The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-02-20
1t Is but fair we should hear the accused In
their vndication. Let us hear the other side.
Yours truly, CYRIL PEARL.
The Polish Insurrection.


Of his abso ute power after six months of
threatening proyocation, stung the people of
Poland into revolt on the 18th of last month.
The following letter, publishediin England, is
dated at Warsaw, Jan. II:
The measure which for six months had
been suspended over the country, under the
name OF partial recruiting" commenced be-
ing put into execution at Warsaw in the night
between the 14th and 18th. Ii Is important
well to understand what in official style par
tial recruiting or conscription MEANS Recruit
ing, which had been abolished in Poland since
the death Of the Emperor Nicholas, has now
been reinstated in manner hitherto unknown.
1t is no longer by drawing lots that men are
drafted into regiments to serve an Grenbourg
or In the Khirgisian deserts, but it is the gov
ernment which selects the men best fitted for
service, and IL takes them exclusively from
the population Of the cities; 1t deprives the
country OF its most active and Intelligent
young men.
1t was not without much hesitation and
long discussion that the government finally
resolved to carry out the measure. Enlight-
ened Russians exerted generous and merito-
rious efforts to avert the fatal blow, and l do
not see why should not mention one name
before many others, as such an indiscretion is
but a sincere homage rendered to brave and
noble conduct. Prince Orloff, who from his
diplomatic post at Brussels carefully watches
the internal affairs of Russia and of Poland.
proceeded recently with all haste to Warsaw
from Belgium. He counted upon the benevo-
lence--it may be said upon the friendship
with which the Grand Duke Constantine hon
ors him, TO dissuade him from such an act of
rgor. He exerted all his eloquence to plead
the cause Of right and humanity, and there
was moment when he thought he had sue
ceeded in shaking the resolve of the Lieuten-
ant of the Empire, but other contrary influen-
ces soon prevailed.
No less energetic efforts (and at first attend
ed with success) were made by the Poles to
dssuade the unhappy population from any idea
of resistance against the measure of recruit
ing, although secret committee called the
Central Committee has recently been urging
the people to resistance by clandestine publi-
cations. The efforts Of this committee ac-
quired additional activity as soon as the fact
that the garrison was TO be increased by 50,-
600 men led TO the presumption that the hour
OF the terrible trial was approaching Even
yesterday, after the razzid of the preceding
night, the committee issued an appeal to all
the youth of the schools and universities to
join the working classes In a common resist
ance. But the students replied almost unan-
mously, that any attempt at resistance would
only bring down still greater misfortunes upon
the country, and that il was the duty of every
student, and of every working man, who
should be selected as conscript, to bear his
sad lot with resignation, SO rs not to expose
his country to enormous and hopeless dangers.
In the midst OF the great evils which oppress
us, IL is a great source of consolation to find
this spirit OF good sense and resignation
among the elite Of our youth.
IL was 10 o'clock in the evening of the 14th
that the Grand Dnke signed the order to put
q s..sx. ~
lice agents and soldiers commenced the work.
They surrounded the houses noted down in
their list. aud detachment entered each
house to seize the men designated to serve
In the absence OF the young man his parents
were seized as guarantees for his appearance.
In this first haul. which lasted till O'Clock In
the morning, 2j00 men were carried off,
Among the conscripts are many who had re-
Gently been set at liberty, and declared not
guilty by the military. tribunals; thus, among
others, NJ. Herr was taken off, who had only
returned Is days from Siberia.
will spare you description Of the heart
rerding details Of the anguish of wives and
mothers surrounding the prisons, bewailing
the loss OF their husbands and sons. IL Is said
that these nightly expeditions are TO be con-
tinually repeated. The aspect Of the city is
sad and gloomy, the shops are closed and the
workmen are leaving the town in large num-
the families who have been deprived of sup
port, and the government does not show any
opposition to this. We are completely devoid
OF news from the provinces.
Another letter, dated Warsaw, 22d inst,
says:
The forced recruiting took place again on
the morning of the 18th. The conscripts were
seized In their houses by policemen and SOL
ders, and locked up in the Citadel. The Of
fetal paper endeavors to show that no resist
ance has been made, aud that the measure has
been taken in good part, and it was not neces-
sary to have recourse 10 violence. But al
ready, on the l4th, thousands of young men
had taken to flight, and as conscripts contin-
ued to be made on the following days, many
took advantage of the barriers still being
open TO escape to the country. The Central
Committee called upon them to form them
selves into bands in the different districts, and
many of the more eager ones, though not like
ly TO come under the recruiting law, have done
so. Up to the present moment the assembages
have not been dispersed, but troops have been
sent TO put them down. A military Gordon
has been organized by the government, yet
numbers of young men are continually escap-
ing by the ramparts, or disguised rs peasants.
On the other hand, many OF them, dishearten-
ed by the inclemency of the weather and want
Of food, have returned; Others have been
seized by the soldiers. A large body of troops
is stationed near Kamienda, below Modlin,
near the fortress Bresclitewski. The young
men are badly armed, only few OF them have
revolvers and guns. Some have daggers, 9TH
ers have no weapons at all. A pacard of the
revolutionary committee announces that they
have not been able to get the arms they had
purchased across the frontier. The same pa-
card declares the Wielopolskis, father and son,
traitors TO their country. The government
has declared that the recruits OF the kingdom
shall only be drafted into regiments quartered
in the home districts OF European Russia.
While on parade at ST. Petersburg, on the
25th ult., the Gar addressed the officers pres
ent, manifesting some emotion. After men,
tioning the recent events in Poland, his I'm
perial Majesty said
Even in presence Of these atrocities, l will
not accuse the whole Polish nation. / see In
these events only the work of revolutionary
party desirous of overturning legal order
everywhere. know this party reckons upon
finding traitors In our ranks 1t will, however.
not shake my belief in the faith and devoted
ness of the army, which will now more than
ever fulfil its duties. Should circumstances
require, you will prove that can depend up
on you.