FOLAND AND RUSSIA.
The C zar’s G o v ern m en t in P o la n d and on th e D anu b e.
T b » l l l a t o r u H a l a t i o n * o f P o l a n d a n d n e M l a o r r - M a l .B<-Intl»u* o r t h a t P e o p l e t o 7 is r » p e n u P o l i c i e s —T l i e S o .C a I l e d ^ i n n n c i p a t l o n o f t b e P o Mon F e o i a i ' J a — t l r e d l t D u e t o t l i e P o l i s h R e v o l u t i o n i s t s — U r e e i t a n d L a t i n V u l t u r e —Etc.
[ P r e p a r e d e i p e e l a l l r to r t b o P o « r b p a P o l is h J o u r n a l i s t . ]
SiBee the war, now rag in g o n th e D anube, has occupied tho m in ds o f th e whole civ il
ized world, a moro diligont attention is turned to th e Po lish question and to th e re
lations o f F o ln n d to Russia in particular and to all th e oth er Slavonic races in g e n eral. A n endeavor will be m ade to acquain t o u r readers with thoso rolations in tlioir h is torical, as well a t in their pre sent develop
m ent.
P O L A N D , I N I T S H I S T O R I C A L D E V E L O P M E N T ,
Has playod a double part. In th e first, it sheltered tlie Slavonic tribes a g ain st tlie (Jarman conquest; iu th e other, it defended the whole o f E uropo ngain«t tlie Turk ish invasions. I n th e nin th , te uth an d eleventh centuries mimorous Slavonic tribes in h ab it
ing; tho countries now belonging to Prussin, ns far n« Schleswig-H olstein n n d th e mouth o f th e E lb e, were com pelled to s u b m it to h ie G e rm a n preponderance. I t seemed linn Po la u d , a t th a t tim e scarcely converted from p aganism , h a d to share tlio same rate.
B u i it cam e thnrwise. T h e so-called
“ d ra n g n a ch osjpn” (pressure towards cast) was cheeked by tlio fiy'ct Polish kin g, Alio- ciiia us, in tho tc iitlt-century, uml a fur stronger resistance wivs made hy Bulcslnus .he Groat (098-1025)/ f o r lie went over on th a oflgusivo and extended his dominions from the viyor D paiper to th e river Santa.
Jn th e e d u istio f lime llio Teutonic order seftled in Pru ssia —a t Hint time belonging to B bla nd—and the Order o f the K uig hts , or /B rothers o f lljo Sword, in ifiand. Under th e pretense o f converting tbe Prussians, L ith uanians and Lutynians to Christianity, th ey ujAeuucd their power over tlie Slavonic tribes. B u t in 1411), Ltulistau# Jngioilo, K in g o f P oland and Grand D u k e o f L i th u a nia, struck a iieuvy blow) ou th e German preponderance in the murderous battle a t G ruuw ald and Taiinenbbrg. Tho Germ an influonce was chucked, uinublo to extend further, and, till the end o f the seventeenth century, the Electors o f B ran d en b u rg wore obliged to be vassala o f tlie Polish crown.
This was th e p a rt P o la n d played in the Middle Ages to w ard th e Slavonic race.
N ow , a word as to its relations to Tu rk ey . T h e his'or.y o f P o la n d from tho beginning o f the fifteenth century is only an u nin te r
rupted series of wars with th e Ottom ans.
I n 1444 Lndisia us Viirtiuaius, K in g ot P o land and H u n g a ry , G ran d D uke o f L i t h u a nia, perished in the disastrous battlo at W a r n a while haste nin g to bring support to th e thre ate ned Slav o n ian s an d the Greek empire. F r o m 1620-21, or from tho defeat o flh e Poles at Uecora and th eir great victory a t Cliocim, the war, with a few inte rrup
tions, wns ragin g contin ually. Tho victories turned from oue side to the other, hat cov
ered th e P o li s h a rm s with immortal glory.
