Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1855-12-14

PROBABILITIES OF PEACE IN EUROPE" Obser-
ver." the intelligent European correspondent OF the
Philadelphia Ledger, writing of the Eastern war from
Lyons under date of the 18th ult says the chances
OF peace have wonderfully increased, and continue
to do since the winter has set in, and rendered
further operations il the Crmea and the Baltic i'm
possible. We quote from his letter.
Before left Germany was quite satisfied that the
governments there wanted peace and it for this
reason that Austria gaining influence and power
with the Germanic Confederation. The German
States feel that united they might command peace,
while, separated and stripped of all political power
thefurthe prosecution of the war might even threaten
their independence. Without the central States of
Europe taking part in the war it might continue I'D
infnatum, and with those States involved in war a
general revolution in Europe is more than probable
1t is for these reasons Austria, Bavaria and Sax
ony have used their influence in calming the war
like propensties of the Western powers while Prus
STA has been at work with the family of the Emperor
OF Russia to induce the government of St Petersburg
to relent from its original proposition in regard to
Turkey. In this manner peace party has been form
eG in ST. Petersburg, at the head of which is small
Ter person than the Emperor and his Prime Minister
Count Nesselrode while there is already powerful
peace party in Manchester and Liverpool, and al the
Court of St. James itself. In Paris, in fine, | knoac
that opinions favourable to peace entertained in
the highest quarters including the Tuileries and the
Paais Napoleon itself. The whole of Europe, the
whole civilized world wants peace, and so it may be
that, while the armies in the Crimea are mbedded in
snow: diplomacy will improve the full by trying to
arrange matters amicably that is, accordance with
human reason.
The peace party in Paris is very strong, not indeed
among the troops, but among all other classes of
ciety 1t is the immense drain of specie, caused by
the war in the East which is causing anxiety 10 the
Emperor Napol IN, and which has rendered the re-
turn of peace desderatum TO the government
On the other hand it cannot be doubted that Rus
STA feels the burtLen of severely the Western
powers. Her external commerce is entirely annihi-
lated, her fields deserted of the agricultural aborer,
who has turned soldier her produce consumed un-
productivity by an idle and voracious soldiery and
and the flower of her young mutated or con-
signed to the grave. Russia has probably lost
men by fatigue and inadequate food than by the fire
of the allied armies for without some such drain
her troops, the employment of Druschines, armed
peasents against the veteran troops of England and
France would scarcely be expcable. The loss of so
many serfs, too presses heavily the mobiles, who
thereby lose their best hands for cultivatng their
taes; while the quarterng of troops, the furnishing
f horses and wagons for their transportation, and
all the other numerous charges which the war entails
on the nobility of Russia, has in small degree
1ampened the warlke spirit which at the outset came
in aid of superstition and fanaticism.
The TEMPERANCE QUEsTIoN.-The October num-
Der of the Westminster Review contains an article
OF singular ability, starting with the proposition that
drunkenness cannot be cured by legislation. 1t is
effort in England to obtain the enactment Of Maine
law by Parliament. 1t traverses the whole field of
discussion of the questions of prohibition and regula
ton OF the liquor traffic. An extract two will
serve TO show the strength of the article:
1.-The world would be a very different world if
great evils easily cured, and if ten lines in
statute book could crush vice and make virtue tr-
umphant. Experience tells different tale. 1t tells
US that law is in itself poweess, and that it is on
~ strong when il s the outward and formal EXPRESS.
nF kok,
as the Maine Liquor law, obeyed, which it
might be tor a time among an orderly and law loving
people, there would be no escaping in one shape or
the other, the penalty of gross infringement of
the true principles of State government It would
be evil worse than that of drunk enness if ma
ton learnt to lean the rotten zeal Of external en-
actmens, and thus sapped the Very foundations Of
right and destroyed The springs of all moral action"
Again, in regard to personal rights-he denial to
men OF ther freedom of choice who live under the
rule of laws which recognize the great fact of per-
sonal liberty-the writer remarks:
8 To deny the use of intoxicating liquors aogeth
er, TO withhold by law the of ndulgin be.
cause indulgence is often carried to vicious excess
49, IN }act an attempt, in very signal instance and
on very wide scale, to increase the sphere of State
government and 10 deaden the sense of Individual
responsibility. 1t would be impossible to furnish
more conspicuous exampl of that mode of viewing
man and morals which makes wrong and right the
subject of State policy and not of individual con-
victon.
"a subtle poison taints the moral atmosphere in
which such law is upheld. The mind of man be
comes narrow and crippled when he is no longer his
own master; his actions meaningless when strip
ped OF the beauty OF choice his sympathy for 9th
ers grows dead when he has longer 10 assist them
In encounterng moral trials and to gain and give the
strength of mutual counsel Prohibition advocates
are fond of prophesying that as men cease to drink
they will 60 TO church.
"What will they find when they get there? Is
the faith of the churches of chrstendom so warm,
their words so full of meaning, their appeal to the
conscience so direct that they afford to be guided
by law which, as far one law can, deadens re.
responsibility and obliterates the distinction between
good and evil The text will be the keenest satire
on the sermon The text will say, " Use YOUR free.
dom as those who stand fall to their Master the
preacher will say, My Christian bretheren abstain
altogether. for there is penalty of five dollars for
the hrst offence and ten for the second.''
Later from Texas.
New ORLEANS, Dec. 6.-The steam ship Perse-
verance has arrived from Galveston with advices to
the LIST inst bill before the Legislature of Texas
pro poses loan of $500 for each mile of Rail Road
built in the State, payable when fifty miles shall be
completed, the State retaining mortgage on the
road 1t is believed the bill will pass Several pa
pers IN the State are urging Senator Houston to re.
sign, IN consequence of his AntiSouthern sentiments
The weather was favorable for securing the Cotton
and Sugar crops.
Later Havana.
NEW ORLEANS, Dec. 5.-The steam shin Cahawba
has arrived at this port from Havana with adyices To
the End inst. Good Sugar had advanced, but the
market was excited and unsettled Molasses was
better
Their National Men.
There has been much parade about national men
IN the opposition ranks of the North If there were
any such curosties the present contest in the House
would have disclosed them tot he couptrr