The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-01 00:00:00

treaty of Vienna guaranteed Belgium to Holland. Bel-
gium spurned the degradation, and we acknowledged her
right to freedom; Armies marched, and fleets sailed to
assist Belgium. If it were right to assist Belgium, it
was a grievous, wrong to desert Poland.—(Hear.) That
treaty guaranteed the independence of Poland—that she
should have a free Constitution and representative Go-
vernment.—( Hear, hear, hear.) A fter that treaty Po-
land was oppressed and tortured.—( Hear.) Loading the
Poles with benefits ! making them happy in spite of them-
selves ! Yes, by destroying the liberty of the press—by
banishing refractory deputies—by giving power to Courts-
martial to try civil offences—by consigning the most noble
citizens to most degrading punishments—and by establish-
ing a 'police that left no sanctuary unviolated.—( Hear.)
Poland like Belgium flew to arms, but saw no armies or
fleets come to her aid ; she was pitied, and left to perish.—
(Hear.) If the treaty was at an end, as Nicholas says, then
Poland is left to assert her national rights, and were we not
bound to assist Poland by interest, as well as by duty ?
Where could we find so powerful a safeguard for the liberty
of Europe against the encroachments of Russia ?—( Hear.)
It was asserted by many, that the revolution of Poland was
confined to the aristocracy ; nothing could be less true.
Serfship was abolished in Poland, and the rights of her
patriots was, and is, the cause of every child of freedom,
wherever his lot may be cast, or his cradle rocked,(Hear.)
Undoubtedly their primary object was the independence of
their dear native land ; but looking at their past history, and
their situation, they considered themselves appointed to de-
fend the liberties of Europe against barbarism and despotism.
—(Hear.) They who were careless of the freedom of Poland
deserved not freedom for themselves. The stone which closed
the sepulchre of the liberty of Poland, might also cover the
grave of their own.—(Hear, hear.) That meeting would
express feelings common to the people of England, and he
would propose a resolution which would probably stimu-
late other portions of the people to.give expression to their
feelings.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman concluded
by proposing a resolution condemning in strong terms the
conduct of Nicholas to Poland, and declaring the expedi-
ency of uniting, to call the attention of Government and
Parliament to the necessity of restoring Poland to her just
rank amongst the nations of the earth.—(Great applause.)
The Rev. Dr. WADE seconded the resolution. He con-
gratulated the Noble Poles present on seeing 'such a
crowded meeting assembled to express their sympathy with
the brave Poles.—(Hear, hear.) The English public should
now express their sentiments on the address of Nicholas ;
it bore the stamp of the Holy Alliance. Their principle,
was that nothing should be done by the people. They
should teach Nicholas that everything should be done by
the people, and that they would have nothing from him.
The Russian bear said the present doctrines would shake
the system of Europe. The 'Press, he should soon find,
would shake his power.—(Hear.) He talked of breach of
faith ; a pretty fellow he to talk of breach of faith—a per-
jured miscreant.—(Hear, hear.) He called the Poles
rebels. Vattel says, resistance to oppression is the duty
of nations. Nicholas was the traitor, and the noble Poles
refused to have him, on any terms.—(Hear.) He make
the Poles happy, in spite of themselves—yes, by banish-
ing men—flogging women—and ;murdering children.—
(Hear, hear.) He says he will give the Poles protection
—it was such protection as vultures give to lambs, covering
and devouring.—(Hear.) He said he would destroy War-
saw, and that it should not be rebuilt in his time. This
was a bloody and brutal threat ; and if it were attempted
to be executed, he hoped the whole nation would rise and
exterminate the monster. He should be treated as a mad
dog.—(Hear, hear.) He hoped the Catholic Clergy, whom
he honoured, would place themselves at the people's head,
and overthrow the tyrant.—(Hear, hear.) He was glad
to see so many ladies present. Englishmen were the bro-
thers of Poland, and Englishwomen should be their sisters,
and by their united efforts they would compel Parliament
to do its duty,—(Hear, hear.) Public opinion was the voice
of God; and it must be obeyed.—( Hear.)
M. BARSZCREWIEZ CRESPIN, a Noble Pole, made along
speech in his native language, which appeared to produce
an exciting effect on his own countrymen, and was greatly
applauded by them.
The CHAIRMAN said the meeting would be next addressed
by M. Cabbelt, late a Member of the French Chamber of
Deputies, who lost his seat by opposing the despotism of
Louis Phillippe.
M. CABBELT addressed the meeting in French, and de-
nounced the tyranny of Nicholas and Louis Phillippc, pre-
dicted the speedy triumph of liberty in France and Poland,
and its progress throughout the world. The treaty of
Vienna had been guaranteed by England and France ; but
though they did not interfere to prevent its violation by the
tyrant, Poland could not long be kept prostrate, but would-
be restored to independence by the patriotism and bravery
of her sons, in spite of the tyrant and his Cossacks.—(Hear.)
The resolution was agreed to with great acclamation.
M. STAWIARSKI, a Noble Pole, addressed the meeting
in very good English. In the words of the great Shakspeare
he would say, " To be or not to be," was the motto of Po-
land in the late Revolution—every heart felt bound to
avenge the wrongs of all, or fall in the deadly struggle with
the barbarian foe.—(Hear, hear.) Poland fell before the
dense hordes of the barbarians, and there now reigns in
Poland the silence of the grave, only broken by the shriek
of despair, when the wretched mother stabs her child to
preserve it from being torn from her to undergo sufferings
too frightful to contemplate. The remnant of her gallant
armies have fled the country they could not save, and have
sworn never to return but to avenge her wrongs. They
still cherish the hope that all is not lost—that her scattered
sons may yet meet in the battle-plain, and frighten the
barbarian from the country he had despoiled.—(Hear.)
Poland was, and Heaven might again make her a barrier
against the Northern Tyrant.—( Hear, hear.) The Poles
-now present felt gratitude beyond the power of language to
express to those who came to visit unfortunate exiles, and
soothe their sufferings. God grant that they may be soon
restored to their own country, where they will tell how
England succoured their distress, and make the names of
their generous friends household words in the mouths of
their children.—(Hear.) Life without liberty was not
worth possessing. Let them live as freemen, or as freemen
die.—(Hear, hear.) The eloquent Gentleman concluded
by proposing a vote of thanks to the generous' Chairman, to
whom Ireland owed a deep debt of gratitude, whom Eng-
land acknowledged amongst the most ardent friends of her
freedom ; and to their voices of praise and honour would
now be joined that of grateful Poland, and the name of
O'Connor would be lisped by her children.
Another Polish Gentleman seconded the resolution,
which passed with great acclamation.
Mr. O'CoNNoIt returned thanks in an eloquent speech,
after which the meeting separated.