The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, JANUARY 17, 1848.

bles of that period. These assertions relate, as we
have said, to facts that have become matters orhis-
tory. First, then, as to their truth.
The movement of 1831-took plate- in the modern
provinces of 'the Papal states. Bologna waa the
centre of utility, and it was not until the French
landed, that Ancona became a poiat of importance in
the agitated districts. Tim prisoners made by the
Austrians, who violated the neutrality of the Roman
states, under the pretext of maintaining order, and by
the Swiss mere naries, hired by GREGORY XVI., were
not likely to be taken to Rome, where the sigkt of
these victims would, in all probability, have roused
the populace to an attempt to set them free. But
does Count ST. AULAIRE mean to affirm that no per-
secution followed the troubles of 1831? Were no
distinct orders issued to hunt out all who had directly
or indirectly taken put, not merely in the attacks
of the national guards on the Swiss and Aus-
trians, but in the signature of peaceful protests
against tyranny and of humble petitions for
reform ? Can he be ignorant of the orders sent to all
heads of departments, and of the institution of special
commissions to ascertain the names of all persons,
whether in the civil service or not, who took any
part in a movement which, but for Austria and
France, would havo blest central Italy with respon-
sibility of government, and with the security of the
persons and the property of its inhabitants? The
edicts decreeing the inquisition to which we refer are
well known, and bear date the 14th and 30th of
April, 1831. Wo have copies of them now lying be-
fore as
In what professed to be a decree of amnesty, dated
July, 1831, all persons implicated in the proceedings
of 12th February, 1831, arc specially excepted,
together with forty chiefs if the tnorement who are
named. If these noblemen and gentlemen, on finding
their hopes destroyed, sought to escape the tender
mercies of a papal tribunal, is this to be called in the
Chamber of Peers a needless and voluntary banish.
ment? Their fate, if they had delayed to escape,
would in many Called have been, not that of consign-
ment to the French embassy, that they might be sent
out of the country, as M. ST. AULAIRE has stated—
it would have been that doom which fell upon
MARIANO BEVILACQUA and LORENZO TORELLI, who
were executed liefiwe the walls of Ancona on the 26th
March, 1833 ; of Geonow Sato ; of the goldsmith,
Mamie!, and his son, condemned for ten years,
of VESCOVI, condemed far twenty years, booed e
galleys, and of the notary MELLON!, condemt,
the galleys fiw I (le, the criminal share of the latter in
the troubles of the times being aggravated by the
discovery that ho belonged to the dreaded sect
of the Carbonari. At Ancona seven other persons
were condemned to various terms of imprisonment on
the same day, the date of the edict being 30th March,
1833. We have further seen a supplication, ad-
dressed by fifty-two prisoners confined in Cavite' Cas-
tellana to the commandant of the fortress, pointing
out the cruelty and disgrace that attended the
breach of the amnesty granted by the legate,
Cardinal Iles vest-Tl, at Ancona, in 1831, and
which induced many of the insurgents there
confined arid others that were condemned to death,
to lay down their arms. We do not allude to these
undoubted facts with the intention of specially cor-
recting the statements made by the ex-ambassador.
There is no lack of authorities of much greater weight
at Paris, if the French public required any detailed
refutation of so manifest an attempt at mystification.
What has most struck us is the moment at which
those statements are solemnly put forward—for they
seem to furnish a key to the present policy of the
French ministry toward Italy.
Notwithstanding the manly disclaimer of Count
PELET DE LA LOZERE and M. Cries's:, the manner in
which the speeches of Count ST. AeLs1111", M. Gum;
and the Duke De 13 aoOI.IE, were received by the peers,
testifies to the feeling prevalent in France that it is
dangerous for French interests to allow Spain, Swit-
serland, or Italy, to become peaceable, organised, or
rowerful and united states. It seems to be acknow-
ledged, by the Chamber of l'eers at least, that the great-
ness of "la yrande nation," is measured by the weak-
ness, disorganisation, and demoral eation,of its neigh-
bours. If any exception is to be made to this rule, it
must be in favour of a country intimately allied with
the French court by relationship or marriage :
in short, some grace is to be allowed to a useful but
subservient ally, none to a nation that presumes to
have a will of its own. This is the moral which all
Europe will unhesitatingly read out of the recent de-
bate on the paragraphs of the address concerning
Switz.rland and Italy : it had already been illustrated
by the Spanish marriages.
The statements made respecting the events in Italy
:a 1831 and followi•ig years would lead to the infer-
ence that the policy then pursued was to be again
attempted. This consists in allowing the friends
lof civil and religious liberty to encourage their
fellow-citizens into some overt act of libernlism,
and if possible to entangle them in some military
attempt, which should furnish an excuse for France
r..nd Austria to interfere to keep the peace. An am-
nesty is then offered to all who will submit to the
arbitration of these intelligent friends between the
people and their governments. Such of the leaders
as are silly enough to believe in these promises, desir-
ous to avoid the bloodshed inevitable in a contest
with regular troops, submit, and are forthwith incar-
cerated. The others escape with damaged reputations,
and cannot easily acquire again the position they have
lost. Austria produces improvements drawn up speci-
ously on piper, which are published under an express
guarantee from the courts to whom the reins of power
are once more confided that they shall never be carried
out. Foreign mercenaries are imported, to keep down
the people during the sanguinary emerge that is to
follow. A loan is contracted at the expense of the
people, of which every party to the transaction gets
a slice. Finally, the occupying army withdraws, ex-
pressing its extreme anxiety to respect the inviolability
sf territories, which it has shown can be trodden under
:not with perfect impunity, and professing eternal
friendship for a nation whose moral power and self-
respect it has annihilated.
The Italians were disarmed, both in 1821 and 1831.
by political concessions granting all they required,
and by amnesties of the most extensive kind. When
both were broken the insurgent leaders were taunted
with incapacity, and the people who sided with them
with cowardice ; whilst not impunity, but severe
persecution and vengeance awaited those who dared
to resent such treatment. On all these points Lord
SEYMOUR'S letters are extant to contradict the glaring
falsehood of M. Ounoe's diplomatists.

