Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1861-05-17
THE GAXET0IE.
FRIDAY MORNING, MAY II, 1851.
Poland.

=
From the London Record we take the
following: e-
Order again reiguS in Warsaw. Reg
iments are bivouacked i'll every square,
and line all the principal streets OF the
city The public buildings, the palaces
the theatres, swarm with grey coats Which
were so familiar upon the parapets ofythe
Redan and the v alakof. The national
costume is again prohibited. me uni-
yersal garb of mourning is no longer.
seen. Newspapers have ceased to be
pripted because there is nothing which
they dare TO record. Crowds are assem-
bled in the street, but they are kept IN
perpetual motion by the military even
the bodies OF the slain have been denied
to their friends, and have been inferred,
like those of malefactors, within the walls
of the citadel, there to rest III an IN
known and unhonored grave. Such is
the first significant act of political ira
cedy. the finale Of which will assuredly
have to be written in letters of blood.
In such a contest-as this he is lost who
strikes the first blow, not he who simply
awaits an attack. Henceforth the Poles
will enjoy all the benefits Of that sympa-
thy which the public opinion of Europe
has invariably denied to the aggressor in
such an affray, Russia, true to her an
cieut instincts, has resolved to hold by
force kingdom which was won by fraud
Whatever NAV have been thought before
of the chances of Polish independence,
they have been enormously augmented
by this fatal act ofindiscretion and cruel
t9 on the part of her rulers. That their
position was sufficiently perplexing we
are quite ready to admit; such must al
ways be the case when the relations be-
tween the governor and governed are
those which subsiSt in Poland. But we
look in vain in the accounts which have
reached US for any justification of the
course which has been pursued, and
which, begun in deceit and evasion, has
been terminated by as wanton all outrage
as ever disgrsced the annals of any ma
ton. That the Poles will find themselves
at once in q position to shake off the yoke
OF Russia we do not say. Isolated be-
yond all other na:ionslities, they are far
differently situated from the Lombards
or Hungarans, as regards their chances
Of success. Still, if they will but bide
their time in patience, the day of their
deliverauce may be indefinitely postponed
but cannot be deferred for ever. There
is too much force and cohesion in all
their proceedings, too many symptoms OF
mutual trust and reliance, for them to
despair of a successful issue to what must
heuceforth be regarded as righteous
cause. Russia has rndely cut away from
under her feet the only pretext upon
which she could have founded her claims
to continuance of her supremacy in
Poland If she have learnt the lesson OF
constitutional government so i'll that her
only answer to temperate remonstrances
is to fire upon an unarmed crowd, she
has proved concusively her untitnesS and
may be expected ere long to confess to
her inability, to rule. For the present
might is triumphant, but the dayof reck
oni0g is yet to come, and Poland has
gained an advantage at the outset OF the
struggle Of which it will be impossible to
deprive her. 4 f. f. L. ~ H. ~ 49, &