THE P O W E R or T H E O T T O M A N E M P I R E I N C R E A S E D ,
T h reaten in g no t only P o la n d bu t the whole o f Europe. A t tho samo tim e th e victoi ics of the Hero K in g (Joannes I I I ) , ijobieski, like a flash o f lightn ing follow ono alter th e other. The battles ut Lcopolis, Flo - cion and Cliocim seem to bo Ju ly th e pre
lude to tlie last leri ib.e fight at Vienna in 1683, in which th at Hero K in g, at tho head o f 20,900 Poles and the remains o f the routed G e rm a n a rm y , defeated a n d p u t to flight about h a lf a million T u r k s aud T a r tars, and suvod not only thu G e rm a n u m pire but tlio whole ot Cliristiuiiity, an d for
ever crushed (lie preponderance o f the Suulimo Porte. Since m a t time tlie T u rk s have hot wugod a-iy fu rth er wars o f con
quest, and were Imidiy ubie to keep in sub
mission tlie countries they had previously conquered. T h eir victorious c areer was ut once slopped. This state o f weakness helped considerably to ameliora te tlie lot of the Serb, g io a u iiig ii n e e th c e i.d o f tlie fourteenth cen
tu ry under T u r k ish oppression. Tak in g a d v a n ta g e o f llio w oukuess'of their oppress
ors, th ey were able, in Hie progress of tune, u n d e r such m ilitary leaders us K a r a D ror- dri, M ilol Obrenuviur a nd others, if not to light out a complete 'independence, to at it-asl secure a - s t a t e o f feudal tenure, iu whicii they till- now remain . T h u s, P o land, in it-gyU to the Slavonic race, fulfibeu a double liiyf. o f dcleuse, ou ils eastern and w e s% m i« u ifd ^ ri es . B u t it also fulfilled li th ird obc, URiucy.';, tho mission o f civ iliz a
tion, w hic h wif. bo briefly outlined'. Two only o f th e t^lavo'.tian tuitions wont h and in hand wrth tlie progress o f tim e and Civilization—t h e Poles and the Czechs (B o h em ian ,) . s h e buds of culture am o n g the Serbs were destroyed by tno T u r k ish co n quest. B u t th e Muscovites, or Russians, till P e te r the Great (eighteenth cvntu ry), as is w ill Known, bail ulmust n othing in Common with tlio rest o f llio civilized world. A t l l i o e u d o f th e fourteeuili cen
tu ry , in P o la n d , tlio Univ ersity ot Cracow was loundcd, which iu the six te enth c e n tu ry reached tlio inglil o f its tamo an d bo- cumo a strung focus o f en lig h ten m en t lor th e Siuvouie race. Polos, R u th e n ian ,, Serbs, Czechs an d oven G erm ans frequented an d learned there . Celebrities like N icolniis K op ern ik u s were brought up there. The A cadem y o f Cnicow. p lu yed an im portant p a rt in th e so called
E P O C H 0(» R E G E N E R A T I O N , A n d strovo for .-'qipariorily with th e ce’.c- bratod univ ersit’ s of1 Oxford, Paris, P udua and Bolo gna. ‘ W s a n d s o f stu dents found therein th e fountain o f know le dga and en
lighte nm ent. Uelebruto J men, nourished a t i t s breast, occupied prom inent positions in th e councils o f Cunstanz and Basil. Pu- /8 ts, P o lish und L a tin , like Fib em ous, J a n - Icki, an d afterw ard Sarbiowski, whose works, besides th e first L a tin classics, are ta u g h t a nd expla in ed in th e E n g lish uni- versilies till now, were crowned like P e- trarca a t tbo capital o f IRome. Religious tolerance, one o f tho m ain principles o f a constitution, invited to P o la n d , in the tiAcs o f th e Hues re formation ,/and afte r iu those of e t L u t h e r and Calvin , m a n y celebrities who in th eir own countries wero u n d a r ban in consequence ot th eir religious confession.
Such a liberal th in k in g m u st be a ttrib uted to the influence o f irg c n e ra l e nlighte nm ent which produced as its fruit a law o f which oqly E n g lan d c an boast— “ n ein in e m cap- ta v im u s n is i ju re y ic tu m " —and means tho same as th e Englisli law, habeas corpus.
I t can th u s be clearly seen w h a t a great in
fluence 1 oland oxerted upon tlie Slavonic tribes. not only by saving th eir political e x istence, but by pouring upon th em e n lig h t
e n m e n t and .civilization. I t will not be asserted t h a t P o la n d from itself would or should have supported th e idea o f “ P a n - elav iem '’—for this expression eml this idea are bo rn in o u r tim es—but this outline has proved clearly th a t th e policy o f P oland wa» d e facto also in concert with tho welfare o f th e w h o le Slavonic race, and the culti
v a tin g influence it oxorcised Was both pow- erftil a n d singular.
A t th e end o f th e seventeenth end in t b e eighteenth cen tu ry tlie do w n fall o f P o l a n d began. T h e principal, a m o n g m a n y oth er reasons, was the to tal ex h au stio n —alth ough victorious — in tbq T u r k is h wars, which wero beyond all experie nce destructiv e. T h e political do w n fall was succeeded by th a t o r enlighte nment an d education. ' I t is very easy to com pre hend t h a t n natio n com pelled th rough a whole o e n tu ry not to d ism o u n t their hors.es, n a r to -lay aside th e ir swords an d guns, m u s t Anally h a v e neglected ite education.
T h e y o u th s , instead oi g oing to th e ir sclioul- deekt, were ro am in g till tho fifteenth y e a r of age on th e batiks o f D n iep er, on the steppes, o r on th e boundaries o f W a l la c b ia , where every d a y scenee were play ed w hic h till now could trouble t h e so u n d sleep o f m any of th a E u r o p e a n d ip lo m a ts .. T h e conse
quences were evident; th e p opula tion d eci
m ate d—education uoglected—th e u n in te r
rupte d wars for C hristian ity bro ught- forth by th e rough soldiery religious into lerance, and th e inubility to lead a n o th e r life tb a u th a t o f tb e cam p. Discords an d civil wars broke out. Bo cam e th e eighteenth c e n tu r y , an d with it a still g reater weakness
* n d cause o f downfall.
