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THE TREATY OF PEACE DEBATE

The debate which has occupied both Houses of Parliament this week, relative to the terms of peace, is undoubtedly it great triumph for the Government. In all their bearings the terms were looked at, argued, analysed, and the result was, that the opposition in the lower as well as in the upper chamber were beaten to ii dead stand. An arnendiiieut on the address was

moved in each House, but the objectors "

nhruak from a division,—conclusive evi- dence, we take it, that " political capital" could not be made out of the alliiir. When it is remembered how our party contlicts are carried on, that most of the members inthe popular branch of the Legislature prepare their speeches with immediate reference to the liustings, especially in a Parliament which is rapidly dying of ol age, and that in this instance, those who professed to be dissatisﬁed with the cessa- tion ol hostilities shrunk from giving their hostility to the treaty of peace a practice form, it will be seen, that the diplomatic triumph which we have secured at the expense of Russii is much more popular with the nation generally than could have been anticipated it few months back. UH- able to assault with any effect the treaty of Paris, the opposition directed their attention more especially to the fall of Kara, and to the peers, Lord Malniesbury delivered the npeech which he was compelled to suppress when the wind ivas knocked out of Mr. Whiteside by the division in the other House the previous week. In this mixing up of extraneous matter we see the straits to which the opposition were reduced. But even this objection did not answer, for Lord Clarendon showed conclusively that the fall of Kara, unfortunate as it was, had really no effect upon the proceedings of the Conference. The terms proposed by Aus- tria to Russia were accepted, before the fall of Kara was known, and on this head the foreign secretary expressed substanti-

ally the same views on the evening of

Monday to which we gave utterance in our last issue.

If a comparison be instituted between talent evolved in two Houses respectively on Monday on this important subject, the balance is decidedly in favour oftlie hered- itary brancli of the Legislature. Nothing could be ﬁner or in better taste, than the npeechcs of the noble mover and seconder of the address; and the speech which the Earl of Ellesmere delivered on this occa- eion makes us regret that, with his exqui- site literary taste, his sound reasoning, and strong common sense, he does not take a

more frequent part in the deliberations of

the assembly of which lie is so distinguish- ed an ornament. If to these addresses we add those of Lords Clarendon and Derby, the subject may be said to have been ex- hausted in the second branch of the three estates. But the Commons, inspirited probably by the talent and the tone of the Lords, put forth their power the following evening; and -the most searching, far- neeing, and statesinanlike speech of the entire debate in either House was that delivered by Mr. W. E. Gladstone. Points which had escaped others were brought out by him with remarkable freshness and originality; and that portion of the pro- ceedings of the Contcrence which had reference to the press, and more especially Count Walewski’s proposition for ciirbuig the press of Belgium, in order to make its drictures palatable to our ally, the Emper- or of the French, was treated by Mr. Gladstone in a spirit which cannot fail to -elicit the warm approval of every friend to fnedoni. Nothing could be in better taste than the conclusion of his remarks on this lioad,and e liesthrowa a new li ht on the subject by its comparison oft e law relative to the press as it exists in England and in Belgium, and by showing that in both countries, aggrieved parties, however high or low, whether natives or foreigners, whether living on the spot or in other countries. have their remedy, through the «medium of a jury, for any wrong which they may have suﬂsred from a newspaper. But, as Mr. Gladstone demonstrated,

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lIASZARD’S {GAZETTE MAY 24.

the press of Belgium is wholly unsubstan- tial. At the Conference‘, Count Wulew- ski’s chief argument for the interference was based on the assumption, that persons disaffected towards the French Government passed the frontiers and made the Belgian press the vehicle for the dissemination of their poison against the Government of Louis Napoleon. The answer to lllll statement is complete. No person is per- mitted to leave France ivitliout a passport, no person is permitted to enter Belgium without a passport,—a check in both in- nnces the tnost complete, whateveawe may think of its justice or necessity! the freedom allowed to lo-{

Besides, _ _ _ or refu ees in Belgium is

reigners . class of persons in the Netherlands are compelled to reside in a particular part of each city, there are under the constant surveillance of the Government, and if detected in any act at all likely ‘to com- promise the little kingdom.with its more powerful neighbours, are lorced to leave the country,—precautioiis much more ‘stringent than any which exist with us. The suppression of a press guardcdin this jealous manner can incuu nothing more nor less than the extinction of all political discussion—reducing the organs ol' public opinion to the sauie buiniliatioii and slavery which rule in despotic couii- tries, where tho sovercign’s will is the supreineluw. A protest against such a course by a statesman like Mr. Gladstone, unu-ummelled at present by the fem-rs of oliicc, against an interference which would be most stoutly resisted by the British nation on two gi-ounds,—lirst, an abstract love of liberty; and secondly, a belief that if the liiglihiiiid of power succeeded against the press of Beligium, a similar crusade

would speedily be made against the press of Englnnd.—cunnot foil to impress the 3Frcnch authorities, and those of the Con- ‘ltineiit generally with the serious results to lwhich it is more than piohable such an ‘attempt would give rise.

