The Sun.
London, England, 1848-10-28 00:00:00

THE SUN,

now is not one farthing more from the funds of the
Corporation, but simply the means of obtaining sup-
plies from those willing to contribute them. True it
is that the Poles have been here for many years, and
it is often said that they ought by this time to be able
to provide for themselves ; and so a great many have
provided themselves either here or by removing else-
where, and hence it is that their number has within a
certain period been reduced by one-half. But there
are others who have not been so fortunate. Foreigners
in this country always find a great difficulty in procur-
ing employment, and particularly those not bred to any
particular trade or calling ; they are also without the
resources which almost all the people have more or
less in their own country, that of relatives in some
degree better off than themselves to afford them tem-
porary aid of some kind ; and if it be difficult for
them to find work at all times, it is doubly so in
periods of general distress. Those who once em-
ployed them, perhaps cannot, from a change in their
own circumstances, continue to do so. Thus many
Poles who once could get a living here, now cannot,
and they feel the hardness of the times to the
full as much as our own people. Then it is asked,
and sometimes in a tone of indignation, why do they
not return to their own country ? If, indeed, they
could do so, and they only remained here from
choice, they would have little claim to our assistance.
But the simple answer to the question " Why do they
not go to Poland ?" is,—" they cannot." People
suppose that, like Italians, Spaniards, or Germans,
there is nothing to hinder their return, but that is a
complete mistake. Poland being divided between
Prussia, Austria, and Russia, those who belong to
that part under Prussia have been at liberty to re-
turn any time since the accession of the present
King, and they have all long been gone ; those be-
longing to that part under Austria have, since the
new state of things in Germany, been at liberty to
go to their homes, and have also gone ; but
those belonging to that part under Russia, who are
by far the most numerous, can no more return now
than they could the year after the Pobsh revolution.
They would be refused passports ; and if they were
to attempt to find their way into the country, they
would at once be seized, and a dungeon or Siberia
would be their fate. In the course of last month I
attempted to transmit, through the intervention of a
British firm, and the British consul in a Russian
port, a letter from a refugee to his brother in Poland.
The letter was open, and I was furnished with a
translation. It related entirely to private and pecu-
niary affairs, yet such is the suspicion with which
every person residing in the Russian dominions is
viewed, who is supposed to have anything
to do with a refugee, that neither the Consul nor the
firm dared to transmit the letter, and it was accord-
ingly sent back to me. It is not many months since
a young refugee, known to me, impelled by a sort of
irresistible desire to revisit his native land, determined,
at all hazards, to make the attempt ; but he had
scarcely crossed the frontier, when he was taken and
—hung. The Poles, therefore, who are here do
not reside here, as some seem to suppose, be-
cause they find it an eligible country, but
because they cannot do otherwise ; for, let
it be recollected, Prussia and Austria, while they admit
Poles who belong to that part of Poland, which is
subject to them, do not admit Poles belonging
to that part subject to Russia. France supports
a large number of Poles ; bat, not choosing to
augment the number, does not admit Poles
coming from England ; and some who have this
summer attempted to go there have been sent back.
Shall we then not assist those foreigners, thus
compelled to remain among us, to a bit of bread ?
Shall we not care for them in their nakedness, their
infirmity, their sickness, their old age? It is for
men in such condition that our exertions are made,
that our funds are expended, and not for the encou-
ragement of revolution or disorder. Some are in-
disposed to assist the Poles on account of their
conduct on the continent. Those who allege such
a reason are bound, I think, to state what they be-
lieve the Poles to have done wrong; else they
will be open to the charge of vague prejudice.
I do not mean to say that every Pole is immaculate.
But I really do net know that anything can be laid
to their charge as a body. They have bees grossly
calumniated with regard to their conduct in Prussia ;
but I believe that the press of this country, which,
last summer, repeated stories about them, in-
vented by their German enemies, was grossly
deceived on the subject ; and all those
who have taken pains to inquire into the
matter are now convinced that they were guiltless of
the atrocities laid to their charge, and, at all events,
much more sinned against than sinning. I know
that they are considered by many as turbulent, un-
quiet spirits. For my part, I own, I think it is sur-
prising they are not much more so. If you maltreat
people, enslave, oppress, and studiously demoralize
them, deprive them of their country, persecute their
religion, proscribe their language, and take
from them every motive and incitement to be good
citizens, or suffer those things to be done, you
must not be surprised if those people are restless, un-
quiet, disaffected, and reckless ; if they are filled
with resentment, and ready for any change. Suppose
that such a thing were to happen as that this country
were to be partitioned by foreigners, and that we were
compelled to pay taxes to them, to see their language
used in courts and public places, and to go to mass
instead of to our own service. I have a strong
suspicion that we should be ready for any
alternative, however desperate, that should
give us but a chance of escape from such a state o
things, and that we should care mighty little whir
foreign countries were inconvenienced or endan•

gerea in our attempt to recover our rights. If that
be so, we ought to look at least with compassion on
the Poles, even when hurried into undertakings which
we may disapprove cr condemn. At any rate we ought
not to withhold sympathy from the many tor the
faults of the few, or punish the unoffending for the
misdeeds of the guilty. Shall I suffer because
Smith O'Brien is guilty of high treason ? Shall
the Poles in England, whose conduct has been
exemplary, be denied assistance because some
other Poles in some other place are alleged
to have done something worthy of reprobation ? The
answer is obvious. The Court of Common Council

have given it in granting the hall. You, gentlemen,
whom I have the honour to address, have given it in
offering here your services as a committee. The
public will give it in crowding to Guildhall, and
crowning our ball with that success which has never
failed to attend it.—(Loud cheers.)
The committee, after transacting some routine
business, adjourned till Tuesday next.

