The Sun.
London, England, 1832-09-06 00:00:00

PUBLIC MEETING IN YORK

ON BEHALF OF THE

BRAVE AND OPPRESSED PATRIOTS
OF POLAND.

( Abridged from the York Courant of Toesday.)

A public meeting was held at the York Tavern, on
Wednesday evening last, "To consul- r the propriety of
petitioning his Majesty immediately to exercise the in-
fluence of the English Government, with the Court of
Russia, to put a stop to the dreadful cruelties now in-
flicting upon the people of Poland, and to restore the na-
tional existence, independence, and personal liberties of
that brave though unfortunate people." Some time be-
fore the hour of meeting, the room was crowded to ex-
cess, and hundreds had to retire in consequence.
GEORGE 111EYNELL, E.q. being called to the Chair,
Mr. Sheriff HARGROVE introduced Compte Ladislas de
Plater, the celebrated Polish nobleman, to the meeting ;
and in an Address, which our limits will not allow us to
give, he spoke of the Count as a nobleman alike distin-
guished in the annals of Poland as a legislator and a war-
rior, and as being a branch of one of the bravest and most
patriotic families that ever fought the battles of an unfor-
tunate and dreadfully oppressed country.—(Cheers.)
Count PLATER immediately addressed the meeting, nearly
as follows :—Gentlemen, we are here assembled for one of
the most important objects,—for the preservation of liberty
and national existence in one of the most extensive coun-
tries in Europe, in a nation of twenty millions of people.
It is a question worthy of a free and enlightened Eng-
lishman ! it is a Europea❑ question ! and as much con-
nected with your feelings of humanity, as with your rights
of justice guaranteed by a solemn treaty. Let us then see,
Ist, What is the source of the Polish sufferings ? 2d, Who
are the assassins of Polish liberty ? 3d, What are the claims
of Poland upon the Christian and patriotic sympathy of
Great Britain ? 4.th, And what is the present state of Po-
land ?—The history of Poland is the most extraordinary
picture of human changes. Powerful and weak,—exten-
sive and small,—free and oppressed, Poland has always
cherished the same love of liberty and independenc,s—
the strongest barrier against northern despotism. Poland
was the bulwark of civilized Europe, the best guarantee of
her liberty, the most extensive European granary. Her
rich and extensive provinces, her immense population, her
abhorrence of slavery, her moral and military power, her ex-
tended commerce, her readiness to check forever the Russian
despot, have not been viewed with indifference by the anti-
liberal governments of Russia and Prussia ; and what could
not he accomplished through the means of justice, has been
done by treachery and vile intrigue, with the assistance of
Austria, the third despotic power. Poland has never been con-
quer, d : even in the late events, the Polish at my, deprived of
any chance of success, took refuge in Prussia, but has never
made any submission to Russia. This cruel violation,
this robbery of Poland, this consequence of Russian pa-
tronage. came by degrees. At last, after many political
c ilamities, the great European Powers assembled in 1815
at the Congress of Vienna, and took the resolution to fix
the fate of Poland. The following measures were adt.pt-
ed, and signed, on the part of Great Britain, by Lord
Cast'ereagh

" That the whole of Poland shall enjoy a representa-
tion, and national institutions."

" That the I ,te Duchy of Warsaw (or the new kingdom
of Poland) shall be attached to the Russian empire by its
constitution, and that the Emperor of Russia is to be its
constitutional king."

