The Sun.
London, England, 1861-07-02 00:00:00

TEE LITERARY ASSOCIATION OF THE

FRIENDS OF POLAND.

The following is the address to the Venerable
Prince Adam Czartoryski adopted at the recent
annual meeting of the Literary Association of the
Friends of Poland, with the Prince's reply :

TO HIS HIGHNESS PRINCE ADAM
CZARTORYSKI.
Prince,—We, the undersigned president, vice-
president, members of the council, and other mem-
bers of the Literary Association of the Friends of
Poland, desire to express to your countrymen,

through you, their revered representative and chief,

our admiration of their great self-control, fortitude,
and courage, under the most trying provocations,
during the late events at Warsaw.
We rejoice to recognise in these civic virtues,
and in the perfect peace and order which prevailed
during the self-government which they extempo-
rised in a crisis of panic, and were permitted to

exercise for too brief a period, how entirely the

Poles are worthy of that national existence which
is the object of their aspirations, and of which a

great crime deprived them.
During the last 30 years we have never despaired
of the ultimate triumph of justice in Poland, but we

now feel more than ever assured of it, when we see

how completely the national intelligence and the
national spirit have survived and overcome all the
efforts of a long-continued system of coercion and

oppression to degrade and extinguish them.
We further rejoice to see how persecution and cala-
mity, suffered in common, and insidious endeavours,
repeatedly made to sow dissension between pro-
prietor and peasant, have only served to unite all

classes and religious persuasions, Roman Catholics,
Protestants, and Jews, in one harmonious brother-

hood of devotion to their native land.

We at the same time consider it our duty to re-
cord in this address our protest against the lawless
and inhuman policy of the Russian Government in
marshalling organised troops in battle array against
an -unarmed and inoffensive crowd, and deliberately
perpetrating the slaughter of men, women, and
children, without having been provoked by any act
of violence or disorder, and with no other apparent
purpose than that of stifling the voice of peaceable
remonstrance and appeal to the equity of the Sove-
reign, and of crushing hopes founded on recent
promises of improvements never fulfilled.
We also consider it our duty to record our pro-
test against the policy, as unwise as it is unworthy,
of withholding from Poland institutions guaranteed
by treaties, and due alike to the historical renown
and present charaCter of her people, a policy which
outrages every national feeling, creates a state of
permanent moral insurrection, degrades the govern-
ing power, and keeps up a constant source of weak-
ness and apprehension to Russia herself, as well
as of disturbance and danger to the order
and peace of other countries.

Whilst thus protesting against Russian misrule,
we feel that our remonstrances are, in a great mea-
sure, applicable also to the Governments of Austria
and Prussia, which have but too much disregarded
the conditions upon which they were permitted by
the other European Powers to retain their several
portions of the spoil of ancient Poland ; and we
cannot but express an earnest hope that those Go-
vernments, if the partition of Poland is to be con-
tinued, will, now that they have established repre-
sentative institutions, henceforth honestly discharge
the duties they contracted in 1815 towards Europe
and their Polish subjects.
We are firmly convinced, however, that the resto-
ration of Poland to that unity and independence
which are her just and rightful inheritance, would
not only be reparation of a great crime, but would
be most highly conducive to the reign of peace is
Europe, and the safety, honour, and welfare of the
partitioning Powers themselves.
We believe, Prince, that in this address we re-
present the general feeling of the British nation
with regard to Poland, and we conclude with the
earnest wish that the same Providence which has
already prolonged your valuable life beyond the
ordinary term of mortality may still preserve you
to witness the returning dawn of a wiser and more
righteous policy, and better days for the freedom
and prosperity of your country.
We have the honour to be, Prince, your High-
ness's most obedient and humble servants.

TOWNSHEND, President.
HARROWBY, SANDON,
FORTESCUE, TALBOT DE MALAHIDE,
SHAFTESBURY, HARRY VERNEY,
HARRINGTON, W. PINNEY,
ZETLAND, D. SALOMONS, Alderman,
ILCRESTER, EDMUND BEALES,
KINNAIRD, VT. H. BIRBECK,
EBURY, EDWARD JOHNSTONE.
RAYNHAM, Dr. WORTHINGTON, &C.
Literary Association of the Friends of Poland,
Sussex Chambers, Duke-street, St. James's,
June, 1861.

ski's answer :
The following is Prince Czartory
"My lords and gentlemen,—l have to offer,
with deep feeling, my thanks for the expression of
your attachment to our cause.
" The trials of Poland have been lengthened and
constant, lengthened and constant also has been
the fidelity of her friends. My country knows, be-
lieve me, how to appreciate such feelings, and will
mark them by her gratitude.
" It has given me pleasure to perceive that you
have so thoroughly grasped the character of the
movement which at this moment agitates Poland.
You have appreciated fully the spirit of order and
moderation which marks it. Calm and strength in
its justice, it has remained clear of all violence ;
destructive notions and revolutionary passions can-
not be discovered in it, nor external influences. The
contest is entirely on the field of right, and en-
tirely pacific and moral. What Poland demands,
what she expects, is support of the same character.
The morality of liberal Europe is now the point in
question.
" The dignity, the honour, and the interest of
England are bound up in this question. The right
that she will vindicate is not the right of Poland,
but that of civilised Europe. In the midst of the
grave modifications which international interests are
undergoing, before the incessant complications of
the eastern question, there is an interest of vitalim-