Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-02-18
WEEKLY.
MISCELLANEOUS.
K0SCITJSKO,

AODOl y pIA VI
Among the remarkable men Of modern times.
there is perhaps whose fame is purer from re-
proach than that of Thadeus Kosciusko His name
is cnshrined in the ruins of his unhappy country.
which, with heroic bravery and devotion he sought
to defend against foreign oppression and foreign
domination. Kosciusko born at Warsaw,
about the year 1755. lie was educated at the school
Of Cadets in that city, where he distinguished
himself so much in scientific studies as we'll as in
drawing, that he selected as one of four stu
dents of that institution, who were sent to travel
at the expense OF the State, with view of per-
iecting their requirements. Iu this capacity he
visited France, where he remained for several
years, devotng himself to studies of various kinds
On his return to his own country he entered
the army, and obtained the command ola compa-
NY. But he was soon Obliged to expatriate him.
self again, in order to fly from violent bu. unre
Quilted passion FOR the daughter of the arshal OF
Lithuania one of the first officers Of state of the
Polish court
lie bent his steps to that part of North America
which was then waging its war of independence
against England Here he entered the army and
served with distinction, as one of the adiutants
of Gen Washington. While thus employed, he
became acquainted with Lafayette, Lameth, and
other distinguished Frenchmen serving in the
same cause, and was honored by receiving the
most hattering praises from Franklin, as we'll as
the public thanks of the Congress of the United
States. He also decorated with the new
American order of Cncinnatus, being the only
European, except Lafayette, to whom it was
given.
At the termination Of the war he returned to
his own country, where he lived in retirement till
the year 1879, at which period he was promoted
by the Diet to the rank of major general. That
body was at this time endeavorng to place its mill
tary force upon respectable footing, in the vain
hope of restraining and diminishing the domi-
neering influence of foreign powers in what still
remained ofPoland 1t also occupied itselfn re-
forming the vicious constitution of that unfortu-
nate and ill-governed country-in rendering the
monarchy hereditary declaring universal toll
eration-and in preserving the privileges of the
nobility, while at the time, it ameiorated
the condition of the lower orders. In all these
improvements Stan:las Poniatowski, the reigning
king, readily conquered, although the avowed in
tention of the Diet was to render the crown he
reditary in the Saxon family The King of Prus-
STA (Frederic William II,) who, from the time of
the treaty of Cherson in 1857 between Russia
and Austria, had become hostile to the former
power, also encouraged the Poles in their pro-
ceedings; and even gave them the most positive
assurances of assisting them in case the changes
they were efIecting occasioned any attacks from
other soyereirns.
Russia at length having made peace with the
Turks, prepared to throw her sword into the
scale. A formidable opposition to the measures
of the Diet had arisen, even among the Poles
themselves, occasioning what was called the con-
federation Of Targowicz, to which the Empress
of Russia promised her assistance. The feeble
Stanislas, who had proclaimed the new constitu-
ton in 1871, bound himself in 1899 to sanction
the Diet of Grodno which restored the ancient
constitution with all its vices and abuses. In the
mean time, Frederic William, King of Prussia,
who had so much contributed to excite the Poles
to these measures, basely deserted them, and re-
fused to afford them any assistance On the con-
trary, he stood aloof from the contest waiting for
that share of the spoil which the naughty En-
press of the North might think proper to allot to
him as reward of his noninterierence.
But, though thus betrayed on all sides, the
Poles were not disposed to submit without a
struggle. They flew to arms, and found in the
nephew Of their king, the prince Joseph Ponia-
towski, general worthy to conduct so glorions a
cause Under his command Kosciusko first be.
came known in European warfare. lie distin-
guished himself in the battle of Zelence and still
more n that of Dubicnska, which took place on
the 18th June, 1872 Upon this latter occasion
he defended for six hours, with only four thous-
men, against fifteen thousand Russians, post
which had been slightly fortified in twenty four
hours and at last retired with inconslderable loss
But the contest was too unequal to last the |
patriots were overwhelmed by en- e mics from
without, and betrayed by traitors within, at the
head of whom was their own sovereign. The
Russians took possession Of the country, and pro-
ceeded to appropriate those portions of Llthuania
and Volhynia which suited their convenience;
while Prussia, the friendly Prussia, invaded anoth-
err part ofthe kingdom
Under these circumstances, the most dlstin- |
guished officers in the Polish army retired from
the service, and of this number was Kosciusko.
Miserable at the fate of his unhappy country, and
at the same time, an object of suspicion to the rul
ing powers, he left his native land and retired TO
,,to1 g h.