The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-01-13

anybody who thought IL his duty to call in question
this policy and asked the people to be moderate.
At this very moment there was not the smallest
doubt that every Power in Europe, except England,
would wish now, after two years Of war, to restore
tranquility to Europe. 1t was q fact which he
stated ne was sure, from information that could not
be mist akeD that if there should now be a great
probability Of the war being carried for another
campaign or longer it was owing to the jealous and
almost violent advocacy Of further by the press
and by portion of the people. Every nation CON
cerned, but England would be in favor of making
peace; but somehow or other We were so very pug
nac0us. We were like q horse that " can't stand
corn'--we hal had too much corn for some years,
but there was little enough now--we had grown
fat-we had kicked--we had thrown all the lessons
OF prudence to the winds; and, while at this mo-
ment he supposed that in France there was hardly
to be found man who would lift up his hand in
favor of q continuance Of the war, yet in this
country he would not say the majority, but very
large number, no doubt would be very much dis
gusted i i should cease. He thought that one Of
the objects of a mechanics institution should
be, not only to teach men, women and children
all that which was very useful to them in their own
homes, however beautiful and excellent that might
be, but to enable all those who had stronger heads
and some leisure to go further into the examination
of questions which affected their interests. For all
the folies of statesmen came home to the hearns of
the laborlng classes; and every man. let him talk
as he would OF glory and reputation and empire, if
he distracted the money Of those classes and spent
it on objects which were not moral in themselves
and which were not essential to the safety of the
country, whatever he called himself it might be de-
pended upon that he was much greater enemy to
the comfort OF the laborng classes and to the pros
perty of their children, than the Russian, the
He (Mr. Brightly thought, therefore, that whenever
working men read in the newsroom or library of
their mechanics institutions, they should study, as
far az they were able those public questions, aud
especially such as referred to what might be called
national wealth. for the waste of national wealth
was the pauperzation OF nation. The des
cription OF literature which treated on those
subjects would be found very advantageous
to guide the people when amongst rocks and
shoals as at present. They must beware of thistha
newspapers us rule were not guides absolutely to
be followed; because the majority Of newspapers
were matters OF business and the editors and pro-
pretors of course wanted to offer to their readers
that which they thought their readers would like to
purchase But putting aside any snpposition that
editors and newspaper writers were any worse than
other people. it was quite clear that they had the
temptation alluded to; and, therefore, it far bet
ter Tor people to take the facts of newspaper and
from them for themselves or if they read the
reasoning OF an editor they should never for in
slant take it for gospel truth unless they had them
selves worked out the question and made it clear to
their own minds. He would mention one point as
an Illustration. There had been nothing more
mon these two years than for the newspapers t. speak
OF Russia as e barbarc empire"-as that colossal
barbarian Of the north-of " those savages coming
from the north to overrun Europe" and on. Would
he believed, that in the city of st. Petersburg-a
| city built in modern times--there was library,
public library, which had in it 10000 volumes
more more than han were in y, the British Museum
authority of work he read not long that this
library in st. Petersburg was the third largest in
Europe. Take the port of Odessa, which some
queer sort of Christians had been begging the gov
eminent to destroy-a city only founded sixty year
ago. IN lS4e that city sent to this country more
than five million bushels of wheat; but the country
lift produced all that could not be barbarous could
not he savage. 1t world be much better if nations
did not get to war with each other that at any rate
those who wrote and spoke upon the matter should
not exaggerate with malice the shortcomings of
their opponents, at least should not excite the
animosty of their fellow-ctizens by statements
which were absolutely devoid of truth That had been
the case to very great extent; but If The working
classes would make themselves acquainted with the
real facts connected with Russia, they would see,
probably, that the alarm about Russia was just as
well founded as those about France and the Pope.
Those who lived twenty years longer would proba-
bly, find the young fellows of that day pushing
them in the ribs and saying, "Why, you were ex.
cessively foolish twenty years ago. You went into
war quite as bad that French war; and YOU add.
ed two hundred millions to the national debt. We
shouldn't have done that" (Hear2 Let us, at any
rate, bring up children that they should read
and think; and that, ii they ever got into war
they should know its definite object, COST probable
result, and whether the things to be obtained would
at all pay for the charges Of blood and treasure that
wOuld have to be incurred. (Applause.) Many pre-
sent might say that he had no business to go into
this question at all (hear, hear); but if you had to
they thought they understood as well yourself, or
about things in which they felt no interest (Hear,
hear) He was politician, unfortunately, and was
obliged to pay attention to this subject as much as
the surgeon to anatomy or the physician to medi-
cine. and that which he had examined and thought
he understood, and in which his audience had
deep interest could hardly be a question that he
could be blamed for touching upon at some length.
(Appause.) If they did not consider the facts he
had stated as to America, it would be found in a
generation OF two that prolongation Of this kind
chy and chaos such he should not like his child
dren or grand children to be partakers Of. Gap
plause).
Military and Naval Strength Of Sweden.
From the Paris Constitu .ionnel, Dec. 1871
The military organization Of Sweden is rather
complicated, but is excellent, and admirably
organized for the special position Of the country.
There are three manners OF recruiting and main
tanning its army, which consist, first, Of troops
usually engaged for six years; these form the rsg
ments Of the guard and the kernel of the artillery
and engineering corps and the number is limited to
1882 men. Second, Of troops under arms Gndelta)
33,405 men, not reckoning their officers. This por
ton OF the army is exclusively formed Of military
coloniss stationed on the estates of the crown and
Of private individuals, according to system in
troduced by Charles X. in 1850, which obliges each
domain to feed, equip. and pay one or several in
fantry cavalry soldiers. The soldier of the indel
Ia soldier laborer, is compelled to serve long as
he Is physically fit so to do These troops perfectly
drilled, disciplined like veterans, and hardened by
the labor on roads and canals in the construction
Of which government at times employs them, form o
permanent army, always ready to march, although
they are concentrated only once or twice during
the year. Sweden can thus dispose of q stand
ing army, in time OF peace, of $4,000 men.
The Island of Cortland has, moreover, local mi
tial 1921 strong. The footing is established,
thirdly, by the CONSUMPTION, or call to arms, Of all
Swedes from 20 to rs years of age, who form spe
cies of Landwehr easily modified, whose effective
is 80, 1906 men. Thus the Swedish army alone num-
bers 144 00O that Of Norway consists Of Ia 1874 regu
lars and 9,l6O militia, or united war force Of
10000.
The Swedish navy is likewise maintained on a
most respectable footing, and comprises 10 vessels
of the line frigates, briggs aea scho0ners 6 cut
tiers, IL steamers 256 gunboats, &C., &C., with an
armament of 1,s4l heavy cannon and 456 CARO-
nades; 1896 sailors are enrolled. The liners have
il is true been lately cut down into frgates or trans