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

POLISH REVOLUTION.

Last night the Polis'a Refugees resident in London cele-
brated the Anniversary of the Polish Revolution of the
29th of November, 1830, by a meeting at the Crown and
Anchor. There appeared to be upwards of 100 Polish
refugees present ; and a highly respectable assemblage of
English of both sexes.
• Mr. 'FEARGUS O'CONNOR"' having been invited to take
the Chair, attended at the appointed hour, and addressed
the meeting at considerable length. The honour, he said,
which had been conferred on him by being called on to pre-
side at such a meeting, was such that no services which he
had been enabled to render to the cause of freedom could
fairly, entitle him to. No one, however, could take a
deeper interest in the fate of Poland than he did—and it
was natural that he should feel a peculiar sympathy for her
sufferings, for he belonged to a country which had endured
wrongs strikingly similar to those which had been inflicted
upon Poland.--(Hear, hear.) Need he say that that
country was Ireland.—(Hear, and cheers.) The oppres-
sions which the two countries had undergone were closely
similar ; but in one respect they differed ; for had Ireland
been left the natural protectors of her soil—had the men
who were at once the nobles of her land,-and the friends of
her people, not been banished or exterminated, the acts of
justice which were now tardily doled out by Acts of Par-
liament, would have been extorted from the fears of those
who misruled and tyrannised over that brave and generous
people. It was true that the polish nobles were now banished
from the land of their birth ; but would their term of banish-
ment be long or lasting ? No ; by the same onward march of
freedom which had gained some at least of the rights of men for
the inhabitants of Ireland, would the Poles be released from
the servitude under which their country groaned.—(Cheers.)
The cause of the oppressed and persecuted Poles had
enlisted the sympathies of all classes of Englishmen and
Irishmen, whose adherence in any cause was worth having.
It was a subject of no slight degree of pride with him, as
an Irishman, that one of the ablest and most eloquent of
the representatives of Ireland was the man who brought
forward a motion in the House of Commons for rejecting
the appointment of Lord Londonderry as Ambassador to
Russia.—(Hear, hear.) During every session of Par-
liament for a long period past the grievances of the Poles
formed the subject of a separate and substantive motion.
During the last, that practice was departed from on the
ground, he had no doubt, that the feelings of the repre-
sentatives of the people in this country regarding Poland
were considered to be conveyed with sufficient distinctness
by cancelling the appointment of Lord Londonderry as Am-
bassador to the Court of St. Petersburg.—(Hear, hear.)
Yes ; that Lord Londonderry who had called the Poles
"rebels" The Noble Lord forgot (and indeed it was na-
tural that he should, for he was incapable of conceiving any
principle which was not founded on narrow-minded bigotry
or heartless oppression) that tacit acquiescence in, or tame
submiision to, a flagrant wrong is in itself an act of re-
bellion of the worst kind—a rebellion against the immu-
table laws of reason and justice, and against the fundamental
regulations of that social compact into which man has
entered, with the view of diffusing the benefits and
blessings of liberty.—(Lnud cheers.) But the intentions
of the Tory Ambassador (Lord Londonderry) were, thank
God, frustrated, by his appointment being cancelled by
the voice of an overwhelming majority of the Commons
of England, and the Government which had the hardihood
to make the appointment hurled from office by the same
power.—(Cheers.) Had that Government been able to
dec&ve the people of this country into any other persuasion
than they grasped at, and endeavoured to retain, power for
the purposes of oppression and self-aggrandisement, how
naturally, how readily, and how joyfully would its mem-
bers and adherents have joined in the policy which would
shut out Poland from all hope of restoration to independence.
In what an appropriate position the Duke of Cumberland
would be placed when in alliance with the Emperors of
Russia, Prussia, Austria, and the King of the French, he
could entertain the design of plotting against the liberties of
the people. The Duke was high in Tory favour as the
Grand Master of Orange Lodges. Were the Autocrat of
Russia to set his foot in England, he would be sure to find
welcome in the Carlton Club, and would no doubt be
perfectly qualified to stand upon Tory principles for
any vacancy which may occur in the boroughs under
their controul.2--(Laughter and cheers.) The speech of
the Autocrat would—had his friends in England remained
in office—been received as a most congenial effusion of the
sentiments of liberality which ought to be expressed by
rulers to their subjects.—( Hear, hear.) Yes ; that speech,
which commenced with the dignified assurance that he
could not hear the declaration of the opinions of the depu-
tation from Warsaw, because be knew that what they were
abbut to communicate to him was a " The word
was in strict keeping with ' the character of him who
uttered it. But was it not astonishing that The Times, The
Standard, or the Post, all of which were so sensitive on con-
ventional observances, never condemned, even in the slight-
est degree, the want of common courtesy displayed by the
