The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-03
THE VIEWS OF POLISH PATRIOTS

Our Pro-Russisn journals try to represent
the Patriots of the Old World as Indifferent, i
/ not hostile, to the cause of tho Allies. Facts
do not justify this. We copy from Londor
paper the following account of late meeting
of the Polish Patriots in that city, mot re
printed on this side OF the Atlantic, which viii
show on which side their sympathies are
| thrown.-Ed. Era.
Anniversary of the Polish Instruction
Yesterday being the 18th anniversary of the
Polish insurrection Of 1880, the Polish exiles
resident in London attended the funeral service
at the Roman Catholic Chapel, Sutton-street,
Soho-square, for the repose of their countrymen
who fell in this and other national struggles
after which, they assembled in Sussex chambers,
Duke-street, st. James's where meeting was
held.
Colonel Chevalier Wiercinski occupied the
chair, and, in opening the proceedings, warned
his countrymen to be on their guard against
the Polish doctrinaires who maintain that the
present is not the time for the Poles to take
any part in the war against Russia. After Sc
years of the most dreadful national calamities-
four partitions, and the dungeons of the spolia-
tors filled with Polish martyrs, and while in all
parts of the world the bones of Poles bleach on
every battlefield, and the Polish blood flows
profusely everywhere, these cold calculators tell
you now it is not yet time. Oh my brethren
continued he,) now, and now only, is the right
time to show to Europe and to the world that
Poland is not dead-that she is ready to per.
form her old task ofwatching over and shielding
the liberties and the independence Of the civil
lied part of Europe.
Captain c. Szulczewski proposed the first
resolution, which was as follows
"That the Polish exiles in this meeting as
sembled declare solemnly and conscentiousy,
on behalf not only Of themselves, but also OF
their countrymen, whether dragged unwillingly
to serve in the armies of the Car or subject in
their homes to the degrading oppression of his
Government, that the resolution of the whole
Polish nation again to constitute itself into an
Independent State, openly asserted in arms this
day rs years ago, SO far from having been
shaken or diminished by the unparalleled civil
and religious persecution which the Polish
people have suffered in the mean time, has be-
come, on the other hand, even yet more deep,
unwavering, and immutable. In proof of which
solemn declaration, they appeal to the iudis-
putable fact that Polish prisoners taken during
the present war, to whatever class of life they
may belong, seize with avidity the first oppor-
tunity offered them of entering the ranks of the
Allies, and fighting against their former OPP
pressors."
After observing that the vitality of the ma.
tional spirit and the devotion of the Poles for
their country have not suffered any diminution,
he continued thus Since the ultimate downfall
of Poland in l83l-since the event that made
US all eXiles-we have never met to commem-
crate that event under such important cir
cumstances for US as the present. There have
been since then, it is true, various periods of
great commotion in Europe, which have raised
our hopes and made us put forth new energies /:
but at those periods the wisest among us
were always fully aware that if we were to
succeed, it would be in spite of Governments
armed with an extent of national power
which their sympathizing subjects did not pos
sess, and that therefore our chances Of success
were so much the less, and were indeed de.
pendent upon the overthrow of those Govern
ments. Now, however, it is very different.
Though not avowedly, and not even designed
ly, the mightiest Powers of Europe are now
leagued together to do battle for Poland-for
whoever fights against Russia fights for Poland :;
and, though timid politicians may shrink from
acknowledging it, the restoration of Poland
must be one OF the consequences of the present
war, or the war will prove to have been waged
In vain. Now, therefore, it is not only the
popular sympathies but the Governments of
Europe that are enlisted in our cause, and the
Governments ofEurope backed by the enormous
strength bestowed by the full and hearty con
currence of their people and the restoration of
Poland has become one Of the essential condi
tons for the restoration of peace in Europe.
But if this be so, fellow-countrymen and fellow
exiles, the part we have to perform and the
duties we have to fulfil are also different and
it behooves us to take a serious view of our posi-
a,,I 20 j
sacrifice too great to secure. when the time
comes, the open and willing aid and co-opera-
ton of those who are now, perhaps, only fight
ing our battle because they cannot help it,.
While addressing you on a recent melancholy
occasion, when we had met to do honor to the
memory of the truest and noblest friend that
any oppressed nation could ever boast of-Lord
Dudley Stuart took the liberty of abiding
to the unmerited reputation for disunion which
has ever chung to US as a nation, and to the
diversity of opinions entertained i'll the emigra-
ton, as to what ought to be the form of govern
ment in Poland, should our beloved country
ever be restored to independence. would now
fain dwell further upon the subject, and beg
you to reflect, that if the hopes which have been
so frequently frustrated should at length be
realized as a consequence of the present war,
our country will, in this case, have been restor-
and that, as has been truly observed by our
countryman, Count Valerian Krasinski, in one
of the many works which have made his name
illustrious in exile we cannot, therefore, expect
that the form of government to be introduced
among US will be left entirely to our own deci-
sion. What we have to do now, in expectation
of the propitious event. is, therefore, to train
our minds to acquiesce readily in whatever
necessities the CON unctures of the times NAV
impose, and to sacrifice even cherished theories
and predictions in the cause for which we
have made so many other sacrifices. To do
this will, think, be the more easy, if we will
but take an unbiased survey of the worlds
history, and observe that no nation was ever
founded and no State ever developed itself &C.
cording to political theories. The principles of
a nations growth, the elements of its greatness,
lie hidden in the innermost recesses of its being.
as, also, in the nature of the country which q
lnhablts. 10 seek out, to recognise, and to
nourish these, is the task of the patriot and the
statesman; and we have all been so long absent
rom our country, so many forces of which we
have hardly any knowledge have been in action
tnere during our quarter of century of exile,
tnat, should we ever be restored to it, we would
have much to learn before we could be in a
position to judge what would be the best pos
slble form of government for US. That, in the
first instance, it would be sufficiently free TO
allow of its being gradually improved, we have
guaranty in the principles that govern the
present war, and render it SO popular through
out Europe and with this assurance we ought
to rest contented for the present; for to recon-
mence our national life with dissensions on the
subject of preconceived theories, whose adapta-
ton to the circumstances Of the country we
had no means of testing, would indeed be to
prove that the early discords that have made
our intestine broils proverbial in Europe did
not spring from our old absurd Constitution.