The Placer herald., 1863-09-26
The Secret Government of the Polish Rev.

have been written, the life and tate Of the
National Committee of the Poll sh revolution
There is no parallel to it in ancient or mod
times. The Vehme of the middle ages-that
mysterious and dark tribunal, which made
US shudder in our young days of romance
readng-sinks into insigpiticance when
compared to it. 1t is something awful
ghostlike. 1t is the battle of the clumsy
giant with sombre phantom. On one side
rough violence, butalitv, the murder Of prs'
oners, the violations Of women. the persecu,
ton of religious into 'erance, all the outrages,
in short, which a Russian soldery and a Rus,
sian debauched arstocracy can devise on
the other, the sad, ominous statue Nobe-
a shadow, phantom; no brutality, but in
flexible Justice, humanity for the prisoners
of war, but the silent, seathy dagger for
the traitor or the disobetlient.
During all the months that this secret
government has been in existence, it has gov
erned the Polish revolution with absolute
undisputed sway. To a hidden agency, omi
nous in lis concealment, the entire Polish
nation has by voluntary consent pledged obe-
dience, until it is now so strong that neither
Russian nor Pole, neither friend nor foe,
dare dlsobey the least Of its DEGREES. Con.
lrary to the usual instincts of human nature
the Polish nation, in its last and greatest up,
rising, has put forth as its representative, its
emblem and type, not a visible head, but a
yelled power, unknown to itself and to all the
world. And woe TO those who still venture
to treat its secret orders with contempt!-
The curse of al evil action falls not more
swift and relentless than the knife of the Po-
llsh Government strikes the heart of the of
fender. Whether Russian noble or Polish
herdsman, this wonderful tribunal, whote
members are unknown, whose existence is a
my stery, whose officials have never been pro
claimed, knows how and where to strike
them, and none OF it sentences and punish
ments leave trace whereby the Judge or
execuioner can be discovered. In the popu
lous city of Warsaw. where the severest Rus
sian martial law rules, undei tho very eyes of
the Russian Government and the Russian 20
lire--which Russia has ordered the most cele
brated of French and English detectives from
Paris and London to perfest in their melan-
choly art-the committee has lit headqurr.
lers, its places of meeting, its printing press
es, its secretaries, messengers and spies, and
not the first sign or clue has as yet been
discovered which might put the police on
their track. Even the most stubborn or hos
tile have now learned to know that they
must obey. A German banker in Warsaw
was ordered to pay six thousand rubes.-
Fearing that by doing so he might draw upi
on himself the suspicion of the Russian gov
ernment. he went to the Grand Duke, Con-
s,antine, to obtain his advice, but the duke
had none to give. Scarcely returned home,
he found second notice advising him, that
his assessment had been raised to twelve
thousand rubles on account Of his delay and
delib grafton, with note adding that the
money must be paid at once. lie i'nmedi-
ately paid it.
The Countess Weopwiski was assessed a
much higher SUN, and when she shrugged
her shoulders at it, she was asked to look on
the other side of the paper She then read
something which Induced her at once to pay
the amount. A railroad officer, who had Ia
ken arms from the patriots, received senI
lence of death. In fear and terror he fled
to Prussia where he was found suspended
to a tree
The Prussian Secretary Enoch advised the
Grand Duke, at family dinner party in the
palace to send the Polish prisoners to Sibe-
ria. The secret governments was immedi-
ately notified of this fact, and sent to Enoch
threatening him with instant death if he
persisted in his course.
A Jewish merchant in Warsaw had closed
a contract with the Russian government Of
some 10000 rubles. He received note
from the National Committee informing
him that he must at once throw up the con
tract lie replied in return, by the same
messenger, that he was poor and was on the
eve of celebrating the marriage of his daugh
ter. The contract would enable him to
make profit of 10000 rubles, and to give
his daughter an appropriate dowry, He
| offered the committee one half ofthe expect
ed profits if they would consent to his fufll'
ing the contract. An hour Afterwards he
received the congratulations Of the commit
tea on the marriage of his daughter; his pc
tition was allowed under the peculiar cir
cumstances, and his offer accepted, but he
was strictly enjoined TO engage in no further
contracts with the Russian Government
The implicit obedience which is paid by Rus
slams and Poles to the decree ofthe secret gov.
ernment is really wonderful, and can only be
explained by the certainty with which it in
| Acts punishment in every case Of dsobedl
ence.
A Russian officer who refused to obey
decree of the National Government, received
| his death warrant One morning as he was
| Just leaving his house in one of the most
| populated streets in tie city, he WAS stabbed
through the heart and fell on the floor. His
wife hearing the noise of the fall, and see
| ing her husband stretched out upon the floor,
called for help. A man at the doorway told
her he would 90 for the doctor and starting
off informed police offer that the man with
in had been struck by paralysis. The police
officer went into the house and found the
knife in the mans heart. The man at the
| DOORWAY had been the uxecutlOner OF the