The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-09 00:00:00

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LONDON, MONDAY: MARCH 9, 1846.

Every fresh mail from Germany only brings more dismal
accounts than the preceding of the mysterious, sudden, and
hopeless insurrection which has broken out in some parts of
Poland. Why the present moment should have been fixed
upon for such a hazardous undertaking, it is impossible, from
our imperfect knowledge of events in that quarter, even
to guess ; but, looking to every circumstance known to
the public, and 'more especially to the state of the European
powers, it would be difficult to point out any one of the
numerous risings that have taken place in that oppressed
country that held out such very small hopes of success as the
present movement.. With the exception of the usual seve-
rities exercised by Russia in the kingdom of Warsaw,
or what till lately bore that name, there dues not
appear to have been any fl-esh acts of cruelty on the
part of the Emperor NICIIOLAS, and it is not as-
serted, or even insinuated, that either Prussia or Austria,
in whose portions of the partition territory the revolt has
been made, had departed in any respect from the system
they have long observed for subjecting the people to their
dominion. There is, in fact, no apparent reason for this
lamentable event, but on the contrary, all circumstances
lead to the conviction that there never ties a time
so inopportune for throwing off the yoke and defeating the
three powers that for more than half a century have been
in actual possession, and now regard Poland, as much their
own as any of their most ancient hereditary dominions.
These powers have all large standing armies, ab-
solutely idle (with the exception of the war of the
Caucausus giving employment to a part of the
Russian forces), they are on the best terms with
each other, they have a common interest in the
subjugation of Poland, and would exert their whole
force against any power whatever that would attempt to
interfere. And from what European power can the Poles
expect aid? France, independent of the pacific disposition
of the KING, is crippled by her African wars ; England is
engaged in a serious war in the East, and may, in a brief
period, have another still more serious in the West; remon-
strances and proteits can do nothing; they were of no
avail in 1772-when the first great crime in the partition
of Poland was committed, for the Courts of London, and
Paris, and Stockholm, and-Copenhagen, then remonstrated,
but CATHERINE only laughed at their remonstrances, and
went on more intent in her purpose with the other predatory
Sovereigns, to blot-out for ever from the map of Europe a
country that once htid rendered the most invaluable services
to Christendom. But even there is no time for England and
France to do anything. Posen is only some hundred andafifty
miles from Berlin, Cracow, two hundred from Vienna, War-
saw is under the iron grasp of Russia, and what can all the
nobles of the country, even if they , were unanimous, or an
unarmed peasantry, still • enslaved to these very nobles,
do against such fearful odds ? According to ac-
counts from Dresden, the Poles are in want of
arms and ammunition,' having only three cannon
taken from General Couwes detachment. The Provisional
Government, nevertheless, continues to enrol men and priests
—monks, old men end boys, help to swell their ranks, and
even women arc said to have taken up arms, and
been careering thrbugh the streets on horseback. The
Provisional Government has proclaimed the abolition
of servitude; declared that property shall be re-
spected and order maintained, and delivers passports
to all who wish to leave the territory. But this pro-
clamation for the abrolitionof servitude comes too late. Ser-
vitude has too long prevailed; the spirit of liberty was found
chiefly among the higher classes and the Polish army, and
that army is now broken up, parcelled among the troops of
the dominant 'powers, or banished to distant lands, to keep
in subjection other nations who know as little of
the blessings of freedom as the unhappy Poles. There
is not the slightest hope that the insurrection
in the Prussian and Austrian • States will last for ten
days, and Russia is taking care that the insurgents in these
states shall have no assistance from Warsaw. "Prince PAMlR-
wrrscu," a letter states, " had given orders for numerous
arrests at Warsaw and in other parts of Poland. The people
of Warsaw are in a state of apprehension difficult to de-
scribe. Every one seems to be still under the impression of
the terrible threats issued by the EMPEROR to the municipa-
lity in 1843. The troops are confined to their barracks,
and sleep in their uniforms with their arms by their sides."
We can, therefore, expect nothing from Poland but accounts
of disasters and defeats, of arrests and perpetual banishment,
and endless executions; and what renders even these still
more distressing is the fact, that this partial outbreak
will only afford the oppressors additional reasons for
binding more strongly the fetters of this gallant
people. BONAPARTE committed many great crimes, and
many political blunders ; but one of his greatest was his
cruel and ungrateful treatment of Poland. A word of his
could have made Poland free, and established her as a bar-
rier against Russia, but for temporary advantages he
yielded to the solicitations of Austria and Prussia, and left
the country of PoritaTowskt, who served him so well, still
the laud of slaves.

Thanks to that feeling of utter hopelessness which inva-
riably succeeds desperation, th.i protectionists are at length'
to all appearance, becoming cognizant of their true position.
They have thrown their poisoned but innocuous javelins
about like madmen—their quiver is exhausted—they are
subsiding into sullenness, if not into resignation. For their
sakes, for the country's, for the Ministers, we are
rejoiced at this - alteration in their behaviour.
By a pertinacious silence they may yet redeem themselves in
the estimation of the people. Indeed, so satisfied are we with
the unwonted expedition of Friday night's discussion, that we
are fain to hope that no further opposition of any real im-
portance will serve to revive the obloquy which
has been hitherto attached to the agricultural
Members, or to retard, in any essential particular,
the progress of the Goveriunent measures. Un-
doubtedly the amendment introduced by Mr. W. 0. STANLEY,
that " in lieu of the chilies now payable on the importation of
corn, grain, meal, or flour, the product of foreign countries,
there shall be paid a fixed duty of 54. per quarter upon
wheat, 2s. 6d. upon barley, and 2s. upon oats ; meal and flour
in proportion r and the proposition made by Mr. M. Mums,
that all words in the resolution respecting the impor-
tation of corn, referring to the cessation or alteration
of duties to be paid in the year, 1849, be omit-
ted, were both of them vexatious amendments enough
in
themselves. But so rapidly were they rejected, and so
speedily did the representatives enter into a more practical
settlement of
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sainnyrecusgtroamtlilscacituiziaont theiyh which
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consideration. of the Acts propounded by Sir ROBERT, that no
time is allowed us for regret. We are filled only with
liamentary spirit seems to prefigure. Maize and buck -wh4ea;
and rice were severally disposed of on Friday evening ; the
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resolutions relating to grain were put, agreed to, and ordered
to be reported; and altogether, there appears to be a general