The Sun.
London, England, 1861-10-28 00:00:00

POLAND.

A letter from Warsaw, dated Oct, 19, says—The
state of siege which I announced to you in my last
letter has had the very reverse of the effect the
government intended it to produce. Of course you
have already heard of horrors perpetrated by the
soldiery on the 15th, the anniversary of the death
of Kosciuzko. There is something marvellous in
the persistence with which the Poles carry out all
their plans, in utter disregard of any orders or
threats to the contrary. One would have thought
that the proclamation which accompanied Count
Lambert's address, threatening the most severe mea-
sures on the part of the military in case of any
demonstration, religious or otherwise, must have
deterred the people from joining in what was, after
all, only a commemoration, the celebration or non-
celebration of which could not have much effect
upon the national cause, either one way or the
other. But the opportunity of showing their con-
tempt and detestation of the government was
too good a one to be missed. Here was one
of thosa religious festivals which they consi-
dered they had a clear right to celebrate, and
which are forbidden by the authorities under pe-
nalties of absurd severity, which they knew it was
impossible to enforce—another instance of the ex-
traordinary folly which has marked all the acts of
the government in this country. At any sacrifice,
then, the order was to be disobeyed, and the im-
potency of Russian rule in Poland demonstrated ;1
for there can be no doubt that the object of all
these demonstrations, which people abroad consider
so childish and useless, is to worry the Russians
out of the country. The Poles are far-sighted
enough to perceive all the difficulties which would
attend an armed intervention of the Western Powers
for the restoration of Poland, even if their present
disinclination to interfere in any way could be over-
come; and on the other hand, they are not ignorant
of the feeling which is entertained by all sensible
Russians who desire the good of their country, that
to retain Poland at its present cost, viz., the main-
tenance of a large army and a cloud of policemen
and spies, and the bad name which Russian policy
is acquiring in Europe by its Polish administration,
is a most ruinous speculation. The advantages of
this situation are too great not to be retained at all
risks. It is evidently the interest of Poland, always
supposing—which, indeed, is clear—that she desires
her independence, to force Russia to keep up its
large expenditure on her account, and to take advan-
tage of every slip of the government to show its
incapacity. With the present agitation that is
silently but surely spreading over Russia, there is
a hope that before long wiser counsels will prevail
at St. Petersburg, and Russians will cast off an
acquisition which has brought them nothing but
pecuniary loss and indelible disgrace. Meanwhile,
no concession, or mark of reconciliation on the part
of the Poles is allowed that may lead Russia to alter
this opinion, or make Poland less intolerable to her.
This view will explain much that may have
seemed inconsistent in the conduct of the Poles
during the late events. Nor is their strategy un-
known to thngovernment, which has over and over
again been informed by the most distinguished men
in the country that nothing will -satisfy the Poles
but the departure once for all of the Russians from
the kingdom. Under these circumstances, the
blind folly of the Government in proclaiming a
state of siege, without the slightest provocation,
except what they had quietly permlitted for the last
six months, is almost incredible. The letting loose
of a savage and drunken military on the people
was, if possible, a greater piefe of madness
still. The scenes in the churches;particularly the
cathedral, were brutal and disgusting. The half-
starved congregation, which had been blocked in
for 20 hours, was attacked with savage fury by the
soldiery, who had broken into the church; men
and women fell by hundreds, wounded with mus-
kets, pikes, and sticks; everywhere large blood-
stains marked the pavement; priests were struck
down at the altar, and ladies were seized by ruffian
soldiers, thrown on a bench and whipped, stripped
of their valuables and dresses, and dragged
half naked into the street. Three thousand men
were arrested. In the streets of the town the
butchery was equally fierce and indiscriminate.
Bands of Cossacks, infuriated with drink, galloped
about, and struck and plundered every one they
met. Many houses were broken into and robbed
by the soldiery. It is currently reported that several
foreign consuls were beaten and otherwise injured ;
and I learn that an Englishman, a Mr. George
Mitchell, was so severely wounded that he is still
keeping his bed. It is to be hoped that our Go-
vernment will at least protect thQ lives of Br4ieh

THE PRINCE: OP WALES AND THE
MIDDLE TEMPLE.

