The Sun.
London, England, 1862-12-30 00:00:00

that declaration not to be true, and protested
against it most vehemently.

As to raising subscriptions, some have admitted
this crime, if crime it can be called collecting
money for the relief of the poor and needy, as it
was really the case. This is the substance of
the whole of this extraordinary trial, the results of
which can be anticipated, in accordance with the
Russian notions of law ; the sentence had long ago
been determined upon, and the futile motives,
which in England would have been laughed at by
any country magistrate, served here as a pretext
for condemning as criminal a mere ebullition of
youthful excitement, and gave the Russians an
opportunity of throwing dust into the eyes of
Europe by the display of an apparently public
and impartial trial, but which is a perfect mockery
of justice.
The expression of the national wishes is now the
order of the day throughout the whole extent of
Poland. Following the example of the kingdom,
and the Podolian nobility not discouraged by the
fate which befell the distinguished patriot Count
Andrew Zsmoyski, the nobles of the Government
of Muisk, who were allowed to assemble on the
25th of November last, have unanimously agreed to
the following address :
" Sire,—The nobles of the Government of Minsk, as-
sembled for purposes of election and public discussion,which
are permitted to them alone in the whole Government dis-
trict of Wilno, and thus being its sole present representa-
tive, beg to avail themselves of their right to expose the
wants of the country, and lay before the throne of your
Imperial Majesty a statement of their feelings and wishes.
" We first raised our voices to your Majesty, praying that
the peasants might be emancipated. Our prayer found a
generous acknowledgment in the heart of your Majesty,and
at your word the bonds of ages were riven asunder.
" The equalisation before the law of all classes and reli-
gions, freedom of conscience, institutions based on the spirit
and traditions of the nation—these are the chief conditions
of every social fabric, and are the necessary consequences of
your Imperial Majesty's great work.

" The more grievous the existing state of the country,the
better are all the wants that flow from national feeling un-
derstood, and the more do all minds turn to the past, and see
in union with the kingdom of Poland their only remedy.
And this, Sire, is our only demand. May its expression be
regarded as a mark of respect to your Imperial Majesty.
" A monarch who has made himself the instrument of
Gud's will in emancipating the peasants cannot fail to re-
cognise it in the voice of an unhappy nation."
The next morning a letter was received, forbid-
ding, in the name of the Emperor, the presentation
of any address having for its object the annexation
of Lithuania to the kingdom of Poland, and two
other letters from the Minister, addressed to the
Governor, and communicated to him by the Marshal,
enjoining him to close the elections at the first
mention of the address.

The opinions of the members were then divided ;
some wishing for the adoption of the address in
extenso, others for recording ir. the minutes of the
proceedings the wish of the assembly to present the
address. On the 29th November, the anniversary
of the glorious revolution of Poland of 1830-31, the
nobles, ever faithful to their patriotism, attended a
funeral service in the cathedral, after which they
returned to their deliberations. The letter of the
Governor was then read, and the Assembly drew
up two documents—the first, stating the wish to
present the address for the annexation to the king-
dom of Poland ; and the second, the answer of the
Attorney-. General, confirming the law which autho-
rises the order of the Governor. Of 297 present,
285 nobles signed these documents; the others, who
refused to affix their signatures, were the old func-
tionaries grown fat in the Rnssian service.

This spontaneous act of public duty, which re-
dounds so much to the honour of the Poles, is
another proof of their moral union, and of their
determination to assert their sacred rights; whilst
Russia again appears as the violator of the Treaty
of Vienna in 1815, by which all ancient Polish pos-
sessions, under whatever rule they may be placed,
were to be governed by the national institutions,
and even their commerce received one and the same
national organisation. How long Russia will be
allowed to break the observance of treaties, as in
the case of Greece, and to trample under the foot
those which affect Poland, and which are solemnly
guaranteed by France, England, and other Euro-
pean Powers, British people and British Parlia-
ment should at once decide.

T H E

MAILS.

SOUTHAMPTON, DEC. 30.
The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steamer
Massilia has arrived here.

She brings a portion of the mails from the Co-
lombo, 47 passengers, £750 in specie, and 274
packages of cargo.

She experienced rough weather throughout the
passage, and was detained 24 hours at Malta in
consequence of a heavy gale.

The Delta left Gibraltar, on the 25th, for the
East.

On the 29th inst. the Massilia passed the Dutch
barque Pudderskirk standing up Channel.

The Massilia reports having observed a large ship
on Cape St. Vincent. Her crew had erected four
tents. She held no communication.

£he Confederate steamer Sumpter was sold at
Gibraltar on the 19th inst. for 19,600 dols.

Gibraltar exchange.—On London, 90 days, 501-,
to 507; ; Paris, 527 ; Marseilles, 528; Genoa, 530;
Madrid, eight days' sight, -.2- prem.