The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-01-29 00:00:00

Eburstay.

On THURSDAY next, the 31st instant, at Twelve o'clock, at the
Brokers' Office, 13, Exchange-buildings,
1,365 Bags Bengal RICE,
Landing ex Blackburn, from Calcutta, 2 and 3, Albert Dock.—.
Apply to T. and H. LITTLEDALE and CO., Brokers.

NOTICE.

R QUHART AND ADAMSON'S

NEW HOUSE FURNISHING GUIDE

IS NOW READY,

And may be had on application.

THE HOUSE FURNISHING ESTABLISHMENT,
13 AND 15, BOLD-STREET.
Liverpool, January 24, 1856.

TILE

Lib pool 'tanbavb♦

TUESDAY, JANUARY 29, 1856.

THE NEGOCIATIONS FOR PEACE.

THE papers during the past week have been
busily discussing the possibilities and probabilities of
the proposed negotiations for peace, and various have
been the reports circulated with reference to the
intentions of Russia, and the proceedings of the Allies
with regard to the continuation of preparations for
the time when another campaign might be opened.
All this may be attributed to the absence of any other
topic of sufficient importance to command public
attention, and the necessity for saying something on
a subject which necessarily continues to excite a large
share of interest amongst all classes. It must,
however, be remembered, that for the present, at
least, all is conjecture ; and, though it is known that
a convention has been concluded between the res-
pective representatives of Austria and Russia to
accept the propositions of the former as the basis of
further negotiations for peace, we must wait until
the Western Powers are formally made parties to the
affair, before we can arrive at any reasonable conclusion
as to the probable result. On Thursday a telegraphic
despatch from Paris announced that an armistice had
been signed in London the day before. This was
truly going abroad to learn news of home. We must
bear in mind that the intelligence of the unconditional
acceptance by Russia of the Austrian proposals was
received by electric telegraph, which is not the official
mode of conveying the decisions of Courts, though
convenient for the sake of speed. The authorised
consent of the Russian Court would have to be
conveyed by special ambassador from St. Petersburg to
Vienna, whence it must be conveyed to London and
Paris, before any ulterior proceedings could take place,
so that several days must necessarily elapse, however
the transaction may be hastened, before any ulterior
proceedings can take place. Indeed, so far from an
armistice having been signed, it is said that the
preparations, particularly with reference to the Baltic
fleet, are being pressed with renewed vigour ; and
nothing whatever has taken place to show the
slightest intention on the part of the Allies to cease
their exertions. This is much the wisest policy, for
however sincere the EMPEROB of Russia may be in
his pacific professions, it is better to be provided
against any contingency than to place reliance on
the sincerity of a government which has shown itself
so little deserving of confidence. We are told that
orders have been sent from St. Petersburg to cease all
hostilities in the Crimea, intelligence which, if true,
amounts to nothing, as the season prevents any
military operations of importance. If Russia be
sincere in her professions, she will remove all obstacles
to a speedy settlement, by an unequivocal concession of
the very moderate terms demanded of her ; and until
this be done so as completely to satisfy all parties,
both England and France will be fully justified in
maintaining their belligerent attitude.

THE PARLIAMENTARY CAMPAIGN.

ALTHOUGH Ministers may congratulate themselves

on what may be called a lucky escape from the
consequences of much mis-management—inefficient
arrangements, preparations always too late for the
purpose intended, and parsimony compensated by
reckless extravagance : the Conservatives have natu-
rally a great interest in the course which is about
to be pursued with reference to political parties. It
will be absurd to pretend that the country is satisfied
with the present Administration, or that because the
war, for which so many sacrifices have been made, is
likely to be brought to a conclusion, that Lord PAL-
MERSTON and his subordinates are qualified to conduct
the mighty interests at present entrusted to their
charge. There is hardly a question of importance,
and there are many on which legislation is imperatively
needed, which can be safely entrusted to such hands
with the probability of arriving at any successful
result. As a Ministry, they have been submitted to
upon the professions of Lord PALMERSTON to prose-
cute the war with vigour; and, because the nation was
anxious on this point, other deficiencies, however great,
were overlooked ; but it is time that not only our
representatives but the constituent body should calmly
consider whether Great Britain is to be allowed to
drift into some anomalous position, without men at the
helm of public affairs who know either her wants or
the means of satisfying them.
Unfortunately the Conservative party, notwith-
standing its numbers and influence, has no recognised
leaders who may fairly be said to command the confi-
dence of the great body, and whose ability and zeal
may be relied upon without doubt or distrust. There
are abundance of the elements of political strength,
but the hand to render them available appears to be
the most in request. The Earl of DERBY, it is true,
possesses talents of a high order, his patriotism is
undoubted, and he commands a considerable amount
of influence both in and out of Parliament, but it is
shrewdly suspected that he is deficient in that love of
hard work and self-denying devotion to public duties
which are indispensable in a great political chief.
Were he, like the late Lord GEORGE BENTINCS, to
sell his stud of race-horses, abandon the turf as a pur-
suit no longer fitted for gentlemen after the experience
of the Rugeley case, and devote his great abilities to
the public service, the Conservatives might look for-
ward with something like confidence to the forth-
coming session of Parliament, and hope might be
entertained of the country deriving some of the
practical benefits of legislation.

If, however, no better results are to be experienced
than was the case during the last two or three ses-