The Express.
London, England, 1865-10-18 00:00:00

The " Amociazione Liberals di Firwnse," which
their opponents el the merrapsotalty called liberal
party would deny to he liberal at ell, and which
in feet supports the intereets of the " moderate "
or government. party in .the chamber,
has this morning put forth the name of its
candidates for the city of Florence, four in number.
They are—L Baron Bettluo Ricasoli ;2. Core-
mandatore ljbaldizo Partial ; 3. Comroendatore
Carlo Bon-Compagni ; 4 Avvocato Adrian Mari.
The names have been received with an outburst of
indignation by the red party. Ricasoll they do
not object to ; nay, would °Oen give him many of
their own votes ; not that they much approve of
his politics, or of his conduct as a minister, but
because RiCasoli for Florence is so evidently the
natural thing, the right thing, the inevitable thing,
that nobody would dream of attempting to gainsay
Or prevent it. Baron Ricasoli will be elected well
nigh unanimously.
The second name on the list, that of IThaldino
Peruzzi, the Minister of the Convention, and of the
sad day that followed the promulgation of it at
Turin, is far more offensive to a large portion of the
Florentine constituency, and it is probable that an
attempt may be made to exclude him. If that
portion of the "black party" who intend to go to
the poll, and who hate Peruzzi quite as cordially,
if not more so, than the "reds," were to combine
with the constitutional opposition party, I am in-
clined to think that they could detest him.
But the liberals would wot enter into any
such combination at the cost of returning
a "black" candidate. All that they can offer to
the " black " party is to unite their force for the
return of some liberal opponent of the government
who may be less obnoxious to them than Peruzzi.
It is probable that some attempt of this kind may
be made—l shall be able to tell you in my next
letter with what asooess.
But the name whiob bas excited the greatest
indignation is that of Bon-Compagni. Penni at
lead is a Florentine, and the bearer of one of the
grandest names remaining from the grand old
times. But what has 800-Oompagni to do with
Florence 1 Why is a Piedmonts,e to be brought
here and tit-flat down our throttle 1
The moderates reply that it has been thought
desirable that Florence should pay Turin the com-
pliment of choosing one of her representatives
from among the public men of Piedmont--a
species of reason very *lieu from all our elec-
tioneering habits, and not calculated, I think, to
contribute to the judicious formation of those of
Italy. But it is whispered by the liberals that
the real fact is that Bon-Compagnea re-election by
his old Piedmontese constituents is very uncer-
tain, and that that is the reason why he is to be
returned for Florence.
In any case it is not probable that be will be suc-
cessfully opposed. Putting political enmities aside,
there is ne man whose character stands higher, or
command's more universal respect, than that of
Ban-Compagut
With regard to the question which is now ex-
citing a good deal of attention, Whether it is hest
that men should be returned to the chamber who
are personally known to the constituencies that re-
turn them, who are their neighbours, and who are
supported by "local influence," or whether the
opposite system of practice and theory should pre-
' vail, I shall have somewhat to say in a future
; letter.