The Sun.
London, England, 1850-05-06 00:00:00

•

pretation was put on those reaties by the Courts of
J22ssia and Austria, we cannot overlook how
powerful those two countries are when combined with
reference to Turkey, and the Sultan did not know he
was to be supported by this country. Therefore, after
the threats of these powers had been expressed
very decidedly, and no support was offered
from England or France, the Sultan was
compelled to enter into some engagement from which he
found it difficult to depart; but I believe, if ho had
known how ho would be supported, he would never have
entered into such an engagement. He was in doubt as
to what line of policy this country would pursue in re-
gard to those unfortunate exiles. I have already alluded
to the provinces of Moldavia and Wallachia; and I say,
the rights of treaties and the rights of nations were as
much violated by the armed invasion of those provinces
as they were by the insolent demands for the extradition
of those brave men; and if England had interfered in
the former case I em not sure that Russia and Austria
would have ventured to require each extradition ;
but, unfortunately, the Sultan found himself compelled to
come under enee,eements with those powers which he
coul,l not well recede from. But lot us consider what
would have been the case if the Sultan had yielded to
the insolent demands of the Czar and given up the re-
f,,wes ; why, at this -very-moment could we suppose
that the illustriousViedth; would be alive—that he
would not have suffsred fh•st !Sarno fate as attended the
great patriot 13atheassni? Can any one suppose that
Austria, who could be so unscrupulous end sanguinary
in the one case, would hesitate for a single instant in
the other? No, those brave men, Kostuth and Bathyanni,
would certainly have lost their lives on the scaffold,
bile the best fate which would have attended Bern,
Dembinski, end the otlw r brave roles and Hungarians
enfzeged in the glorious cause, would have been a mise-
rable and proloneed existence in Siberia. Something
has been said with regard to a Noble Earl who showed
great kindness to some of the Polish refugees at Malta.
I am exceedingly glad of that, and if agreeable to the
meeting I will give some further details on the subject.
The Polish refugees, having been expelled from Turkey
at the demand of Russia, were sent by the Turkish Go-
vernment to Malta in a Turkish frigate under the care
of Count Zamoyski. On arriving these the Governor
at first thought he ought not to permit these
men to land, and an order was given to that effect.
Count Zamoyski wisely addressed a letter to the Go-
vernor on the subject, setting forth the reasons why such
an order should not be enforced. Fortunately, Lord
Forteecue was residing at that time in the island. He
is a nobleman who has always been a friend of the Poles,
and I on proud to say a member from the first of this
association, and he has raised his voice more than once
in the House of Commons in favour of the Poles. When
he heard there was some difficulty about their receptien
in the island, he offered to wait on the Governor in
company with Count Zamoyski, and the result of their
representations was that the Governor felt it right not
to persevere in the order, and he, therefore, gave these
efngees permission to land; and not only slid he do
that, but he furnished them with provisions and all
those other comforts which they required, and also
chartered a vessel to bring them to this country. They
will shortly arrive here, and no doubt they will be kindly
rt ceiyed; but I must say the friends of Poland ought to
make additional exertions in order to provide for the
wants and necessities of those men. lam sorry to find
that on the Continent people are disposed at the bidding
of the oppressors of Poland to hunt the Poles from ono
end of Europe to the other, so that no place of
refuge is left for them but Great Britain.
Great numbers of them have lately been sent through
France by Switzerland, and many have taken refuge in
Switzerland, where, no doubt, if the people were left to
themselves, they would find a place of shelter, as they
have already done for many years, but the representa-
tions and threats of the two despotic powers were such
as to force that country to expel them; and I think it is
no credit to the French that they have not allowed
them to remain in France.—(dear, hear.) They have
been driven out there by force, and they came to cur
shores with their passports regularly signed, which
have been given to them with an intimation that
they were to proceed at once to England. Therefore,
the number of Poles is increasing here every day. A
considerable number arrived last week, and when those
who are expected from Malts arrive, they will of course
make a great accession to the number. Now, it is ex-
tremely difficult to say what is to become of these un-
fortunate men, and I wish I could receive any sugges-
tion or advice, or any aid, from hon. members of the
association with regard to them. Allusion has already
been made to the proposed reduction in the Parliamen-
tary grant. When it was first moved in 1834 it
amounted to 10,0001.; it was afterwards raised to
15,000/., when there were nearly 700 Poles
in this country. That number was reduced by '
deaths and departures from the country, and
Parliament in consequence diminished the grant to
within 6,000/. and 7,000/. A Committee of the House
of Commons was appointed to take the subject of the
grant into their consideration, and they have drawn up a
report, in which they recommend that a great number
should be struck off the list, 40 that there will remain
only 173, instead of 700, as formerly. lam glad to say
the Government have not exactly adopted the report,
and it is just possible the grant may not be cut down;
indeed, I hope, instead of reducing the number to 173,
there will be an additional 60 added to it, which will
make altogether 233. Hitherto, those of the rank
(1 captains and lieutenants, and under the
rank of field-officers, received the magnificent
sum of 103,, but the Gosernment lave thought proper
to reduce even that. Yet we have a certificate from the
medical officer, in which he states t at the patients who
come to him for advice require nothing but food. We
nave enabled a great many to leave the country, but
German and Danish, as well as Hungarian refugees are
arriving constantly, and the question is, how are they to
lies? Since July last year, as many as 178 have come to
this country who have, while here, been supported
by the contributions of their richer countrymen
in different parts of the world, and who, there-
fore, have not been indebted to British bounty
for any assistance. There are many Polish noblemen
whose fortunes have not been confiscated, and some of
these are travelling in Europe or other parts of the
world, and they have stealthily contrived to remit sums
of money to this country, and to place it in my hands,
with full authority to apply it as I think best; and by
those means alone, and without any aid from the Bri,
tish people, they have been hitherto supported. Some
have emigrated to America with funds supplied from she
same source, some have obtained partial employment,
and some have gone elsewhere, but the great mass are
supported out of funds which allow a pittance .of 6d.
