The Sun.
London, England, 1856-07-12 00:00:00

_ I.

The late conereee represented the sovereigns, who were
also represented at the COngress of Vienna in 1815.
Spe
knoiv very well that one of the most important subject*.
considered' at the Congress of Vienna was an arrangee
ment in respect to Poland. There was then a clear and
unanimous conclusion cones to upon, this point.lot;2wlaes
agreed upon, in about a month, aftele-ennee str
that the 'duchy of Wareave should be raised Mena eel "
'dem, -and that the Crown should be conferred upon' 4;
-E,fiperor of Russia for the time being. But there • wee,
then- an express and diitinct condition, insisted upon
with . great earnestness by all the parties to'' the
treaty, and by another personage, - perhaps, with still
greater earnestness, that other being Viscount Castle.
reagla---thatbondition teas, that Poland should remain a
separate kingdom; that she should not be incorporated
with' the Russian empire ; that the national institutions
of the country should ba observed • that Poland should
have a representative assembly ; that the administration
of her financial department and her army should also be
maintained (distinct. These, my lords, were the terms and
conditions which were thought necessary to be imposed
absolutely under the general arrangements. The Empe-
ror Alexander swore to the observance of those condi-
tions. Nicholas also swore to the observance of those
conditions, but he afterwards disregarded the oath he -
had taken, he broke faith with the allies, notwithstanding
their most earnest remonstrances. Regardless of his'oath
he incorporated the territories of Poland in the empire of
Russia, and made them an integral part of the Russian
empire. From the period of Alexander's death, Nicho-
las passed a series ef laws, Vie object of Which'evas
to extinguish Poland both in name and character.
The great institutions at Warsaw were trans-
ferred to St. Petersburg. The universities of Warsaw
and the other cities of Poland were abolished. The na-
tional schools were aholishse I orrc modeller), and thowiands
of the inferior orders of nobles were transported to dis-
tant parts of the -Russian eropre. The language of Rns-
sia was introduced into the laws of Lithuania and ofother
Polish states, and into every school of the empire per-
sons were appeinied to instruct the people in the Russian
language, and the press of the country was altogether
prohibited. • Everything was placed under Russian
command. All these circumstances must have been
present in the mind of my noble friend at the time of
the congress. And the more so, when he recollected
that in the last year of the war we had been engaged
in forming a Polish Legion, which was to be com-
manded by the most eminent of the exiles. Under these
circumstances it is, I say, impossible that my noble
friend opposite could have been silent upon this question
at the congress, and for the reasons to which I have re-
ferred. My noble friend must then have brought tinder
view of the plenipotentiaries of Russia the existing
state of Poland, and must have earnestly remonstrated
with them upon the subject. I entertain no doubt what-
ever of the course that was then taken by my .noble
friend, but the result, I am sorry to say, has been most
unsatisfactory. No substantial issue, it appears, bps at.
tended the remonstrances of my noble friend. So far
from that being the case, the government of Russia has
taken every pains to convince Europe and the inhabie
tants of Poland that it will not allow any intervention
with respect to that territory or with respect to the
mode in which it is governed. Why do I say thii, my
lords ? refer to what has recently taken place at
Warsaw on the visit of the Emperor of Russia to that
place, and to the language which was held on that
occasion to the two assemblies that met for the pur-
pose of welcoming him on his entry. Those two as-
semblies, the assembly of the clergy and the assembly
Of the nobles, the latter headed by their president,
were on that occasion addressed in a very short, pre-
cise, and emphatic -speech. Tile Emperor said no-
thing could induce him to depart from the policy pre-
viously-adopted with respect to Poland. He declared it
was for the interest of Russia that Poland'should form a
part of.the Russian empire—apart of the Russian family,
adding also that it was for the interest of Poland. This
was followed by a slight-murmur. He continued, "En-
tertain no illuiimas, or if you do keep them within -your.
selves, and let them lead son to only-noble aspirations.
For if they go beyond that, I who can reentrd can also
punieheandef a necessity occurs I will punish." Bute-above
all, in concludiug his epeech—" no visionary dreamt—no
visionary dreams." - My lords, nothing can be 'more
marked titan this speech ; nothing more marked than the
policy intended to be adopted. And I must therefore re-
gret that whatever passed between my noble friend and
the plenipotentiary of Ruseis at the congress has not
been attended with any beneficial result. But, my lords,
that is only part of the subject to which I would call at-
tention. At the congress my noble friend expressed astrong
and earnest desire that an amnesty should be granted by
the king of Naples for political effencee. It is then ins-
possible to suppose for a mo rent thatmy noble friend did
not urge that an amnesty should also be extended in fa-
your of the Poles. My noble friend does not give any
signs of assent at this moment ; but I am persuaded he
.mutt have urged the necessity of such an amnesty. My
lords, I say what is called an amnesty'has been granted,
fur " it keeps the word of promise to the ear, but breaks
it to the hope." Eeerything that deserves to be called
an amnesty should be of a comprehensive character.
It should be general—it should be precise in its terms ;
while as to any exceptions they should be distiuct and
clear; and be of such a mature as to be justified in the
opinion :of Europe. Now, try this amnesty by this
test. It is stated that those who had left Poland should
be free upon their retere from indictment and prosecu-
tion. Bat under what circumstances are they to return
—what are their limits ? Every person who desires
:to return is in the first instance to 'present a_ petition ;
he must state under what circumstances he left the
territory of Russia, and he must state minute-y every- -
thing that occurred to him from that period down
to the moment of his - return.- It the officer of
the government is satisfied with his explanations, then
only is be to be perrni fed to avail himself of the amnesty,
and he is to have his civil tights restored to h;m. But,
my lords, we all know that there was a sweeping confis-
cation of the property of the etnigraut4; still not a word
is said of the restoration of that property, or any part of
it. So that any man who is allowed to return will re-
turn houselese, an outcast, and penniless. Such is the
amnesty, so far as he is concerned. And what is his situa-
tion after his return ? He is' for 3 years under
the surveillance of the Russian police (and every one
knows what is the position of a person under the surveil-
lance of the Russian police); and at the expiration of that
period, if the official reports are favourable to him, he is
allowed to be a candidate for official employment. But,
my lords, there are exceptions. I have stated, etecetei
tions ought to be well defined. The exceptions here,
however, are ei the most vague and unsatisfactory kind.
No person is allowed to return who has exhibited a
-spirit of hostility •to the Russian Government.., And
who is to decide the questi in of hostility against the
Russian Government? The officers of tie Russian Go-
vernment! My lords, what can-be -more unsatisfactory
than a provision of this kind ? But there is one more
point to which-I must. call attention. We all know that
the struggle for the independence of Poland some of
its most distinguished inhabitants were made prisoners,
and were sent en foot in chains to the deserts of Siberia.
No part of the amnesty comprehends Any of that class.
Are you then surprised when you are told that the moat
eminent of the Poles have refused to avail themselves of
this amnesty. They have stated so in a resolution to which
I shall call your lordships' attention, if my nobleefiiend
shall think fit to lodge a copy of these papers upon. the
table of the house. The Poles say, with great propriety,
" We do not object to this anniesty from-personal cons
siderations, but upon principle. If we 'were to avail our-
selves of this amnesty we should admit the injustice of
our conduct in struggling for the preservation of. the
rights of our country, and we should admit the justice of
the proceedings which have been taken asainst us." On
this ground, therefore, they ref tee, to avail themselves of
the amnesty, and in doing so I think they have acted
with the greatest propriety. If my noble friend did exert
himself at the congress on behalf of Poland, I think the
result of his interference must not only have been morti-
fying to himself; hut offensive to the Government which
he represented. My lords, it may be said, and I dare
say it is said, to be very inconvenient to bring forward
a question of this kind at the present moment. Ido not
at all subscribe to teat opinion. The Government of the
country is not responsible for anything teat falls from
me. lam not speaking as the se presentative of any
party ; 1 speak my own opinions, though I an sure, in
delivering those opiaione, I speak in accordance with
!the sentiments of all honest and intAigent-men in this
country, as well as in Europe.' (Cheers.) I feel it is the
duty of every one who is placed in a situation where his
voice can be heard, to raise that voice for the purpose
of denouncing injustice, tyranny, and oppression. My
lords, to couneit•.injustice is a crime ; but to permit
injustice silently may be to participate in that
crime. (Loud cheers.) I wish, therefore, to put to my
noble friend Opposite the question of which I have given
him notice, whether he has received any official commu-
nication of the recent act of amnesty in favour of the
Polish exiles by the Emperor of Russia ; and, if
whether he will lay a copy of it on the table of the house;
and whether he will explain t h the house and the coun-
try whether any, and what steps were taken during the
recent congress for the purpose of mitigating the misfor-
tunes of the inhabitants of Poland ?

