The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1840-04-14

feeble and uupopular Government bent before
| IFS i''ry, ana snbu'itiGd itse'! TO the Rus
sian yoke Of ne invader. But the nation
nisdaiue, to FOLLOW its example: in their cxIren
! ity every eye was turned on The hero who ha,
already fought their battles, the euge who bad
enlightened them, and the patriot who had sci
the eXnmp|e OF personal sacrifices 10 &C.
| complsh The emancipation Of the people
"k0Scusk0 was unanimously appointed gen
| eraSlSlmo OF POlanh, with unlimited powers III
| ~ HE enemy should he driven from he country
On has virtue the nation reposed with the uIrnos
| coNlttnce; ana II Is some consolation 10 reflect
amidst The general depravitv Of mankind, tina
| TWO instances, in The same age, have occurred
where powers Of this kind were employed sole
~ Tor The purpose for which they We're given.
III Is not my intention, sir, 10 follow the Polisl
| Chiei throughout the career of victory, which
for considerable time, crowned his efforts
Giided Ivy his talents. and led by his valor, his
undisrIpiined, i'll armed militia charged with eff.
| iect the veteran Russian AMI Prussiau, the mail
ruIrassiers of The grcAtlrederir, for the first tine
broke and fled before the lighter nA more an;
propria'e cavalry OF Poland. Hope filled the
breasts OF the patriots. After long night the
dawn ofnn apparently glorious day broke upoi
| PoIaud. But, TO the discerning eye Of Kosciusko
The light which il shed wa of that sckly & por
ten!i"us appearance, indicating storm more
dreadful thnu that which he had resisted
"tle prepared to meet it with frmncsS, but
with means entirely inadequate. 70 the ahynn.
taS3S OF numbers, OF tactics, Of discipline, and
ineXhnns'ible resources, the combined deSpos
hGt secured il faction in the heart OF Poland.
And if thai country can honst of having prodn.
ced lis Washington, it is disgraced also by giving
birth 10 a second Arnold The day AT length
came which was to decide the fate of nation
and II hero. Heaven, for wise purposes, deter.
mined that it should he the last Of Polish liberty.
IT. decided, indeed, before the battle com.
Il Il, 4
with detachment the advance of The Polish
army, abandoned his position 10 the enemy, and
rerentCd.
"Kosciusko was asionlshed, but no, dismayed
The disposition of his army would have done
honor to Hannibal. The succeeding conflict
was terrible. When the talents of the General
could no longer direct The mingled mass of com
the aid OF his soldiers. He performed rrod
gles OF valor The tabled power of Ajax in
defending the Grecian ships was realized nv the
Polish hero. Nor was he badly seconded by
his troops. As long his voice could guide,
or his example fire their valor, they were IRE.
ss'able. In this unequal contest Kosci,lsko was
long seen, and finally lost TO their view
Hope for season babe the world farewell
'And Freedom shrieked when Koscusko fell
Gle fell, covered with wounds, but still sur.
Wneh an omccr inIcTpUseiI. .cnner nm TO ex-
ecue his purpose, said the bleeding hero, 4
am the devoted soldier Of my country, and will
not survive its Iibertcs.' The name of koscins-
ko struck 10 the heart of the Tartar, like HAT of
Marins upon The Cinhrian warrior. The uplit-
ed weapon dropped f. ON his hand.
"Kosci,,sko was conveyed to the dungeons Of
Petersburg, and, TO the eternal disgrace OF the
Empress Catharine, she made him the object OF
her vengeance, when he could 10 longer be the
object OF her fears. Her more generous
stored him to liberty. The reminder Of his
life has been spent III virtnous retirement.
Whilst in this situation in France, anecdote
is related of him which strongly illustrates the
command which his virtues and his services had
obtained over the minds OF his cCuntrynen.
Sin the late invasion OF France, some Polish
regiments in the service of Russin, passed
throu gh the village in which he lived. Some
pilaging oftne inhabitants brougis; kosciusko
from his cottage. When was Polish sold
ier said he, addressing the plundercrs, the prop
erty of the peaceful citizen respected And
who art thou said an officer, who addresses us
with this tone of authoriy?' Il am koscius
ko' There was magic in the word. 1t ran
from corps to corps. The march was snspen
ded. They gathered round him, and sazed with
astonishment and awe upon the mighty ruin he
presented. Gould it indeed be their hero,
whose fame was identified with That Of their
country? a thousand interesting reflections
burst upon their minds; they remembered his
devotion to liberty, his uiumphs aud his glorious
fall Their iron hearts soitened, and the
tear OF sensbity trckled down their weather
beaten faces We can easily conceive, sir, what
would be the feelings OF the nero himself at
st.clI scene. His great heart must have heaved
with emotion 10 fad himself once more surroun-
ded 10y the companions of his glory, and that he
wou!, have been upon the point of saying to
them,
'Hehogd your General, come once more
sTo lead YOU to laureFd victory,
sro Fame To Freedom.
"The deusiou could have lasted but for mo
nent. He was himself, alas! a miserable Grip
pe and, for them? they were no longer the sol.
ders of liberty, but the Instruments OF AMBITIOUS
,ymnny. Overwhelmed with grief at the retlec
ton, he would retire to his cottage, to mourn IL
fresh over the tniseres of his country.
"Snch was the man, sir, for whose memory L
ask from an American Congress slight tribute
cG resi- eet Not, sir, TO perpetn"te his lame' on.
orr ,rati.ude. His fame will Inst as long as
l;Jar,T reuains upon the earth; as long as vo'
tnry offers incense upon her altar the name OF
KGscusko will be- invoked. Ana IT, ny the
common consent of the world, II temple shall be
erected 10 those who rendered the most service
10 msnkinl-il the statue OF our great country
I 4 e til f,et AT,>r.i,