R U S S I A A P P E A R E D O N T H B * K U R 0 P * A X S T A G E .
shaUr see how th e “ pro te c trix o f th e fligTorcjcswce'’ played her first d eb u t. I t is harifctobeJioVe, but th e facta p rove it, He w ho doea not flatter, »„d who, with th e no
ble E n glish L o r d , Dudley S tu a rt, can eay, c a u so s n o n f a c t a seuuor, c an n o t d e n y th u
fa ct:
zRus.ia, " th e p r o te c tr ix o f theSlavonic race,"
began her t i n t d eb u t with tb e partition o f th e most famous a n d m o st enlightened Slavonic; stale. T h e “ protec- trix divided al livin g& lavonia, body* aud blood, and shared D w ith G e rm a n y , tb e bom floe o f tb e Slavon ian raoe. T h e first partition, or rather robbery,oi
P oland wasexecuted in 1772. T h e “ prateetris,” B u s- sin, togeth er with A o stria an d P ru ssia , co n tracted th e boundaries o f a heroic nation, whoso blood hud been spilled in struggle s for th e m ost sacred ideas. Tw enty years afterw ards tho nation aw akened to a new life; tho Diet o f tho 3d o f M ay, 1792, p r o mu lg ate d a liberal constitution; religious tolemnco and equal civil rights were se
cured to all inhabitants , without excep
tion. . T h e nation desired to live again, desired to p rove th a t it hud sufficient strength In its bleeding heart—sufficient power o f intellect. Russia,
“ the Slavonic p ro te c trix ," in co n cert with Prussia , and by th e consent o f A ustria , r e plied with th e second partition. Tho y e a r 1795 followed. T h e nation, driven to de- spnir, arose an d seized its a rm s . Abovetlio confusion o f the tem pest now em erged a nam e, aw ak en in g iu th a A m erican hearts sacred recollections o f their holy war o f independence—th e naino ot
T H A D D E U S K O S C I U S K O , W a s h in g to n 's friend, posted h im self a t the head o f his nation. T h e struggle lasted hu t a sh ort time. Aflor th e victorios o f D ubie nka a nd Raelawiee, followed the disaster of Macicjowioe; tho onrnago o f P rnga, in which th e Slavonic Russian soldiers butc h
ered 16,000 persons—aged men, women and childre n. T h en cam e tho third and Inst partition o f Po la n d . Russia, “ the pro- tcctrix ,” delivered in th a t partition th e Slavonic cities o f Cracow and Lciinolis to Austria, and tlio S l a v o n i c city o f W arsaw to Prussia , ta k in g tho rest for itself. 1 lu- facts are speaking; the world Hint reads may judge.
In 1705 began the Russian govern m ent of P ola nd. They had slain llio nation ; 6toicn ils political existence, by denyin g tho rights o f representation and.s elf-governm ent, an d what remained 7 Thoso rights which are denied lo nobody, and wliieli constitu te th e fundamental and inalienable rig hts o f e v ery p e o p l e —religion, patrio ti sm , la nguage aiiJ literature. L e t us see w l a t became of them, beginning with religion. Several million peasants in th e different parts of Pola nd, as L i th u a n i a , P odolia, W o lh y n ia , Ukraiu a, belong to th e Greek Catholic or united church, whose d u g m a is com m on with the Catholic, u nd which is subject to the Pnuiii power. I t lias some p a rticu lar institu tions; llio mass an d litu rgy are read iu the Slavonian and n o t in th e L a tin la n guage, an d oth er details. T h e Russian g o v e rn m e n t resolved to convert th e confessors o f this ch u rc h to th e orth odox Greek or schismatic c h urch, o f wliieli tho Czar is tho infallible head, thus ord ering th e d og
mas w hic h govern th e conscience o f men.
N one stick more porslstently to tho faith o f th eir forefathers th an th e simple peasants, who, without reasoning, nltnch themselves with all th e m ig h t o f tlioir faithful hearts, oven to th e mere exte rnal form, upon which in tiieir opinion th eir whole eternity, their salvation o r dumualiofi, depends. This peo
ple hud not th e slightest desire to change th eir faith, an d declined to lie c onverted to the orth odox church. Tlie Russian g o vern
m ent replied in sending to th e m apostles with bayonets. Glo omy d ram as were played in those, till th at time, silont vil
lages. F irst Hie priests wore seized nnd biiiishcd to Siberia, there c hained day and iiiglil to hard work in the mines. T h e o n l y liberty given to them wns the choice be
tween death in these poisonous catacombs or—orthodoxy. T h e majo rity o f tnem p re ferred death—they swallowed lend an d died.
Tlio united monks and nuns were converted by peculiar cures—of “ sta r v in g " nn d “ w a
tering.”
T n e c u r o o f starvation consisted in g iv in g them to cut every thir d d a y on ly , bu t tlie euro of watering was performed in a p a r ticular m anner. M onks and nuns tota lly undresseJ nnd nu de were d riven to a ri\-e.r o r pond covered with thin ice, and pulled m by ropes. A n orth odox priest, uiways present ut executions o f this kind, asked now an d then in inte rvals o f some m inutos:
“ Will y ou a c c o p tth o tru e fa ith ? " F a i n t , scarcely perceptible voieas answ ered: " N o , n o ." l l i e u tlio priest ordered: “ P u ll wall.” T h e ro pe stra in ed to tho utmost.
The sh arp ieo was bro ken by th e benum bed bodies in different directions. \ V h a t a sight!
