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was only a preface or epilogue for the " Peace Conference" at Manchester , whipfe is becoming a periodical entertainment . Almost contemporary with this correspondence , appears the correspondence between * Mr . or Major William Beresford , better ' known i § "W . B ., " and Lord Drumlanrig . iff . B . ingfott on satisfaction , because Lord Drumlanrig had been " impertinent" in supposing it possible that W . B . could interfere at elections in Dumfriesshire
Lord Drumlanrig disclaims the assertion ; he had only shown that interference by the Carlton Club had been threatened , and that there had been interference in Dumfries . It was quite natural that , under these circumstances , W . B . should feel himself criticised ; and as he has borne her Majesty ' s commission , of course he behaved as if he were insulted , and demanded satisfaction . Lord Drumlanrig gave it him ; and with a gentler complaint of new aggression in the disclaimer , "W . B . is satisfied .
Another trait of English society in the upper circles is disclosed by the case of Pries , just committed for trial , on a charge of gigantic frauds on the corn merchants . His frauds were rather transparent ; but he escaped detection in a marvellous degree . Of course no one can feel mistrust towards a gentleman whose dealings are realized by tens or hundreds of thousands sterling ! The attempt to trap a young clergyman , by offers to lend money , and then giving him no money for his bill , but only demanding it—exposed in the case of Casey v . Arden—is a more commonplace incident of educated society .
On Wednesday , the Achilli case came on again . The question this time was , whether the rule nisi should be made absolute , or whether it should be discharged—i . e ., whether Doctor Newman should have a new trial or not . Lord Campbell , who has all along been " on the other side , " delivered the judgment of the court , and having exhausted his stock of jocularities during Serjeant Wilkins ' s speech , was decently dull on the occasion . The upshot of a very long , and rather tedious oration
was that no second hearing could be allowed , the reason being that the defendant had not proved the whole of his plea of justification , and that consequently it being only attempted to be partially established , it would be illegal to have the case reheard . Lord Campbell , however , took great pains to explain , that , as yet , he had expressed no opinion whatever with regard to the soundness of the verdict . He only said that the issue had been properly found , and that as Doctor
Newman had alleged certain things unprovable , though possibly true , the jury must again , if they again had the chance , find that the defendant wrongfully published the libel , but at the same time he went laboriously to work for the purpose of showing that the entire question of punishment wuh with the court , and that , whereas in a civil action the jury assessed the damages ; here the Bcntence rested entirely with the bench who , taking animus and all other circumstances into
consideration , might , without disrespect to the jury , give as slight or as heavy a penalty as they pleased . On Monday , us we understand , the case is to bo finally adjudged . Dr . Newman ' s counsel will then be heard , for tho last time , in his favour , and as it seems that from liis advancedagc and feeble state of health , Dr . Newman ' s life would be seriously endangered by imprisonment , it may be reasonably presumed that such will not be his sentence . The general opinion , so far as jit can becollected , points to
a merely nominal penalty—justifiable according to Lord Campbell ' s own principles , probably avowed for the occasion—on the grounds that the verdict was uguinat the weight of evidence , that twentytwo pemouH were discredited on the testimony of one whom the jury themselves found to be perjured , that Dr . Newman , knowing nothing of Achilh , and never having seen him , could bo actuated by no personal malice , and that , already , Dr . Newman haa ) l , een put to immense anxiety and « p « nw > . W « look mUer anxiously for the
result , but after Wednesday ' s proceedings , we can jearcely daubf litat this protracted investigation will crmphatktolly , though , perhaps , not technically , vindfcate th © defendant . Before the public conscietfee at any rate , the positions of plaintiff and defendant are already reversed .
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PEACE CONFERENCE AT MANCHESTER . The meetings of the friends of international arbitration and peace commenced on Thursday morning at Manchester * The first meeting of the Conference was held at the Corn Exchange , when Mr . G . Wilson was elected chairman , supported by Mr . Cobden , M . P ., Mr . Bright , M . P ., Mr . J . B . Smith , M . P ., Mr . Joseph Brothertpn , M . P ., Mr . G . Hadfield , M . P ., Mr . Joseph Sturge , Mr . C . Hindley , M . P ., and other members of the Legislature and persons of distinction . After the
usual preliminary business , during which it was stated that 500 members had promised to be present , and most of whom were present , the Conference was opened by a speech from Mr . George Wilson , who dealt , with his usual ability , with the abuses of our naval and military systems , showing how we have an excess of officers in both services , kept up at an enormous cost . He insisted that the Peace Conference had especial claims on the financial reformer and free trader ; and on the whole he effectively put that side of the question which appeals to ttie pocket .
