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

Mr. JOHN VICKERS seconded the resolution.

Lord CAMPBELLi 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 bis suggestion, and the feeling of the
leaders of the Polish insurrection in Warsaw in
favour of such an agitation in this country, in lan.
guage somewhat similar to that given in previous
reports, 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. But the fact was, the circumstances under
which the recruitment was commenced and enforced
left the- Poles no alternative but to rise. It was
ebxuttewrmhienreatdeitdhethreevroelvuotliuotnioarnyareyleemleemnetnitn
the avowed object of the Russian Government to
not P o
l anexistd ;
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 justified 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-
lomatic stipulations—should be done to Poland. They
had been 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 beAligerent,
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 and able member, had recently said in that
room that the Government had done everything for