[ADTERTISEMENT.] —The most obstinate Bowel
Complaints are speedily cured by Worsdell's Vegetable
Restorative Pills, prepared by John Kaye, Esq., of
Dalton-hall, near Huddersfield. Mr. Thomas Hughes,
builder, residing at Rug, near Corwen, says, " I was
troubled for upwards of tour years and a half with a very
weakening bowel complaint. The advice of several emi-
nent medical men, and the remedies they recommended
all proved unavailing. I determined to give your Pills a
fair trial, and to my great joy they effected a perfect
cure. lam now as healthy as ever I was in my life."
Similar testimonies have been borne by hundreds. See
that John Kaye's coat of army, and a fac-simile of his
signature, are printed on the directions for use wrapped
round each box. Price ls. 1 id., 2s. 9d., and 4s. 6d. per
box; to be had of all respectable Chemists and Medicine
Venders.

FOREIGN GRAIN.—The following very numerous
arrivals of grain and flour took place at this metropolis
on Monday from the ports of France and Belgium:—
The vessel Jane, from Dunkirk, brought 315 quarters
of wheat and 24 bags of flour; the James Watt, from
Havre, 100 bales of seed; the Isabella, from St. Valery,
670 quarters of wheat; the Pirate, from Dunkirk, 427
quarters of wheat; the Soho, from Antwerp, 312 bags
of wheat; the ()use, from Dunkirk, 630 sacks of flour;
the Thomas and Mary, from Rouen, 1,025 sacks of flour,
319 sacks of Indian corn, and 50 quarters of wheat; the
Adele from Rouen, 800 quarters of rye and 175 sacks of
flour; the St. Pierre Justine, from Rouen, 625 sacks of
flour; the •Eliza, from Dunkirk, 410 sacks of flour ;
the Jeune, Emilie, from Eu, 1,111 hectolitres
of rye and 125 hectolitres of barley ;':and the Midge, from
Rouen, 830 bags of flour, 100 bags of tares, and 60
quarters of barley. The following numerous arrivals
from the same countries took place here in the course of
the previous four or five days:—The Friends from Ant-
werp brought 1,348 hectolitres of wheat; the Commerce
de Gand from Ghent, -130 quarters of wheat, 15 pack-
ages of vetches, and 300 bags of flour; the Director,
from Antwerp, 473luciia,rtaerrtse-rsoforwhwehaeta;t, thles3John quartersand Ann, from Ghent, 1
i
of oats, and 300 sacks of flour; the Columbine, from
Havre, 204 sacks of flour; the Jays, fr%an Antwerp, 664
quarters of wheat; the Concord, from Antwerp, 476
quarters of wheat; the Elizabeth, from Abbeville, 604
quarters of oats; the Prosperity, from Antwerp, 441
quarters of wheat; the Alert, from Dunkirk, 672 quar-
ters of wheat; the Henry, from Dunkirk, 10 barrels of
farina; the Alarm, from Abbeville' 400 quarters of
wheat and 55 bags of flour; the Jules ex Lnlia, from
Dunkirk, 478 sacks of flour; the Felicity; from Dun-
kirk, 643 barrels of flour; the Providence, from Dun-
kirk, 613 barrels of flour and 100 barrels of potato flour;
the Soho, from Antwerp, 31) saelt3 of flour and 52 of
seed; the Marie, from Dunkirk, 260 sacks of flour; the
Sisters, from Dunkirk, 575 barrels of flour and 35
quarters of Indian corn; the James Watt, from Havre,
203 sacks of flour; the Elizabeth and Mary, from Dun-
kirk, 675 bags of flour; and the Elizabeth, from Dun-
kirk, 496 quarters of wheat.

RUINS OF NINEVEII.—We afterwards went to visit
the ruins of Nineveh, and when beholding the large
heaps of earth that cover the ruins of this mighty
city, I could not but think on the striking fulfilment
of prophecy respecting that city. Before my visit to
this place, I read through the Book of Nahum, and
upan inspecting some of the recent excavations, made
under the superintendence of Mr. Ross, I found some
parts of Nahun's prophecy most minutely accomplished.
" There shall the fire devour thee," says the prophet ;
and from what I saw, there is no doubt that part of the
city has been consumed by fire, and the gentleman al-
luded to also regrets that many of the sculptures have
been destroyed and altogether effaced by fire.—Jewish
Chronicle.