Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-14
AN ELOQUENT AND BEAUTIFUL
60 GRAFTON.

An Appeal in Behalf of Poland, by .
Z me Great Erfsh orators, Rich ard, !
OGorman.-The Great Polish Meet
iag an New York ON Tuesday Even-,
- - ''s'-I. -. ast rsis-1 I'd
The Chairman then introduced to the audience
Richard D German, Esq who was received with
cheers. After the applause had subsidized Mr.
O'Gorman spoke as follows: a e
RIcHARD oGoRNAS's SPEECH.
-, 1t was in October, I776. when the American
army lay encamped at Morristown, Ihsta Young
foreigner presented himself to General Washing
ton. with an introduction from Benjamin Frank
lin. What do you seek herefs' inquired the
Commander Chief ITO fight for liberty,
replied the young man What you DOR
"fry me-" was the answer. Washington took
him at his word He tried-was found TO
be an admirable engineer--quiekly rose TO the
rank sf Coionel-aid TO Washingt0n---then
General of brigade. Thenceforwsrd he shared
m all the dangers fatigues and sufferings of the
WSr of Independence. Witnessed the final triumph
OF the American cause, and. crowned with such
honors as brave men value the respect Of bis great
chief and the love of every soldier and citizen
throughout the land his genius and valor con-
tribufed 10 make free--full of JOY, and pride and
hope he recrossed the ocean and returned to his Z
home His name-Americans. you cannot quite
forget him. among the hills at West Point, over
looking the Hudson, the site OF old fort
whose outlines he traced long ago, marble cen
oaDh still stands to commemorate the gratitude
of the people he served 80 well: and you men Of
Poland, you at least, remember him with pride
his name was Thaleus Kosciusko. [Cheers.
As he once stood before the soldiers Of America,
50 now Poland, his country. stands before the y
nations Of Chrissendom and claims recognition at
their hands. To Poland now, as to Koscinsko,
long ago, the same questions are put, and by her
the same answers are given--"What seek you
heref" ITO tight for Liberty" What can you
. dor Poland answers, "Try me-" Renewed
cheeringl .By all the glories of my past career
by my ancient splendor-by my present sor-
rows-by the wrongs | have suffered-by the
agonies / have endured-by the fidelity with
which have preserved through all the immortal
hope Of final deliverance-by the fearful odds
against which contend--by what | have been,
and done. and suffered--by what am, and dare
to day, ye nations Of Christendom try me. Judge
IL be worthy TO stand among you. To you /
appeal; and you DO justice now, may
Heaven be just to you, when your hour OF peril
comes, and the clouds and the storm shut out the
sun. and darken all the Heavens from your
view =" ICheers.1 n-
This IS What Poland claims. She has been
belied she prays that the truth be now spoken
aud heard. She has been called turbulent be-
cause she protested against plumber, and unrea-
sonable and importunate because she asked for
her own CONQUEST has no bitterer pang than
this, that the con0uerOr can ALWAYS state his own
case. Who shall tell. and who would listen 10
the story Of the vanquishedr N
The rapid decline of Poland is one of the most
terrible facts IN all European history. One hun
dred years ago she held her head high among the
foremost nations. Stretching from the Baltic in
the north 70 the Black Sea in the south, fifteen
millions of prosperous and happy people shared
the plenty of her broad domain. Her form of
government, even quite early in history, tended
toward a republic and political suffrage ex-
tended among her people to degree then and
perhaps even now unknown in the rest OF Eu-
rope Her cities were the homes of hospital
ity and refinement; her schools of learning
were famous; and you remember that it was
into Polish brain the great idea first en-
tered that the stars that stud the blue vault
above Us do no move through the skies merely
to give this little world light, but themselves
worlds. revolving each in its special orbit, obey
ing one sovereign ruler under which all are uni
ted, vet each is free. Great cheering Nicho-
las Kopperrik. or Copernicus. the great astrouo.
mer of the sixth century, was Pole Happily
for herself, removed from the temptations and
intoxicatons OF commercial life. Poland was
chiefly agricultural, and her children grew up
healthy, simple in manners, stalwart and brave
They we're nation of soldiers. and. though
bedged around by warlike and aggressive nations
she could hold her with the best. There
was a noble, nnse6sh magnanimity, too, about
Poland of old. that in these days of pe1dlmg d.
plOmacy, we can scarce understand. At the close
of the seventeenth century, Austria about the
most dangerous and troublesome neighbor PO-
land had, and they watched each other with jeal
Gus attention. Suddenly there burst upon Eu-
rope a terrible disaster. The Turks, with
greet army, had crossed the frontier, and
spreading devastation as they marched. The Turks
then the most warlike nation in the world
Their Asiatic ssvagery, their hatred o;
Christianity, the deadly earnestness OF
their propagandsm of the Mosem Greed, all
filed Europe with alright. On they came like
hurricane. and all went down before them.
This time they had vowed to extirpete the Chris
tian name, and to set the Crescent above the
Cross in every cathedral in Europe. They
marched straight on Vienna and encompassed it
all around. There seemed no hope but from
Poland. What would Poland dot Why help
Austria? whispered policy; let her fall: il is one
enemy the less Thus did not think the KING of
Poland-John Sobieski. He man Of he
roic mould. He saw Europe mensced. its religi
on and il civilization imperilled He saw the
tile OF bail aiism that had been again and again
banked out, rising more and threatening
enCuf all in ruin. He this. and forgetting
Poland's ancient grudge, Ohm Sobieski babe his
Poles grid on their swords and march to the re-
lief of their ancient foe. Loud cheers 1t was
early morning, they say, when John SobIeski
first accommodated the Turkish army as il lay
encnmped around Vienna. The men were at
breakfast. and he cond even recognize the
Turkish Vizier camly slipping his coffee before his
tent John, i suspect, had not break
tasted. for The sight made him angry.
He, thereupon, AS sort OF grace before
meat. shouted out "non no6is Donsine"-s'not to
us, Oh Lord;'' and ordered instant advance
surprised the Turks-routed them-scattered
them-eat their breakfast-raised the siege-and
when, next day, he knelt in the grand Cathedral
of Vienna. and the priest from the altar gave out
as his text: There a man sent from God,
and his name was John" every eve turned 10 the
Polish King, and every voice cried out, Amen,
AmeD;" for by John Sobieski aud the gallant
. Poles, into whose hearts Heaven had breathed
that sublime magnanimity, Europe had been
saved. Applause Gould Europe ever forget
this: Could the gratitude of Austria ever grow
c0ld7 We shall see. There are certain transac
tons in the history Of modern Europe so ineffably
base and viIe, that ore is disposed to deny the
influence Of Christianity in the history of nations;
for PAgaDism, in its worst cruelty and fraud,
never sunk so low. The people of Poland, in an
evil hour, fell TO quarreIing among themselves.
Il j. not worth While 70 inquire shout what they
quarreled. or which side had the right of il; they
took to arms, fell into civil war. and were thence
= forward clearly both, in Che wrong. [Cheers.l
By degrees Russia began 70 sympathize with
one party. and Austria and Prussia with another.
The Poles fought ssili among themselves. A
scene of ANARCHY. bloodshed, ruin and havoc en-
= sued The sympathizer- encouraged them and
urged them on and waiting quietly until both
sides, exhausted with mutual slaughter beca me
+, an easy prey, they, with the most philanthropic
motives, marched their armies into Poland, and