzki
80 Khaghodve Fets 23 Kept by a decision of ------ Labenski court in the
------ village of Khodzki
81 Godove Hajomar 30 In the service of Shtengel - Baron
His brother Mousa 18
82 Mefedzif Trakh 25 In the village of ----------- - Jraqayvski with
------------- - Hachmezove
83 Pseyonove Almorza 30 In the village of --------------- Kanokovski
85 Matove Hapach 21 In the village of Khodzki --- with Shebzokhove
86 Abajekhove Beshemaf 25 In the village of -------------- Kosh’hablski
87 Adetcheve Meshbash 17 In the village of -------------- Benokovski
88 The village of Khodzki Both immigrated in the
Sabantchyeve Vetsa 50 spring of the year 1892
His brother Qasbot 35 to Turkey
89 Mesrokove Aslan 40 Stayed in the village of --- - Khodzki for selling
his ----- properties
Gheri
His brother – Mato 26
90 Mesrokove Beta 22 Was kept in the village of -- Khodzki for judicial
---------- reasons
91 Ghoshakove Ahmit 22 Was kept in the village of -- Khodzki for
judicial ---------- reasons
92 Shurdemove Majeed 22 Was kept in the village - of Khodzki for
judicial ---- reasons
93 Toghove Wumar 30 Stayed in the village of -- - Khodzki for selling
the --- properties
94 Kadenikove Mahmoud 61 Residing in the village of - Benokski
Afendi 18
His son Said
95 Adamyeve Kochok 32 Remained in the village -- of Benokski to sell
herds - of horses
96 Khotatove Selimgheri 40 Remained in the village -- of Benokski to
sell herds - of horses
97 Kopsherove Shaghoj Remained in the village -- of Benokski to sell
herds - of horses
98 Nakhoshve Saleh 48 Both remained in the ------ His mother - ghona 66
village of Benokski due --- to illness
99 T’hakomachve Shuaib 30 Case is over. He spent --- the sentence
100 Bsedove Bat 29 He spent the sentence. - - Residing in the village of
- Benokski
101 Mashokove Babeta 25 Case is not over yet. ----- Residing in the
village of - Benokski
102 T’habsimove Hato 40 Pending trials. Residing - in the village of
--------- Benokski
103 Ghwaghve Hajopbater 22 Case is not over yet. ----- Residing in the
village of - Benokski
104 Khanove Hatso 23 Case is not over yet. ----- - Residing in the
village of - Benokski
105 Kankolove Shkhangheri 20 Case is not over yet. ----- - Residing in
the village of - Benokski
106 Wdakhove Mehmit 31 Residing in the village of - Benokski
His wife Hajkhan 23
107 Jarandouq Ashapove 50 Avoided immigration. ----- Residing in the
manor of - Benokski
108 Fromformer Naterbovski
Residing in the village of
Benokski
Toghove Tsekoji 35 Both immigrated to ------ - His brother Wumar 30
Turkey
For the absence of the Section Commander
The Officer
Document # 390
In 23, July, 1892. - Data on the numbers of the population Ekaterinodar
Section who are wishing to immigrate to Turkey and who are remaining in villages
Name of Immigrate to Turkey Remain in the villages
Villages No. of Families No. of Persons No. of Families No. of Persons
Males Females Males Females
Sh’banhable 48 142 139 26 74 76
1st Adabsoqai 46 165 162 3 8 7
2nd Adabsoqai 40 127 115 3 116 112
Chejhable 81 276 256 125 81 55
Twoy 17 56 54 11 53 35
N’gerzi 35 110 106 3 10 10
B’sheqoyhable 18 66 60 8 24 31
1st Neshoqai 40 147 132 7 14 19
2nd Neshoqai 47 163 154 4 30 22
Asqolai 106 296 291 89 287 297
Ghaboqai 69 233 191 116 441 383
Hatloqai 95 283 265 86 258 261
Pchehatloqai 115 407 360 4 21 13
Sh’hangeri 33 114 108 // // //
Hable
Wichpchi 160 509 445 2 5 7
Laqshoqai 120 406 387 4 10 9
Telostan’Hable 10 27 24 36 108 105
Toghor Ghoy 39 137 143 2 5 5
Hato Hable 18 5 57 2 7 5
Tekhtomqwai 69 232 200 145 384 283
Bankhis 6 16 14 94 307 274
Afpsep 40 126 128 111 351 256
Shengi 112 418 351 69 215 199
Total 1509 5008 4586 997 3254 2842
Qantchoqo // // // 55 221 188
Hable
Qazanqoy // // // 59 210 204
Kuzet // // // 57 146 130
Bjeghoqai // // // 66 195 176
New // // // 158 498 468
Bjeghoqai
Hashtok // // // 45 156 135
Total 1509 5008 4586 1437 4670 4143
The Commander of Ekaterinodarski Section
The Lieutenant Colonel
Document 391
In 18, February, 1893. - The letter of Acting the Commander of Kuban
Region to the Chief of Staff of the Caucasus Military Administration on
Turkey's refusal in the year 1892 to receive Caucasian immigrants "because
of the cholera epidemic in Kuban Region at the time" and to inquire about
the possibility of deporting 10 thousand males to the Ottoman Empire.
