The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-04 00:00:00

This proud and lonely-aouled Tuscan noblema

the last of a race twelve centuries old, was not of ,
the stuff of which facile and plaint courtier- ,
statesmen arc made, or the puppet managers of
dependent States. He could not palter, or shuffle,
or equivocate, or even dissemble, in the orthodox
diplomatic style. He knew his duty to his own
Sovereign and his own country, and did it manfully,
faithfully, and indefatigably. But he owed no
allegiance to any foreign patronage, and would
never succumb to influences unavowed. Ear: peen
diplomacy found this "antique Roman" inconve-
niently outspoken and straightforward, and in the
purlieux of the Palace, if not in the antechambers,
be was pronounced a Puritan. Stories have been
told of his rigid and severe demeanour, his strict
assertion of responsibility, his impatience of alien
dictation, his contempt for the meaner acts by
which ambitious mediocrity creeps into the favour
of Kings. All this tattle of envy and malice
buzzed around this stern and stedfast champion of
the independence of Italy, but never for an in-
stant irritated or disturbed him. Absorbed in the
continuous and incressing labour of two and some-
times three departments of the State, month after
month consuming day and night in anxious
vigilance against instant dangers, and in pas-
sionate forethought for the public welfare and the
national emancipation, Baron Riessott, though
neither popular, nor affable, nor a candidate for
vulgar homage, rose day by day in public estima-
tion, in the respect of the Chambers, and the con-
fidence of the country ; and yet no one knew
better than Iticssou himself that his footing as •
Minister was insecure, and that he was hemmed in
on all sides by sunken rocks and shifting shoals.
It was characteristic of his strong simplicity of heart
that be shut his eyes and his ears to all but the
spectacle of a nation rising from the dust, and the
voice of a people cheering him on. Eight months
seem a brief span of power to vulgar ambition,
but they were long enough for an honest and high-
minded :gateman to bequeath an enduring example
of that public virtue and that uncompromising
honour which are the lifeblood of national inde-
pendence.

Can we wonder then that such a Minister as this was
compelled at length by the force of circumstances
to give way to men more ductile and convenient I
A word or two in the recent debates in the French
Senate supplies a key to the Ministerial crisis at
Turin. It is evident that Baron ItreAsou has
made way for Signor RATAZZI only when he per-
ceived that he could no longer serve his Sovereign
and country without lose of dignity and self-re-
spect—without, perhaps, descending to the com-
pliances of a Palace Minister and accepting the
conditions of a nominee. Without imputing any
lack of patriotism to the new Prime Minister of
Italy, it may be assumed that he is a persona grata'
at the Tuileries, which Baron Breslau un-
doubtedly was not. How far a private passport
from Paris or the stamp of the emnnsi.ssion
J. e4olportove will carry Signor R rin
the favour of the people of Italy events
will prove. One thing is certain. The
time and the cause of Baron Ricsnott's re
si.„matien place his successor in a false position
from the first. Signor RATAZZI represents, it

may be, • personal preference, or a foreign ch
or • dynastic arrangement. But his Cabinet
COMES into office not as Ministers in constitutional
countries are supposed to do, on the shoulders of
a parliamentary majority, and it has yet to be
diaeovered whether a few timid and selfish Pied-
monts", doctrinaires who have less faith in Italy ,
then tsar of France, combined with a few ardent
prelmeors of " gratitude" and believers in Im-
perialist democracy, represent the deliberate pur-
pose or the persistent aspirations of Italy. It is •
singular coincidence that on the very day on which
the Kura accepted the resignation of Baron
RicAsom, M. as LA GUIKKONNIZRZ was exclaiming
in the Senate that but for the death of Count
CAVOili France might already have come to terms
with the Papacy ; in other words, that the obsti-
nacy of Count Cavons's successor had been the
obstacle to the desired reconciliation. Intelligent
Italians can hardly fail to be struck by the tone of
all the speeches in the French Senate with re-
spect to Italy. If all Italy bad become a de-
partment of the Empire, these official and officious
orators could not speak with a more entire and
exclusive reference to Imperial interests, motives,
and designs. What the Roman, or even Italian,
people, twenty-two millions in number, may desire,
or demand, seems never to occur to these disinte-
rested rhetoricians of French Catholicism. Bow
Steer RATALZI will conciliate the just expectations
of Italy with the concessions that are publicly an-
tis* abed in Paris, we forbear to imagine. The
composition of his Ministry, as it is an-
nounced by telegraph, is conspicuously weak,
and indicates nothing so clearly as the
absence of any names that might have added
strength to the list. It is a batch of men of
squeezable temper and of moderate and respect-
able capacity, but with no remarkable qualities of
statesmanship. We daresay the DEMOB will
give them a fair trial. It contains at least no
elements of reaction ; for reaction is more than
even the Emperor of the FRENCH can command,
where twenty-two millions of people are united
and resolved, and a Gazniamor,who can neither be
duped nor intimidated into defection or subser-
viency, is in the midst of them.

Nonce was given in the House of Commons
last night, in the name of Sir Joni( Tsmawirv,
that, at the proper time, the postponement of the
second reading of the Church Rates Abolition Bill
until after Easter will be moved. Sir CHAZIAI
Docous, in giving this notice, explained that the
delay had been resolved on in order to give mem-
bers on the other aide of the House an opportunity
of submitting a measure for the settlement of the
Church Rate on some other principle than that of
total abolition. As this course is in harmony with

recommendations we have made from time to
time, it is superfluous to say that we entirely
approve of it. We must, however, express
the further satisfaction with which we see that
the obligation under which the opponents of the
Abolition Bill lie to produce a measure of their
own is becoming more and more generally ad-
mitted. We have never desired to bring into re-
lief the wild propositions and violent language of
the extreme section of the pro-rate party, con-
vinced that the sound sense of intelligent and
moderate men must ultimately decide the action
of the general body. By these latter the mainte-
nance of the present law of Church Rates has long
been given over as impracticable. The principal
organ of the High Church party has repeatedly
urged Churchmen to avert abolition by agreement
on some plan for the fair adjustment of the
question. We are now informed that the same
disposition prevails among the Low Church party.
The Record admits that the recently published
resolutions of the Church Rate Abolition Com-
mittee, in harmony with the notice given in Par-
liament last night, constitute a challenge which is
reasonable, and to the point. We are told that
" the prevailing desire is, if possible, to put an
" end to the strife on any equitable terms." It is
truly stated that " Churchmen [i.e., those of them
" who were unprepared for total abolition] have all
" along demanded an opportunity of placing before
" an impledged House the basis of a final measure,
" and this the Abolition Committee formally gives
" them." The inference is irresistible. "It is
" imperative on them to come to some clear
" understanding among themselves, to accept the
" responsibility of the situation, and unite as one
" man on a definite policy."
The Record may be simply prudent, or excel•
lively cautious in its surmises as to the motives of
the Church Rate Abolition Committee in providing
this delay. On this point we may repeat words
used at a recent memorable interview :—" If this
" matter can be amicably arranged, we may dis-
" pease with compliments." In the meantime,
it is certain that the course which the opponents of
Sir JOHN TRELAWNT'S Bin are now urged by their
most enlightened guides to take is the one most
consistent with the dignity of the interests de-
fended, and most likely to command the respect
of Parliament and the country.