afflicted with trees and copses that attracted and retained moisture, she did not know drought then and almost always generously rewarded the farmer’s labors with abundant harvests of grain and herbs; shortages, and especially hunger strikes, were unknown to him then. Old people still remember the time when a Cossack refrained from sowing grain, not because there was nothing and nowhere to sow, but only because there was no place to send the grain from the harvest. The Cossack's cattle breeding, 'due to the same reasons, was in a flourishing state.
The demands of the service were such that they left the Cossack enough time to dispose of himself as he saw fit, as he recognized as best and most beneficial for himself. At that time, it was allowed to hire merchant Cossacks for one’s own service and to be members of societies.
The simplicity and cheapness of uniforms and equipment for service, as well as the simplicity of the lifestyle of the Cossack family, were more than covered by the income that agriculture gave him, especially since the Cossack had everything necessary for household use, such as clothes, shoes, etc.
Having spent his childhood under the thumb of the captain, the Cossack got used to seeing him always and everywhere as his boss, who, if he did not give him any concessions, did not give him any offense. And this instilled in him meaningful discipline,
i.e. that is where the main strength of any army lies.
In a word, both the military structure and the economic situation of the Cossacks until 1865-1870 were completely satisfactory.
But since 1865 the picture has changed. By this time, it was established that some Cossack troops played their historical role - to be strongholds against the invasion of the Central Azatian hordes, and the cavalry was recognized enough without them. Therefore, it was decided to gradually convert them into a taxable state, including the Orenburg Cossacks. With the goal of gradually preparing for this change, in 1865, in a civilian sense, they were removed from the VFD5 by their immediate military command and transferred to the VFDBVshe police officers. The police officers had little interest in the welfare of the Cossacks. They considered them only an unnecessary burden, and therefore, at first, they left the village societies without anything. leadership, and with the publication of the regulations on public administration in 1870, it completely pre-. They brought them on their own on a new path of self-government for them. From that time on, police officers completely stopped interfering with their internal forces, since they were prevented from doing so by regulation.
Not being prepared for independent management of public affairs and developed enough to see their own for the general benefit, the Cossacks did not dare to take advantage of the same advantages that the Highest status granted to them in 1870 provided them, but they often used this freedom for evil. After this freedom, misused,
like a nightmare, the hardships of living over the population to this day.
The main mistake of the regulations of 1870 was that decisions on public issues were given not to elected members of society, but to all residents by majority vote: in some cases, */3 of the total number of residents, and in some cases, by majority, only cash (Article 69). This later circumstance led to great abuses. Although all residents who had the right to vote could attend the gatherings, the regulars were no better than the people of society, usually busy with the civil service, but idle people, drunkards, or those who benefited from fishing in the muddy waters—kulaks, mrofds. There was no one to direct the military action and maintain order, and therefore, little by little, these people took power into their own hands and became the arbiters of the general public.. state dfl, turning gatherings into disorderly gatherings, at which public property was often given up for nothing, if only the “optists” were treated to vodka.
Village and village administrators, not seeing proper control over themselves, often looked at public service as a means to indulge in freedom. Everyone tried to snatch what they could or what they could get their hands on. It is not surprising that when people entered positions, they immediately tried to save themselves from worry by collecting and storing public grain and hay reserves, as well as capital. On the contrary, taking advantage of every insignificant reason, they drew up sentences and, on the basis of them, took public property for themselves and their like-minded people as a loan. The very statute of 187o contributed to this order of things, since