CHARACTER

REFLECTING Upon the fate of Poland, one is surprised and pained at the melancholy issue of so many great sacrifices, so much bloodshed, heroic devotion and fervid patriotism! The love of country with the Poles cannot be said to be a sober virtue. It is rather a passion that never ceases to agitate their breasts; it is the enthusiastic devotion of a chevalier to the queen of his heart; being always foremost in his thoughts and feelings. True, there are some traitors among them; but what nation has them not? Still it will be found true that no modern nation, or any of the ancient, have produced so many instances of enthusiastic patriotism as they. Other nations have not suffered such calamities-they were more or less prosperous; but it was not so with the Poles. If in prosperity man is not so much tempted to crime, his virtue at the same time is not so great, and does not stand out in bold relief. Misfortune has a contrary effect; it either plunges him into the abyss of iniquity, or hardens his virtue so that it will resist both time and change.

The chivalry of modern nations succeeded to the patriotism of the ancients; but in this age of prudence and expediency we rather choose to keep aloof from the extremes of either, for they become rather uncomfortable virtues. Notwithstanding this general tendency, the Poles give us examples of patriotism which, if they do not surpass, certainly equal any to be found in antiquity-of patriotism that is not based on mere selfish feeling, but on the noblest sentiments of the human heart. Their history proves they were never the aggressors, but fought only to defend their own rights and their own territory. The saying "Ubi patria, ibi bene," became theirs. Zolkiewski's last breath when falling on the battle-field, "dulce pro patria mori," is worthy the best Roman or Greek days. Their history and literature are replete with sayings and deeds whose exalted Source was love of country. What feelings they cherish towards their own

land may be gathered from the endearing appellation of our mother, which with them is synonymous with Poland. Their last revolution is but one grand display of the noblest self-devotion-every man was a patriot, and every woman a heroine.

We will introduce here a few instances which will give an idea of the spirit that animated this people when struggling for their liberty. Besides exposing their lives to the chances of battle, many contributed large sums to the national treasury. General Pac (Pats) was the first, who in the very beginning of the revolution laid on the altar of his country the sum of 100,000 florins, (equal to 12,400 dollars,) and though nearly sixty years old, fought bravely to the close. Prince Czartoryski, (Charto-ryskie,) whose yearly income was £80,000, has had his estates confiscated, and yet he prefers to live an exile in foreign countries, on scanty means, than sue for pardon though the emperor be glad to grant it.

As for personal devotion, we must only mention a few among the bravest of the brave, and the Generalissimo Skrzynecki deserves the first notice. It would be impossible to display more courage than he did at the battle of Ostrolenka. He conceived the idea of attacking the enemy at the nearest distance possible. He took twelve field-pieces, and two regiments of cavalry for their protection, and profiting from the dusk, led them in person, fixed the battery at three hundred paces from the enemy, and ordered it to open. At the same time he seated himself, with the utmost coolness, at the head of the battery, exposed to the incessant fire of the enemy's artillery. In vain did the officers beg him not to expose his life thus: he sat immovable as a marble statue till he saw the enemy shaking and finally forced back.

Nor is this a single instance of such intrepidity; Colonel Piernka, whose battery at the battle of Grochow was the most destructive to the enemy, and frequently the most exposed, kept up a fire,

chiefly of grape-shot, for five hours, sometimes at the distance of a few hundred paces only. Amidst the most frightful carnage he remained calm and imperturbable, and appeared more like a god dealing out deadly blows to mortals than an ordinary man. Although his clothes were pierced through and through, and his casque torn to pieces, yet his person was not touched. Lieutenant Czaykowski (Chy-kov-skie) affords a noble example of a patriot struggling for the salvation of his country. While at the head of the grenadiers of the 7th regiment, he received a grape-shot in his leg, which threw him down. Unmindful of himself, as he fell he cried, "Grenadiers, advance!" and kept up this cry while he lay prostrate on the ground. Worthy of such a commander, animated by his noble spirit, the grenadiers rushed to the charge and drove the enemy from their position. He is one of the heroes of the battle of Grochow. But here is another of them, bombardier Kozieradzki. This brave soldier was sent to another battery with orders to change its position, and while on his way to execute his commission, a cannon ball carried away his arm. Rising from the blow, dangling the bleeding mutilated stump as he went, he staggered on, reached the battery, executed his commission, and then fell from the loss of blood.

