The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-02-05

lDAY, FEBRUARY D B6S
Tns Peace cOnssrsnes ON shs Janes-
Histosicsl Parallels.
On the TIL Of July, 1901, Napoleon the First
and Alexander Of Russia had . significant and
remarkable interview, on ran ON ths river
Niemen, 70 open negotiations for peace after .
devastating war which for years had smbroiled
France, Russia and Prussia. Tho negotiations
were suocessful. and terminated in The oele-
brated treaty Of Tilsit, which restored tran
quillity In tho great Central Powers Of Europe.
At that day steam navigation being unknown
there were no despatch boats upon which these
great potentatos could come together to discuss
the Vital questions Of peace and war; thsrs.
fore this rude ran, anchored p midstfsam,
was chosen a. tho neutfal ground between
the eontending nations. On Friday, half .
century and eight years later, the President
Of the United States Of America and Tie Vice
President Of the rebellious States met in mid
stream on the James river, zach On board Of
steam despatch boat, one coming from the
North, the ether from the South. Their mis-
sion, like that Of Napoleon and Alexander, was
Of peace. It was TO settle, n possible, by ne
gotiadon the difficulties which for four years
have plunged thin great nation into the agonies
Of internecins war. Peacefully and fraternally
these little steamers lay side by side on the placid
waters Of the river, their living freight preg-
nant, no doubt, with hope and anxiety a. to the
issue involved In the subject which brought
them together; Mr.. Lincoln and Mr. Seward,
the chief ruler Of this republic and the Premier
of his Cabinet-who occupies the second place
in importance to tho Executive--on the one
deck, and the second executive official of the
rebel States, Mr.. Alexander B. Stephens, on the
other.
The historical parallel Is SO far nearly per-
feet; but history will assist us in drawing 1t
still closer. The record Of all great wars shows
that II was consciousness OF power
on both sides, the certain conviction that
each was strong enough to defeat the other,
which precipitated hostilities. In advance Of
every great war also tho bloody issue was en-
deavored to be STAYED OF by conventions, con-
ferences, the Intervention Of neutral powers,
attempted compromises, and all the peaceful
appliances which might bring them about, and
in every instance these efforts ended in great
war, which lasted until it demonstrated the
weakness of one or the other contestant, and
peace Was secured, after much bloodshed, by
compromise at last-a compromise arising from
the conviction on the part of the weaker power,
after exhausting all its available military re-
@ho%; - 70
sistance any farther. We need not go back to
distant history for evidence of these facts.
Within the existence of the present generation,
in fact within the past seventeen years, we have
several instances which prove this allegation.
Russia, the greatest and proudest nation of
Eastern Europe, undertook, in 1854, to settle the
affairs Of the sick man Of Turkey. She was
confident of her power to accomplish her pur-
pose, and all efforts at compromise were re-
jected upon the very consciousness Of this
power; but when tho combined hostility Of
France, England and Sardinia was thrown
into the scale, Russia was admonished by the
fall of Sebastopol that she had miscalculated
her strength, and the end was peace involving
the loss of her Danubian principalities and her
military supremacy In tho Crimea and ON the
Black Sea-, submitted to at the treaty Of Paris
thus sacrificing much Of the acquisitions which
the Emperor Nicholas and his predecessor had
attained.
In the Italian war of 1858 Austria, the pre-
dominant state of the German Confederation,
rushed into war with Victor Emanuel, conf
dent of her capacity to conquer weaker
power and refusing q settlement Of the difficult
ties by negotiation; but, finding that the alliance
Of France and Italy overmatched her strength,
she was glad to accept the treaty Of villafranca,
after the two disastrous battles of Magenta and
Solferino, resgning, by the terms Of that treaty,
all her Italian possessions, save only Venetia.
More recently we see the old Castilian pride Of
Spain humbled in St. Domingo. Taking sdvan-
tage of our rebellion, she undertook to reinstate
her dominion over that island. But now, find
ing that she made mistake in supposing that
her grand historic prestige a. the most ancient
and once most potent nation Of Western Eu-
rope was lost in o contest with mere insu-
lated Power in the Western Atlantic, Spain has
put her hereditary pride into her pocket, aban-
doned her claim and withdrawn her forces. We
might cite the case of our own war with
Mexico, In ls4s, as another illustration. II
Is true ii was a strife between q strong
and weak Power, and the war was only
of two years duration; but Mexico was con-
ident of her strength to resist our demands.
There Il curious fact in connection with the
mannerin which the treaty Of peace with Mexico
was brought about A negotiator-Mr. N. p.
Trist-was sent there, after we had possessed