Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1898-09-02
PEACE PROPOSED
The Greatest AutOcrat on Earth
Invites All Nations to a
Conference to Reduce
Huge Armaments.


ST. PETERSBURG. Aug. %. BY or
der of Emperor Nicholas, and Count Ma
ravieff the Foreign Minister on the
24th inst. handed to the foreign diplo-
mats at St.Petersburg note declaring
that the maintenance of peace and the
reduction of the excessive armaments
now crushing all nations is the ideal for
which all governments ought to strive.
The Car considers the present moment
favorable for the inauguration of n
movement looking to the end, and in
vites the powers to take paLt in I'm
International conference as a means of
thus assuring real and lasting peace and
terminating the progressive increase of
armaments
The Cars proposition is likely to pro-
duce u sensation throughout Europc
and, coming from such quarter and
with such evident sincerity Of pnrpose.
il is likely to have important effects.
There is no doubt that with RUSSIA TAX
ing the lead in such step Germany.
iia"CS anu tue plner nations VIII o.
ready to follow.
The text oi tho note follows:
MAINTAIN PEACE, REDUCE ARMA-
MENTS.
''The maintenance OF general peace and
the possible reduction OF the excessive
armaments which waigh upon all ma
tiOns present themselves in existing
conditions TO the whole world as an
ideal toward which the endeavors of all
governments should bc directed. The
humanitarian and magnanimous ideas
OF His Majesty the Emperor, my august
MASTER hBve bern won over TO this view
in the conviction that this lofty aim l.,
in conformity with the most essential
interests and legitimate views OF all the
powers, and the Imperial Government
thinks the present moment would be
very favorable to seeking the means
international discussion is the most
affectual mans of insuring all peoples
beneiit-a real, eurabl5 peace above all,
putting an eud 10 the progressive develop
ment of the present arman.euts.
"ln the course of the last twenty years
the longing for general appeasement has
grown especially pronounced in the con
sciences of civilized nations, and the
pres ovation OF pence has bsen put for
ward as an object OF internationl policy.
Ii is in it's name that great states have
concluded between themselves powerful
alliances
lt Is the better to guarantee peace that
they have developed in proportions hith-
arto unprecedented their military forces
and still continue to increase them with
out shrinking from any sacrifice.
END SOUGHT HASN'T BEEN REACHED.
Nevertheless, all these efforts have not
yet been able to bring about the benefcent
result desired-pacification
''The financial charges following the
upward march strike at the very root of
public prosperity. The Intellectual aid
physical strength of the nations labor
and capital are mostly diverted from their
natural application and are UNI roduc-
lively consumed. Hundreds of millions
are devoted to acquiring terrible engines
of destruction, which, though today re-
garded as the last word of science, are de-
stned tomorrow to lose all their value in
consequence of some fresh discovery i'm
the same field.
National culture, economic progress s
and the production of wealth are either
paralyZed or checked in development
Moreover, in proportion as the armaments
of each power increase they less and less
fulfill the objects the governments have
set before themselves.
"The economic crisis, due in great part
to the system of armaments Poutrance.
and the continual danger which lies in
this massing of war material are trans
forming the armed peace OF our days into
crushing burden which the people have
more and more difficulty in bearing.
''lt appears evident that if this state of
things were to be prolonged it would in.
evltaDly lead to the very cataclysm it is
desired to avert, and the horrors whereof
make every thinking being shudder in ad-
vance.
"ro put an end to these incessaut ar
maments and to seek the means of ward
ing OIL the calamitieS which are threaten
Ing the whole wOrld-such is the supreme
duty today imposed upon all states.
FILLED with this idea, His Majesty has
been pleased TO command me to propose
to all the governments whose representa-
tives are accredited to the imperial court
the assembling of conference which
shall occupy itself with this grave prob
lem
"rThis conference will be. by the help of
God, happy presage for the century
which is about TO open. 1t would CON
verge into one powerful focus the efforts
of all states sincerely seeking to make
the great conception of universal peace
triun pin over the elements of trouble and
disc"rd, and 1T would at the same time
cement their agreement by q corporate
consecration of the principles of equity
and right whereon rest the security of
states and the welfare of peoples
The Peace Commission.
The names OF the Commissioners Sc
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