Autocrat of the Russias ? That Emperor', who broke
the promises held out by his predeces3or, trampkd on the
rights of those whom it was his duty to protect, banished by
wholesale the inhabitants of that ill-fated land in which his
despotic sway was established, and threatened to rase the
cities to the ground on the slightest outbreak of those inha-
bitants, who were unable to quit the land of their birth,
against the outrages and oppressions to which they were sub-
jected.—The brute—the ruffian—the tyrant.—(Loud
cheers.) But these expressions, however just, would be
considered too warm, and extremely ungentlemanly. That
he painted his character, however coarsely, in its true colours,
was proved by the reception which that speech met with in
England, and by the sympathy that night evinced in favour
of those who were the victims of his misrule. Yes, Eng-
lishmen met there to proclaim to the world that men no
longer bowed in blind obedience to the tyrannical dictates
of a despot simply because he was called a Kin.. ; and by
the indignation which they expressed at the conduct of the
Emperor of Russia, to show that ,they would bear with no
such speech if ever a King of this country should have the
folly or the baseness to utter it.—(Loud cheers.)
M. Tolle, a Noble Pole, next addressed the meeting, in
excellent English. He said, after the eloquent speech they
had heard from the Hon. Chairman, who sympathized so
deeply with the sufferings of Poland, and after the power-
ful statements of the enlightened English press, it was pre-
sumption in him to address them on the revolution they
were met to celebrate ; but the feelings of his heart could
not be suppresses.—(Hear, hear.) He would not shock
their feelings by attempting to recite the crimes by which
the slavery of Poland had been perpetrated. His object
was to impress on their minds that the revolution of Po-
land of the 29th of November had peculiar claims to the
favour of the freemen of Europe. History proved that no
nation could exist that did not perform its duty to humanity ;
such was the mission of Poland for nine centuries, and she
well performed it, by defending Christendom from the in-
cursions of infidel barbarians.—(Hear.) When Europe
looked with apathy on her partition she impeded her own
improvement.—(Hear, hear..) When Poland's mission
against the Turks was ended, another succeeded ; that was
to protect their Sclavonian brethren, and restrain the pro-
gress of Russian despotism.—(Hear.) The spirit of re-
form still existed ; and the inscription on the banners of
Poland during her contest was—" We fight for our rights
and for yours."—(Hear.) Had the principles and motives
of the revolution been well understood in England, the peo-
ple would not have been inactive spectators of their strug-
gle.—(Hear, hear.) Had Poland been enabled to esta-
blish her own rights, she would have been the rampart
of Europe and freedom.—(Hear, hear.) The struggle,
however, produced results well calculated to produce more
successful efforts.—(Hear, hear.) The more perfect ap-
prehension of the full rights of man, and the necessity of
social union for their attainment—these were the seeds
sown by that revolution, and they would yet produce a har-
vest of blessings in the final overthrow of the foe of burns-
nity.—(Great cheering.) It had given to the world a
striking example of patriotism and devotion to freedom.—
(Hear, hear.) It had shown to the world the mighty dif-
ference between the slave of the despot and the man who
preferred a death of freedom to a life of slavery ; and would
stimulate future patriots, and render them invincible.—
(Hear, hear.) The fatal result of their virtuous struggle
had driven thousands of the sons of Poland from their na-
tive land, and scattered them over the world. They did
not ask for pity—they sought for affection.—( Hear, hear.)
They were pledges of the fraternity of mankind—links to
unite nations together in union against the foe of humanity.
—(Hear, hear.) The Polish Revolution of November 29
claimed to be celebrated as a national—as an European
fete.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BALES said he had listened with deep interest to
the speech, and he cordially sympathized with the feelings
of the patriot Pole who had just addressed them. They
had met to celebrate the revolution in Poland, which was
required of them by sympathy, by feeling, and by duty.—
(Hear.) No one could look back without interest to that
mighty outburst of human feeling against tyranny.—(Hear.)
They all must sympathize with the virtuous sufferers—they
must all unite in abhorrence of the tyrant condemned to
an immortality of infamy.—(Hear.) These feelings had
been already expressed. Was not the time come to ad-
vance a step further in the cause of freedom ?—(Great
cheering.) Surely the most shameless apologist of the
Czar would now admit that the tyrant had dropped the
mask, and that the barbarism of his feelings and designs
stood out undisguised.—( Hear.) Compare his words with
his acts—his known detestation of freedom with his heart-
less and insulting address to the Deputies of Warsaw.
Was it not time to tell the barbarian that he should not
advance in his career of crime ?—( Hear, hear.) Were not
' Greece, Belgium, Spain, Portugal, assisted by England,
and had we only sighs and tears for Poland?—(Hear, hear.)
Had not the brave Poles been deserted, he who now in-
sulted might have been sueing to them.—(Hear) The

