The Express.
London, England, 1855-09-05 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5.

WHAT we most fear for Italy is a premature explo-
lion. The state of the Peninsula must, indeed, be
intolerable to every right-minded Italian. With the
insolent and brutal military oppression of Austria in
the North; with the mad, fantastic misrule of the
Ring of NAPLES in the South; and with the imbe-
cility of the Papal Government in the centre, it is
scarcely possible to endure much longer. Still, the
blighted hopes of the great movement which began
in 1847 ought to teach the Italian patriots caution.
When PIO NONO ascended the Papal throne. the
Reformers of Italy (as contradistirguished from the
Revoluliouiste) were muter. of the fled. In the
Sates of the Church and in Piedmont they were
laying surely the foundations of great improve.
meats. Their example was followed in many
of the minor states. The sense of a common
aationslity was revived and strengthened by
this community of purpose; and an Italian Customs'
Union, and even a Federation of Italian States, began
to be talked of. So far all went welL But then
came the seieutific meeting at Genoa—at which more
politics than /deuce was discussed—and the heating
of men's mind■ by eloquent declamation. The break-
ing out of disturbances in Sicily excited a contagious
epirit in Lombardy and the Venetian territory. The
French Revolution of 1848 fired by its example ; the
movements in Germany and Hungary, by distracting
the attention of Austria, encouraged to immediate
action. All Italy rose in arms. Time had not been
allowed to concert combined action on the part of the
people, or to ascertain how far the Princes could be
trusted. Ili Outlive hopes were built upon the expeo-
tatit nof aid from Frailty and England. The conse-
quence war, that the POPE and the Neapolitan and
Tuscan Governments drew back at the most critical
moment ; that dissensions broke out between the
monarchical and republican parties ; that England
stood aloof ; and that France made common cause
with the Pope.

Among the reports that are now daily pouring in
from Italy, there are some that appear to render it
expedient to revive these recollections in the minds
of the Italians. In the Two Bleaisa hopes appear to
be built upon alleged misunderstandings between the
French and Neapolitan Governmints, and the pro-
vocations offered to the English Embassy at Naples
by the latter. The obvious anxiety of the Austrians
in Lombardy is attributed to a popular excitement
awakened by rumours of the state of affairs at
Militia. It; short, there is too much reason to
fear that the Italians may again allow theta-
selves to be precipitated into premature action,
by visior.s of foreign intervention. Now, the truth
cannot be too earnestly impressed upon them, that
their independence, their emancipation, must mainly,
and above all at the outset, be achieved by their own
effort.. France has as yet given no sign ; and, if it
had, what btotfit has Italian liberty derived from
the French occupations of Ancona and Rome? The
Eecmomisg (edited by a member of the present Eug-
Lab Ministry), and the Times (reconciled to the PAL-
MEiuTToN Cabinet since the accession of Mr. Lows to
office), appear, indeed, to be intent upon blowing the
coals of I.aliao discontent. But what was Italian
liberty benefited by the specious sympathy of Lord
MiaTo's mission ? If the Italians, under the stimulus
of spontaneous emotion and self-formed tesolve, can
combine among themselves, and make good their
g. aunt: for some time against Austria and their indige-
nous tyrant., France and England will probably offer
their good offices to stay the effusion of blood by
insisting upon the recognition of Italian indepen-
dence and liberty ; and such an offer, if made upon
terms consistent with the integrity of Italy, may be
honourably accepted by her. But no country or people
who do not show themselves strong enough to be
worth conciliating, can rely upon the sincere and
effective good offices of foreiga Governments.
Now, there are symptoms in the present state of
Italian and European polities that warrant a con-
fident hope that, if Italians combine resolution with
(station, the time is near at hand when they may
strike an effective blow for their liberties. The
defence made by Venice against the Austrian.,
and by Rome against the French, during the last
revolution, as well as the conduct of the Piedmontese
troops in the campaign of Lombardy, and now in the
Crimea, have shown that the Italians are no ways de-
ficient in that deliberate valour which is indispensable
to the assertion of the liberties of men and citizens.
The conduct of the improvised republican govern-
ments of Rome and Venice, and of the Sicilian Go-
vernment, daring the last revolution clearly prove
that the Italians are wise and virtues, enough for
the exercise of self-government. All that they re-
quire is to sink their mutual differences and distrusts
in order to combine for the great purpose of asserting
their unity and independence as a nation. There are
clear practical heads and resolute heartein abundance
in Venice, Bologna, Genoa, Messina, and Palermo,
and generally in Piedmont, the States of the Church,
and Sicily. The moonset' of the Peninsula are
greater than has been generally imagined. In these
days a disciplined standing army is indispensable to
the assertion of the independence of nations. A fatal
• mistake has been engendered by the victories of the
earlier revolutionary armies of France. It has been
imagined that these armies were composed exclusively
of enthusiastic volunteer., new to arms. The facts are
overlooked that a large proportion of the old French
army had fraternised with the people ; that the revo-
lutionary armies were organised upon the framework
of the army of the Monarchy ; that most of
the Generals, who are said to have risen from
the ranks, had in fact been trained in the
military schools, and entered the army as privates,
with a view to push their way by dint of talents and
knowledge. Keeping these facts in view, it is im-
possible, in calculating the chances of the next
movement of the Italian patriots, to overlook the ad-
mirable Sardinian army. That is a nucleus epos
which an Italian army could easily be formed. There)
is another consideration that ought not to be over.
looked. When the emancipation of a people is
achieved by en army, that army is apt to insist upon
governing. The General who possesses its confidence
to the greatest extent is apt to assume the supreme
power. This was the case in England in the
seventeenth, and in France in the eighteenth cen-
tury. Now, the Piedmontese army is officered by men
who have been accustomed to submit to a constitu-
tional Sovereign. We do not shut our eyes to the
fact that if the King of PIEDMONT were toessessd
is establishiog the liberty of Italy, be would in all
probability insist upon being recognised aa King of
ITALY. And we do not hesitate to avow our *elm
that the Italians would be wise to asap his as..