The Sun.
London, England, 1846-11-18 00:00:00

ANNEXATION OF CRACOW,
(From the Times.)
One of the first speeches made by Lord Palmerston
upon his return to office last summer contained an em-
phatic declaration in Parliament, that the Northern
Powers would do well to remember that the great public
treaties, which are the basis of political society in Eu-
rope, are no less binding on the Vistula than they are
upon the Rhine and on the Po. The Northern Powers
have, however, taken so little account of this declaration,r
that they have not hesitated to perpetrate on that same
Vistula the most flagrant, direct, and unwarrantable vio-
lation of the Treaty of Vienna which has ever yet been
attempted by any of the Governments of Europe. Im-
portant changes have, indeed, before been effected in the
provisions of that important instrument by the irresistible
force of events, which have subsequently been ratified
or accepted by the consent of the five great Powers. But
the policy of the three Northern Courts towards Poland,
and especially towards the " free, independent, and
strictly neutral city" of Cracow, forms a signal exception
to this rule. Russia, Austria, and Prussia have carried
on their work of spoliation and oppression alone by the
gradual violation of every pledge under which
Cracow was assigned to their protection, and the
systematic subversion of every institution which might
have made that city prosperous and free; they have now
crowned these encroachments by the total annihilation
of the republic itself, the absorption of its territory, and
the unflinching violation of all the treaty engagements
by which the existence of that last fragment of the Polish
commonwealth was gfiaranteed. And these are the pro-
tecting Powers to whose care the city and territory of
Cracow were assigned in trust ! Since the Congress of
Vienna no act has ever been consummated more thoroughly
revolutionary in its spirit, or more subversive of that
general principle by which the existing territorial ar-
rangements of the Continent are upheld. Cracow was,
indeed, almost the least of the independent States of
'Europe, hardly exceeding in size those free cities of
Germany whose political existence rests upon the foun-
dation of the German Confederation. But if we required
evidence of the political significance of this little re-
public, which concentrated in itself all that remained of
Polish independence, we should find such proof in the
extraordinary care with which the State of Cracow
was determined by the Congress of Vienna, and in
the extraordinary perseverance, deceit, and audacity
which have been employed in the destruction of that
work. In all the several treaties signed on the 3d of
May, 1815, between Russia, Austria, and Prussia, hav-
ing reference to Polish affairs, the independence and
neutrality of Cracow was solemnly proclaimed. In the
additional treaty of the same date between the same
three powers the first article runs thus :
" The city of Cracow, with its territory, shall be re-
garded in perpetuity as a free, independent, and strictly
neutral city, under the protection of the three high con-
tracting parties."
The subsequent articles of the same treaty determined
the extent, of its neutral and independent territory ; se-
cured the entire freedom of its commerce, as well as
that of the adjoining Austrian town of Podgorze ; for-
bade the introduction of an armed force under any pre-
text whatever ; and, finally, conferred on the city a free
constitution, which was textually inserted in the addi-
tional treaty.
" A copy of these articles," says the 18th clause, " is
to be solemnly deposited in the archives of the free city
of Cracow, as a permanent proof of the generous prin-
ciples adopted towards it by the three high Powers."
All the most important of these clauses, and especially
those touching the freedom, independence, and strict
neutrality of Cracow, were formally repeated in the ge-
neral act of the Congress of Vienna, signed on the 9th
of June, 1815, by the Plenipotentiaries of all the Powers;
and it was, moreover, provided by the 119th article of
that treaty, that the separate treaties relating to Cra-
cow, &c., " should be considered as integral parts of the
arrangements of the Congres3, and have every where the
same force and value as if they were inserted word for
word in the general treaty." Never were engagements
more precise or more solemn. Never have such engage •
meats been flung to the winds with more thorough in-
difference. If these clauses are so worthless that the
three Powers of the North may complete their work of
destruction in Poland by the direct and open annihila-
tion of Cracow, there is not an engagement in the
treaty of Vienna which can stand against the will of
any Power disposed to break it, and to talk of the
faith of treaties is an extravagant fiction. They, be
it remembered, have set the example on the Vistula ;
let them not be surprised if it be imitated elsewhere.
They have, however, arrived at this determination
by slow steps ; and more than ever we must now
regret that there was no diplomatic agent of England
on the spot to mark from the first the whole tendency
of these changes. In 1833 the three protecting powers
began by substituting a new constitution for that which
had been incorporated in the treaties of Vienna, and
thus transferring the supreme power from the magis-
trates of the city to their own Residents. In 1836, upon
the most frivolous pretences, the city was occupied by
Austrian troops; false reports of disturbances and re-
volutionary schemes were studiously promulgated by
the Austrian police; and 200 or 300 victims were
dragged without trial from the neutral territory and
banished to Western Europe or America. At Teeplitz,
in the same year, a proposition is said to have been
made to Austria to annex the city to her empire, but at
that time the offer was declined. The events in Poland
and Galicia in the spring of the present year appear to
have conquered this repugnance of the Court of Vienna.
