The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-10-22


iiis Great speech mt the Recent Peace Coa-
gress-His Views institutions, Interests,
and Virtues.
The following is full report of the great
speech of Father Hyacinthe at the Peace
Congress, which was so severely condemned
10y the authorities Of the Church,
Gentlemen and Ladies;-I have but some
few words to add to the eloquent and learned
speeches which you have Just heard. After
such voices, mine has small authority in these
matters. All it is worth is in representing
more directly the Word in your midst The
International and Permanent Peace League
proposes TO act in every way on public
opinion; and this is why it makes appeal TO
every light suited to inform it, to all forces
capable of directing it. Among these lights
and these forces, it should place the Word in
the first rank-a light SO pure, force SO
strong, that it loses nothing by falling upon
the infrmity of our speech, or from the hu
mility of our persons. 1t is the Word, there
fore, which l bring for my part of the work
of peace. Not at all that Word which secta-
rians at all times have raved over, narrow as
their minds and hearts; but my good tidings.
mine, that which 1 have received from the
Church, and from Jesus Christ, the Evangel.
which dominates all and excludes nothing;
which repeats and accomplishes the word Of
the Master, 'He who is not against us is for
us: and which, in place of repulsing the
hand extended to it, goes itself in advance of
all ideas and all honest souls Let it, there
fore, be permitted to me- before showing in
religion and in virtue the best safeguard of
peace, to recognize the services which may
be rendered to it by institutions and interests
more earthly:
I.-INsTTrUTIoNs
have named, in the first place. institu-
hons. Perhaps ] am deceiving myself; but
when one asks himself with reflection what
might be the institution suited to assure the
peace of the world, one comes in collision
with ideas SO little practicable that they border
on the region of chimeras. | scarcely see an
efficient institution save that of a sovereign
and international court of Justice having for
Its mission to adjudge the dissensions which
arse between peoples and to prevent, by
authoritative sentence, from bloody collision
Perhaps the future will enjoy such an lnstitu-
ton; and L am of those who believe by SO
much the more in progress as having a faith
more complete in the Word, in redeem
established in the earth directed
particularly, without doubt. for saving
- Us. ~ Siso75y a necessary and glorious
consequence, for the saving Of nations and of
humanity. 1t is possible that, in the future
more or less remote our posterity may hail
that grand areopagus which shall realize in
this part of the continent something of that
Europe. But, in truth, this day is not that
of which speak, nor tomorrow; and by con-
sequence, such an institution can scarcely
figure among the efticacious barriers which
we wish to oppose to war. i prefer to record
two strong powers of the day diplomacy
relResenting governments: opinion, repre-
senting peoples. 1t is the affair of diplomacy
and the affair of opinion, lifting themselves,
both to the height of the mission to which
nil nf nO1 n he bumqn oth
appointed them, to oppose to invasions the
bar of insurmountable obstacles Let diplo-
macy abjure the Machiavellian spirit, reject
that false science of expedients, and that
bad word, the races; let it illuminate
itself 10y the great light of principles, let it
inspire itself by the flame of generous senti-
ments and very soon there will be consti-
tuted i'll all great European centres an Inter
national League, permanent and sovereign
Peace Congress. But why do L only speak of
Europe when hear said that from the depths
of Asia, across the crumbling pieces of the
Great Wall old China sends us a son of young
America, and recaims by her representative
the honor of being introduced into the COM
mlinion of civilized nations. This is the Sc
cret of that diplomacy which truly has the
secret of the future. However it is less to
diplomacy than to public opinion that we
must needs recur for our peace projects
Pascal has said opinion is queen of the
world, whilst force is but its tyrant 1t was
the aurora of public opinion which scarcely
had clamored in the days of Pascal and of
Louis " 1t has spread since; it touches its
margin, and everywhere to-day it tends
to put an end to- the caprices of per-
sonal governments. Personal governments
have been able to have their ex-
cuse for being, and their utility, in
other ages child must needs have a mas
ter, a preceptor, very personal; but, as st.
Paul said, in speaking OF regenerated
humanity, we are no longer children nor
slaves; we have the right to enter into pos
session of our heritage; and that is why this
is no longer the day of personal govern
ments 1t is the day of the government of
public opinion; of the government of coun-
try by itself, and because all countries call
mon one another to stretch out their hands.
This will be very soon the hour of the govern
ment of humanity by itself. Now, then,
ask the peoples to-day, are they for war OF fol
peace From the shores of America to those
of Europe. and to all the countries of the
world. one great cry arises and replies
Peace Humanity, ii is saida in the speeches
we have Just heard-humanity to-day, more
than ever, feels itself one III its aspirations
and motives in particular countries it sees.
however, above these countries. the uniyer
sal country-that city of God and OF
men. of which Cicero said, MltCerSlp
hic Aauitd2S gtJtd ciotdS c1arestHis De
O}ltln 0tqUe h0HttitBm. Clhis universal
world. one common city Of gods and men.
Humanity has the consciousness that ever,
war in its bosom is 4 civil war. Ii no longe
wishes to be a camp, but forum and mar
ket. with temple above, whittier il shal
mount TO adore its God. Gentlemen anC