The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

We give to-day a singular article " from Prussia,"
which has been communicated through the German

papers.

The object of this composition is to compel

or to induce M. Durand, the French Resident or Con-
sul at Warsaw, to acknowledge that the copy of the
Autocrat's celebrated speech, which appeared in the

Journal des Debats, was by him transmitted to that
periodical. He is desired to take notice, that I?), com-
mon fame he is designated as the reporter of the Im-

perial Address, and that he ought to declare whether
or not he be misrepresented by that rumour, inasmuch
as, if he remain silent, others must bear the blame of
his guilt I It is certainly true that M. Durand is
universally supposed to be the medium through which
the oration in question found its way to the Jour-
nal des Debats. If this supposition be correct, it
throws a powerful additional light upon the effect
produced at Warsaw by that memorable ebullition.
According to the .Prussian writer, M. Durand never
was a friend to the Poles. At the period of the
revolution he took an active part against them,
so much so as to bring down upon his head the
animadversion of the friends of Poland in the Chamber
of Deputies. For this misfortune he was, however,
consoled by the distinguished attention which he re-
ceived.from the Russian authorities at Warsaw. Ne-

vertheless, opposed as he was to the Polish Patriots
—flattered as he seems to have been by their Russian
oppressors, he suddenly seeks to render the former a
most essential service, which he must have fore Seen
would have compromised him with the latter. How
deep, how irresistible must not that sentiment of in-
dignation have been—an indignation inflamed possibly
by the sympathies of the whole capital—which urged
him to turn his former antipathy against the Poles
into compassion for their wrongs—to forget the ho-
mage paid to him by the Russians, and to challenge
their hostility ! A convert like this to the Polish
cause is beyond all price. But observe the ground
upon which a charge of indiscretion is brought against
this gentleman. The Emperor did not praise the Poles
in his speech. He was perfectly conscious of what he
said ; but he had no idea of publishing to the world his
sentiments concerning the people of that part of his
dominions. He would wish to have it understo'od
abroad, that the Poles kissed the ground on which he
trod ; that they had repented of their errors, and had
become the most loyal of his subjects. It is not long
since he had it proclaimed officially, that " order was
restored at Warsaw," whereas his speech betrays the
contrary, and proves that the spirit which hates his
name is only prevented from again breaking out into
rebellion by the guns of the citadel. A useful domi-
nion this must be to the master and the slave, under
which each waits for the first symptom of disorder to
annihilate the other ! But all this would have been
veiled from the - eye of the world, had it not been for
the indiscretion of the French Consul. Suppose him to
be guilty, what then will be done ? Will the French Go-
vernment be obliged to recal him ? We believe he is al-
ready in Paris. Something more is meant than his mere
removal from the office which he held at 'Warsaw. He is
said to have intruded upon a family circle—to have ex-
posed family concerns. What punishment is to be affixed
by Russo-Polish law to such a new diplomatic crime as
this ? The office itself, perhaps, is about to be -ex-
tinguished We should not be surprised at this. It
must be inconvenient to the Czar, who loves the Poles
so tenderly, to have any body—especially a Frenchman
with a good memory—overhear the soft discourses by
which he occasionally charms their attention. There
must be no witness in future to his enjoyments in this
way, save those who can be as mute as the sentinels of
the harem. The French Government must be in-
sulted. Upon this the Czar is resolved. Not only
must there be no Durand again at Warsaw, but the
Duke de Broglie is to understand, that, by way of
humble atonement for the publication in the
Journal des Debats, there must be no successor
to that gentleman ; there is no further occasion for
a French resident at Warsaw, Poland being no
longer a kingdom in itself, or any thinsr save the
last and the meanest of the provinces of the empire.
Here will be a humiliation for France, and 'a pretty
return for all the sacrifices which her Ministers have
made, in order to stand well in the estimation of the
Autocrat. He has evidently made up his mind to des-
perate courses ; he has gone home, sickened by his
failures at Kalish and Tcuplitz, maddened by the light
flung upon his follies at Warsaw. Europe is un-
hinged ia his eye.; he must conquer it through the
east or the west, to preserve his own throne. His
agents at Petersburg are all in motion ; his Cabinet is
overburdened with business ; . hn is, isolated, inde-
pendent now of Prussia and Austria, -free to act ac-
cording to his awn policy. 1-Ie is preparing a fleet at
CrOnstatit ; he has a large body of troops on the
Poli4i 'frontiers ;• he is putting his military colonies,
which co=t little money, in a state of efficiency ; he
conceives that he may insult France with impunity.
We shall see.—Morning Chronicle.
Though, many of our readers may. be tired to death
with the repeated recurrence to the Czar's speech at
Warsaw, we rely upon the acquiescence of the greatest
, portion of them in the :propriety of our holding up as
often as possible this frightful specimen of unlimited
despotism to unqualified reprobation. The following
paragraph, published in the Allgemeine Zeitung, is
even more disgusting than the speech to which it
refers. The French ruffians who had acquired supreme
power in 1793 were accustomed to apply endearing and
playful terms to their very instruments of murder ; even
decapitation by the guillotine was called "looking out
of the national window." In the same benevolent
spirit the Emperor Nicholas speaks of his transactions
with Poland as " a family affair." Should he go to
Wars:ow, and superintend the execution of his promise
to set the town on fire with red hot balls and destroy
half 9f the inhabitants, this, we suppose, will be deno-
minated " treating a family party to a house-warming."
The hint to M. Durand pretty clearly shows what fate
awaits anybody but him, should
-he, with a stupid sim-
plicity hardly indeed to be expected of- a French
diplomatist, give the explanation required of him. He
will, of course, be profoundly silent, and not utter a
syllable which would betray his own inaptitude, and sae-
crifice a score or two of the best people in Warsaw to
death or Siberia.-.—Times.

