The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1866-11-03 00:00:00

THE CLERGY AND THE PLEBISCITIJM
IN VENETIA.
The Nasinne of ( iatoher contains the following remarks
on the conduct of the Venetian clergy in connection with
the recent VOW

One of the most remarkable circumstances connected
with the plebisciturn in Venetia has been the ardour
with which the clergy have participated in this final
act of the popular will. They came in crowds to vote
" yea" themselves, and by their example and influence
they stimulated the patriotism of others. In some
instances they headed their flocks like good pastors,
and led them to the voting urn. The Bishops exhorted
by pastoral letters their diocesans to vote, and the
patriarch of Venice, in the enthusiasm of these memo-
rable days, demanded oblivion for the past, pardon
for his many and grave mistakes, and declared
be wished to be in future a good Italian and a
faithful subject. Monsignor Zinelli. of Treviso, a
prelate famous for his reactionary fanaticism, and
for the wantonness of his attacks, who emulated the
most violent champions of ultramontanism in France,
not being able on account of illness to go personally to
vote, deputed, by special license, another to perform
this duty for him, and wrote to the Mayor a letter
full of patriotic sentiments. Finally the monks, over
whom the sword of Damocles is suspended in the
measure for the abolition of religious corporations,
wore on their breasts tricolor ribbons, and placed their
"ye.' in the urns. Three facts are worthy of serious
attention. We do not believe that we are maliciously
disposed because we hesitate to trust in the sincerity
and cordiality of certain singularly strange conversions.
Without winning to search with inquisitorial incline-re.
Lion int, the inward thoughts; of the Venetian
Mansignori, we may be allowed, however, to suppose
that a reason, which is not yet known, but of the
existence of which we cannot doubt from the effects
produced, has guided their conduct and led them
unanimously into the new path.

A correspondent in writing upon the subject of the
Plehtscltum, mays.—

• .
With joy and triumph the numbers were announced.
It was such a plebiscite as had been expected; such a
plebiscite as justified the previous demonstration—the
display of tricolor flags at every window, and the
pasting up of Victor Emmanuel's name on every door-
post. Venice gave thirty-four thousand eaten in favour
of union with Italy, whilst only seven crossgrained
persons said "on' to the proposal. Padua gave ten
thousand votes for the union without one dissenting
voice; and other cities of the province were equally
zealous to ratify their freedom from foreign control.
It was observable that very few indeed of those who
were entitled to a vote neglected to exercise their power.
There was no reward of any sort for voting, and it was
well understood that Venetia would become part of the
Kingdom of Italy whether or no five hundred or five
thousand men of • particular district dropped their
tickets into the electoral urn. But the people were
proud of their new privilege. They resolved that the
legal majority should be overwhelming, and they did
their best to make it so. Even in the last moment
of the plebiscite, when the ceremony was all hut ocr
and the doors of the district offices were about to be
closed, stray voters ran hurriedly to thane office., that
• they might add their "yes" to the answer of the pro-
vince. I may have chanced to witness the entry oj
the seven crossgrained negatives, and may have wasted
my sympathy upon them_ Yet as I watched the latest
arrivals in one of the districts of Venice, they seemed
so anxious not to be shut out, that I could not believe
that they were going to Bay "no." Such negatie
creatures would have been half-hearted, and would
have allowed themselves to linger; but these came
straightforward, ticket in hand, like honest men. One
old fellow, with an aspect of decayed gentility, with a
flower at his button-hole, and a tricolor cockade pinned
to his threadbare coat, advanced leaning upon a stick.
He could move but slowly, though be kept a straight
line to the electoral urn, and murmured, "Si, si, si, for
Italy, yea." Then there was a more rapid advance, that
of an artisan, with ears-worn face and with some tool
of his trade, brought with him in the hurry of the
moment. He had passed in and voted and come out
again before the poor old fellow with the flower at
his button-hole re-appeared after saying, " yes " for
Italy.