The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1831-03-09

much solemnity to give durable peace to the
world to admit that the Congress of Vienna.
upon their again dividing our country amongst
tnein as spoil, should not in some degree soften
Tue fresh outrages committed against the Poles.
nationality and reciprocal freedom of COM
merce was guaranteed to every part of ancient
Poland and that which the great European
Conflict had found independent, parcellsd out
ON three sides, received the title of kingdom,
ana was placed under the immediate dominion
OF The Emperor Alexander, with separate
charter, and the power of beng enlarged.
In execution of these stipulations he granted
tree Constitution to the Kingdom, and gave
TO the Poles, subject to the denomination of
hussla, CLEAN of hope that they might short
ly be united to their brethren. These gifts,
however, were not gratuitous; he had previ-
ousy contracted obligations towards us, and
we, on our part, had made sacrifices in return.
( Before and during the decisive struggle, the
brilliant promises made to the Poles who were
SUBJECT to the sceptre of Alexander, and the
suspicious raised with respect to the intentions
OF Napoleon, prevented more than one Pole
from declaring in his favSr. The Emperor OF
Russia was only faithful to his promises in pro-
claiming himself king of Poland, but as to that
natlonality-those liberties which were to be-
come the guarantees of the peace of Europe,
OF our independence, that first condition Of the
political existence of nations, as if durable
peace could be established upon the enslave-
ment of $4,000 900 of peope-as if the annals
OF the world had not taught US that, even after
an interval of ages, nations reduced TO foreign
subsection did not always recover that indepen-
dence which had been destined FOR them by the
} CREAToR.from the beginning of time, by hav-
ing separated them from other nations in Ian
nn arnp nH -
gotten by governments, that people oppressed
ever become the natural allies of whoever may
happen TO rise up against their oppressors.
But these conditions, though arbitrarily lm-
posed, were net fulfilled the Poles were not
long before they became convinced that the
nationality and the title of kingdom, given to
Poland by the Emperor of Russia were but
lure to their brethren. subject to other States
{ but weapon against those same States-and
but mere chimera to those to whom thOy had
been guaranteed. They became convinced that,
under the shelter of these sacred names, it was
intended to reduce them to a serve deglada-
ton, and weigh them down by all the infis-
tons of continued despotism, and the oss Of
i the dignity appertaining TO man. The meas
ures taken against the army first drew aside
the veil that covered this mysterious pam
The most cruel outrages-the most infamous
t punlshments-the most refined prosecutions or
D dered by the Commander-in Chief, under the
: pretence of maintaining discipline but the real
object of which was to destroy that feeling OF
r honor, that national dignity, which character
: lied our troops, were invented and enforced
: Faults of the most trifng, were deemed and
treated as most serious offences-the slightest
4 suspicion converted into proofs Of breach OF
/. dlscplne-and the COMMANDMENT Chief, by his
arbitrary control over the Courts Martial rem.
= dered in fact the sole arbter Of the life and
a honor of each individual soldier. The nation
D beheld with Indignation the DEGREES of these
9 Courts repeatedly quashed, until at length their
+ decisions attained the degree Of severity that
!, was required from them. Many members, IL
: consequence, sent in their resignation; many
8, personally insuted by the Commander in Chief
= purified by their own blood the outrages that
had been committed upon them, and, at the
i same time, showed that it was not the want Oh
n true courage, but the fear of compromising tbs
future fate of their country, that withheld theil
L arms from falling vengeance upon their op-
$ pressors.
= On the meeting of the first Diet Of the king
|, dom, renewal of the solemn promises tina
l. the blessings Of a Constitution should be extend
n ed to our brethren, who were to be re uniteC
n to us, revived extingushed hopes, and caused
}. the moderation to reign in the Chambers which
was their only end and object. The freedom
Y Of the Press, and the publicity of the proceed
n ings of tae Diet, were only tolerated in so fa
:. as they gave vent to the hymns and praises o
y a subiugated people in honor Of their all pow
y erful conqueret but when after that Diet was
= closed the public journals continued to discus,
y public affairs, severe censorship was introduc
ed; and on the meeting of the following Diet
q which proposed TO itself the same object as The
!. former, the Representatives of the people wcr,
prosecuted for the opinions they delivered ii
Il the Chambers The Constitutional States o
r. Europe will be astonishcd when they learn wha
T.. has been so carefully concealed from them
. when, on the one hand, they behold the wist
II and moderate use the Poles have made of thei
4 liberty, the veneration they have shown fo
v their Sovereign, his religion and customs uni
n formly treated with respect, and on the other
a the bad faith with which power has been used
y not content with despoiling an unhappy people
. Of their rig hts but mputing the horror of these
q violations to the unbridled exercise of thei
4 freedom
The placing in union upon one head the
Crowns of an Autocrat and Of a Constitutions
> King was one of those political monstrositei
which are never of long duration. Every mar
foresaw that the Kingdom of Poland must be-
l. come either the nursery of liberal institutions
J, for Russia, or sink under the iron hand of iii
J., despotsm. This question was soon resolved
e 1T appears that, at one moment, the Emperor
: I
: arbitrary power with our liberal laws, anc
thereby secure for himself new influence over
], the affairs of Europe. But he was soon con
0 vinced that liberty could never become so de-
9 based as to be the blind instrument of despot
ism; and from that time, instead of her defend
err, he became her prosecutor. Russia lost all
D hope of ever seeing the yoke by which she wai
9 oppressed taken offby the hand Of her Sovereign
4, and Poland saw herself excessively deprived
= r NJ
, rying this design into execution. Public edu
cation was corrupted, system Of concealmert
and mystery was adopted, the people were left
without means of instruction, whole Palatinate
was deprived of its representation, and the
. Chambers no longer allowed the faculty of vot.
ing the supplies. New burdens were imposed
| new monopolies created to dry up the sources OF
: the national wealth and the treasury, enriched
; by these measures, became the pastures of sala-
ried sycophahts, Infamous hirelng instlgators,
and vile and despcable spies. Instead of the
economy so repeatedly called for, pensions were