Tide treaty (so anti-liberal as it was in its principles,)
has, in the meantime, destroyed, to a certain degree, the
arbitrary treatment of Poland, and guaranteed to all Po-
lish provinces their nationality and representative system
of government. But what was the benefit of this guaran-
tee? Was any single part of the Constitution observed ?
During the space of fifteen years, till the revolution of
1830, the name of constitutional nationality of Poland has
been used by the Russian government, in order to disgnise
in the face of Europe his cruel proceedings, so that no
liberty of the press, no individual liberty, has been observed ;
on the contrary, prisons are crowded with the most re-
spectable people, the system of espionage introduced, the
proceedings of the Diet secret, the slightest opposition of
the members to the cruel wishes of the goveinment visited
with the greatest severity, the military tribunals esta-
blished, the patriots persecuted, the brutal iyrant, the
Grand Duke Constantine, invested with unlimited power,
the very national institutions which were in existence be-
fore the treaty of Vienna taken away. In this state of
misery awl political degradation, Poland had the patience
to wait during fifteen years, and not one cantracting Eu-
ropean Power has insisted upon the welfare of Poland,
upon her rights and liberty. At length Poland, after
having lost all chance of future happiness, vindicated her
violated rights with her arms, and a powerful national re-
volution took place, for the enfranchisement from tf,e most
odious oppression There are no sacrifices that Poland
has not submitted to, no efforts that she has not made ;
every where the same courage, the same love of liberty
and independence ; and if she has not ultimately succeeded,
after so many brilliant victories, let every sensible man ac-
cuse the indifference of some liberal powers, who have not
even prevented the secret assistance given by Prussia to
Russia. With perfect neutrality, with less confidence in
infatuated France, Poland would be successful, and Mus-
covite influence destroyed for ever. At present, from the
isolated banks of the Neva to the fruitful banks of the
Rhine, the march of despotism finds no hindrance : in its
destructive progress, it has annihilated German liberty,
and is on its way to France and Great Britain. I,?t us
consider what is the state of Poland after her fall, which
is also the fall of European freedom. The Muscovite ty-
rant, instead of alleviating the wounds of Poland, took the
worthy determination to exterminate the Polish people.
No expressions, no feelings can be found to describe the
unexampled atrocities committed, and still existing in that
unhappy country. Many thousands of her citizens, with-
out the slightest consideration for their age or rank, at
tached to a liar of iron, with a number on their hacks, are
sent on foot to die on their way, or in the deserts of Sibe-
ri,i.—(Shaine.) Deprived of every humane feeling, this
unmerciful tyrant, who must have been born without a
heart, even sends infant children torn from the breasts of
their mothers; many of the women, in their despair, have
plunged the (Jagger in the bosoms of their own infants,
and then have committed suicide. The girls are sent to
the manufactories in the interior of Russia ; the boys to
the Russian colonies, to be common soldiers, where they
lose for ever their language, religion, and nationality;
great numbers die every day, in consequence of their bar-
barous treatment. The Russian peasantry are sent with
great privileges, to take possession of the deserted estates.
Many churches are in ruins ; the ministers of religion in
humanly treated, the universities and schools shut up, the
i private fortunes of the people confiscated, who, n conse-
quence of their infirmities or absence, could not join the
revolution ; miliiaty tribunals instead of civil ones ; the
system of venality and torture introduced ; every where
the hideous corporal punishment of the knout in existence;
ovetiywheredesolation, misery, and despair.—(Hear, hear.)
1 his is the state of Poland,—this is the way to fulfil the
treaty guaranteed by Great Britain and France ? Is it
not against the natioual honour to suffer such a violation
of public faith? such a destruction of a country, whose
tree and national existence has been guaranteed by the
honour of Great Britain. Still I believe that the moral
power of Great Britain and France will ba able to stop

,he martyrdom of Poland. and recall this modern Nero to
his reason because nothing is sofrightful to a tyrant as
the moval power of the people .1—( Tremendous cheering.)
Mr. MEEK was loudly cil'ed for, who spoke as follows:
—Mr. Chairman and Gentletren,—Our meeting together
here this evening is not of a party character. as regards
party politics : no—it is four ded upon the broad and sound
ha,is of h m.n:ty.—(Ch we.) Who can listen to the
heart-rending statements gxen—who can hear the know-
.dee of tl e fact, that in the nineteenth century, in Chris-
tian Europe, a kirant can be found that cin and has sr-
vered every tie of humanity and eoinet.tic enjoyment, in
the way and manner we have heard stated to-night, by
'ending the father to one part of the empire, the mother
to another, and the children to a third ?-4Hear, hear
Can we restrain the feelings of humanity—ran we do less
than address his Majesty, requesting him to use his dip-
lomatic influence with the Court of Russia, in reference
to assuaging and mitigating the sufferings of the unfor-
tonate Poles. I hold in my hand an address to that effect,
which I will now read to you.
"TO HIS MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY, THE KING
IN COUNCIL.

