The union Democrat., 1868-02-15
john MaxepPa.

John Mazeppa was born in Podolia, o
province in the southeastern part of Poland
He seems to have been descended from ont
of the many noble families which had fallen
from their ancient wealth and consequence,
by the late misfortunes of their country.
Being obliged to seek employment in somt
one Of the more wealthy families, he became
pagc to one John Casimir was fond of the
arts and literature and in his family the
young Mazeppa seems to have bad and i'm
proved an opportunity for acquiring many
useful complishments, which afterwards
became of signal service to him. Ills con
duct towards the Countess Palatine excited
the Counts jealousy. There was no doub
of his guilt and the Count bound him, naked
in revenge, upon a wild horse, and commit
ed him to his fate. The horse was from
Ukraine, an extensive country in the south
eastern part of Russian Poland, and he Gi
recied his course thither. Mazeppa wa'
found by some poor peasants, half dead, and
they took care of him.
lie remained there for q long time, be
came distinguished for his dexterity, bod
lily strength, and courage, so much so that he
was successively chosen secretary and adult.
ant to the Hettman Samoilowitz and finally,
in 1887, he succeeded Samoilowitz in the OF
fce Of Hettman or chief general OF the Co.'S
sacks. He gained the confidence of Peter
the Great of Russian, and received from him
many honorable marks of distinction. Peter
finally made him Prince of the Ukraine.
One day. while at the table of Peter, al
Moscow, the Gear expressed to him at desire
that he would SO discipline the Cossacks as
to,make them more dependent upon his will.
Mazeppa replied that the situation of Ukraine
sto &c hat Ipcn
mountable obstacles to it. The Gar, Wit
was somewhat heated with wine. called him
q traitor, and threatened to empale him. I'm.
willing to be in subordnation, and perhaps
indignant at such treatment, he determined
20 free himself from the Russian powers.
Heijoined Charles the Twelfth of Sweden,
who had just set king over Poland. Viii
Charles's assistance he hoped to withdraw
himself from his allegiance to Peter the
Great, and, under certain conditions, unite
his country, the Ukraine, to Poland. Peter
was at first unwilling to believe that Mazeppa
had any such plans in view. lie sent the
nccnsers to Mazeppa himself for punishment,
and he had the aadaeity to cause them to be
executed. Peter, however, became convinc
ed of the truth of the charges, and many O!
Maxepras partisnns were put to death, and
the Prince himself hung in efdgy. With .
few adherents he joined Charles the Twelfth,
and took part in the campaign of Ukraine
which followed. He was with Charles at his
defeat at Putowa 1t is on their retiring
from this battle that Byron has introduced
him in his poem called "Mazeppa," where
he gives thrilling account of his suferings,
both physical and mental, which he under
went while bound to the wild horse, when
the ravenous wolves pursued him all night,
and when,
''between him and the sun,
He saw the expecting raven ny,
Who scarce would wait till both should die,
Ere his repast begun"
After the defeat at Pultowa, Mazeppa fled to
Bender, fortified town in Russia, near the
Black Sea, where he died in the year one
thousand seven hundred and nine. His pre-.