The Express.
London, England, 1851-07-23 00:00:00

THE PEACE CONGRESS.

Yesterday, after our report was despatched,
Don MARBANO Cull, a Spanish gentleman, who ob-
served that he had not spoken English for 10 years, never-
theless addressed the meeting in that language. Their
cause was not the cause of a man, nor the cause of a sect, or
nation, or party or country, but the cause of humanity.
(Cheers.) .f hey were not here to defend the position of the
red man or the white man, the American, the Englishman,
the Frenchman, or the Spaniard, but to endeavour
to establish a principle which would be beneficial
to every nation of the earth. Lillis opinion war and all the
evils of war were designed as a punishment to the people
for having transgressed naturt's laws ; whilst peace and all
the blessings of peace were the just reward for having
obeyed them. Without peace no progress could be made
by man, and in this firm conviction ho warmly advocated
those measures which the friends of this congress proposed
to adopt. (Cheers.)
Mons. JULES DELBItUCK, Directeur de la Revue
d'Education Nouvelle, addressed the meeting in French,
and drew particular attention to the danger which arose
from the system adopted in France and also in this country
of presenting to children those kinds of toys which were
calculated to familiarise them to ideas and habits of war.
Instead of giving them playthings of this description,
ho advised parents to present them with instruments of
labour and industry. (Cheers.)
Mr. COBDEN, M.P.' thought this suggestion so worthy
of being followed that he felt it desirable that all mothers
of young children should fully understand it. Ile there-
fore volunteered a translation, and proceeded to observe
that the system complained of by the honourable gentleman
was very prevalent in France and not altogether unknown
in this country. It consisted in giving children wooden
soldiers for playthings, and teaching them to set. tile red
coats against the blue oats with the aid of mimic swords,
cannons, and muskets. The children of this country were
thus taught to exult if' the red coats overturned the blue
coats, and the French children were induced to shout and
rejoice if the blue coats overthrew the red coats. Now he
(Mr. Cobden) was of the wane opinion with the French
gentleman hat this system ought no longer to receive en-
couragement from mothers. (Dear.)
The resolution was then put and carried unanimously.
Mons. ACM:STE VISSCIIERS, of Brussels, proposed
the second resolution, asserting " That as the sword can
i settle no question on principles of equity and right, it is the
duty of governments to refer such differences arising be-
tween them as cannot be otherwise amicably adjusted to
the decision of competent and impartial arbitrators." He
supported this resolution with the greatest fervour because
he was firmly convinced that it pointed out the only rational
and practical means of settling disputes which arise between
nations.

The Rev. Dr. BECKWITH, secretary to the American
Peace Society, seconded the resolution, observing that he
found in the altered tone of statesmen upon this question,
and in the continued demands of the people for better
means of settling international disputes, abundant reason
for believing in the ultimate success of this movement. He
was happy to inform those friends of peace by whom he was
surrounded that there was growing in the minds of the
American rulers, as well as of the people, a most auspicious
change on this important subject. He was chary of pro-
mises, but he could assure the people of this country that if
they would give the Americans time to work, they might
bring to a future congress the report of some achievements
far more cheering than any thing which had been stated on
this occasion. (Cheers.)
The Rev. JOHN BI RNETT observed that if war was
wisdom, this large meeting of the friends of peace must be
a wonderful gathering of fouls. (Laughter.) In regard to
the principle advocated by this resolution, he contended
that the effect of arbitration was to bind society together in
the bonds of brotherhood. Arbitration belonged to all the
courts of the civilised land. It was no new thing, and be
felt convinced that if the House of Commons were made to
ring with petitions—as indeed it ought to be—against the
present system, the principle of arbitration would ere long
be acted upon. He regarded the present assembly as a
living illustration of the practicability of universal peace,
and he felt that the vast number of persons who had visited
this country to witness the peaceful rivalry of nations in
the palace of glass, afforded abundant ground for saying
that the progress of the world might be best promoted by
an union of science and commerce in the cause of peace.
(Cheers.)
The resolution was then put and unanimously agreed to.
The Rev. Mr. RICHARD announced that the delegates
from England who attended the Peace Congress in Paris
last year, and were received with such kindness and hospi-
tality, that the friends and promoters of the present con-
gress were anxious to testify their gratitude by showing
ome mark of respect to the delegates from France who
were now in this country. With this view it was proposed
to give a soiree to the foreign gentlemen attending this con-
gress, at Willies Rooms, on k riday evening neat.
The announcement was received with loud cheers, and
the proceedings of the day closed.

THIS MORNING

The Congress resumed its sitting,
Sir David BREWSTER in the chair.

The Reverend M. RICHARD read a series of letters
from distinguished foreign gentlemen, expressing their
adhesion to the cause. Amongst them was a letter
from the son of Monsieur Carnot, who organised the
armies of the former republic of France, and he now
desired to express his entire sympathy with the principles
sought to be advocated by the members of this con-
gress. A letter from one of the oldest generals in the
French army expressed similar sentiments, and stated
that he had always considered war to be a most barbarous
institution, and contrary to the laws of humanity. He had
assisted in many great batti e3' and had sometimes reproached
Providence for not arresting the hand which had caused the
effusion of human blood.

Certain pamphlets upon the subject by a gentleman re-
siding at Vervien, in Belgium, were then presented to the
by Mons. Visschers, o (Brussels.
Mr. BDE :I, M.P., then proposed the third resolution:
—" That the standing armaments with which the govern-
ments of Europe menace each other, amid professions of
mutual friendship and confidence being a prolific source of
social immorality, financial embarrassment, and national
suffering, while they excite constant disquietude and irrita-
tion among the nations, this congress would earnestly urge
upon the governments the imperative necessity of entering
upon a system of international disarmament." The ho-
nourable gentleman contended, with his usual argumeta-
tive power, that England bad done more to encourage
war by maintaining a standing armament than any other
country. lie observed that she had constructed fortifica-
tions at Gibraltar, Malta, Corfu, and in almost every part of
the habitable globe, and in order to support these fortifies
tions, the people were heavily taxed, and social immorality
encouraged. Mr. Cobden drew particular attention
to the demoralising influence of the barracks in
this country, and upon this point he observed that
in those towns where the military were stationed,
vice and immorality existed to such an extent as to
bring disgrace: upon the surrounding neighbourhoods.
The hon. gentleman concluded • very effective address
(which was loudly cheered throughout), by observing that
the cause they were advocating was not a national but a
universal cause, and he advised the me,nben of this mill-
irem to persevere in their efforts until the v had succeeded
in destroying the barbarous system complained of.
M. POMPERE from Paris, seconded the resolution, and
Mr. EWART, M.P., was supporting it when Nn went to
press