The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-09-04
KOSCIUSKOS HEIRS AND TIE RUSSIAN
MINISTER.
EXHIBIT B.
Continued from last week.

EXHIBIT b.
PoDzAMszczYzNA, IN GALIcIA, June 2, 1851.
SIR: You are doubtless surprised why you had
no news for so long time from the honorable
Mr.. Estko. | undertake to explain to you the
reasons Of it:
Mr. Estko executed in this country and sent
from here to you and to Mr.. Tochman, power
Of attorney, authorizing you both to prosecute his
and his relatives claim to the succession Of Gen.
Kosciusko o. being informed by Mir. Tochman
that that power of attorney did not revoke the
authority of Messrs. F, ndsll and Bradley, he
subsequently, from this country, lGslicis,) wrote
him letter, explaining that it was bis intention
TO revoke the authority of these two gentlemen,
and that he does revoke it by that letter.
Upon his return to the kingdom Of Poland, in
February last, Mr.. E,tko was summoned by the
chief of the military government Of Lubin mil
ary governor to return to his Office the passport
under the authority of which he was allowed to
20 to Galicis whenever his business required, and
TO appear personally in his Office in Lublin, in or
der TO answer some inquiries TO be made Of him.
On his arrival in Lublin, and appearance in
the Office Of the military chief, he was spprized
that his excellency the Viceroy required that he
should explain what communication he enter
tains with the emgrants texiles) in America
Mr.. Bodisco, the ambassador having reported
him as follows
lst That he MIR Estko) obtained, by force
from his relatives, power of attorney, and, upon
its authority, executed another power of attorney
in Galicis which he frsudulently caused to be
authenticated in the office Of the imperial legation
at Vienna
I'd. That he is in correspondenca with the
exies in America, and furnishes to them informa-
ton injurious to the empire Of Russia
Sd. That he receives from them rebellious
proclsmations, and circulates the same in Poland
and in Rassia.
4th. That be sends considerable sums of mon
! ey TO the exiles in America
5th. That, in the prosecution of the succession
of Gen. Koscusko, he is acting injuriously to the
interest of the rest of the members of the family,
and wishes to defraud them for his own benefit,
and for the benefit of the exiles
These charges made against the Hon Hipolitus
ss-'so%.sl. ros-aSfets T, - - D-'i--
co to his Hghness, This excellency the Viceroy Of
the kingdom Of Poland and also TO the honorable
the Ministry Of the Interior Of the Russian En-.
pire; and the Ministry directed the governor of
Grodno to compel Mrs. Catharine Estko, Mr.
Roman Estko, and Mrs. Louisa Narbut, born
Estko, to revoke that power of attorney, and to
re-epgage as their attorneys Messrs Fendall and
Bradley.
Mr.. Hipolitus Estko was informed of it by his
relatives, and they wrote to him that the governor
threatened to force them to comply with that or
der. In answer to this information MIR Hipoltus
Estko submitted TO his relatives that they cannot
comply with that order or demand, because, al
though they gave him only power of attorney to
prosecute their claim to the succession of General
K osciusko, deceased, yet there are subsstng fam
lily compacts, by which he became assignee of their
portions. He suggested to them to make known
to their government that in reality they have no
interest in the estate having assigned the same to
Mr.. Hipolitus Estko. ! do not know, and Mr.
Hipolitus Estko does not know, what they have
done in the premises But it seems to me that
his highness the Viceroy of the kingdom of Poland
gave no credit to the charges which the ambassa-
dor preferred against Mr. Hipolitus Estko, be-
cause in his already alluded to order he required
of the military chief to furnish to him az soon as
possible such explanation on the inject as Mr.
Hipolitus Estko would give, warning him that a
delay in this respect would expose Mr. Estko and
other heirs to procrsstination in the cause, the
ambassador having been directed not to interfere
in the proceedings Of that cause until the inves-
| tigation should be finished and further decision
communicated to him. This instruction given
to the ambassador authorizes an Inference that
his highness the Viceroy partly knows that so
Jealous an interference Of the ambassador in
the cause relating to the succession of General
Kosciusko, deceased, is not to be attributed to
Their in personal considerations
The honorable Hpolitus Estko gave the follow.
ing explanation in this matter:
!. That he never acted fraudulently, nor did
he ever use force towards bis relatives in the fam
lily transactions He called upon them to say
with what loyal regard he always acted towards
them.
2. That he executed the power of attorney in
question according to the forms prescribed by the
lame Of ali Asa .
authenticated by the Forum of Lemberg, by the
governor of the kingdom of Gaicia, and subse.
quently by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the
empire of Austria, and by the legation Of the
United States at Vienna that the authorization
Of the Russian legation there was not necessary,
and Mr.. Estko was not in Vienna.
g. That he communicated with YOU and Mr.
Tochman solely and exclusively in matters relat-
ing tothe succession of General Koscusko, decess-
ed, and never had from either of you any commu-
nication on any other subject.
a. That he never sent money to either of you,
nor to any other person
D. He stated that the ambassador NEEDLES in
this cause without authority that he opposes him
(Estko) in retaining the counsel of his own choice
and wishes 10 force upon him persons who have
not his confidence. He also stated that upon the
memorial of the Estkos his Majesty the Emperor
| Alexander, deceased, directed his imperial Minis
ter of Foreign Affairs to send to Washington
through the medium Of the imperial legation
their documents Of heirship, with an express in.
struction that the legation should not interfere
in retaining the counsel, nor in any other manner
| in the proceedings Of the case He charged that
the present ambassador departed from these in
structions, and is acting contrary to the order of
his Majesty the Emperor, deceased
6. Lastly, to avoid all suspicion, Mr. Hipolitus
Estko pledged his word Of honor that he would
not write to you, nor TO Mr.. Tochman without the
special permission of his highness the Viceroy.
1t seems to me that his highness the Viceroy was
satisfied with this explanation, as he ordered that
the passport given to Mr. Estko to 20 to Galicia,
when his business should require it, should he re-
turned to him. The detention of 1t during this
investigation had exposed him, however, to great
losses
From this statement you will perceive the dan.
ger and the trouble to which Mr. Estko was ex-
posed in consequence Of the false charges which
the ambassador preferred against him You will
perceive how important il is to disclose the base
and treacherous views Of the ambassador Now.
as SOME time ago you mentioned in letter that
there exist some family connections, or others
between please then, sir, to ascer.
tain and inform of the nature of those relations
whatever they may be-
IL seems to me that when you ascertain what
relations exist-hmiy relations or others-be.
tween Mr. Bodisco and the gentleman above al.
tuded TO- you should retaining all regard for the
the Government of Russis) expose in plain Ian.
guage the unwarrantabe interference of the am
oasssdor, and his personal interest in this case
You should do this in letter addressed directly
TO The honorable Hipolitus Estko, which you
should address to him in Poland
On receiving such letter, Mr.. Estko will proba.
bly, not neglect to communicate IL to his Govern
ment, In order TO refute further the false and I'm.
Just charges which the ambassador preferred
against him.
With great consideration, am, sir, respectfully,
| vnur ohadiant aaruo,t