The Sun.
London, England, 1856-12-30 00:00:00

PRINCE ADAM CZARTORYSKI.

The venerable Prince Czertorysid, in his capacity of
President of the Polish Historical Society at Par s, has
recently addressed its members in a long and in' erecting
speech, of which the following is the suhstance :
While reviewing the political events which have just
been accorrepii-hel, events so pregnant with hopes for
the Polish cause, he seemed to reproach his countrymen
with not having quickly profited by the circumstances
occasioned by the late war; but he also averred that the
attitude of the Allied Powers towards the Pole's was not
of a nature to enc )erage their off irts. " The difficulties
(be continued) which a Polish formation has encountered
since the commencement of the war, notwithstanding
the very favourable intentions the Octiman Govern.
ment, were caused by i,s total want of resources. It
was absolutely necessary for us to be able to reckon on
our own resources, in order to establish a nucleus of
national troops. Had this formation but been placed
upon the line of operations, it would soon have increased
and proved to the Allies how useful to them it might
eventually become. The Poles, by actual and impor-
tant services, would, so to say, have compelled
the Allies to aid them efficaciously and do them justice.
It is sad to contemplate that a thing so intrieeically
futile as money should so often decide the fate of
nations. The prosperity, nay, the very existence, of A
great Power often depends on the possession cf a few
millions. The want of one million, perhaps of half a
million, deprived Poland of the opportunity of reaping
any advantaee from c reuiestances which appeared the
most favourable to her. This sum may loo', e small if we
consider the means and the number of these who might
have contributed to it. But to unite and take advantage
of these heterogeneous elements was a task of almost in.
superabee difficulty. The first condition of its performance
was a generally preconceived idea which could have
beforehand established the necessity of the measure.
This important condition being incapable of fulfilment,
the rest of our efforts suffered from the deficiency. The
opinion that we were neither useful nor necessary spread
in the allied armies ; and efforts were made to avert our
co-operation and destroy our hopes. Meanwhile, many
Poles began to lose confidence in the sincerity of the
intentions of their protector. In this manner the disdain
of one side and the suspicion of the other, both hurtful,
as I think, to the cause or the allies, became fa'al to our
own. Nevertheless, the formation which the Poles bad
everywhere solicited in vain, was yet established. The
English Government, encouraged by that of France, was
at last persuaded that the Poles might render good
service in a war against Russia. It decided upon
levying a Polish Division, under the name of
Cossacks of the Sultan. But this corps, which has
given abundant proofs of the still enduring vita-
lity of Polish patriotism, only appeared in an
order to which the English generals gave full justice at
the moment when peace was about to be signed, and it
became necessary to disband this truly select body.
After touching upon the vicissitudes of the war, which,
in spite of the victories of the Allies and the powerless-
ness of Russia to sustain a third campaign, was yet
unable to attain her in the sources of her power, the
speaker pointed out that the present peace in procuring
her time to repair her losses and capital to cover her
immense territory with railroads will soon treble her
aggressive and defensive power. "However (he added)
Europe the last feW years has made sensible progress.
Her policy, hitherto occupied exclusively in defending the
unstaole balance of power of her States, has now for the
first time, of its own impulse, put forward the well-being
of nations and the justice which is their due as the motive
of its action. The Western Powers, animated with *
solicitude for the welfare of the Christian inhabitants of
Turkey, found the Sultan already occupied in alleviating
their condition, and anxious to listen to the suggestions
of a really Christian policy, which also desires to regulate
the fate of the Danubian provinces where the ancient
Roumanictn, netionality hopes for the future to develop@
itself under the protection of its generous suzerain and
of all Europe. Finally, even after the war, the dis-
quieting state of the people of Italy has attracted the
attention of the Allied Powers. These symptoms are
encouraging for civilisation, and these noble tender!'
cies, by au influence entirely mere!, wherever they
act, will produce marked and salusary effects.
As long as views so noble and so disinterested shall sal'
mate the two Western Powers, their alliance wiil be 10
dissoluble. A vast field of action remains open before
the allies. Tee Ea,tern Christians will not easily attaih.
the happy security which the Turk sh Governmetio
wishes to establish for them. But they should not loEo
the hope of reaching it ; for they know that Europe
watches over their fate. The same certainty ought to
tranquillise the Italians, who, although suffering uncler
the pressure of many grievances, yet possess, in a great
measure, their own castotus and laws, and the advart.
tages of their own nationality; no one persecutes their
language ; they have their own schools, their on unt"
varsities, their own courts of justice, and their owe
Administration, which, good or bad, yet belongs
to their own country. Went shall we say of the POl
who are dispossessed of all these benefits ?
yet the whole of Europe, while consenting to deprive
them of their hereditary independence, has, with the
view of softening this refusal to do them justice, at least
declared, by solemn treaties, to guarantee their nation
ality. Can we fear ? Is it possible to suppose that nos
the Poles alone are forgotten ? I cannot believe It-
The Prince adsnitted, nevertheless, that appearanFoBo7:
the present moment seemed to contradict this
"long
which he, however, did not cease to hold. But as., his
as these appearances continue to last, he thought "and
duty to trace for his fellow countrymen
the
quiet and
the obligations
imposed dignified course they should pursue, and
irnpoeed upon them by this state of things. in
ein
Bien, he added, that "should human justicebsiPts
true
us, as it has so many others, let us, Poles, es
stint, of
Christians, place unshaken trust in the eternal ju
God, which in the end never deceives."