The Express.
London, England, 1853-02-10 00:00:00

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L 9.\-D UX, TH(.3lBDef I, .FEBRU-tRY 10.

Juvi two days before Christmas it was our painful
duty to record how the Austrians were treating the
Italian Liberalslin Lombardy. We bad to tell bow
iu one case eve gallows had been raised in the old
city of Mantua, on which were to be hanged up five
men of education, character, and national reputation,
because they were supposed to sigh for the welfare of
their country. But the tragic bony did not end
there. The .lustrians were nut content with simply
banging political eilenders, but they provided for the
occasion (as the Gar-retla del l'uyolo explained at the
time) " a newly-incanted halter, which prolongs the
struggles and agony of its victim." The charge
against the prisoners was stated to have been the
poseeasion ot " subversive papers," and to extort a
confession from the accused, one of the in, named TAT.
suit, was whipped twele e timer during Lib trial—any
incubi rent v,urds that escaped hint iu his agony be-
ing taken down in writing, to be produced as evi-
dence against him and his fellow sufferers. " TAZ-
ZULI;said the Italian reporter of these events) was
formerly l'rofessor of Belles Lettres, and afterwards
of Philosophy, in the Mantuan Seminary. He was
of bright intellect, mild and charitable, ho wrote
with much elegance both the Latin and Italian lan-
guages; this is proved by various compositionswhich
he published, and whose chief merit is great feeling
and love. He was the very soul of the iufant schools
in both the town and province of Mantua—he be-.
longed to a very rich family, was moot liberal of his
mates to the poor, and was esteemed and beloved by
his fellow citizens. There was no publication of the
trial, which was carried on with closed doors, and
before Judges who do nut understand—who rather
misunderstand—the Italian language." The amiable
Tateote—the equally estimable SCARSELLINI, and
their craipanions in suffering, were all in due
course condemned and flogged, and strangled by the
hands of the hangman in the Fort Belfiore—the
pa?cr which tells the story adding—" More than
two hundred and forty families of Venetian Lom-
bardy see now pending over the bead of seine dear
one the fate of these first victims of imperial yen-
pence. A most refined barbarity, which, rather than
leave the mind in doubt, prefers to give a taste, an
earnest of the way in which the other prisoners
would obtain justice." A correspondent writing at
the time, appended to this tragic story the following
reflection :
I have not the heart to relate one by one ell the horrors
and enormities of which Au.tria now mikes Lombardy
again the wine. It is the gauntlet thrown down by the
persecutors to the oppressed. A terribly detisnee. Bat
woe, if the oppressed shall rise to take up the challenge all
blood-its: ea with the aseassinstion of their brethren! I
eacuot tell you what I have suffered frees this news from
Mantua—a suffering embittered by the personal acquaint-
ance I had with Scarsellini. Poor young fellow' he was
the type of peteiotisni and of courage; his life washeld pre-
eioas in Venice, where be was universally beloved by the
ople.--and in all Italy, to which he would readily have
gevo.i.d it in the held of battle. Instead of this, it was taken
Eras !um by the imperial hangm:in.
Less than two months from the date of the above
we have now to record an outburst of Insurrection in
Milan. Do we not in these two facts behold cause
and effect ? Have not the floggings and the hang-
ings produced their natural fruit ? Is not revolt the
just and natural offspring of tyranny ? Is not Aus-
trian guilt to be followed by Italian revenge? In
our secured edition yesterday we gave the first news of
this fresh outbreak of popular indignation in Italy.
Thanks to the extension ot the electric telegraphs, the
intelligence, which reached Bellinzona, on the Italian
Swies truntier, on the evening of Tuesday, was by
Wednesday morning printed and in circulation
in London. That despatch was brief but impressive.
The people of Milan had riven—bad attacked the
Austrian troops, and had gained possession of the
arsenal in that place. The city was, of course, in
high fever. All routine duties had evidently been
at a standstill, as is evidenced by the fact that fur
two days the usual post had not left the city. " The
gates of Milan were shut (says the despatch) and it
was supposed that the insurrection which had been
suppressed was recommenced. A proclamation of
Mazzini had been placarded."
Upon such laconic and vagno data no very'dis-
tinet views of the result can be based; but it
seems quite clear from the proclamations of MAT-
RIX' and KOSSUTH, that though this insurrection
has, at a moment when we were assured no danger
was near, burst suddenly upon Europe, it was far
from unexpected by those most deeply interested
in Italian affairs. It is evidently the result of preli-
minary organisation,—and viewed in this light may
be regarded as a thing far more serious than a hasty
contest begotten by a casual case of special tyranny.
Bose time ago our Italian correspondence made
known the fact that 11A DETZ K V wished to have rein-
forcements from Austria; for some time also there
has been a very general knowledge of the fact that
the tyrannical King of NAPLES has been very uneasy
lest the heir of Joactum MURAT should strive to do
in Italy what his cousin has succeeded in accomphah-
log in France. Fear of the BorLeemeres is strong
in the Loom of King KOWA, and has driven him for
some time past to seek possession of the POPE'S
principality of Benevento, lest that spot should
form a refuge for intrigues and conspiracies
against his throne. Only yesterday the Debuts says:
" The King of NAPLES insists more than ever
upon the conclusion of the negotiations with the
Pore about the cession of the principality of Bene-
vento. There are enemies of the Boutusoz dynasty
in Italy, end the KING, fears that Benevento may
become the foyer of conspiracy;—hence his desire to
possess himself of this territory."
Young MURAT doubtless has his eye on Naples,
and men on each side of the Alps now keenly re-
member how the " Empire" of France was once
linked to the "Kingdom" of Italy. The real and
active powers now in the latter country arc
wielded by the Austrians on the one hand,
and the French, who hold Rome, on the other
—the Italians feeling themselves to be mean-
while not only a conquered, but a deeply ent-
ering, race. In estimating their true position, we
111114 not forget—that Insurrections are not products
of well-governed states. The very sign of a revolt is
rim(' facie proof of tyranny in the rulers—
a truism just now In coarse of painful
illustration. The power of NIAZZINI—Ins co-
operation with Kosserft—and the fact that the
manifestoes of the Italian and Hungarian leaders
were distributed and posted up under the very noses
of the Austrian garrison of Milan, demonstrate the
existence of a wide-spread spirit of disaffection. The
movers in this affair avow their reliance upon the
present union of Mazzlet and KOSSUTH to raise
what they speak of as two wings of an insurgent
force casuist their common foe—Austria; the one
acting in Italy, the other in Hungary.
The belief seems to be, that if Milan could
bold out against the Austrians for a few
days the whole peninsula might juin the movement.
MAZZINI left England more than a month ago, and
the friends of Italian independence remember hope-
fully his talents, hie judgment, and his frequent Inc-
omes., and doubtless pray that the present attempt
may succeed. Kosserit, from a distance, speaks to
the Hungarian soldiers in the Austrian service w ith
as much oonfidence in their obedience to his com-
mands as though he still held Co:norn and was Dic-
tator. ThW tae of confidence was probably well

