The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-26 00:00:00

ITALY.

SARDINIA.—Oar correspondent writes:
TURIN, Dac. 20, 11 A.m.
To-day, at this hour, when lam writing to sou,
Victor Emmanuel is opening the present session of
parliament in the senate. It is the first time he has
appeared in public since the death of his father,
the late King Charles Albert. The queen is also pre-
sent. They were both received with applause by the
people and the national guards, on issuing from
the palace. The king, after pronouncing himself the
speech, will present his eldest son, a boy five years of
age, dressed in the uniform of a private of the na-
tional guards, to the national guards, and the different
I legions of Turin will draw lots to see which shall
enrol the young prince as a member of that guard.
11 All this tends to the popularity of the king;
but much will depend on the nature of the
speech which his ministers have composed for
him, and that not only u to its effect on public
opinion generally, but also as to its consequences and
its effect on the minds of many of the conservative
party, who would very properly wish to see the
ministry follow a vigorous and efficient policy, and
carry out the corstitutional system in its spirit, as
well as in the observance of its letter, and especially
imprint an energy and proper direction to the diplo-
macy of the Piedmontese government, in which it has
of late been sadly deficient, no matter from what
causes that may bare arisen. It is, however, an ele-
ment not only of strength and security for the
country, but may, under present circumstances, be
said to be the very basis of its existence as an inde-
pendent state, since it is very evident that it is on the
good understanding of this government with the diplo-
macy of Europe, and especially of England
and France, and by the skilful manner in
which the interests of Piedmont are managed,
that depends whether this devoted country will have,
like the rest of unfortunate Italy, to submit to the in-
sidious influence or even the arbitrary encroachments
of Austria. There is a rumour of a note, sent by
Radetzsky or the Austrian cabinet, demanding the
I suppression or punishment of the exorbitances of
the democratic press here, with a threat of ulterior
intervention if this demand be not complied with.
Whether the tumour be well founded or not, certain
it is that Austria cannot see without uneasiness a free
press au near her Italian possessions, held only
by the tenure of the sword, and all ready to
rise in insurrection at the first semblance of
a chance of success, or even of the pos-
sibility of a struggle ; and I doubt not that
she would set at defiance the law of nations, and
invade this country, if she could but manage to isolate
it from French and especially from English protection.
It is therefore towards the securing the sympathies of
the English cabinet, and the conntetance and support
of the French one, after the example of the English,
that Piedmontese statesmen tend.
I have just obtained a copy of the King's speech,
of which I hasten to send you a translation. The
—ch appeared in yesterday's Express.

The King of Sardinia has addressed the following
order of the day to the national guards at Turin :
Officers and.Soldi. rt of the National °nerd, —Your pre-
sence and, r arms on the solemn °coition of the opening of
parliament is the expression of my thoughts—namely, the
exercise of liberal institu.ions as the foundation of the hap
piness of the people. All my cares are turned to this ob•
feet. You have never refused your assistance in maintaining
order ; yon have rot ceased to give proofs of affection and
devotedness to the throne and my family. My gratitude
and affection towards you shall never cease. be tura of it.
I address Mae word, to you all who have assembled at
Turin. I w'sh they may be heard by the national guards
of the kini.tom, wi.h whom you fam but one family, and
in whom I have the same confidence. Officers and soldier',
continue to fulfil your duties as you have hitherto done ; let
order and liberty be your motto, and I shall always be with
you, as my son is from this moment in your ranks.
VICTOR EMMA:HURL.

