The Sun.
London, England, 1863-03-18 00:00:00

The Post-office Savings Banks Bill was read a
third time and passed, and the house adjourned
shortly after eight o'clock.

A meeting took place yesterday, at Guildhall, to
express sympathy with Poland. Unfortunately
the LORD MAYOR was too ill to preside, as he had
intecded to do. Mr. Alderman LAWRENCE, how-
ever, did his best to make up for the deficiency,
and in an earnest and energetic manner called upon
all present to sympathise fully and heartily with
the noble nation in whose interests they had that
day been called together. " I trust," said he,
" that, so long as we are a free nation and prize
freedom, we shall ever be ready to manifest our
sympathy with other nations desiring and deserving
freedom." He concluded by expressing an ardent
desire that such an expression of opinion might go
forth that day from that meeting that all Europe
might see the real feelings of Englishmen. Lord
HARROWBY proposed the first resolution :—" That
Russia, by the violation of her engagements to
Europe on behalf of Poland, and by the system of
confiscation, exile, and massacre which she has
substituted in their place, has forfeited all right
to the possession of Poland; and by the condition
of normal discontent which she has thus created in
the breast of an oppressed and gallant people ex-
poses the peace of Europe to a constant danger,
which it is the interest of all to avert."
His lordship impressively adverted to the chief fea-
tures of the case; he asked, " What did they now
see ? They saw tyranny unexampled under the
name of conscription." He thought it incumbent
on the people to express their opinions, and tell
Russia she was no longer entitled to the allegiance
of the Poles, for her conduct had nullified the
Treaty of Vienna.
The Hon. G. DENMAN seconded the resolution.
He made a very eloquent speech. He felt, he said,
that the sentiment in England nowadays was very
different as regarded Poland. We had a feeling of
hope which formerly we had not. It had been
truly stated that Russia had violated her engage-
ments with Poland. That clause in the resolation
which declared the present system pursued by
Russia to be one of " confiscation, exile, and mas-
sacre," was the literal truth. " There was
not a capital in Europe that did not
teem with Polish exiles, many of them
bearing the noblest names in history, still
ohorishing the love of their ecnntry, and whose
wealth was shared by plundering Russians." He
said that war might not be necessary just now, but
it would be going too far for any one to say that
we, who had gone to war for Turkey and many
other nations, would never go to war for Poland.
The hon. gentleman thus earnestly concluded his
spirited discourse amidst great applause :—" Were
we to wait another 90 years ? for it was 90 years
since the original wrong was done. Another 50
years ?—for it was nearly 50 yeais since the Treaty
of Vienna. It was the settled feeling of this
country that Europe must interfere to put down a
state of things which had existed much too long.
He thought all Europe would join us, except that
we might have some difficulty to persuade Prussia.
But if the rest of Europe joined in the cause
Poland must triumph. Whether she was to achieve
independence now, or it might be years hence, the
voice of that ix eeting would go to Poland to give
her strength to encourage her, and to cheer her;
and to the latest hour of her life, while she is alive,
she must be grateful for that which, in the name and
from the heart of the people of England, that meet-
ing was now doing." No wonder that in the city
of London such language was received with a warm
welcome.

No one can peruse this speech without being
struck with its manly tone, and bold championship
of the oppressed. The resolution was carried unani-
tnoualy. Sir HENRY MARE moved the next reso-

Ilution—" That it is the duty of every Englishman
to labour to obtain the cessation of all diplomatic
relations with Russia until such a state of things be
put an end to." The hon. baronet explained the
importance of this motion, and said truly that
we need not fear that Russia would go to
war with us. He then concluded his
speech in a manner worthy of the occasion
by saying that, " sooner than order should reign
at Warsaw in the Russian sense—her streets bathed
in fire and blood, and the stillness of death only
broken by the wail of the orphan and the lamen-

tation of the widow—the English people were pre-
pared to go to war." This resolution and

the succeeding one were carried unanimously.
Lord SHAFTESBURY also spoke at some length,
and was enthusiastically cheered. His lordship
made a stirring harangue. His lordship truly ob-
served that no one ought to call this a revolution,
it was a great and glorious insurrection of a much

wronged people. After dilating in the strongest
terms against the cruel conduct of the Russians,
he concluded by saying that he sincerely trusted

hat these expressions of sympathy against

,he oppressors would be manifested far

and wide, and that they would offer un-
ceasing prayers to the Throne of Grace,
"May GOD defend the right." We cannot better
conclude than by endorsing the opinion of the noble
lord, and trusting that his wishes will be realised
in their full extent, and his prayers accepted where

help is most efficacious. It will not be for nothing

,hat this meeting has taken place. It has shown
,o the world that in the city of London there exists

a profound contempt for the tyrants who ravage
the land of an oppressed and harassed people. When

reading the dreadful details of the barbarities of

the Russians on the unhappy country of Poland,
one is reminded of these impressive lines :
"Lo, from the ground embalmed in gore
The voice of justice cries,
The floodgates of her blood implore
Far vengeance from the skies."
Let us trust that the record of these proceedings
will go forth to the autocrat of all the Russias and
show him what free men think of his land of slaves.
Let us trust that the heartfelt expression of sym-
pathy will encourage the men struggling against
each fearful odds in Poland, and that the united

nations of Europe who possess any feeling for suf-
fering, or indignation against tyranny, will agree
in disavowing and disclaiming the conduct of