The Sun. — 1863-07-22 (London, England)

POLAND.  FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.  CRACOW, JULY 18.  Great dissatisfaction prevails among the peasants of Voihynia. It appears that when the insurrection first broke out they had been informed by the Russian agents appointed by the Government for the purpose of gaining them over to its side, that the Czar had determined to give them the land on which they worked, and to place them under the Government of a new independent kingdom of Poland, whose King was to be the Grand Duke Constantine, and that it was in order to prevent the execution of these benevolent intentions of the Czar that the Polish landowners had risen in rebellion. These falsehoods wore easily circulated and believed in a country which is almost completely shut out from all communication with the rest of Europe, and among a class which has been purposely kept by the Russian Government in a state of bratal ignorance. After having thus paved the way, the agents disclosed their real aims. They offered the peasants arms and pay, and exhorted tt em to put down these disturbers of the public peace and enemies of their prosperity and wellbeing. You know the result. A sort of militia was raised among the very lowest classes of the population, who gave abundant evidence of their low state of civilisation by the commission of shocking atrocities upon the landowners and insurgents. At length these poor benighted people are beginning to perceive that they have been deceived. Finding that they are still under the Czar, that no attempt is made by the Government to give them the land on which they reside, and that the insurgents are fighting for the very same objects as themselves, many of them have returned to their villages, and the rest have addressed a petition to the Military Governor-General of the province, asking for the fulfilment of the promises made to them when they were enlisted to fight against the insurgents. The result of this petition has been the following circular addressed by the  Governor-General, Prince Drucki Sokoiinski, to the local authorities of the province :  " The peasants of the Government of Volhynia frequently address petitions to me, saying that as they are compelled unceasingly, by day and by night, to pursue rebellious Polish bands, and take all possible means to assist in pursuing and exterminating them, they are not at present in a position strictly to fulfil their duties towards their landlords, and they therefore beg to be clearly informed as to their relations with regard to their landlords,whether they still owe any corvees to them, or have been liberated therefrom.  " Considering, that the duty now imposed on the peasants, the prevention, both by day and by night, of the assemblage of suspected persons, may render them incapable of properly fulfilling the duties required from them by law, I have the honour to request that you will call upon the nobles of the Government of Volhynia, in return for the protection of their estates by the peasants, not to exact the fulfilment by them of their duties before th4o disturbances in the country are put down, and, in view of present circumstances, not to prevent the peasants from liberating themselves from their corv ees in the usual manner—by payment. The nobles should also observe that a peaceful arrangement with the peasants is likely to be more beneficial to them than measures of compulsion, which, moreover, would be improper, for the peasants, being occupied in protecting quiet inhabitants, loving the throne and their country, and risking their own lives against the criminal acts of the rebels, have a right to expect consideration from the landlords and the Government.  (Signed)  "Prince DRUCKI SOKOLTNSKI, The Governor."  The cynical assurance of this decree, which speaks of a horde of half-drunken peasants, pillaging and murdering every noble they can find, as defenders of the peace of the country, and protectors of the nobles, is evident on the face of it. As for the liberation of the peasants from the corvee, any peasant may be so liberated, in the most complete manner, by the national Government ; but it is too much to expect of a Polish nobleman to grant even a partial benefit to his peasants, when they destroy his estate, threate❑ his life, and hunt to death the soldiers of the only Government which enjoys the confidence of the Polish people,