Mar.] 



CHRONICLE. 



53 



endeavoured to procure it a new 

 one. In fact, Russia, after a 

 passed melancholy war, return- 

 ing, according to the precepts of 

 the Christian religion, good for 

 evil, has paternally held out its 

 arms to you; and of all the advan- 

 tages which victory gave it, she 

 preferred one — namely, the ho- 

 nour of raising and restoring a 

 brave and estimable nation. In 

 contributing to this, I obeyed an 

 internal conviction, powerfully 

 supported by events. I have 

 fulfilled a duty which was pre- 

 sented only by this conviction, 

 and which is for that reason 

 <iearer to my heart. 



" The organization which was 

 in force in your country, has 

 allowed the immediate establish- 

 ment of that which I have given 

 you, by putting into effect the 

 principal of those liberal estab- 

 lishments which were always the 

 objects of my care, and whose 

 wholesome influence I hope, with 

 the help of God, to extend to all 

 the countries which Providence 

 has committed to my care. In 

 this manner you have offered me 

 the means of showing to my 

 country what I have long since 

 been preparing for it, and which 

 it will obtain when the basis of so 

 important a work shall have re- 

 ceived the necessary consistency. 

 Poles ! it is for you who have laid 

 under the fatal prejudices which 

 have drawn upon you so many 

 evils, to give durability to your 

 regeneration. 



" It is indissolubly united with 

 the fate of Russia ; all your 

 efforts must be employed to give 

 stability to this salutary and pro- 

 tecting union. Your re-estab- 

 lishment is fixed by solemn trea- 



ties. It is confirmed by the act 

 of the constitution. The inviola- 

 bility of these foreign engage- 

 ments, and of their fundamental 

 laws, ensure to Poland in future 

 an honourable rank among the 

 nations of Europe — a valuable 

 possession which it has long 

 sought in vain under the severest 

 trials. 



" The career of your labours 

 is opened. The Minister of the 

 Interior will lay before you the 

 state of the administration of the 

 kingdom ; you will be made ac- 

 quainted with the projects of laws 

 which will be the subjects of your 

 deliberations. The object of them 

 is progressive ameliorations. The 

 improvement of the publicfinances 

 requires knowledge, which only 

 time and a due appreciation of 

 the resources of your government 

 can give. The constitutional form 

 of government will be gradually 

 applied to all parts of the admi- 

 nistration ; the department of jus- 

 tice will soon be formed ; propo- 

 sals relative to the civil and penal 

 legislation will be laid before you. 

 I will readily believe, that when 

 you examine them with persever- 

 ing attention, you will make laws 

 destined to ensure the most va- 

 luable blessing — namely, secu- 

 rity of persons and property, and 

 freedom of opinion. As I cannot 

 be always among you, I have 

 left you a brother, my con- 

 fidential friend, who, from our 

 earliest years, has been my inse- 

 parable companion. I have con- 

 fided your army to him, as the 

 depository of my sentiments and 

 my care for you. He has exerted 

 himself to fulfil his task. By his 

 care this army, already so rich in 

 glorious recollections and warlike 



qualities 