Even th e Russian soldiers used for p u llin g the ropes, and the Russian peasants gath ere d by curiosity on tho river banks, broko out in roaring and cryin g. T h e Hebre ws ra is
ing th eir b ands to heaven exclaim ed in despair: “ Jeh o v a h ! Jeh o v a h ! dost thou not soo it?” A hail o f biscuits, pieces of bread an d oth er eatables poured do wn from the H ebre ws’ hands on to the river, th a t the starved, condem ned to the horrib le death o f d ro w nin g, could, porpliance, snatch s o m e th in g witn th eir d ying lips. T h e Cossacks passed along tho shores and charged the rner- eilut crow d with th eir knouts. Tho in h a b i
tants o f villages in L ith u an ia, Podolia an d
\Vo:hyniu wero driv en in large masses an d ordered lo sign tlio act o f conversion to the otthodox church. T h e wretches er;od ou.:
•’T a k e all th a t wo have, tlie lu st cent, llio
■ a i t piece o f bread; leave us only o u r faith, the faith o f our fath ers." B u t those cries wore uot heard in
T H E G I L D E D C H A M B E R S O F S T . P E T E R S B U R G ,
Wlicrofnom th e orders wore givon. I n h a b itants o f several villages to ok flight in the deep recesses o f tho forests. N o t havin g friends o f tlioir own faith, an d not willing to sum m on tho orthodox, th ey married, b a p tized ohildreu anti buried tho dead without a ny spiritual assistance. A ll this lasted several yoavs. I n 1830, 1832, 1S34, 1S36, it was discussed in th e English P a rliam e n t.
A voice cnllcd th e Czar Nic hola s “ a mis
c re a n t ." I t wns discussed in the French Cham bers, and dually th e recouis o f tlie tlcbnlo were ta ken to th e—Archives. The m arty red generation died out, and in our days th e Greek united re igi m is forbidden in those purts o f th e Russian empire hy g overnm enta l “ ukases,” and if existing somewhere secretly, only in tho recesses of a Lith u an ian prairie. B ut it is o fn o use to mention wnut»happened ten o r tw enty years since. I n whnt wns formerly called the kingdom o f P ola nd, tho departm ents L u b lin and tSicdlcc, scenes as above described w ere repeated lastyc-ar.and have been repeat
ed till now. T h e statem ent is dis tinctly made nnd repeated—tho samo scenes occur o f shooting, starvin g, driv ing o u t masses o f nude women an d children in th e snow in tlie soverest w in te r time, th e sam e 6ccnes of m arrying, baptizin g a n d bury in g in th e far remote recesses o f prairies au d forests.
W h a t shall bo said more. W o only need refer to tb e official reports o f the English Consul, M r. L a g a ra , in S t. P e te rs
burg, an d thoso o f M r. Mansfield in W a r saw. T h e readers m a y t h in k th a t th e C a t h olic religion o f th e L a t i n rito was better tre ate d an d spared. L e t th a facts speak again. A rchbis hop Felin sk i, o f W a r s a w , was banished into th e inte rior o f Russia;
Bishops Lulnenis ki Bopiel, Bzewuski, Bia- tobruski, either died in Siberia o r aro still living in ban ish m en t. A re these facts suf
ficient? A t tho p r e s e n t m o m e n t th e ories o f th e c lerg y a n d peasantry are hushed Oy th e t h u n d e r o f can n o n on th e D an u b e.
Russia defends th ere C h ris tianity against the T u r k ish intolerance. “ T h ere a re more t h in g s in heaven an d e a r t h , ” says H am let,
“ th an are d ream ed o f in y o u r phil o so p h y ."
T h e n ext rig h t g u a ra n te ed by every lib
eral g o v e rn m e n t to every natio n is the m ain ta in in g a n d sup p o rtin g of th e p atriotic spirit. L e t u t see w h a t relatio n exists be
tween R ussia an d P o la n d in th a t respect.
P atrio tism e veryw here is a virtu e. I n the whole w orld p atrio tism signifies love of country. In P o la n d it it officially forbid
den to love P o la n d . I u R ussia a n a P o la n d instead o f the expression " c o u n try ,” is substituted th a t o f " C z a r . ” B u t we wilj use the offioiallanguaga. Ey.ery P o le who l' l aln* 6it m ajority has to depose a solemn oath of fidelity th a t he will lovo th e “ C z a r "
j , ho will re m a in faithful to lif> fihf'ng h it (dep o n en t’s) whole inijJJreL h® should notice t h a t som ebody undertakes something against t h e ‘’C z a r / ’ the d ^ n l n i u i h h “ broth cr o r bi> l»ther, to the S m W r d ! n? unco *nd d eliv er h im n ^ A hocrib’° m a k ing espionage—the meanest o f s l l crimes—
* S T A T E I N S T I T U T I O N . A horr ib le condition this, obliging tlie son to deliver h i. own father into the hands o f th e prosecutor; a horrib le situation, forc
ing th e whole nation to tak e an n « t k \ in concert with the power th a t U s a"Cu against th e country. Let' U 1 j „" dreh language. I n W i l n a « - g0 over tb ® was published as follows; “ A ny p -r ao ^ w h 50 in a public place, should use the Pol . V h n ’ g uage in conversation forfeit, for 0,8 tim e a line o f 25 roubles, tiie second time re roubles, th e th ird tim e 150 roubles. « o f a fu rth er persistence, he or ,h e is to i®
sent to Sib eria under conditions provided h e law . T h e w a n t o f knowledge T f m , : , ^ language c an n o t be accepted as an exculpat
ing reason lo r th a guilty p a r ty ." T h a t or d e r was p n u te d an d posted on all the street corners a n d g o v e rn m e n t building,. ’p |,#
H om an C atholic C h u rch use, the L atin language in its ritu al. T h e Russian gov
e rn m e n t tries earn estly to substitute for th e L s t i n tb e Russian language.
