SCOTLAND.
The Peace Conference began its oratorical proceedings on Wednesday, in the Music Hall, George Street, Edinburgh. The attendance of dele- gates was respectable, and besides Mr. Cobden and Mr. Bright there were six other Members of Parliament present. The Lord Provost of Edinburgh took the chair. Letters of excuse were read from several gentlemen, in- chiding Mr. Joseph Hume. The Lord Provost spoke of the objects of the meeting ; explaining that they were not all non-resistants, though they deprecated the war spirit, and that they were not a political party. The Reverend Mr. Richards stated what had been done since 1852; de- tailing chiefly the interview of the Peace deputation with Lord Aberdeen.
M‘Michael moved, and Mr. Mien M.P. seconded, the ens-
• tottlaryopening 'resolution, calling upon all the ministers of religion to diffuseu the sentiments of peace rand eradicate "hereditary animosities" from the Teilakr, of men. When these gentlemen had spoken, Mr. Cob- den spittle his speech. .,116 began by saying that he would not assume a defensive tone. He con- tinued by accmung his opponents of misrepresenting the Peace party as in- viting invasioh; and, making his profession of faith in as few words as possible, he said, do not believe that anybody is coming to attack us." The English people. have an idiosyncraey which leads them to seek quarrels in the xemotest parts of the globe. They had fought the battles of almost every- peeplaenthe earth ; and almost the only practical result is a load of debt greater than that, f all the nations of the world beside. This tendency the Peace Conferetie is Intended to cheek. At great length Mr. Cobden pro- ceeded to dilate wen what he called the "most conclusive triumph of the Manchester Conference"—the change that has taken place on the subject of • Iteench aggression. The Emperor of the French was called a brigand and a _pirate ; we called out our Militia to resist a French invasion; the Emperor of Russia saw this, and, calculating on the division between France and England, he invaded Turkey. Yet now our ships are lying broadside to broadside with the French ships in Besika Bay. He pictured the surprise of an individual,. who might have left England for Australia in January last, and havereturped in September, at finding this state of things. He wanted the change explained. "Well after all, we need not say anything more about this, because they are sufficiently humiliated already ; and if I did not sincerely pity them, I could not have had a greater triumph than to have brought doivn those papers, and read extracts from the articles they wrote about us at Manchester, and which they will doubtless repeat in a day or two. You must all remember the caricature in which your humble servant fsented with long ears, because he declared he could not believe the were coming to invade England. Who has got the long ears and now?., en professed astonishment at the ignorance everywhere displayed Aft thEfTlirldehquestion • especially at the ignorance of Lord Palmerston. QarleylpPathies he would have expected to find with the oppressed races, and not with their Turkish oppressors. What of wealth there is in European Turkey belongs to the Christians. What we should have done, if we inter- fered at all, would have been to join Russia, and insist on the fullest reli- gious toleration for the Christians. If Ministers, however, have promised to support Turkey, they are bound to do so. But we are not going to have a war now ; because fighting is impracticable in the winter on the Danube. At the close, Mr. Cobden took great pains to show that we are not bound by treaties to fight for the Turks ; nor are we their allies. The question of self- interest be promised to discuss next day.
The second resolution, in favour of settling quarrels by arbitration, was moved by Mr. Hadfield M.P., and seconded by the Reverend Dr. Brown of Dalkeith. This closed the morning conference.
In the evening, Mr. Cowan presided. He made a brief speech, inti- mating that he regarded the defence of the Queen and country as an im- perative and sacred duty ; and going further, he said in reference to the arrest of Miss Cuninghame, by the " miscreant who unhappily rules and oppresses fair Tuscany "—" I do not know what means I would not use --" ; laughter and cheers drowning the conclusion. Mr. Cowan, how- ever, subsequently said he had no desire to go to war with Tuscany.
The Reverend John Burnett moved the third resolution, urging upon Governments a simultaneous reduction of armaments. And this Mr. John Bright seconded in a long speech.
His main argument, largely supported by a reference to facts and figures, was, that while, according to Royal speeches year by year, we are on terms of amity with all nations, we keep up enormous armaments. Much has been done during the long peace in the way. of improvements ; but, unfortu- nately, there has been a mistake in principle or in practice. All the nations have continued to extend their preparations for war. The consequence is, that loans are constantly required to meet actual deficits, and taxes are in- creased as a matter of course. The deficit in Austria, in 1847, was 700,00" ; in 1848, 4,500,000/. ; in 1849, 12,000.0004 ; in 1850, more than 5,000,0001. ; in 1851, more than 6,000,000/. ; and in 1152, more than 5,000,000/.the whole of the deficit of Austria in those six years being upwards of 34,000,0001., or an average of more than .5,700,0001. per annum. We have not been asked for loans as yet, but if "Turkish sympathizers, men of infirm understanding and robust consciences," are allowed to draw this country into a war, loans will soon be asked for. We already pay 28,000,000/. for the unfortunate policy of our forefathers. We have no Hungary on one side and Italy on the other, no reasons for maintaining great standing armies ; yet we spend more on military_ objects than any other nation. Since 1835, the cost has risen from 11,000,0004 to 17,000,000/. a year. Why, the United States, who have a surplus they know not what to do with, spend no more than 14,000,0001. a year for all purposes. Mr. Bright calculated, that every four years we appropriate the whole of one year's taxes derived from all the land and all the buildings in England to support our military expen- diture. We have no necessity for an armed force to keep down the people— the plea that the Emperors of Austria and France might allege for declining to reduce their armaments. No; and we do not raise taxes to support an army and navy, but keep up an army and navy to raise taxes. The enor- mous expenditure creates an enormous interest ; that goes to the Govern- ment; men are corrupted and blinded to the morality of the question. "Thus, every sovereign and every five-pound note you pay in taxes, and which your Government expends more than is necessary, is not only so much taken from your pockets, but builds up an interest in the country adverse to economy, adverse to reform, adverse to progress, and adverse to liberty in every way. Look at your Colonies—you have got no fewer than 46,000 troops in the Colonies. Why do you want several thousand troops in Ca- nada ?—a country more liberally governed than England, with a better re- presentative system, and where the condition of every man who is decent and industrious is equal to that of the middle-class people of this country. Yet you pay for several thousand men in Canada and in the West India Is- lands." If Government were disposed to act honestly, sonic tangible propo- sition for cutting down the rival navies and armies might be made. "Go- vern wisely, govern well—we require no military force to keep the peace in England. Treat all foreign nations courteously, kindly, and honourably ; adhere to the great principle of nonintervention; and you may then cut down, to an extent which I will not now stay accurately to describe, the army and navy of this country."
The last resolution recommended the principle of nonintervention ; holding that every state has a right to regulate its own affairs. The Conference was to resume its sitting on Thursday.
At the call of the Scottish Reformation Society, a public meetire•' has been held in the Queen's Hall, Edinburgh, to consider the case of Miss Cuninghame.* Indignation resolutions were passed, condemning the Tuscan criminal code, and expressing a " deliberate conviction that it is the duty of the British Government, not only to take steps to procure the lady's release, but the repeal of the law." Lord Clarendon's "prompt interposition " was approved of. [Since this meeting was held, the news has reached England that the Grand Duke has set Miss Cuningbame at liberty.] • This, we learn from one of the family, is the proper spelling.
The Edinburgh and Glasgow Railway Company gave their annual soiree to their servants, at Glasgow, last week. One thousand of the railway people, their wives and sweethearts, assembled, feasted and danced, in the City Hall. Prizes were awarded for the two best-kept stations, the best-kept cottage, and for an essay on motive power.
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