The Bossier banner., 1886-07-29
Poland.

Poland was an extensive country of
Central Europe, which existed for
many centuries as an independent
and powerful state, but having fallen
q prey to internal dissensions, was
violently seized by Austria, Prussia
and Russia as q common spoil, par
titioned among these powers, and
incorporated with their dominions.-
In it's greatest prosperity it had q
population Of 100000 to 15,O00,-
600, and an area of 284, 900 square
miles, greater than that of France,
stretching from the frontiers Of
Hungary and Turkey to the Baltic
sea, aad from Germany far east into
Russia-one vast and remarkably
compact kingdom.
About the year $50 the Poles, op-
pressed by their petty chiefs, were
resolved to shake off the tyranny Of
their rulers, and elected a chief
magistrate to govern them under
the title of Duke. Poland was first
raised to the rank of a kingdom in
999. From the thirteenth century
the Poles became the most warlike
nation in Europe, and from the time
when the Turks first crossed the
Hellespont and settled in Greece
Poland was denominated the shield
of Eastern Europe. In 1874, Johr
Sobieski was advanced to the kingly
| dignity, and under him the Polish
arms acquired a glory that eclipsed
all other nations of that age. Sobiesk
| formed a league with the Emperor
Leopold, and when that monarch hac
been defeated and his capital on tht
point of falling into the hands of tht
Turks, Sobiesli advanced to Vienna
raised the siege, and, defeating thu
invaders, drove them back in rout te
G Constantinople- The war Of success
sion that succeeded between Charles
XII of Sweden and Frederic Angus
tus Of Saxony almost ruined thu
kingdom and fastened Poland's fata
end. Count Poniawski, who, in 1764
was elected to the throne by tn
name of Stanislaus Augustus, wal
the last king Of Poland. Under thi
unfortunate sovereign the countr,
became the theatre of long ani
devastating war; the cities were pill
laged, and the country deluged b,
hosts of Cossacks and brutal Mus
covite soldiery, which resulted il
the shameful beginning of the parti
ton Of this ancient nation.
The first actual partition of Pc
land took place in 1872, and stripped
her at once of about third of he
whole territory; the respective share
ofthe spoil being-to Prussia Il, ,337
Austria $1,000, and Rnssia 42,OO
| square miles. A second partition il
1873 gave Prussia %, 500 and Russi
$4,000 square miles. Another par
tition took place August %, 177E
and the last king of Poland degrade
into a pensionary of the Russia
court, died at st. Petersburg in 179s
The successive partitions gave Aus
tria 5000 square miles, with 5000
| 600 inhabitants; Prussia, 100000
square miles, with 1850, 900 inhab
tants; and Russia, 10000 squar
miles, with 1900, 600 inhabitants.
Il OF the three despoilers of POLAND
: brutal and despotic Russia possesse
} the largest share of territory an
| population. Frequent insurreetion
: have taken place among the Pole'
but only to rivet their chains mo,
securely than before An attempt
1S46 at Cracow to regain national il
| dependence ended, as all others ha
done, in butchery, confscation an
Punishment to Siberia, and to prever
any remnant of nationality renal,
ing, the Republic of Cracow, aftt
, maintaing feverish existence frol
1916 to 1846, was seized by Austri
L