XXVI. 1830. 39. vain efforts about an accommo When such were the feelings and manifestoes on the CHAP. opposite side, there was evidently little chance of an accommodation without an appeal to arms. But Chlopicki still clung to the hope of a pacific arrangement, relying Chlopicki's partly on the great danger to Russia of a war of races, to bring if once fairly roused, and embracing the whole Sarmatian family, partly on the magnanimous disposition which their dation. flatterers generally ascribe, though seldom with justice, to absolute sovereigns. He continued to address Nicholas, accordingly, in terms of the most profound respect, adjuring him in the most touching terms to take pity on a gallant people, whom he could by a word raise up to the summit of happiness from the depths of woe. 茶 But it was all in vain. The mind of Nicholas, lofty and magnanimous, but stern and unrelenting, was incapable of succumbing before difficulties; and even if he had been disposed individually to accede to the entreaties of the Poles, it was no longer in his power to do so. Public opinion is on great occasions not less irresistible in Russia than in England; and, when thoroughly roused, it makes itself heard in a still more decisive way, for its instruments are armed men, not pacific legislators, and its appeal in the last resort is not to the press, but to the bowstring. The national feelings of the Russians were so thoroughly roused by the revolt of their ancient enemies the Poles, that it would have cost the Czar his throne and his life if he had entered into any compromise with them. Absolute, unconditional surrender was therefore sternly insisted on; and as the Diet could not hear "Plein de confiance dans la magnanimité de votre cœur, Sire, j'ose espérer qu'une effusion de sang n'aura pas lieu, et je me regarderai comme le plus heureux d'hommes si je puis atteindre au but que je me propose par la réunion intime de tous les élémens de bon ordre et de force. Sire, en ma qualité d'ancien soldat et de bon Polonais, j'ose vous faire entendre la vérité, et je suis persuadé que V. M. J. et R. daignera l'écouter. Vous tenez, Sire, dans votre main les destinées de toute une nation; d'un seul mot vous pouvez la mettre au comble du bonheur, d'un seul mot la précipiter dans un abîme de maux.". CHLOPICKI to the EMPEROR NICHOLAS, 29th Dec. 1830; Ann. Hist., vol. xiv. p. 174. App. Doc. Hist. VOL. IV. 2 S XXVI. 1831. CHAP. of this, both sides prepared for war. Upon this Chlopicki resigned the dictatorship, declaring his readiness to serve his country as a private soldier. "If," said he, 'your conscience permits you with so much ease to break the oaths you have taken to your lawful sovereign, it is i. 175, 178. well. I feel differently. All that I do here is in the name of Nicholas. I resign the dictatorship."1 1 Rom. Solt. 40. dethroned Jan. 21, 1831. The Diet met on the 19th of January 1831, to deterThe Czar is mine on the momentous question of peace or war. All by the Diet, minds were made up upon it; but the deliberations of the Diet were such as befitted the solemnity of the occasion, and were worthy of a gallant people courageously making, in circumstances all but desperate, the last struggle for their independence. "Poles," said Prince cause is sacred, our Jan. 21. Czartoryski, the president, "our fate depends on the Most High; but we owe it to ourselves to transmit intact to posterity the honour of the nation enshrined in our hearts: concord, courage, perseverance,' such is the sacred motto which can alone insure the glory of our country. Let us put forth all our strength, in order to found for ever our liberty and national independence." On the 21st January the Diet conferred the command of the army on Prince Radziwil in lieu of Chlopicki, who received the perilous trust with these words: "I only accept the command in order to hold it till the war has raised one of those great men who save nations. My sole wish is for the independence and happiness of our beloved country. Such I have been-such I ever shall be." Then, on the motion of Roman Soltyk, the Diet unanimously passed a resolution deposing the Czar and his whole family from the Rom. Solt. throne, and absolving the Polish nation from their oath Ann. Hist. of fidelity to the reigning sovereign, and the whole assembly of both Chambers, amidst enthusiastic cheers, signed the Act of Dethronement.2* i. 241, 247; xiv. 485, 487. "Les traités les plus sacrés et les plus inviolables, ne sont obligatoires qu'autant qu'ils sont observés fidèlement. Nos longues souffrances sont connues XXVI. 1831. 