(nun at Turin, Dec. 20.
TUSCANY.—The Nosier:ale of Florence, of the
16th, states that the Tuscan government intends con-
voking the Chambers about the beginningof February.
The minister of finacce has decided that no more
treasury bonds for the new loan shall be sold ander
90 per cent. This decision is to be attributed to the
offer of a great banking establishment, to buy all the
remaining bonds at that price.
VENlCE.—Letters from Vznice of the 17th an-
nounce that the Italian Tyrol is to be united to the
Lombardo-Venetian kingdom.
ROMAN STATES.—For lack of other news from
Rome we give the following.
The Statute of Florence, in a letter from Rome of
the 17th, says:—"We are expecting a change of
policy on the part of the government. It seems that
even the most obstinate are yielding to the dictates of
common sense. We learn from Portici that the Pope
had sent for Cardinal Lambruschini, and offered him
the supreme direction of the State. The Cardinal is
reported to have snswered that he had been minister
I under Gregory XVI., and that he was opposed to a
constitution, but that he was obliged to confess that
now it was impossible to refuse it."
The Costiluziunaleof Florence publishes the follow-
ing: "The steamer Madrid, arrived from Civita
Vecchia, brings the important intelligence that the
Roman question is solved; that the Pontiff restores
the identical constitution which existed at the time
he lett Rome, gives a greater extension to the amnesty,
and has come to en arrangement with the catholic
powers, in consequence of which Rome is to be oc-
cupied by 0,000 Spanish troops; 10,000 French are
to occupy Civita Vecchia, and 10,000 Austrians are
to be stationed at Ancona and in the Legations."
NAPLES.—Our correspondent writes:
NAPLES, Dec. 17.
The policy which the Austrian and Russian cabi-
nets impose on that of Naples, will certainly prove
fatel in the long run. The whole population is made
to feel the military despotism of Ferdinando H.
Whilst the crowded prisons can hold another man,
the police will work. A new list of nearly 150 names
is now in the hands of the executive, whilst Naples
is already deprived of nearly every honest citizen it
possessed. All who contributed to the constitutional
journals are now under a mandate of arrest. The
editors of La Staenpa (a moderate paper, which en-
deavoured to sustain the eonstitutional law) are
eying from the police. Vengeance is the order of
the day ; the government gains courage as it ad-
emcee, and every new capture but adds to its thirst
for more victims.
It is my duty to record the 'needy of another act
of Austria, per tectly on a par with those which the jour-
nals of Europe daily publish. The Neopolitans who were
in Venice when the heroic people of that city capi-
tulated, received Austrian passports, and • ere coa-
-1 veyed from Venice by an Austrian steamer to some
I distant p^rt, which refused to receive them, whereup m
I the captain of the vessel turned into Brindtsi, a Nea-
politan pert, thus throwing the exiles into the
hands of the government, which claimed them
as subjects. Two of these unfortunate victims, lam
informed, threw themselves into the sea, and the rest
remain awaiting their fate on board the steamer. The
whole affair appears very much like a preconcerted
plan to piece these men in the hands of their enemies.
It will be remembered they were sent by their king
.o Venice to fight the Austrians, and when recalled,
refused to obey, considering the freedom of Italy a
more sacred call than that of their sovereign. It re-
mains to be seen if they will be eventually given up
to the Neapolitan government.
I have nothing now to add about the Pope. Hie
holineis remains at Portici, waiting, I understand,
the result of the new French general's communica-
tion with his government—communications which
have arisen out of his late visit to Portici.
His Neapolitan majesty has, during the last few
days, amused himself with boar-hunting in the royal
preserves.
To-day the Neapolitan government made full repa-
ration to the Au-trian minister for the insult offered
to tie double-headed eagle during the revolutionary
times, when the arms were publicly burnt. His ex-
cellency was serenaded by a military band, and re-
c iced a numbsr of government officials. The soldiers
were addreseed by the ambassador, and the whole
went oft, ursobserved by the people, to the sound of
merry music.

DRAINAGE OF LODMOOR, NEAR WEYMOUTH.—
Preliminary steps are being taken for the purpose of re-
claiming and draining this meiotic(' waste, which is now
wholly under water. Indemndently of the advantaged
which would arise from carrying out such a measure in an
alricultural point of view, it is considered it would be of
great benefit to Weymouth in improving its minatory con-
oilion, for during the prevalence of northerly winds in the
dry weans the misensatio influences are wafted towards the
town, and must under the circumstances have a prejudicial
effect. An engineer, who has been employed in similar
operati• no hie been engaged to report a‘ to the best mnrs
of aeounplislitast this desirable object.—Salisbury Herald.