New York Tribune

Major Tochman's Lecture.

[Concluded.]

According to the census of 1829, the Grand Duchy of Warsaw contained a population of 4,180,000--of these two-thirds were Catholics, and the rest Protestants, with the exception of about 100,000, who belonged to the Greek Church. All denominations were protected in their worship; and the Jews alone, who numbered about 800,000 were excluded from the privileges of legislation.

The extent of the Duchy was 47,670 square miles, equal only to one-seventh of the size of the territory before the first partition in 1772. The revenue in 1830 was $16,000,000. To the Grand Duke Constantine, brother of the Emperor Alexander, was now entrusted the guardianship of Polish nationality. No sooner was a government established, than liberty and despotism were again at variance. In this place allow me to beg your attention to scenes of which myself was an eye-witness, and to events in which it was my fortune to take a part. A 'round unvarnished tale' of facts, such as I shall lay before you, will best exhibit the character of modern despots and their real designs with reference to Poland.

Alexander commenced his reign by declaring Constantine Grand Duke of Warsaw, by violating the provisions of his own charter, and by taking away the old constitution and substituting one of his own, reserving to himself the right of changing it at pleasure. It cannot be denied that Alexander was an intelligent despot. His manners were polite, and he understood human nature to perfection, and thus duped all, by courting in public, liberty and the Poles, and in reality trampling upon both, and acting as the leader of the despotic system.-- He ordered the members of the Legislative Council to obey Constantine; he placed a censorship over the press, allowing no paper or book to be printed without the approbation of his minions, and suppressed public debates, which his own constitution had guaranteed. Taxes were imposed and monopolies created, which exhausted the wealth and energies of the Kingdom, and the treasury, filled by his own tyranny, was placed at the disposal of his spies, satraps and political agents.

At the same time he was all politeness and complaisance in public. At the very moment he was dancing with the daughters and wives of the Poles at the City Hotel, his brother was crowding the prisons with those who would not bow the head to him when he rolled by in his carriage. It was a custom at that time to kiss the hands of ladies to whom one wished to pay marked respect. This custom was strictly observed by Alexander, while his brother was exposing in public places the heads of their lords. The Emperor knew well how to make the world believe that his was the golden reign. He with his satraps built magnificent palaces, and wasted the wealth of the nation, while his peasants saw their houses and furniture sold to support their tyrant's extravagance.

By such displays was it that the Emperor gilded his schemes. Espionage was introduced into private families; private life was infected by the accursed presence of his satraps and spies, and thus were all ties of society broken. The most cruel punishments were introduced into the army to destroy all feelings of honor and self-respect among the soldiers. Many perished under their infliction, and more put an end to their shame and dishonor by putting a period to their lives. By such means of pretended friendship did he endeavor to debase that spirit he had not been able to force to submission by the bayonet.

But the Poles, educated in the school of adversity and discipline, smiled upon him in his own manner. They erected towers for his glory, illuminated their cities on his birth days, and were in secret plotting how to regain their independence and shelter themselves from his overshadowing despotism. Even at the balls when Alexander and his family were present, we were meditating upon his tyranny, and after they were over we retired to deliberate upon the best manner of hurling it to the earth. While in the streets we shouted 'Long life to Alexander,' we were secretly striving to put an end to his oppression.

The consequence was that a petition was drawn up, praying the Emperor to respect our rights, guaranteed by his own constitution. These bold measures interrupted Alexander's intriguing and deceptive policy. He danced no more with the daughters of the Poles: he kissed their hands no more. The deputy who presented the petition was kept for five years under the surveillance of the Police, and for five more he was kept in prison. One of the richest citizens of Warsaw was chained to a wheelbarrow and forced to work in the street: others were treated in a like ignominious manner and many of Poland's bravest sons, after being thus forced to degradation and shame, disappeared suddenly and their fate was a subject of but too sure conjecture. Bands of men were put into the houses of the rich, thus to extort heavy contributions which were then divided among his satraps and minions. The students in the schools who ventured to pass the limits of a corrupted education were sent to Siberia: the fair sex were subject to insult, and in the Polish provinces of Russia even the use of the Polish language was prohibited and every engine which a cunning tyrant could devise, was used to enforce the religion of the Greek Church at whose head was the Autocrat himself. It is impossible to enumerate all the vile means of persecution which Alexander used to destroy the republican feelings of our people.

But the brave Poles yielded not an inch from the battle ground they had chosen. Instead of smiling upon Alexander they now began to laugh at him : instead of 'Long life to the Emperor' they now shouted 'Down with Tyrants.' Even while writhing under their hellish tortures the brave spirits of Poland instead of uttering groans and cries sung, exultingly, 'Poland is not lost while we live.'