We have received our Paris despatches of Friday
and Saturday (those of Friday having appeared in
part of our impression of Saturday).
The session of the French legislature is always
opened by the Chamber of Peers, where the addressor
answer to the royal speech is first brought forward,
and affords the opportunity to the minister of the
crown to give a calm statement of his policy and in-
tentions, uninterrupted by attack, and unawed by the
prospect of a rejoinder. In fact, the Chamber of
Peers has never risen to the excitement of what
might be called a debate. Opposition, or semi-oppe-
sition, is there merely ventured by individuals, who
are severely brow-beaten by the Chancellor for
such presumption, and who humbly beg pardon of
the Chamber for daring to differ with the minister
or with the crown.
Encouraged by the presence of an obsequious
audience, M. Ouizot and his two intimate friends and
chief diplomatists, Saint Aulaire and de Broglie,
have addressed the chamber at length, all three upon
the one theme, all three echoing the one idea—viz., a
close alliance between France and Austria. The ne-
cessity of pleasing Austria was boldly avowed by
Count St. Aulaire, who declared, " that nothing
stable or desirable could be done for Italian liberty
without the consent and concurrence of Austria." The
same principle was avowed with respect to Switzer-
land. In short, the Austrian alliance is the programme
and symbol of the Guizot ministry of 1848, ant
Prince Metternich is declared the arbiter of Europa,
and the meter of its liberties.
Count l'elet do la Lozere kindly acted chrono-
logist for this new policy. He reminded the chamber
that the Spanish marriages were decided in Septem-
ber, 1846 ; and iu the October which immediately
followed, the Austrian alliance was inaugurated by
the despatch of the 24th of that month on the affairs
of Switzerland. The entire policy of France with
regard to Europe, said Count Pelet, hinged upon
these marriages, and changed with them, deserting
England and the cause of liberty and constitutionalism,
from which the French court and cabinet finally
separated on the Spanish marriages, and going
over to the cause of despotic governments,
France selling her liberal influence in Europe
in exchange for Austrian support in Spain. This

