The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-16 00:00:00

SYMPATHY FOR POLAND.

A public meeting of the inhabitants of Southwark
was held yesterday evening at the Bridge House
House Hotel, London Bridge, for the purpose of
soliciting sympathy and aid for Poland.
Mr. John Locke, M.P., was called to the chair,
and was supported by Lord Campbell, the Rev.
Hugh Allen, Mr. John Vickers, Dr. Ecan B. Jones,
Capt. E. Dresser Rogers, Mr. Edmond Beales, &a.
The CHAIRMAN, in opening the proceeding, said
he had attended there in consequence of a requisi-
tion from several of his constituents, and it gave
him great pleasure at all times to enable his consti-
tuents to express their opinions. (Hear, hear.) The
wrongs of Poland had been common to them ever
since they could remember hearing of that country.
In 1831 our Government took the same course which
the present was pursuing. It was the opinion of the
Government that it was not the interest of this
country to go to war with Russia for the indepen-
dence of Poland. He did not think that either the
present Government Or any:that _would succeed,
would be prepared to go to war for Poland. Such
was the state of things, and they must take them
as they were. There was a period during the
Crimean war when Poland's wrongs might have
been redressed, and he regretted that opportunity
had not, been seized. (Cheers.) But there was no
knowing what might take place. A war might
spring up, and then would come the time to assist,
and, if possible, re-establish the independence of
Poland. (Hear, hear.) That was the feeling of
every one in this country, br.t they differed as to the
means. Some said, "If we went to war who should
we have with us P" (Cries of "France." " Yes,
and Italy and Spain.") Well, take France, and
what then ? There were many who looked with a
wistful eye on the other side of the Rbine. It was
for them to wait events—a war might turn up, and
therefore now it would be for them to make their
feelings known, so that when the time came their
voices would be listened to. (Hear.) It had been
suggested that this country should acknowledge
the Poles as belligerents. That was a step in the
right direction, and would be of great service to
them, as it would place them in a recognised posi-
tion to struggle for freedom. That would not imply
war, and would meet the objections of the timid.
The chairman then solicited the meeting to listen
attentively to the resolutions that the speakers
would propose.
Mr. J. R. Taylor, the hon. secretary, read a
letter from Mr. Layard in answer to an application
of his to be present at that meeting.

Foreign office, Dec. 14, 1863.

Sir,—However much I may Sympathise in the cause
your meeting is called to advocate, I feel certain that in
declining to attend it my motives will be understood by
your chairman, and by those gentlemen who are announced
to be present on the occasion.—Yours, &c.,

A. H. LAYARD.

The Rev. HUGH ALLEN, in moving the first reso-
lution, said this would not have been his place
had the meeting'been called for the purpose of ad-
vocating war, but it was not, and therefore he con-
tended that was his place on that occasion. All
nations were so many families, and if one family
suffered those around it suffered also. Poland was
a❑ ancient country, and on grounds of literature, of
arts and sciences, of heroism and patriotism, de-
manded our sympathy and aid. He did not fear the
breaking out of a war. If there was only a bold front
put en by England and other countries, with a
known determination to go to war if it were requi-
site, there would be no fear of a war breaking out.
(Hear.) If firmness had been shown in 1851, there
never would have been a Crimean war. But the
question 0; Poland was one that both Whig and
'Try were afraid of, and it was that very fear of
war which drew it on. (Hear.) He had been told
that the Poles did not deserve our sympathies be-
cause they were Catholics. There was nothing in
his Church that enunciated such a principle, and as
a Protestant he refused to withhold his sympathy
to the Poles on such narrow grounds. (Cheers.)
The rev, gentleman concluded by moving—" That
the devoted heroism of the Poles in their present
and past struggles for the independence of their
country entitles them to the admiration and sup-
port of Great Britain." (Cheers.)
Mr. JOHN VICKERS seconded the resolution.

Lord CAMPBELL, on presenting himself to support
the resolution, was loudly cheered. The noble lord,
after stating the circumstances under which the
present series of metropolitan borough meetings had
originated on his suggestion, and the feeling of the
leaders of the Polish insurrection in Warsaw in
favour of such an agitation in this country, in lane
guage somewhat similar to that given in previous
reporte, proceeded to refer to the former struggles
of Poland for freedom and independence, and
to the circumstances under which the present com-
menced, and which, to his mind, had a far
higher and stronger claim upon European sympathy
and support than upon any former occasion. The
struggle had been maintained most gallantly
against the most tremendous odds. It had been
said that the Poles were not justified in rising in
insurrection, because their means were inadequate
to achieve the result at which they aimed, and
there was no chance of their gaining their indepen-
dence. Bat the fact was, the circumstances under
which the recruitment was commenced and enforced
left the Poles no alternative but to rise. It was
the avowed object of the Russian Government to
exterminate the revolutionary element in Poland ;
but where did the revolutionary element not exist
in Poland ? It existed
among the highest class,
whose estates had been confiscated; among the
commercial classes, whose trade and enterprise were
crippled and injured ; and among the poorer
classes, on whom the conscription fell with most
merciless serverity. (Hear, hear.) It was a war
waged by Russia against all men, all interests, and
all the classes in the country, Suppose the Polish
leaders had acquiesced in the recruitment, who did
not see that it would have been renewed year after
year with all its horrors and all its evils, even until
the bitter end of extermination Was reached, and
that therefore the insurrection was fully justiied as
a wise, sound, and prudential measure of self-de-
fence, which submission would not have averted,
and the evils of which resistance could not possibly
increase. (Cheers.) It was, therefore, said by the
gallant Poles, "Far better to die in the ranks of
Poland fighting against Russia, than to die in the
ranks of Russia fighting against the interests of
Europe and the order of the world." (Cheers.) But
was the struggle really so hopeless as some repre-
sented it to be? He thought not ; and for two
reasons. In the first place, the three great Powers,
France, Austria, and Great Britain—had all shown
a strong desire that justice—under at all events dip-
lomaticstiPalations—should be done to Poland. They
had beer refused, but in the vicissitudes of Europe
and the probabilities of war, who could tell what
new diplomatic combinations might arise in the
course of next spring; and if the Polish insurrection
was maintained throughout the present winter,
what new elements of success might be brought
into play in their favour. (Hear, hear.) As to the
probability that they could maintain it this winter,
he thought that after what had been done in the
last with imperfect organisation and imperfectly
developed resources, there were good grounds for
believing the contest could be sustained. In the
next place he thought that our Government and
that of the other two Powers might be urged to ac-
cede to the demands of the Polish National Govern-
ment, namely, to recognise Poland as a belligerent,
and to declare that Russia had forfeited her rights
in Poland by her violation of the treaty under which
alone she held it. (Cheers.) Mr. Layard, their
talented end able member, had recently said in that
room that the Government had done everything for