The Press. — London, England, 1856-04-05 00:00:00

APRIL 5, 1856• CONCLUSION OF PEACE. Tin great question of Peace or War was solved on Sunday last, at one p.m., in Paris. A council of Ministers, presided over by the Emperor, was held at the Tuileries at half-past eleven, and sat till a quarter past twelve. Count Walewski then returned to his official residence, and at half-past twelve the Plenipotentiaries, in full uniform, assembled in the Salle des Conferences at his hotel. The draft of the General Treaty drawn up with the sanction of the Plenipotentiaries by the Comite de Redaction on the Saturday was then read over. Seven copies placed upon the table were each carefully compared, and the Plenipotentiaries then proceeded formally to affix their signatures to the general treaty, Count Walewski as President signing first, the rest following in alphabetical order. This important fact was immediately telegraphed to the Emperor at the Tuileries. The Plenipotentiaries of each contracting power next signed first the copy reserved for their Government ; the other pleni potentiaries signed in alphabetical order, and affixed to each signature their own private seal. In this manner each copy for the respective Governments was signed first by the Plenipotentiary of the con tracting power, so that all difficulties of precedency were set aside. Cabinet couriers were then speedily sent off to London, vienna, Berlin, St. Petersburg, Turin, and Constantinople, in order to submit the treaty to the ratification of the respective Courts. Shortly before two p.m. the signatures were corn pleted, and the Plenipotentiaries proceeded to the Palace of the Tuileries to communicate the intelli gence to the Emperor in person. His Majesty received them in the Salon des Ambassadeurs, attended by the officers of his household, and is reported to have expressed his thanks to the Pleni potentiaries for having come with such agreeable tidings. He is further said to have observed that the peace the allies were determined on concluding was such as a great nation might propose or accept without degradation, and therefore possessed every element s r solidity and durability. At twb p.m. the guns of the Invalides in a hun dred rounds thundered forth the announcement to the city of Paris. The whole of the forts responded. The great bell of Notre Dame and those of all the churches chimed forth their peals. At half-past two p.m. an official notification from the Prefect of Police, announcing the conclusion of peace, was posted over Paris Congress of Paris, March 30, 1850. Peace has been signed this day, at one o'clock, at the Ministry of Foreign Affuirs. The plenipotentiaries of France, Austria, Great Britain, Prussia, Russia, Sardinia, and Turkey, have affixed their signatures to the treaty which puts an end to the present war, and which, by settling the question of the East, establishes the repose of Europe on solid and durable bases. A supplement of the Moniteur appeared soon after containing the official announcement. The people were enthusiastic, and the anniversary of the 30th March, 1814, when the Russians entered Paris, was remembered, and felt to have been well kept. During the afternoon the news was received in London and Windsor, and rapidly spread. From a desire not to interfere with the church services, the Government postponed the firing of the Park and Tower guns till ten o'clock, when double royal salutes were fired. On Monday morning the official notification of the conclusion of peace was published in an Extraordinary Gazette : Foreign-Office, March 31, 1856. A despatch has been this morning received from the Earl of Clarendon, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, dated Paris, March SO, an• nonncing the signature of peace at two o'clock on that day, at the Foreign-office in Paris. The plenipotentiaries of Great Britain, of Austria, of France, of Prussia, of Russia, of Sardinia, and of Turkey, have affixed their signatures to the treaty which puts an end to the war; and which, while definitively settling the Eastern question, establishes the tranquillity of Europe ou solid and durable bases. The cschange of the ratifications will take place at Paris in four weeks, or sooner , if p oss ibl e : unt il th a t time the stipulations of the treaty cannot be made public. Foreign•office, March 31. The lion. Spencer Ponsonby arrived at the Foreign office this morning from Paris, with the definitive treaty for the restoration of peace, and for the maintenance of the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire, which was yestenlay signed at Paris by the plenipotentiaries of her Majesty, of the Emperor of the French, of the King of Sardinia, anti of the Sultan, and also of the Emperor of Austria and of the King of Prussia, on the one part, and of the Emperor of all the ittississ on the other. At twelve o'clock the Lord Mayor, although peace was not yet ratified, quitted the Mansion house, accompanied by the City Marshal, and took his station in the centre of the open area, west of the Royal lachange, where he was received with enthusiastic cheers from a vast crowd. THE PRESS. His Lordship then briefly stated that, although an official