New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-12-16

TO exercise on the Cars ecclesiastical policy,
His Majesty has since his last visit to Spaia
declared his intention of withdrawing from the
position hitherto taken up by his Government.
and Of according his sanction TO the retention
of the Latin language for the Liturgy and OF
Polish for the sermons and schools in the case
Of all parishes Of the province IN which the
majority Of the inhabitants OF Polish nation
atty.
These numerous instances Of Imperial good will
to the Roman Catholic peasantry and church IN
Poland become all the more remarkable when the
bitter persecution is taken into consideration 10
which the Lutheran and Protestant population IN
the Baltic provinces are subjected by the 81
Petersburg Government. Indeed ut the very
moment when the German papers are filed win
true accounts OF the exile and Punishment oil
numbers of Lutheran pastors and professors the
Gar is considering the advisability of permitting
the return to Poland Of the numerous Cathohc
bishops and priests who were transporter 10
Siberia twenty-threc years ago for their com phc-
ity in the last Polish revolution All this is the
work of the venerable Able Zudmowski. and
while on the one hand his influence on the Gar
has proved of incalculable benefit TO his fellow
countrymen, on the other it has had the effect OF
affected population into the most patriotic and
loyal subjects of the Little Father at Gatchina'
Before closing this letter, il may he Of interest
10 make a brief reference to the sensation caused
throughout Russia by the disgrace which has over
whelmed Captain Gourko, the only son OF the
Governor-General of Poland II appears that
some time ago book entitled La Soclete de
Varsove" was published at Paris, and as u
literally teemed with cutting and sarcastic de-
scriptions of persons high in rank and authority
Mt Warsaw its sale and circulation were strictly
prohibited by the Imperial censor few weeks
ago two officers of the headquarters staff entered
the store Of the most prominent bookseller in the
city and requested him to get the work in ques-
ton for them The bookseller demurred at first
but finally consented on the officers pledg1ng
their word Of honor that they would not betray
him or get him into trouble. In due course the
book arrived from Paris and after having been
read by the two officers in question was passed
on to their messmates, who were intensely amused
at the racy descriptions contained therein Young
Gourko displayed the greatest eagerness TO get
hold OF the book, and having pledged his word OF
honor not to reveal the source through which il
had been obtained, secured possession thereof.
Its contents pleased him immensely until he
reached a passage holding up his mother TO rldi-
Guile and contempt. Infatuated and forgetiul OF
his plghted word he rushed of TO the General,
his father, and having pointed out the objection
able paragrap phi. informed him Of the source from
which it had been obtained. Within twenty-four
hours later the two officers who had ordered the
book were under arrest, while the unfortunate
and too cOnfiding bookseller was condemned 10 the
payment Of heavy fine and TO three months I'M
prisOnment
On learning the conduct Of young Gourko
in the matter the entire cOrpS OF officers
Of the regiment and brigade to which he belonged
announced that it would be absolutely lmposs Die
for them to continue TO treat him as comrade,
and that either he or they must leave the army.
On being informed of the state of affairs, the
GOvernor-General became more furious than ever,
and summoning the commander of the brigade
in question insisted that he should subject every
one of the officers who had signed the roundrobln
concerning his son to disciplinary measures
With an independence somewhat unusual in the
Russian army, the brigade commander declined
TO comply with General GOurkoS demands ana
declared with all due respect TO the GovernGr-
General that he could not dream OF unluStly
dlsclp lnng the entire body Of officers under ms
orders and of accepting their designations en-
bloc for the mere sake OF young man VINO had
been guilty Of breaking his word of honor. Inc
Grand Duke Vladimir the eldest brother OF
the Gar, happening TO pass through Warsaw at
the time, the question was referred 10 nm, ana
without an instant's hesitation he decided against
Young GourkO. The latter accordingly was forced
TO resign his commission. out with singular
efrontery continued TO live at Warsaw and even
TO wear his uniform, Notwithstanding the TACT
that he no longer belonged 20 the army. Thor
oughly exasperated by his behavior, the officers
OF the garrison at length caused him to be warned
that if he vcntured to appear again in public
in uniform the latter would be torn piecemeal
from his body in the streets by men hired for
the purpose. This had the desired effect and
Young Gourko found it convenient to undertake
a trip to Paris Meanwhile the GovernOr-Gepera
has become simply unapproachablc. irritable
and violent at best, the old gentleman has been
during the past few weeks in q frame OF nina
which il is more easv to imagine than to de-
scribe and his subordinates do all in their power
to give him a wide berth.