The Sun.
London, England, 1839-06-17 00:00:00

"
On Saturday a very numerous meeting o therriendsiii
Poland took place at the Freemasons' Hall, Great Queen-
street, Lincoln's Inn-fields. His Royal Highness the Duke
of SLIS9CX presided on the occasion, and was surrounded by
the Marquis of Breadalbane, the Earl of Rosebery,
Viscount Sandon, Viscount Loftus, Lord Dudley Stuart,
Lord Charles Fitzroy, Sir G. Sinclair, M. P., Mr. N. J.
Denison, M. P., Mr. Hume, M. P., Mr. O'Connell, Al. P.,
Mr. Strangways, M. P., Mr. Wyse, M. P., Mr. Wynne
Ellis, M. P., Mr. T. Attwood, M. P., Mr. rs Stuart,
M.P., Mr. Williams, M. P., Hon. Col. Leicester Stan-
hope, Mr. Jervis, Mr. G. A. Young, &c.
_ _

Letters spologiEing for inability to attend were read from
the .\ldrquis of Northampton, Lord Cranstoun, Sir Ste-
phen Lushington, Mr. Ferguson, of Raith (with a cheek
for 251.), Mr. Thomas Campbell, the poet, and several
others.

The Royal CHAIRMAN, on rising to address the meeting, I
was received with several rounds of cheers. His Royal
Highness, after acknowledging the kind manner in which
he had been received, said he was deeply sensible of
their kindness, the more so as from its warmth he was
gratified to find that the same motives which had
induced him to be present on that occasion were those
which inspired the breasts of the numerous assembly whom
he was about to address ; and it proved to him that there
was a union of feeling on the particular subject of which he
was about to speak.—( Hear, hear,) When called on
some days ago by his Noble Friend, who it was known,
had for some time taken so active a part in the cause of
the unfortunate Pole!, for the purpose of requesting hint
to take the chair at that meeting, he replied to that Noble
Lord ( Lord Dudley Stuart) that there was no man who felt
more deeply interested in the concerns of that afflicted
nation, nor any man who felt more deeply the injuries which
had been done to society at large, by the misfortunes
which had fallen on the people of that nation, than him-
self.—( Cheers.) But at the same time he had also stated
that if he were to consent to come to the meeting, he
hoped that it would be conducted with that moderation, in
regard to temper, which always gave double strength to
reason and truth, and would have more beneficial and real
influence on the cause they were met to advocate than any
attempts to create great excitement, or by any threats which,
in the end, it would be impossible to carry into effect, a
result that must of necessity draw down the ridicule of
others upon them for the course which had been adopted.
—(Cheers.) Of the prejudicial operation of such a course
of proeeeding there could be no doubt. He considered
that society in general, like himself, felt most deeply inte-
rested in the question.—( Hear.) In reply to these re.
marks, the Noble Lord had assured him that the view
which he had given utterance to was precisely that enter-
tained by the Committee, and thereupon he had imme-
diately said he could no longer hesitate in giving his con-
sent to preside-4 Cheers)--adding, at the same time, that
he experienced great pleasure and satisfaction in so doing.
—( Cheers.) He was therefore glad to be in the chair,
presiding over a meeting which was about to express feel-
ings and opinions relative to past transactions connected
with Poland, as well as to the unfortunate condition in
which that country, and more particularly the unfortunate
exiles who were at present residents under British hospi-
tality, had been thrown.—( Cheers.) In making the ob-
servations which he should take the liberty of offering to
the notice of the meeting, be should endeavour to re-
strain himself so as not to launch out into any
remarks of personality, the more especially, too, that
by adopting such a course he might set an example
to those individuals who were to follow him. He was
the more desirous of doing so, as by that means he should
the better be respecting the opinions of individuals, of
which, in a society such as that which had that day as-
sembled, there must necessarily be a great variety ; and
although amongst them, as a body, there might be, and
no doubt there were, shadows of difference, yet the prin-
ciple itself, as a principle, with all of them was the same,
and, therefore, being the same, they could all of them
conscientiously act so, as in all human probability to pro-
duce the effect which it was their common object to ac-
complish.—( Loud cheers.) It he knew any thing of
what society was—of what a community consisted—of
what feelings a nation was composed—he should say that
by a gradual course they should arrive at this conclusion ;
that if there were any common sentiment among men,
that sentiment tended to produce a union of feeling and
sympathy throughout the whole, which, under a general
expression, a general term, he should describe as neither
more nor less than a family feeling. When lie was speak-
ing of Europe at large. composed as it was of a variety of
nations and of a great variety of interests—how they were
conducted was another question, but he was talking at that
moment of general results—when he thought not merely
of that position of facts, and when he considered that the
sacred name of Christian was imprinted on the banner of
every one of those nations—he could not, he again said,
but regard all those nations as one family.—( Loud cheers.)
Under that impression, then, be might probably be per-
mitted to observe, that if any calamity b lel one nation it
affected the whole; and, therefore, carrying that same opi.
nion out to the extent of which he had been speaking, a
calamity affecting one nation was in his siew a calamity
which affected ail the; nations of Europe....( Cheers. )
History for several centuries went to prove that
the whole country of Poland had held a pre-eminent posi-
tion amongst the civilized natione of the world, and that
it had taken a high station and a prominent part in the
affairs of Europe.—(Hear, hear.) Poland had been, in
fact, the great barrier between one part of the world
and civilized Europe—it was a country which had
been distinguished for the talent it had given birth
to, and afterwards fostered, and for the bravery of
its people—( Loud cheers)—and he thought that whoever
had heard the name of John Sobieski pronounced would
