§ LORD HARRY VANEsaid, he rose to call the attention of the House to the recent occurrences at Warsaw, and to ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether the Government have received any other intelligence of those events than that furnished by the public newspapers? He was not about to make any charge against the Russian Government; on the contrary, he was happy to find that it was admitted on all sides that the recent occurrences at Warsaw were not premeditated, but were entirely fortuitous, and that the conduct of the higher Russian authorities afforded better hopes for the future. It appeared that a sentiment of nationality of more than usual intensity having sprung up in the breasts of the inhabitants of Warsaw, on the 29 th of last November a spontaneous demonstration in celebration of the anniversary of the Polish revolution took place, which the Russian Government, acting with more moderation and prudence than in previous years, allowed to pass. On the 24th of February following it was announced that a very large meeting would be held on the next day to celebrate the anniversary of the battle of Grochow, which had been gained by the Poles over the Russians. The Russian authorities interposed no objection. Accordingly, the meeting was held on the 25th, when, unfortunately, in consequence of the interposition of the Cossacks, at least one death was caused directly, and certain other persons were trampled down. That created great exasperation, and a funeral procession was appointed for the 27th. The Russian authorities offered no impediment to the procession; but unhappily the Russian troops were simultaneously conducting a funeral of their own, and they got mixed up with the large popular assemblage, and confusion ensued. Either General Zabocky, the Russian General in command, or Colonel Trepow, the head of the police, gave orders to the troops to fire, and the result was that one of the members of the Agricultural Committee, who was just then leaving the place of assembly, was shot. At first there was a great show of resistance on the 248 part of the populace, but Count Zamoysky, the head of the Agricultural Committee, interposed, and through his interference it was arranged that the troops should withdraw. The Russian Government, informed of what had occurred, by telegraph acceded to the representations of Prince Gortschakotf that no coercive measures should be adopted, and that a conciliatory policy should be enforced. He mentioned these things to show that he did not accuse the Russian Government with having acted with undue severity, but rather attributed these occurrences to the feeling of nationality which was rife throughout Poland. At the same time it was equally true that the Russian Government had of late acted upon very different principles in the government of Poland from what they had done in years gone by. Happily, too, there had been no attempt at insurrection on the part of the people, and therefore there was no pretext for the employment of force against them. Now, he was aware, it was a very delicate matter for the English Government to interfere between Russia and her own subjects; nor did he even wish that Her Majesty's Ministers should make any strong representations on the subject to Russia. He would freely admit that, in his opinion, the popular doctrine as to nationalities had its limits; but much was to be said in favour of the nationality of Poland. The nationality of Poland had received European recognition, for it was expressly conceded by the Treaty of Vienna. And, indeed, the Russian Government had of late evinced a disposition to return to the ancient state of things—that was, to the state of things previous to the year 1830. Let it be borne in mind, too, that the Emperor of Russia governed Poland, not as Emperor of Russia, but as King of Poland. He was far from saying that the Government ought to interfere actively in the matter, but at the same time it would be well if the Government brought all those facts to the notice of the Russian Government, provided a favourable opportunity offered. It was impossible but that a feeling of sympathy for a people who had adhered with such pertinacity to their ancient constitution, and who, at the same time, had exhibited so much wisdom, should not be inspired throughout the rest of Europe. Nothing would be more impolitic than for this country to evince any bitterness in the matter; nothing less likely to conduce to the benefit of the Poles themselves; but he did hope the Government would seize 249 every opportunity of urging the claims of that noble people upon the Government of Russia.