proclamation of peace could hardly be made until after the terms of peace agreed to by the pleni potentiaries at Paris should be ratified, the occasion, however, was one of great congratulation, and he would read to them an official communication which he had that morning received from her Majesty's Secretary of State for the Home Department. The Lord Mayor then read as follows : Home•of6ce, March 31, 1R.50. My Lord,—l have the honour to acquaint your lordship that a despatch has been this morning received from the Earl of Clarendon, her Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, dated Paris, March 30, announc ing that a definite treaty for the restoration of Peace, and for the maintenance of the integrity and independence of the Ottoman empire, was yesterday signed at Paris by the plenipotentiaries of her Majesty, of the Emperor of France, of the King of Sardinia, and of the Sultan, and also of the Emperor of Austria, and of the King of Prussia, on the cue part, and of the Emperor of all the Ilussias on the other.— I have, Ike , G. GREY. _ _ _ To the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor. When his lordship had concluded a loud cheer was given. The Lord Mayor returned to the Mansion house, and the crowd slowly dispersed. Upon the whole, the important intelligence of the termination of the war appears to have fallen rather flatly upon the country. The funds, like the French Bourse, were but slightly affected; end though guns were fired, flags hung out, and church balls set ringing, the little excitement shown by the people in the great towns of Manchester, Liverpool, Birming ham, Leeds, Bristol, Nottingham, Lancaster, North ampton, or indeed in any other town, is remarkable. The sittings of the Conference having been a fact so long before the public, and the instinctive feeling that peace would be concluded, may perhaps account for it. In Scotland, and in Ireland, the satisfaction of the people has been more marked. At Edinburgh and Glasgow the intelligence was received with acclamation, while Dublin was not behind her more northern neighbours. The terms of the treaty are anticipated with great eagerness. The ratifications, it is expected, will be exchanged within the limit (one month) agreed upon. The armistice has been prolonged to the same period, and the plenipotentiaries will continue to hold a few further sittings to definitively settle secondary questions already formally decided in principle. POPULAR EDUCATION. EARL ORANVILLE UPON EDUCATION. AT the inangnration of the Diocesan Trade School at Bristol, on Friday last, the Lord President of the Council was invited to preside at the public meeting upon the occasion. Earl Granville reached Bristol from town in the morning, and, having been entertained at a dijeuner c't la. fourchette by the mayor, inspected the schools and presided at the public meeting afterwards held in the Venturers hall. The report was then read and adopted, and Earl Granville rose in reply to a vote of thanks moved by the Dean of Bristol. The noble lord commenced by observing there was a general feeling in Europe that the education of the higher classes was too exclusively confined to classical attainments. In Germany this feeling was so strong that what were called real or trade schools had risen somewhat in t.pposition to the excellent classical schools they already possessed. In France the op position to classical studies was curious to watch, but there was immense exaggeration in all their objec tions : It was impossible for any one to consider the subject and not believe that an accurate knowledge of dead languages was of great use in strengthening and relining the intellect, and that the learned and sublime things spoken and written by the greatest poets, historians, and orators of the world must tend to humanise and elevate the mind. Still be did think that it was wrong, in pursuing those classical attainments, to exclude that knowledge of the universe in which we lived—of the living languages spoken by living men. The sole question was one of degree, and he was sure those whom he now addressed would feel that if this trade school was as successful as they hoped it would be, a gentle but certain pressure would be exercised upwards upon schools of greater and higher pretensions. With reference to the main question of education for the people, he thought there were two great diffi culties—first, the want of school accommodation ; and, secondly, the want of the appreciation of the advantages of education. With respect to the first, it was stated, and a ith some truth, that no such want existed. Without going into this point (which ho was not prepared to admit), he thought a great deal of misapprehension existed upon the extent of the pecuniary means required for the provision of schools. As to the appreciation of the advantages of education, he thought it a hopeless expectation with the present generation of uneducated parents. Govern ment and employers of labour could give a great stimulus to education by bestowing places only upon 327 educated men. With respect to the sort of education it was proposed to give, they ought to take great care, and not be the advocates of the theorist