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

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The late congress represented the sovereigns; who were
also represented at the Congress of-Vienna TO 1845. We
now vole well that one of the most importar4'suejecte
considered at the Congress of Vienna wasanearrange-
tnent in respect to Poland. There was then a clear and
unanimous conclusion come to Up-in this point. •It was
agreed upon, in about a month, after a long • struggle,
that the ducky of Wareaw' should- be raised into.e king-
dom, and that the Crown should be conf
Emperor of Russia for the time being: Bitt. there was
en on the
ed•np
then an express ar.d oistinct 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-
reagk—that condition was, that Poland should remain a
separate kingdom ; that she should nut be irm irporated
with the Russian empire ; that the national institutions
of the country should bo observed ; that Pelarel should
have a repr sentative assent ti!‘y ; that the administration
of her fitianc'at department ai.cl 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 c:andi-
dons. Nicholas a,s ) swore to the observance of those
conditions, but lie afterwards disregarded the oath he
had taken, he e.
ti
faith. w
r
their mo-t earnest teeoes a. .
tieh
itch,: epics,l eua rndoitewasi
othf notwithstanding
ng
th
h e incorporated the territories of Poland in the empire of
I Russia, and made them an integral part of the Russian
empire. From the period of Alexander's death, Nicho-
las passed a series of laws; the object of which was
to extinguish Poland both in name and character.
The great institutions at Warsaw were trans-
ferred to St. Petersburg. Tue universities of Warsaw
and the other cities of Poland were abolished. The na-
tional schools wereabolished or remodelled, and thousands
of the inferior orders of nobles were transported to dis-
taut parts of the Russian empire. The language of Rus-
sia was introduced into the laws of Lithuania andofother
Polish states, and into every school of the empire per-
sons were appointed 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 cone-
mended by the most eminent of the exiles. Under these
circumstances it is, I say, impossible that my noble
friend opposite could have been silentupon this question
at the congress, and for the reasons to which I have re-
ferred. My noble friend must then have brought under
view of the plenipotentiaries of Russia the existing
state of Poland, end 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, has at.
tended the remonstrances of my noble friend. So far
from that being the else, the government of Russia has
taken every pains to convince Europe and the inhabi-
tant-. 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 this, my
lords ? I 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 ciergy and the assembly
of the nobles, the latter beaded by their president,
were on that occasion addressed in a very short, pre-
cise, and emphatic speech. The Emperor said no-
thing could induce him to dePatt from the policy pre-
viously adopted with respect to Poland. Re declared it
was for the interest of Russia that Poland should form a
part of the Russian empire—a part of the Russian family,
adding also that it was for the interest of Poland. This
was followed by a slight murmur. lie continued, "En-
tertain no illu-ions, or it yen do keep them within your-
selves, and let them lead )ou to only noble aspirations.
For if they go beyond that, I nho care rew I,rd can also
punish, and if a necessity occurs I willpuniee." But, above
all, in concluding tits litecti—" no vieienary dreates—no
visionary dreams." My lords, nothing can be more
marked than this speech ; nothing more marked than, tke
policy intended to bit atlepteit, And I meet therefore re-
gret that ehatever passed between my noble friend aid
the plenipotentiary of Russia at the congress hag not
been atteuded 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 as_trong
and earnest desire that at, amnesty should be granted by
the King of Naples far political "'ifglees. then im-
poseible to suppose for a mo iient that my noble friend did
not urge that an amnesty should also be extended in fa-
vour of the Poles. My noble friend does not ,give any
signs of assent at this moment ; but I am persuaded he
must have urged the necessity of such an amnesty. My
lords, I say what is called au amnesty has been granted,
for " it keeps the word of promiee.eo the ear, but breaks
it to the hope.".. Everything that deserves to be called
an amnesty shauld be of a compreliensive character.
