The Sun.
London, England, 1863-02-23 00:00:00

PRUSSIA AND POLAND,

BERLIN, Feb. 19.
The interpellation of Messrs. Schulze and Car-
lowitz, signed by 175 Deputities—whether a treaty
had been entered into by the Prussian and Russian
Governments with respect to assistance to be ren-
dered by the former Power for the suppression of
the Polish insurrection, and also regarding the con-
tents of any such existing treaty—was brought
forward in yesterday's Chamber, in consequence of
the attempt made by the Polish Deputies to extract
that information from the Ministry. On the question
being put by the President, in the usual form, whe-
ther, and when, the Government would reply to
theinterpellation, M. von Bismark replied that it
declined doing so, but alleged no motive whatever
for its refusal. This caused great sensation in the
Chamber. The debate that ensued was rather of
local than general interest. Waldeck made a telling
speech, and declared that the whole civilised world
would disapprove the loan of Prussian troops to
assist in the perpetuation of Russian Absolution. I
The blood of Prussia's sons was not to be poured
out to support an arbitrary policy in favour of a
foreign Government. The system of the Bismark
Cabinet was that of the Elector of Hesse, in the 'set
century, who sold his subjects to be slaughtered in
America. The speech was received with great ap-
plause, in which the galleries ventured to take part,
and were threatened if the offence were repeated.
M. von Bismark protested that his feeling for the
honour of Prussia was at least as strong as that of
Deputy Waldeck. Dr. Virchow declared it highly
desirable that Government should reply by a ne-
gative to the statements that had obtained circula-
tion and credence to the effect that not only had
the Prussian Government agreed to cross the
Russian frontier, but the Russians were to be
allowed to cross that of Prussia and to wage war
against the insurgents on Prussian soil. The Cham-
ber had a constitutional right to make inquiries on
this head. He (Dr. Virchow) expressed sympathy
for the population of the kingdom of Poland—a
sympathy shared by the whole civilised world. The
Government would have acted mare wisely by coun-
selling that of Russia to mildness towards the Poles
than by entering into such a convention. M. von
Bismark declared hi 3 disapproval of the idea of
giving advice at St. Petersburg. Such a step, he
said, might easily lead to reciprocity ; at which the
Chamber laughed very much, probably taking the
ambiguous remark of the Minister-President as a
naive admission that his Government did things
which even Russia might be justified in denouncing.
The committee on the Budget proceeds actively
with its labours. When deliberating on the budget
for Foreign Affairs the Government Commissioner
(a functionary of the department, who attends at
the proceedings of the committee when the corre-
sponding Minister is not present) declared that the
elevation of the London and Paris Legations to
Embassies had taken place on general political
grounds, and that there was no present intention of
increasing the salaries (31,000 thalers, and 10,000
for house rent in London ; and 25,000, and a house
free in Paris), although it had already been acknow-
ledged that such incomes did not correspond with
those of the representatives of other countries.
The salary of the London mission was, as you may
remember, increased by anticipation, while Count
Bernstorff was Minister of Foreign Affairs, but the
augmentation has never yet been consented to by
the Chamber.

The Berlin papers announce that Professor
Plotz, of Charlottenburg, who exerted himself at
the last elections on behalf of his party, the "old
(moderate) Liberals," has been deprived of his
office of examiner in the French language of persons
desirous to pass for the diplomatic service.
The Prussian censure has adopted the plan of
blotting out with printers' ink objectionable pic-
tures and paragraphs in foreign journals, after
which process these are delivered to the persons to
whom they are addressed. This blackening process
has recently been applied to Punch and to the
Deutsche Algemeine Zeitung.
The following advertisement has been published
in the Xreuz Zeitung
6, Among the honoured guests whom Berlin will receive
within its walls on occasion of the festival of the 17th of
March, there will be the lady who, 50 years ago, offered the
hair of her head as a sacrifice to her country, Miss Ferdi-
nande von Sehmettau. It is proposed to present to her, as a
mark of acknowledgment, an album with photographic por-
traits. All those persons who are disposed to take part in
this project are requested to send to my care their photo-
graphs, with their names signed under them.
" The General Field-Marshal, VON WRANGEL.
" Berlin, Feb. 16, 1863."

This certainly seems rather an extraordinary pro-
ject of the worthy and eccentric Field-Marshal.
Does he propose to bind up all the photographs that
are placed at his disposal, or will he make a selection
of the same ? The Browns, Joneses, and Robinsons
of Berlin will doubtless come to the front by the
thousand, eager for presentation to a heroine by a
Field• Marshal, and it will be a monster album in-
deed that will hold the multitude of aspirants for
the favourable regards of the lady who, just half a
century ago, exchanged her briglA tresses for four
stout defenders of her country. To-day's National
Zeitung says that Graef's picture of her sacrifice,
recently mentioned in my correspondence, has been
purchased by a Mr. Witticb, himself formerly known
as a painter, who proposes presenting it to the
Prussian National Gallery.
Mrs. Jachmann (who, as Miss Wagner, was once
the cause of strife among London managers, and
ho now, as a tragic actress, is performing in Berlin;
has met with an unfortunate accident. During a
rehearsal of " Macbeth," and owing to a door hav-
ing been left open which should have been closed,
she fell from a heigth of 12 feet, and hurt her
shoulder. As far as is yet known she has not fur-
ther injured herself, although said to be near her
confinement.

The most recent news received here from Poland
seems generally unfavourable to the insurgents.
The column commanded by Langiewicz is said to
have been again scattered, but too much importance
is not to be attached to such dispersion, it forming,
apparently, a rule of tactics with the insurgents to
scatter themselves on the approach of a superior
force, and again to assemble when the danger is
past. In Warsaw some small disturbances took
place on the 15th, the day for which the fears of
the Russians had predicted a general-rising. The
Revolutionary Committee had forbidden the popu-
lation to go to church on that day, because it was
believed Russian agents were to provoke that con-
flict. Nevertheless, in two Catholic churches revo-
lutionary songs were sung at mid-day mass. The
police did not interfere, but a troop of Hussars,
galloping through the streets, caused a panic. The
terror was so great that all those persons who had
opened their shops on that day (Sunday last) has-
tened to close them again. The hussars, however,
were proceeding to the Cracow suburbs, where a
great crowd had assembled, which they dispersed
by their approach, coinciding with that of 100 in-
fantry from the citadel. It was said that the two
churches would be closed in which national songs
had been sung. The report of an approaching
massacre Was maintained, and several rich persons
had sent their plate for safety to the bank, where
there was a Strong military guard. Very rigorous
orders were issued
by Baron Korff, the general
commanding in the Warsaw military' district, Con-
cerning the delivering up of arms and ammunition,
and the punishments incurred by those who failed
to do so within 48 hours. A letter from the Polish
frontier in the Ostsee Zeitung describes the fight at
Siematyce as one of the bloodiest scenes that has
yet occurred in this insurrection. It began at
2 p.m. on the 6th, and lasted until late at night.
The beaten insurgents retired into the city, where
they were next day attacked by the Russians, who
stormed the place after a short bombardment, A
struggle, the fury and bitterness of which are said
to defy description, then took place. Poles and
Russians fought hand to hand, and even strangled
each other with their hands and bit with their
teeth. The savage conflict did not last long ; the
flames of the burning town brought it to a close.
The insurgents gave way and fled ; only 23 houses
are still standing. Mr. Fanshawe's mansion and
the churches are heaps of ruins. The shrieks and
wailings of the inhabitants, driven from their houses
by the flames, are described as heartrending.