The Sun.
London, England, 1863-06-16 00:00:00

LONDON, TUESDAY, JUNE 16, 1863.

How serious matters are becoming in Poland, the
Telegrams of this forenoon clearly demonstrate.
Through one the electric current tells us, by a few
lightning flashes, from the other end of Europe, that
immediately after the execution of the insurgent
chief HEINRICH ABICHT and of the Capuchin
monk KONARSKI, both of whom, it will be remem-
bered, were only the other day hanged, a warning
from the Nati'mai Government was despatched to
the Grand Duke CONSTANTINE. That mysterious
National Goverament —as inscrutable, in its
way, as the awful masked Council of Ten at
Venice—has thus warned the Grand Duke CON-
STANTINE that his life in serious jeopardy. The
invisible and puissant au,'hority r,!:.Jsenting the
present armed and hitherto taiumphaut insurrection
tells the Grand Duke CONSTA:NTINE that for his
safety, for his personal safety in future it can no
longer hold itself responsible_ The death of the great
Polish Chieftain, above ail the death of the good
and beloved Monk—has each, have both—cast away
the last chi nee of reconciliation. 'I he divinity that
hedges Kings and Princes according to the poet
has crumbled to dust in Poland, in reference to the
representatives of that cruel Russian Autocracy.
The Grand Duke CONSTANTINE now stands
unsheltered by any glamour of loyalty—even
supposing loyalty to be under any circumstances
possible from a polish peasant to a Russian Prince.
His Imperial Highness has himself flung away the
scabbard : and now without shield or barrier
of any kind, he stands before an outraged and
infuriated nation the foremost and the most
conspicuous figure amongst the ranks of its
oppressors.
_ _

Another incident reveals,. if possible, yet more
distinctly than ever the solemn warning addressed
to the GRAND DUKE by the National Government,
the extremity of antagonism to. which the Poles
have at length been driven by the cruel domination
of the CZAR. And the incident we' allude to is
simply this—thatin consequence of the execution of
the excellent priest KONARSKI, the archbishop
and the clergy of Warzi.w, having sent in a
protest to the Government demanding that tiat
dead Monk's body should be hAnded over to them
for interment, that protest and demand were
immediately telegraphed to St. Petersburgh.
Thence, it now appears, that an order has recently
been received, commanding the archbishop at
once to repair to the capital. Archbishop FELINSKI
has in consequence it is said already left-Warsaw for
St. Petersburg. To meet with what reception—
who shall say ? The Russian game is fast being
played out. Religion has long since begun there in
earnest to sanctify Patriotism by its august com-
plicity. The insurrection is gaining strength day
by day. It would require the whole might of
Russia now to crush it out entirely. And the
exercise of that ruthless power by Russia against
Poland—Public Opinion throughout Western
Europe can hardly much longer tolerate.

The case of Sergeant-Major LILLEY was last
night adverted to in the House of Lords, and the
Earl of SHAFTESBURY put a question to the Seere-
:Y for War regarding that subject which has lately
Earl
so much public attention. The noble
-Ei stated that he forebore to make any prelimi-
nary observaof the tions, as he had no official knowledge
matter, and he must be careful not to give
rise to unfounded
asper-
sions." This rescrvauspicions," or "unjust
only what might be ex-
pected from Lord SRAFTESBURY'S well-known
moderation, but he wen
n
that " so frightful a picture to say with great truth
as that presented in the
case I have alluded to has
never et
before the British public, andlmy been brought
must add that, so
far as I can judge, what has taken place
most unsatisfactory, and
such I
believehitherto is
also
the judgment of the public." ne noble lord then
asked asked whether it was the intention of the Govern-
ment
to institute any further inquiry into the cases
of Lieutenan:-- Colonel Crawley and Sergeant-Major
LILLEY. Before this was answered by the Secre-
tary for War, the Duke of CAMBRIDGE made some
remarks on the question. He observed that he
wished to explain not so much about the court-
martial on Paymaster SMALE, as what might re-
sult from a court-martial on Lieutenant-Colonel
CRAWLEY, which he believed would be deemed
necessary. His Royal Highness then clearly
explained his purpose in addressing their
lordships. "So much has been said as to the
position which I fill, and as to the line I have taken
with regard to this melancholy proceeding, that it
is right your lordships
and the country should know
the exact rel ative position in which I, filling the 1