The Sun.
London, England, 1854-05-08 00:00:00

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 8, 1854.

The venerable Prince CZARTORYSKI, the most
illustrious living representative of the cause of
Poland, has recently addressed his countryman at
Paris, in a speech of a somewhat remarkable cha-
racter—an oration singularly well calculated to
re-animate the half-expiring hopes of his compa-
triots throughout Christendom. The occasion
selected for this timely harangue was that of an
inspiring anniversary—the 3d of May—that day
on which, in 1791, the Polish Constitution was
first promulgated. Availing himself of the oppor-
tunity, Prince CZARTORYSKI commented, in be-
coming terms, upon the extraordinary and alto-
gether unparalleled peculiarity of the war
which has just commenced. He reminded
his hearers that it was no longer a war of con-
quest, but a war of principles. He observed,
moreover, that the principles involved in the
struggle, the principles which England and France,
in common with Turkey and Egypt, have under-
taken to vindicate, are, of all of which humanity
has cognisance, the purest and the holiest prin-
ciples. That this is really so, without the small-
est exaggeration in the implied panegyric, " who
runs may read," in the official notifications accom-
panying the declaration of war, the notifications
issued through the columns of the Gazette and of
the Itionitear, by order of the Allied Governments.
Nay, the magnanimity with which the Western
Powers have undertaken the championship of the
cause of Turkey, when assailed by the lawless ag-
gressions of her gigantic neighbour, and actually
threatened thereby with speedy dismemberment,
has since then been still more clearly displayed
and yet more gloriously illustrated. Allusion is
here made, of course, to the astonishing manner in
which Odessa was bombarded: private property being
scrupulously respected, and the guns of the allied
frigates being directed solely against the Russian
batteries. Directly these were dismantled, and
the vessels of war anchored in their vicinity de-
stroyed, the war steamers of France and England
were withdrawn so as to prevent any unnecessary
bloodshed. It is, no doubt, altogether hopeless
to expect that the contest with Russia can pos-
sibly be carried on throughout with the like
leniency, and after a fashion so unprecedentedly
amiable and gentlemanlike—particularly when
the CZAR'S rather eccentric notion of the meaning
of the " parole de gentleman" is borne in the
public recollection. As with men so it is with
nations, when fighting. They may comply with
ring before the be-
all the rules of the
ginning of their encounter. They may shake
hands before the first blow is struck,
and the first blood drawn, but as the heat and
excitement of the contention increase—it is a
miracle if there be not, sooner or later, an end
to this early equanimity. Temper is lost, per-
haps, by a foul blow, given it may be by acci-
dent. Nay, it
may so happen that the mere
dictates of self-preservation shall render it incum-
bent upon one or other of the combatants to
abandon at last the gentler courtesies of the
tournament. Nevertheless, as matters stand in
the present instance, the contrast hitherto pre-
muted by the belligerents must be allowed to be
as yet very considerably in favour of the allies of
Turkey. Whereas Russia commenced insolently
with the arrogant mission of her envoy, Prince
MrsseurxoFF—France and England endeavoured
from the first instant, and during twelve months
afterwards, to conciliate by their diplomatic ameni-
ties, amenities demonstrating at once the amia-
bility of their Ambassadors and the hesitation of
their Governments. Whereas, again, the first
warlike achievement of Russia was one of the most
atrocious on record in ancient or modern times,
that won by tire a.llies of Turkey was distinguished
from all previous ictories, as we have seen, by a