Year: 1878

eh Nuaalun NacrluCeHs


The Berlin correspondent of the Lon
don Times gives the following account
OF an interesting scene that occurred at
one OF the sittings Of the Peace Congress:


Prince Gortschakoff, detained in his
bed by gout, has not been able TO attend
the last sittings. At yesterdays meeting
he came in his carriage, which stopped
at the entrance, whence the prince was
carried to the door Of the council-room,
when every one hastened round him to
congratulate him on the restoration OF
his health. Soon afterward Prince Bis
mnrck declared the sitting opened.
Prince Gortschakoff then begged per-
mission to speak, and though the presi-
dent exhorted him to be seated, he rose
with apparent effort, and, amid profound
and respectful silence, said:


"Mr. President, your Excellencies:
After having been kept away for several
days from your deliberations, 1 do not
like to reappear among you without
making the following remarks, which
are prompted by the love of truth and of
my country. During your late delibera-
tions my colleagues (the prince here
bowed toward M. d'Oubril and Count
Schouvalof) have granted you, in the
name of Russia, concessions far sur
passing those she thought of making"


On hearing this all the members of
the Congress evinced signs Of apprehen-
sion. The aged prince spoke with effort
in trembling voice, holding firmly to
the table, and looking before him with
resolute expression, and his auditors be-
gan to wonder whether his words were
not the prelude to declaration with
drawing the concessions Russia had
made, and whether it was not to make
this declaration that the prince had
braved the extreme fatigue imposed on
him by his presence i'll the Congress.
Happily, however, the plenipotentiaries
were soon reassured by the Prince con-
tinuing:


"But am too we'll aware of the feel
ings which influenced my colleagues to
raise any objection to the concessions
they deemed it their duty to make. 1
merely wish to state to you what is very
we'll known, that Russia has made these
sacrifices from her desire of peace, and
that she spoke truth when declaring,
before as we'll as at the end of the war,
that she merely stood up on behalf of
the Christians of the East, that she had
no narrow or selfish aim, and that, hav-
ing made enormous sacrifices in war in
which the cause of Christianity and civ
ilization was alone at stake, she has just
proved herself capable of also making
sacrifices for the great work Of pacifca-
tion to which you are devoting your
efforts. 1 suppose no one will gainsay
the glory of her army, which has achiev-,
cd the most brilliant victories; but Rus
sia wishes it to be known that she is
desirous of exchanging the laurels of
victory, bought with the most precious
blood, for the palm of peace.


These words were followed by pro-
found silence, due, probably, to the
emotion of his auditors; for the specta-
Gle of the illustrious old man thus OK
erting his last energies to vindicate the
moral greatness of his country was real
ly calculated to touch the heart. After
few moments Lord Beaconsfield lose
and begged to be heard. In language
which have heard greatly extolled, but
of which I have not been able to obtain
the exact text, the English premier,
with that varied action peculiar to him,
thus began:


81 feel sure I shall interpret your
sentiments in expressing the profound
admiration I have felt for the language
of my noble and illustrious friend, and
the way in which he has given utterance
to the true sentiments of his country.
I am happy to think that it is a desire
for peace which has guided tho de-
cisions of Russia. in the late delibera-
tions. 1 therefore hasten to acknowl-
edge it in the name of this illustrious
Congress, listening to me, and I firmly
hope that I shall meet with the same
sentiment in all its deliberations.


Lord Beaconsfeld spoke for several
minutes longer and then sat down, and
the real business of the meeting began
after this somewhat sentimental incl
dent, by which, however, the noble lord
prndnred the hest possible affect on all
his auditors.