The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-07 00:00:00

LITERARY ASSOCIATION OF

THE FRIENDS OF POLAND.

The annual meeting of this excellent Institution, de-
signed to keep before the public mind the claims and the
struggles of Poland, took place on Monday afternoon, at
the rooms of the Association, Duke-street, St. James's.
Lord Dudley Stuart, the vice-president of the Society,
took the chair, as usual, and among the gentlemen pre-
sent, we observed the Earl of Zetland, Viscount Sandon,
M.P.' Lord Beaumont, Lord Foley, Lord Charles Fitz-
roy, M.P., M. T. Dennison, Esq., M.P., John Abel
Smith, Esq., M.P., Mr. Williams, M.P., Captain Town-
send, R.N., Rev. Dr. Worthington, Edward Romilly,
Esq., Frederick Pigou, Esq., Edmund Beales, Esq., W.
Lloyd Birkbeck, Esq., J. S. Buckingham, Esq., W.
Pritchard, Esq., Lennie Murray, Esq., G. Wilbraham,
Esq., John Pickford, Esq., 11. Edlin, Esq., &c.
The proceedings commenced by the honorary secre-
tary, Mr. Birkbeck, reading the annual report. This
document, after an expression of regret that the case of
Count Ostrowski, the gentleman illegally arrested the
year before last, upon an absurd charge of threatening
the life of the emperor of Russia, had not been brought
before Parliament, proceeded to congratulate the meet-
ing upon the success of the last Polish hall, which was
one of the most brilliant and the most numerously at-
tended which had ever taken place at Willis's.—(Hear,
hear.) Although no City ball at Guildhall was held
last year, it was stated that the hall would be granted to
the Association for a similar purpose by an unanimous
vote of the Common Councilin November next.—(Hear.)
The income of the Association fer the last year was
1,7274, and the expenditure 1,461/. The annual ball at
Willis's was announced to be held on Monday, Bth of
June, and on the 16th of this month a public dinner is
to be given to Lord Dudley Stuart on the occasion of a
piece of tapestry being presented to him, worked by
Polish ladies.—(Cheers.) The report went on to con-
gratulate the meeting on the industrious and excellent
behaviour of the refugees, amounting to upwards of
500 in this country, The Minor Charitable and Lite-
rary Polish Association were generally in a flou-
rishing state. The next subject adverted to was
the persecution of the nuns of Minsk, by which the
narrative succinctly detailed, and the denial given
by the Russian Government, fully exposed and proved
to confirm rather than refute the story of the Abbess.
The late outbreaks in Poland was then alluded to, and
the European sympathy which it called forth was re-
marked upon. The Poles in London had wished on that
occasion to get up a demonstration in favour of the at-
tempted revolution, but it was thought better rather to
publish an address drawn up by Lord Dudley C.-Stuart,
as expressing the views and feelings of the association
upon the subject. Every point of this address has been
confirmed by the subsequent accounts received from
Poland. The report concluded by expressing a hope
that the united remonstrances of England and France
would be brought to bear in favour of the merciful treat-
mentof those of the insurgents who had fallen into the
hands of the Austrian and Russian governments.
The reading of the report was frequently inter-
rupted by expressions of applause.
The Earl of ZETLAND shortly moved the first resolu-
tion in favour of the adoption of the report, which was
seconded by Mr JOHNSTONE, in an able speech, in which
he remarked upon the grasping and ambitious designs
of Russia in all quarters of the globe, and during all
ages of history.
A resolution of thanks to the Lady Patronesses, in-
cluding the Duchess of Kent, the Duchess of Nemours,
and the Grand Duchess Stephanie of Baden, of the late
hall at Willis's, was proposed by Lord CHARLES FITZ-
ROY, and seconded hr Mr. SILK. Buexsecualt. The
latter gentleman recommended means to be taken for
promulgating through the country, more extensively
than it was yet known, the fact of the existence of
the Association, and the ends which it had in view.
A series of resolutions were then moved, one of which,
expressive of the necessity of the re-establishment of
the independence of Poland to the general tranquillity
of Europe, was proposed by
Lord BEAUMONT. His Lordship stated that he dis-
charged this duty, not influenced so much byany feelings
of partiality to Poland, as impressed with the conviction
that that country had not been dealt with upon those
great principles of advancing conciliation and inter-
national policy which ought to influence the great
European family, and pledging himself to use any con-
stitutional means in his power to assert the claims and
advocate the rights of Poland.
After eloquent addresses from Mr. Beaks, Captain
Townehend, Lord Foley, Mr. Edward Beaumont, and
Mr. W. Adam Smith,

Lord C. STUART addressed the meeting at great
length. He went over the reasons which had induced
the Association to di:courage the project of a public de•
monstration with reference to the late events in Poland
—a demonstration which Prince Czartoryski, aware as
he was of the state of public sentiment in England, had
expressed a strong feeling against. Although, however,
no public demonstration had taken place, an address,
drawn up by himself and the honorary secretary, Mr.
Birkbeck, had been issued, in order to make public the
opinions of the Association with regard to the outbreak.
In reference to that event, his Lordship proceeded,
at great length, to detail the cruelties and oppres-
sions of the Au4rian Government, who had
fomented the insurrection by every means in
their power, and, as it was proved by undoubted evi-
dence, had encouraged it, and rewarded the Galician
peasantry for the murder of the nobles of the district.
The retirement of the Austrian forces from Cracow
was but a feint to induce the belief that a formidable
resistance had been offered to them ; which, in fact, was
not the case. It was difficult to believe the atrocities
connected with Russian and Austrian rule in Poland,
hut the late horrors were quite in keeping with the
whole co urse of cruel policy which had been so long
persevered in towards that oppressed country. With
reference to the nuns of Minsk, he had strong reasons
for believing in the perfect truth of that terrible narra-
tive. He was from time to time receiving fresh informa-
tion upon the subject, and he pledged himself never to
let the matter drop, whatever difficulties he might have
to contend with, until he had arrived at the exact and
literal truth.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord went on
to remark on the continued highly exemplary conduct
of the Polish refugees in this country—on their patience,
industry, and perseverance under the most trying cir-
cumstances—and concluded his speech by expressing in
fervent terms his conviction, although it was possible
none of them might live to see the day, that the wrongs
of Poland would be avenged, and that that cruelly op-
pressed country would be at length restored to her
former high and rightful place among the nations.
After addresses in conformity with the spirit of the
Association from Lord Sandon and Mr. John Abel
Smith, thanks were voted to the noble chairman, and
the meeting separated.