L E T T E R S

372Have a little more confidence in local public opinion, and do not think thatthe Ministry can boldly abuse its power. As it applies the law to a few, especiallyof those present here, it will undoubtedly hurt us all, and surely hinder our overtactivity here in the national cause. However, be assured that the Ministry will notuse that power except in rare instances, that, naturally, it will not touch us, andthat it cannot destroy all of our patriotic activity.So much for the residence of the exiles in France. General conclusion: Is itstill worth waiting in France? It is worth waiting. And, it is necessary that weremain here, even forcefully resisting any effort to expel us.You posed an even more general question: What is afoot here? That is, inmy opinion, what general political events can we expect? Evidently, havingalready written at such great length, though I would not wish to do so, I mustbring this letter to an end. Therefore, I will leave this matter to a future letter.Based on hope in the triumph of our cause, you already have a categorical answerin what has been said previously. Ultimately the question of events to be expectedis so closely bound up with the question of political principles in general - aquestion which at present should be of greatest interest to a person expecting to bea Polish citizen - that I must add at least a few words here at the end in response toyour question.In reference to the political opinions of the Polish exiles, and your ownbehavior in this regard, for the time being I can only give you this advice: As youknow, the Polish Committee, established here to represent the democraticopinions of the opposition, is only one party here as well as in the verious depots.The Philosophical - Democratic society of Puławski,280Gurowski,281280 Alexander Puławski (1800-1838) - A priest of the Piarist Order, a teacher in secondaryschools, a patriotic orator (exiled from Warsaw by the authorities in 1829). He was a left-wingpolitical activist during the uprising and an army chaplain, later a secret agent among theemigrants and the author of articles and pamphlets. He was co-founder of the Polish DemocraticSociety.281 Adam Gurowski (1805-1866) - Active in the independence movement in Poland, heparticipated in the coronation plot and in the uprising. He was secretary of the Patriotic Society, aleft-wing activist in the emigration. He collaborated with the Tsar in the years 1834-1844, afterwhich he again became an emigrant and the author of many political brochures. He was cofounderof the Polish Democratic Society.