Lord Clarendon, in the course of this debate stated a very extraordinary fact, which we do not remember to have seen previously. He had been twitted, because the treaty made no provision for the inde- pendence of the Circnssinn tribes, nor for the demolition of the Rii-siaii fortresses on their coast. His reply disposed of the objection. “It is a remarkable fact,” said he, "that the only period during which there had been no military move- mcnts wlintever against the Russians on the part of Schamyl and the Circassians has been thetwoyears of war. 'l'liey have never shown the slightest sympathy with us, nor the least desire to assist our arms. On one occasion, indeed, a chief did en- gage with the captain of one of her Majes- ty's ships to produce 10,000 men at a partic- ular place on a pai-ticulurdiiy; but when the ollicer went to receivethein, he could not lind a single man. The only evidence we had of their feeling was their dcclaratioii to obstruct our progress along the east coast of the Sea of Azoff. Tlicre could be no better authority as to the disposition oftlic Circassians, than Gen. \\’illiuins, who, in a letter to myself, dated the liltli of April, 1855, informed me, that Scliainyl was only to be found when the invading army arri- ved near Tillis; andtliut it wasanotorious fact that this too much-vaunted chicftnin did not even succeed during the last cam- paign in pillaging that town. In unotlier letter, of so late a date as the ‘.2lst of Au- gust, 1655, General Williams states, that at that time nothing was known of Schamyl's movements, and that the restoration of his son, together with large sums of money in the form of ransoms, might account for this inaction on the part of the Circiissian chief." It is perfectly evident, from this explanation by Lord Clarendon, that we have been labouring under a delusion in this country respecting the real character of Scliamyl. We were accustomed to re- ard him as another Abdel-Keder, lighting

foreign yoke; whereas he turns out to be a paltry fellow, who can be bought by Rus- sian goleat a moment when a stern patrio- tism would have preserved his own and his

fellow-mountaineers’ independence" in‘ all future time.’ 4

' 1..

mac}. less liberal 1 an in England. This.

or the liberties of his country against a.

The present has been a week of felicita- tions—every body “merry as a marriage bell." The Queen held a grand state ball at Buckingham Palace on Thursday, on which occasion the new apartments, of which elaborate descriptions appear in the morning papers of yesterday, were thrown open. The guests numbered 1900, and comprised the elite of London society, with a sparkling of the commonalty. Literature was personiﬁed in the person of Mr. Char- les Dickens, and poetry in that of Mr. Al- fred Tennyson. \Ve perceive that the com- pany included several persons connected with this locality, our townsman, r. The- mas Thornly, for example, Mr. C. Pascoe Grenfell, and other well-known characters. This may be said to have been the “ Peace Ball," and to mark her appreciation of the occasion, her Majesty has given a free and full pardon to all persons under sentence for political offences. This will, of course, extend to the chartists who were transported many years biick—Frost, Jones, and Wil- liams, ifthey be still living, and to another and still more celebrated offender, Mr. William Smith O'Brien. The last named gentleman has been for some years past residing on the continent. With a return to his native land, he will ﬁnd great changes there, and as he will come back wiser and sadder, there is every reason to believe that the experience of the past will not have been lost upon him. "Sweet are the uses of adversity.”

The Queen's Ministers were iit the Man- sion-bouse the previous evening, enjoying the Lord Mayor's hospitality, and the occa- sion was opportune for indulging in the reciprocal compliments which follow the cessation of a great war. All the foreign ambassadors were present, with the excep- tion of the representative of the United States, who was enjoying himself at a cele- bration not less interesting; and the num- bcr oftitled and untitled beauties grouped around the board of the Lord and Lady Mayoress imparted to this civic feast an additional charm. The principal speeches oftho evening were, of course, those deli- vered by Lord Palmerston and the Earl of Clarendon—the one in his capacity as the head of the Government, the other‘ the director of the foreign policy of the coun- try. Both were very appropriate, and con- sidering how frequently both speakers had been compelled in public to travel over the shine ground recently, wonderfully diversi- lied. Lord Clarendon‘s allusion to the brave General Williams was pointed and happy, and his Lordsliip’s eulogy on that distmguislied, but ill supported, otﬁcer has since been ratiﬁed by the Sovereign and both Houses of Parliament. General Wil liums, for his services at Knrs, has been created a baronet, with a pension of £l000 n yeui-—a sum hardly adequate to his ser- vices, if we compare them with those of others who have fared pccuniarliy better. But the compliment, nevertheless, is n linndsome one, which has been hailed by the public with pleasure.

