CONTINENTAL POLITICS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume VI, Issue 380, 25 June 1856, Page 4

CONTINENTAL POLITICS.

Although the Plenipotentiaries have not yet assembled in Council, it is stated thai the exigenciesjof diplomatic etiquette h.tve already been fully discussed and satisfactorily settled. That knotty question, precedence, bus been solved in a way which conciliates punctilio with national dignity, by adopting alphabetic order as a standard. By this means Austria takes the lead followed by France, Great Britain, Russia, Sardinia, Turkey. The Independence Beige introduces, somewhat surreptitiously, the name of Prussia in the above list. " This, however," says the Globe, " is, we suppose, but a lapsus calami; tor nothing has transpired to indicate any alteration in the determination of the Governments not to depart from the rule they have laid down, to treat all the non-combatant powers according to their desert, —hence Prussia can no more bring forward her old title, as one of the five great Powers, as a claim for admission. Wholly emvrapt in petty local politics, and absorbed by one feeling,"jealousy of Austria— the Government has virtually abdicated its position in Europe, and reduced the inheritance of Frederick the Great to the level of the old Electorate of Brandenburg.

The ConslUutinnnel, in an article headed " The Holy Alliance,'' indicates that the Conpress will not occupy itself exclusively with the subjects arising out of the war ; and says it is not impossible that certain important events which have modified —since 1850—the state of Europe, sanctioned by the Congress of Vienna, will engage the attention of the memheis of Conference. Onr Paris contemporary hints that the treaties of 1815 will be essentially changed in their spirit, and adds .—•' Thus Europe will depart from that spirit of suspicion and haired which under pretence of watching the revolutionary propaganda, pe-secuted likewise the general tendencies of Europe to that liberty which ever accompanies real civilization. Assuredly the time will never eoine when antisocial documents must not be suppressed or fought: the enemies of religious ideas, of the constituted laws of family, of property and order, are thereby the enemies of the human race. But all the governments must decide on certain changes which affect institutions and also customs. Nations can no longer he governed to- day as they were governed two or three centuries ago. Austria, Germany, Prussia, adopted a few years since the necessary changes; peace will assist Russia, if she is wise, in operating a regular and steady transformation, whilst her new policy will depiive her of the idea of becoming an obstacle to the progress abroad. Thus will disappear also in Europe the spirit of conquest. We do not say that it is necessary to renounce war in a systematic manner. Military habits are generally the signs'in a country ofraora'l elasticity, which we must avoid disturbing, because its presence is useful in periods of social crisis, and because good soldiers always make good citizens. The grand aim of modern nations should be to extend gradually the prosperity of the multitude. It has been said and repeated everywhere inofficial circles, that it was a question of re-estublishmeut of European equilibrium and the prevention of any future invasion on the part of Itussia. We demand that the conditions of peace shall strictly coincide with Ujh programmes of war.'