We should do injustice to the Polish women if we should here overlook them. Like the daughters of Sparta, they wished to share the dangers of war with their countrymen, and so formed three companies under the command of ladies of the most distinguished families. They were to follow the army in the rear, and on a battle taking place, to take care of the wounded. The first company, composed of the young and active, proposed to carry off the wounded from the field; the second, attending the vehicles designed to receive the wounded, were to take care of them and dress their wounds; the third to take charge of the provisions, the making of lint and bandages, and even of the washing of the soldiers' clothing. The nation, proud of such daughters, was satisfied with their noble intentions, but their services were refused, for the labor they were willing to task themselves with would have proved too much for them. But not to deprive such noble women of the luxury of sharing in the general toil, they were distributed among the hospitals, where they could nurse the

sick and disabled. In erecting the fortifications of Warsaw all the citizens were employed without distinction of age or sex, and to pay tribute to the patriotism of the women one of the outworks was named the lunette of the women, having been raised entirely by their hands. They also made sacrifices of their fortunes, plate, jewels, wedding rings, which they turned into coin for the use of the country. They even offered their lives on the field of battle. Countess Plater, after having armed the peasantry on her estates with scythes, pitch-forks, fowling-pieces, led them against the Russian troops. This girl, who led a life of ease and pleasure, now faced the dangers and hardships of war in every battle that was fought in Lithuania. Constantia Raszanowicz (Rah-shan-au-vich) was the Countess' companion in arms and perils; she also spared neither her fortune nor exertions in the cause of freedom.

Countess Claudine Potocka (Po-totskah) who spared neither herself, nor her fortune in many dangerous enterprises, gave particular proofs of heroic devotion, in the hospitals of Warsaw, where seated at the bedside, she spent seven successive months in alleviating the sufferings, and dressing the wounds of the sick. In connection with Countess Potocka we cannot but pay a tribute of admiration to her intimate friend and fellow-laborer Miss Emily Szczaniecka (Shtchah-nietskah). This young and lovely lady, at the age when hopes bloom the brightest, gave up the whole of her fortune to her country, and then joined the Sisters of Charity that she might continue to work for the common cause. Many more names may be mentioned that in future will be like stars illumining the path of heroism and virtue, but we forbear. Yet, notwithstanding the efforts of such sons and such daughters, Poland Jies prostrate beneath that Power of the north, which is never satisfied with human blood; not however as conquered by force of arms, but as a victim to the intrigues of her enemy, and the pusillanimity of her friends.

The lot of Poland after the last revolution has become harder than ever it was before, for the Russian autocrat neglects no means that can oppress a people. If he cannot be master of flourishing Poland, he is determined to possess at least the Polish desert. He has already become the sole land-proprietor of more than the half of its soil by the confiscation of the estates of the

wealthy. By taxation, oppressive conscription, and keeping an army that is fed by the people, he drains the last drop of blood from the inhabitants. To make colonies in the deserts of Caucasus, he gave orders to transplant thither 5,000 families from the south of Poland. Unable to resist, they were dragged into the wilderness to lead a life of misery, leaving their homes, their country, and with them all that is dear to the human heart. To see them depart amidst lamentations and cries of despair of the women and children, and dumb looks of the men, surrounded by the base, insensible crew of the yet baser autocrat, to hear them invoke destruction upon the head of the inhuman enemy and their own; curse their parents that gave them birth, the day that saw them born, would fill any heart with the keenest indignation and the deepest sympathy. But this is not all, brutal Russians have been introduced in their place to become a part of the population of the country.

The oppression does not stop here. Their religion and their priests are persecuted; their universities and colleges, after being pillaged of all that they had valuable, as libraries, etc., were either suppressed entirely, or supplanted by mock institutions into which the most compulsive system of corrupted education was introduced. Their language is excluded from courts and from schools; nay, it is even prohibited to speak Polish in public places. Their laws are abrogated, and the Emperor's will or the ukase is made their substitute, till the administration of justice is mere mockery. The caprice of the officer, or a bribe, makes the scales turn accordingly. No one is allowed to hold an office, but a Russian or a renegade Pole. It is considered an act deserving punishment if one should publicly avow himself to be a Pole; and everything that pertains to their national customs or habits is prohibited or derided by those Moscovite barbarians. The country is made a large prison-house infested with spies. Thousands of the noble and daring are sent to work in the mines of Siberia. According to an official statement 75,000 men had been sent into Siberia, since the accession of Nicholas to the throne up to 1832, which includes the space of only seven years; but from that time to the present the number has trebled at least. These men are mostly state criminals and chiefly Poles, among whom the first names of

the country are to be found. In the dead of night they are seized and carried away from amidst their families to be never more heard of.