I n W a rsa w , in all schools, the Russian lan
g u a g e is n o t o n ly oblig ato ry for all lectures a n d le c tu r e r s , b u t, u n d e r th.e p en alty o r ex
pulsion from all educational institutions in .the w hole em pire, tb e pupils e ie forbidden to use in th e ir conversation th e P o lish la n guage. I n foot, th e P russian governm ent a eo forbid th e P olish language in th e publie fch o o li in IKnen, b u t an w o o r forbidding
th e pupile to ta lk Po lish to each other does n o t exist now. A lthough in Posen the rem oval o f tlie native Polish laDguago from th e public schools is n o t c o n stitu tio n al ami a g a i n s t the solemn royal pro m ises, tho net c a n n o t be compared with sim ilar p rohibi
tions in Russian P o lan d , for the Prussian*
nre n o t Slavonians and never pretended to bo “ prote cto rs" o f the Slavonic raoe. C on
c ernin g tb e prohibition <-f the Polish la n guage one fact more will I o _suflicient: A few years ago thu “ L'niversi.y of W a r s a w ," l.y virtue o f an imperial ukase was changed to th at ot tile ‘‘I m perial Warsnwinn-Slnvoninn University.
In t h a t university scientific lectures, without exception, arc delivered 111 the R u s
sian language; and because the university boar* tlio cam e “ S la vonia n" there are in troduced lecture chairs for all the Slavonian languages except.the Poli-h. T h e only ex
ception is made o f th a t Sla vonia n lan- g nngi which lias a high potlection, m ig hty literature, striving with nuy oth er in Europe, and which has ports like Mickta- wiez. The Polish lite ra tu re unfolds itself every day iu spito o f all th e measures used Iiy tiio g overnm ent to stop its development.
Every Polidi book, every Poli.-li newspa
per, before prin ted, must be subm itte d to tho imperial censor, nii-l havin g suffered so m an y scratches as it pleases Unit offl.flnl, then and o nly thou it can gain permission to bo prinle.l. Tluit i. tho relation o f R u s
sia lo P o la n d p r o v i d 'd by govern m ent ukases. The foreign Eu ro p ean press knows v ery little or noth in g about it, or is p u r
posely silent, influenced in its ju d g m e n t, of course, by Russian rouble-. A nother prin
cipal reason will bo found in the hypocrisy o f tho Ru-s ian g o v ern m en t und its diplo m acy, by which it lias been distin
guished from the beginning o f its existence.
W hoever eflnsidcrs tlicsa words nil exaggeration m ay be convinced by some in stances ta k en from Prussia n sources. In 1792 tho manifesto o f the C zarina C atha
rine declared th at tiio partition o f P oland was necessary for th e safety o f Europe, be
cause the m ajo rity o f tlio Polish nation were m ark ed by a spirit of Jacobin is m d a n gerous f>r th e publie social order. This happened in 1792, exnctly in th a t y e ar in which, by virtue o f the statute ot M ay 3d, the electoral throne o f P o la n d was declared an hereditary one—uifSlct in dire ct opposition to an y spirit o f Jacobinism . T h a t is not all. Tlio same Russia which nearly one hundred years before denounced Pola nd, ut th a t tim e for the most part conservative, for havin g revolmionnry tendencies—this same Russia now denounces P o la n d —when in progress o f time its ulcus became d em o cratic and progressive — o f retro
gression and conservatism. Political perversity cannot go a n y farther.
.More conscientious Russians, however, ac
knowledge it. The Russian historian Kos- surnurow, friendly to Po lan d , rotating to the partition of Poland in his work, “ The Last Years o f the Polish Republic,” snvs:
“ W o can hardly suppress thu feelings of slinnie and ignom in y when looking a t the conduct o f o u r Russian diplom acy a t the t im e ." A n d in fuel it was ha rd , b u t it is tar harder now th a n 199 years since. L et tlio render tnko into Consideration th a t the same P.otand which in 1792 wns acoused of being too revolu tionary, is now in o u r day s—
1877—accused o f bein g too conservative. Ou what basis this accusation r e s t s lot us in
quire. *
T H E R U S S I A N G O V E R N M E N T A S S E R T S T h a t it has bro u g h t to a successful end tho
“ e m an cip atio n ” o f tlie peasants in Po lan d , to which tiie m ajo rity o f tlio P olish nation was opposed. I n consequence o f Hie e x pression used, “ e m a n cip a tio n ," everybody would form tho idea: F irst, th a t the Polish peasants were Ilka the negroes in A m eric a; second, th a t tltcir servile condi
tion lasted till p u r time; third, th a t tiie Russian goverinlfout really had it abolished.
Tiio ausqyer is 6liort—no in nny words, so m an y lies. H is to ry will furnish the proof.
(Jemmies ago, 1349, ill the So called “ Sta tu te o f W is l ic a ," a hook conta in in g a collection o f laws or statutes issued durin g the reign of Unsimir tiie Great, we find thu statute: “ O w olnych km le cin eh” (of the free peasants).
W e cannot find in th a t statute nil expre s
sion like “ s c r v i” (-laves), or " s e r v i s u n f r es" (nlttvos are th in g.). A n d even the Tartaric and T urkish prisonors o f w ancould uot bo bo ught or. sold, an d , therefore, were not considered as slavos. I n P o la n d slavery never existed—not even t h a t condition of subjection which existed iu western E u rope, an d is conta in ed in tho statute,
“gtebic a d s c r ip t"*" (bound to the soil). The peasant in P o la n d nevur wns bou nd to tho soil (glcbce a d scrid lu s), but in Russia siavory existed till 1894. I t it to bo understood th a t in P o la n d wliou a person (peasant) took a piece of ground from u no ble m an, or from tho governm ent, into his possession, und used it for his owu advantage, he wns obliged to puy for it a yearly rent, called
“ c ry n z r," in mbnoy or in personal work.
