The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-01-27

The more we see OF the London Conference
the more we feel the early conviction we
expressed that it will turn out rosy fiction.
In these days, when diplomacy is played out
and treaties have become 50 mgch waste
paper, i y difficult to believe that few gentle
mas Of the old school who are the postha'G Gus
representatives Of the international conven-
tionalities Of bygone years can settle anything
by sitting round green table in Downing
street. It's a gathering which must certainly
claim the attention Of fashionable society,
even II 1t should fail to achieve anything else.
II will be an exquisitely graceful reunion, over
which Granville will preside with the courtly
ease Of Chesterfield, and to which the octo-
genarian Brunnow will lend the polished charm
of the defunct diplomacy of the olden time.
The German Russian Baron Brunnow--for he
is more German than Russian, even in pres
ence and idea-has vivid remembrance of the
his own experience instruct the comparatively
youthful Granville how treaties are made but
for the moment, to be broken at the beck of
self-interest and strength. Turkey sends
live Turk (Mustapha) to the Conference; but
the fact that Mussurus, the regular envoy, is
Greek, and not Moslem, calls up appalling
visions in the Mussulman mind; while the
fact that Brunnow is not bona tide Russian,
but Saxon by birth, like Beust, is not little
calculated to cast over the Muscovite soul
sinister forebodings Of the formidable influence
Of Teutonic nationality. Count Bernstorff,
the German Plenipotentiary, is, at all events,
a German to the core, and consequently not
only the formal representative of an emperor,
but in every sense the spokesman of nation.
He represents on this occasion Germany more
comprehensively than Granville represents
England, considering that the German
masses endorse more unanimously the ma
tional aspirations Of their ruling classes than
the English people identify themselves with
the foreign policy OF their social and political
oligarchy. Bernstorff has this great advantage
over Granville, that while he feels omnipotent
in the authority and confidence of the German
Emperor and people the English Minister
only u political opposition and popular agita-
ton, but considerable differences in the Cabi-
net itself; while America, though absent,
will haunt him like Banquo's ghost, and
strengthen the Russian German influence by
distant view of the Alabama claims. Thus
much Of the principal dranaotis persona. If
they present a picturesque appearance In their
artistic blending Of the elements of court life
elegance and of medieval traditions the work
they are called upon to do flashes on the world
with all the dark splendor of camera
obscure.
Russia says, though in gentle and moderate
Tone that she has made up her mind to vindi-
cate her right to an uncontrolled freedom Of
the Black Sea. If the Conference SO far modi-
fes the Treaty of Paris as to accept this
demand, all well but If not, she insists upon
making good her rights in other ways. If the
Conference does not submit to what Russia
regards as an accomplished fact the Confer
ence will only become what such conferences
generally have been--a preliminary to war.
Preceding our own civil war there was also a
peace Conferences conference being in reality
the last tribute which lingering sense of
humanity pays to expiring peace. AS an
evidence of the public consciousness of the
barbarism Of war conference is good
thing from an ethical point of view, but that
Is all.
Nor do the plenipotentiaries indulge ia any
Illusions about their meeting. Turkey seems
to understand that the fall of France has
placed England and Austria hors de combat,
and the only way to obtain further lease of
life is to hold on to Bernstorff and Brunnow.
Granville's position is the most difficult and
delicate of all. He belongs to the great
whig families and is wing pure and simple,
and though the traditions of that party during
their long period Of opposition were anti-war,
and Lord Grey came into power on the cry of
s'peace, retrenchment and reform, the shields
have been since reversed; and while the tory
party, under Sir Robert Peel, with Lord Aber-
deem in the Foreign Office, have been the
strongest friends Of peace, the wings, under
Lord Russell, with Palmerston in the Foreign
Office, have been the strongest in maintaining
the traditional policy of the aristocracy of
England by carrying things with a high hand
and dazzling the Imagination of the people
with the prestige Of Great Britains power
But the inheritors of Sir Robert Peels policy
and the representatives Of the radical party
another word for the peace party-in the
Gladstone Cabinet far outnumber the others,
and we should be surprised if Lord Granville
would receive for any bold policy the sustain
ment of more than two of his colleagues, Lord
Harrington and Lord Halifax, neither Of whom
is man of weight. But while Lord Granville
is wing, he has not any of that disposition,
so constantly exhibited by Lord Russell, to
upset the ministerial coach. He is concilia-
tory not only in manner, but III character Of