The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1855-10-23 00:00:00

SUMMARY OF THE POLISH. QUESTION.

The fiction of the preservation of Turiey has drifted and
cleared away with the smoke of the first shot. It is for
Europe, for ourselves, we stand; and even upon no higher,
no more dignified principle, the restoration of Poland ought
to be the rallying-word upon every hustings.. On no pre-
tence of embarrassing the course of negotiations, of detach-
ing Austria from the Allies, or of provoking_the hostility of
Prussia, should evasion of this question, be permitted. We,
for our part, have never triumphed in the weakness or
humiliation of Austria ; we have no symnathy with her
rebels or her defamers; the dearest action Of Irishmen has
been spent iu her service ; we are bound to her for a gene-,
rous and open-hearted hospitality in evil times ; and we
would not willingly deprive her of a foot of territory,
scruple of influence. We have no particular grudge against
Prussia ; if we take anything from, her, it must be at a.
valuation. Let Austria have the Danubian provinces, and
something more ; mediatize half-a-dozen of German princes,
and throw their dukedoms. to Prussia ; hut let Poland be
revived at any cost. Gratify the pride, make safe the-
interests of Austria and, Prussia as events may permit ;
the means will not be wanting if the determination be
adopted and adhered to. Austria and Prussia will be more
immediate gainers,;, Austria,, no doubt, is aware of this,
but her position is lamentably peculiar. She owes it to
Russia that she exists. When all Europe, and England
more particularly, stood by and flouted her in the death
struggle with democracy upon all her frontiers, Russia
interposed and, saved her. And has Russia no claim upon
her gratitude P Alas, Poland was her last deliverer, and
gratitude never interposed to forbid the partition, though
the partition was simply a crime, while the reduction of
Russian power is a necessity. After a little decent reluc-
tance, and a little ceremonious pressure from without,
Austria, we may be assured, will come to terms. Prussia,
too, it is likely, will come to understand her own interests,
and may be brought to surrender Posen for a proper equi-
valent ; but she is under the fascination still, and will
require more peremptory dealing. In a word, Europe can
have no faith in moral obligations ; she must have her
"material guarantee" or nothing. Russian and European
interests can have nothing in common; their enmity is
instinctive, their antipathy invincible, their union impos-
sible, their very co-existence scarce conceivable. Statesmen
are not even yet -disabused of the idea that Russian and
European destinies, like the lines of the parabola, can
approach for ever without ever coming into contact. Men
seem to think that some squinting treaty looking every way
and no way, or blinking the only interest it would appear
to stare upon, is the necessity of the time. Diplomatists, if it
be left to them, will continue to substitute darkness for
safety, ambiguity of clauses for opposition of forces,
paper for iron, and back-doors for ramparts in front.—
Poland is the only rampart that will stand ; and unless
we raise it up, ministers may outwit each other upon
details, and win their little victories with their customary