The Sun.
London, England, 1863-08-26 00:00:00

THE POLISH INSURRECTION.

(From the Special Correspondent of the Times.)
NEAR CRACOW, Aug. 16.
Rance Gortschakoff's account of the circumstances
under which Archbishop Felinski was arrested is
ona of the most ingenious pieces of misrepresenta-
tion that Russian diplomacy has put forth for some
time past. Several notoriously true statements
seem to have been purposely introduced into the
document in order to give it a colour of veracity ;
and the false ones which it contains in abundance
are so well put together, and are made with such an
air of candour, that the whole is admirably calcu-
lated to deceive persons not well acquainted with
the facts of the case. According to Prince Gorts-
chakoff the Archbishop was arrested for playing the
part of a political agitator, and in particular for
having written a letter to the Emperor, in which, as
your readers may remember, he urged his Majesty
in the strongest terms to unite the Russo-Polish pro-
vince to the Kingdom of Poland and govern this
new Polish State as constitutional King. Prince
Gortschakoff would have the world believe that the
Archbishop was punished for this terrible crime
simply by being confined, with all the respect due
to his position, in the Imperial Palace of Gatchina,
not far from St. Petersburg. But the truth is that
M. Felinski is detained at Jaroslaw, in the interior
of Russia, having been sent there, not for presuming
to offer advice to the Emperor (in a letter published
without the writer's knowledge or consent), but for
protecting indignantly against the illegal, and in all
respects unjustifiable, execution of the priest
Konarski.
Readers of Prince Gortschakoff's clever fictions
would perhaps like to know how it has really hap-
pened that an ecclesiastic who was named only two
years ago to the Archbishopric of Warsaw for his
supposed devotion to the Imperial Government
should now find himself in the same position that
the patriotic bishops Rzewuski and Soltyk occu-
pied when a few years before the first partition
they were taken from their places in the Diet, and
for their determined opposition to the interference
of Russia in the affairs of Poland sent into exile.
It will not have been forgotten that when Arch-
bishop Fijalkowski died in the autumn of 1861 the
churches of Warsaw remained closed in consequence
of the outrages committed in one of them on the
occasion of the Kosciusko anniversary. The great
question at St. Petersburg was how to get them
opened, and it was resolved in nominating a new
archbishop to choose a man who would be able to
arrange the matter to the satisfaction of the Govern-
ment. It was not astonishing that M. Felinski should
have been selected for the work, for it was known
that in his youth he had been a refugee and a red
republican, and that when the aristocratic and de-
mocratic parties of the Polish emigration were per-
forming their political t'araes in Paris, he was named
by latter one of the three dictators to whom the
Government of the future Poland of the democracy
was to be intrusted. A Polish red republican exile,
who had suddenly resolved to become a Roman
Catholic priest, and had come to Russia to prepare
himself for holy orders, was, indeed, not likely,
whatever his other merits, to be a man of strong
character.

It was at the Roman Catholic seminary of St.
Petersburg, under the direction of Archbishop Ho-
lowinaki, of Mohilew, that the ex-revolutionist com-
pleted his theological studies. The Government, with
a keen eye for human weakness, saw that he was a
man peculiarly amenable to persuasion, and in fact
persuaded him first to become Archbishop of War-
saw, and secondly, or perhaps simultaneously, to
open the -Warsaw churches and write a pastoral
letter forbidding patriotic manifestations, and espe-
cially the singing of the national hymn in places of
worship_ The pastoral letter was written, shown to
the Emperor and sanctioned ; but the Archbishop,
weak though he might be, had not sold himself to
Russia ; and when he arrived in Warsaw, and saw
for himself what was going on, he became touched
be the enthusiasm of his countrymen, and refused
to issue an epistle which he felt would not only be
unavailing, but would jar upon the feelings of the
whole land.

But nothing—z,xcept the organisation of the Na-
tional Government—can be kept secret in Warsaw,
's pastoral was stole❑ from him
and scot for publication to the Czas of Cracow,
where in due time it appeared. Its contents excited
general indignation, and Archbishop Felinski was
from that time until quite lately regarded as the
enemy of his country, and as a mcre ecclesiastical
agent in the hands of Russia. He bad really be-
come a convert to the doctrines of the Marquis
Wielopolski, and the Grand Duke, the Marquis, and
the Archbishop were supposed to form amost har-

ant it° An

chbisl

monious trio. Felinski's destiny may be said to
have been fulfilled. He was now member of a triple
dictatorship, the only remarkabledifference between
the dream of his youth and its realisation was that
instead of becoming the Minister of revolution he
had become the servant of despotism.

