The Express.
London, England, 1867-10-03 00:00:00

NNE W.y11131, AT LONDON 311DO1

Tam sti. na
to-llossow—Matukag. sti 40m....—Afternoon. as sae.

LONDON, THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3.

Tux liberation of GARIBALDI, and his volun-
tary return to Caprera, have vindicated the
good faith of the Italian Government in the
unfortunate necessity of his arrest. Although
that arrest seemed to place the Ministry of M.
RATTAZZI in direct antagonism to the aspirations
of the Italian people, and created among them a
general feeling of dissatisfaction and mistrust,
they already see reason to rejoice that they did
nothing in sudden anger which they would have
repented in cooler momenta. The self-control of
the nation has often been proved, and ono more
proof has now 'been given of its possession of that
first attribute of freemen. The Italians can but
have seen how the public opinion of that Europe
for which alone they care—that free Europe which
sympathises with their aspirations after national
unity—has regarded this unfortunate event. That
opinion has approved M. Iterrazzi's action, while
it has condemned, more strongly than before,
the political arrangements which me le
such action necessary. But if Liberal
Europe acquits the Italian Government of blame,
and even praises the vigour and fidelity of its con-
duct, the Italian people may at least be justified
in turning their indignation in another direction.
The September Convention was the price exacted
by the French Government for the withdrawal of
the army of occupation from Rome, and it is for
the Italian Government to keep the engagements
on condition of which that withdrawal took place.
The removal of that badge of servitude, that per-
petual sign of old divisions and weaknesses, and
of consequent foreign subjection, is itself so great
a gain to the national dignity, and so great a step
towards the ultimate completion of the national
unity, that Italy can afford to make a sacrifice of
sentiment to maintain it. It is no doubt a great
indignity to have been obliged to binder Vie
accomplishment of a just, generous, and noble
national desire ; but no indignity which the
national cause can suffer would be at all equal
to that which would be inflicted on it by
the return of the French to Rome. GARIBALDI
himself probably sees now that his temporary suc-
cess could at present have had no other result
than to give France at least an excuse and op-
portunity to return. His apparently ready ac-
quiescence in the necessity that Italy should bide
its time probably rests on actual knowledge of
the fact that France still resolutely stands be-
tween her and Rome. The necessity of an Im-
perial Government which rests on the unintelli-
gence of the French people, and must flatter the
ignorant prejudices of the vast rural democracy
which sustains it against the enlightenment of
France, is well understood by Italians to be the
real Italian difficulty. Yet probably not the most
sanguine Garibaldian—possibly not even GARI-
BALDI himself—has much hope of the r• suit of a
war with that formidable Power, and most Italians
must see that in faithfully executing their treaty
engagements they are really doing the most to ad-
vance their own cause. The false position of
France has been revealed even to Frenchmen by
the arrest of GARIBALDI. They see that in mock-
ing the aspirations of Italy they are alienat-
ing a kindred people and making an
enemy where they may some day need •
friend. The liberal journals of France are already
suggesting a revision of the September Convention,
and the only revision possible is that which re-
moves the barrier which keeps GARIBALDI from
Rome. Soong as that barrier is kept up by
French policy, Italy is and must be the alienated
friend, if not oven the enemy, of France. She can
only wait till the first French difficulty tells In -
that the time for action has come. The domes-
tic necessity of the French empire is Italy's neces-
mi.), too ; but its first foreign necessity will be
Italy's opportunity. Italian statesmen and the
discerning portion of the Italian people probably
see that this necessity may be near, and that when
it comes it will give them Rome. So long as
France is willing and able to enforce the obser-
vance of the September Convention the Italian
Government is wise in resisting, at any cost, all
external attempts upon the Papal territory ;
but if changes occur in France, or
her hands are full elsewhere, she may
be glad to purchase Italian neutrality by termi-
nating the Convention in the interest of Italian
unity. It is in this way, and not by any sudden
spasm of patriotic effort, that the Roman question
will be settled. It is one of those questions which
only ask for time. Italy, believing in herself and
believing in her destiny, need not make haste.
She cannot afford to be in a hurry, but she can
well afford to wait. She rebukes her great soldier
when ho would antedate the fruition of her hopes ;
she is faithful even to humiliating conditions so
long as those conditions have the aspect of neces-
sity ; but she resigns no right, gives up no claim,
and renounces no aspiration. She watehM the
panorama of events, and bides her lime..

It is greatly to the credit of the Italian people
that they have t 3 so large an extent consented to
the action of their Government in preventing GARI-
BALDI'S enterprise. Of coarse there are still very
many who do not appreciate M. Barr.►zzl's policy.
Only a statesman can embrace in one view all the
bearings and relations of national movements, and
the one weakness of popular opinion is, that it
so little understands the external necessities of
national policy. But the spectacle of GARIBALDI