The Sun.
London, England, 1864-09-05 00:00:00

The Great Polish Trial at Berlin.

Tho examination of the accused Poles was commenced at
the sitting of the 22d August. The tedious preliminaries
which have so long occupied the Court, and which—as was
well shown by Dr. Gneist in his speech at the previous
sitting—only established the inability of the prosecution to
produce direct evidence of the criminality of the accused, by
their attempts to draw inferences from a variety of uncon-
nected documents published at various periods and in
foreign countries—have now been brought to a close, and
the real business of the Court appears to have at length be-
gun, The sitting of the 22d was occupied by the examina-
tion of M. Kosinski, ono of the accused. This gentleman,
in reply to inquiries made by the president, said that, so far
as he knew, there was no committee in Posen connected
w;th the Polish National Government. He admitted that
some persons in Posen had united in order to assist the
insurrection in Russian Poland ; but he was not one of
them. He denied that he had taken any part in any
treasonable undertaking, and quoted several of his writings
as a proof of his anti-revolutionary opinions. He added
that, in 1848, the people of Posen had hopes of being backed
by the whole of Germany in a war with Russia, and that
the insurrection which afterwards took place was the work
of Mieroslawksi, who is regarded in Posen as a self seek-
ing adventurer, and obtained very little support in the pro-
vince at the time. He belonged, he said, to no party, and
was strongly opposed to the insurrection—but, when the
insurrection broke out, he thought it his duty to render
assistance to his fellow-countrymen. It was but natural
that the insurrection should produce a certain excitement
in Posen. Most of those who inhabit that province
have relations in Russian Poland, so that every one
in Posen was more or less personally interested in what
took place in that country, and many of the more en-
thusiastic crossed the frontier to join their insurgent
brethren. In his opinion it was quite incorrect to attribute
the insurrection to foreign agitation; it was caused solely by
internal grievances. M. Guttry, whenever he came in eontact
with him. showed great discouragement as to the prospects
of the insurrection, and great ill will to Mieroslawski. He
declared that he was not in the Dzialynskie committee, and
pointed ant that the only ground for the allegation of the
prosecution that he belonged to the committee was, that
the syllable "Kos" was written in the count's pocket-book,
although that syllable was the beginning of many other
Polish names besides his own, He added that he had, at
the request of the count, volunteered to proceed to the
frontier for the purpose of giving informatioes as to the
movements of Russian and Prussian troops, &a. While he
acted in this capacity he saw only volunteers joining the
insurgents; there was no enlistment. He also allowed
some inorgents to reside at his house; but ho had neither
commanded .7. detachment nor occupied any position
of authority. He further admitted hadthathe
them
assistetdo
insurgents to cross the frontier,
and allowed
drill without arms in his gan2eß. N.Kosinski concluded
his examination by declaring his conviction that the in-
surrection was directed against Hussite: alone, and that no
sensible Polo would countenance its exten,:ling any further.
A confidential letter, addressed by the crisonEm to his aunt,
and stopped by the prison authorities, was then read by
order of the Court, notwithstanding a protest frosu M.
Janeeki after which the sitting was closed.
On the 23d the cross-examination of another of the pri-
soners, the well-known member of the Prussian Chamber,
Dr W. Niegolewski, commenced. Dr Niegolewski said
that the present proceedings were strangely inconsistent
with the principle laid down by the Crown prosecutor
at the Polish trial in 184 G—viz., that the wishes of the
Poles for the restoration of Poland could not be regarded
as criminal, and that in Prussia deeds only could form the
subject of a judicial prosecution. The present trial was only
to prove and punish thoughts, not deeds, Both in the last in-
surrection and in that of 1816 the Poles had endeavour to ob-
tain the sympathies of Germany, and were hostile to Russia.
No opposition was ever offered by the Poles to the capture of
arms, &c., for the insurrection by Prussian employes and
Prussian troops, He declared it to be his conviction that
the present trial was the fruit of the machinations of Messrs.
Baerensprung and Post. He was not intimate, he added,
with N. Guttry, as they did not agree in their political
opinions. As regards his being named in Count Dzialynski's
memoranda, he said these memoranda were like an unac-
cepted bill. He thought the note relating to him was a
forgery. No one could have written it that knew the Po-

A rather better show of wheat, which met a slow sale,
and late prices were not in all instances obtained. Bar-
ley in limited supply, and a fair trade, at late prices. Oats
in better supply, at fully the prices of last week. Beans
scarce and met a tolerably fair sale, at rather higher rates.
—White wheat, from..43s to 51s ; red wheat, 42s to 462.
Barley—malting, 30a to 37s ; grinding, 28s to 295. Oat•,,
old, at 25s to 308 Od ; new, 23s to 255. Beans sold at 403
to 44s per qr. ;new, 35s to 38s.

Flolir, fine, '3os to 325; super, 34s to 39s per 20 stone.

LEICESTER-SATURDAY.

A moderate show of wheat, which sold slowly at former
rates. Barley scarce, and prices firm. Beans rather dearer.
—Old white wheat, 46s to 49s ; red, 42s to 45s per 36
stone. New white, 44s to 48s per 36 atone. Malting barley,
new, 32s to 36s per qr.; grinding, 29s to 31s; o!d oats,
23s to 295; new oats, 20s to 24s per 24 stone. Beans,
old, 40s to 43s per 38 stone ; flour, 34s to 39s_per 20 etono.