The Express.
London, England, 1856-04-25 00:00:00

ITALY.

~TRUY OCR OWN

ROME, Aeon 17.
The discussions in French and English journals
respecting the political reorganisation of Italy, and
especially of the Papal dominions, have recently
afforded much food for the devouring scissors of his
Holiness's newspaper censors. The mutilation of
printed columns, however, is but an ineffectual mode
of combating public opinion at home, or of modifying
any determinations that may be come to abroad.
The Romans are perfectly well aware of the @object
now on the cooferential tapir, in spite of the meagre
condition of the journals that reach the rafts : but it
must be confessed that they are too well acquainted
with the intangible nature of the Pope's position,
in his double attribute of supreme Pontiff and in-
dependent sovereign, to hope for any great change to
be effected in his system of government by merely
pacific negotiations. It remains to be sten how far
Pio Nono will be able to reconcile to hie conscience
any coecessions be or his ecclesiastical advisers may I
coneider prejudicial to the inalienable rights of the
church, or how far the system of passive resistance
may be dremrd safe in opposition to the will of a
continental congress.
Brigandage continues in the neighbourhood of
Rome rather more than is convenient to nervous tra-
vellers on the eve of departing from the Eternal City,
The last exploit of the bandits took place on Satur.
day,near Cisterno,whicb is a stage beyond Velletri,and
usually resorted to by retturini u their first sleeping
place out of Rome on the road to Naples. Mr.
Simpson, late British consul-general at Crouatedt, who
was proceeding son hwsrds with part of his family,
had adopted that mode of travelling, and was
approaching Cistern°, when the vehicle was brought
to a halt by six brigands, armed with muskets and I
pistols. The young ladies inside were unceremo-
piously hauled out of the coach and placed in the
ditch, with the assurance that any attempt on their
part to turn round would be followed by a discharge
from the blunderbuss of the brigand placed as 'entry
over them. Mr. Simpson was robbed of his watch
and money, amounting to twelve gold Napoleons and
some silver. He was also tequested to point out his
luggage, and his portmanteau appearing well sup-
plied with clothes, was taken possession of
without ceremony. The ladies' dresses were
less attractive to the spoliators, one of whom
having ripped up a carpet bag filled with
female apparel and toilet apparatus, immediately
rejected the whole as an unprofitable @peculation.
No violence was offered, further than menace@ and
rude haste in getting the ladies out of the carriage;
notwithstanding which, one of the fair travellers,
who was asleep when the affair commenced, and was
somewhat startlingly aroused to consciousness by the
muzzle of a brigand's pistol, succeeded in preserving
her watch and sue ornaments she wore, by keeping
her cloak well closed around her. By the diligence
from Naples, which passed through Cistern° shortly
after, Mr. Simpson forwarded intelligence lo Rome of
what had happened, and so prevented the other mem-
bers of hie family from being unnecessarily alarmed by
the exaggerated accounts which usually prevail atter
such events. Several arrests have been made during
the week of country people suspected of being con-
nected with the brigands, either as principals or
accomplices, but it has not yet transpired whether
the actual robbers are amongst the number. The
meaty of the mail on the Naples road is now provided
for by an escort.

The artis.s' annual festival took place on the 14th
instant at the customary pic-aresque locality of
Castel Gnibileo, and the abandoned solitudes
of the ancient Fiderx once more rang with
the tnntidt of rev, lry in every continental
and artistical tongue. The motley crowds
were coerced by the scep're of President Haag,
whose state car, drawn by tour oxtn with crimson
trappings, and escorted by moors, tempters, Indians,
and demons on horseback, excited no small astonish-
ment and admira•ion among the early peasants
bringing their produce to market. A decidedly
bacchanalian tone prevailed amongst the mseque-
raders as the clay advanced, instil a perfect tornado of
wind, dust, and rain closed the proceedings, and
drove the way and wine worn stragglers home.