The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-12 00:00:00

PRINCE ADAM CZARTORYSKI.

At the annual meeting of the Polish Historical 5--
ciety, held is Paris on the 3d inst., the venerable Prince,
as president, 'delivered the following address to his
conetrymen :
I thought it incumbent upon me, gentlemen, to attend
the meeting of this day, to celebrate with you the anni
vereary so highly cherished by every Pole, as the re-
miniscence of the glorious period, when the notion in the
latter days of her full independence, made a noble use of
it for the free expression of her will.
I must mention, by the way, that on this very day,
perhaps this very hour, the Association of the Friends
of Poland in London are holding their annual meeting.
The existence of that association, which, for more than
twenty years;and notwithstanding the lamented death of
Soutur anrzbelexsetratnd themmossetivinesdeifnatpigable friend,
promoting
gour
causelo
eril
iDu n elleEng-
land, and in alleviating the sufferings of our exilsfl bre-
thren; the existence, I say, of this association, entirely
composed of Englishmen, in the midst of most unf evour-
able circumstances, is a fact, •whiifth I could not page
°win silence, a fact deserving of our grateful consi-
deration, and its frequent manifestation, in order to
prove by it, that we do feel and fully appreciate the
Talus-ef snail rare and long devotedness. Moreover,
this association is a lasting and open protest in our be-
half ; its usefulness therefore is as obvious, as its loss
would be fatal tens.
Only just arrived from the country, I neither bring
anything new or interesting. Enough has been said
of our past, and we can only record, that in that past
the rights of Poland remain inviolable, the inwrescrip-
tihle rights of Divine justice, rights secdred by solemn
treaties, which no regular acknowledged and collec-
tively agreed upon European act has ever repealed, or
even weakened in their foundation. These ights do
exist, therefore, but the power is wanting which could
or would, at least at present interfere efficiently in
support of them. In causes most just and equitable
there are, sometimes, temporary impossibilities to
which people are compelled to yield. It is
well known that the general tendency of the policy of
the day, both with governments and nations, is to divert
their whole attention, all their means and efforts, to
internal improvements, and to the increase of their
wealth, which, under the present state of peace, might
bring into operation a flourishing commerce and a varied
industry. Even Russia, although retaining, indeed, all
her former conquests, declares her intention of giving up
all future prospects of aggression ; she promises that she
will occupy herself solely with the improvement of her
administration, with 'the abolition of internal abuses,
and with the alleviation, is some degree, of the persecu-
tions which crush the countries she has subdued I Such
a moral impulse, were it everywhere sincere, and con-
nected with justice to all, and did the advance of civilisa-
tion and moral progress go band in hand with the increas-
ing abundance of means and material, wealth might
doubtless produce happy consequences for humanity.
We Poles, should we not, for our own advantage, follow
in, this universal disposition of minds I We, too,
should everywhere occupy ourselves with our internal
cultivation, with the interests of ourselves and of our
country, with moral, intellectual, literary, agricultural,
and mechanical progress, the want of which our nation
feels the most. True, our position is quite exceptional.
We have no Government of our own, whose first duty it
would be to care for ourgood and for the continual pro-
gress of the country—a Government which would be the
responsible representative of the nation, and its most
zealous guardian and protector. We mast certainly
confess, and such a confession makes our sincerest grati-
tude a duty, that of all Europe the French Government
does not cease to confer on our emigration its
protection and its benevolent assistance, which it
has directed in the most useful of channels, that
of the education of our youth. But this protection,
the more valuable and magnanimous as being granted
to us by a foreign and powerful Government, cannot yet
replace our own, or extend to the multitudioous wants
of the nation. In our general position, therefore, every
Pole, whatever may be his station in life, is answerable
to his country ; each by his conduct either disgraces or
honours us, and does his best to hurt or aid the national
cause.
Several foreigners, in order to remove from their own
minds the irksome recollection of our wrongs and com-
plaints, are pleased to imagine, and endeavour to prove
or repeat, that the Poles no longer care for their coun-
try, that they have ceased to be Poles, that they have
already accustomed themselves to the yoke now forced
upon them. To this shameful calumny all and each of
us in this world give a most emphatic denial ! Yet it is
true that our position is not only painful and di, treseing,
but also diffiqult ; because it imposes upon us more
exertions, more sacrifioes, becausait requires of us more
control over ourselves, more firmness and greater
perfection than are expected from other notices.
Foreigners. being unwilling to under,laad either our
position,_or our feelings, prefer to suppose them extinct,
and to look upon us as partly transformed into Germane
Sand Russians.

