The North-Carolina standard., 1849-09-19
THE prACE CONGRESS.

TUE PEACE CONGRESS.
80 Conoress, of which our readers nave
The Co" Lo.rd was held at Paris on the 2Sd of
dOuO"''. !. number of Delegates from England,
last nd France were in attendance. lis object
AneriO"' 40 the disarmng of the nations, and uni
was TO P'ON.O The celebrated M. Victor Hugo was
versal Pe"'o ID smoke. Mr.. Golden, the world-re-
penlo1. -Isbman, was called out and addressed
nO"neu foIlows, in the French language:
the OOu' D-,.dent-I Join with all my heart in the
NJ e erressed by one of the speakers, that we could
WISH i eAP universal language. Nevertheless, am
have one MD that there might be dispute even among
little of peace as to which of the thousand dia
the the world ought to prevail, and that oceans
at least would be shed before 1t was decided
0 I "bter and cheers In the meantime let every
.n"ufy enjoy in peace its own dictionary and gram,
cUu and it is on this principle recollecting that
DC IN the metropolis of France, that prefer to throw
an anolf npon the well-known politeness of French
pl; pllS;ence while address to them few words in
ten French rather than be guilty of an act of for
;o intervention loud cheers even in the matter
ssSIanguage. So much has been said, and so well
;d by the eloquent speakers who have preceded me,
Iat do not feel it necessary to add word to the
,eral argument; but l should wish to draw your
sstsntion for moment to the manner in which the
covernments of your country and mine have aug
,ened their standing armaments in mutual rivalry
d defiance of each other. speak only of our ma
s and coast defences, for do not pretend to en-
,sr into competition with you in respect to your
army, Do not be alarmed, Mr.. President; am not
gdng to infringe upon the wise regulations of the
SonGress which forbid aludng the politics of
the day. Unfortunately, my grievance extends back
for many years, and duplicates many ministers in
both countries; although your present Government
must certainly be exempted from all responsibility In
the matter.
Now, during the last thirteen years you and we
have been constantly increasing our naVies, adding
to coast defences, enlarging our arsenals build
ing new basins for steam vessels, and constructing
fresh harboTs for refuge. No sooner Is the keel of
another line of battle-ship laid down in your dock
ya7ds than forthwith fresh hammers begin resound
at Portsmouth. Laughter and cheers. new forge
has hardly begun to work at CherbouFg, when inn
medatey the sparks are seen fly from fresh anvils
at Plymouth, and rice Uers1. The conseq uence has
been that the cost of naVies has been increased M
per cent in time of peace. My first objection to this
sits supreme folly loud applause, for as both coun-
tries increase their naval strength in equal proportion,
neither party has gained anything by the change,
The only result being pure waste to The amount the
augmentation. Cheers.] My next objection Is to
the extreme hypocrisy [aughter of this system; for
st the very time that all this increase of armament
has been going on, respective Governments have
been exchanging assurances of mutual feelings of
friendship loud laughter and cheeringl and good
will. If these professions were made in sincerity
and truth, where was the necessity of more shiPs-of
war and more coast defences An individual does
not cover himself with in the presence of his
friends unless indeed he happen to be mad. But my
greatest objection to these ornaments Is, that
they tend TO excite dangerous animosities between
the two na,ions and perpetuate fear, hatred, and
neutrality-suspicious. which find their qualification in
sinctively in war.
AMI here is the great reason why this Congress
desires in the terms of the motion before it, to bring
tie nations into system of disarmament. Now, how
shall all this be accomplished Why, by teaching
our respective Governments this little arithmetical
problem, of which. IN times past they seem to have
been entirely ignorant-nameiy, that If two nations
are both armed in time of peace, up to a certain
point say 6, they not relatively stronger than 1t
their ornaments stood both at 3, and that they would
be equally strong relatively if they disarmed alto
gether. Loud cheers. But you, the taxpayers Of
France will see that there is immense difference
tOyOur pockets. lLaughter.1 Do not, however, let
Us deceive ourselves with the idea that we shall
easily succeed In teaching this little arTtnmetca pro-
bIem to our Governments. / speak from long exPe-
rience when ] say that men are so dIthcult to
teach as professional statesmen. Laughter and loud
eheers1 They devoted TO routine, so fortified
in sesuciency. that they do not easily believe that
any wisdom exists in the word excepting that which
Ediates from their bureaux. Laughter and cheers.J
Do you suppose then, that they will listen readily to
the advice of this Congress2
On the contrary, they are at this moment laughing
at US Utopists, theorists and dreamers. Laughter.
And yet think the result of their system, In hnan-
ca point of view, ought TO make them more modest.
[Cheers.1 l ask the Governments of Europe, Can
you continue your present financial system for ten
years longerl With scarcely one exception they
must answer, MOP Is it, then, Utopian on the part
of the Congress to arouse their attention to the sub
jec to point to the great gulf which yawns before
henl to show that the danger of financial ruin which
they lose sight of is far imminent than the risk
Of foreign attack, which they constantly dread and
so diligently provide against. [APplause.] Even
this the lowest point of view, question mere
of finance, you stand justified before the world for
holding this Congress of nations. Its time that the
People interfered and the Governments OF the world
to tender YOU their thanks for having, by this
Maternal shaking of hands the Atlantic and the
Channel [loud cheers, Facilitated that process OF
iisarmament which is 5caled for alike upon every
principle of humanity and sound policy. Loud and
repeated cheering
Cosv8NrfoS-rHE Day. On consultation with