The Sun.
London, England, 1863-11-18 00:00:00

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bound to uphold ; and if we did not wish to sink

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Did it not express the principles which had been
iropresa.ed week by week open Lord Russell by
imoyski, and which Lord Russell then conceived
to be just and which he sought to give effect to ?
(Loud cheers.) So much was that understood to be
the fact abroad that, happening to be in Paris at
the time the speech arrived, I know a gentleman
who went to Gen. Z imoyski, who was also then.,
and said—" I congratulate you upon the success of
your speech at Blairgowrie," (Hear, hear, and
laughter.) Therefore I would ask you to remark
that this speech, which conveyed, so far as we could
judge, the deliberate conviction of the Foreign-
office, was not followed up by results, and therefore
there has been a discrepancy and incongruity be-
tween the speech at Blairgowrie and the subscquent
acts of the Government ? Why is this ? It is be-
cause the popular opinion of Great Britain has not
been
expressed with that loudness and distinctness
as to give even a cautious statesman the power and
the liberty to act on the convictions he has formed
—the convictions he has blazoned forth to the
continent. I hope I have thus brought home to the
humblest and the plainest understanding the con-
viction that agitation has upon the Polish question
this tendency, namely, to give to the Government
the freedom of doing that which it desires to do, but
which it shrinks from doing until it has the indubi-
table stamp of public approbation. Having thus,
I trust, convinced you that agitation is. practicable
and friendly to the Government which rules us,
and is desired by those who wish for our support,ea
will only remark at the outset that the Leag
of which I have the honour of being one of the
e
vice-presidents disclaims the accusation frequently
urged against it—that of attempting to light up
the flames of war in Europe. War is not our ob-
ject. It is true that in 1854 Great Britain, after
due deliberation, resolved that it was advisable to
go to war with Russia, not for the purpose of pro-
tecting herself or her allies, but Eastern Europe
from Russian aggression. (Hear, hear.) Hence the
Crimean war. It is true that the cause of that war
is emblazoned upon the annals of the country, but
no man with Balaklava in remembrance would wish
to see that principle acted upon at present if it were
possible to avoid it. The League does not aim at
war, but it does wish to avert that collision be-
tween Russia and the Western Powers which must
unavoidably be brought about should Poland be un-
happily exterminated. (Loud cheers.) But although
they do not wish for war, they wish to contend that
Polish independence is a British object, and that it
is our duty to preserve it on the ground of its being
our own interest to do so as well for the sake of
humanity. In the age in which we live France and
England go together. (Cheers.) So long as they
do, Russia may not be considered in Western
Europe as a formidable Power. (Hear, hear.) But
it is impossible to count upon the life of the extra-
ordinary man who now rules France ; he is not
immortal, and what politician could be so rash as
to count upon the policy of France when deprived
of its master mind ? (Loud cheers.) Who shall
say that at all times France and England will be
ready to present to St. Petersburg the firm front
they did in 1854? Would that have occurred in
1830, in 1846, or in 1848 ? Who, then, can always
calculate upon the continuance of their alliance ? I
ask you, therefore, to consider a moment what the
consequences will be if, when France and England
are not united as at present, the question of Turkey
should give rise to a disagreement between the
Cabinets of London and St. Petersburg. If not to
France, where are we turn to for an ally ? We
must look in that event to the German Powers,
namely, Austria and Prussia; and so long
as the Czar holds Poland in his hands,
Austria and Prussia cannot be considered
as free agents. If you look at the map of
Europe you will see that Warsaw commands Berlin
and Vienna—Berlin being only 20 hours' journey
from Warsaw, and Vienna only 24. (Hear, hear.)
You can conceive how the Czar influences the de-
termination of political questions at these places,
and it explains the servile Russian part which
Prussia has acted in this very matter. At the same
time, it explains why Austria, wishing as she does
to act with France and England, has been compelled
to adopt a double-faced policy with regard to the
Polish question, especially with regard ;to Galicia,
to which reference has recently been made by the
Galician members of the Austrian Reichsrath.
(Hear, hear.) So long as the Czar holds Poland he
holds Germany ; so long as he holds the German
Powers as his footstool without France as our ally,
Great Britain is powerless to oppose Russia with
Poland in its possession. But with Poland emanci-
pated this could never be the case. (Cheers.) This is
a mere matter of geography and observation which
the eye of the least instructed man can see at once.
Let that extensive country stand between the Czar
and Germany, and Western Europe is free from
Russian aggression. (Lond cheers.) On these
grounds the League is justified in saying that Polish
independence is a British question. (Cheers.) And
now, having proved to you that this is a British
question, you will be more prepared to listen to
those who will tell you that the Emperor of Russia
has forfeited his title to be Sovereign of Poland.
(Hear, hear.) I regret the absence on this occasion
of my noble friend Lord Ilchester, another vice-
president of the League, who, from the official posi-
tion he had occupied at the Hague, in Florence and
Vienna, and his connection with the Foreign..
office, would have been able to have addressed
you with greater authority on this point, and whose
accession to the League has been of great advan-
tage to it. The noble lord having called upon Mr.
Day to propose the first resolution, resumed his seat
amid loud cheers.
Mr. DAY proposed the first resolution That
the devoted heroism of the Poles in their present
and in their past struggles for the independence of
their country entitles them to the admiration and
support of Great Britain." Russia was an aggres-
sive Power; she had increased her possessions, and
she would, if unchecked, in time be enabled to en-
tirely disregard the West of Europe altogether.
Had it not been for the Crimean war Western Eu-
rope would have felt before this the aggressive po-
licy of Russia. With regard to the speech of
Earl
Russell, he thought Lord Palmerston had pulled the
string on him, and had decided that a neutral policy
should be adopted. (Hear, hear, and laughter.
He
trusted that Great Britain was not losin )
' British pluck, or that we were g its
old
going to,
position in Europe We had 1. • give up tne
(Hear, hear.) hitherto occupied.
Mr. BURNEY seconded the resolution, and con-
tended that we ought to
atrocities which were being put aco ythßeufsesairafiunl
accounts ofra
umietiateddtbo
Poland, several aeeo
meeting. If we were which he read to the
compelled
we need not send a large army
to appeal to arms
Russia, but could easily
muzzle rmy to the interior of
ing the Russian
ports
the bear by blocked-
'and when the bear wanted the
muzzle taken off,
Mr. Popp making him pay all expenses.
HENN ESSY said since he had had a seat
in Parliament
he had given this subject his earnest
attention. This was the time when public opinion
could
the not be given forth in Parliament, and it was
Proper time for members of Parliament to as-
certain the opinions of the people whom they repre-
sented. (Hear, hear.) Now, what progress with
regard to the Polish question had been made since
the last public meeting. First, there was the
speech of Lord Russell, in which he declared that
Russia had forfeited her sovereignty over Poland.
After such a declaration from the Foreign Se-
cretary, he cared not what despatches had been
ent. ( hear.) Then there was the
importantsentence in the Emperor' Napoleon's ad-
dress the other day, in which he also declared that
Russia had forfeited her rights over Poland. The
French Emperor spoke not only for France but for
England and for the civilised world. (Loud cheers.)
The third great event was the recall of the Grand
Duke Constantine, who had been the author of the
oppression of Poland. Russia had herself admitted