"right about" of M. Guizot has too often been ex-
posed in these columns to need more than the remark,
that Count Pelet, himself an ex-cabinet minister,
corroborates the corractnesa of the judgment.
Thus originating, thus based on the mere dynastic
interests of the house of Orleans, the Franco-Austrian
alliance proceeds to establish itself, as the God Termi•
nue, which is to arrest every liberal movement and
progress in Spain, Italy, and Switzerland. " Italy,"
says Count St. Aulaire, " must not stir a step be-
yond the desire and permission of Austria." "Switzer-
land," says M. de Broglie," was endowed with inde-
pendence solely on condition of her remaining divided
and weak, She wassplitup into parts and cantons, each
as independent of the other as Saxony and Bavaria."
So says M. de Broglie. And any attempt on the
part of the Swiss to revive the federal conAitution,
and thereby to have a unity of military force, com-
mercial intercourse, common right of citizenship,
or general system of education :—all these necessary
steps in civilisation are to be denied to the Swiss, be-
cause, forsooth, it would give umbrage to Austria. In
vain does Count Pelet say that the Swiss will re-
vise their Pact or federal constitution. In vain will
it be alleged, that the Swiss sought to revive the Pact
and centralise their government fifteen years ago, when
Count Rossi, M. Guizot's own triend, drew out the plan,
whilst neither France nor Austria made the least ob-
jection at the time. But the law of Europe with
respect to Switzerland has become very different now,
since the formation of the new holy alliance. A law
of finality has passed, signed by the ministers of
France and Austria, and liberal Europe has no alter-
native but to rebel or submit.
Almoet the entire sitting of Friday was occupied by
speech of Count Montalembert, which sought to
prove that the Jesuits were the only true liberals,
end that the radicals were despots of the same school
rune Emperor Nicholas. As a sample of the logic
mad of M. Montalembert, we may mention
that he accused Sir Stratford Canning, the noted
friend of Greece, with having plotted against that
country, and with having actually killed General
eoletti! After this sample of the temper and vera-
city of the Count Montalembert, we may be spared
extract or notice of his frantic discourse.
The committee of that Chamber adopted on Satur-
day all the paragraphs of the address. The whole of
it will be communicated to the Chamber on the 17th.

A letter from Turin of the 4th instant, in the Augs-
bnurg Gazette, states that Sir Stratford Canning had
addressed a note to the Swiss Diet, under the date of
the 15th of Drnember, in which he recommends mo-
deration, and to avoid all that might cause the least
trouble in neighbouring states. Sir Stratford ex-
, presses a wish that a general amnesty should be
granted, and that more equity and indulgence should
be shown in the repartition of the contributions
im-
posed on the conquered cantons. This, adds the
Augsburg Gazette, sufficiently explains the coolness
which has sprung up between the British representa-
tive, and the chiefs of the Swiss radicals, and which
has manifested itself by the non-appearance of Sir
Stratford Canning and Mr. Peel at the diplomatic
banquet given recently at Berne.

A CST It I A.—VIENNA.— The Prussian Unirerea!
Gazette under this head says : "The army of Italy, in eon-
s, iiumice of the reinfrcements it has just received, is now
really tor all events. It numbers 75,000 men. In ordinary
times it is composed of 30.000 only."
THE Y-sl2 ITS DISMISSED FROM VIENNA.—The
nut, h papers state, on the authority of an account received
Irma Fraakicrt, that the Jesuits who sought the hospitality
o. Austria when banished from Salts, timid hare once more
kit Vienna to seek sly her elsewhere.