New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-04-16
stt6 OfIeaas DAILY Crescent,
LETTER FROM PARIS.
III, i III New orleans Crescent.

Epecial 10 the New Orleans Crescent
PARIS, March IS, 1861.
The late e,l.g,tte at Warsaw draws the attention
Of Europe toward Poland again. The roles, say
some of our qnd nnncs, never will De quiet; ana
indeed we might add, Poland never was quiet, and
perhaps that is the cause OF her present troubles.
Yet the Poles are noble race, in every sense of
the word. They deserve the freedom they, sigh
for Now especially do they deserve it, since they
better understand the theory of free government,
than in years gone by. That which gave Poland
rank among the nations Of the world, was the iact
that it was known only through its mobiles; Tor al
ter all, it is the comparatively few educated men
who give any community national chafacter-
who establish its institutions and shape us destny.
Poland, therefore, has always stood forth as q MT
itary power Her noblemen have known no occn
nation but that Of arms, even from the earliest
DAYS of its history 1t was distinguished indeed by
HE name of Corpenicus but birth to no other
man Of cosmopolitan reputation in science or let
ters The cultivation of the earth is in the hands
Of The peasants, and the jews who are very nu-
nlerous are the merchants and bankers. Its mani
Ifactufes are very inconsiderabe. 1t may easily
be seen, therefore, why the Poles have been looked
upon with an eye of Jealous fear by their neigh
& bors; and why, together with other reasons, their
country has been divided between Russia, Austria
and Prussia. Though, am satisfied, at the same
time, that could these powers agree to surrender
u their separate shares and Fenstate Poland IN its
original integrity, they would do far more to estab
Hsh their own security and peace, than their pres
emit occupation permits them to enjoy. Poland, as
confederate, Independent power, would be their
great support; and it might happen to Austria
again as it did III $685. when Sobieski at the head
of 40, 900 men, saved Vienna from destruction by
The. Turks, that these noble men, as free men, could
be her defence against the still more formidable
dangers that now threaten her. Not that we wish
well to Austria, as she at present exists do we say
this but because it strikes US the most sensible
course for her to pursue.
TO Judge of the character of the Polish nobility
ii may be well to alude to the manner in which
they formerly elected their Kings. This was done
in an open canvass by the Diet to which the elect
ors came completely armed; and as any election
might be defeated by a single dissentient voice,
that voice was never wanting; and the contest was
decided by asanguinary encounter of arms. This
method continued up to the beginning of the if-
teenth century. The subsequent history of that
country Is one of battles with Russia, Sweden,
Denmark, Brandenburg, etc, in which. although
often victorious its power and its territory suffered
successive dminutions.
Its most unfortunate period was under the reign
Of PaniatoWsk a favorite of Catherine of Russia,
to whom she secured the possession of the throne.
The religion Of Poland was then, as believe it is
now, Roman Catholic; and the influence of the
church was used to secure the complete disfran-
chisement Of all either religious persuasions and
to subject their professors to very grevions disa
biiities and burdens. These called to their aid the
armies of Russia, Austria and Prussia, when civil
being conquerors, civil and religious liberty seem
ed again to be in the ascendant. But it only led
to division OF the country, by which it was almost
absorbed by those three powers. This was the
first DIVISION The second and last occurred in the
war with Poland. under the leadership of Kosciusko
with Russia and Prussia. The Poles were defeated
and d final subjugaton of the whole country was
effected and partitioned between the present three
i powers who now hold it
Once more Poland took the field in 1870 during
i the French revolution that broke out under
Charles Il, and was again subjugated. 1t was to
an attempt to celebrate the anniversary of the
famous battle of Groehnw, a village near Warsaw |
which was fought in February, 1881, and in which
! the Russians were, il not defeated yet held in
check that we are indebted for the present mani |
festatfonof the popular discomfort and its dfsas-
tTeus Issue. The leading citizens assembled in
great numbers in the streets Of Warsaw, with ap-
proprate dEesses, banners, Inscriptions, etc. with
the design to march out to the battle field and |
there hold a funeral service in honor Of those who
fellin defence of their liberties. This led to an
encounter with the police and soldery which re- |
suited in the death Of a large number OF Poles as
yan have already been informed through the news
papers. The events that followed, your readers
are doubt acquainted with, as we'll as the reply
of the Emperor alexander to their address.