into the position of a second-rate Power we must
not allow our obligations to be tom
to pieces by
Russia. It we tolerated the crushing of Poland a
great disgrace would befall us. (Fhar, hear.)
People of England must forge the Goc:...rnment to
Sal'e us from euell e diegra,.:e. ;;ear.) A
Congress had been proposed, and upon that ques-
tion the Times newspaper, after vacillating until it
found out the intention of the Government, ea.rie at
last to the conclusion that we are to have one, "un-
der certain conditions." (11.,ar, hear, and laughter.)
The Emperor told us that those who refused to
attend the Congress would contribute to bring about
a war. Now, we ought not to be afraid of war. We
had spent hundreds of millions upon armaments
since the Crimean war, and were our iron-plated
frigates to be only used in saluting for(eigenars,oavned-
reigns on their arrival in this country ? n
laughter.) We must not fear war when our
honour was assailed. (Loud cheers.) L'-)rd Russell
had on a late occasion almost threatened war if our
demands on Russia were rejected. France, finding
the atrocities in Poland increasing, had asked us to
join her in a war to compel Russia to behave with
humanity to Poland, butymEtaotntgehlraa.vned(Lghooaandde
hand in
(hHanisdsews.)
ith ItF rwanacseoiunr tahuet
To do the Government justice, he believed
if h
Earle
Russell would take a much higher position
thought he could rely upon the opinion
in Poland
o ofthiscownan;
try for support. The insure
increasing, and so were the Russian
casnea layatrocities.d
Ladies were being flogged, and in one
after being flogged, had next day given birth to a
child, which died, and had lost her reason, her hus-
band having since been executed. Now, not only
Russia, but England, was responsible for these atro-
cities. (Hear, hear.) Let us, therefore, join with
France in declaring that Russia had forfeited her
claim to Poland, and that the ancient kingdom of
Poland must be restored to its proper position in
Europe; and nothing less than this he was sure
would meet the wishes of the people of this country
and the rest of the civilised world.
The resolution was carried unanimously.
Mr. EDMOND BEALES moved the second resolu-
tion—" That this meeting cordially approves of the
objects of the National League for Promoting the
Independence of Poland,andurgetsootnhteheinGsuorvgeernnt-
ment the justice of
extending
Poles the belligerent rights which they have asked,
in concert with other Powers ready to concede
them." Poland had been one of
nations in Euro e. the greatest
P
She had been the home and
refuge of the persecuted. She had been the nurse
of the arts and sciences, and her chief fault was
one which ought to endear her to English..
men—a too great love of liberty. Her free insti-
tutions roused the fear and hate of the despotic
Powers on her threshold, and they combined toge-
ther to crush and stamp her freedom in the dust.
Mr. DONALD MiNICEEOLL seconded the resolu-
tion, and M. NAPOLEON ZABA supported it.
The resolution having been carried unanimously,
the meeting terminated at a late hour with a vote
of thanks to the chairman.