It should be general—it should be precise in its terms ;
while as to any exceptions they should be distinct and
clear, and be of such a nature as to be justified in the
opinion t'of Europe. Now, try this amnesty by this
test. It is stated that those who had left Poland should
be free upon their return from indictment and prosecu-
tion. But under what circumstances are they to return
—what are their limits ? Every person who desires
to return is in the first insiaiice to present a petition ;
he must state under what circumstances he left the
territory of Russia, and he must state minutely every.
thing that occurred to him from that. period (hewn
to the moment of his return. If the offi:nes, o_
then .
the government is sati-fled with his explanations,
only is he to be permi,teci to avail himself of the atnnestyeu;
and he is to have his civil rights restored to him.. .But,.
my lords, we all know that there was a sweeping coitus-
cation of the property of the emigrants ; still not-a word
is said of the restoration of that property, or any pared
it. So that any man who is allowed to return will re-
turn houseless, an outcast, and penniless. Such is .the
amnesty, so far as he is concerned. And what is hiasitrusi
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 Aurveii-
lance of the Russian police); and at the expiration of that - •
perini, 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, excep.
tions ought to be welt defined. The exceptions- here,
however, are of the most vague and unsatisfactory kind.
No person is allowed to return who has exhibited a •
spirit of hostility to the Russian Government. A.ad
who is to decide the sue* in of hostility against thet
Russian Government? The fficers of tl e Russian Go-
vernment! Me lords,
,what can be more unsatiefaretory
than a provision of this kind ? But there is our, more
point to which I must. call attentiou. We all know thet
in the struggle for the independence of
Poland some of
its most distinguished inhabitants were made
poners,
and were sent on foot in chains to the deserts of
S risiberia. • '
No part of the amnesty comprehends any of that class. .
Are you then surprised when you are told that the most
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
noble friend
shall think fit to lodge a copy of thesiethpgapreearst
purpoopnrietthye
table of the house. The Poles say, w
" We do not object to this amnesty
'from personal
cone
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 'natio() of
the proceedings which
braesbey
refuse taken
°any eat atihDesjnussel:esOonf
this ground, therefore,
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 the
result of his interference must not only have, been morti-
fying to himself, but 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 that opinion. The Government of the
country is not responsible for anything that falls from
me. lam not speaking as the representative of any
party ; 1 speak my own opinions, though I am sure, in
delivering those opinion:, I speak in accordance with
the sentiments of all honest and intelligent 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 Ma
voice can be heard, to raise that ynd oieoepfporrathsaieonp.
lords, to commit injusticeand
lords, a crimareti;ci butatein
toy permit
injustice silently may
be to.t
crime. (Loud cheers.) I wish, therefore,pp to put
to my
t a
noble friend opposite the question of which I have given
him notice, whether be 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 see
whether he will lay a copy of it on the table of the horese';
and whether he will explain t
the house and the
try whether any, and what steps were taken dur' ' •
recent congress for the purpose of mitigating ttt incouis. e
neisfoieg the.
tunes of the inhabitants of Poland ? •
The Earl of CLARENDO.N—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 tha
we can lay before Parliarneet. But the amnesty ham
been published in the newspapers, and I have no
doubt it is correctly given, and, therefore, that this
observations of my noble friend have reference to nil/it
has actually taken place. My noble friend 'was
required to make no apology for bringing this
question under your lordships' consideration. He says .I'. '
truly that be speaks as an independent member of thin
house, and that he belongs to no party ; that he is pence
nally responsible for what he says, and that he thought it his duty to lift up his voice asaihst what he charactss Lied
as injustice and oppressiun. My lords, I say
friend is quite at liberty to 1011 w that course
am sure, A the sane time, understand that t.'ne moons
bIT7b :Iwo
which rests upon nie, considering the office which -
bhiativteY the honour to hold, will prevent my following
him as to the acts of a foreign government ,and if I re.,
from doing so, it is because I believe that by a non.
teary courss the cause which be has at heart would be
noble frieree,
prejudiced in nr.fiy respects, My lords,. in answer tslep
I have to assure him that, feeling fullyalive
to 11, those facts which he has narrated to your lordehips,
the British plenipotentiaries, in conjunction with the
plenipotentiaries of France, bad deterniued to bring --
the question of P.•leed before the Congress, together • e
with other matters cf a general European interest.
We had every reasen to believe thee the retentions of
the Emperor of Russia towards Poland were generous
and benevolent. We believed that the Emperor wall
prepared to grant a general atnr...esty ; to restore certain
national institutions to Polsnd, and to place education
in that cootry upon ik wider find wore national toting.