never forget that Europe, in the day, of that noble and
brave individual, had on the side of Vienna been protected
from the incursions and desecrations of the Turks.--( Hear,
hear.) Whatever might have been the prseeedings of that
time, there could be no doubt that the defence ut Vienna,
and the driving away the Turks from Europe. sprang from
an ardent feeling in the cause of liberty, and that that end
was obtained through the bravery and courage in parti-
cular of the Poles.—( Loud cheers.) He would ask,
then, that, fact being so, if, after such conduct, the re.!
muneration for such distinguished services ought in com-
mon justice to he that with which Vie Polish nation had
servedlahei l been
ov to
b,efed ?
aren
remunerated
he l
ne L,
r,eaot wouldepdlpeople—the
ask
tthhee whether
destruction
an ish msuch
banishment,
nt services
of
,ifanot th
magnificented
a nnei
nation, blotted out as it were from the map of Europe, and
its name lost to society for ever ?—( Gr -at cheering.)
For one, as an individual who was devoted to freedom and
to liberty, he must held up h s hand and protest against
such a proceeding.—( Renewed. cheers.) It night please
the Almighty, in his sacred wisdom, to destroy nations--
" he that can make nations has the power and the might
destroy"—and they had no reason, no right, to question
that power or its exercise; but whether it were within the
human will, or within the human power, tc. destroy the
existence of nations, was a question upon which he would
take his stand, and upon that ground it was that he was
prepared to fight the matter..—(Cheers.) In looking
hack to the sacred hook, they read the destruction of the
Jewish nation, which at that period consisted of a popu-
lation of about three millions only ; whilst in the case of
Poland, at one fell swoop, as it were, of human granny,
the anailation of upwards of twenty millions was accom-
plished.—(Cheers ) The people of that once happy
country were to lose their name—their (to make use of
an E nglish term) caste—( Hear, hear)—their lan-
guage. their customs —in fact, they were deprived of
every thing which tended to make life dear and desirable
to man —( Loud cheers.) Those whom he was at that
moment addressing were Englishmen, and to them he
would say, supposing they were, under any circumstances,
to be placed in a similar situation, would they stand
quietly by ?—( Hear, hear.) Why, it such a i eriod were
to arrive, would they not call out, " To your tents, 0
Israel !" ( Lourl cheers.) But what was done ought to
be done with calmness—with reflection ; arms would not
effect the obj,et at present, and, indeed, happier at all
times was the mast who sheathed his sword then him who I
drew it —( Hear, hear.) What measure the Govern..
ment of the country might deem it proper on any
future day to come forward to propose it was not
possible for them to say ; neither as individuals
could they interfere, because they were not in any respect
acquainted with the entire springs; but the opinions, the
calm, the deliberate, and respectful opinions, as calmly
expressed, of an enlightened people, conveyed to the Go-
vernment a weight which was unattainable by any other
means, and which could not fail to convince them that, if
they acted honestly in a matter, they would meet with the
ready support of the country..—( Cheers.) That was the
object the meeting had in view on the present occasion,
and he need not tell them how strongly he applauded, or
how deeply lie a mpathised with those Nobles of Poland
for the gallant manner in which they had fought the battles
of their country, but how sincerely be deplored that their
contests had not led to success.—(Hear.) He hoped, and
prayed, even yet, that by some as yet unknown means they
might succeed, and before long, in obtaining that
independence which they had unfortunately lost.--
(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Such was his desire, grounded
on conviction, that the re-establishment of the inde-
pendence of Poland would contribute most essentially,
and more to the tranquility of Europe, and to the main-
tenance of a general peace throughout the civilized world,
than any other measure which could by possibility bo
adopted.—( Loud cheers.) Theirs were principles and
propositions of which no one could fail to approve.--
( Hear, hear.) The Illustrious Duke, after a few other
observations, passed an encomium upon tho conduct and
general demeanor of the unfortunate Poles who were living
in a state of exile in this country. That conduct, the
Noble Duke said, with two recent exceptions, was most
laudatory and exemplary. He regretted that the relief
which had been granted to the Poles by this country had
nut been larger; but, under all circumstances it was
of necessity limited. With respect to the two in-
stances of bad conduct to which he had just re-
ferred, he was satisfied that they must either be worth- '
less men, or wolves in sheep's clothing.—( Loud cheers.)
They had not, like their fellow-sufferers, borne up against
the adversity with which they were oppressed, as men of
honour, of character, of bravery, and of honesty of spirit.
—( Cheers.) To the latter, he would say, take care of
those men, beware of them—take care that they did not
in any way connect themselves with such individuals. He
cared not if there were a Russian Ambassador or a Rus-
sian spy in the room.—( Hear, hear.) He had talked of
independence and the delights of freedom, and he would
ask, where was the Englishman who would not talk of
those things ?—( Loud cheers.) He liked his country, he
loved her liberties and her freedom.—( Renewed cheers.
His wish—his most ardent wish—was to see those prin-
ciples of liberty and that freedom carried through.--
( Hear, hear ) But he was bound to say, et the same
time, that he did not desire to see anything done which
was merely an experiment, and not the result of calm con.
sideration, or of cool, mature reflection.—(Cheers.)
That far he was prepared to go ; for the liberties and
freedom of Poland, lie would sacrifice his life rather than
that they should be lost to it.—(Loud cheering.) Thus
much would
the h
do,
naolludr owfhbaotasmtinagh thatwas Ethngerleishw"' like
himself,
in his veins, w epiri
as not actuated by the same blood ran
t.—( Re.
h e
hod