We may, however, be allowed to believe, that God
did not so ordain, that He has reserved for us a different
fate. In spite of discouragement, of disheartening cir-
cumstances, and of obstacles insuperable, His supreme
wilt is, that we should remain Poles, and not give way
to despondency ; that we should bear our lot with forti-
tude, labour constantly, faithfully, imp rove ourselves,
and never lase sight of the good of our country or the
maintainance of its nationality. Why, I ask you, should
God have rooted so deeply in us the love of our country,
that no persecutions or wrongs can ever tear it out of
our hearts—that often, against our own odd, the heart
pines and sighs after its native !and, however much
oppressed it be ; that every torture practi,e,l upon our
distant brethren, makes us feel, as it were, inflicted
upon our ownselves, and that our rapture increases
whenever the faintest ray of hope happens to break
upon our country I Why should the remotest and the
longest separated provinces entertain the same feelings,
and demand the re-establishment of the Polish schools ?
For what purpose should we harbour in our conscience
the voice of our country which covers with shame every
Pole, who without being forced to it, does of his own
accord and for his own selfish views fawn upon and
flatter the oppressor I , . These are enduring im-
pulses, which nothing can curb or efface—they are the
voices of the soul, which no suffering, contumely, or
even extreme distress, which no pleasures, riches,
luxuries, or high appointments can stifle, and which
upon every occasion will make themselves heard, and
show their supremacy. God would not have given us
such strong and visible marks of a distinct nationality—
he would not have, so to say, thereby distinguished us
so much if it had not entered into his views to guard
this nationality from contempt and ruin, and to
protect it against foreign oppression either cruel and vie-
lent, or gradual and insidious. This evident favour of
the Almighty ought to excite all Poles to untiring Exer-
tions in surmounting all obstacles, and to seek for
she
various ways in the different branches of improvement
through which they may be useful to their country. In
the consideration of this design of Providence, ought not
our courage to find a new stimulus to reach the goal so
dear to us 'I Ought we not in all our actions, in all our
undertakings, in whatever position we may be, always
to have before us the consciousness of the duty imposed
upon us, that of always remaining Poles. What is a
Pole if he ceases to be one I Worse than a nonentity.
Being without any principle on which to act, he is con-
sequently thought lightly of, if not despised, by stran-
gers, with whom he tries to ingratiate him:elf ;
he is now an object of disgust to his countrymen whom
he has abandoned, and will not find in honours or plenty
a shield against his contemptible baseness.
The present time is favourable to peaceful pursuits
and study, inasmuch as it opens a wide field of ttsefu'-
ness, especially to those possessing means and the ne-
cessary instruction, were they but willing to employ
them for the general good. Charitable and religious in-
structions, schools the hope of the future, commercial
enterprises, literary, industrial and agricultural labours,
the diffnsion of useful knowledge among the different
classes, abstinence from useless and ruinous expense,
the guidance of youth to duty; faith and morality, and
many more beautiful undertakings, are they not worthy
of those who are endowed with understanding and noble
minds? By carrying them out they would earn a name
of which they might be justly proud, and deserve to be
placed at the head of the nation, as in times gone by
their ancestors reaped laurels for those of other rges.
I trust that our countrywomen will promote and en-
courage this impulse. They are foremost everywhere,
and particularly in Poland, in all noble undertakings
having the benefit of others and not the advantage of
self for their object, and when some of our comforts are
to be sacrificed for the benefit of the many. Ladies
have more heart, more disinterested zeal than ourselves,
with our cold and calculating mind. We therefore
mostly reckon upon our mothers, wives, and sisters, that
these salutary exertions and tendencies for the good of
our country will not be neglected, but will produce the
results which we all desire.
Let
.us cease, gentlemen, to rely upon external event.
What need have we to wait for them and concern our
selves about them, when there is, every day, so rotten to
do at home with our ownselves. •
" Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," says
Divine wisdom. Let us conscientiously and devoutly
perform the practicable, useful and nppointed task ot
the day, and the next will point out to us what we
!shall have to do to-morrow. Let us not think so much
about the future—there will be time enough for it,
when it is turned into the present. The future is
in the hands of the Almighty • may only a
righteous, a Polish spirit, conformable to His
Divine Will, be preserved in our bosoms. This depends
upon our own selves, and to it particularly our constant
and indefatigable attention ought to be directed. Per-
forming thus zealously without flinching, our numerous
duties towards our country and our fellow brethren, la
us with patience and trust commit ourselves to, Provi-
dence, which will infallibly reward our patriotio exer-
tions