Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1842-01-06
.MgIscciI0neouG.
BENFAaExs CIV POLAND.

Poiand, before its ACKNOWLEDGMENT, was n ag-
ricuIinral country, in the complete Specification
of the term.
lis fertile soil prevented the Poles from becom-
mr. manufacturing nation. It's system of policy
was to adopt the commerce Of cxchangc-always
apportioning the price of their produce to the
ratio Of the price demanded - foreigners for
their goods. The Poles were b Ply in their com
;nercial pursuits; and whilst the foreign mer-
chants derived great profits from Poland, the bal
ancc Of trade was also favorable to the Poles. All
classes ofour people were at ease-and thousands
of our merchants and owners ofland realized great
fortunes. Since the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Poland
an entire new system of commercial policy has
been substituted by Russia, Austria and Prussia
which IS TO export rs much domestic produce Us
possible, and to receive in exchange, nothing but
rns.,''y. Our commerce became that of our op-
pressors--and the ploduce Of Poland, exported
through Hantzck, (once our port0 is nov called
German produce.
Whatever is exported through Riga and the
Black, IS called Russian produce; so that the
wheat, timber, iron, leather, hemp, fax, honey,
talow, &c. &c. of Poland, are called either Ger
man Russian, although neither German Or
Russian hands TIL the soil which produces them.
The result OF this system Of policy has been to
render money very scarce in all parts Of Poland
10 mike the situation Of the laboring classes
wretched-and to cause uncasiness, even in the
magnificent palaces built by our fathers. Many
Pole, who owns thousands of acres Of land, and
who has thousands OF bushels of wheat in his
granarics, finds himself often. under difficulty to
pay the taxes and arbitrary contributions
The result of this policy Is, that every thing
which the soil produces and the labor employed
in It's production, are very ,hoap. Whilst the
foreign articles of almost very kind required for
the use or consumption Of The country, are scarce
and very dear--the importer being obliged to pay
very heavy duties thereon,
IN order to give you correct ideas in regard to
the Sc matters allow me to explain here, the KIND
or rather the value of our currency. During the
! last two or three centuries before the dsmember'
lncnt Of Poland, copper money was almost mn
known--silver and gold were in general c'rcnla
ton The people scarcely knew any other mon
ey than dollars and ducats-the dollar being 0.
! the same value as tidI ia NV - - 1890 -
gold piece worth $3.50.
At the present time, a Polish form, which i:
equal to one shilling. New York currency, IL
| IL cls) is divided into 80 very small pieces o
copper, called gros2o. For one such piece of cop
per- that is, one thirtieth part of New Y ork shl
ling, you have loaf Of bread sufficient for the
breakfast, dinner or supper of an American gen
teman. The price of wheat is from l0 to % cts
per busbe Rye, barley and oats, at one half OF
two thirds the price of wheat. In some parts
Poland incorporated with Russia, these articles
may be had at a much lower price-whllst to
coffee or sugar we pay from is to 20 cts per ID
and for tea from rs cts to 80. In consequence
fthis state of things, the foreign articles ever
of the first necessity, are used only by very few
families in proportion to the population OF thu
country. Scarcely one person in hundred Il
rich enough to consume or use coffee and tea II
Poland, since it has been dismembe1ed.
The owner of 200 or 300 acres of land we'll cul
tivated, seldom uses any article which he doe
not raise on his own soil. As TO the laborlnl
classes, they never see any; the produce OF tn
soil feeds and clothes them.
Having made you somewhat acquainted will
the condition to which our people have been re
duced, "by the paternal laws and policy of Thu
Government of Russia, Austria and Prussia,
which recommended by some writer's in thi
country as beneficial to the mass of the people,
proceed to answer your questions. A common
laborer gains in Poland from to IL 2 cents p
day A mechanic seldom gains more than q
cents, female servant in the country has iron