THE CONFERENCE.

Wellington Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 2096, 27 August 1864, Page 1

THE CONFERENCE.

The plenipotentiaries accredited to the London Conference assembled for the sixth meeting' in Downing-street, at one o'clock on Saturdny, May 28th, and sat till half past three. The business for the day was the proposition for a compromise of the line of demarcation, to which the neutral Powers gave their general support, subject to some further consideration. The plenipotentiaries of the belligerents received it ad referendum ; and the Conference was agnin adjourned to Thursday, the 2nd June. The proloogation of the armistice was mooted at this meeting, but nothing done. On the 2nd of June ihe Conference met again, and sat for four hours. The boundary being still under discussion, with little prospect of agreement, a proposal to prolong the armistice for one fortnight was brought forward aud teferred, the Conference adjourning to the Gib. The next meeting was the most unsatisfactory of all. According to appointment the plenipotentiaries assembled on the 6lh at one o'clock, and, after sitting for three hours, adjourned without fixing any day for another meeting. It afterwards transpired that the Danes hud accepted Earl Russell's suggestions, and propounded them as their ultimatum ; but that the Germans would take them only as the eternal ad referendum. The Conference assembled again on the 9ih, sat for three hours and a half, and after an anxious discussion agreed upon an extension of tbe armistice for an additional fortnight, terminating on the 26th. The next meeting was adjourned to the 15th. On the 15th, however, it was adjourned to tbe 16th, and on the 16th it was agaiu adjourned to the 18th, when a pro* posal was made to submit the settlement of the frontier line to arbitration. This proposal, like all the others, was reterred to the belligerent governments, and the Conference adjourned to tbe 22nd. At this meeting the German plenipotentiaries threatened to have recourse to privateering should the blockade be renewed on tbe commencement of hostilities. A temper of bitterness had evideutly set in, which did not seem to promise well for an amicable adjustment. The meeting of the 22nd realised the worst fears awakened by the previous meetings. The plenipotentiaries did not meet till three o'clock, having had to attend the levee at two o'clock. They sat till past six o'clock, and then broke up, all the attempts of the neutral Powers to produce agreement huviug totally failed. Austria definitely rejected the proposal of arbitration, and Prussia conditionally accepted it, reserving tbe right of refusing to accede to the award if sbe did not approve of it ; which, of course, would have rendered arbitration a mere mockery. The sitting was then adjourned to the 25tb, the last day before the conclusion of the truce ; but the adjournment was merely a matter of form, for the purpose of having the minutes of the previous proceedings read and confirmed, and of exchanging the ordinary courtesies before separation. So far as business was concerned, the Conference terminated on tbe 22nd, and ended in complete failure. The British Government has the mortification, therefore, of feeling that it bus wasted six months of ceaseless endeavors in the vain attempt to bring about peace. Our readers may naturally desire to know what took place at the last practical meeting of tbe Conference, when the arbitration proposal was rejected. But we have no authentic means I of gratifying so justifiable a curiosity. In both Houses of Parliament ministers have alluded to the subject, and promised to lay all the papers on the table to-night, June 27, when full information will be given. In the interval we learn from the Star some particulars of what took place on the 22nd, which it alleges to he correct, but which must be accepted for whatever the authority of the paper may be considered worth. According to this statement, the Austrian plenipotentiary opened by unconditionally rejecting arbitration ; and was followed by the Prussian plenipotentiary, who was willing to refer to arbitration, reseiving however, the full right to