All went well between the members of the trio,
and ill between the trio and the people of
Poland until the insurrection broke out. But in the
month of March Archbishop Felinski, shocked at
the atrocities committed by the Russians, and con-
vinced that his countrymen would not yield, end
that the land would be devastated if the struggle
continued, wrote to the Emperor to entreat him to
pacify the country by the only means possible short
of declaring Poland an independent State. He begged
his Majesty to unite the Polish provinces to the
kingdom of Poland, to grant this new Poland a con-
stitution, and to let a common dynasty be the only
political tie between Poland and the Russian
Empire. This letter shared the fate of the pastoral
in so far that it was stolen, sent to the newspapers
and published, either immediately after or at the
same time, or, acrordieg to Prince Gortschakoff;
(Zen before it was placed in the hands of the
Emperor. No one can think that it was right to
print such a letter; and I heard personal friends of
the
Archbishop complain bitterly of the indis-
cretion as soon as it was known to have been COlll-
- time, howevLr,.. the prelate lost
~,no
Popularity by
having his secrets betrayed. On tie
contrary Y
had everyspake one said that Felinski'a Polish nature
viously done at last, and that what he had pre-
the,
Emust be forgiven for the sake of his
letter to
himself corarantueror. That Archbishop Felinski
Geated it to the press is untrue, and
had not Prince
not
ttshchakoff known this to be the
case he would
against
waited three months to
bring the accusation gainst
In the however,meanwhivlez,sn.B the Archbishop had
offended in other
Re had resigned his seat
in the Council of State, he
}Wally,
refused to forbid a
religious procession, and
Own 13;, after he bad been
already confined to his
dut;itdence at Warsaw
he protested, as it was his
against the
jirlicial assassination (for it was noothd°l
lug leas) of the
Abbe. Konarski. This last matter
memoryapparently
nea altogether.
aiest
stpr
escaped Prince Gortschakoff's
i
It is such a trifling thing to have exert
in holy ordeis, whose only offence cons
having given religious consolation to the woundedndaiti:
and dying: It is true the Russian Government
accused the Abbe Kona! ski not only of joining the
insurrection (which as a combatant he never joined),
bat also of getting intoxicated. If all the priests
in the Russian empire who got intoxicated were to
be banged, gibbets would be as plentiful in 'the
country districts of Russia Proper as signposts in
E,igland ; but whether drunkenness ought to be
regarded as an offence worthy of death or not it: is
iich could never have been proved aga4ist
the Abbe Konarski, who is known to be a man of
pertctiv sober habits.

onb Wis

As to the punishment inflicted on the top
oZ Warsaw Prince GortschakofTcannot but. await% zo
himself that ho has been guilty of a subterfuge lt 13"
worthy of most persons in pretending that 0 e
Palace of Gatchina was the final place of retiremen t
assigned to him, when he knew that it was only the
temporary one. Archbishop Felinski was detained
long enough at Gatchina to give the Prince an op-
portunity of telling all Europe that he was thert,,,
and to enable him to explain afterwards, it any e: :-
planation should be found necessary, that he Nv; Is
there when his letter was written, or at least at tl ie
date which the letter bears.

A 1 this is worse than atu system of Nicholas, w' do
never would have allowed one of his ministers to
pretend that a political offender Letually in SibE ria