I am informing Your Excellency to relay to the Commander of the Caucasus
Cossacks that the departing representatives from the city of Ekaterinodar in
28, June of last year to Turkey to inspect the allocated lands for residence,
were stopped in Novorossiysk by the order of the Minister of Interior of the
Ottoman Empire which came in a telegram sent to the Turkish Consul in
Novorossiysk, due to the existing cholera epidemic in Kuban Region at the time,
forcing the representatives to return to their villages. As for inspecting the
lands and the transfer of the population to Turkey, were postponed until next
summer because of the Cholera epidemic and the plague disease, which prevented
the Mountaineers from the selling their livestock at reasonable prices.
Add to this that in accordance with the permission decision came in your
Excellency’s letter No. 4673 of 21, March of last year to emigrate to Turkey,
1509 families of Ekaterinodarski Section’s residents among them 5008 males and
4586 females have expressed their interest in immigration, and their sequence
came according to the villages in the attached special list.
Because the people who have permission to emigrate to Turkey in the past
year have not been able to take advantage of it for the reasons mentioned
previously, while the plan the present deportation plan to deport the second
third of the Mountaineer population to Turkey in the current year, and no
approval of the Turkish Government has been received yet for receiving them, so
please inform that to the Commander of the Cossacks Forces, and if there is in
the opinion of His Excellency a possibility also to request for approval from
the Turkish government through our embassy to receive the second third of the
Mountaineer population in its territories during this year, which they are numbered
5000 male people, and the total number is10 thousand of males, and please let
me know what would be the case later.
Document 392
25, February, 1893
Report of Ataman of the District of Libeen-Skogo directed to the
Commander of Kuban Region in regard to granting of passports to the
commissioners of the village of Aorobskogo, departing to the Ottoman Empire.
Residents of the village of Aorobskogo of my administration and they
number 306 families, they have announced their desire to emigrate to Turkey
permanently, and they have delegated in 22, February of this year, some of the
people of their village, and they are Elias Shauket Lofa, Rekotsa Beteh, Beteh Kilaseva
and Kwaslamova, to leave to Turkey for the inspection of areas that have been
awarded by the Turkish government for living at in the event it has been
approved.
Based on the above, I am informing Your Excellency that in case the
above-mentioned are granted passports for departure to Turkey, there will be no
opposition from me.
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 393
In 16, April, 1893. – Letter of Staff of the Caucasus Military
Administration to the Commander of the Tereskaya Region on deportation of the
Mountaineer population to Turkey and the "rehabilitation of vacant land
with Russian residents only”.
Based on Your Excellency’s letter in 11, March, and transferred to the
Commander of the troops, on the deportation of local inhabitants of Tereskaya
Region to Turkey, His Highness has honored us by approving all proposed
measures contained in the mentioned letter and would support your suggestions
on the deportation of individuals or entire groups. In addition to that,
General Shrimatov has instructed me to approach you to request the instructions
on how to dispose the land that is abandoned by residents who move away in
large groups and how to regulate immigration itself.
For this purpose, His Excellency has ordered to inform you of the
instructions submitted to the Minister of War by his deputy on the deportation
of the indigenous people of Kuban Region to Turkey, which has received the High
Approval.
Prince Dondokov’s instructions were as follow:
1. To get through diplomatic negotiations, the initial Ottoman
government approval to accept approximately 24 thousand persons of male
immigrants from Kuban Region in its dependency with the specification of their
residence, but not in the provinces adjacent to us. Knowing that the
negotiations can be conducted by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or a special
commissioner, as it the matter used to be in the sixties by authorizing a
special envoy from the Caucasus to conduct personal negotiations with the
Turkish government through our embassy.
2. After obtaining the approval of the Turkish government on the
deportation to inform the population about it and to alert them that
immigration will not be at one time but on a gradual basis. At the same time
there is no objection of allowing the population groups wishing to immigrate to
send representatives who are carrying passports to inspect the lands allocated
by the Turkish government for residency provided that not all properties to be
sold except after the return of the representatives and to prepare for
migration on the dates specified earlier.