W'e have mentioned the absence of Mr. Diillns, the American minister, from the Mansion-house. He dined the same even- ing with the friends and subscribers to the [sll|‘.l‘8I'y Fund, where he made the speech of the evening. The American Govern- ment has frquently been represented at the Court of St. James’s by very able men; but we can call to mind no Minister of the United States who has won such general ndniiralion in this country in so short a time. The literary power and elegance of this gentleman's after-dinner addresses are perfect models in their way. They are so pointed and so terse, and marked by such an elevated tone, that they charm in the reading,‘ even more than they impress in the delivery. His allusion to the fact of the great Benjamin Franklin, his countrymen. having been, towards the close of the last century, the President of this same Literary Fund Assciation, was only excelled in good taste by the reference to the Englishman who established, in the United States, a kin- dred institution. If popularity in this aris- tocratic country be any test of admiration at home, Mr. Dallas ought to stand well at the Presidential ballot-boxes on some forth- coming occasion. Lord Palmerston has also been " doing

theiainiable" for the army and navy in the

Hoiiseofcqniineaei and Lord Panniers.-oi

similar duty in the House of Lords. Every body is praised, past blunderings are for- gotten, and the animosities of political strife are for the time buried in the general ova- tion. The eulogies on the braver of the troops and the military events of t e cam- paign were in very good taste, for certainly the sterling qualities of British soldiers, alter so long a peace, deserve all praise. It seems that our loss by death and casua- lities of all kinds in the course of the war did not exceed 22,000 men, whereas, the loss of the enemy amounted to halfamillien o/‘souIs—an enormous disproportion. For tlie navy, the encomiums of the Premier were more subdued. They had less to do, he contended, as the enemy would not come out to ﬁght; but they rendered excel- lent service in various ways to the land forces. If they had had a chance of en- countering tho Russian ﬂeet in the Baltic or the Black Sea, the navy, his Lordship showed, would have maintained their anci- ent prertige. Not to lack generosity on this interesting occasion, Mr. Disraeli se- conded the motion to our naval and military heroes in the House of Commons, and the same duty was well and gracefully per- formed by Lord Derby in the house of Peers.

The tide has turned in favour of Lord Palmerston. The Kars shoal, on which he was to have gone to pieces, has been in reality his saviour; and it is believed-—nay, positively asserted—that, the war being over, some ofthe Peelite party who deserted his Cabinet in the hour of need will return to it. As they are the ablest administrators in the kingdom in the time of peace, such an accession of moral power will give Lord Palmerston it new lease of Downing- street. Sir George Cornewall Lewis has been ii failure as Chancellor of the Exche- quer, anil as Mr. \V. E Gladstone, during the time he ﬁlled that oﬁice, was one of the most popular financiers of our day—as he had won the tl_ie_conﬁdence of commercial men’, by combining prudence with a daring originality, the business men of the city would be glad to see him restored to the position which he so ably ﬁlled; while Mr. Cnrdwell, Sir James Graham, Mr. Sydney Herbert, the Duke of Newacgﬂe’ gud others, would form excellent substitutes for men every way inferior, who now hold lead- ing positions in the Government. If this arrangement be carried out, Lord Palmer- ston will be in the position ofa theatrical or an operatic manager who has more first- class performers, than he can find first-class parts for. This may be embarrassing in a personal sense to the First Minister; but the country. will have no reason to complain that there is a supei-ﬂuity of the highest order of statesmanship in the market. The Peelites, too, are great favorites in Parlia- ment. Their eloquence and their practical ability are acknowledged by all, and as their sympathies incline more to the Whigs than to the Derbyites, they would materi- ally rtrengthen and uphold the existing ad- mll'.l;}ll'ﬂllOll. VVhat is wanted now is a series of excellent domestic measures to follow the events of the war, and although it may be too late to introduce such mea- sures during the present session, the bring-' ing of them forward in the early part of next year-the last year of the present Parliament—would be a master-stroke of state policy. lfdefeated in the carrying of such ncedful reforms, the Administration could appeal_ to the nation with the certain- ty of receiving a hearty response. Lord Palmerston was always regarded as an accomplished tncticiim, and he seems to be in a fair way, not only of sustaining, but of adding to his laurels in this phase of oflicial

'l‘lio foreign news of the week is unusu- ally scanty. The most important event is the publication ofa Ministerial pamphlet in France, which reviews the war, shows how it has elevated France, advocates the con- tinuance of the English alliance, and glori- ties the Emperor. Second in interest to this is a proclamation issued by the Czar of Russia, relative to the mismanagement of his hospitals in the Crimea. The Em eror censures the offenders, and calls or a court-martial on their conduct, with a view to severe unishment in the event of con- viction. his is the most biting sarcasm which could‘ be uttered or written. on the

inillta farce, wliielr we money gtucﬁng it see.