anquillity by such barbarous proceedings,
had recourse to a rigid conscription intended to have the effect of
forcing all the patriotic youth of the country into the ranks of the
Russian army. This violent recruiting was first attempted at Warsaw, at
dead of night, on the 15th of January, 1863. When the news of this
violence spread throughout the country, all the young men capable of
bearing arms fled to the steppes and forests, and, in eight days, all
Poland was in rebellion for the third time, in order to break the yoke of
the foreigner. A word from the great Powers, or any one of them, would
have restored peace. But they all alike refused to speak this word. The
British, after having encouraged the Poles to resistance in public
speeches, were on the point of intervening in their behalf, when a hint
from M. de Bismark suddenly cooled their zeal, and determined Lord John
Russell to recall by telegraph threatening despatches which were already
on their way to St. Petersburgh. It need scarcely be said that Prussia,
which was an accomplice of Russia in the iniquitous partition, made common
cause with Russia in the work of repression. Austria was at the time
paralyzed, as Italy was threatening Venice. Italy simply expressed to
Prince Gortschakoff, the Russian Chancellor, "its confidence that the
Emperor Alexander would persevere in the reforms so unfortunately
interrupted by the rebellion." Innocent Italians! They, of course, were
not guilty of causing rebellion, which was now, in their estimation, so
deplorable in Sicily, Naples, the Grand Duchies, &c. Napoleon remained, as
was his wont, undecided. He would neither assist the Poles nor give them
to understand that he would not assist them. A word from him would have
shortened, by eighteen months, a hopeless struggle of two years, which
ended by exhausting them.

There was one, however, who protested. Pius IX. denounced the oppressor as
fearlessly as if he had been the least of the princes of the earth. He
wrote to him, at first, in a tone of mild remonstrance, on the 22d of
April, 1863. But finding that his representations were not heeded, he
renewed them more pressingly. He did not confine himself to merely
official acts. He sent Cardinal Reisach on a confidential mission to
Vienna, and addressed a warm and feeling letter to the Emperor Francis
Joseph, in order to induce him to take action energetically in common with
France. He invited the whole Christian world to join w