against th• practical man : That which ought to be done was to give the practical man the advantage which he could obtain by learning something of the principles of the calling in which he was engaged. The ordinary effect of this would be that they would establish a race of artisans—men who would be better artisans, men who would not only understand their work better, but would be more able to deal with new processes. They would establish a race of artisans who would derive pleasure and gratification from their em ployments, instead of that deadly weariness so well illus trated by Sir Arthur Elton in the case of the man who put an end to his existence in consequence of not being able to work in mere routine. He believed that by thee means they would raise the artisan both in his own self-respect and in the respect of his employers, and of all with whom he came in contact. He believed that an inventive genius was to be found in every class of society, and they would give that inventive genius enormous advantages if they trained the mind to learn those principles on which the labour of the artisan was founded. THE FRIENDS OF VOLUNTARY EDUCATION held a meeting at Crosby-hall on Wednesday evening, for the purpose of considering the educational measures of the Government, and Lord J. Russell's resolutions, and the propriety of adopting proceedings in opposi tion thereto. Mr. Barnes, M.P., who presided, said that there were three distinct measures connected with education now before Parliament—the measure for the creation of a vice-president of the council, Earl Granville's measure on education, and Lord J. Russell's resolutions, which he believed were to be considered on the 10th of the month. Lord John Russell's measures he regarded as an attempt to extend the present system, which he considered had been fairly tried and failed. The cost was enormous . _ and the re3ult unsatisfactory. Under these circum stances he should oppose every attempt to extend State education. Mr. Bell, M.l'., proposed the first resolution, to the effect that Lord J. Russell's resolu tions would impede and embarrass voluntary efforts at education, and were unwise and uncalled for. He was decidedly of opinion that the interference of the State in educational matters was unwise and preju dicial to education itself. He was a friend of the voluntary principle, because it was the only practi cable one : Lord John Russell said that the voluntary system had been in practice for 130 years, and bad failed. He did not wish to use any harsh language, but that statement was simply untrue. It was a libel on the efforts of the volun taries. The voluntary system, since it had been in force, had been eminently successful. He believed that the real motive to education was to give people an interest in being educated. Mr. E. Baines regarded Lord John Russell's resolu tions as certain to increase the control of the Govern ment over the education of the country. Government was always a clog, and not a motive power; and education would never be promoted by tying it to the wheels of Government. He contended that England did not contrast unfavorably with foreign countries as regarded education. Referring to the compulsory principle in Lord J. Russell's scheme in regard to rating and forcing masters to educate their work children, be protested against it to Coto. If they forced education, why not force religion on people also. Several resolutions in accordance with the object of the meeting were then proposed and carried unanimously, and petitions to the house against compulsory education agreed upon, which Mr. Crossley, M.P., promised to support. AT THE SOUTHAMPTON POLYTECHNIC INSTITUTION, on Monday evening, Sir Alexander Cockburn, Dr. Booth, and the Rev. S. G. Osborne, attended a con siderable meeting of members to point out the benefits and advantages derived from mechanics' institutes. Dr. Booth thought that a general system of national examination would do more to promote self-education than any increase of schools or school masters:— Make Education (continued Dr. Booth), a thing actually equivalent to pounds, shillings, and pence—an article of money value—and then she need no longer cry aloud in the streets: the multitude will seek her and obtain her, however difficult to find. Supply one something greater on the other side, throw a small preponderating weight into the other scale—the hope of worldly advancement—and we shall no longer have to complain that the education of our middle and lower classes is nipped in the bud by domestic necessities or parental selfishness. The Rev. S. G. Osborne made a few remarks upon the object of the meeting, when Sir A. Cockburn rose and spoke eloquently in favour of education, attri buting to it our advancement in the half century, and the present position we now hold in Europe. Still he admitted that education was not so extended as it ought to be, though happily many of the pre • judices against its spread were fast giving way. The more information was spread the better it was for the people. Other gentlemen then addressed the meeting, and pointed outthe necessity and advantages of education and the benefits of mechanics' institu tions. ,