The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-11-19 00:00:00

THE NEW ITALIAN CONSTITUTION.

The first act of M. le Parini, on entering upon his
important functions as Lieutenant-General or Viceroy
of the Neapolitan Provinces, has been to make known,
in a report to the King, the views and ideas by which
his administration will be influenced and directed, and
to trace out at the same time a kind of political pro-
gramme, which, in its most important features, is appli-
cable, not only to the Neapolitan Provinces, but to all
the other territories which have been annexed to Pied-
mont. This report is, therefore, worthy of; and will, no

doubt, meet with an unusual &etc of attention, not
in Italy alone, but in every other part Of file vierld,
where the progress of the struggle of the Italians for
deliverance from the evils of misgovernment and oppres-
sion has not been viewed with indifference, and wherever
the result of the efforts of the heroic leaders and direc-
tors of the sticeegsftil revolutionary movement continues
to be a subject of interest or sympathy,
It is understood that the contents of this able docii-
ment, which we publish in exienso, as forming in reality
the basis of the proposed constitution of the new Italian
kingdoni, tidie rittt With the cordial approval of the
Sovereign, and that the ideas aad vies *hich it de-
velops, are in entire conformity with those for which
the Governirient of his Majesty will endeavour to ob-
tain thelsanctiori arid consent of the new Parliament on
its meeting. N. Parini is carefal to start at the outset
with the proposition, that to the representatives of the
whole nation in Parliament assembled, belongs the ei-
elusive right of defining and determining the position
to be occupied by each of the states and proVinces
annexed, in the general constitution of the Italian
kingdom. lie was quite right to follow this course, for
it is obvious that the first and most difficult of all the
questidris that will have to be considered by the national
representatives will be, hoi4 to degl; ire a way that shall
be just and satisfactory to the different states interested;
firstly, with the separate and rival claims for preferenc9
and priority of the cities of Milan, Florence, and Naples,
the capitals of what M. Farini designates as " so many
glorious centres of civilisation and moral traditions ;" and,
secandly, with the claims of these places in those respects,
and especially of Naples, as regards Turin. "The long exist-
ence of the trident Italian States," M. Farini observes,
"has created a greatmany sVetial interests. The traditions
of these interests must be respected, so fat' as this can be
done without offending or weakening the national Unity?,
Precisely. That is just the problem which the new
Italian Parliament will be called upon to solve ; and it
is, as we have said, one of the knottiest of all the
knotty points on which its deliberations will be exercised.
It Will, be generally admitted that M. Farini's plan
for meeting the diffictiltieS Of the case ii, in Many re-
spects, very seductive, and also i;erY decitictiVely: Pitt.
Without any sacrifice of unity, for which so many sacri-
fices have been made, it appears to indicate an anxious
desire to render homage and due consideration
to all the various interests, traditions, customs and
reminiscences enshrined in the history and constitution
of each particular province, so far as this confessedly
difficult object can be reached. Under his proposal
each province would retain to itself a sort of modified
autonomy ; each would continue to enjoy its local pri-
vileges and franchises; the capital of eacli would remain
to it a capital as much as it was before annexaan
and if Turin increased in graridenr, Naples, Milan, and
Florence would not be Balled upon to part with any of
"the jewels of their crown." The city vrotild have its
rights, and the province would have its rightsl arid above
both there would dominate, bUt in such a way as to be
scarcely perceptible, the general laws of the state..
We greatly dotibt, however, if the scheme, notwith-
standing its many attractithis, will be successful in
excluding or suppressing those rivalries, jealousies, and
dissensions, which are the almost unavoidable' docom-
paniments of divided authority, united with indepen-
dent claims. M. Le Farini has done his best to con-
ciliate to the utmost the great idea of unity with those
of federation and autonomy; but Whether he has been
able to solve that interesting problem, is a question
which experience can alone determine. Thu difficulties
of the attempt, at #all events, cannot easily be exagge-
rated—that is quite plain.