That great ameorat0ns will be granted we
cannot doubt; but not so much because of this
popular demonstration, as from the avowed liber-
al tendency oil the present Russian Government |
1t ls evident, at the same time that the spirit of
nationality which is stirring the hearts of all the |
races belonging to the dgnasties of eastern
Europe, is seriously threatening them with dis |
meulberment and eventual overthrow. II has |
been found impossible either by art or force, !
to mngle those races in such way as to eradicate
their peculiar and distinguishing characteristics
either in language. custom or ideas. They hold |
e these with q tenacity that is as remarkable as
that of the Hebrews. And this is the source of |
Austrias great trouble as it is the secret of her
danger. Hungary, no more than Poland, can be |
tranqnilized by imperial grants and favors and in
the face OF the successful revolution in Italy, will
spFr stDfN f1tyf had Et-n
nary repressons, until their oppressors will be ey |
hausted of strength and resources.
y ltmay to certain extent be true, as is alleged |
by tue defenders of those dynases that both the |
Poles and sHungarlans are unsafe neighbors and |
that their martial tendencies and domestic bro!s |
are serious objections to allowing them to have |
their own way. St they have, as they deserve,
the sympathies of free and enlightened peonie
and they look-and we must add, with but
little encouragement-to France and England for
more substantial manifestations of interest. The
first Napoleon did indeed encourage Poland with
hopes of future reconstruction Of the fabric of
her monarchy; but whether sincere or not, those
hopes were extingnished in the SHOWS of the Rus.
sian invasion of 1872. The present Emperor of |
France, it is thought, would do much for Poland
but il strongly suspected that his views in regard
to the East depend too much upon the cooperation
Of Russia to allow him to be heard just now Rus.
STA wants Constantinople and will hayeit. France
y not ayerse 70 Syria and Egypt. To carry out
these views will require both a good understand
ing and united and resolute action on the part of
these rulers nor can some manifestation of their
designs be much longer delayed. The Sublime |
Porte--or the "sck man, Y as he is caled-is an |
inefficient, hriftless ruler and his empire is already
falling to pieces.
Indeed, all Europe just now, like the witches
cauldron In Macbeth presents to the minds eve a |
bubble, bubble, toll and trouble that necessarily
arises from its heterogeneous ingredients. which
will not blend, but give out strange and omipous
sounds of conflict. Still, each Sovereign talks of
peace, even when arming, and each one processes
to fear war while provoking it. Even Spain rising
from the sumber of centuries, like a giant re- |
freshed with sleep, talks OF reconguests in the far
off West, and even hints, in half prophetic half
menacing terms, of Gibraltar, in the ears Of Eng
confidence in her strength. And who knows but
that again she may defy the world, as of old
Stranger things are taking place now a-days. Not
only are despotisms fallen, but republics are
divided, and q general reconstruction of effete
nationalites, and the advent of new men and new
ideas break upon Us with every new year The
progress of modern civilization may be destined. |
like the ancient, suddenly to reach its eliminating
point, only to sink again in undistngushed ruin |
Progress is like the waves of the sea that break
upon the shore only to fall back again and lose
themselves in the great mass of waters So the |
earth, geologists tell US, had its epochs of develop
ment and deeay-its sudden upheayels and de. |
pressions-its peaceful eras and dire commissions
through all of which it was the order of nature
that It should pass to reach its present stage eff
completon-if complete il may now be- Such has
been the history hitherto of nations. 1t may be
ours. Certain it is, we have hitherto discovered