The Twin City star., 1918-04-06

dates from the middle of the seven
teenth century. that is, the time of
II the great Ukrainian revolution of
@SN%@A l64s, which had given glaring pub
&p I"@ licity to the problem and caused at
& @ the same time the partition of the
~ AZ Ukraine between the Muscovite en-
$s~.sSSo pire and the kingdom of Poland.
From that day began the decadence of
national Ukrainian life. About the middle of the
sixteenth century Ukrainian life had lost much
of its strength. The aristocracy, deprived of any
participation in politics, was forced to submit to
the paramount race (POles and Lithuanians),
while the middle classes were subjected to every
kind of vexation. III.
The peasant had lost the right to possess either
house land He had become serf. Numer-
GUS taxes weighed him down till he was a mere
accessory of the earth The Orthodox church,
which in those times was the representative of
the nation, had become dependent upon govern
anent illdisposed toward it as to the peasants.
1t underwent crisis which nearly brought about
its dissolution. Up to this period Lithuanian
Ukraine had progressed slowly, but from the
middle of the sixteenth century it progressed
more rapidly under the influence of the Polish
institutions. Moreover, about 1909, nearly all
the districts of Lithuanian Ukraine were taken
from it's rule and simply annexed to the Polish
republic. They were VOlhynia, Eastern Podoa,
Podlachje (the western Bug district), and
Kyjever. The Polish aristocracy came in num-
DerS TO reSlQe I'D ICS new territory, the Ukralnlan
aristOcracy became Influenced by the Poles, and
the individual life Of the Ukraine ceased to exist.
This did not take place without reaction and
a desire for q national renaissance. Having re-
gard 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. It 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
disagreements grew more serious time went on.
Each struggle inspired fresh energy in the Uk-
rainians, till at last prolonged reprsals (163S47)
led to a revolution. In 164S the people rose, led
by Bohdan Chmelnitzky.
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 at the
beginning of the in 164S, their leaders did not
consider the liberation of the people possible by
the means at their disposal. Chmielnitzky hesi-
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
ernment, inclined Chmienitzky to decide for Mus
covy 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-
ginning Of the seventeenth century. Not till 1853
did Miscovy decide to extend it's protection to the
Cossack army and to the Ukraine by committing
itself to war with Poland In March, 1854, the
treaty was signed bearing the name, Articles of
Bohdan Chmielnitzky:" therein was defined the
position Of the Ukraine to Muscovy.
From the moment the Empress Catherine came
to the throne the days Of the Ukrainan 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
lons-standing claims of the Hungarian crown to
this country. Some years later, Bukowina (the
present region), 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. Insgnif-
cant as were in reality the reforms brought about,
this attitude nevertheless created deep impress
sion upon the Ukrainian population, which once
lagain enjoyed sense of nationality ana loSt the
feeling of despair with which 1t was stricken
during the later years Of Polish supremacy. Even
after the Austrian government, under the infu-
ence of the Polish aristOcracy, had characterized
its Ukrainian policy by a strongly reactionary
feeling, the energy of the national movement was
not completely dissipated.
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 for
any revival of nationalist aspirations. The rigor
with which the Polish or POlOnized aristocracy
ruled the Ukrainian peasantry became now more
merciless still, supported as the Poles were by
the authority Of Russia.
The longing to see the old constitution restored
made itself manifest from time to time, especially
on such occasions as the Russian government
sought to recruit the Cossack militia In the
Ukraine.
The study Of ethnography and dialects. the re-
searches into the life of the people, the renais-
sance of the Ukrainian language and literature.
-. .s xvo see at the end of the eighteenth GEN.