The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1871-09-10

commemoratioD. The Poles from Prussia,
Poland, 1t is otserved, are the guests Of tn,
wel4.known and powerful party leader il
the Austrian Chambers, and q useful or in
dispensable ally of the Prime Minister
Count Hohenwart-M. Smolka.
1t cannot be too strongly borne in mind
that the circumstances Of Poland have de-
cidedly not altered for the worse of late
years. From Posen we learn that, although
the GerDanization Of the towns has oh.
tanned q moderate success, not tho slightest
impression has been made upon the national
character of the country population. The
league devoted to the prevention of the
acquisition Of landed property by non
Polish capitalists, which has now been in
| existence for long period, ia acknowledged
TO have substantially effected the object Of
its Programme. Neither have all the eff
forts of the Prussian Government, as O re-
cent instructive scene between Prince Bis
marck and the Polish Deputies serves to
prove, been able materially to alter the
distinctive Polish character of the Posen
representation to the Rcichstag as we'll as
the Landtag. In Russian Poland the bar
6arities and prosecutions which have been
the lot OF the unhappy captives, not sub
Jects, of the Muscovite, have had, indeed,
the result Of embittering the existence and
retarding the progress of the inhabitants;
but 80 far as regards any " classification {"
of the country, they have ended in nothing
ou' Aa1AuAo. Even al SQcA outlying pro-
vinces as wilma the measures of the Gov
eminent have been crowned with nothing
but disaster. A few weeks ago, it has been
said, the "last two'' Russian immigrants
OF all those who were poured into the pro-
vince after 1862, had to betake themselves
back again to their Holy Russia.
With regard to Austrian Poland. it ia
hardly too much to say that the events of
the past few months, continuing and effect
uatins previous legislation, have practical
Iy restored the Independence Of Galicia.
The Gailcian Diet will shortly possess the
most extended powers of law-making on
all home subjects. A special Minister,
himself q Pole, M. Grocholski, represents
Galician interests in the Imperial Cabinet.
A Polish noble, Count Goluchowski, has
just been appointedzV iceroy. recent
decree has made Lemberg the seat of an
academy of arts and sciences equal in rank
and official status to the Academy of Wen
Leuiherg and Cracow, as we'll as the various
High and Common Schools throughout the
country, must be distinctly Polish, and
Polish scholars are everywhere replacing
the Germans of the old regime. The Ger
man element i'll Austria, just like the Ger
the frontier, are incensed at this recogni-
ton of an "extinct" people. They are
impotent to prevent it. The enormous
changes which are taking place within the
Austrian Empire, changes which clearly
establish the fact that Sclave supremacy
is about to replace the effete Gertuauism of
a discarded past, will every day bring into
greater prominence the question of the |
claims and rights of the Polish Sclaves. We
cannot conceal from ourselves that the I
Polish difficulty, as politicians term it, is !
entering on new phase. Nine millions of
men, discovered though they may be, with
q dozen friendly, raees-Csechs, Croats,
hanl sfb 81,
friendly races, furthermore, no longer in
position of inferiority, but welding the
destinies of Austria, nine millions of a
brave and determined people must, we say,
under the new circumstances, amid the
new combinations, in the new adjustment
of the balance of power, play a very differ
ent part from that which they have played
for century of blood and tears. With
the good wishes of all the best of mankind
to aid them, the centenary of their ruin may
be the birthday of their regeneration.
Tablet, Aug. IL.