The Express.
London, England, 1856-04-29 00:00:00

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LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 29.

THE Treaty of Peaoe, the three Conventions an-
nexed to it, the Declaration of the Plenipotentiaries
respecting Maritime Law, and the Protocols of the
Conferences, were last night presented to both
Houses of Parliament. Ministers have not waited
for the criticism of the Opposition. They have been
the first to challenge disenasion, and have announced
that on Monday next they will invite the Lords and
Commons to express their opisioa of the negotiations
at Paris and their results. h thus throwing
down the gauntlet to their opponents, Ministers
appear to us to hays acted judiciously. They
have fearlessly thrown themselves upon the
judgment of their country; and what, though of
minor importance, is still worthy of consideration,
they have put an end to the guerilla warfare of the
Derby-Disraelites, by forcing them into a general
engagement.

Oa the Treaty and the Conventions our previous
remarks have left us nothing to say. The Declaration
regarding Maritime Law is, perhaps, the most sub-
stantial gain that will accrue to the world from the
Conferences. The Plenipotentiaries of seven Euro-
pean States have solemnly declared that privateering
is, and is to remain, abolished; that the neutral
flag covers enemy's goods, with the excep-
tion of contraband of war; that neutral
goods, with the exception of contraband of war,
are not liable to capture ceder an enemy's flag; that
no blockades are binding which are not maintained
by a fora sufficient really to prevent armies to the
coast of the enemy. And the Plenipotentiaries bare
engaged their Governments to bring this Declaration
to the knowledge of the States which have not taken
in the Congress of Paris, and to invite them to
accede to it. This is an immense gain for justice
and humanity.

The prooe;dinp in the Conference of the Bth of
I April afford a less gratifying subject for remark.
From the discussion which took place on that day
Europe will hereafter have to date the commence-

meet of an arduous struggle for the rights and
bbertiss of private citizens. The Russian Plesipo-
tenti.ries preserved an ominous silence: they are
watching events. But the representatives of Austria
and Prussia gars vent to the selfish uttsrances of
despotism and ambition; while those of Bogland and
Sardinia, in firm though guarded language, asserted
the cause of liberal opinion ; and the French Mi-
nisters played the part of the bat in the fable of
the beasts and birds—es wen but natural in the
representatives of a despotism sprung from a recent
revolution.

We pass over the paltry consideration of Greece.
The essential topics of debate were Italy and Bel-
gium. With referenos to the threat of coercion held
out by Count WALEwsxx to the latter power, Lord
CLAIM DON very properly remarked: " The repre-
sentatives of a country in which a free press is, so to
say, we of the fundamental institutions, cannot asso-
ciate themselves to measures of coercion spinet the
press of another State." Count Boor., on the con-
trary, declared that the " repression " of the Belgian
press "must be considered as an European necessity."
Here then we have already avowed antagonism on a.
vital question of civil policy between the English
Government and people on the one hand, and the
Governments of Francs and Austria on the other.
With regard to Italy, Ragland and Sardinia 'are
entirely in sword; and Francs professes to ad-
here to them. Austria, on the contrary, avowedly
clings to her monstrous claims to keep down per-
intnently the spirit of liberty in Italy by her bey°.
nets. The Prussian Plenipotentiary embraced the
side of Austria in the conversation regarding Italy,
and sneakingly threw in a claim to have Neufchatel
spin subjected to the tender mercies of his royal mas-
ter. LordCLARINDON andCoontCAVOUlt took up their
ground on the Italian question with sound judgment,
and with equal fireless'. The former declared that
it would be advantageous to recommend to the For.
" the secularisation of the Government, and the orga-
nisation of an administrative system it harmony
with the spirit of the age ;" he declared that this
might be accomplished immediately in the Legatioos,
and urged in recommendation of such a step that it
would ermeb,e Austria to withdraw her troops from
those provisoes; he recommended that the Congress
should press upon the Ring of Nen.= " the ame-
lioration of his system of government, and require of
him an amnesty in favour of the persons who have
been oonderaned,or who are imprisoned without trial,
for political affiliate Count Cscoun wee equally
explicit. He demanded that "the opinion mani-
fested by certain Pommy in regard to the occupation
of the Roman States, should be recorded in the
Protocol;" he declared hie wish that the French
occupation of the Roman States should cease, as well
as the Austrian, but pointed out how infinitely lees
menacing the former was to the independence and
liberties of Italy than the latter; he expressed
his entire sequisimenoe in Lord CLaseNnox's
and Count Wautwast's views regarding Naples;
end he disdainfully exposed the pettifogging
plea of the Austrian Plenipotentiary in behalf
of the continuance of Austrian bayonets in
the Legation, by saying that Sardinia would wil-
lingly withdraw her fifty soldiers from Monaco if
the Prince would venture to return to his deserted
dominions.

It is impossible not to see is them discordant opi-
alone the germs of future °polka. We do not, indeed,
look for any immediate renewal of war, but from this
moment the straggle between despotism and liberty
in the press and in Parliament (wherever a free press
and a free Parliament exist) recommences with re-
mewed eagerness and inveteracy. The press is iden-
tified with the came of liberty, sad bids defiance to
the banded despots of Europe. In Belgian it may
for a time be silenced, but is England it is uesseall-
able. The French Government may &blare wet
against it, but the Preach people are for it.
As regards the English Plenipotentiaries, we un-
hesitatingly declare that they have well and men-
tally done their duty. We call upon Sweden sad Nor-
way, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, and Switzerland
to rally round the beano, that has been lilted ►y
England and Sardinia. We east our eyes woes the
wide Atlantic, sad invoke oar kinsmen there, disre-
garding the petty differences which have arisen be-
tween them and England, to secede to the Declara-
tion respecting Maritime Law, and thus entitle them-
selves to be reprsessted is some future °ogress in
which wider keen may be raised for the beseit
and liberalism of mankind.