F r o m t h a t personal work originate d the so-called “ paiuzeryzncs,” th a t is the obliga
tion to compulsory labor duo to th e lord of th e m an o r in certain days o f the week. In case tiio latter was loo severe or demanded too m uch, tlie peasant—tor lie was not gletxe a d scrip t us— was ut liborty to leave the m a n o r and to look for anoth er holding u n d e r more c onvenient conditions, o r to de
vote his tim e to an y art, tiudo o r m ech an i
cal tabor. T h a t shows cle arly th a t the peasant was personally free; and for this insertion th ere nre some more strik in g illus
trations. A c t 111 o f tho constitution o f M a y 3, 1792, contains tlio following words:
“ E v e r y person wim enters Poli sta soil is free.” J o s e f I I , E m p e r o r o f G erm any, h a v in g ta ken possession of his dominions ul'.er tno death oQ i is moth er, Maria Theresa, noticed the (I iitereuce between tiio p e rso n a l relations of the peasants to th e ir m asters m Galicia a nd In his oth er hereditary d o m in ions. T a k in g tho personal relatiou of th e sub jects tu tno lo rd s, as it was pra cticed iu Galicia, as a basis, 110 abolished a form o f slavery in all oth er provinces except Galicia, regula ting th ere o nly th e services and presentations duo to tho lords o f th e manor.
T h is is satisfactory proof th a t the peasants in Galicia wero personally free and not slaves. Readers will unders tand th a t where t h ere is not a “ iiiaiieipiuin"*tlieru cannot be an “ e m a n cip a tio n ." Russia, therefore, lias not em ancip ate d th e peasants iu P o l aud, for no form o f slavery was over k u o w n there.
W iia t, th en , has th e Russian g o vernm ent dona lor tho peasants? I t ondowed tlie p easants with lands, which th e y possessed before, on condition t h a t they paid f o r th e m y e a r ly a certa in rent, in money or in work.
W h y , then, was it not douo d u rin g th e political existence o f Po la n d ? F r o m tlio t im e w hen P o la n d was destroyed in its political existence an d self-government, 190 y e ars has passed, nnd a t t h a t tim e nobody t h o u g h t a b o u t llio e n d o w m en t o f peasants.
T h is was tru e not o nly o f P o la n d , but of G e rm a n y , W an c c , E n g l a n d —o f tho whole o f Eu ro p e. '
I u Po lish lnw th e relations o f tho subjects to th e masters wero from tho m ost remoto times b etter defined th a n in any o th e r E u ropean co u n try , for th ey wore ill P o la n d n o t gleboc a d s c r ip ti, an d th e land e ndow m e n t would liavu como earlier if P o la n d h a d m a in ta in e d tho rights o f self-govern m e n t. T h e re are good gro u n d s for assort- i n g t h a t : 1st—I t was far earlier spoken o f in P o la n d th a n in a n y o th e r c o u n try in E u ropo except F r a n c e ; 2d—th e land e ndow m e n t cam e no t in consequence o f
A R U S S I A N I N I T I A T I V E . E a rl ie r o r later it m u st h av e come, with tho sp irit o f progress, a n d for th e accele rate d intr oducti on o f tho statute th e peasants aro indebte d to th e P o lish revolu tionary m ovem ents. "When, offer tho o u tb re a k o f t h e la st revolution (1863), a revolu tionary g o v e rn m e n t wqS constituted, its first a ct was to protinulgiite-, th e in .tu n t e n d o w m eu t o f th e peasants. vALthftt time, ami not before, th a Rti.-sinn go v e rn m e n t, in ordor to bring tlio peasantry ou its side nn(I not to oflend th e m , was compelled to re alize th e e n d o w m e n t o f the peasants, a l
th o u g h it h a d inte nded to put it aside for m a u y years. T h e whole proceeding of the R u ssian g o v e m m o n t sliowi no intention to am eliorate th e lot o f th e “ subjects,! b u t to atir up one class n guin .l anoth er, th u s alien
a tin g tlio national cause. D u rin g tho last re volu tion th e lighting was going o n not m to w n s ’an d cities, for they were w ithout e x ception in possession o f Russian troops, but iu villages. Tlie revolution lasted about two years, an d , therefore, if tiio peasants or inhabitants o f villages would have been op- p le d to it, llio revolution against tho o r
g aniz ed a u d ton times stronger Russian forces could not have hold out two month-- W h e n the. Russian official organs slate they had the peasants on their side, th ey a re a n swered by m ost striking historical facts:
Thuddeus Kosciu sko gain ed his greatest victory a t Kaclavico through th e aasistauco of Polish peasants arm ed with scythes, called ko syniery, and in, th e revolu
tion o f 18(13 d eta chm ents o f in fa n try arm ed witli scythes instead o f firearms wuro uiu -tiy composed o f Polish peasants. 'I h e peic-autry urn exceedingly attached to their native villages, faith, h*"*
guage and cush/ins. T h e Russian g o v e rn m e n t draws th em away from th e ir villages by drafiing th e m in th e a rm y ; persecutes tiieir-religion, la nguage a n i customs. L i t a n y m an ot j u d g m e n t answer, if, ill pres- eiioa o f such tiaels, s y m p ath y is possible?
