The Calumet news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 1907-1938, 1910-11-28
ANNIVERSARY OF
POLISH FREEDOM
POLISH -AME RlcANS OF cALU-
MET WILL JOIN COUNTRYMEN
IN OBSERVANCE OF AN
NIvERSARY.


Although no special preparations
have been made in Calumet, The an
niversary OF Poland's freedom will be
informally observed by the Polish
Americans In this city and other parts
of tho country tomorrow. The ami
versary OF the war of 1880 and 1881, is
dear to the memoryq of every Pole
In this country, and it is expected that
special religious services viii be con-
Quoted at the Polish church tomorrow
morning i'm honor of the occasion.
The Polish Revolution.
This is a short story of that war
for Poland's independence the mem
DRY of which the Poles celebrate every
year.
The war of 1S30-1S31 started with
an instruction in Warsaw, Nov. 30.
1880 The new kingdom of Poland,
which was created by the congress of
Vienna in 1915 and given TO Car
Alexander |, as a reward for his share
i'm defeating Napoleocn, enjoyed at
that time a restricted constitution with
a Diet in Warsaw and a separate Pol
ish army Of 10000 men.
But this constitution was violated
by the Russian government In other
parts of Poland. which were not in
cluded i'm the new kingdom, the Rus
sian despotism was raging TO an OK
asperating degree. The best men in
Poland saw that conflict was newt
able but they were waiting for the
proper time.
In June, 1880, a revolution i'm France
abolished the regime of the Bour-
hons and put on the throne n young
member of the dynasty, Louis Philippe
Gar Refused to Acknowledge.
Gar Nicholas refused to acknowl-
edge the change and was contemplat.
ing a war against France. He gave
secret orders to mobolize a part of
his army; the Poles as the nearest
to the western border, were the first
to go. Seeing that the Polish army
was to be used for a war with France,
to suppress the will of liberty low
movement i'm Poland decided to pre-
vent it by turning the Polish army
against Russia.
The beginning of the outbreak was
promising. Grand Duke Constantine
with a corps of 5000 Russian troops
was forced to an ignomnious retreat
and for two months Poland was free.
A national government was organ
lied, an army raised and Jan. 20.
1881, the Polish Diet in Warsaw de-
prived unanimously Gar Nicholas
and the House of Romanoff of the
crown of Poland which was given
them by the congress of Vienna 1915.
Act of Free Will.
This act of free will OF the Polish
nation stands as il never was recalled
by any other legislative act of the
Polish people. In February. 1881,
Poland was invaded by strong Rus
sian army under the command of
Count Dybitsh. A series of bloody
battles followed. In the great battle
of Grochow, under the walls of War
saw, $4,000 Poles fought against 1OO.-
900 Russians for a whole day and
would have beaten Them if the best
Polish general, Joseph Clopiclli, a hero
OF the Napoleonic wars, had not been
wounded by a Russian cannon shot.
FOUNDED by a Russian cannon shot.
When night fell, the Polish army.
which lost 5000 men against $1,000
Russians, retreated to Warsaw and
established itself i'm the capital for
two months. In April the Poles won
three battles: at Vaver, Dcmbe and
Ignaie but in May they lost great
battle at Ostrolenka and retreated
again to Warsaw.
Stormed Defenses of City.
In September the Russians concen-
trated all their forces around the cap
ital of Poland and stormed the de-
fenses of the city. After an extreme
ly bloody struggle which lasted two
days, Warsaw capitulated and the
remnants of the Polish army. together
with the members of the Diet and the
national government, retreated to the
Prussian frontier. passed il, disbanded
and went to Saxony and after to
France, where they established them
selves as permanent emigrants. The
French chambers in recognition of
the brother hood of arms between
France and Poland at the time of Ma
poleon, took the stranded heroes in
their charge as guests of France and
mid the moody ones q lifelong nen-