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 1,1831

the Carlists had collected fourteen battalioni,- for the
purpose of harassing the line of march, and, probably,
attacking the baggage. The commissariat of the Legion
is not so organized as to enable us to make- movements
'unappuied' (if I may use the term) on our resources. All
these considerations, I imagine, induced our General to
take the assuredly more secure, although circuitous, course
by Portugalette (where we added to our commissariat sup-
plies), Castro, Limpias, entering the valley of Mena by
Villa Santa, Bermeo, Villarcayo, Medina del Pomar,
a line where the enemy, had they been disposed to trouble
us, would have been obliged to attack us away from their
principal fastnesses, under greet disadvantage to themselves.
‘• The total inexperience of the troops and officers ren-
dered the guarded line of march doubly necessary. The
object was to arrive at a point, Briviesca or Vittoria, where
the instruction of the Legion might be completed, and
where its position, while completing its instruction, might
contribute to the general operations of the army in the
field ; and we have arrived at that destination without com-
promising the new levies, from whom so much is expected
when they are fully organized.
" The patience of this young body of men, their good
conduct and subordination, and even cheerfulness, during
a long march over a mountainous tract of country, loaded
as they were with knapsacks, to which they were not (as
old troops) habituated, reflects on them the highest credit,
and it augurs most favourably for their future efficiency
as soldiers. We have the very best possible materials,
such, indeed, as to be considered surprising by all those
who have served in the regular British army, and if we
have but time and terrein to organize, both of which I
hope we have in prospective, we shall not lessen the opi-
nion Spain has already formed of British capability.
" Owing to the long peace, and little consequent ex-
perience the .British troops have had in the field for the
last twenty years, some Officers here question whether
the same number of regular English battalions would have
traversed the same line of country with fewer stragglers ;
some, with long experience in regimental service, have
declared
.that they would not. The march, besides, being
in conformity with tactics, that is—in operating junc-
tions by the rear and by the front—has had other good.
effects connected with organization, and producing mi-
litary habits not to be despised. It has taught the
young and inexperienced soldier to march, carry his pack,
and rations ; to forage and cook for himself, to bivouac,
and to depend on his own ingenuity and resources. It has
taught him these essential requisites to the soldier in the
field, and he has learned more in nine days than he could
have acquired in one year in a regular barrack, where his
wants are all provided for.
" Briviesca is understood to be the place pointed out by
the Government as most convenient for provisions and re-
sources, and as being useful by its position, offensively and
defensively, to the operations on the Ebro. We shall pro-
bably move ere long to Vittoria, which is distant only two
or three marches from us.

" The several corps of the forces are now brushing up,
and in spite
,of the severe cold and the country being co-
vered with snow, the quartering of the troops in convents,
&c., with the want of sufficient bedding, an evident im-
provement, instead of the reverse, has been effected both
morally and physically. There are few sick. This Legion
has beeh so long spoken of in print, that the non-military
world would probably have expected us to have taken the
field long since, but no man of the slightest military know-
ledge could for a moment have expected anything of the
kind. The earliest raised portion of the force have now
been only three months embodied, the largest number
hardly five weeks. Soldiers well know how small a degree
of organization and discipline can be arrived at in a short
space of time, even with the advantage of a neucleus of
formed officers and non-commissioned officers.

" Our cantonments are—Head-quarters with the 3d and
Light Brigades, Briviesca ; Ist Brigade, Villeme and adja-
cent villages ; 2d Brigade, Camenas, and neighbouring vil-
lages ; 4th Brigade, Calzada and Bersosa ; and the cavalry,
Pradanos.

" Two or three of our last regiments from England ap-
pear to have a great number of persons with chronic dis-
eases, and boys incapable of military service ; at least 150
of the former have been sent to Santander, together with
200 boys, averaging 16 or 17 years old,'who are not able
to carry the knapsack. These last will be employed for
some time in the duties not requiring much physical
exertion."