The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-15 00:00:00

PEACE CONFERENCE IN EDINBURGH.

MR. COBDEN AND SIR C. NAPIER.

(Abridged from the ScottisA Press of Thunday, Oct. 13.)

A public meeting was held in the Muaic Hall in
the evening, in connexion with the sittings of the Peace
Conference. The large hall was crowded to slice's, and
the platform was occupied by the leading members of the
Conference, and Sir Charles Napier was seated immediately
on the It ft of the LORD PROVOST, who presided.
The CHAIRDIAN explained the course which it was pro-
posed should be adopted, which was to the effect that the
resolutions which had been unanimously passed at the
Peace Conference would be commented upon by the
speaker,, and that at the end the resolutions would be pot
to the meeting to say whether they approve or did eat ap-
prove, and that if any nne had anything to state against
these resolutions he would be heard.
Mr. Rtes ARDS (the Secretary) then read the resolution
which had been passed at the Conference.
Mr' Ei.tHti Btraitm, who on rising was greeted with
loud cheers, moved the series of resolutions which has al-
ready appeared in'our columns, in an eloquent address,
which was repeatedly applauded throughout its deliver,.
and pointed out some of the most glaring &nomadic., in
volved " in that strange modern system of policy called an
armed peace."
The Rey. Mr. Bun sir, of London, supported the reso-
lutions.

Mr. COBOWN, M.P., said, though a good deal has been
said respecting the character and purposes of this meeting,
I will mention an incident connected with it which will
bring home peculiarly to your minds the extraordinary
metamorphosis that bar taken place in public opinion in
this country of late. When in the smith of January last
we held • similar Peace Conference in Manchester, we
were, as you know, in the midst of a paroxysm in our ap-
prehension of a French invasion. At that moment the
Conference entered into • subscription at Manchester with
the view of endeavouring to raise 10,0001., of which, I be-
lieve, nearly one-half was paid down on the spot for the
purpose of instantly setting on foot an agitation throughout
the country, to counteract that spirit of apprehension and
hostility which was manifested towards France. (Cheers.)
And that was, I believe, my own sugdestion--at all
events it arose is a conversation of three or four
of us at the Conference at Manchester' where
we proposed to raise such a fund, when we
found the extraordinary circumstances in which the
country was placed, and the maalfeet danger of a collision
between this country and France. I thought that it was
better that instead of having only ewe Conference we should
have two or three throughout the country. The city of
Edinburgh was suggested aeons place, end Leeds as another,
end we separated from that Conference with the impres-
sion that before the coming Christmas we should have held
a conference at Edinbargh and at Leeds for the purpose of
counteracting the feeling of hostility sad alarm entertained
towards France. (Hear, bear.) Well, now, under what
different circumstances are we Isere met, with our fleet act-
iag together with the French Met, and the prospect of Eng-
lish and French armies acting under a French general; and
we find the complete change which you now witness. But
I am very glad that under thisjuWfialale misapprishensioa
we have assembled here on this occasion. I have
been delighted during those two days to witness
in the assembled friends of the movement,
who have met from all parts of the • om, such an evi-
dence of growing strength on the part of the principles we '
are here to advocate7(cheen)—end such proves to me''
that we are gathering round this cause precisely that I
strength and character and weight in this country which
we found towards the cleft of another great agitation I
which ended in the triumph of the arose of Free-trade.
(Cheers.) For I see here the self-same faces with which
I fought that battle in many a hard day. (Hear.) We
have the same men. The cause of pace is the legacy left
by Free.trade, and the men who won the first will win the
second cause. (Cheers.) And now having finished the
labours of the conference and come before the citizens of
Edinburgh with the resolutions which have been come to
by this inciting of delegates, if anybody asks ue, " What
are your priamples ? " we say don't pick out a stray remark
by this orator or the other orator; don't cavil at say little
discrepancies tkat you may find in the speeches of the same
individual. We may look to these resolutious as they are
unanimously 'leased ; they embody the principles and the
objects of this conference. (" Hear," sad cheers.) We ad-
vocate arbitration in lieu of fighting among all the nations
in the world. (Cries of " No, no," from • person la the body
of the ball, followed by cries of "Put him out," sad
" Chair.") Don't endeavour to put anybody out ; leave him
here sad we will make • sensible man of him before we are
done. (Load cheers and laughter.) We advocate the
cause of arbitration in lieu of fighting, in the agreement of
disputes, and surely anybody above the rank of savages
would say that's a desirable end to accomplish. (Cheers.)
There may be many who will doubt its practicability. But
it is with those people that we wish to argue this question.
We say, I submit your disputes to arbitration, and if you
cannot settle your disputes in that way, if you should
afterwards resort to the sword, still yin will be as worse off
as you are by resortiog to the sword without arbitration.
You may tell me that there is no court of appeal to com-
mand end enforce the fulfilment of the decree of the arbi-
trator. It is perfectly true. But, on the other hand, if
oar policy be carried out, I believe countries like France
and England will enter into a solemn treaty that any
question which may arise, which cannot be set-
tled by mutual discussion and negotiation, should
be referred to an arbitrator mutually chosen ; this
arbitrator shall have the power finally te decide the
question at issue—that being understood, that being ins
fact the solemn treaty binding the two countries; and if
by any chance there should be a quarrel arise, and either
of these countries refuse to submit the question of dispute
to the decision of the arbitrator, then I say if it comes in
the end to war, that country enters the conflict breaded
with infamy in the eyes of the civilised world—(cliessis)—
inasmuch as she has violated the solemn treaty she had
entered iota before, and she is the disturber of the civi-
lised world ; and she would bring the civilised world down
upon her. (Loud cheers.) Well, now,
_ we say we advocate
a mutual redaction of armaments. We don't say disband
your army, sink your fleet, and place yourself prostrate be-
fore any enemy that may come to attack you. But what
we say is that if France and England have Ault tea ships
of the line on commission watching each other from oppo-
site parts of the coast, then it is plain their relatiro strength
towards each other would be precisely the same if tney
would tech reduce their number from ten to ave. (Loud