New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-10-09
INTERNATIONAL peace AND LIBERTY
CONGRESS.


INTERNATIONAL peace AND LIBERTY"
CONGRESS-.
GATES AND THEIR OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
OF THE GATuERING-LETTER FROM Carl
BALRI
lFRoM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENCE
LAUSANNE, Switzerland, Sept 1.-THE great Inter
national Congress of Peace and Liberty" opened its
sessions on Monday by the reading of Victor Hugos
already famed letter Of acceptance to an invitation
to take the Presidency. Prominent above all the
many noble things that adOrn and dignity this Con-
ventiOn the form and prestige of this great lite
rarv genius whose opinions in his old age are the
evident result of long observation and profound re-
Election. Though virtually banished from his own
home by the most cruel monarchism of present civil
ization, and branded as a dissemination of obnoxious
ideas he has nevertheless impressed with the
ever-growng conviction that true humanity is never
weighed in the scale of qualities, but, the con-
trary in the scale of quantities, arbitrarily deter
mined at the unjust tribunal of prevailing customs.
Victor Hugo is beloved by all who love
humanity. This Congress must not be mis-
taken for the International Labor Congress just
terminated at Basic, whose American delegate was
Mr. Cameron of Chicago. 1t is mainly composed OF
delegates from the cultivated classes connected with
clubs and the legal fraternity-even the Corps
Legislatif of France is represented. Nearly the
whole European press has reporters here, and
though the Casino is spacious it is entirely lnsui-
cient for the thousands of intelligent curiosity
seekers. There is something lofty and grand con-
nected with this Congress when viewed IN perspect-
i've for here among the frs and pines, the capri
ciously wedging hills and their temptingly
fruited vineyards, with lovely view of the beaut-
fu1 1oI. IN 4ba M distance
the snowy Alps in the midstof these old tombS and
cathedras and the varied suggestions that crowd up
and are banshed for want of time for meditation. In
short here in Lausanne, where humanity in figure,
in intellectual concentration and exquisite refine
ment, where agricultural exactitude and gorgeous
nature CENTER the elite of wealth of learning, OF
the peoples choice even Of proud monarchies, have
assembled to solve the terrible question of the poor
mans wrongs Here are prudent Germans with
peaceful petitions; egotstical Franks to demand the
first and last word in defense of lineage Spoutlng
nobOdies to disgust good sense with their wordy
surfet; thoughtful Englishmen with but word and
a purposes renters both silly and sensible anxious
professors who dare not speak-and thus with these
elements Of extremes the battle of Liberty begins.
The Lausanne Congress is o sally Of the rad
ica republican spirit of Europe, especially of France
and Germany to popularize the American and Swiss
almost entirely from the great Labor movements of
Europe and America. Had not the vast and almost
silent economies of England and Germany been tell
Ing for the last % years. with the figures Of indus
trial association and the practical results of co.
operation, in the actual improvement of poor work
ing people, this Congress of radical advocates and
non-producers, whose bodness Is inspired by those
mighty but transformations elements of power and
security would not have dared TO assemble even in
a Republic. There is laudablc something III the CO.
operative effort that attracts the involuntary attcn-
ton and challenges the sympathy even OF
Kings. They have already scanned 1t; at
first they frowned upon and then learned
to smile at it. This means affirmation and the
world knows it. Princes and mobiles, philosophers
and students, see in this mOyement-many of them
with jOy-an irTepressible revolution, based upon
peace and independent self help; and these anti
practical gentlemen screened by the unbrage OF so
great an authority sally forth to suggest the future
career Of governments and to praise these great CO.
operative and protective organizations of the poor.
The Congress of Basic, it will be seen, was there
fore. the practical Congress- that of Lausanne the
theoretical But much good comes from these stormy
theories They offer to the world subject matter
for the years contemplation. They are pub
hshed more widely than the deliberations of
the Congress of Basic, and produce results
by agitating and awakening the intelligence OF So
ciety upon points of fact There is, however. one
remarkable popularity of this meeting which shows
how proclivites jump into the gaps OF opportunity
Last year the Congress Of Berne so ably conducted
by Carl YOgt, was largely attended by Germans and
Italians delegated from labor societies, and inter
prefers there to render into French the German
addresses This year the practical labor associations
were shy and the Lausanne Congress is composed OF
delegates from the advance guard OF legislatures and
representatives from many monarchical municpali-
ties of Europe The French language gns supreme.
German gentlemen know it. German working
men do not Again, poor workingmen,
enlightened by a decade of association
in France, saw the sham of their votiye
franchise, clearly enough to revolt, last election,
and the consequent Imperial concessions have EN-
boldened the so-called boureeOisie, who make their
monopoly of this Congress theater for display. The
consequence is that the deliberations are almost en-
tirely political NJ. Chaudey Partisan lawyer.
boldly says that he cannot occupy himself with the
wOrkingmens little affair. This citation Is but one
of many evidences that ACKNOWLEDGMENT is the
first condition in the category of incentives which
have prompted the legal fraternity TO honor this
Congress- and. with true attorneys tact, they sway
il as they please. In hot debate with of them
last night, he fairly acknowledged to me that his
whole hopes were founded upon the great pioneer
| movement of labor
The hard-handed half-paid producer after wait
ing and toiling through unchroniced ages until his
inventions and works have outstripped the ravager
enlightened little by this bufetng into economic
wisdom, builds up great associative finance OF his
own, into which the peculative non-producer Is moi
| invited. Associations, protective and pecuniary
threaten within century to absorb, by family neel
and bIothery sympathy, the entire useful class ant
| make them respectable Stern figures and consoli