The Sun.
London, England, 1863-04-17 00:00:00

THE POLISH QUESTION.

The following is the full text of the semi-official
article in the Constitutionnel on the Polish question,
a telegraphic summary of which has already ap-
peared in our columns :

" We have refrained from expressing any hasty
opinion upon the last two measures adopted by the
Russian Government. We have thought it advis-
able first to place before our readers the various
appreciations of the European press, waiting
our turn to express our own views on the
decree of sequestration and on the decree of
the amnesty. It must be admitted that these two
measures imply a contradiction. Yet, as we have
but very imperfect information on the bearing
of the first ukase, we may be allowed to entertain
the hope that the first decree does not annul the
second beforehand, and that the Russian Govern-
ment does not withdraw with one hand w hat it offers
with the other.

" The amnesty may, therefore, be considered by
itself—not, it is true, with absolute certainty, but at
least with serious presumptions. Everything leads
to the belief that the Act of the 12th April is not
an empty promise, but that it is a sincere idea and
a generous inspiration.
"After the defeat of Langiewicz we were the
first to pronounce the word amnesty.' We were
the first to say that brute force could only put down
resistance, and that the Emperor Alexander 11.
ought to have a nobler ambition—that of quieting
the public mind and of disarming resentment.
" But, while applauding the Act of the 12th
April, and sincerely congratulating the Russian
Government at having given this proof of generosity
and of power, we put the question to ourselves—
What will be the consequences of this amnesty ?
And we put that question with some anxiety, as
blood still continues to flow in Poland, and Europe
is still disturbed.

" The Russian Government promises an amnesty

to all those who will down their arms. This is
well. But, will the amnesty be extended to
those who have been the victims of that law
of recruitment against which the public in-
dignation of all Europe has been aroused, and
which has been branded with the name of trans-
portation !—to those who have been torn away from
their homes and transported to the extremities of
the Empire ?
" Will the amnesty obviate that state of things
which was the chief cause of the present insurrec-
tion, or does it provide a remedy ? If the institu-
tions which are promised are the same which
existed on the eve of the rising which has already
cost so much blood to Poland and to Russia,
and which caused that rising, what change will
have been made ? What reforms will have been
accomplished ? Where are the guarantees which
Europe expects for preventing the return of another
sanguinary and lamentable crisis?
" Let us not, however, come to a hasty conclusion
that the decree of. the 12th April is a useless act
and a dead letter. The amnesty testifies to the
noble and enlightened sentiments of the Emperor
Alexander 11. We would fain believe that it is the
first step in the path advised to him by the great
Powers, who jointly advocate a friendly policy
which will permanently insure the internal tran-
quillity of Russia and the peace of Europe.
" The amnesty is not a solution ; it is the Lope of
a solution,"

The Kreuz Zeitung hears that a ship has left
Cadiz laden with arms for the Poles, and that a re-
lation of Queen Christina has an intereet in the
venture. The Dowager Queen is generally con-
sidered too good a judge of the merits of a specula-
tion for it to be conceivable that she herself has em-
barked in one so hazardous. She can hardly think
she sees her way to a Polish crown for one of the
young Munozes.