. . ,
We have seldom published any report with so much 1
pleasure as that which appears to-day of the proceed-
ings 'of a meeting held yesterday, for the purpose of
considering " the best means of providing for the
establishment of an hospital - for aged, disabled, and
decayed masters, mates, and - seamen, in the mer-
chants' service of the United Kingdom." Not only
the object of the meeting, but the spirit in which it
was conducted, reflect the highest credit on all con-
cerned. We have no doubt that the cordial interest
there manifested in regard to a most meritorious class
of British subjects will not only find an echo in every
honest bosom, but will have a great moral effect upon
the seamen themselves. We consider this meeting as
the commencement of a new and better era for them.
With respect to the principle of a hospital, it will be
observed that the projected plan is distinguishable
from ordinary cases, because, though the liberality of
the ship-owners will purchase the land and build the
hospital, it is, when built, to be maintained solely by
those who are to benefit by it. We trust, and in this
hope we are sustained by the opinion of many able
practical naval officers, that the contributors, once
initiated in a habit of prudence, will not stop at this
first scheme for the improvement of their condition,
but will be disposed to make a provision which may
administer comfort to themselves and families in their
health and manhood, as well as a refuge for age and in-
firmity. We hope, therefore, at no distant time, to be.
able to announce that this first excellent step has led
to others, and that a Savings Bank has been esta-
blished as an appendage and auxiliary of the hospital.
The spirit of independence will be cherished by the
ru ent perseverance with which the sailor will supply
lar contribution towards the future relief of
4.45..0: g ry his shipmates ; but how much greater will
("),7.',.‘'
. -,lie'ins' Astotisfaction, how much higher his tone of
!..,Ylif ':'-ilkoiles seff74lause, if he can resolutely provide a fund
'-.2! 7--:;Nillielvtual;t rife the hospital in his case an unneces-
,
le"' -. sary" asylinn.li But whether both projects shall be
Oei ..,tealsized 0r.,..,. I. one, we shall hail the execution of only
4,,.(i641 i,):::,.,7 we are convinced that even one will con-
i ii,- . .• Iprove, to a very great degree, the physical