considered before it was decided on, and may be
well adapted for the countries and the purposes
in view ; but tho:e who are but spectators of this
unexpected drama will hesitate before they reeognise
any proof of success in one early tone of confidence.
Oppressed, sanguine, clever and brave, the Italians
undoubtedly are, but the quarrel they lave in hand
is one iu which thLy stand against fearful odds.
‘Vide-spread a)inpathy will be theirs, but sym-
pathy is not cannon. Austria has sent a large
army to watch the Montenegro fight and--it
may be—to take part in it. She has dangers also
on the side of Hungary, and is far from prosperous
on the Bourse. These things are all in favour of
the Italians. But then she has at her side
the great despot of all—Russia, only too ready
to give help,—hereafter to be paid for; and
doubtless, other neighbours would not hesitate to
join her, if need be, iu the task of subduing a revolt,
which, if at all successful, might spread into Ger-
many with dangerous rapidity. Could France stand
still whilst any such work was going on? Would
Piedm mt be scene if Italy were embroiled ? These
and other questions naturally arise out of the compli-
cation which must ensue, should the insurrection in
Milan remain unsubdued. But if subdued, its very
existence for a single day shows how well-founded
NlxiitNes declaration is, that things as they now
are, rest upon a mere crust, below which is a stream
of bathing lava. To this stream every Austrian
flogging and hanging, every new victim cast into
the dungeons of Lombardy or of Naples, adds
fresh tire—burning it may be out of sight for a
while, but certain in the end to prove its existence
be insurrection, with all its attendant horrors and
dismay.

Tiit new Parliament may properly be said to com-
mence its sittings for the despatch ot business to-day.
Its unusual assembling in November was little better
than a false start, and the brief and hurried course
thus commenced proved to be, for ail legislative par-
poees, vair. and abortive. The House of Commons
was almost wholly engrossed with discussions as to
shy it bad been summoned, and as to the comps-
tent* of the authority by whose mandate it had been
called together. For the rest, the only duty ot any
importance which it performed before Christmas was
thut of acting in the capacity of coroner's jury. on the
Del byite Administration, which, after much inquiry
and argument, it found to have been guilty of fely-
de•sc. _ _

