The Express.
London, England, 1860-01-12 00:00:00

CENTRAL ITALY.

(7&o 0911 /TIM&

/EXT.)

nossNot, 3km.i.

Following the example of the suns of Romagna
sad of the minor duchies, the municipality of Florence
hes charged Marquis Bartolomei, its mayor, and the
Municipal Councillors Peruhci and Cord, to draw up
an address of congratulation to be presented to the Bar-
Milian King. It is indeed noticeable how municipal
authorities. whom influence has been paramount in
the Italian peninsula since the peace of Constance,
are ready to get hold of every opportunity which
praisers itself of showing to Europe the determine-
two of the people they represent to be united to
Piedmont. This determination has of late become
so geu. rat that I really do not know how the powers
a Europe could succeed in persuading the people of
this country to unite with their trans-Alpine breth-
ma, sad form an independent Central Italian state.
It would be a great mistake to suppose that this
mammon wish is the natural result of the union
exercised upon the country by the different
liberal government,. Although the men who
ere in power, both in Tummy and in the
sEmilian provinces, are all actuated by the same prin-
ciples, I firmly believe they would not be allowed to
retain, power an hoar Warr were they to advise a
soluiion at variance with the principle of annexation.
To this principle the Italians are ready to sacrifice
everything, for they know that it is only by sticking
to it that the unity of their country can be effected
one day or other. The news of Coast Walewski's
resignation has therefore given great satisfactica to
the Italians, for they knew that the French Milanese
of Foreign Affairs was one of the greatest opposing'
of Sardinia, at leaston this important question. Hit
friendship for the dethroned prances of the Hones of
Lorraine. his French prejudices against the territo-
rial enlargement of Piedmont, made him an obstinate
enemy of that policy which his Imperial muter had
publicly advocated in the famous proclamation of
Milan. The Ultiamontane clergy of France had
besides succeeded in turning Count Walewaki into
an active supporter of his Holiness's temporal power.
It is therefore not surprising that his fall from
office should be rejoiced at by the Italians. 'Dm
obstinacy of the Count in opposing the views of Lai
Napoleon was probably strengthened by the absurd
menaces uttered by the Pope on the first day of the
year. When the words addressed on that ocemion
y Pius IX. to General Goyon were reported to me
yesterday evening, I thought them so :unbecoming and
foosish teat I could not credit them. Yon will, how-
ever, receive them herewith, and may easily imagine
the eff tt produced by these words upon the French
general. Ihe haughty soldier, although a staunch ea-
tho•ic, c old not help turning pale, and retired with a
marked se nee of indignation. Those w ho are not familiar
with the chancer of the Pope will scarcely believe
that h. cr.Fd have employed such unbecoming words
in addressing the representativu of a powerful sove-
reign. But those who are well untainted with the
morbid condition of his Holiness's mind, and with
the impetuosity of his temper, have not been ear-
pnsed at all at hearing of what fell from his lips on
that occe.ion. Like all men who suffer from epi.
holy, Pins IX., when displeased, has no power of
controlling has wrath. Lagneronniere's pamphlet
had no doubt roused all his priestly indignation
against Louis Napoleon, and at the sight of the
French general he could not help giving vent to it
without reflecting that he was then playing the
doable part of a sovereign and of God's vicegerent
upon ear.h. The words of the Holy, Father wore
soon telegraphed to Count Walewski, and they must
have increased the fears of the Fnmeh minister, who,
as you know, has always exaggerated the inflame
which Rome exercises upon the clergy of Franco.
The crurade got up by Italian bishops in behalf of the
Vatican has not been discontiamd. Pastoral letters
and most pathetic homilies are pouring every day
upon the country, and they are all telling us the
same sad story. If the temporal power of the Pope
is to be unjustly curtailed (writes the Bishop of
Mantua). the malediction of God will descend upon
the eartn. and the most distressing calamities will
fail upnit Italy. This worthy prelate who is now so
wager abuut I:Oa/sties is, however, the same that in
1h.52. in ‘medienee to Austrian generals, did not
hesitate to subject the poor priest la:soli
to the heartrending and cruel process of
discouark ration before he was handed over to the
hangmat. who despatched him because he had con-
aired against the oppressors of Italy. The publica-
tion of political pamphlets is rattier on the increme.
Florence sad the Romagna Utterly swarm with the
effusions of Italian politicians, who have undertaken
to prove what everybody already feels—that the
tempera: power of the Hely Father is an European
nuisance, and that the annexation of Central Italy
to Piedmont is the beet solution which can be
adopted. In one of my former letters I think I
mentioned that Professor Alberi, an able Italian
priblici,•. had come forward to oppose the principle
of the annexation. At the appearance of this
pamph:et. great was the indignation of Alberi'e
apostate, and we had for two long weeks to arum
at &ea.t a new publication a day, in which the daring
professor was more or less heartily abused. Among
this regular shower of pamphlets one has been
published at Siena by a member of the Tuscan
aasembily which, in my opinion, completely confutes
the arguments of Signor Alberi. 1 have been told
that the author of this remarkable pamphlet is
Signor Ricci, a young lawyer of Siena., and ens of
the leading men of the Tuscan liberal party. In a
few days I shall have to record the publication of
a pamphlet by the famous Venetian writer Nicol*
Tommamo, in which, after a brief review of recent
important events, he will point out the line of policy
that his countrymen ought to follow in order to
secure the independence and liberty of the Italian
peninsula. Cimosendatore Bonoompagni's new pam-
phlet, which I bars already announced in one of my
former !otters, will also make its appearance in the
course of next week.