reject the decision of the arbitrator. The Danish plenipotentiary peremptorily declined the proposal, and then read an elaborate minute, which is stated to have been a masterpiece of political knowledge and diplomatic ability, and i to have created quite a sensation and surprise. ! In this document t'uc conduct of England was ! severely criticised. It ohargi-d the English Government with having pursued towards Denmark, from the hr-giuniug to t'te end, a policy of inconsistency, and it condemned in no measured language the varying attitudes taken by oui Cabinet. The Earl of Clarendon cle-f-nded the conduct and policy of pjiigland, and replied warmly, and even vehemently, to the charges brought against her by Donmatk. This incident is said to have created a profound emotion. The French envoy then proposed biuing recourse to the vote of ihe population, which was rejected by Austria and Denmark, the Prussian plei ipotentiary being willing to Like it ad referendum. A discussion on the prolongation of the armistice for six months, proposed by Prussia, then ensued : but it was p isitively declined by Demnark, unless some oasis of peace coul J be laid down. This declaration closed the discussion. The Overland Mail of June 27th, thus notices the break-up of the Conference : — "The war between Denmark and iheGerman allies may no doubt be considered as re-opened. The Conference which met ou Saturday separated without any attempt to revive the proposals for an armistice. According to the Stdr, the business of the meeting was opened by the reading of a collective declaration or minute on the part of the neutral Powers, reviewing the whole situation and lecording the general opinion of these Powers as to the course taken by etch of the belligerent* in the circumstances which led to the war, and in the war itself. " This document, we are assured, was considered by the German plenipotentiaries as presenting an unfavoiuble view of their case, and leaning markedly towards the Danish side of the question. The German plenipotentiaries therefore announced that they felt it tbeir duty to prepare and publish a counter declaration to be communicated to the several European Courts. The Danish plenipotentiary read a declaratiou announcing that the Government of Denmark having consented to make concessions which were not accepted, and having been offered terms which the national honour did not permit them to accept, had only now to return to the position which in the hope of securing peace had been for the moment conditionally abandoned. They resumed, therefore, the position established by the Treaty of 1852. A letter addressed to the Conference by the Emperor of Russia was then read, and created, we are informed no inconsiderable sensation. The Emperor of Russia announced to the Conference that he had ceded bis claims upon Holstein to the Duk.fi of Oldenburg, and that these claims must be considered as revived bj the present situation. The Imperial letter contained a remarkable passage in which it emphatically declared that the Treaty of London must now be regarded as " invalidated." We believe that the presentation of this document was an incident of tbe day's sitting entirely unexpected by almost all the members of the Conference. Nothing more was done of aught save a purely formal nature.' It is believed that the allies will now attempt at once to gain possession of the island of Alsen. Prince Albert of Prussia passed through Haniburg yesterday morning in great haste, beariug orders fioni the King of Piussia for the re-open-ing of hostilities. Fourteen Danish vessels are said to be cruising between Kiel and the island of Fehmorn. It is expected that tbe Germanic Confederation will immediately declare war against Denmark, and co-operate with Austria and Prussia. Private telegrams which were re ceived in London yesterday asserted that, hostilities had already actually recommenced. If the statements in some of this morning's papers are to be believed, the British Government bas resolved still to adhere to a policy of non interference. The Times says :— " Parliament, and the nation will, we believe, be told this evening thattbe Government, having duly considered the course of the negotiations from the beginning, and more especially the proceedings of the Confereuce, of which the protocols will be laid before Parliament, think it consistent with the national honour and their own former policy to abstain from war. That a conjuncture might-arise in which it would be necessary "to reconsider this determination, they admit, inasmuch as the existence of the Danish monarchy is a matter of importance- to England and Europe; but as long as the war is confined to the Continental dominions of the King of Denmark there is, we are informed, in their opinion, no sufficient reason that the policy which they have maintained hitherto should be abandoned. There is the less difficulty in arriving at this decision as tbe rejection of the British proposals, which ended the Conference, was as much the work of Denmark as of its opponents. On Wednesday Prussia accepted the scheme of arbitration, though with the inadmissible proviso that the German Powers should have the right of refusing to abide by tbe award. Denmark went further, and declared arbitration to be altogether out of the question. On the subject of the armistice there was tbe same firmness or obstinacy displayed by the Government of Copenhagen. Tire Prussians were willing to agree to a fresh suspension oi hostilities, provided it was for a teun of not less than two months; but the Danes would hear of nothing but a renewal of the campaign on the 26th, according to pre*ious arrangements. As the Conference came to an «nd with the rejection by both belligerents of the proposals made by the neutral Powers, and as Den mark has deliberately expressed a desire that the war should proceed, the British Government thinks itself not bound to interfere as long as the caiEpaiga remains within the limits which must have been contemplated by the Danes when they made their choice."