font la ronde, 'go their rounds

Hâtons-nous ! (Page 113.)

Written in February, 1831.

The Congress of Vienna, in 18 15, after allotting part of Poland to Prussia, constituted a new Kingdom of Poland, with Warsaw for its capital, which, though annexed to the Russian Empire, was to preserve its nationality. It was given a constitution, and ' home rule ' under a viceroy, to which position the Emperor's brother Constantine was appointed. Poland enjoyed a period of apparent peace until 1830, but beneath the surface smouldered a discontent which was aggravated by the harsh military rule of the Grand Duke Constantine. At the news of the French Revolution of 1830 the citizens of Warsaw rose en masse, and joined the Polish soldiery in a long prepared insurrection against the Russian garrison, while some young men invaded the Belvedere to seize Constantine, who escaped by hiding himself in a garret. Thus began a struggle of ten months' duration, during which Poland fought heroically against greatly superior forces. The Poles had reckoned upon foreign support in their struggle for freedom, and in particular upon that of France. But Louis- Philippe, whose position was precarious, only used the Polish insurrection to induce Emperor Nicholas to recognize his accession, while England and Austria stood aloof, and offered the Poles no substantial aid. Decimated by cholera, the Poles were finally obliged to yield, and before the end of autumn, 1831, the insurrection was entirely quelled. In February, 1832, Poland was declared a Russian province, and lost what autonomy it had hitherto enjoyed, while 80,000 of its inhabitants were sent to Siberia.

In many countries the people had witnessed the struggle of Poland with the greatest sympathy, and had extended to that

unhappy country what aid they could. In France a ' Comité Polonais ' was formed under the presidentship of General La Fayette, to collect funds and organize help. It was in aid of this committee that Béranger published four songs in 1831, two of which were Hâtons-nous ! and Poniatovjski. The title Hâtons-nous ! was appropriate. It was recognized by all that the struggle would be a short one, and that Poland had no chance of winning (cf. IL 42-44) except through the immediate intervention of the Powers hostile to Russia.