was staying in the Winter Palace—though many of
Nicholas's victims did enter the Winter Palace to
be examined by the Emperor himself, before being
sent forth on their sorrowful journey. Ever since
the commencement of the Polish insurrection, the
Government of Alexander 11. has shown itself more
ferocious, and at the same time infinitely weaker
and more perfidious than that of his predecessor.
Nicholas was very frank on the subject of Poland.
"Je la roulerai!" he exclaimed with savage rage
when he heard that the country was in arms against
him. He denied the fight of foreign Powers to
interfere in Polish affairs, and, to save trouble, said
plainly that he would not accept their advice.
Count Nesselrode states in one of his despatches of
the. year 1831, that it would be better for the Em-
peror to give up the kingdom of Poland to no
matter what Power than be obliged to govern it
with a constitution of which advantage had been
and would again be taken to undermine his autho-
rity. The parchment constitution was then put
into a box, and sent in a cart to Moscow, where it
is still kept in a museum of antiquities. The pre-
sent Russian Government, however, pretends to
recognise the right of the Powers that signed the
treaty of Vienna to " exchange ideas" with Russia
on the basis of that treaty ; but it will no more
accept their recommendations in conformity with
its stipulations than Nicholas did. Nicholas, when
he granted an amnesty to the insurgents of the
kingdom of Poland; observed it,buott othhesearmvendesftoyr
granted to the Poles last May was not
an hour. Some few who accepted it were let off'
with commuted punishments, but scarcely anyone
asked for pardon, and of those who did ask none
obtained it. Finally, Nicholas had too great a
horror of socialism and of anarchy of all kinds, and
too much confidence in his own military power, to
think of putting down the Polish insurrection by
arming the peasantry against the proprietors, and
inciting them to pillage and murder. The present
Government -of Russia has acted more basely as well
as more cruelly than that of Nicholas, while as re- ,
gards mendacity, it can be backed against any
Government that ever existed.

Fatal Accident to an Areonaut.

A grand fete was held on Monday last in the park of Mr.
North at Basford,near Nottingham. Among the otheramuse-
ments it was announced that Mr. Coxwell would ascend in
i his balloon at 6 o'clock in the evening. However, for reasons
which will soon appear, his place was supplied by Mr.
Chambers, who had previously made many ascents. The
balloon was almost new, but of not very large dimensions.
After it had been fully inflated Mr. Coxwell tried it, and
found there would be some difficulty in his ascending by it.
Just at this time Mr. Chambers stepped forward and offered
to go up in the balloon. Mr. Coxwell was in a perplexity,
and feared the balloon would not carry his weight. Cham-
bers said he was lighter than Mr. Ccxwell, and wished to
make the ascent. After some conversation it was agreed
that Chambers should go up, but Mr. Coxwell told him not
to attempt an ascent unless he felt quite confident ho could
manage the balloon. Chambers replied that he had no fear
about managing it, and accordingly he was allowed to make
the ascent, The balloon rose steadily, and was carried
somewhat rapidly in a north-easterly direction towards
Nottingham. It proceeded as far as Arnold Vale, when it
was seen suddenly to collapse while still at a considerable
altitude, and then to fall quickly in an unshapely mass.
Some young men who were near the spot where the balloon
fell hastened to render assistance. The balloon heaved and
fell as it descended, completely covering the car, and ulti-
mately both dropped in a field near Scout-lane, three miles
from Nottingham. The car struck the ground and re-
bounded several feet, end then fell again, when it was
caught hold of by the young men and stopped. At the
bottom of the car lay stretched the body of the unfortunate
amateur aeronaut. He was lifted out and found to be just
breathing, but quite insensible, having his handkerchief
in h e mouth. He was conveyed to the nearest dwelling,
and all means adopted to restore animation, but without
effect. Drs. Robertson and Maltby afterwards saw him, and
it was discovered that his left thigh was fractured, and some
of his ribs on the left side were broken, but they considered
it very probable that the unfortunate man had died through
suffocation, as the handkerchief which was found in his
mouth had been evidently placed there by himself when he
found himself in danger of being stifled by the gas from the
collapsing balloon. Chambers was a married man, 36 years
old, and leaves a family. His father was an aeronaut. As
soon as the fate of Chambers was known, the music and
amusements at the fete were sotpped, and the visitors
gradually dispersed.
Au inquest was held yesterday afternoon (Tuesday).

John Mayfield said, about 20 minutes to six o'clock on
Monday night ha saw the baliono going over Scout-lane,
Arnold. It was going along very steadily, when suddenly

it was driven into a cloud. -Witness and his companions
ran down a hill and saw the balloon again, when it was
descending rapidly. The balloon flapped about as if there
was an escape of gas. It then came down to the ground.
Witness did not see any one in the car. After it had fallen
it rebounded about two yards. He went close to it and found
the balloon nearly empty of gas. He looked in the car and
found tho deceased, who gasped three times and then died.
He saw a white pocket-handerchief in his mouth. There
was one sandbag in the car, It did not rain until after the
balloon had fallen.