a day to each, and this is granted to men of edu-
cation and of what people would call position in
the world. It is, therefore, very desirable that they
should go to some country where the resources are
greater than they are here, and probably America is the
best. Still, however, we have 178 in England at present,
and that will be very considerably increased; and to en-
able oven a small portion of them to emigrate a very
large sum would be required. I must, however, mention
that the railway and steam-boat companies have acted
very generously towards these refugees, and have con-
sented to forward them free of charge to different places.
Some have entered the service of France for the army at
Algiers; but the Poles feel no sympathy with the em-
ployment, and it is unjust to taint them with
remaining in this country while the French are ready to
avail themselves of their services in that quarter, because
it is, in fact, tolling thorn; to take up arms against a
people who have done them no harm, while cuss same
breath they condemn them with taking up wit
which they have no connexion. Many Irishmen have
entered the ranks of Austria, and y-ot no rech_
made against them. Is any reproach thronaaproat 'nefa the-
Swiss reh.
Swiss for serving against liberty?
se T
public, these hardy mountaineers, who are
aes supposedrsoreopeand
to
be attached to liberty, go and serve h
the
w
wpheioephlethdeyo
n
King of Naples, and yet no fault iisthfontnhde with them.
Neither is any fault found
forot
re enteringar dfor the a
are enlisted; but when the Poles join in any struggle or
servicesin ge momento f
the
etohpee. cause
in
warfare from a conviction of its justice, they are said to
be nothing but a set of mercenary wretches. The
Noble Lord then referred, in very complimentary lan-
guage, to the gratuitous services of Mr. Young, the
honorary surgeon to the association, who had assiduously
attended the Poles in London in periods of sickness, and
who was entitled to the warmest thanks of the meeting.
lie then congratulated the members on the occa-
sion of their meeting at the seventeenth anniver-
sary of the association, observing that they
should not forget, at the same, time that they were com-
memorating the establishment of a constitution which,
though perhaps not perfect in itself, was said by the
greatest writers and public men we had to contain the
germs of all those future and desirable ameliorations
which could be considered at all necessary. They would
all sympathise with him in the desire that that country
should again be restored to liberty and to independence,
and he felt confident
_gat ,though it would not be pru-
dent to predict the time W'rien such might come to pass,
yet that the day, accordinVoethe decrees of Providence,
was still to shine upon' theWOrld.—(Cheere.)
of
The following resolution was passed on the motion
Mr. KIRBY, seconded by Mr. JOHNSTON:—
offered to Thomas Young, Esq., honorary surgene.
" The thanks of this meeting are due and erenhoerethye
association, for his valuable medical advtice a d
quarter to the
nines gratuitously offered for the
• thanks, observed that the
Dr. YOUNG, in returningwere
chief or nine cases,
Polish refugees, recommended to himlbays the council."
ri
erg
g ens
had
,offeredbeen in
afflictions which the Polisht
made them subject to
peculiar to this country, excebP
rn
where depressing moral causes
sufferings
insanity, but of late their
lion disease among
creased by the curse
even-league boots, and in
them had advanced with s
of the Exchequer pro-
portion as the ChancellorthemHe cut off the
alive.
these poor
obhtained, whero
of starve , and '
ggested toot
some e comforts which their for-
lorneatures mightssuomppolieassy"lu.hmichsbrke:cuepl:live a
ence w
condition required, and where medical superintend-
ould be mere regular and effective.
Me Alderman SALO3IONS moved, " That the thanks of
the meeting are due to the Noble Chairman for his able
conduct in the chair this day; and that the meeting
further desire to express their warm admiration of his
Lordship's earnest and consistent advocacy of the cause
of suffering humanity in all shapes during the last
eighteen years."
Mr. EDSIUND BEALES seconded the resolution, and in
doing so, said the statement of the medical officer had
confirmed what he had previously declared, and now
refe ite3, that it, was to the eternal disgrace of the liberal
party iu the House of Commons that they took active
measures in forcing the Government to deprive the
Polish refugees of the small stipend which the generosity
of this country
had given to them.—(Hear.) They were
now told that the curse cf starvation was on those un-
fortunate men, let that curse be laid at the door of those
who induced the Government to diminish their means of
support.—(Cheers.) He however trusted that the liberal
party would yet make some expiation for the past by
endeavouring to get au increased grant, which would