Caused, as those events undoubtedly were, by
the misgovernment and incapacity of the Austrian
authorities exaggerated to the last degree by
the servile newspapers of Germany, which are
wholly under Austrian control and augmented
by the gross misconduct of the Austrian troops, who
were terrified by the lies of their own police, the dis-
turbances of last February are the pretext for trampling
on the last remnant of Polish nationality, and breaking
the last promise of mercy made to Poland. The Aus
trian Government has shown the world in its own pro •
vince of Galicia to what brutal hands that portion of the
spoil of Poland was consigned. The city of Cracow is
now, it appears, to be annexed to it. The statesmen
who have literally repeated the sanguinary trick of the
massacre of. St. Bartholomew, by arming and inciting
one class of society against the other, are to turn the
palace of the Jagellons into Austrian barracks, and to
guard the tombs of John Sobieski and Kosciusko 1 This
is, indeed, the last insult to the Polish name. Under
Russian authority Cracow might have had at least a
tranquil subjection ; under Prussia the city might have
enjoyed the protection of a firm and honest administra-
tion ; under that rule which has so lately covered Ga-
licia with ruin and bloodshed, Cracow and Poland are
condemned to sink beneath the feeblest of their foes.
But whilst we feel the strongest commiseration for
the fate of this unhappy city, which has literally
been persecuted to the death, and whilst we abhor
this repetition of the partition of Poland on the
last fragment of Polish territory, the nature of the
transaction, the -violation of the treaty, and the insolent
indifference to the voice of public opinion and the claims
of Western Europe, are even more important in our
eyes than the act itself. Nor can we shake off the sus
picion that the Northern Powers would not have dared
to strike such a blow at the established order of Europe
without at least the secret acquiescence of the French
Government. We shall see the result ; we shall see
whether the Court of the Tuileries is prepared to descend
to the base conspiracies of Laybach and Verona, formed
for the destruction of the liberties of Europe. We have
not yet learned to think so meanly even of our opponents.
But this thing will put it to the proof. France is pledged
with England to uphold the treaties of 1815 ; France is
more earnestly devoted than England herself to that
cause of Poland, which she celebrates by an annual pro-
testation of her Legislature. We shall see by the con-
duct of France with reference to the annexation of
Cracow, whether the sacrifice of her independent
judgment is already made, or whether she repudiates
and resists the resuscitated policy of the Holy Alliance.
King Louis Philippe has miscalculated his strength if he
hopes• to bend the spirit of the French nation to so de-
grading a compact.

SOUTHWARL LITERARY INSTITUTION.—A grand
evening concert for the benefit of Miss Fanny Wheadon,
was given yesterday evening within the theatre of this
institution, and we were glad to perceive that the enter-
tainments promised had the effect of drawing together a
large and most respectable audience. Mr. H. S, May,
presided at the grand piano-forte, and in addition to Mr.
fill, and gr. John Parry, Mr. Leffler very kindly ren-
dered his invaluable services. The lady singers were
Misses Howard, Cubitt, Martingale, and Wheadon.
Where all was first-rate it would be idle to particularise,
but we cannot resist noticing Mr. John Parry's "Lon-
don Season," and Leffier's " Lads of the Village." Miss
Cubitt sings some charming airs, rendered still more
pleasing by the grace and good humour with which she
met the wishes of all present who tried her rather
severely. The evening passed off most happily.
DEATH OF MR. RICHARD YOUNGE, THE COME-
DIAN.—This esteemed performer, who was many years
at Drury-lane Theatre, but latterly almost exclusively
at the minors, expired yesterday (Tuesday), after an
illness of some continuance, at his residence in Warren-
street, White Conduit-street, Pentonville. Mr. Younge
embraced the stage at a very early age, acting at New-
castle and other theatres in the North, and having
created a considerable impression, he was engaged in the
York circuit, where he remained many seasons. Here
he met the daughter of Mrs. Harlowe (who now, in her
81st year, is still in the enjoyment of good health), by
whom Mr. Younge had several children, three of whom
are living. Mrs. Younge died some years since. Mr.
Youngs's success in York attracted the attention of
Elliston, who was scouring the provinces for actors and
actresses. Mrs. H. Hughes, Messrs. Rayner, Browne,
Sherwin, Archer, and many others made their first bow
at Drury-lane, where Mr. lounge appeared in season
1822-23 as lag° to the Othello of Kean ; he was emi-
nently successful, but his great namesake, Charles
Young, was that season engaged, and the new actor sunk
down to parts of minor importance. His last engage
meat was at the City of London Theatre, under the di-
rection of Mr. R. Homier. His voice became affected,
"yid as he was getting almost inaudible, he retired from
the stage. Not without prolonged application did he
Eeet uhas not
Fund, the annuity from which
lived many months to enjoy. About two
Lea" ago Mr. Younge led his second lady to the altar.
The deceased was about fifty-five years of age.
Tun Tions.L CLUB.—Lastinhabit evening a public
meeting of the
vicinity was held at the lioziitssuoiavern,
Kennington and its
in support of the
recen formed National
worth' Bart.,=, which Lieutenant-
presided. The
Colonel Sir Digby Mack
several
meeting was addressed by the chairman andal'lol the for-
other speakers, and resolutions werelpnan
'nation of a branch association under the title of "Surrey
Protestant Alliance."
When the ship Jeremiah Garnett, which arrived
here a few days ago from China, called at St. Helena,
potatoes were selling at 2/. per sack in that island.—
Liverpool Albion.