3. An important condition to be set that negotiations in the migration
issue will be determined with not less than two thirds of the vote, as for the
minority that does not wish to migrate, it must evacuate the lands occupied,
and will be resided and allocated of land by a decision of the local authority
in the remaining villages in the region. The territory of the migrating village
will become under the disposal of Kuban Cossacks forces to be used according to
the objectives of the future colonial government.
4. If the migration involves entire village groups, an opportunity
should be given for everyone to sell their premises and other properties at a
specific date, with the transfer of ownership of public buildings under the
disposal of the Administration to transfer or be used for new settlements or
for other purposes.
5. With respect to public funds, they are subject to the following
conditions: the immigrant groups can use public funds to spend on immigration,
without requesting assistance from the administration, as for the groups that
part of them migrate of which the other part remains in place, public funds will
be divided in proportion to the number of members of each of the two groups.
6. Inform immigrants by not allowing them to return under any
circumstances, under any pretext whatsoever, and who returns to the Caucasus
will be treated according to the laws the treatment of bandits. For his part,
General Sheremeteve sees that it is of duty to rehabilitate vacant territories
with Russian settlers only to strengthen the Russian element among the
indigenous inhabitants.
Document 394
In 23, June, 1893. – Notification from the Staff of the Caucasus
Military Section to the Commander of Kuban Region on Turkey's refusal to
receive "10 thousand of males".
In response to the letter number 18453 of 8, June, on the issue of
deporting Mountaineer inhabitants to Turkey, I notify Your Excellency that
according to your instructions No. 5424 dated 18, February of the current year,
the Commander of Forces of the District had requested in his letter issued in
6, March from our Ambassador in Constantinople to obtain the approval of the
Turkish government to accept the remaining immigrants, who are numbered 10
thousand people along the first and second two-thirds of the migrants during
the current year.
Embassy has informed us recently that the Ottoman Foreign Minister has
responded with refusal to contact with the Turkish government in regard to this
matter justifying the refusal to accept the mentioned immigrants for the
intention of the Turkish government to secure the stay of the Rumelis
immigrants First, even though, the Imperial Embassy still negotiates with the
Turkish government in order to get approval, at least to accept the first third
of the Mountaineer immigrants in Turkey this year.
To this, I solicit Your Excellency to let me know in order to notify
General Sheremeteve for sending representatives from 5 villages Batalpachinski
Section to Turkey to inspect the lands allocated for residency noting that
immigration is not allowed from this Sector, without the approval of the High
approval.
For the General, Chief of Staff
Section Commander
Document 395
A request submitted by one of the residents of Keach Mai in the
Chernomorskogo District in regard to leaving to Turkey
Tatokha Kochaabai
I have the honor and humbly to ask you to let me and my family of my
wife Mamdkhan 50 years, my children each put down a 12-year, Madjamit 5 years,
Savara 3 years and my daughters both Colo 7 years Vatmat 3 months to leave the
village Keach Mai in the Chernomorskogo District to Turkey
Because of lack of knowledge of writing, the request was signed by
Edward Alexander Starkov
5, July, 1893
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 396
Ghassan Chetaw
I have the honor and humble to request from Your Excellency to allow me
and my family, consisting of my wife Kotcha Krai and my daughter Zakherat 4
years to travel from the village of Keach Mai in Chernomorskogo District to
Turkey. Because of lack of knowledge of writing was signed request by Edward
Alexander Starkov
5, July, 1893
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 397
Ibrahim Derove
I have the honor and humble, to request from Your Excellency to allow me
and my family consisting of my wife, Dekherabres 40 years and my sons Lota 13
years, Sovrubi 5 years Turkubi 3 years, Nokha 4 months and my daughter Nagho 7
years to leave from the village of Keach Mai in Chernomorskogo District to
Turkey.
Due to lack of knowledge of writing, the request is signed by Edward
Alexander Starkov
5, July, 1893
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 398
Name Shelnasha Gwageav
I have the honor and humble to request from Your Excellency to allow me
and my family consisting of my mother Tsekonayo 70 years, my wife Kour 35
years, my children Chilmita 13 years, Arzumisa 6 years, Mahmoud 3 years, my
daughter Esakhar 4 years and my brother Shulmaf with his family consisting of
his wife, Zizo 30 years, his daughters, Sas 6 years, and Terkokhan 4 years, and
his son Ahmed 2 years, to leave from the village of Keach Mai in Chernomorskogo
District to Turkey.
Due to lack of knowledge of writing, the request is signed by Edward
Alexander Starkov
6, July, 1893
Government Archives - Krasnodar Province
Document 399
In 24, July, 1893. - Letter of the Commander of Kuban Region to the
Chief of Staff of the Caucasus Military Administration on the temporary
deportation from Batalpachinski Section to Labebski Section to the following
villages: Volni, Karamorzinski, Koroghokovski, Konokovski and Robski, and the
recognition of the need to keep away the Mountaineer Inhabitants who are
residing near the railroad by deporting them to Turkey.