(Frwn the Observer.)
The arrangements to be made for the reception
of the Prince of Wales on his being called to the
bar and elected a bencher of the Middle Temple,
are being pushed forward with great activity. The
election of his Royal Highness to these honourable
positions in the legal profession will take place on
Thursday next, and on the occasion of his visit the
Prince will, at the request of his brother benchers,
proceed to open the library which has just been
built in the Temple Gardens. The Prince of Wales
is expected to arrive at two o'clock. A guard of
honour, formed of those members of the Inns of
Court Volunteers who belong to the Middle Temple,
will be on duty for the occasion, and his Royal
Highness will be received at the east entrance of
the hall by the benchers and treasurer. The Prince
will then be conducted to the new Parliament
Chamber. This is a noble apartment which has
just been completed, and occupies a portion of the
site on which the old library stood. Here the
benchers will assemble, and the Prince will be
called to the bar in the usual manner. He will then
be elected a bencher of the Middle Temple, a dig-
nity similar to that conferred by the Law Society
of Lincoln's-inn on his father, the Prince Consort.
At the conclusion of this ceremony the Prince will
be conducted along a covered avenue through
Garden-court to the new library. The whole
distance, about a hundred yards, will be lined
with ladies, barristers, and such of their friends as
may receive tickets to view the procession. The
Prince, with the benchers in their antique robes,
will pass down the handsome flight of stone steps
leading from Fountain-court to Garden-court, and
here the gardens, with their magnificent show of
chrysanthemums, will be seen to advantage. A
covered awning will be provided for the whole
distance. The library, which is to be opened by
the Prince, is a fine Gothic hall, in the upper por-
tion of the new building overlooking the Thames.
The part of the building below the library forms
chambers, which are occupied by members of the
legal profession. The building externally is 117
feet long, 55 feet wide, and 110 feet high. At the
south end is an oriel, and at the north-east angle
an octangular tower, containing the stairs leading
to the library. The building is approached by a
terrace in continuation of Garden-court, and at the
entrance is an iron gate ornamented with brazen
stars. The effigies in stone of two knights of the
Temple surmount the doorway, and the arms of the
Temple—the lamb and flag—are prominently dis-
played on the stonework and on the painted win-
dows. The library itself is 96 feet long, 42 feet
wide, and 70 feet high, with open traceried
roof, like that of Westminster-hall. Besides the
oriel there are windows at the sides and at the
northern end, which are filled with stained glass,
that at the north containing the shields of those
who were benchers at the time of its erection. A
fine portrait of Robert Ashley, the founder, hangs
against the north wall. There are some other cham-
bers within the walls of the edifice, but the greater
portion of the space is occupied by this really noble
apartment. The building is of Bath stone, and its
cost, including the bookcases, was about £13,000.
It is in every essential respect a credit to the
Middle Temple. It was originally intended to have
built it in Fountain-court, but a strong feeling of
opposition was shown against the contemplated re-
moval of the old fountain, with which were con-
nected so many pleasant and historical associations
of the successors of the Templars, and its present
site was ultimately fixed upon. The first stone of
the building was laid in 1858, by Sir Fortunatus
llwarris. The library now contains about 20,000
volumes, the whole of which, with very trifling
exceptions, are on law and jurisprudence. It is one
of the most complete libraries of the kind in the
country. After the opening of the library the Prince
will retrace his steps, and proceed from the Parlia-
ment Chamber to the Temple Church, where a short
choral service will be performed. He will then be
conducted to the Great Hall, where a dejeuner will
be provided. This hall is one of the most vener-
able buildings in the metropolis. It is:Gothic in its
style, and its dark oak roof and richly-carved panels
have a most imposing effect. There is a tradition,
we are sorry to say an unfounded one, that the hall
was constructed of the timber of ships which
formed part of the Armada. The hall was built
13 years before the date of Spanish expedition.
On the lower part of the hall are painted the
shields of all the benchers of the Middle Temple
from the earliest date of its establishment, and on
the upper part are arranged the arms of all
those of the benchers who have worn the
ermine as judges. The latest addition to this
muster-roll of honourable and worthy men is that
of Lord Westbury, the present Lord High Chan-
cellor ; and it is a curious fact that not only the Lord
Chancellor, but the Lord Chief Justice of England,
the Lord Chief Justice of the Common Pleas, and
the Lord Chief Baron----all the chiefs of the common
law courts, and the great head of the profession,
have their places of honour on the walls of the
famous hall of the Middle Temple. Here, sur-
rounded by all these memorials of grave and
learned judges, and of men whose eloquence has
adorned the bar and the senate, the young prince
will be sumptuously entertained. Those students
and banisters whom the hall will not accommodate
will be duly provided for in a handsome marquee,
which covers the whole area of Fountain-court. A
cold collation will be provided in this part for about
500 persons. Messrs. Ring and Rymer will sup-
ply the banquet. The hall, as well as the
marquee, will be lighted up. The fountain which
has been provided with new basins and ornaments,
will be decorated with evergreens. There will be a
covered walk round the fountain, and on the sides a
large collection of flowering plants and exotics. 4t
night this will be lighted up by the limo lig,
which will illuminate a large portion of the gar-
dens, the new library, and the adjoining buildings.
It was proposed to bring the proceedings to a close
by a ball, at which the benchers were to dance, as
of old, round the fire; but this was-proposal was
overruled, and there is to be a conversazione in the
evening instead. The benchers are required to
attend in forensic levee costume, the barristers in
forensic costume over evening dress ; the students
in evening dress and gowns. Ladies will not be
required to appear in other than morning dress ;
and gentlemen at the conversazione will appear in
evening dress. The guard of honour will parade in
the uniform of their corps. The barristers NN ill be
placed in the hall, as far as practicable, in the order
of their seniority. Everything which is calculated
to give eclat to the proceedings, and to do honour
to the admissiou of the illustrious member of the
Middle Temple, has been provided.