Tins argum ent is bason upon fae’.s, a n d o nly one m ore need be m entioned. Thu governm ent o f Russia n P o l a n d does n o t
support tb e com m on schools end teachers.
A ll expe> set o f th a t k in d have to be paid b v tho in habitants. Because tho ukase for
bids the te aching o f tlie Polish language in common schools, th e inhabitants do not pay and do not send tlie children to school. Tlie only reason is Hint they shnl! not bo co m pelled to learn the Russian lnngungc. Is th a t a sign o f sy m p ath y ? In spitu o f all ukases they _ h.-nrn sccredy how to rea l and write Poli -li, and any kind o f new-pnpr-r, any kii.d .of book printed in Polish is considered as a pn-nlotis treasure, and is forwarded with the greatest camion from hand to hand. Tlio Russian govern m ent nmdo public tlie statement Hint there exists a g reat cntnitv between tlio proprietors (noblemen) and the pc-isnnts, whilst in tiie co m m u n a l elections, mostly for such .posi
tions ns mayors, tlie -fact is th at proprietors (noM' iiien) are us indy elected. Finn l r.
hundre ds o f murdered pciii-nnls o f (iit Greek Catholic Church, hundre ds im p ri—
oned, and thousands deported to Siberia, testify to the protection w liich the Ku-sinu g overnm ent spread over th a t einsi q f the
P o l i s h pcofrte. Tim si-ter repul,lie, L i t h uania, limit in regard to tho pcatunie, re gu
lations differing from those in Pola nd.
T h e ir lot in L u h u a tin was less favorable’
an J similar to th a t ill Ru-sia. T h e peasant was bound lo tiio soli. The proprietors, cuniprohoqding tiieir unfavora ble situation, not corresponding with the spirit of the times, begun inotu p ro p ,d o to em ancipate tlie peasants. In 1917
T H E D I E T OK T H E N O B I L I T Y Submitted to the Czar a petition calling his attention to the condition of the pe asants as not being in accord with l i i p n a n i t f a n d civilization. Tiie Czar in tlie same y e a r (s- sued an " u k a s e , ” forbidding the nobiiityw- 1. Tii submiL any petition concerning th at question. 2. F ro m em ancip ating tlio peas
ants in a s u m m a ry way. Review in g what wo have said and proved by facts found either in llio past or present his to ry of P o land, thu following conclusions a re leached:
1. T h a t slavery never existuU in Pola nd, und u nit therefore there could not bo uny em ancip ation. 2. T h e endowm ent o f peas
ants with lands they used to possess was first prom ulgate d tuE-tho revolutionary gov
ern m e n t in 18o3. 3. Tho Russian g o v e rn m ent, by com m itting outrages upon peas
ants, by prosecuting religion, bu tc hering adherents lo tlie Greek Catholic C hurc h, and by supportin g public c orruption, c a n n o t depend upon th e s y m p a t h y o f the peasants, any more th a n it c an upon the sy m p at h y o f all oth er classes.
Tlio foregoing presonts a picture o f tl;e relation o f P o la n d to Russia and o f tho Russian g o vernm ent to P o la u d . This is im portant, throw in g a lig h t not o n ly upon thu relations mentioned, but upon thu event#
now pendin g on tlie D unubo and upon tlie Russian policy from tho beginniug o f its existence. I t is wortli ta k in g into consid
eration, what tlie same Russia which now
sends „
Ha l f a m i l l i o n s o l d i e r s t o t h e d a n- 1, 1IK,
In order to liberate ami unite tho S l a v o nians, has done in past times, and is doing In o u r days, to niako the union o f lliu S la vonian race impossible, riuoh union do- ii'auds th a t tho diflurcnl nations should find security undur Russian protection. Russia proved in P o la u d thut union with it is ruin . Union dem ands uoufidoncc; Russia d e stroyed all coufidcnce. U nion m ust secure liberiy; Russia is the only despotic govern m e n t m Europe. U nion dpinuuds religious tolerance; Russia is persecuting religion.
U nio n dem ands equal rights for all; Russia un derstands only how to deprive ull of their rights.
1 jot us oast a n im p artial lcok upon Hie position o f tlie 'B iav o n ian i unde, T u rk ish am i un d er R ussian governments.
Ttirkgy has given a constitution. W e will [ ad m it th q c o n stitu tio n has its faults, is b a d - ; ly e x ecu tid , is migundersttmtli th a t it is not ai.iz to a b p is h Ttou-t.s, h u t in a | | cas(.8 tr,j, cvnstiiuti.ol is existing in Tur.icoy, no t m I liussla. T u rk ish oppression is horrible, but j is felt m ostly by individual persons: the R ussian, not only by persons, b u t by whole nations. T h e Turkish is a result o f a bar- - baric adm inistration;
T H E R U S S I A N , A R E S U L T OF A X A T I O N - K X T E U P A T I N O K 0 L 1 C Y .
At th e tim e when T u rk ey secured to all ils eitlzons their national rights, a t th e same lim e Russia oxpollcd tho P o lish la nguage from th e judioial courts. W h a t a confusion of couceplion, w hat a historical wrong, w hnt an inconsequence o f hypocrisy. L et us fu rth er proceed in this la pyriu th .