In response to letter No. 10254 of 23, June, I have the honor to inform
you that the villages temporarily annexed to Labebski Section based on decree
No. 32 issued in 6, November of the year 1892.
The reason for this measure is the location of these villages near the
village of Armavir, the center of the above mentioned administrative Section.
As for the permission given to the above mentioned villages’
representatives to go to Turkey to inspect the lands for residency, it took
place under the consideration that the inhabitants of the mentioned villages
represent a very different human pattern from those residing in other villages
of Batalpashinski Section and they make a living from the practice of
robberies, acts of looting and theft of horses, and their homes along the
railroad line are used a haven for perpetrators of attacks on railroad trains.
While recognizing the need to keep away the Mountaineer inhabitants
living near the railroad by deporting them to Turkey, the topic that I will
present a report about, after receiving the approval of the Turkish government,
I am sure that we will not face difficulties to implement. The government’s
intention to keep the population of Batalpachinski Section being horse breeders
cannot be achieved, as these villages are not engaged in this profession.
The General
Document 400
In December of the year 1893 or later. - Report of the Commander of
Kuban Region sent to the interim Commander of the Caucasus Military Forces
Section on the expected deportation of the population of 5 villages of Labenski
Section to Turkey
In addition to be my letter No. 13422 of 29, December of last year,
directed to the Chief of Staff of the Caucasus Military Administration, I have
the honor to inform Your Excellency that the inhabitants of the mountainous
villages of Labenski Section who I had allowed them to immigrate to Turkey
within the first batch do not share with Qarashai and other indigenous tribes
residing in Batalpachinski Section in terms of lifestyle, practices or other
tendencies.
Those practical characters that the members of the last tribes are
characterized by, and makes the Russian government value them for the practical
cultural benefit as absolutely non-existing with the 5 villagers’ inhabitants
of Labenski Section, and at a time the residents of Batalpachinski Section are
exploiting the mountainous pastures and breeding horses, and master this work,
the inhabitants of Volni, Knonokovski and other villages located in the planes
avoid all types of work, according to what Colonel Savetski the Commander of
Labenski Section has told in more than one occasion, they are awaiting the
issuance of the approval of the Turkish government to accept them within its
territories, and based on these expectations and under the influence of set
propaganda, the Mountaineer population consider their presence in the Region a
temporary matter, they engage in agriculture somehow and often they engage in
banditry, looting and thefts, and pose a threat to the Russian population
living in the neighborhood and on the railroad, which passes nearby. I thought
that the diplomatic contacts on the deportation of residents in the region that
is assigned to me to Turkey based on the conviction for the necessity to clear
the area of the elements that are most harmful and least affected by
civilization, and accordingly, and being familiar with local needs closely, I
decided to deport the 5 villages mentioned above, and then, because I got no
response to the letter No. 6603 of 24, July of last year, which I outlined in
it the ideas about the need to deport the population of these villages in
particular, and based on my conviction that the government is aiming to the
same objectives in its decision to allow the migration, I did not stop the
implementation of the resolutions that would arrange for the coming migration,
and villages of Labenski Section were informed of intention of the
administration. No pressure was given by the local authorities, and I have been
told previously that migration to Turkey forms the biggest dream for the
Mountaineer population and this is confirmed by the presence of their
representatives in Constantinople to request the approval from the Turkish
government on behalf of the entire population.
As for the residents of Ekaterinodarski Section, despite the intention
to deport them first, however circumstances have changed and showed that the
population of this Section, although there is cases of rebellion, constitute
more suitable thing for the administrative influence on them. Apart from that,
the Mountaineer inhabitants in each of the Ekaterinodarski and Maykopski Sections
constitute much more, an intensive mass population; therefore, deporting 15000
people of them would not form a significant impact on the status of the entire
region, while benefit appears quite clearly from deporting residents of 5
villages of Labenski Section. I cannot say the same about some arbitrary
measures, including resettlement of individual families because I have reasons
to fear that this measure will not lead to the desired goal, but will lead to
problems that will become much more difficult to address.
And I add to what was said previously, that I hope from Your Excellency
to go ahead and apply to request the High Approval on the deportation of the
Mountaineer population of Labenski Section for the reasons mentioned in this
report.
Also I add that I intend to start deportation from the villages of
Labenski which are Volni, Karamorzenski, Kurghokovski, Konokovski and Robski,
and then some of the villages adjacent to Maykopski Section then
Ekaterinodarski Section, and no need to add that there will not be any coercion
by the Administration. In this context, the issue of deportation will be discussed
in the villages’ meetings. General Malama