" May it please your Majesty, we your Majesty's dutiful
subjects, the undersigned inhabitants of York and its vi-
cinity, assembled at a public ineet;ng, Called to consider
the propriety of addressing your Majesty on the present
condition of the Polish Nation, have resolved to lay bef tre
your 'Majesty the expression of our sympathy with the
wrongs and sufferings of that brave and high-spirited peo-
ple, and of our earnest desire that the influence of Great
Britain may he exerted for their alleviation.
We could not hear of the perpetration, within the
bounds of civilized Europe, of such atrocities as have heen,
and, we are informed, still are, practised in Poland, with-
on- feeling that the influence of our country could nut be
more honourably and advantageously employed than in
checking such horrors.

" But when we consider that the nation so oppressed is
one by whose heroic exertions, at a former period, Europe
was saved from the incursions of barbarians; one whirls
having been disposed of contrary to its own will by the
neighbouring Powers, in defiance of justice and the rights
of nations, is peculiarly entitled to indulgent treatment
from its present rulers ; and further, one whose national
institutions and consriNtional government, in connexion
with Russia, Great Britain joined in guaranteeing at the
treaty of Vienna,—stipulations which we find have never
been fulfilled, and an attempt to enforce which, after fifteen
years' patient endurance of oppression, is the sole cause of
the present cruel treatment of the unfortunate Poles—we
feel that this country is imperatively called upon to use
its best exertions in behalf of that heroic and interesting,
but most unhappy people.

. .
" We therefore humbly address your Majesty, entre sting
that such urgent representations, compatible with the ho-
nour of Great Britain, may be made to the Russian Go-
vernment, as may contribute to alleviate the miseries
under which the Polish nation is at present suffering, and
imploring your Majesty, in your wisdom, so to inteif re,
as, without endangering the peace of Europe, to prevent
the annihilation of the liberties, and to restore the national
existence and independence of Poland."

In moving this address, I beg to state that my views
and feelings accord with the sentiments of the address. I
hope the time is not far distant, when every link in every
chain of tyranny, and oppression, and slavery, shall he
grinded to powder by the millstones of British liberty, and
the hands of humanity and benevolence shall strew the
dust thereof in the air, in the face of heaven, and in the
light of the Fun, and that the hands of tyrants and oppres-
sors shall never again be able to re-gather the atoms.—
(Tremendous cheering.) Mr. Meek concluded by moving
the adoption of the address.
A general call being made for the Rev. Mr. HINCKS,
that gentleman immediately answered it as follows :—No
one could feel more strongly respecting the wrongs of Po-
land than he did. There were abundance of facts, such
as could not be heard by Englishmen without their blood
thi filling with horror, or boiling with indignation. Air. H
then contended that England, as a party to the treaty of
Vienna, was bound openly to assert the rights of the
Poles, and to interfere in their bail!. should he
among the last to advocate war ; that rarely, indeed, in
his opinion, the appeal to arms can he excused, touch less
just.fied, but that if ever, in the history of mankind, there
was a case in which the extreme of injustice and oppres-
sion male that appeal necessary, the case of the Poles was
that one, and none could refrain from admiring that heroic
courage and noble constancy with which the struggle had
ben maintained. Unfortunately, for the present the cause
of justice has been unsuccessful, might has triumphed over
right, and the conquest, by means of overwhelming num.
hers, aided by the treachery of pretended neutral powers,
if a brave and patriotic nation, has been ungenerously
made the pretence for treatment unexampled in its atro-
cious cruelty.—(Hear, hear.) Mr. Hincks concluded by
seconding the address to his Majesty.
Mr. WOOD said, approving, as I do most cordially, of
every sentiment contained in the address, which you have
just adopted, I rise with the utmost pleasure to move that
it be copied and laid at the several newspaper offices in
the city, for signature, and that it be afterwards forwarded
to that hater of all Flavery,--that enemy of all tyrants,__
that mighty advocate of liberty, and friend of universal
freedom, my Lord Brougham, the High-Chancellor—
(lmmense applause, followed by three hearty cheers)__
and that his Lordship be requested to present the same to
his Majesty.—(Loud and long-continued applause.)
This motion was seconded by Mr. Fox.
Mr. Sheriff HANSON then proposed a vote of thanks to
Count Plater, as follows :

" That the thanks of this meeting be given to Count
Plater, for the information he has communicated respecting
the situation of his countrymen, and that he be requested
to accept of the expression of our warm admiration of their
patriotic exertions, and our strong sympathy with their
cruel sufferings.'

