Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1918-04-26

teenth century, that Is, the ZINE VI
J: !: !: !:
the great Ukrainian revolution or
. 49, l64S which had given glaring pub
GS"fs& liclty to the problem and caused at
N Il W the same time the partition OF the
~ ~ Ukraine between the Muscovite EN-
IN pire and the kingdom OF Poland.
From that day began the decadence OF
rot,onaI JTkroinian Iife About the middle of the
sixteenth century Ukranian life had lost much
NJ IT'S strength The aristocracy, deprived of any
nertic;nation I'm politics was forced to submit to
the paramount race (Poles and Lithuanans),
while the middle classes were subjected TO every
kind Of vexation.
The peasant had lost the right to possess either
house or land. He had become serf Numer-
ous taxes weighed him down till he was mere
accessory of the earth. The Orthodox church
which In those times was the representative oi
the nation had become dependent uron govern
mont as ill-disposed toward II as to the peasants
II underwent a crisis which nearly brought ABOUT
its dissolution. Up to this period Lithuanian
Ukraine had progressed slowly. but from the
middle Of the sixteenth century II progresses
more rapidly under the influence OF the Ponsn
institutions Moreover about 1909. nearly all
the districts Of Lithuanian Ukraine were taken
from its rule and simply annexed to the fonsh
republic They were Vohynia, Eastern Podolia.
Podlachje (the western Bug districD, ana
Kyiever The Polish aristocracy came In num-
hers 10 reside in its territory, the Ukrainian
sristocracy became Influenced by the Poles. and
the individual life Of the Ukraine ceased to exist.
This did not take place without reaction and
q desire for a national renaissance. having re-
rard to the special circumstances In western
Ukraine, where the aristocracy in particular had
been nearly demolished, will see that the
Intellectual and national regeneration could not
hope to succeed in the long run. 1t found sup
port however, in a new social and political fac
tor which at this critical moment appeared In
eastern Ukraine, that Is to say. the Cossacks.
The COssacks did not hesitate to proclaim the
immunity from all Jurisdiction, all foreign suzer-
ainty all taxes. and all personal service of those
who submitted to the power and jurisdiction OF
the Zaporogue (Cossack) army. Thus they drew
toward them an enormous number Of peasants.
who at the end Of the sixteenth century were
leaving western and northern Ukraine for the
east In order to escape the heavy burdens OF
serfdom. About 1890 the COssacks came into
conflict with the Polish government. and their
Disbursements grew more serious as time went on.
Each struggle inspired fresh energy In the Uk-
rainians till at last prolonged reprtsas (163S-4O
led to a revolution. In 1913 the people rose. led
by Bohdan Chmienitzky.
The Polish army beaten and the rising
spread over the Ukraine, even to the distant re-
gions of the west. In spite Of the number OF In
surgents. who totaled about 100000 men at the
beginning of the war in 1913, their leaders did not
consider the liberation Of the people possible by
the means at their disposal. Chmielntzky hesl-
tated between two methods. The one was TO
create a federation Of the orthodox states, Mus
covy Ukraine Moldavia, and the Slavs of the
Balkans. This alliance would have been directed
against Poland and Turkey. Several reasons.
and above all the weakness Of the Turkish gov
eminent inclined Chmienitzky to decide for Mus
coyy. For some time Muscovy had not dared to
accept the protectorate Of the Ukraine. 1t feared
war with Poland and remembered the cruel de-
feats which that nation had inflicted at the be-
Tho
did Mscoyy decide to extend its protection to the
Cossack army and to the Ukraine by committing
itself to war with Poland. In March, 1904 the
treaty was signed bearing the name. Articles OF
Bohdan Chmielnltzky; therein was defined the
position Of the Ukraine to Muscovy.
From the moment the Empress Catherine came
to the throne the days Of the Ukrainian autonomy
were, however, over.
In 1772 when Poland was first divided up west
ern Ukraine now eastern Galicia, became part
of the Hapsburg kingdom in virtue OF certain
longstanding claims of the Hungarian crown to
this country. Some years later. Bukowina (the
present reglon), which formerly belonged to
Moldavia was added to 1t. This passing OF
western Ukraine into the rule Of Austria awoke
a new national fervor in the country. 1nsgnih-
cant as were in reality the reforms brought about.
this attitude nevertheless created a deep impress
sion upon the Ukrainian population, which once
again enjoyed a sense Of nationality and lost the
feeling Of despair with which 1t was stricken
during the later years of Polish supremacy Even
after the Austrian government. under the in1u-
ence of the Polish arstOcracy, had characterized
its Ukrainian policy by a strongly reactionary
feeling the energy Of the national movement was
not completely disspated.
On the other hand, the Ukrainian territory
which had fallen to the share Of Russian rule on
the partition Of Poland had no cause to look fol
any revival Of nationalist aspirations. The rigor
with which the Polish POlonized aristocracy
ruled the Ukrainian peasantry became now more
merciless still. supported as the Poles were bI
the authority Of Russia.
The longing TO the old constitution restored
made itself manifest from time to time. especially
on such occasions the Russian government
sought to recruit the Cossack militia In thu
Ukraine.
The study Of ethnography, and dialects, the re
searches into the life of the people, the renais
sance Of the Ukranian language and literature
such as we see at the end of the eighteenth cen
fury and especially in the first half Of the nine
teenth century, brought together the intellectual
classes.
Under the influences Of which we have jus
spoken and thanks to the ideals imported from
western Europe. Ukranian political though
abandoned its aspirations toward indepenG
ence that was no longer feasible in order TO re
Mace them by reazable political program
The Oldest of these programs that was in an
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