Letters were then read from numerous gentlemen who , cordially sympathizing with the objects of the society , were unable to be present . Among them was the following : — " Paris , Jan . 18 . " Sir , —I have received the letter in which you inform me that a conference of the friends of peace will be held in Manchester on the 27 th and 28 th of January . I regret the more earnestly my inability to be present because I think I should have expressed the unanimous opinion of
industrial Prance in saying that never has it better comprehended than now that the durable maintenance of peace will be the inevitable re-establishment of liberty by the progress of civilization and the exchange of ideas : also , that it does not at all understand the preparations and armaments of the English Government—arrangements and preparations that are without an aim , unless they have some other than the absurd supposition of a disembarcation without object . " Receive , Sir , and convey to the conference , the new and constant expression of my fraternal sentiments . " Emii / e de Gibarbin . "
Mr . George Hadfield moved the following resolution : — " That it is the special and solemn duty of all ministers of religion , parents , instructors of youth , and conductors of the public press , to employ their great influence in the diffusion of pacific principles and sentiments , and in eradicating from the minds of men those hereditary animosities and political and commercial jealousies , which have been so often the cause of disastrous wars . " Mr . Hadfield admitted that the war party are making great inroad on public opinion , and thtifc if the
ministers of the Gospel , the instructors of our youth , the educators of the people , the newspaper editors , come forward and stem this torrent , we shall be at loggerheads very soon . There is no greater mistake , Mr . Chairman , in my humble opinion , than is made in supposing that all danger is over when we are armed to the teeth . That is the moment of danger ( applauso ) , depend upon it ; and if two hostile armies are within 20 miles of each other—at Calais and Dover—they will have blows . You may try to stop them when it is too lato ; but arm them cap-a-pie , and , depend upon it , they will come to violence .
Tho Reverend W . ABpinall , of Liverpool , seconded the resolution , on well-known Scriptural grounds , but with great moderation and charity , without a single word of bitter attack on his opponents . Them followed the Reverend O . W . Condor , of Leeds , who sustained tho Hiime line of argument in a similar spirit , and strong expressions of hopo that tho end of war is near at hand . Tho Reverend John Burnot , of London , moved tho following resolution : — " That , as an appeal to tho nword can settle no question on any principle of equity and right , it . is tho duty of ( JovornmentH to ontor into treaties on behalf of tho nations they respectively roproaont , binding tho parties to relor to tho decision of , competent and impartial arbil . rat . ora such differences arising between thorn as cannot , bo otherwise amicably adjured , and to abide by such decision . "
Mr . Buritut did not tuko up the Christian ground , lie thought proper to stigmatize war as u humbug ; the causes of war as humbugging ; all the opponent ** of tho Peace Society , all military men a . s humbugs : ull ultra loyalty imd ultra royalty as humbuggery . ' Thoro in no end to the humbugging of these warlike men . They aro all humbugs lofjothor . Tho only thin / j they can possibly do to turn away tho charge is to ili >» £ it on their noighbourn , just , us whon a thiof in running away for foar he BhouW be caught , he orios " Stop thief ; " and no one HupposoB ho in tho thiof himself . It la just ho with statotnnon when they conceal tho character of other nations , and make John Bull tho dupe of thoir humbug . Hut tho resolution I lmvo to propoao tolla uu that war can n « v « r
settle anything on principles of justice and equity , and i any man feels that * it cm , I te f him he is humbugging When the sword it . drawn , justice leaves the battle field , Zd there is nothing left " but brute strife . Who ever dreamt that justice could be wrapped up m a bomb-shell ( great laughter ) , and fired upon people who had nothing to do witE the quarrel , exploding in the midst of those who don't understand it at all ? The statesmen humbug the soldier * and they go to battle without knowing what they are flenting for . I don't think there is any glory in that I can only find something very inglorious in this ignorance . Let us , then , substitute arbitration for war . We are not such fools as to wish to revive anything like a national board like the Amphyctionic Council in Greece ; but we propose that the differing parties shall select their settlement of th and that
