The Press.
London, England, 1856-01-26 00:00:00

is no longer a free agent, and can exercise no
controlling or moderating power until some
marked change occurs. Lord PALMERSTON'S
Cabinet never believed in the probability of.
Peace ; they made no provision for it; they
have been surprised by combinations they did
not expect; and, for the very reason that they
are known to be hostile to that purpose which
the Conference will assemble to carry into
effect, they will find their sentiments re-
garded with distrust by the other Powers, and
will exercise no real authority in the decisions
which arc taken.
The difficulties raised on their part to the
conclusion of a definitive Treaty amount to
nothing. They will never rise to greater force
than to a petulant and undignified obstruc-
tion. They have committed themselves to
certain principles of settlement, and Russia,
by unconditionally accepting them, has dis-
tinctly signified to the world that she accepts
their fair and legitimate consequences. Than
this, nothing more can be desired.
It would have been more satisfacto►y had
the last article bore on its face the conditions
which the Allies proposed to introduce. But
though not expressed, we must suppose that
they were understood and settled by the
Allies; that they were communicated to Austria
when the text of the Propositions was agreed
to ; and that they were not kept secret from
the Court of St. Petersburg. They form part
of that arrangement to which Russia has
assented, and on neither side can more or less
be expected than that they shall receive a fair
and reasonable interpretation.
The part of England in the negotiation
must necessarily rest with our Government,
but the country and the Parliament will stand
by and see that there is fair play. Nothing
will depend on the private wishes of individual
Ministers, or even of the collective Cabinet.
Whatever they may say through their journals,
they will be compelled to act honestly. Their
course is marked out for them, and in it they
must straitly walk. We do mot anticipate that
they will make anj effort to escape from their
position. Watchful eyes are upon them, and
any attempt to evade their engagements would
only expose their weakness, and cover them
with disgrace.
It has been foolishly argued that the Pro-
posals are Austrian, and that the allied Govern-
ments are not bound by them. The Proposals
are Austrian only in the sense that Austria
was the medium through which they were
conveyed. They were strictly the proposals
of the Allies. Each article was considered by
them, and its import weighed. The only arti-
cle which properly belongs to Austria is that
relating to the rectification of the Russian
frontier. It will be vain for our Government
to plead that they are not bound by their own
terms for no better reason than that they did
not expect those terms would be accepted. The
Peace will I►e so far theirs that they have
acceded to its conditions, and their wiser part
would seem to he to close with it frankly—to
forward, not retard its eonclusiov, and, as
soon as it can be done with honour and safety,
to arrange an armistice which would assure
the tranquillity of Europe, and guard against
any unnecessary effusion of blood.
The reception which the Peace will meet
with from Parliament is scarcely doubtful.
The Conservative party will meet the Legisla-
ture more united in sentiment and stronger in
numbers than it has been since it was broken
up by Sir ROBERT PEEL. on the question of the