The Earl of CIA RENDON=My lords, when the
amnesty to which my noble and learned friend has
called ~your attention was published we had neither
any diplomatic or consular agents in Russia, and,
consequently, we have received no copies of it that
we can lay before Parliament, But the amnesty has
been published in the neivspapere, and I have no
doubt it is correctly given, and, therefore, that the
observations of my ncble, friend have reference to what
his actually taken place. My noble friend was
required to make no apology for bringing this
question under your lordships' consideration. He Sal El
truly that he speaks as an independent member of this
house, and that he belongs to no party ; that he is perso-
nally respon.ible for what he says, and that he thought it
10a duty to lift up his voice against what he characterised
as injustice and oppression. My lords, I say my noble
friend is quits at liberty to follow that course ; but he will,
I am sure, Lt the same time, understand that the respon-
s.bility which rests upon me, considering the office which
I have the honour, to hold, %kill l nvent my following
hint as to the acts-of a foreign government ,and if I re-
frain from doing so, it is because I believe thAt by a oon-
trary clurse the cause which he has at heart would be
prejudiced ja many respects. My lords, in answer t) my
nob'e friend, I have to assure him that, feeling fully sliye
to all those facts which he has narrated to your lordetiipe,
the British iu
sconjunction with the
plenipeteetiaries of France, lead detern iacd to bring
the question of Poland before the Congress, together
with other matters if a general European-interest.
We bad every reascn to believe that the intentions of
the Emperor of Rusia towards Poland were generous
and benevolent, We believed that the Emperor we
prepared to grant a general amnesty ; to restore certain
national ineti tu tionve to Poland,
and ,
ta nudi,lteo
u la)liteenaieldictueoattiiiz
in that country upn a wider