Today, however, the legitimate business of the
session may be said to begin. For a time, at least,
the struggle of parties for supremacy is suspended.
A new Government asks a new Parliament to give
it a fair hearing and a fair trial. It boasts of having
been funned with the aim of combining on the same
front bench to the right hand of the Chair the greatest
amitint of administrative experience which has been
found there fur many years; and experience is a very
good thing in its way. But it must, after all, be
confessed that it is a subordinate way. Official ex-
perience in the administration of laws is one thing,
but in the making of laws it is another. In its appli-
cation it is essentially conservative. Its eyes are in the
back of its head. It instinctively resists everything
for which it cannot find a precedent. Its faith is no
authority, its teaching is from tradition, " its
strength is to sit still." The spirit of a free Parlia-
ment is essentially the reverse of all this. Its posi-
tion is emphatically to find out what needs to be
removed in the old and to design what needs to be
built up in the new. And for this far other quali-
ties than those of the mere professional bureaucrat
are necessary. Petty and patchwork restorations of
the works of our forefathers are not what the age
requires. It is not Puseyism in political architec-
ture, but originality of design and inventive adapta-
tion of old materials to new wants that an
intelligent, active, and free-thoughted people de-
mand. Administrative ability properly so called
is in • word not statesmanship,—it is not even
the power of guiding or controlling a popular as-
sembly. These are much higher qualities: and for
these the eyes of men will now instinctively look from
the new. Ministry.
The nation is prosperous and at peace with all its
neighbours. Capital and labour are actively em-
ployed; public credit never stood more firm or high;
commerce is daily extending, and there is • surplus
of two millions in the Exchequer. If this be not a
fair opportunity for calm and comprehensive legisla-
tion, then assuredly the opportunity will
never come. Commercial depression, failure of
a harvest, monetary crisis, foreign war, re-
ligious distractions, or social discontents, or
any other of the ills to which nations like
individuals are liable, may overcloud our present
fortunate condition before another year comes round.
Difficulties, of which we know nothing now, would
then impede the paths of the most energetic and
courageous. Seasons of perplexity and doubt are
surely not those best fitted for great internal
chauges ; yet it has too often happened thiat until
such seasons these inevitable works have been post-
poned. Let any one consider, for example, the
growing intelligence and numerical strength of
those industrious classes of our people which consti-
tutional forms grown obsolete and inapplicable re-
fuse to recognise. Are not the mass of our artisans
at the present day better off and better edu-
cated than the majority of those, whether
living in town or country, who possessed the
franchise a hundred years ago, or comparing them
with their own contemporary class in America or in
France, are they not, to say the least of it, as
well qualified to exercise the right of suffrage?
And is it not akin to fatuity, and of the most fatal
kind, that the golden hours of popular contentment
should be allowed to pass away without redressing
such a wrong as the causeless exclusion of these
men from all the active rights of citizenship. En-
franchisement largely and liberally given at a time
like this would be accepted as a boon, not the less
appreciated because it has been called for with ex-
citement or with clamour; but, if postponed in-
definitely, the day of peril may intervene, and
then, without gratitude or good will, the same con-
' cession wilt be extorted as too many similar con-
cessions have before been wrung from the tardy
hand of privilege.
Other important subjects equally demand the pre-
' scient and anticipative skill of true statesmanship.
The state of our educational institutions is a scandal
and disgrace to advancing civilisation. Measured
by whatever standard, England is behind the time—
sadly behind the time. And what is far worse, our
laws in this respect are far behind the consciousness
of neglect on the part of the community. Let us at
once have some plan to make an end of this blind
and barbarous, helpless and heartless staggering on
under our load of national ignorance—a load of which
the country, were it fairly asked the question,
would declare itself thoroughly ashamed, and of
which nothing short of bold and comprehensive legis-
lation can enable it to get cid.
So, likewise, with reference to legal reform. Oar
laws of partnership, our laws regarding the probate
of wills, and our laws regarding land, are all worm-
eaten and corrupt No peddling or paltry emenda-
tions will suffice to bring these various systems into
harmony with the social condition of our time.
Society has outlived and outgrown the devices of a
former age, whereby provision was sought to be made
for its then existing wants, in conformity with its
then prevailing ideas. The wants and the ideas hare
equally changed, and the laws, remaining unaltered,
have degenerated into little better than nuisances
and jobs. The will and the skill of a statesman are
imperatively needed: let us trust that they will not
be found wanting. The session which opens today
will present, we must repeat, a rare and extensive
field for the highest work of legislation. Let us
hope that it will not be allowed to remain unim-
proved.

HIGHWAY ROBBERY AND BRUTAL VIOLENCE AT
Irswicu.—A highway robbery was committed on Wednes-
day night, under most atrocious circumstances. About
half-put tight, Mr. Thomas Charlton, a primitive meths-
dist preacher, residing in Reps-lane, was on his road home
from Washbrook. When between the residence of Mr.
Harmer and the railway bridge, on the road leading to
Crane Hall Hill, he met two men, and on passing bad*
them "Good night." Mr. Charlton, however, had not pro-
ceeded ten yards further, ere he met a third man, who,
without saying a wort, flourished a powerful bludgeon, and
striking Mr. Charlton two blows, one upon the head and
the oth-ir behind the ear, knocked him down. The other
two fellows upon this immediately came up, and whilst Mr.
Charlton was lying stunned and bleeding from the effects
of the violence, he WAS kneeled upon and robbed of a silver
watch, two half-crowns, and a puree. It appean that
during the whole of these transactions not a word was
spoken by the highwaymen. Oa Friday, Mr. Charlton was
stated tole recovering from the injuries i.e received.—/is-
teiLA E..epren.