History of the Late Polish Revolution and the Events of the CampaignHordynski, Joseph
History
History of the Late Polish Revolution and the Events of the Campaign
Hordynski, Joseph
Poland -- History -- Revolution, 1830-1832
The following extract from the London Courier of April 9th, 1832, in
reference to the recent Imperial Manifesto which converts Poland into
a province of Russia, may serve to confirm the remarks which we have
made in the text, on the system of deception practised by the Emperor
Nicholas towards the Cabinets both of England and France, on the
subject of Poland.
* * * * *
'We perceive that the Manifesto of the Emperor of Russia, relative to
Poland, which we gave on Saturday, has excited general indignation in
France, as well as in this country. Perhaps, as the Poles are not of a
character to be awed into submission by the power of their oppressors,
whilst the slightest chance of emancipation is open to them, it is
better for the cause of humanity that they should be tied hand and foot
in the bonds of slavery, than that any opportunity should be afforded
them of again saturating the soil of Poland with the blood of its
best and bravest patriots. If life with disgrace be better than death
without dishonor, the destruction of the nationality of Poland may
not be so great an evil as the world at large imagine. If the utter
impossibility of successful revolt be clearly shown, the Poles may at
length wear their fetters without resorting to vain attempts to shake
them off; and the monarch who has enslaved them, may gradually witness
the extinction of mind, in proportion as he coerces and binds the body.
But what a sad disgrace it is upon the government and people of this
country to have neglected, in proper season, the means of securing to
the brave and unfortunate people of Poland a nationality which would
have given to them the form and substance of liberty, without involving
the necessity of a rupture with the Power which has conquered them. Is
it not true, that, at a time when the warm-hearted and generous portion
of the people of this country were calling upon the Government to
exercise the influence and power of the British Crown on behalf of the
Poles, the reply was, 'We cannot go to war with the Emperor of Russia
for foreign interests--we cannot insist upon his evacuating Poland,
and leaving the country in a state of complete independence; but we
will use our good offices towards obtaining favorable terms for the
insurgents; and we have already the satisfaction of knowing that the
Emperor Nicholas has declared that the nationality of Poland shall in
no case be forfeited, and that in all other respects the world shall be
astonished at the extent of his generosity towards the vanquished.'
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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