Mr. H. concluded by d,eply regretting that the Em-
peror of Russia should bave carried his hostilities towards
tie unoffending women and innocent children, and trusted
that the remonstrances of the British Government, insti-
4ated by the people, would induce him to relax his severity,
and that the present sufferings of the Polish nation would
speedily be te: urinated,
A vote of thanks was then passed to the Chairman, for
~is able and efficient conduct in the chain—Copies of the
address were laid upon the tables, and were numerously
signed. The meeting broke up about 11 o'clock.

An Irish Member being asked the meaning
of a secret Committee, replied that it was one which
discloses every thing, and conceals nothing bat its own
opinion.

A cluck, belonging to Mr. T. GREENIP, of
Portin•cale, near Keswick, noticed in our Paper a short
time ago, as having layed 141 eggs in the year 1831, 113
of which were layed i❑ so many successive days, has this
year layed the surprising number of 161 eggs, 135 of
which were produced in that number of days in sumession.
—Cumberland Packet.

DREAD OF MILITARY FLOGGING-AT-
TEMPT AT SUICIDE. —On Tuesday an inquest was held
at Guy's Hospital, on the body of a young man, named
ramscfs PIEIFEEK.—MI.. J. DICKINS, landlord of the
itannia, in Nelson-street, Long-lane, Borough, stated,
that the deceased was a bandsman in the Royal Marine
Corps; on the 27th uh. he called at his house, and had
occasionally used it up to Mond.y last, on which day, at
,bout 12 o'clock, he heard the deceased had cut his throat.
He went to him, and saw two gashes on the neck ; he
questioned him as to the cause of committing so rash an
ict, when he said he had deserted from his regiment, and
the dread of an infliction of punishment from the lash had
so deterred him, that he would not return, and death was
far preferable than the torture which he would have to un-
dergo. The deceased had cut his throat with a common
table-knife ;he was afterwards conveyed to the Hospital.
—Mr. T. MERRITT, one of the dressers of the Hospital,
deposed, that when the deceased was brought in, he exa-
mined him, and found two wounds on the throat; he had
him put to bed, and adtninister.al whit was required ; at
12 o'clock at night lie was called up to attend the de-
ceased, and, on visiting him, discover, d he was labouring
under very severe att icks of spasms, vomiting, and purg-
ing ; he prescribed such medicines as he thought best, and
remained with him until lie expired, which was 4 o'clock
on Tuesday morning. The disorder of which the deceased
had died was a violent and sudden attack of the cholera.—
The Coroner said the Jury had nothing to do with inquir-
ing into the dread which the deceased had of martial pun-
ishment; the question before them was the cause of death.
...6-The Jury returned a verdict that the deceased died of
cholera.

DUMFRIES MA:
s. d. s.d.

.KE'IS.-Aug. 29.

Wheat, Imp. Bush 7 9tot3 ci Butter, 16oz.
Barley ...-.
Oats ....... 2 2 2 6 Beef, per lb.
Pour, 14111. '3 0 3 4 Mutton
Oatmeal
Potatoes, cwt.

DAY, Aug. 31.
'l'o Average.
33 0 28 6
13 0 12 5
—0 0
12 0 10 0
23 0 0
13 0 10 0

IRISH MA.
DUBLIN MARKET NO'.

s. d. s. d.
Oto 0 0
0 0 0 0
04 05
4 0 5
04 09
07 00

RKETS.
TE.—Fau
From
2,233 Wheat, per barrel 20 stone 24 0
440 Bete 16 stone 11 9
15 16 stone 12 6
1,501 0at5.,,,..,..........-. 12 stone 8 0
10,239 Cwt. Flour--. 9 stone 8 0
702 Oatmeal 8 stone 9 0
Sold to Rakers only.
9,019 Cwt. Flour l7 6 23 0
Average price of Wheat and Flour 48s. 4d. per _
Receipts of Flour, 10,222 Firsts, from 21s. Od.
Sales of Do. 10,239 Seconds, from 17s. 6d.
from Bs. Od.

1 19 7%
Jack.

PRICE OF BREAD.
Quartern Loaf
tVheat, Barley. Oats.
per barrel per barrel per barrel' r---
00 stone. 16 stone. 14 stone. Ist

to 235. Oct
to 20s. Od.
to 12$ Od.

