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

jefd
Pretation was ;on those treaties by the Courts of
Russia an ustria, and 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 he 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 am not sure that Russia and Austria
would have ventured to require such extradition ;
but, unfortunately, the Sultan found himself compelled to
come under engagements with those powers which he
coal,' not well re:ede from. But let us consider what
would have been the case if the Sultan had yielded to
the insolent deineride if the Czar and given up the re-
fugees ; why, at this very moment could we suppose
that the illustrious Kossuth would be alive--that ho
would not have suff red the same lot as attended the
great patriot Bathyanni? Can any one suppore that
Austria, oleo could he so unscrupulous andsaui,gtu„irri nariy-
in the one case, would hesitate for a single in
the other? No, those brave men, Ko&ut h and Bathyanni,
would ceraicle have lost their lives on the scaff Id,
while the bet fate which would have attended Bern,
Deuibinslti, and the ether brave Poles and Ilurigariane
en aged in the glorious cause, w ouid have b,en a mise-
rable end prolonged 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 areeable to the
meeting I will give some further details on the subject.
The Polish refugees, having been expelled from Turkey
at the demaed of Russia, were sent by the Turkish Go-
vernment t i Malta in a Turkish frigate uuder the care
of Count Zamoyski. On arriving there the Governor
at first thought he ought not to permit these
men to land, and an order was given to that affect.
Count Zamoyski wisely addressed a le,ter to the Go-
vernor on the subject, setting forth the reasons why such
an order should not be enforced. Fortunately, Lord
Fortescue was residing at that time in the island. He
is a nobleman who has always been a friend of the Poles,
and I am 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 ot the Poles. When
ho heard there was some difficulty about their receptien
in the Leland, 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
refugees permission to land; and not only did 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
rsceived; but I must say the friends of Poland ought to
make additional exertions in order to provide for the
wants and necessities of these 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 one
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.—(Hear, hear.) They have
been driven out there by force, and they came to our
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 Malta 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 1634 it
amounted to 10,0001.; it was afterwards raised to
15,0001., 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 6,0001. and 7,0001. 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, so that there will remain
only 173, instead ot 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. llithero., those of the rank
of captains and lieutenants, and under the
rank of field-officers, received the magnificent
sum of lOs , but the G.,vernment leave though:. proper
to reduce even that. Yet we have a cer:itieat, from the
medical oflio, r, in which ne stet t the paderics who
come to him fur advice require noterng bum tood. We
have enabled ago at reeve,' to leave th country, but
German and Danish, as well as lluogai fan refugees are
arriving c .nstantly. and the question is, how are they to
liv• ? 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 f,,rtunes 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 the
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 even 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, telling them, to take up arms against a
people who have done them no harm, while in the semi
he
breath they condemn them with taking up .causes
havelrishmen
s
entered the ranks of Austria, andae
ny
yet
ne rep
ac
made against them. Is anyroproTahchesethereonwanofaat three
Swiss for serving against liberty? .
public, these hardy mountaineers, who are
arepepsueppaonsed
supposed to
be attached to liberty, go and vervethe
King
fault found wit t e paniar
Neither is any
of Naples, and yet no faults.
hfounhd with them.d
not regard for a single moment thecause. in which they
for entering the service of the Pope. l:heise phe.oephledo
are enlisted; but when the Poles join in any struggle or
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.
He 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 tiro same, time that they were com-
metnorating 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 he considered at all necessary. They would
ell sympathise with him in the desire that that country
should again be restored to liberty arid to independence,
and he felt confident that though it would not be pru-
dent to predict the time when such might come to passe
yet that the day, according to the decrees ot Providence,
was still to shine upon the world.--(Cheers.)
Mr.T hKeifhoßllyo,wsiercigeardeesodluhtyionmwr.a
js
" The thanks of this meeting are due a
opHaNssscrdesonTtichi e motion of
and medie
offered to Thomas Young, Esq., honoree
association, for his valuable medical
last
yvwi
caheui
reghaer
Gae
their_ h
ee fr etfbhoyer
quarter to the
sines gratuitously theh'in by the council."
Polish refugees, recommended to him offered for
observed that the
Dr. YOUNG, in returning thanks,refugees suffered were
mninaegdigehththaoedrmnsbiuneehe
subject to
chief afflictions which the
ex
s
n
cep
to this countr
and disease where depressing moral
in-
creased insanity,
by the
se among
with seven-league boots, and in pro-
portionthem had advanced
the Chancellor of the Exchequer cut off-the
. kept them alive. He suggested that
supplies
should be obtained, where
these poor
some asylum
receive aft the comforts':
creatures might
as
ahic
ondition required, and where medical superintend-
leonrcae awould be more regular and effective.
Mr. Alderman SALOMONS moved, "'That the thanks of
°f
curse late teh;:eui srescs eeh
starvation,pi fatedri
the meeting are due to the Noble Chairman for his able
conduct in the chair this day; and that the meeting
further desire to teepee s% their warm admiration of his
Lordship's earcest and consistent advocacy of the cause
of suffering humanity in all shapes during the last
eighteen years."
Mr. EDMUND BEALES ecconded the resolution, and in
doing so, said the statement of the medical officer had
confirmed what he l:ad previously declared, and now
receetecl, teat it was to the eternal disgrace of the liberal
party in 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 of 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 an increased grant, which would