William Turton said he was with the last witness when
the balloon fell. He saw no one in the car, and thought it
was empty. All the gas appeared to be escaping from the
balloon, and it went in all forms. When the car reached
the ground decor. sed was found in it, gasping
for breath.
He died in a few seconds. There were no grappling-irons
in the car. There had been no rain upon the deceased or
the balloon. His clothes were perfectly dry.
Sergeant Blasdall, of the Notts police-force, s aid he saw
the balloon descending with rapidity. He went up to it
and found the two last witnesses rubbing the hands, chest,
and feet of the deceased. Witness afterwards took posses-
sion of the balloon and car. He examined the balloon, but
could find no rent in it, Two of the springs of the valve
were disattached, and the rim was broken in three places.
Mr. Coburn, superintendent of the Midland Institution
for the Blind, Nottingham, said the deceased had been
engaged in that establishment as a teacher of weaving and
basket-making. He was about 37 years of ago. He was a
married man, and hp d left a widow and five children. He
was exceedingly temperate in his habits. Deceased was the
son of Chambers, the veteran aeronaut.
Mr. Henry Coxwell, of Tottenham, Middlesex, said he
was an aeronaut. He had accepted an engagement to go up
in a balloon at the Basford fete. He brought his own bal .
loon and all its appendages. This was a new balloon, and
he had not made any ascents in it himself. He began to
fill the balloon on Sunday evening about 8 o'clock, and
finished at half-past son Monday evening. He intended to
go up himself, and got into the car several times, but the
balloon would not lift him from the ground without any bal-
last. After he had tried it a third time deceased entered
the circle and spoke to him. Witness had known deceased
and his father for 15 years. Witness said "lam in con.
siderable difficulty. The gas is heavy and unsuited for
balloon purposes, and I find that it will not raise me." He
" I am a lighter man than yourself ; perhaps it will
Witness said "I know you have had some
just a
experience. If
ee.lf it will raise you with one bag of sand, and
you can manage the balloon, I will accept your offer." He
n i
ownty o of
accord,ak making g
and the
witness ascent.
usertehdenplegaosted
manage the balloon. Hereplied,
him if he had full confidence to
e
found that it would just raise him. Witness again asked
into w it
h the h:a or
opportunity
rt
his u
tua mile. Witnessoob-
steadily,deceased
replied, '' Yes." Witness thenhecua cautioned him not to go
either high or far, and to go
immediately began to empty some ~
served that, although the balloonawasri
ballastsing out. This was
unnecessary, and contrary to witness
structions. He
He looked anxiously
a In
shouted to the deceased not to do so.
the
valve a little
expecting to see the rising power of the balloon checked. This
could easily have been done by opening
way. It had then moved horizontally and slowly down-
will, and without any persuasion on the part of witness.
wards. Deceased got into the car entirely of his own free
There was no agreement of money payment between them
whatever. Witness knew that he had ascended many times 1
before from Cremorne-gardens and other places. He had
never ascended with him. His father had. Witness saw
the balloon descending rapidly into a dark cloud, and he
then sent a man after him in a cart to render assistance.
About an hour afterwards he heard of the accident. As a
scientific man, witness believed he could say how the acci-
dent occurred. After deceased had entered the heavy cloud
the balloon broke into sunshine or a clear atmosphere, and
the
.gas expanded very rapidly, streaming out of the neck or
sa
tet 5' valve, which is always loft open. By being found
with the handkerchief inhis mouth it is evident that he
inhaled the gas, which
eii insensible the upper valve a might have been prevented by open-
ingvery short bfrom the gas, distance. Witness sup-
posed that deceased became
pre-
viously clutching the vale,..ile
valve round his wrist. and vio-
lently opening the valve. In li e
all
probabilitycord
w hss his
wrist f
roundell
As
tos
tthi the
bottom of the car, and as thethe
wrist it kept the valve open to its full
dimensions.
uentgilaa
ne thear strain
l the on
tbhaellcooontdnahteureaamlleygerleonatgearteadn bya
losing th
greater,
gas escaped. Had the cord not been fast to his all
wrist the
gas conld not possibly have escaped from the balloon,
no
tear or fracture having been found in it.
The proceedings were not over when our parcel was de-
spatched.
____

A horrible series of crimes was committed three
nights since at Mores (Drome). A farmer's widow, named
Gardan, with ber eldest and youngest sons, residing in a
lone farm-house, were all murdered and th 3 premises sez on
fire, The state of the bodies left no doubt as to the murders.
The second son, who is supposed to be urderer and in •
=diary, has been arrested.