The Sun.
London, England, 1870-05-11 00:00:00

AUSTRIA AND THE POLES.

An interesting speech on the position of the Poles in the
present Austrian crisis was made by Prince Czartot yski last
week at the meeting of the Polish Historical Society of
Paris, held ia commemoration of the Polish Constitution of
the 3d May, 1791. He said that while in Russian Poland the
Poles have every year to deplore new acts of oppression, a
more cheering prospect Is offered them by the present con-
dition of *Austria. The Centralist system iu that country
has new been ovethrown by Polish statesmen, aul one of
them, Count Potocki, has now been appointed by the Rn-
Peror to inaugurate a new policy as Premier. Poland is
again called upon, as she was two centuries ago under her
glorious King Sobieski, to sustain and defend the Austro-
Hungarian monarchy. That State which was for-
merly a bugbear to all Liberals has now become
the home of liberty; and its integrity and inde-
pendence aro looked upon as indispensable for the
freedom of Europe and the interests of - civilisation.
it is to secure this integrity and independence that the
Poles, who have found in Austria their last refuge, are
now labouring. Their policy is no longer a policy of
sentiment, they found their tropes only on an intimate
unison with their natural ally, who has the same interests
and the same enemies as themselves. Convinced that their
future is indissolubly bound up with the destinies of the
Hapsburg monarchy. they have undertaken to introduce
in Austria a policy which shall reconcile the unity and
strength of the Empire with a reasonable autonomy for
those provinces which hear a distinct national character
and historical rights. They must reject a purely Slavonic
policy, for the word Slavonittn has of late years almost
become synonym .us with Russian, and the result of such
a policy can only be to enlarge Russia at the expense of
Austria, and place the Czar in possession of Constanti-
nople. The Poles would rather join the Germans in
Austria than help the Slavonians to become predominant in
the Empire. A Federalist 'policy would be equally dan-
gerous, for it would divide Austria into seventena Eta
States, each with its own separate Legislature. The Prince
condo led by stating his political programme. It is as
follows :—First, the preservation, as the most important
object the Poles have in view, of the unity and integrity
of Hungary ; second, the maintenance of a central Par-
liament at •Vienna ; third, the acceptance of the preset,_
Constitution as the fundamental law of the Austro-Hun-
garian Monarchy ; fourth, the grant of exceptional privi-
leges to Galicia and Bohemia as regards public instruction,
justice, and local administration, by means of a special
agr,,ement similar to that which has been concluded
between Hungary and Crotia; fifth, the establishment of
a restricted Reichsrath for all the provinces except Galicia
and Bohemia, and of a plenary Reichsrath, to include those
provinces.

LONDON GAZETTE—Las Evening,

WIHTEEIALL, MAY 3.

Th Queen Ins been pleased b appoint Arthur NI itche 1,
Esq., M. ''., to ba ono f the Paid Commissioners in Lunacy
for Scotland, in th room of Alexander Fr nci Browne,
Esq, ILE., resigned.