Wheat, Barley. Oats. Flour, per cwt
per barrel per barrel per barrel
20 stone. 16 stone. 14 stone. Ist. 2d.
s. d. aB. s. d. as.d.s.d.as. d. s. d. as. d. s. d. as. d.
Cork 220 27 013 0 14 61 8 8 11 6170 19 6 60 16 6
Limerick 126 8 310 120 13 4112 0 136 16 II 19 0 0 0 15 0
Waterforcl29 0 31 013 0 15 0 9 0 10 017 0 IS 010 0 15 0
Clonmel 294 30 0,12 0 —Ol3 6 13 917 0 19 013 0 16 0
Carlow —125 0 27 0113 0 14 0 8 0 9 oi2o 6 21 0 0 0 0 0
Beef, Mutton, Pork, Butter.
per lb. per lb. per cwt. Ist. 281. 3d. 4th. sth.
d. a d. d. a d. s.d.as.d.s.d.s.d.s.d.s.d.s.d.
Cork 4f 5 5 6 29 0 32 0780750 67 6 60 054 0
Limerick— 3 4 3i 4 34 0 35 0;78 0750 69 0 (3.3 057 0
Waterford 3 6 3 535 0 36 0178 076070066 0 60 0
Clonmel 3 4 4 5/ 37 0 38 075 070 0 —0
Carlow...-. 4 51 0 0 0 0 0 0183 078 0,68 0.58 0— 0

KtLKENNY.—Butter 785 to FOs. per cwt. ; Wheat 30s. to 32e.
per barrel ; Flour 20s. to 345. per bag; Oats Bs. to 10s. per bar-
rel ; Barley 13s. to 15s. ; Beef 4d. to 54. per lb. ; Mutton 4d.
to sd. ; Potatoes 2d. per stone; Coals Is. 2d. per cwt.; Bacon
Pigs 325. to 335. per cwt.

S
HADDING

;COT CH
;TON CO

MARK E'
RN MARI

Wheat. V Barley. Oats.
First Bos Od 33s Od 25 Otl
Second 7os Od 31s Od t.)2s (d
Third
There were 332 qrs. of Wheat in market, 9.1
91 thasold.—.o Grey.
..31. Hs. 6d

.ET.—Aug. 31.
Pease. Beans.
—s Od 31s Od
—s Od 30s Od
—sOd —sOd
91 whereof were sold.

Averagi

7.l2ths.

DALKIETH CORN MARKET.—Aug. 30.
Wheat. Barley. Oats. Pease. Beans.
First 7ls 0,1 35s tad 25s 6d 34s Od 34s lid
Second" s(3s Od 3,s Od 24s Od 32s Od 3:26 Od
Third 4ls Od 308 Od 20s Od 288 Od 23s Od

GLORIOUS UNCERTAINTY OF THE LAW.
—The late CHARLES GARI)YNE of Middleton had an
interesting lawsuit, some time previous to his death, with
the Tacksman of the Tolls, and the Road Trusters here,
on the doublul question whether the vehicle in which be
rode was a taxed cart or a chaise—a point which made an
essential difference in the rate of toll. After the final
characters on the back of the car-
decision of the Supreme Court, Mr. G. had the result
P iinted in large legible
rive, as follows:
" A Taxed Cart by Act of Parliament.
" A Taxed Cart, by decision of the Sheriff of Forfarshire.
A Taxed Cart, by decision of the Court of Session.
" A Chaise, by a Second Division of the same Court.
Eight wise Judges said it was a Chaise.
4. Six not less wise that it was a Cart.
It has been three years on its law journey, and at last has
been obliged to stop for want of law grease.
" Charles Gardyne Froick's Taxed Cart."
Mr. G. rode in this vehicle on all necessary occasion,
during the remainder of his life, and exhibited it at Perth
once, during
the Circuit, at the George Inn door, to the
no small dismay of the Judges, Counsel, and agents, and
the amusement of the citizens.— Perthshire Advertizer.

The Moniteur states that in the department of
Seine and Oise, in France, the produce of the harvest will
be most abundant. Manufactures are reviving, and in-
dustry, security, order, and devotion to the present Go..
yerninent, are every Where manifest.