The Sun.
London, England, 1857-05-18 00:00:00

LITERARY ASSOCIATION OF THE
FRIENDS OF POLAND.

The annual general meeting of the members of
this association was held on Saturday last, at their
rooms, Duke-street, St. James's, the Marquis of
Townshend in the chair. Amongst the gentleman
present we observed the Earl of Harrington, Lord
Kinnaird, Viscount Raynham, M.P., Hon. W. Fox
Strangways, Rev. Dr. Worthington, E. E. Crowe,
Esq., Joseph Ferguson, Esq., Thomson Hankey,
Esq., M.P., and William Scholefield, Esq., M.P.
WM. L. BIRKBECK, Esq., read the report, which
alluded to the abstinence of the association from
giving any public entertainment for the benefit of
the Poles, a line of conduct which was adopted at
the instance of several influential friends of the
association, in consequence of the representations
made by Russian plenipotentiaries, that the
Emperor Alexander was about to enter on a course
of jest and conciliatory policy towards Poland ; but
that they who trusted in those representations had
been speedily undeceived by the speeches of the
Emperor Alexander at Warsaw, and the unsatisfac-
tory nature of the so-called amnesty published by
his Government. The expedition of a detachment
of Poles to Circassia, and the establishment of a
Polish colony on the estate of Redshid Paella in
Thessaly, where they had been provided with a
hospital, a church, and maintenance till the next
harvest, were also referred to. The income of the
association for the past year had amounted to 8091.,
by means of which relief had been ministered in 660
cases The report concluded with the expression
of a wish that the attention or the Poles for the
present should be especially directed to the social
improvement of their country.
The Rev. Dr. WORTHINGTON, in moving the
adoption of the report, expressed his regret that
the hopes to be held out to the Polish exiles were
not of a more cheerful character than at the last
anniversary meeting of the association, but it was
gratifying to know that the feeling of sympathy to-
wards that unfortunate nation was increasing.
Lord KINNAIRD, in seconding the motion, said
that on a late occasion hopes were entertained that
under the blessing of Providence something might
turn up to improve the condition of the Polish
people, hut it had not been the will of the Almighty
that that country should be restored to that posi-
tion among European nations in which every lover
of liberty desired to see her placed. With regard
to the course pursaed towards Circassia, hs believed
the blame did not rest entirely with this country,
and.that difficulties arose in another quarter. Refer-
ence had been made to the conduct of Lord Pal-
merston. He had known that noble lord for many
years, and did not believe that there was in exist-
ence a more cordial and sincere friend of liberty.
He had on some occasions raised up ill feelings
against himself amongst the pseudo Liberals for the
part which he had taken or wished to take with re-
gard to the liberation of Poland, but the difficulties
which any minister had to encounter in moving in
that direction were so great that it was impossible
to proceed without the active co-operation of the
country ; but if the feeling of the coun•ry could be
roused in behalf of Poland, he believed that Lord
Palmerston would fully respond to that feeling.
(Cheers.) He had conversed with the noble lord
on the subject of the liberties of Europe, and was
convinced that no man had them more sincerely at
heart than Lord Palmerston ; but unless the coun-
try would back up a minister, he could not be ex-
pected to accomplish one-half of that which he
might be desirous of doing.