41. Before proceeding to recount the memorable war CHAP. which ensued on the banks of the Vistula, and which cast a last ray of glory on the long annals of Polish heroism, it is essential to state the comparative strength Statistics of the strength of the two nations who then entered into the lists. Such of Russia at this period. a detail, how brief soever, will add much to the fame of the vanquished, and take somewhat from that of the conquerors. Fortunately, a statistical survey of the whole Russian dominions,* made in this very year, has du monde entier. La violation, tant de fois renouvelée, des libertés qui nous avaient été garanties par les sermens de deux monarques, délie également aujourd'hui la nation Polonaise du serment de fidélité qu'elle a prêté à son souverain. Les paroles propres enfin de l'Empereur Nicolas, qui a dit que le premier coup de fusil tiré de notre part, deviendrait le signal de la ruine de la Pologne, nous ôtent toute espérance de voir nos griefs réparés, et ne nous laissent plus qu'un noble désespoir. "La Nation Polonaise, réunie en diète, déclare donc qu'elle forme désormais un peuple indépendant, qu'elle a le droit de donner la couronne Polonaise à celui qu'elle en jugera digne, à celui qu'elle jugera capable d'observer fidèlement la loi qu'il aura jurée, et de conserver intactes les libertés nationales.Le Prince Adam Czartoryski, Président du Senat; Le Comte Ostrowski, Maréchal de la Chambre des Nonces; et tous les Membres du Sénat et de la Chambre des Nonces."-Ann. Hist., vol. xiv. p. 488. The details were as follows of the inhabitants : XXVI. 1831. CHAP. furnished the materials of both with perfect accuracy. The Russian population at this time, including the Poles, amounted to 51,343,000 souls; without the latter, to 47,300,000; and its revenue was 100,000,000 rubles, or £16,000,000 sterling. Of this immense multitude 17,555,089 were free peasants on the crown-lands, or those of individuals; 18,781,812 were serfs, for whom the capitation-tax was paid; and 747,557 were on the rolls of the army." 1 Ann. Hist. xiii. 647. 42. the king dom of Poland. Inconsiderable when compared to these gigantic forces, Statistics of the material strength of the fragment of Poland which was in the hands of Russia, and engaged in the war, was yet very large, considering its limited extent and number of inhabitants. The kingdom embraced at this period 4,050,000 inhabitants, of whom Warsaw alone contained 140,000, being an increase of 50,000 souls over its numbers in 1814. The revenue of the state amounted to 80,000,000 Polish florins, or £2,000,000 sterling, a national income by no means contemptible in a country where money was so scarce that the wages of rural labour were 3d. a-day in winter, and 4d. in summer. The national bank had a treasure of 120,000,000 florins (£3,000,000), and a reserve of 20,000,000 florins (£500,000) was in the public treasury. These considerable resources in a country wholly agricultural, and not exceeding in extent the surface of Ireland, were the result of the peace and protection to industry which, despite all the rigour of the Muscovite rule, it had enjoyed under its firm government. other testimony to this is required than that of the historian of the revolution, and the man who had the courage in the Diet to make the motion for the dethronement of the Emperor. "In general," says Roman Soltyk, "the public credit was firmly established, manufactures were arising on all sides, and their produce since 1815 had increased ten-fold. Excellent roads facilitated transport in every direction, and establishments of bene No CHAP. XXVI. 1831. ficence, monuments of the arts, and splendid edifices were arising on all sides in the capital. Nor had the kingdom of Poland alone shared in this material prosperity; the little republic of Cracow possessed now 120,000 Rom. Solt. inhabitants, and enjoyed a revenue of 2,000,000 florins duction. (£50,000).1 i. 18, Intro Austrian The population and resources of the provinces of Old 43. Poland, acquired on the different partitions by Austria Statistics of and Prussia, were more considerable; and if they could and Prushave been rendered available, the contest would have sian Poland. been less unequal. Gallicia had greatly increased in population and resources since it was ceded to Austria in 1772; it numbered now 4,000,000 of inhabitants, and rendered to the government of Vienna 60,000 excellent soldiers. The salt mines in the Carpathian mountains yielded the government a profit of 30,000,000 florins (£750,000) annually; the revenue amounted to 90,000,000 more (£2,250,000); and although this large revenue was generally felt as oppressive, yet it was tolerably well paid; and 500 leagues of roads had been made through the territory, which opened up markets in every direction to the produce of the industry of its inhabitants. The grand-duchy of Posen was in a still more flourishing condition. The wise policy of the Prussian government had been to extirpate the national feelings of its Polish subjects by a gentle administration and experienced benefits. Predial servitude was in course of being abolished; property was much subdivided; roads and canals had been constructed; manufactures and machinery had been introduced in some places, and agriculture had flourished to an extraordinary degree. Considerable immigration of German settlers had taken place into its fields, and many sturdy Poles had left them, and settled in the kingdom of Poland, in anticipation of the re-establishment of Polish nationality. Provincial assemblies were established, and the Polish language was no longer used in public instru- i. 19, 20. ments.2 The population amounted to 2,000,000 souls, 2 Rom. Solt |