After the fatal termination of the last revolution, the emperor gave orders to provide for the orphans of those who were killed in war, or who went abroad leaving their children behind them. This was trumpeted throughout Europe as a benevolent, magnanimous act of the autocrat; while in fact it was designed to cover the most hideous crime. In consequence of this order, more than 5,000 children at a time, were torn from the bosoms of their mothers who were sufficiently able top rovide for them: the most distinguished families were the victims of this barbarity. These children were forced away from their lamenting parents, in the bitter cold of January, and with scarcely any covering, packed up in wagons, and carried into the interior of Russia to be educated for slavery as common soldiers' children. Many of them died on their way from hunger and cold, but their numbers were replaced by those who were kidnapped on the way. It was a heart-rending scene to behold the streets of Warsaw resounding with the cries of agonized mothers throwing themselves under the wheels of the wagons to be crushed rather than survive that awful separation, or rudely pushed back by the brutal force of the Russian soldiery; and to witness the young victims confounded with the sight, heaped together like a flock of innocent lambs, separated from their parents, trembling with terror, utter in melancholy strains

dear mother! dear mother!" What father's or what mother's heart could withstand this sight without bursting with frenzy?

The same infernal act was repeated in the country with the children of many noblemen; and here is one of its tragic consequences. After the vain attempts of Lady Grozewska (Gro-zev-skah) to save her two sons by imploring mercy for them of the emperor, Cossacks were sent to carry the children away. On the appearance of these brutes to execute their commission, this noble woman determined to disappoint him. "No," said she, "that insatiable dragon shall not drink the blood of my loins. My children shall live with me forever." With these words she stabbed her two boys by her side, and then with the same steel pierced her own noble heart. Oh,

honorable weakness! may God avenge thy innocent blood! Such are the deeds of this arch-Herod of the North; but this is not all.

The Polish captives that were at Cronstadt were required to take the oath of allegiance to the Emperor, but they refused, for which they were made to run the gauntlet. Two lines of soldiers were made, each of, 250 men. Each soldier held a hazel switch, several feet in length. Through these ranks the condemned Poles were forced to pass. First the victim's back was stripped of clothing, then the butt-ends of two carbines placed under his arms, by which means he was dragged along, while a bayonet was held against his breast to prevent him from going too quickly. Field-pieces were placed at both ends of the ranks to blow to atoms those of the Poles who would dare to attempt to rescue these unfortunate victims. 3,000 Polish captives were brought there to witness this awful scene. At the time we speak of, (November, 1832,) 50 men were the designed victims, eight of whom were flogged the same day.

The decree being read, the man was led between the two files, and with the first blow music began to play to drown his cries. Before the unfortunate creature reached the other extremity of the ranks, streams of blood burst from his back-his piercing cries were hushed in silence, and senseless he was dragged up and down the files, though flesh flew from his back at every step. This brutality completed, the sufferer fell on the ground, where he lay till the cart came to carry him away to the hospital, without any other covering to his mangled body than a mat. In this way, two or three of these unfortunate men received eight thousand, others from four to six thousand lashes! A priest, with the cross in his hand, stood at the head of the line near the general officer, and promised them pardon if they would recant; but the noble-spirited sufferers preferred death to servitude. These are the deeds of the clement Emperor, who, to prove to the world that cruelty and faithlessness go hand in hand, after repeatedly proclaiming amnesty to the Poles, seized upon those who confided in his word.

The picture we bave drawn here is already horrible enough: though incomplete, yet it is sufficient to give some idea of the present state of Poland, and of the character of the monster, who has

yet found eulogizers in an English lord, and even one of our republicans, who was sent by the State of Ohio to inquire into the condition of the Prussian schools, and who informed the public that the clement Emperor is educating the Poles! Take shame to yourselves, men! who let the present of a gold snuff-box with the despot's portrait, cover the crimes of a fiend; or allow heartless, courtly politeness to go for benevolence. Shame! shame to you all, who screen flagrant guilt from the world's indignation!

Such is the lot of the Poles who are within the reach of the Emperor Nicholas; as for those who are abroad, a few words will suffice. The number of the latter amounts to several thousand, scattered throughout the civilized world; but they reside chiefly in France and England. About three hundred were sent by Austria into this country. Their subsistence depends on their exertion, but as a great number of them did not belong to working-classes in their own country, their condition may be easily conceived.

Little is known of the character, habits and literature of the Poles in foreign countries, and particularly on this side of the Atlantic. The degree of ignorance that prevails in this respect is often ludicrous. In the geographies used by schools in this country, it is gravely stated that they wear stockings and pantaloons of a piece; that when they are invited to dine with their friends, they bring with them their spoons in their pockets; and that during dinner they take care to have the door shut that nobody may come in! And an encyclopedist, speaking of their language, says, that it is so uncouth, that it has words of several consonants without a single vowel ! This, besides being false, is an impossibility; for the human tongue cannot pronounce intelligible sounds, without there is a vowel at a certain distance to support the consonants. No more than two sounds made of either two, three, or at most six, consonants joined to a vowel can be pronounceable, is intelligible, or capable of being written.

We can give here but an imperfect outline of the character of this people and their literature. The means of education since the introduction of Christianity into the country, were never neglected in Poland; if not always in advance of, they always kept pace with, those of the rest of Europe. Poland had her colleges and universities, in which the no