The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-10-09
SPEECH
SPEECH
OF MONSIEUR THE COUNT PALATINE
WYBYEKI, PRESIDENT OF THED EPU-


! TATIoN.
"SIRE,-The Diet Of the Duchy of War
saw reunited at the approach of your Ma
Jesty puissant armies, having had in view
to give force to the opportunities offered
them by the localities, that they might not
be IN any wise deficient, has discerned, from
the hrst step, that they have rights to re-
| claim, and duties of the most elevated order
| TO tulhl. BY an unanimous voice it has con-
stituted itself general Confederation of
Poland it has declared Poland re-estab-
iiShed IN her rights, and all the usurpatory
and arbitrary acts, which would have de-
! stroyed her existence, to be annulled and
of no force. Sire,-Your Majesty labors
Tor pnsterity and for history, as all Europe
| cannot misunderstood our rights, no more
than we can msconceive our duties. A
nation free and independent from the ear.
! nest ages, we shall not lose our territory
and our independence neither by treaty
nor by conquest, but through perfidy & trea-
| son. treason never could constitute q right
We have seen our last King dragged to
Petersburg, and there perish in opprobity
! and our nation now torn into pieces and par
| ted amongst Princes against whom she had
| not made war, and who had not conquered
her. Our rights will, therefore, appear
| evident in the eyes of men & in the eyes Of
God himself. Wehave right to declare our
| selves Poles-to re- establish the throne of
| the Jagellons & Sobieskis-to seize again OIL
| our national existence-to re-assemble our
| divided members--to arm ourselves for our
native country, & to prove, i'll combating for
| her, that we are worthy descendants of our
| foretathers. Whatever constitutes our rights,
| constitutes likewise our duties Thanks to
| your gracious Majesty, four millions of
| Poles are now free, & governed by the Po-
lish laws but the happiness which they
enjoy has not, under the existing circum-
stances, suffocated the sentiments of du-
| ty eXacted by their country, which are
| engraven on their hearts, and are comman-
ded by Heaven itself. Our brethren, form
ing the greater part of the population of
Poland are still curbed under the oppres-
sion of the Russians. We dare to reclaim
! their rights, and to present a centre of re
union tor the whole Polish family. Could
your Majesty disavow or blame us for hay-
ing done what our duty, as Poles, eXacted
33i US and for having assumed our right?
Yes, Sire. the Polish country, is proclaimed
from this day she exists in equity but
will she exist in fact Duty and JUS
tlce legitimate our resolution, but will
the strength be on side And God, has
he not sufficiently punished Poland for her
DIVISION will he perpetuate our msfor-
| tunes !; and shall the Poles, who have nou
rshed the love of their country, descend in
to the grave melancholy and without hope.
NO you, Sire, have been raised up Ivy
providence its strength is put into your
MaJesty's hands, and the existence of our
Duchy is due to the pursuance of your arms!
he Confederation has deputed ms to wait
on you, to submit its Act of Confederation
TO your supreme sanction, and to request
your puissant protection for the kingdom of
Poland. Say, Sire, The Kingdom OF Poe
land exists" and that decree will be tn e
reality We are sixteen millions Of Po-
landeTs, among whom there is not one whose
blood, whose arm, whose fortune, is not de
voted to your Majesty. Every sacrifice will
appear light to us, when it is to effect the
restoration of our native country, from the
Dwlna to the Dniester, from the Borysthenes
TO the Oder. One single word from your
Majesty viii devote to you every arm, eve
ry effort and every heart. THIS unprece-
denied war, which Russia, Notwithstanding
the remembrance of Austerltz, of Pultusk,
II Eylau, Of Friedland, Notwithstanding the
oaths taken at Iilsit and at Erfurth, has
dared to declare, is, we doubt not, Sire a |
decree OF Providence, which, touched with |
the mlsfortunes of our nation, has resolved |
to put an end to them. This second Polish |
war is scarcely commenced, and alrea-
dy we bring our homage to your Majesty. !
IN the capital Of the Jagelons. Already |
are your Majesty's eagles on the Dwi |
u.
vlded, cut off, are wandering about, & seek !
IN vain to rc-unite and form themselves -
The interest Of your Majesty's empire re-
CURES the re establishment of Poland, and |
probably the honour cf France is equally in
terested in it. If the dismembermeut Of Pc
land was tEe sign of the declensOn of the !
French Monarchy, may her re establishment |
be ioofof the rosperity to which YOUR Ma |
Jesty has elerated France.Th oppressed Pc |
land has turned her eyes for almost three |
centuries towards France, thai great and |
generous nation. But fate has reserved this !
termination for the head cf the fourth by /
nasty, Tor Napoleon the Great, before whom /.
the policy of three centuries were but !
momentaiy object, and the space from South .
20 North but single point. We present to |
your Majesty the Act of COME deration,
which claims the revival and existence of
Poland. We renew before you, in the name
OF ali our brethren, to preserve the solemn
engagement to the very end, and with the
concurrence of all our ininds, Of all our
means, and should it be needful, of all the |
blood which runs III our veins, to Garry |
on the ehterprizc winch we shall not have |
formed in vain, if your Majesty will de On
not 10 preventit."
BONAPARTE'S REPLY.
&" Gentlemen, Dehutics Qffhe Canfdern-
lion Of Poiand-I have heard with interest
what you have related 20 me. Poles, I world |
have thought and acted like you Ike YOU
would have voted in the Assembly at
Warsaw; love OF the country is the first