The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-02-19 00:00:00

THE CONFERENCE AT PARIS.

THE representatives of the several great Powers of
Europe are now in Paris or on their way thither, and
it is expected that the negotiations will be opened in
the course of a day or two, under the presidency of
M. WALEWSKI, the Foreign Minister of the French
Government. To many of the parties no great diffi-
culty is presented, presuming Russia to be sincere in
her acceptance of the propositions of Austria as the
basis of negotiations. The German Powers have less
interest in the details than in the fact of arriving at a
satisfactory conclusion, inasmuch as they have made
comparatively little sacrifice during the war, and may
only be desirous of being relieved from that state of
dubious neutrality which was becoming suspicious,
and difficult of being longer maintained. Russia also,
having suffered the most, and approaching a state of
exhaustion, both in men and material, may be anxious
for a cessation of hostilities, in order to enable her
to recruit her diminished resources, and for this end
may consent to terms of peace with no other care
than to obtain them as little objectionable as possible,
leaving her future course to such circumstances as
may hereafter arise. France has played her part so
well in the memorable campaign in the Crimea, and
concluded the capture of Sebastopol with such an
abundant share of military honours, so gratifying to
the peculiar pride of her population, that she may well
be content to consent to terms such as may coincide
with the views of Austria, with but little regard as
to the future ; so that, taking the numerical pre-
ponderance of the Congress, the probability is largely
in favour of their coming to an agreement, without
perhaps any other difference than as to minor details.
On the other hand, Great Britain and Turkey have,
by far, the largest inteost in the question of peace
being settled on such a basis as to afford the most
ample guarantee for the future. The latter power
displayed so much chivalrous spirit in declaring war
against Russia, before being joined by the Allies, and
in taking the initiative in resisting the aggressive
movement across the Pruth, that we confess we feel
more confidence in the course to be taken by the
Turkish Envoy than we do in the representatives from
our own court. The danger to be apprehended is in the
surrender of demands which ought to be insisted upon,
and in acting upon a desire forpeace as though the slight-
est apprehension were felt for the result of a continuance
of the war. It cannot be too steadily kept in view by
the British minister, that peace ought not to be con-
ceded except upon such terms as would render it really
advantageous. We are fully prepared to continue the
contest until such a result be obtained. Our resources
are not only ample, but our strength in men and
material is increasing, while that of the enemy is
diminishing ; and, even if France should decline to
continue the assistance which she has so gallantly
rendered during the last two campaigns, we are now
in a better position to force Russia to terms, single-
handed, than we were, two years ago, to take only a
part in the encounter. The conditions upon which
England consents to conclude the negotiations should
be narrowly watched, and ministers called to a strict
account, if any point be conceded which ought, in jus-
tice, to have been enforced. We have been content to
make heavy sacrifices, and we have therefore the more
right to expect that they shall not have been made in
vain.