Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-07
RIcnARp o'GoRMAN's sprEcn

It was in October. 1876. when the American
army lay eucampej at Morrstown, that Young
foreigner presented himself 10 General Washing
ton, with an introduction from Benjamin Frank.
lin. "What do YOU seek herei inquired the
Commander in Chief ITO fight tor liberty. .
replied the young man. "what can you do?''
TRY me- was the answer Washington took
him at his WORT He tried--was found 70
be an admirable engineer-Quickly rose 10 the
rank Of Coouel--aid 10 Washington--then
General OF brigade. Thenceforward he shared
IN ali the dangers, fatgues and suiIerings of the
War OF Independence witnessed the final triumph
OF the American cause, and. crowned with such
hOn0rs as brave men value the respect OF his great
chief and the love of every soldier and citizen
throughout the land his genius and valor con
tributet TO make free-full OF Joy, and pride and
hope. he recrossed the and returned 10 his
home His Observation-Disclosures, you cannot quite
forget him; among the hills at West Point, over
looking the Hudson. on the site OF an old fort,
whose outlines he traced long ago, marble cen
otaph still stands TO commemorate the gratitude
of the people he served we'll; and you men of
Poland, You at least, remember him with pride
his name was Tbadeus kosciusko lCheers !
As he once stood before the soldiers of America
so now Poland, his country, stands before the
nations of Christendom and claims recognition at
their hands. To Poland, now, a. 10 Kosciusko,
long ago. The same questions are put. and by her
the same answers are gven-'W hat seek You
herer" go tight for Liberty" What can YOU
do?' Poland answers, TRY me" Renewed
cheering by all the glories of nv past career
by my ancient splendor--by nv present sor-
rows-by the wrongs | have suifered-by the
agonies | have endured-by the fidelity wish
which l have preserved through all the immortal
hope of final deliverance-bv the fearful odds
against which contend-by what | have been
aud done. and suifered--by what am. and dare
to day, We nations of Christendom try me. Judge
II | be worthy to stand among yOu To you
appeal; and YOU do re Justice now, 80 NAV
Heaven be just to you, when your hour of peril
comes, aud the clouds and the storm shut out the
sun, and datken all the Heavens from your
view " Cheers
This is what Poland claims She has been
belied; she prays that the truth be now spoken
and heard. She has been called turbulent be-
cause she protested against plunder, and uurea
sonable ana importunate because she ash ed for
her own Conquest has no bitterer pang than
this, tiat The conqueror can always state his own
case Who shall tell. and who would listen TO
the story of the vanquiShed?
he rapid decline OF Poland is one of the most
terrible facts in all European history One nun
dred years ago she held her head high among the
foremost nations. Stretching from the Baltic in
the north 60 the Black Sea IN the south. fifteen
millions of prosperous and happy people shared
the plenty OF her broad domain Her torn of
government. even quite early in history, tended
toward IA republic. and political suffrage was ex
tended among her people To a 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 shat il 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 are themselves
worlds. revolving each IN its special orbit obey
ing one sovereign ruler under which all are uni
ted, yet each Is free. Great cheering Nicho-
las koppernk. or Copernicus. the great astrono
mer OF the sixth century, was a Pole Happily
Tor herself. removed from the temptations and
lntoxications of commercial life. Poland was
chiefly agricultural, and her children grew NJ
healthy, simple IN manners, stalwaIt and brave.
They were nation of soldiers. and. though
hedged around by warlike and aggressive nations
she Could hold her own with the best There
was noble, uuselhsh magnanimitv. too abort,
Poland o. old, that IN these davs of peidliug di
plomacy We can scarce understand At the close
of the seventeenth century. Austria was about the
most dangerous and troublesome neighbcr Pc
land had, ana they watched each other with zeal
Gus attention. Suddenly there burst upon Eu
rope a terrible disaster The Turks with
great army, had crossed the frontier and were
spreading devastation as they marched be Turks
were then the most warke nation in the world
Their ASiatic sayaeery. their hatred OF
Christianity. tie deadly eSrnestness of
their propsgandism Of the Moslem Creed all
filled Europe With alright On they came like
a hurricane. and ali went down before them
This time they had vowed 20 extirpete the Chris
tan name. aud 10 set the Crescent above the
Cross n esery cathedral in Europe Thew
marched straight on Vienna and encompassed il
al around There seemed 10 hope but from
Poland. What would Poland dog Why help
Austriaf whispered policy: let her fall: 4, is one
enemy the less. Thus did think the King OF
Poland--JObn SObiessi HeNasa man of be-
roic mould. DE Europe mensced It's rsliei
on and its civilization imperiiled. de SAW the
tide Of barbsrism that had been again and again
banked out. rising once more ard threatening to
engulf al in ruin. He saw this. and forgetting
Polaad's ancient gruige. John Sobieski babe his
Poles gard on their swords and march TO the re-
lief OF their ancient foe. Loud cheers. itwe
early morning.. they say. when John Sobleski
hrst reconnoitered the Turkish army as il lay
encnmped around Vienna The men were az
breakfast. and ne conld even recognize the
Turkish Nirier canly slipping bis coffee before his