The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-16
The Peace Conferences.

The Peace Conferences.
The Conference now sitting at Paris is the
third assembly of the kind the French capital
has seen within the last forty-two years Ia
May. 1914, there was meeting of allied di-
plomatists and generals at Paris, and with the
aid of the wretched Duke of Artois peace was
proclaimed-subject, as now, to the ultimate
settlement Of q European Congress Eighteen
months afterwards there was second conven-
ton, or conference, at Paris, at which all the
belligerent States of Europe were represented;
peace was again made, and the suggestions Of
the Vienna Congress, held during the previous
winter, were adopted as the basis Of pac6ca-
ton. But these conferences were held under
very different circumstances from the present
In May, 1914, as in the autumn of 1915, the
great heart of France seemed broken--her
strength exhausted--her armies destroyed
her funds spent-her chief in fight. She was
England for peace. They granted it on terms
so shameful that to this day no Frenchman can
allude to them without blush.
By the treaty concluded at the conference, of
1914, France gave half her feet, an eighth of
her territory, fifty-three fortresses, and agreed
to pay over an immense sum OF money besides
receiving back the Bourbon to rule over her.
By the treaty Of the 10th of November, 1915,
these terms were again forced upon France.
The sum exacted was swelled altogether to
some three hundred aud ten millions of dol
lars; in addition to which France was forced
to maintain foreign ermy on her soil for not
more than five nor lees than three years.
1t is under very different circu instances that
France enters into the Conference Of 1856; aud
though there will be no supplisnt at the Con-
ference now sitting, it will be hard one would
think, for Frenchman to take his seat at that
board without giving way, in some measure, to
the emotion which a contrast between the past
and the present can hardly fail to awaken.
Amid all the shame which consciousness Of
imperial despotism may be supposed to inspire,
he can hardly help remembering that never
under the greatest of her kings, or the paimiest
days Of her history-has France met her com
peer nations on SO exalted and solid ground a.
she occupies to-day.
While diplomatists are INDUCING in these
reflections, however, the people of France can
hardly hear the words European Congress
named without some very strange reminiscent
ces, on their side, too. 1t appears to have
long been dogma Of the international etiquette
not to say International law of Europe, that
treaty of peace is the proper way Of bringing
hostilities to an end but that the solid re-es-
tablishment Of peace can only be effected by
subsequent assembly, which is usually call
ed European Congress. This was probably
suggested by some apprehension lest the ORR
ginal peacemakers should either be too hot
or too cold-too OVERLOOKING with new born
friendship, or too fresh from bitter hatreds-
TO take sound counsel for the future. At all
events, it has generally been usual that
treaty Of peace should be followed by Con
gress of Sovereigns; aud when this was suy-
gested sometime since, in the famous 10
nymous pamphlet published in Paris, the idea
met with equal favor at the Courts Of st.
Petersburg, Paris, Berlin and Vienna. 1t
is in tact generally understood that it has
baen adopted; that the Conference at Paris,
having agreed upon general project OF paci-
fcalion, will leave the settlement Of detail TO
There are two ways Of looking at this scheme
of Congress. In the first place, Congress
assumes to settle the condition of Europe aad
the nations represented thereat. BY what
right? 1t disposes Of the future prosperity
and interests Of millions Of people who are
wholly unconsulted and uncons,iou. Of
the disposition that is made of them
Pass over the obvious truth that the
Gar ID not the chosen lord of the Russian
people-that the British aristocracy, Lords
Clarendon, Palmerston, &C., are not the real
choice of The people of England, but only the
best Of the few persons out of whom the Eag-
lish have a right to choose that the same
thing may be said Of the Ministers Of Austria
and France; pass over al this, it still remains
quite plain that the English people have given
no color OF coneent 20 the dominion of the En-.
peror Of Austria over them, that the French
have never submitted to be ruled by the Car
that the Russians have never yielded one.
dience or promised it TO Napoleon. Yet this
will be the effect Of the Congress Of Nations
The people of the various countries represent
ed will simply find their affairs controlled
by batch of sovereigns, instead of one.
The territorial questions under discus.
sion at present, involve no difficulty !
Turkey cannot but be recog- |
Missed member of the European family |
Of motions; against her. Russia will insist on |