The Express.
London, England, 1849-08-23 00:00:00

FRANCE.

PARIS, WIMININDAT, 6.30 P.M.
The proceedings of the Pesos Committee are of such
Importance as to exclude all other tolica in Paris this
afternoon.

CONGRESS OF UNIVERSAL PEACE.
The session of 1819 opened at Paris yesterday, in
the Sslle St. Cecile, Rue de la Chaussie d'Antin, a
large and handsome hall, ordinarily appropriated to
the principal concerts, and which, almost immediately
after the opening of the dazes. was filled in every
part by delegates and visitors from all parts of the
world. Cons;dembly upwards of a thousand per-
Imes were present, the Mies Ming accommodated
with seats in the side-galleries and on the raised
benches of the orchestra. Flags representirg the
various countries el Europe were grouped around the
plztform on which the leading members of the associa-
tion were see labia. At belt-past twelve the French
secretary, M. Joseph Gamier, announced that the
names of the members would be called over.

Mr. U. RICHARDS, Mich
of the Esglish secretarles4reed
the list et the principal Raglish members, the news of seve-
ral et whom, sack es WOO Of MOWS. Cobden Villiers,
Wadley, Barg de., e., were r. seised with leach aimless&
M. J. GdIRNIRR reed theNst
_of the Preach menhen :
M. l'Areherkour de Paris (lewd applause); Freseiequs
Bouvet, representant ; H. Calomel peter of the Protestant
Church; M. de Is Rochefoucault-Lianeoart, president of the
liacieti de la Morale Ckritienne ; M. Cannot, vier-presidest
of the *awe variety ; H. Michel Chevalier, Professor of Po-
litical Ewnomy at the College of France ; M. Commis,
("snit er 4. e tat ;it surd of La Madeleine ; H.
Joseph Gamier, eater tithe Journal des &ono-
Illattes ; Victor ego, leproisirat da penple ; HMO. Say,
re. tuber of the Chamber a Camera of Paris; and about

100 other
Mr. BLIHU BtIItRITT read the names of the American
delegates: Has. C. Derkie, member of the United States
Coo ens% Wingate ; It•v. A. Mahon, president of the
(Merin Institute, Obis ; Bev. Dr. Allen, Massachusetts;
Protessor A. Walker, viespresident of the American Peace
Society ; Res. J. F. Clarke ; Mr. H. Clapp, jun., editor of the
Lipari Pioneer ; Mr. Albert Brown ; Rev. J. W. Penning-
ton, New York; H.,. A. Cremona ; Mr. W. Brown, Ken-
tucky; It,. Ha/IW, South Carolina; Rev. Philip Betsy,
Maryland; Rev. W. Fothrimattam, Massachusetts; F.lihis
Benne, Hamilton Hill, &c., Ike.
N. GARNIER read the list of the committee Peed-
dent, M. V. Hugo„_;represantant people. Viee-Presi-
dente • fur France, M. i'Abbe Darien, and M. Coquerol ;
for England, N, on. Cobden and C. Handley ; for America,
Messn. Ruffin and Walker; for Belgium, N. Wischen, &c.
M. V. HUGO, who, amid the warmest applause, had been
inducted into the chair, then opened the proceedings in
Flinch, in a speech of which the following is a close trans-
lation :
Gentlemen,—Many of yen have come from the most
mote pane of tie globe, your hearts full of a religious and
holy thought. Yon number in your ranks public men, phi-
losophies, rakisten of religion, eminent writers, and many
of those public men who are the lights c f their nations. You
have wioied to date from Paris the declarations of this as-
sembly of convinced and serious minds, who desire not only
thaw, lfare of one people, !but the welter* of all.peoplea.
You bare ed,me to add to the principles which at the present
time i-lhunce statesmen, governor, and legislators, a supe-
rior principle. You have come to tars over, in some sort,
the lent and the most august leaf of the gosoel,—that which
twillpiaa peace on the children of God; and, in this city which
ha/hitherto o:ly decreed the fraternity of citizens, you have
come to proclaim the fraternity of men.
Gentlemen, we bid you a hearty welcome.
Gentlemen, is this religious thought of universal peace, of
all nations bound to one another by a common bond, of the
gospel ter uur supreme law, of art itration substituted for
war, is this religious thought a practical thought ? is this hely
idea capable of being civilised? Many polities minds, OM