It was only when the Emperor's designs were completely unmasked that the new struggle properly commenced. All the energies of the nation were roused, and in 1821 a revolutionary society was formed in Russia to correspond with those in Poland and Prussia. It was decided among them that the revolution should begin on the 25th of May, 1826: but the sudden death of the Emperor frustrated our intentions. The inhabitants of St. Petersburg revolted on the day of the Emperor's death, and this gave rise to misunderstandings which destroyed the expected fruits of revolution. Our plans were exposed : almost all the leaders in Russia were hung, and several hundred flat boats filled with victims, were plunged into the Baltic near Cronstadt.

This Russian society still exists, and to its efforts are to be assigned the frequent vibrations of the army, accounts of which have often reached you by way of England.

Our further movements at that time were checked, and every mode of punishment that could be devised was put in execution. Allow me to describe one of the most common: Low scaffolds were erected and upon them was placed a board reaching two or three feet over the edge of the scaffold. Upon this board the victim—male or female—was securely bound. The executioner then taking a whip—a long, raw leather strap made heavy and hard at the end with lead—measures his distance, and gives a blow which carries away a strip of skin and flesh from the neck. Following this up, he applies blow after blow, until all the skin of the back is carried away. If the victim shriveled, he or she was branded in the forehead, his ears cut off, and his tongue cut out, and he was then sent to Siberia. The usual number of blows inflicted at once was from 200 to 500 or 600. Oftentimes the wretched sufferer died after a few hundred, but instances have occurred in which 5,000 have been endured. Life in this case, however, became only a prolongation of agony. If the victim died during the infliction of the punishment, so fierce was their hate, that the full measure of blows was dealt upon his dead body.

All the prominent Senators and Officers were arrested and the prisons of Moscow filled. Every day new tortures were invented and new atrocities perpetrated. When after two years Nicholas at length saw that the public indignation was assuming a character more and more fearful, he called a high National Council, and ordered the prisoners to be tried for their imputed crimes—supposing of course that Polish judges would, out of their fear of him, assign a speedy punishment. But what was his surprise when the Council of his own calling declared all those brought before them 'innocent of any crime against this State,' and released them all!

All that is most hateful in tyranny was now inflicted upon Poland. The President and all the Judges of the Supreme Council were imprisoned for one year at the expiration of which they disappeared and were seen no more. I had the honor to be one of this Russian Society, but fortunately one not discovered by the tyrant.

Constantine soon resigned in favor of his brother Nicholas, who married the daughter of a Pole and became furious as a mad bear. His tyrannies were more insupportable than those of Constantine. Six men were forbidden to meet together; all lights were to be put out at 9 o'clock: the theatres and churches were filled with spies and surrounded by soldiers: the air was filled with the uproar of fifes and drums, and the trophies taken from us in our battles were insultingly displayed in our streets.

All these shows checked not the revolutionary movement. The bold step of the High Council told the nation that the free spirit was not extinct. All the Poles were at their posts. Nicholas saw that the revolution was approaching, and, vainly hoping to awe them into submission, came to Warsaw, where he was crowned King of Warsaw.-

The celebration of this ceremony was one of the most splendid and imposing ever beheld by man; but it was the funeral pageant of the greatness of Nicholas. While the cries of his thousand satraps filled the air, while gold and silver medals were distributed among the Emperor's favorites, and brandy streamed from the imperial fountains, the eyes of Nicholas were forced to meet thousands of revolutionary pamphlets thrown among the crowd; thousands of dogs ran about the streets, decorated with Russian medals: gibbets were erected, and the effigies of Russian leaders hung upon them; and placards were placed upon every corner, bearing this inscription: 'The Palace of the Grand Duke to rent from this day one year.'

But the French Revolution, which now burst forth, changed the aspect of Europe. Austria, Russia and Prussia resolved to invade France, to preserve, as they said, the legitimate sway. Poland resolved to commence her revolution on the 29th of November, 1830. Its progress and success will form the subject of the next lecture.

In concluding this, I would call your attention to the long and steady deliberations of the Poles how to rescue themselves and all they held dear from the grasp of tyrants. The vilest misrepresentations were everywhere put forth, designed to conceal their spirit and to diminish the sympathy all the globe must feel for them. The despots were well aware that the undying, republican feeling of the Polish people would prove to their schemes what Hercules was to the Hydra—their enemy and destroyer. Therefore did they strain every nerve to stifle its manifestation. But Poland hopes, so soon as her history and struggles are well understood among you, that America will respond to her cry, 'Tell the North, my countrymen, Poland shall be free!'