The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-07-21

A"U0HnosAOueA OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES rEhmcA~
PIE Approved I'm High Piaces-The
Duty OF the United states and OF
Great Britain.
From certain recent events and from some
OF the general aspects Of the times it seems not
unreasonable to come to the conclusion that
the peace movement, such as it was known
some twenty odd years ago, whom such men
as Elihu Burritt and John Bright and Richard
Golden were in the fulness of their strength,
is likely to be revived 1t was scarcely from
an English House of Commons such O. that
House il now constituted, that the initiative
in matter of this kind was to be looked for.
Such, however, is the fact. A few weeks ago,
after debate which brought out the strength
of the House, and in which Mr.. Gladstone
himself took part, it was agreed to present an
address to Her Majesty, praying her to in
struct her principal Secretary to enter into
communication with foreign Powers with
view to further improve international law and
to establish general and perma-
nent system of arbitration. 1t is not
to be imagined that the Queen would come
to any decision, in q matter of this kind, with
out first consulting Her Ministers. 1t is quite
fair, therefore, to infer that the answer to the
Commons address reflects at once the senti-
ments of Mr.. Gladstone and his associates in
Office as well as the good sense and kindly
instincts which have all along been charac-
teristic of the present occupant of the British
throne. In her reply, which was read to the
House only few nights ago, the Queen is,
properly enough, cautious; but what she says
is kindly and full Of encouragement She
does not pledge herself to any definite action,
but she expresses herself as having always
been in favor Of the principle of arbitration
She has always as she says, encouraged this
mode of settling international difficulties in
the past when she has found it possible; and
O. she has done in the past, 80 will she do in
the future, whenever arbitration is likely to be
attended with advantage. All this, from the
British House of Commons on the one hand
and from the crowned head of the British
Empire on the other, must be regarded as
constituting significant sign of the times.
When such voice comes from England
Power.which, more than any other on the face
of the earth, has built itself up by conquest
it is not unreasonable to conclude that there
must be some special reason for the advance
ment of such views. There are those who
will be pleased to call those reasons selfish.
England, we shall be told, is played out
Her role as great war Power, it will be said,
is ended. and having glutted herself with con-
C,.l b. ~.
integrity of her vast dominions, she raises
the cry of peace because war would be
to her loss. We are not prepared to say
that this view of the case is wholly without
foundation. Within the last quarter of GEN.
fury the world has greatly changed, and it is
although still increasing in wealth and in in
huence, is not relatively to other Powers, so
overwhelmingly great as she once was. Still,
as this action in favor of international arbitra-
ton comes not from the government directly,
but from class of men who have always been
opposed to war and who now find themselves
strong enough to make o fresh effort,
we are willing to seek and to
find the motive causes of this new
anti-war movement elsewhere than in the
selfshness either of the British government
or the British people. And these causes, if
we honestly look for them, it will not be diff
cult to find Since the outbreak of the Cri-
mean war the apostles of peace have found but
little encouragement and, if possible, even
less sympathy in the advocacy of their favor
tie theories. War has succeeded war with
alarming rapidity and on a scale Of magnitude
never before known Happily, the results
have been beneficial, and SO far as man can
see, favorable to the continuance of peace.
Through blood and strife and sacrifice Italy
has marched to unity, and, however her gov
eminent may change it is but little likely that
either by foes within or foes without the ma
In the Italian peninsula, whatever we may
think Of the means by which it has been
accomplished, o great work has been done,
and the work promises to remain. By SINH
lar process Germany has bounded from weak
ness into strength, and the old patchwork of
invincible Empire. What was done by the Ger
man army under the craftsmanship of Bismarck
and the military genius of Won Moltke has
proved as satisfactory to the world as it has
been a gain to Fatherland. The unifcation
of Italy, the triumph of Germany, the humili-
alton of France-all these have been favorable
to the cause and interests of peace. In the
New World the tide has been moving in q
similarly satisfactory direction. We too have
had our pilgrimage Of sorrow; but the dark
days are ended, and the result has been gain.
With the downfall of slavery passed away all
immediate causes of war on the northern part
of this Continent vexed questions have thus
been settled, causes Of international irritation
have been removed, and the general situation