New-York tribune., 1874-09-08
TIE LABORS OF THE BRUSSELS con-
HRESg

In the abstract an International Code for
ameliorating the horrors of war is a most de-
sirable thing. 1t was the professed object of
the Brussels Congress to make one. Yet the
Congress has come to an end without having
fulfilled the wishes of its promoters. AT its
opening it was represented that the Emperor
of Russia sought to bring about definition
of what were the necessities and requirements
of war on the one side, and what, on the
other, the interests Of humanity forbid in the
present state of civilization. A great step, he
believed, would thus be taken to diminish
the calamities of war. There is scarcely
any doubt that, if this idea originated with
the Emperor himself he was chiefly moved
by highly creditable desire to avoid I'M
necessary cruelty Baron Jomini, the Russian
delegate, remarked that it was desirable "to
regulate the inspirations of patriotism !;
otherwise, in opposing disorderly enthusiasm
"to powerfully organized armies, national de-
fense would be imperiled and become more
terrible to the invaded nation than to the
invader" This he said, was the Emperor's
principle of action, and the idea of con-
gress was suggested to that monarch by what
had happened in the War of Secession in the
United States.
From the beginning, however, it appeared
that the Congress would labor under dsad-
vantage from having been called together by
the Russian Government, which never mani
tested any appreciable purpose of rectifying the
Laws of Nations on humanitarian principles, and
which was strongly suspected of being engaged
in intrgues for national aggrandizement. If
the British Government was probably over
anxious to discover, in the invitation, mys-
terious scheme for promoting the ambitious
projects of Russia, the attitude of reserve
which it maintained was one of the most
efficient means for rendering the undertaking
fruitless. Prudence, therefore, would have
dictated precautions for anticipating the OBJ
jections which were likely to arise in that
quarter The Russian Government committed
the error of providing the Congress with
carefully devised scheme which tended to
strengthen the fears of interested motives.
The draft of q code which was prepared at
st. Petersburg and laid before the Congress
as a central topic of discussion, beside en-
bodying the faults due to a limited knowledge
of International Law, had this also against it
that it originated with the military authorities
alone. lneTe Is III
the idea that the absolutist military officials of
Russia should prepare system of laws appli-
cable to other powers which are devoted to
the advancement of commercial or industrial
pursuits, under constitutional Government
and with the blessings of peace. To such
States as these the efforts of q military power
like Russia rigidly to confne hostlities to the
organized and disciplined armies of countries,
leaving the majority of the inhabitants as
neutral observers, must appear strangely inap-
plicable. The disposition with three or
four of the great powers of Europe to
impoverish their people by maintaining large
standing armies is one which, for the good of
humanity, we would gladly regard as abnor-
NAL. 1t would indeed be a grave misfortune
if it were made in any way settled principle
of law that national existence can only be pre-
served by vast and continued preparations for
n gigantic war. This, however, is the firm
conviction of those who devised this draft of
an International Code However great may
have been the necessity, during our War of
Secession for preventing those individual acts
of hostility in the South which justly excited
the disapprobation of the Emperor of Russia,
we in this country are certainly not inclined
to purchase q comparatively trifing advantage