Litchfield enquirer., 1831-03-10

ings aud the support Of public Opini"n, ana
which, above all, was tn cOnsecTate the PII"-
Ciple that il was allowed to cut up at will. the
fundamental compact, and therehy en're'y
abolish the Charter, as one of its articles had
been abolished. II was under these auspices
that the Diet of 1895 was cOnvOked. from
which it was sought, by all manner OF mtans'
To discard the most intrepid defenders OF our
liberties a NunciO, who has just taken part
in the deliberations, was carried of by main
force, surrounded by gems d'armes, and held
captive for five years, till the moment when
the revolution broke out. Deprived of its
fOrcp. shut up, threatened with the loss OF
the Charter, and misIrd by fresh promises OF
the ancient provinces being e.united to the
Kingdom. the Diet Of 1926 followed the ex-
ample Of that "f 1918 hut these promises re-
manned without effect, and the petitions which
prayed for the restoration Of our liberties were
rejected.
The general indignation Of the we'll dispos-
I'd inhabitants, and the transportation Of the
whole nation had long been bringing on the
storm, the approach Of which began to appear.
when the death Of Alexander, the accession
Of Nicholas to the throne, and the oath he
took to maintain the Constitution, seemed to
promise US cessation Of abuses and the re-
turn Uf our liberties. This hope soon van
| were, but the rev oution at St. Petersburg e.
| ven served as pretrxt to impIisNn ana bring
to trial the most distinguished individuals of
the Senate, the Chamber Of the Nunc,os, the
army, and the citizens. In short time the
prisons of the capital were filled. Every
day fresh buildings were appropriated I" re-
| cciye thousands If victims sent to Warsaw
| from every par, Of Old Poland, and even from
parts subject I" foreign Governments.
! Upon The native soil of liberty were intro
| ducrd fortunes which cause humanity to
shudder. Death and suicide constantly d.
minishrd the number of the unfortunate VIC
Tins, who were sometimes left forgotten in
small and damp dungeons. In contempt OF
every law, special Committee of Inquiry
was instituted, composed Of Russians and
Poles. most Of them military men, who. by
protrarird fortunes, by promises of pardon
| and nsidinus questions. only sought I" extor'
from the accused the confessions "f an ina
ginarv crime. 1t was only after an Inpris"n-
mrnt of on" year aud a halG that the High
Naii"ua! Court was est thIishcd. for. as III
,niir 81 every law, impriSrnnrnts had been
,'r'nina!ly prolonged T." degree that se>rr"
>ir'ns ha! died in prison, il hrcam" ah-"-
| uirl. necessary /" ren,l"f this measure legal
| The conscience "fthr Senate disappointed his
| expectation, aud III" accused, Who had been
| gr"a0irg in prison for two years. were ar-
! quilted If any crime against the State. Ihts
| decision, from that period, removed All dis
| ;nctinns between fhe accused and their judS-
-. The farmer. notwithstanding III" SEN
| iencr which proclaimed their Innocence, in
| stead nf being set at liberty. were conveyed
t" 81, Petersburg where they were imWIs
"ned in forts, aud up to this moment several
| have not been restored to their families Tn"
latter were detained for nearly a year al War
| saw, for ha. ing shown themselves Indrprnd-
mt judges. The publication and execution
"f the sentence was stopped. II was submit
| trl IU the examination Of the administrative
| authorities. and when. at length. out Of some
regard for Europe, it was found necessary T."
publish il, a minister carried his audacity s."
| far as to degrade the national majesty. Ivy re-
primanding. in the name Of the sovereign, the
highest magistracy Of the State, in the exrr
else Of their most exalted functions.
1t was after such acts that the Emperor Nj
chOlas resolved t" be crowned King of PO-
land. The representatives of the nation he.
ing summoned. were silent witnesses Of this
ceremony, aud the new Uaths were soon vio-
lated again, tor no abuse was suppressed, not
even the discretionary power. Even ON the
day of the CORONATION the Senate was filed
with new members. who did not possess the
qualifications required by the C"nsti u'ion the
only guarantee Of the Independence of their
votes. An illegal loan. and the alienation of
national domains, were intended to render
movable and disposable the immense landed
property Of the State. But Providence di-
rrcted that the large sums proceeding from
the partial execution Of this plan, should not
be squandered away, but be used in arminS
the nation.
In short the last consolation, which, under
the reign Of Alexander, enabled the Poles to
support their misfUrtunes-namely, the hope
Of seeing themselves reunited To- their breth-
rem, was taken from them by the Emperor
Nicholas. From that moment all ties were
broken. The sacred fire which had long been
prohibited from heing kindltd upon the affairs
of the country, was secretly burning in the
hearts of all well disposed men. One
thought only was common to them-namely.
that they should no longer endure such slave
ry. But the Government itself FASTENED the
moment "fexplOsion. In consequence Of re-
ports, daily cOrrobOrated, Ofa war against the
liberty Of nations. orders were given 10 put
upon the war establishment the Polish army
destined I" march; and. in its place, the Rus
sian armies were to occupy the country
Considerable sums, proceeding from the loan
and the sale of the national domains, deposit
ed at the hank, were to cover the expenses Of
this deadly war against liberty. Arrests again
took place; every moment was preciOus.-
Our army-Our treasure-Our resOurces--Our