own arbiters for the e dispute , only , and select men who are not interested in the quarrel , and by whose deliberate judgment they can abide . Let us , then , continue to advocate the principle that men should settle their quarrels like men , and leave beasts to settle their quarrels like brutes . ( Cheers . ) Mr . John Bright followed , seconding the resolution , as he said on the spur of the moment , at the request of the managers of the conference . Mr . Bright made an excellent speech from his point of view ; contending that war decided nothing as to the right or the wrong of a question ; that numbers , courage , skill , not Providence , decided the fate of battles , and that the arbitration of the sword was expensive , unsatisfactory , and
unjust . The peace-policy , it is said , is impracticable ; but so it was thought some years ago , was the abolition of duelling . But the system of duelling is altogether changed . Then how the influence of public opinion has increased , as evidenced by the effect it had in preventing Russia and Austria from obtaining the surrender of the Hungarian exiles from Turkey . The Lobos question furnished a capital illustration . In the treaty between Peru and the United States , there was a clause inserted by which both powers bound themselves to submit any differences to arbitration . No doubt that caused the United States to look into the grounds of their claims to the Lobos , which ended by a honourable withdrawal on their part of those claims . The Times
was advising us never to go to war with America ; but what security have we against war unless some arbitration convention be agreed upon ? " We pretend to lead the world in some things . We are conceited and very vain , and it is imagined we do a great deal that we do not do , and a good deal more than other countries which are , at least , on a level with us . But if we live on this island with a mercantile navy surpassing that of almost all the world—if we have a people pugnacious beyond all former example—if we have an industry so productive that the thousands of millions which have been spent in former wars have not yet pauperised and exhausted us—if we have glory recorded on our pages of history , so that the most gluttonous among us ought to be
satisfied and ask no more—and if , besides that , we have liberal institutions which give to the people of this country that measure of contentment that gives security to the Government , then I say are we not in a position before all other nations of offering to the nations of Europe , and to tho United States , a new policy—a policy which , though it differs as much as white from black from the policy of past times , yet shall be ono that in the future shall givo greater security to Governments and greater happiness and contentment to peoples , and shall promote the advance and progress 01 all that is good in tho world , infinitely beyond anything that can ever bo hoped for from the most glorious and bloody conflicts of armed men ?" ( Loud applause . )
Mr . Bright ' s speech wits very remarkable for the absence of anything like personal charges or imputation of motives , except as regards the cause of military expenditure , which he referred to tho largo interested purty in tho State , who can build their magnificent stores in Poll Mall . Nevertheless , it was a statesmanlike speech , and full of hope and trust in tho justice of the cause in which ho is emburked . Tho resolutions were carried , and the conference adjourned until the evening .
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LETTKJtS FROM PARIS . [ IfltOM OUR OWW GoitKBBPONDKNT . ] Letts it LVII . I ' nris , January 25 , lflo- 'J . In conformity with tho invitation addressed to thorn officially , through tho Monitaur , tho Grand Bodies of tho Slate , the Senate , tho Council of State , and tho Legislative Corps , proceeded on Saturday lust to the
Tuileries , to receive the official notification of Bonaparte ' s marriage with Mdlle . do Montejo . The reception took place at noon precisely , in the Sallo dn Trone . All tho official world was present . Bonaparte then cominunicuted , in a spoken message to tho Grand Bodies of tho State , his intention to espouse Mdllo . do Moutejo . This message , pregnant as it i « with menacing eventualities , is too remarkable not to be givou in full . 11 ( ire if ; is tcxtuully : —
" 1 yield to tho wish so ofMh manifested by tho country in coining to announce to you my marriage . " Tho alliance which I contract is not in accord with tho traditions of ancient policy , and therein is its udvantage . Franco , by iU ouccosHivo revolutions , has over abruptly nejmrated from tho rest of Europe . Every wise Qoytru-
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98 THE LEADER . [ Saturday ,
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Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 29, 1853, page 98, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1971/page/2/
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