Tlie union o f th e Germ ans was far easior th an thut of tlie Slavonic race. T h e G er
m ans wore divid ed by different forms of g overnm ent, different ja rg o n s , different re
ligious confessions, but they h a d some
thin g com m on unitin g th e m —their culture . Tho Sluvoniuns are divided by culture.
W h ile th e Bohemians, Poles an d generally the Slnvoniuus in Hie W e s t have accepted Chris tianity from R om e, and with it tlio Latin aud general E u r o p ea n culture, R u s sia and th e Blavoniun* in th e E a s t have ac
cepted Christianity from th a Greeks, and with it th e B y zan tin e culture. N othing stands more in contradic to ry opposition th an these, and their differences lutvw infiu- cnced tha nations iu th eir historical d e v el
o pm ent, un tlioir governm ental forms, in tlioir spirit of laws, in tiieir charctcr, their customs, their * a y o f thin kin g, so th a t tho difference between a M onto uegran and a Bohem ian or Czech, in spito o f th eir com mon tilavoninu descent, is far g reate r than th at between tho sam e B ohem ian and an E u g lish m a n . T h o Siavuuiansfin llio East have n othing in com m on with th e Sla(5o- uians iu tlie W e s t except the Slavouic descent an d th e similarity o f languages;
but they are separated by m utual prejudices, civilizntiou, historical traditions, social in stitutions and religion. A long series of re m a rk a b le differences, which till now are not united, and without a siugle link briuging tho.-e Sla vonia n nations nearer to each other. D id such a link exist? History answers, yes. T h a t lin k was th e R uth enia n nation by ita U n ita ria n Greek-C atholio re
ligion; by its L a t m Byzantine culture. The R uth enian natioti is n either a pure R u s sian n o r a pure Polish nation. Its languago keeps th e m id dle course between tho R u s
sian an d Polish tongues like a g rad u al tra n sition from tbo one to th e other. Being his
torically un ited with P o la n d , and therefore with tho general Eu ro p ean culture , it was, by its geographical situation, infiucpced by tho Byzantine culture also. I t s Catholic religion h a s somethin g in com m on with the E a ste rn C h u rch . I t has the liturgy in its native language; it ad m its th e m arriage of the priests, retc. In ono word, t h a t nation was stretc hin g one hand toward the east and the oth er to w ard the west.
T h a t na tion was tho link to a possible union o f th e Easte rn an d W estern Slnvo-.
n ijn s , re gardin g eth n o g rap h y and civ iliza
tion. l l a d Russia sincerely intended a union, hud it sincerely and on liboral p rin ciples aim ed to th a t puint, then it m ust havo supported tho R u th e n ian na tionality , tho U n it a ri a n Greek Catholic religion, and the trausitive L a tin B yzantine culture.
B ut it had intended, and intends now, with all strength an d power to ruin th a t na tionality , religion and culture . Tho h o r
rible persecution o f th e adherents o f tho Greek C atholicohurch in L ith u an ia, W o lh y - iiia, Fodhacliie, etc., are the best illu stra
tions o f ivlint is here stated.
T h e presont Russian policy can be d e fined in few words: Eilb ur the nppearanco o f Russia ou th e D anube— if it sincerely aim s to ameliora te Hie loss Of the Southern Sla vonia ns, if it sincerely aims to a future u nion—is th e gre ate st political nonsense, a stupidity o f a b lind diplo m acy, or it is in tended only to cloak by th a t pretense R U9.
t i a ’s desire for conquests a t the expense of tho
O T H E R S L S l y O N I A N S ,
Pressing upon them , instead of a constitu tional go v ern m en t, the dospotism o f the C zar. I n th e first case it is only a political adv euture ; in th e second, a new political robbery, and m u st bo condem ned by all nations. W h a t has been said m ay expla in tho relations o f P o la n d to Russia, an d to th e events now pendin g on tho D anube, i n e Russian dip lo m acy declares t h a t tho Poles are opposed to thu welfare and uniou o f tlio Slavonian raoe. T h a t is false. They never were,i and are not. B u t th e y wilt never support a political adv en tu re or a political robbery. P o la n d cannot ta ke an active p a rt under such circum stances; it has -to wail, and to try to open th e eyes o f the e nlighte ned public, an d friends o f truth a u d liberty.______
S a id a M ain street m a n to a G erm an friend, who w a t I'l/niplaining o f not havin g A n y t h i n g to d o : ‘^Wliy d o n 't y o u 4ortn a' ctnss a n d teach J C e n n in ? Yo.ur friend Sc h m id t has a iiighPeUss, an d ho mastoses to m.»kti & f w d o lla r* in>h ? t t s y a y .” “ V a t dot h*t*die S c h m id t vot write* n t d o gort-
• house?’* “ Yes, th e sam e.’*. he d o n 't
<-ui speak do t liigli»it la nguage liko me*
Ven he say m o jle h j say moole;. ha d o n ’t can say inoo.n liko mo; aud ven he say b .a y he t-ay bla y; ho d o n ’t say bla jL lik e w j .*’— M e m p h is A v a la n c h e .
T a k e Away y o u r S p a rta n b o y »nd his fox. T h e lad w ho p u ts h it lighted cigar in h it p o c k e t when be meats h it fath er, t n d t ‘lit w hat th e S u n d a y school teacher said, while t h e c ig a r i t b u rn in g him , it ih fln iu iy m o re w orth y o f a d m ira tio n .
