LONDON.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue XXII, 23 November 1867, Page 5

LONDON.

* (FROII OUE OWN CORIIESrONDENT.) October 1, 18G7. Theee was a so-called " peace congress " at Geneva about the middle of last month. It was a nondescript sort of oranium-gatherum, composed of Ultra-Radicals, lied llepublicans, Doctrinaires, Theorists, Socialists, Communists, and Pan-European- DemocraticJN"othingarians — all assembled in hopeless confusion, as if in mockery of their own pseudo-peace theories, and as though they wished to present a striking illustration in their own persons of the utter futility (so long as human nature is what it is) of attempting to put the principles which they profess into practice. The whole thing was a piece of hollow masquerading — neither solemn nor impressive, neither instructive, nor witty nor humorous. And yet there was a good 'deal of buffoonery, garnished with coarseness and vituperation, and spiced (by way of variety) with, a littlo pungent blasphemy. Ostensibly the object of this meeting, or " congress," was to establish universal peace on earth, with good will to all men, and henceforward to abolish war and put an end to standing armies and all the implements by which men rush headlong to mutual destruction. But in reality it appeared as if the speakers had come together to air their pet theories — all of a social and democraticrepublican character— to have a fling at rulers and crowned heads in general, aud in particular to have a good hearty go-in against every known form of religion, save aud except that "shadow of a shade" — thut vague and misty sentiment based upon universal philanthropy and the brotherhood and solidarity of peoples, of which there are no end of self-constituted high-priests and prophets in every corner of Europe. Well then it was, as I said, to ventilate these " aspirations," aud to give vent to their pent-up feelings, that the apostles of democracy flocked to Geneva from Italy, France, and Germany. There were even a few from England, but they made but little mark. There were the irrepressible Mr Dagers, and another whose name I forget, but they had better, like many others, have remained at home. They had nothing to say, and I believe they said it. Unfortunately the apostles of this new cultus were not largely endowed with the " gift of tongues," which nowadays at least does not como by inspiration so readily as the other faculty claimed by some of the politico-religious philosophers of this school — that of dealing in prophecy and of discovering new sources of wisdom among the highways and by-ways of human error. The absence of the above gift was a great drawback to the profitable and edifying character of the proceedings. In fact there was a little attempt at rehearsing Babel. Tho whole thing excited little else than ridicule, not to say contempt, among men of common sense in England and elsewhere. There were very few men of mark there — scarcely any one. Certainly they managed to get hold of Garibaldi there, and ho " drew " immensely. He was a whole host in himself, and certainly attracted more notice and attention than the whole of tho speakers put together. Imagino Garibaldi, who is nothing if not a soldier — who has all his life- time been the propagator and active promoter of warlike ideas - imagine him the leading speaker at a " Peace Congress." IS T ovv there is not a fairer, a braver, or a more unselfish man in existence than Garibaldi with a sword in his hand, at the head of a band of red shirted irregulars. But as soon as he gets upon his legs upon a platform, he makes a pitiful exhibition of himself. He is not largely endowed with brains, and he speedily loses his head. He has a monomania upon the subject of the papacy as incurable as that of the present Mr Whalley, or the late Colonel Sibthorp ; and accordingly the hero of Caprera did not fail to turn aside from the subject of peace to the subject of war — unrelenting war with the Pope. This was his text, and as the gods in the gallery would express it, " didn't he go in a buster P" He even told his audience that ho was then bound on his old errand — " to Rome." But he didn't get there however — though it appears lie was on his journey. He was caught on the Roman frontier by the Italian Government, and sent off to Caprera, where he is at the present moment, and has been, m fact, for the last week ; and there he will have to stay at present — doubtless under parole, and under the careful surveillance of Victor Emmanuel's Government — which is bound by treaty with the French Emperor

not to allow any hostile proceedings to b( taken by his subjects against the Papa Government. Tlub is the second time thai Garibaldi has been cut short in his career nnd his journey to Rome intercepted b\ Victor Emmanuel. So the fine old tiger or lion, whichever you please, is caged up foi the present, and likely to remain so for some j time longer. Some people here, anxious for the speedy downfall of the papacy which they identify with the overthrow of Antichrist, and the utter prostration of Romanism (I speak of course of enthusiasts of the Doctor Gumming type) think it a great shame that " that dear good blessed man" should be checked in his purpose to drag " the man of siu" from his throne ; but all sensible people think it high time that filibustering expeditions should be discouraged, and that Garibaldi should be deprived of the power of setting Europe in a flame by commencing an attack upon Horno — a city which by some singular idiosyucracy, three- fourths of Christendom look upon with something like veneration and awe, as something sacred — and a 9 being in a manner necessary for the integrity of their religious belief. With reference to tho state of European politics in general, the Prussia -'French quarrel is cropping up once more and causing uneasiness. lam sorry to say a great deal of tho bitterness that at present exists between France and Germany is owing in a great measure to the caustic and exasperating " circulars" of Count Bismarck, which seem calculated, if not intended, to excite the bitterest animosity amongst Frenchmen of every class, who are only too ready to resent a supposed insult or a covert smer, such as the wily German Diplomatist so well under stands how to indulge in. Most persons expect war between the two Countries next spring. Preparations on an extensive scale, the laying up of extensive stores of provisions and ammunition, the purchase of horses and the conversion of rifles have never once ceased in either country, and all these are bad symptoms, There are some slight indications of returning! confidence in commercial circles, but by no means marked. The weather has been remarkably fine all in favor of the harvest, which is well got in by this time, except in the Northern Districts. We are eagerly looking out for an improvement in the markets, and I think wo are not destined to be disappointed.