THE POLES AND RUSSIA.
(TO THE EDITOR. OF THE " SPECTATOR:1
SIR,—At every meeting in support of the Government, the cry has arisen, " How about Poland?" " Look at Poland !" I have never yet seen the question fairly grappled with, and yet for Englishmen who are Liberals there is a most plain rejoinder, which, with your permission, I will give. In the reign of Elizabeth, Catholic priests and laymen, yea, poor old women. even, were strung up in Mr. Beresford Hope's garden (then Tyburn Gallows) simply for " religion." At that very time good Queen Bess was, on the plea of liberty of conscience, sending money and men to aid the rebels in France, the Protestant Huguenots !
Once again. The Northern States of America wished to put down slavery in the South. Englishmen who sing "Britons never shall be slaves," by all means, save arms, sided with the slave-holders. Once again. At this very moment, the numerous Jesuits, Priests, Dominican and Benedictine monks in England, who number among them many well-known English names, have no real tolerance in England, for at this very moment there are still unrepealed Acts of Parliament prohibiting their existence in England.
Now to apply this. Russia persecutes the Poles. Granted, bat not granted that because she does so, therefore she may do no good action. If a Tory say, " Yes," I point to the case of Eliza- beth. If penal laws against priests are spoken of, I say, " Alas, yea I" but there are still in England penal laws unrepealed, and only a few years ago England morally supported slavery in America.
The fact is, if no nation may do a good action because she is not spotless in her home life, then the less Englishmen say, the better. And indeed, what father of a family, what clergyman of a parish could rebuke vice or wrong, if he must be spotless him- self first? There was a guilty woman accused of crime in a well-known book, and the Great Liberator said, " Let him that is without sin cast the first stone at her."
English history does not warrant Englishmen in playing the part of immaculates, still more absurd is it for them to pretend to have all of a sudden a great affection for the Catholic Poles. Why have we no Catholic University for Ireland ? Why was the Borough Franchise Bill for Ireland opposed on Tuesday night by certain Tories, but because they were afraid of Catholics getting their due and lawful influence in Parliament ? Again, why do not those who talk of Russian cruelty to Polish Catholics bear in mind that in enlightened Germany there are hundreds of priests in prison or exile for conscience' sake.
For God's sake, let us try and get rid of some of our most superabundant Pharisaical self-conceit. I hope English work- men will attend the meeting to be held in Hyde Park on Sunday at three o'clock, and help those who are trying to prevent war.— I am, Sir, &c.,
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